Glass Sword (Red Queen #2)

                Hello happy readers.  I hope all has been going well on your end.  The weather has taken a turn, finally, to not sweating just stepping foot outside and was actually cool for a couple of days. I'm excited though the 90 to 60 sudden drop wrecked havoc on my sinuses.  I also tried a new recipe, Caramel Apple Bread which seems to be a hit!  I have been able to finish a book from my TBR I’ve had for some time, Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard.  I reviewed book one back in March of 2015 here so it had been a while but when I started the audiobook of the sequel it all came back as I listened.  It picks up where Red Queen left off so spoilers.

Rating: 5 Stars

                So it has been some time since I read Red Queen.  I dove right in.  Mare and Cal are on the run with the Red Guard but being a silver, Cal is not treated with the best care.  Mare is a red with silver abilities, the lightning girl.  She thought she was an anomaly but finds there are others like her, new bloods.  The king is dead at Cal’s hand.  His hand forced by the Queen, using her ability against him to dispute him and put her traitors son Maven on the throne.  He is not the man either of them thought him to be, just a puppet playing the part that would make them both care for him.  Now Mare must fight but the cost is high and all of the treachery and betrayal have taken their toll and changed her.

               

                The action and intrigue of this series picks up at the first page and doesn't let you down.  There is so much happening from escaping without dying and oh yeah convincing the people you're with Cal isn't just an evil silver but an ally.  I loved throughout the book there is always more than one thing happening.  The constant struggle between the reds and silvers and now new bloods, never knowing where one stands as we are constantly reminded that anyone can betray you at any time.  Oh and the political issues of being on the run as Maven takes over as king.  It's one hit after another and we just keep rolling with the momentum never slowing down.

                The pacing of the book keeps it moving along for sure.  Still there is lots of character development with all out characters.  There is no clear right and wrong anymore everything seems to be shades of grey.  Mare, everyone really but her especially, has to deal with so much.  Blaming herself.  Wanting to save people like her, save everyone and fix the world into something better.  She wasn't trained to be a leader, she never wanted to be one but despite everything people keep looking to her to lead.  Watching her struggle with all of her issues throughout the book was grounding.  There was one part in which case I was so glad I was parked when it happened because I just stared at my car display in shock.  You go through the emotional ringer with these characters that's for sure.

"If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter."

                One of my favorite parts was getting to meet all the new characters.  Some good and some bad.  I especially enjoyed our new bloods and learning all their new powers as some were so much fun to imagine.  I enjoyed the difficult position each one was in and how real everything felt.  Not everyone is saved all the time.  This is a war and they are rebels and that means they are the underdog.  Farley was by far a favorite for me, the accent the narrator did for her was spot on as well, I loved how she could be surrounded by people with special abilities and be severely out matched but still hold her own with her tricks and skills.

                There is some small pieces between Mare and Cal but given everything that has happened it is very small and sedate.  They both are struggling with Maven.  Yes he is a monster.  He has done and continues to do horrible things to people.  Still that is not the Maven they knew and loved and even knowing that their Maven was "real" is still a hard thing to reconcile with the monster that is out to get you.  I love that they both are struggling with that and their places in this new war.  They both have beliefs and hard wired instincts they have to work on with everything flipped around.  I thought the reactions to it all was rather true to the characters and I enjoyed it. 

                Overall I really enjoyed this story and am glad I don't have to wait long to start the next book and then even less time for the final book to come out.  As much as I want to dive right in given that ending…and yes that ending hurt me…I also want to be fresh for the final book to come out.  And I have a few other books I have to get to this month!  I am caught up in this story and even waiting close to 2 years between reading without any catch up I fell right back into things with no problem because the author wrote such a unique and interesting world it was transfixed in my head! 

                Until next time…

These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2)

                Hello happy readers!  Its drawing ever closer to ApollyCon and I am beyond stoked!  I have my books stacked and waiting to be sticky-noted and packed.  I’m not going to be able to read as many books by authors attending as I had hoped but I have done pretty well.  Today I’m going to share my thoughts and feels on a new release that comes out tomorrow and an ARC I was thrilled to get approved for on NetGalley, These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2) by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                I have been waiting for this book since the end of These Vicious Masks (review) last year.  It had been a while for me and many books in between so I went back and read my old review and skimmed the end again to make sure I had all my facts straight.  It was so easy to dive back into this world of powers and upper England society.  We start out running, Evelyn still in pain over losing her sister Rose, is working to find other gifted people like herself and keep them safe starting with a telekinetic her old tutor knows.  Things don’t go smoothly and they come face to face with the Society of Aberrations, the same society that the evil doctor worked for.  Not a great first impression.  They try to convince Evelyn and her friends that the doctor was rogue and they were really all about what she is, finding and helping those like them and making the world better.  They offer much from repairing her reputation, restoring her family’s fortunes, and the like she wants to believe them.  To be part of something so good, but she is still leery that it is too good to be true and there must be something more sinister beneath the surface.

                Evelyn has really embraced her abilities and the whole new world of powers as a whole.  She is trying to be the best that she can be, what she things Rose would have wanted her to do.  She is still grieving but still things around her keep moving.  She is unable to tell everyone about her ability or what really happened to Rose or risk being thrown in the asylum.  She is a strong character who really moves forward with gusto.  She doesn’t always make the smartest choices, there is one in particular that has serious consequences I still haven’t recovered from I don’t approve of but she is true to who she is at each step.  She grows throughout the series thus far but doesn’t magically change into a different person it’s a development that I like.  Mr. Kent, the good friend who has feelings for her is so much fun to read.  I love when they are together their banter is just so on point.  He has some of the best lines and moments throughout the book and constantly had me laughing.  On the flip side of the romantic feelings we have dark and moody Mr. Braddock who has a horrible ability in making those he is near or touch ill or die.  Yep not a winner on powers.  He is such a good guy with a good heart who is plagued by this power and the devastation it causes.  I like him well enough but I do prefer Mr. Kent.  We also get to meet several others with different powers which was pretty fun seeing how they came into play.  Some we love others we don’t care so much for. 

                Book two is by far set at a faster pace and it really drives you through your reading in the best way.  They are constantly on the move between secret missions, training, snooping, and even the society obligations.  There is never a dull moment and the dialogue is on point.  The constant game of who can you trust really keeps the suspense high.  At one point I stopped and made a note to myself where I was at and my prediction about it being important and this whole theory from one little part so I could see if I was right.  I was in part but I went deep in my own thought process there and I look back and love that it made me so curious.  I’m still holding out that part of it will play in later. 

                I really enjoyed this installment and all the action packed feels.  I can’t wait for the next book in the series because the ending...well it left me with those feels.  Like TONS of them.  Like I re-read the ending several times hoping to see something that could fix what broke my heart but so far not looking good.  But we shall see. 

                Until next time…

Vicious

                Hello happy readers.  It’s Friday!  I know I’m excited.  I have my follow up orthopedic appointment later today where I hope to get good news that my finger is healing properly and then baring any unforeseen issues I will be attending a book event tomorrow at Little Shop of Stories to meet Nicole Castroman who wrote the amazing Blackhearts I read last month and loved (review).  I am going to key up the audiobook and drive, about as exciting as my plans tend to be.  But first today, I have finally finished my review for a book I read a few months back that caught me by surprise, Vicious by V.E. Schwab.

Rating: 4 Stars

                I have never read anything by Schwab before but have heard some of her other works praised highly and others practically salivating over her newest series so I was excited to give this one a try.  The story is about Victor and Eli and how they started out as roommates and friends but as powers are discovered, extraordinary abilities change their focus and they become enemies out for their own gain.  Ten years since parting ways, Eli has set out of a course to kill all others with powers, while Victor simply wants revenge.  When two superpowers fight against one another, both villains in their own right, who will be left?

                I went into this expecting a sort of anti-hero type book.  That and powers were really all I knew to expect.  What I found was a very interesting story that worked both in the present and in the past from how things were simple and friendly to out to kill.  How two genius level guys ended up with powers and on a war path.  The journey and seeing how things went so quickly from one to the other was brilliant.  The whole story is a smart and twisted idea that leaves you guessing.  Who do you root for?  Who is the hero?  Is anyone?  Are they all equally doomed?  Vicious was just so wicked in the best way.  Drawing you into this feud and revenge plot like it pulled in others.

                This ended up being shorter than I intended from all my notes but as I read them I don’t want to share because learning about each power and each detail as the story flushed out and you were given little tidbits here and there made the story.  Additionally, going in not knowing much about it I think made the discoveries all the better for me personally.  So there you have it a great story about an antihero, people with powers, and revenge.  Check it out!  Tell me your thoughts below I’d love to hear who your favorite character was.  Mine was Sydney.  Also if you’ve read other Schwab books I’d love to know what you recommend for me to check out next.

                Until next time…