Beyond Books

The Gray Wolf Throne

Cat — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:53:43 +0000

The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms, #3)
by Cinda Williams Chima

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana”‘Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.
Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it–he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive–and even that might not be enough.
The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate. (goodreads.com)

That’s a much better summary length. Was worried they were all going to get longer and longer until I didn’t need to write anything myself!

The number of people trying to kill Han and Raisa throughout this and the next book, sort of amuse me. These two crazy kids seem to have their days numbered. It’s hard to live in a fantasy novel you know.

I really liked how smart Raisa could be while handling situations. Sure, she doesn’t have Han’s street smarts, but she comes pretty close to being able to best her enemies and keep the situation somewhat under control. I like that she and Han have the arrangement to have him take the rooms next to hers, all the while convincing the court and everyone else that she feels nothing for him. (Although I found that one a little hard to swallow, because they kept getting caught talking together and stuff so I think the court must be pretty dim to have not clued into their ruse earlier.)

The series is so totally addictive and because of that I read these all one after the other and they are all blurred together in my head now. The sad part is I don’t know what else to say about this book that I haven’t said about the first two – it is that amazing. The world, the characters, the political plots, the deception, the pending war. This series is pretty much everything you want out of a fantasy series. I’m sort of sorry that I waited so long to read it BUT I’m also happy that I did because this meant I could read all four books in a week. HA!

Seven Realms

1)    The Demon King
2)    The Exiled Queen
3)    The Gray Wolf Throne
4)    The Crimson Crown

© 2013Beyond Books | The Gray Wolf Throne originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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The Exiled Queen

Cat — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:53:57 +0000

The Exiled Queen (Seven Realms, #2)
by Cinda Williams Chima

Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, hunted by the powerful Bayar family, Han Alister makes a devil’s bargain with the clans. If they sponsor his schooling at Mystwerk Academy at Oden’s Ford, he will become their magical sell-sword against the power-hungry Wizard Council.

Han and his clan friend Fire Dancer undertake the dangerous journey south through war-torn Arden. Once in Oden’s Ford, it doesn’t take long for the smoldering feud between Han and Micah Bayar to kindle into flame. After several attempts on his life, Han knows he has to find a way to defend himself.

In the magical dream world of Aediion, Han meets the mysterious Crow, a wizard with a long-standing grudge against the Bayars. Crow offers to tutor Han in wizardry in exchange for his help. Han agrees, once again forced into a bargain he hopes he won’t regret.

Meanwhile, Han’s friends Fire Dancer and Cat Tyburn struggle with their own demons. Dancer is determined to become a clan flashcrafter, despite his charmcaster status. Cat carries a load of guilt, as the only survivor of the slaughter of the gangs in Ragmarket and Southbridge.

Resuming her disguise as gently-born Rebecca Morley, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna travels with her friend Amon Byrne and his triple of cadets to Wien House, the military academy at Oden’s Ford. There she hopes she will find both temporary sanctuary from a forced marriage and the education she needs to succeed as the next Gray Wolf queen.

Much of Raisa’s education takes place outside of the classroom. As she mingles with students of all classes from throughout the Seven Realms, she forges the kind of friendships that don’t happen amid the cut-throat politics of the Gray Wolf Court. She also struggles to deal with her attraction to Amon—an attraction he seems determined to discourage.

When Han Alister asks the girl he knows as Rebecca to tutor him, she agrees. The streetlord turned wizard with the complicated past fascinates her, and he makes it clear the interest is mutual. But Han blames Queen Marianna and the Bayars for the loss of his family. As their relationship deepens, Raisa suspects that if Han knew her true identity, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her. (goodreads.com)

Ok, so I think this summary was longer than the one for book 1. What the heck, people!?

Hands down, this was my favourite of all four books. I loved following Raisa’s storyline and her travel to the military academy at Oden’s Ford. I loved all of the different, um, factions? (arts, military, wizardry) all in one location to learn about their crafts and whatnot. I just loved everything about this book!

My one issue was that of Fire Dancer’s story as he tried to come to terms with his charmcaster status. I would have felt more involved in his woes if there had been a better focus on his story. I almost felt that he was just tossed in as an afterthought and not given nearly enough depth to make his issues matter. Even though we’d only just met Cat Tyburn in this book I felt more connected to her own struggles with being a street rat to a (more or less) upstanding citizen than I did about Dancer. Dancer’s plot was watered down and vague at times and I never once felt any emotion for him whatsoever. Poor Dancer.

Heck, I felt more sympathy for Amon Byrne’s conflict about his role as protector of the Queen line and his feelings about Raisa than I did about anything Dancer was up to.

Much of the book focused on the trip TO Oden’s Ford and then a few months there before everyone up and left to return to the Queendom for various reasons (oddly all at the same time. Oh, Fantasy books, you are your clever coincidences!) and I just loved every single second of those travel and schooling days. Hunks of cheese and bread and dried meat were eaten! Stew! Ale! Cider! Ahhh, questing food!

I don’t really know what else to say about this second book that wasn’t already said in the epically long summary, but I feel compelled to write more in the body of my post than was in that stupid blockquote. Um….

Micah still reminds me of Malfoy – regardless of how different he actually is. I think once I got that idea stuck in my head in the first book, it was pretty much a given that I wouldn’t be able to shake it. heh

This series has an odd mix of very strong female characters and oddly weak and not very bright ones. I did love how quick and smart Raisa was about things, despite her age. She was always aware of the politics going on, even if she would act contrary to how things should be at times. I think this made her a stronger leader because she didn’t just follow the rules, she broke some for the good of the Queendom and her own people.

Right now the story is blurring into one big book in mu memory. Guess that’s what happens when you read all 4 books in 9 days and don’t stop to write blog posts in-between.

Seven Realms

1)    The Demon King
2)    The Exiled Queen
3)    The Gray Wolf Throne
4)    The Crimson Crown

© 2013Beyond Books | The Exiled Queen originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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The Demon King

Cat — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:25:35 +0000

The Demon King (Seven Realms, #1)
by Cinda Williams Chima

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell – the thick silver cuffs he’s worn since birth. They’re clearly magicked – as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.

One day Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history – it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returning to court after three years of freedom in the mountains – riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea – the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her – including marriage to a suitor who goes against everything the queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards. (goodreads.com)

Holy cow. That was ALL of the summary from goodreads. 0_o

I am late to the party that is the Seven Realms fantasy series. There are four books in this series and I’m not sure why I never noticed them before because I am all about the high/epic fantasy books, people. And this is YA fantasy and we totally need more YA fantasy in the world.

I read all four books between April 27 to May 5. Nine days. And it only took me THAT long because I had to go to stupid work during the week days. Jeez.

At the same time, I can’t really say this is only YA fantasy, because many fantasy novels have young protagonists, but they aren’t always classified as Young Adult novels.

The Demon King is the first book of four and you are introduced to the cast of characters who you will grow to love and hate through the next three books. Han a.k.a Hunts Alone, a.k.a. Cuffs Alister is the main focus of the story although other chapters are told from the point of view of Princess Raisa.

The pacing of the story is gripping and interesting. I could not stop reading (except when I was at work. Sigh.) and I was just devouring page after page (or screen after screen, rather, since I got this on my Kobo.) I wasn’t even half-way through the novel when I went and bought books 2 and 3 knowing that I would want to continue the series as soon as possible!

The description throughout the story held my attention 100% and I tend to phase out when I come across long passages of description in fantasy novels. I like the dialogue and action scenes, but description is sort of my zone out area. There really wasn’t much about the book that I didn’t like.

However, I wasn’t instantly in love with either Han or Raisa. I didn’t dislike them, but it took me a little while to warm up to them and really feel for them. Towards the end of The Demon King (an ending I was totally suspecting, because, you know, the TITLE and all…) I was pretty sure that I was fully on board rooting for each of the two protagonists and their respective quests. I especially enjoyed Raisa in the next books because she reminded me a lot of Ce’Nedra from the David & Leigh Eddings Belgariad / Mallorean series. (I always loved Ce’Nedra…not as much as I adore Polgara, but close!) (That being said, I kept picturing Draco Malfoy as the mean boy wizard even though he was described as not looking anything like him. It was just how mean he was I was all, BAD MALFOY! PLAY NICE!)

This is a story about many stories and you sort of know right away that they will all eventually connect. That is the way of fantasy, my friends. And I am ok with that, because I tend to like formula in my fantasy stories. It’s comforting.

Be prepared… Since I read this series all in a row, my next bunch of posts will be all about the Seven Realms. You have been warned.

(And I am writing this in Word, while on a train trip. I am going to try and get as many of them written as I can since my blog has been woefully silent for too long. Sorry!)

Seven Realms

1)    The Demon King
2)    The Exiled Queen
3)    The Gray Wolf Throne
4)    The Crimson Crown

© 2013Beyond Books | The Demon King originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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Coming Soon…

Cat — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:41:23 +0000

I’m about half-way done with the final book, but I have pretty much gobbled up the entire Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima in the last 6 days. I have been on a reading roll and haven’t been stopping to update the blog in-between. But you can expect these reviews up in the next week or so. I hope. That’s my plan, anyhow! I have train travel coming up next weekend and it will give me time to work on my blog and read more!

© 2013Beyond Books | Coming Soon… originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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Letting Ana Go

Cat — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:55:07 +0000

Letting Ana Go
by Anonymous

In the tradition of Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky, a harrowing account of anorexia and addiction. She was a good girl from a good family, with everything she could want or need. But below the surface, she felt like she could never be good enough. Like she could never live up to the expectations that surrounded her. Like she couldn’t do anything to make a change.

But there was one thing she could control completely: how much she ate. The less she ate, the better—stronger—she felt.

But it’s a dangerous game, and there is such a thing as going too far…

Her innermost thoughts and feelings are chronicled in the diary she left behind. (goodreads.com)

Release date: June 4, 2013

I have never read Go Ask Alice but I keep meaning to. When I got an email about the possibility of reviewing this book, I said yes. I had just finished my course and, well, it’s a disorder book. I have an addition to disorder books. This one is about anorexia, but it could be about mental illness, depression, cutting, suicide, and I will gobble it up. My soul likes to purge its own demons through literature now rather than act out in real life.

I will tell you, I read this book 2 weeks ago and I am STILL thinking about it. Not because I knew I wanted to write up this post, but because it just stayed with me. I don’t know what the another “Anonymous” books are like, but this one felt like I was reading a real journal. It was written in a way that reminded me of my own diaries when I was a young teen. The narrator’s voice was real and loud in my ears.

Parts of it reminded me of my own summers on the lake, even though this was really nothing like my own life. There was just a feeling…a sense, if you will that brought up so many flashbacks to when I was 13-16 years old. Maybe it’s also because the weather finally warmed up and I always feel nostalgic for my summers on the lake that I no longer have. Don’t know.

All I know is that this novel had a voice that resonated with me and felt so raw and real. I didn’t cry but I just felt everything in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t feel trapped as I normally do with emotionally heavy books, rather I felt…ok. I felt ok while I read this story and felt like I was reading a real girl’s journal and spiral into the unhealthy habits she picked up. I think because I knew what the outcome was going to be – even though I continuously hoped I’d be wrong – I didn’t feel the same sense of panic I normally feel, as I wonder if this kid will make it out alive?

I’m not sure how to explain how this story made me fee, other than it’s still fresh in my mind 2 weeks after reading it. Almost like I’d lived it myself. Like these were my own memories. They are nothing like my memories, but they still felt so real.

I was especially affected by the boyfriend relationship. It’s so rare to see a story where the boyfriend tries so hard to convince his girl that she’s beautiful the way she is and he doesn’t want her hurting herself. It was just such a beautiful and painful part of the book.

This is a book I will keep forever. I think I’d even re-read it, as difficult as it was. There was something about it that just connected with me. It’s heartbreaking that a girl can go from healthy and happy to thinking that she has to be skeletal to be pretty. This book is just so wonderfully written and painful to read, but it’s worth it.

© 2013Beyond Books | Letting Ana Go originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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Frost Burned

Cat — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:19:28 +0000

Frost Burned (Mercy Thomson, #7)
by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely. (goodreads.com)

** NOTE ** I started this post 2 weeks ago. I just can’t seem to find time to blog about the books I have been reading! Sorry for the lack of updates!

I just couldn’t wait another year to read the latest Mercy Thompson novel, so I broke down and bought it for my Kobo. Yes. I bought an EBOOK when I have been so vehemently opposed to ebooks for so long. I am ashamed to say I am quite enjoying my eReader and have bought quite a few books for it with gift cards that I had. *cough* I totally plan on buying the paperback when it’s out though for my collection!

Now that I have my confession out of the way, I will tell you that I truly enjoyed this book. The last few installments have left me wondering if I wanted to continue on with the series, but Frost Burned reminded me why I loved this series so much.

There’s something about Mercy and how everything happens to her or she’s the one that needs to save everyone that doesn’t get old or annoying. She’s smart, strong, capable and gets into her fair share of fights and injuries. She’s also immensely likable and not a damsel in distress at all. Somehow when things happen to her they seem normal (well, as normal as paranormal type things can be.)

What made me laugh most was the Black Friday shopping experiences at the start of this book. I liked reading about Mercy doing something that wasn’t saving the world. She was doing something normal people do, with her step-daughter Jessie. (I say “normal” very loosely, because I don’t consider people who go out to Black Friday sales all that normal. I consider them insane.)

I thought it was super exciting to suddenly have an entire pack kidnapped without so much as blinking an eye. I liked the mystery and intrigue within this instalment of the series. It held my attention very well and I was so happy I finally caved in and bought the ebook. (Trust me, there was a huge internal debate over this. I still feel odd when I buy books for my eReader.)

The one problem I had with the book was the ending. I was sort of disappointed once the Big Reveal was announced. I had sort of hoped for more than what it was because I thought it was…lacking? Anti-climatic? It felt somewhat dissonant to the rest of the novel. Oh, well. I still enjoyed the book immensely.

I think fans of this series will be happy with the new book. Especially since it was a long time coming. I am looking forward to more from Mercy, Adam and the gang. I hope it won’t be another 2 years down the road though!

Mercy Thompson series

© 2013Beyond Books | Frost Burned originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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Picture the Dead

Cat — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:46:16 +0000

Picture the Dead
by Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown

A ghost will find his way home.

Jennie Lovell’s life is the very picture of love and loss. First she is orphaned and forced to live at the mercy of her stingy, indifferent relatives. Then her fiancé falls on the battlefield, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Jennie struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, but is haunted by a mysterious figure that refuses to let her bury the past. (goodreads.com)

Due to my personal life having been invaded by my silly notion to go back to school and learn something new, I became very behind on reading books that were sent to me for review. (Which is why I stopped accepting books late last year.) I received Picture the Dead from Sourcebooks last fall as part of the Halloween give-away I held for them. It was an awesome-looking book that I was VERY eager to read, but just couldn’t find the time or headspace to devote to it.

Well, after months of sitting on my dresser, taunting me with it’s potential awesomeness, I finally picked up this book and…

holy wow!

Not only is the writing wonderful, this whole book is like a piece of art that has come to life. Between each chapter you get a glimpse into Jennie’s scrapbook and journal. All the photos, letters, paper she mentions in the story come to life in these little scrap booky pages and I absolutely adored this about the book!

There’s a supernatural feel to the story, although I can’t say for sure that the ghosts and spirits were real or just tricks of the imagination. Just the whole historical, ghost story, love story feel to the book made me so happy. This book is simple and complex at the same time. The entire book is part of the experience from the book binding, to the words, to the artwork and even most especially – the SMELL. I don’t know if all copies of Picture the Dead smelled as great as mine did, but my copy had the BEST book smell! It made me think I was reading an old, historical book that I’d perhaps found in my grandparents’ basement. It wasn’t mildew or gross-smelling, it just had the best BOOK smell. Even my husband agreed. (And yes, I did make him smell the book while I was reading it. Ours is a true love. He GETS me.)

There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like with this book. Perhaps I’d have liked the other cover I have seen on Goodreads than the one I had (which is included in this post). The other cover I have seen has scrapbook-type photo art and I think that makes the book look even more like it does inside.

I am so happy I got a chance to discover this story because it was fabulous and imaginative and haunting and so wonderful. This is a book I will be keeping in my house no matter how many times I (attempt to) trim down my book collection.

© 2013Beyond Books | Picture the Dead originally published by Cat for Beyond Books . | This post cannot be republished without permission of the author. If you're reading it anywhere other than a feed reader (or my own blog!) you are in violation of copyright. Illegal is wrong!

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