Better late than never...

The Sword of Summer
Author: Rick Riordan
Publication Date: October 6th 2015 
Publisher: Puffin
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he's tracked down by an uncle he's never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

If you’ve read a Rick Riordan book before and loved it, you’re 99% guaranteed to feel the same about The Sword of Summer. Its trademark Rick Riordan, so here’s a check list we’ve come to know about anything Rick Riordan.

• Easy, likeable characters.

While I couldn’t really connect to Magnus, or any other character, you can relate to them, they’re easy to like and easy to root for. Magnus is sarcastic and even though doing the right thing gets him in trouble, and uh, killed, he does it anyway. Sam’s strong, and logical, and one hell of a multitasker. Heath and Blitz are, well, they’re Heath and Blitz, unique and loyal. Basically, they make one hell of an awesome team. And even Annabeth has a cameo!

• Mythology

This time around it’s Norse! Which, I was psyched about, because apart from the obvious, I don’t know much about Norse Mythology or Valkyries, and what I love about Rick Riordan’s are, you don’t know how much you’ve learned about the chosen mythology until you’ve finished it. And that’s the way you do it, because it doesn’t feel like learning, or reading a book on mythology, it’s done in a way that isn’t overwhelming, which any mythology can be, so you gradually learn who the God’s are, their children, their connection and relationships, and then of course, there’s Valhalla.

• Humour

You should know by now if you’ve read any Rick Riordan’s books, there’s always humour. Lots of it. In lots of places. Even by objects. Yes, objects. And while that makes the book seem light and fun, there are a lot of serious moments, too.

•   Quests

Of course there’s a quest. Duh. It even says so in the synopsis. I won’t tell you much about the quest, because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say, it’s sneaky, and challenging, and honestly, you need to keep your eyes peeled for hints that start right from start.

• Brings God’s to life in a completely different way.

And sometimes, in a hopeless, unhelpful way that leaves the kids to do the work. Okay, let’s be honest, not sometimes. 

If you’ve read and liked the Percy Jackson series, but thought it was a little too young for you, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is the one for you.

 

 Rating: 4/5

                                 

Review: The Shadow Prince

The Shadow Prince (Into the Dark #1) 
Author: Bree Despain

Publication Date: March 11th 2014        

~A copy was provided by  EgmontUSA via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review~

 

 

 




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Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.
 

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Greek Mythology in YA, what can go wrong? Really, just don't ask yourself that question.

Since I've read a lot of them, and most of them have been good, The Shadow Prince, however was average. The mythology was fun and though I'm not the person who could go through one and go "that's wrong", it was pretty good. That part was fine. You have the preface of the myth of Persephone and Hades,  overlapping with the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Review: Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty
Author:  Rosamund Hodge

Publication Date:  January 28th 2014         
~A copy was provided by Balzer + Bray via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review~


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Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love
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Cruel Beauty. Cruel Beauty, what can I say about you? I didn't want you to end, is one. And when it did? The book hated me. And yet, I still loved it.

A unique, magical world, laced with mythology,

Prepared and trained all her life, Nyx  has always known she was born for one thing and one thing only. To kill the Gentle Lord that rules their world, unleashes shadow demons that if looked upon by human eyes-and they look back-would drive you mad, that has controlled and damned their existence.

Review: Revel

Revel
Author: Maurissa Guibord 

Publication Date: February 12th 2013        

Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers       





There’s an island off the coast of Maine that’s not on any modern map.

Shrouded in mist and protected by a deadly reef, Trespass Island is home to a community of people who guard the island and its secrets from outsiders. Seventeen-year-old Delia grew up in Kansas, but has come here in search of her family and answers to her questions: Why didn’t her mother ever talk about Trespass Island? Why did she fear the open water? But Delia’s not welcome and soon finds herself enmeshed in a frightening and supernatural world where ancient Greek symbols adorn the buildings and secret ceremonies take place on the beach at night.

Sean Gunn, a handsome young lobsterman, befriends Delia and seems willing to risk his life to protect her. But it’s Jax, the coldly elusive young man she meets at the water’s edge, who finally makes Delia understand the real dangers of life on the island. Delia is going to have to fight to survive. Because there are monsters here. And no one ever leaves Trespass alive.

Revel, Revel, Revel. What am I going to do with you? You were not what I was expecting, at all. But, you were so good I don't freaking care.

I had started to read Revel a while ago but gave up, probably because of the mood I was in, so I didn't want to not read it a second time, and I didn't. So. Good.

Stacking the Shelves (#18) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

 

How's everyone's week been? Mine, book-wise has been pretty good, or not so good, since I spent £25 in store, but...In my defence, one is Educational and the other two were buy one get one half price and one was for my cousin, so naturally, it doesn't count. This is why I'm banned from town. Also, a pre-order came in, yay!

For Review

          

 

 

 

(Prisoner of Night and Fog, The Taking and Fake ID)

Thanks to Balzer + Bray, Harper Teen, Harper Collins and Edelweiss

(Witch Finder, The Academy: Love Match and A Breath of Frost)

Thanks to Hodder Children's (Hachette), and Bloomsbury Childrens UK

Such cover love! Does anybody else keep seeing Prisoner of Night and Frog? Just me? Okay then.

     

Bought

 

• Follow Me Down by one of my favourites Tanya Byrne
• This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink
• The Greek and Roman Myths by Philip Matyszak (It has such a pretty real life cover.)

(Not pictured)

• All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill  -This is the 3rd time I've bought it. But, since I wouldn't let my cousin borrow my copy, I bought it for her instead. ;)

Also, ignore the putty rubber, my art supplies are invading my room now.


What did you get this week? :)

  



 A recap of posts this week

 

• Monday I reviewed  Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
• Teaser Tuesday from The Syndicate by Shelena Shorts
• Waiting on Wednesday: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
• Friday I reviewed Two Lies and A Spy by Kat Carlton
  

This week I have read:

• Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)  by Kelly Keaton 
• Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
• The Syndicate by Shelena Shorts (Kind of)

 

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www.britishlegion.org.uk

 

 

Review: Antigoddess

Antigoddess
Author: Kendare Blake

Publication Date: September 10th 2013

~A copy was provided by Hachette, in exchange for an honest review.~

Old Gods never die…
Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.


*Note: I was doing a giveaway with the review, but I've had too much caffeine and after this am going in a dark room because I have a migraine coming on. Giveaway will start tomorrow!*

I would love to tell you I hated this. I would, and gladly do so. I had this huge expectation in my head since I finished the Anna series and heard about Antigoddess, and though I had this expectation, I didn't know what to expect. It was nothing like my expectation, in the best way possible.

I read this slower than usual, because I wanted to read it but then I didn't. I just had this feeling, and as soon as I started I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I am, and then again, I'm not. Not because it didn't live up to my expectation, because it did and a lot more, but maybe disappointed is not the right word. I'm feeling like I did after The Girl of Nightmares, that same bitter sweetness.