Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas

Description from Goodreads

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world. 

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I have so many feels at the moment. Those who had read the book, must know what I'm talking about here. The book was quite massive compared to the other YA books - glorious 645 pages in total. So much happened in those pages, and I was such a hot mess after finishing Queen of Shadows. The series has slowly, but surely become one of my favourite YA series, and the book once again proved that fantasy YA is definitely my thing. No doubt in my mind. And Maas has been developing so much throughout the series as a writer. I couldn't help myself but to just pause at times and admire some of the passages that she had written; the depth of emotion, action and dialogue just blew me away.

Haha, seriously I'm not sure where to start? Where can I since there are so many things that I want to talk about?? I actually postponed writing this review for weeks because I just wasn't sure how I could write a good review without all the fangirl nonsense gurgling. 

Well let's start off with Arobynn, since we FINALLY get to see him not through flashbacks or descriptions but in the moment, in the present. Ahh, I have such a twisted and complicated relationship with Arobynn. I know that I should hate him for the horrible acts and the person he is, but I just, kind, love him as well. Or maybe I should specify that, I love how the character is build. I've always been a sucker for well developed villains, and Arobynn is, hands down, one of the best villains out there. Seriously. He is so complex, so evil, kind of hot too, so manipulative, so smart, so ambitious, and so possessive! He is literally the personification of Satan, but I still seem to love him. Please tell me that I'm not the only one? Tell me that I'm not a twisted person for liking him so much even though he is one the major sources of grief for basically everyone.

And how about the plot. THE PLOT! I probably could've taken notes worth of several notebooks because the storyline was so entertaining, surprising, well-planned, sad, happy, just pretty much any adjective that you can come up to describe a well-written novel. Plotwise Queen of Shadows is my favourite book out of the four instalments without a doubt. Even though there were some events that annoyed/saddened me quite a bit relationship-wise, but I could totally understand why Maas had decided write the relationships as she did - the plot needs to be kept fresh and moving along. 

And that takes us to the relationships. So, I hope I'm not spoiling too much when I say this, but oh damn, there was so serious tension going on in Queen of Shadows between Aelin and this hot dude you all know of... I have to say that even though the romance is well justified, and I can totally see it, but.. I don't know. When the guy in question had his own point of view, he just came across to me as this beast who just wanted to devour Aelin - a hormone-ridden sex maniac (I might be going a bit far with that). I guess what I'm trying to say here is that even though the relationship was hot, I didn't really like it, but I might have liked it better if I hadn't read his point of view of the events. I had LOVED and ADORED this guy before and I was so happy that he continued to be a major character in the story, but I would be lying if I said that he was everything that I imagined him to be. To me, he was way cooler and likeable before Queen of Shadows. Now he was just glorifying Aelin and dreaming about her every minute he got, which I also get, because he is in love with her. But still. Whyyyyy? He ended up being so predictable and one-dimensional. He has no mystery left in him at all, and I think that bugs me the most. I LOVE MYSTERIOUS GUYS.

We also get a bunch of new characters or we get to know some newer characters more in depth, which of course is awesome! We get Lysandra, a courtesan who was Aelin's arch-enemy back in the day, we get a lot more of Manon which was extremely nice because I think I have a bit of crush on her now, and then there is Aedion who has had my heart since the first line he uttered, and lastly Elide who will surely play a bigger role in the upcoming books. Even though the main story/Aelin's point of view was definitely my main thing in the book, I did come to enjoy also Manon's point of view, more so than in Heir of Fire. This probably was because Manon is faced with some dilemmas that she has to figure out on her own and make drastic decisions about her future - whether to follow the orders or do what her ice-cold heart tells?

The story was so epic, so monstrous in feelings and actions, and even though the book was rather long, I can't say that I was bored at any time. Some people have been saying that they felt like majority of the book was just one big build-up but I didn't feel that way. At all. Sure the book did go towards this one big event, but I mean, there was so much more happening in there as well with the relationships and character development-wise. And oh boy, was the wait for the big finale worth it? Absolutely. It has to be one of my favourite action-sequences because there was fighting, desperation, tears, fire, magic, demons, stabbing, twists, just ahhh. So good. 

So, the book did have a very conclusive ending, but as we all know that the fourth book won't be last one, and there were some clues what might happen in the future. And of course we all are waiting desperately to know what the author has up in her sleeve for later! Very excited. 

In sum, I think Queen of Shadows was the best book of the series plot-wise, but romance-wise slightly disappointing as at times I felt like I was reading a harlequin novel, hmm.. The actions scenes and the newer characters were obviously amazing and I can't wait to see what kind of impact they have on the later on events! GREAT, EXCITING NOVEL. 

☆☆☆☆

Waiting on Wednesday (#32): Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Waiting on Wednesday is about sharing a book every week you cannot wait to be published. 

This week, I'm waiting on

Rebel of the Sands
by Alwyn Hamilton

Description from Goodreads

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

Genre: Young adult, Romance, Magic, Fantasy, Adventure

Pages: 304

Expected Publication: February 4, 2016

Publisher: Faber & Faber

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That first line.. I'm sold. Just take my money and give it to me.

The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker

Description from Goodreads

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.

Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.

Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

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I was hooked by "the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones", as I'm one of the millions of fans of the epic A Song of Ice and Fire series. Now in hindsight, I can't believe I actually fell for that. As much as I tried to see the reference, there wasn't anything similar between those two novels expect for the medieval setting (and to be honest, the world-building of The Witch Hunter wasn't really anything special). I suppose my high expectations can be blamed for my huge disappointment, but there also were things that did not work for me at all such as the main character, a certain awkwardness of the romantic relationships, and the general feeling of genericness the book left behind.

The thing that escapes me is that how come Elizabeth Grey, one of the most capable witch hunters of the kingdom, is so painfully naïve and frankly, a bit simple. Elizabeth has been trained among the elites to purge the society from darkness the magic has brought upon them, since she was very young. Naturally, this makes the reader assume she isn't only physically trained but can also engage in intelligent thinking in order to protect the kingdom. On top of this, Elizabeth has witnessed and experienced practically a countless number of controversial events while hunting witches, so, at least I, presumed her to be intelligent and able to take into account various perspectives as making her decisions. Unfortunately, Elizabeth displays a limited amount of critical thinking - she sees everything black and white. For instance, when she is saved by Perevil and there are all the neon signs telling her that he is the good guy, what does Elizabeth do? Plot a betrayal and an escape. While those plans could be justifiable if Perevil didn't show anything but kindness and trustworthiness, Elizabeth appears to be unable to evaluate situations critically. And this was one of the many reasons why she annoyed me. I just felt like her actions weren't realistic, in addition to the fact that she showed a degree of selfishness and lack of empathy e.g. towards her victims during witch hunting.

One of my pet peeves in any literature piece is a poorly constructed/hurried romance. While it may be fun to write about fluttering butterflies in her stomach and gazing into each others' eyes adoringly, it doesn't equal to a good romance writing. I've read too many YA novels with romances that appear to imitate one another with the nearly identical first-meetings and first-kisses descriptions, and it is almost driving me crazy. Call me nuts, but I do believe that there still are unique and compelling ways to build up romantic scenes as well as relationships. In my opinion, The Witch Hunter wasn't original or even mediocre in its romance as it felt superficial and in a way as a mean to carry the plot further. While romance as a carrying element of a novel is okay with me in theory, I want the romance then to be authentic, thrilling, or have originality that evokes something else in me than a gag reflex! I'm sorry for my harsh words, but that's just the way I feel. While I found Caleb and John (the love interests) to be relatively interesting characters, their potential was wasted on the "my stomach twists when I think about being curled up in his arms". I love a good romance novel, don't get me wrong. But I'm tired of reading a book after another that appear to use the exact same template for romantic relationships.

The first half of The Witch Hunter didn't add any items to my 'likes' column. Luckily though, the book did get better and more fast-paced as the plot progressed, and the occasional humorous dialogue helped me not to hate the debut novel by Boecker. One of my favourite the things was the relationship between Elizabeth and Fifer (a frenemy) and how it evolved into a completely different direction that I first assumed. I want to think that The Witch Hunter didn't reach its full potential, because it is the first published work by the author, and therefore maybe the novel (for me) wasn't what struck as special. In fact, as sad as it is, after three weeks finishing the book, I was struggling to remember what had exactly happened. And that's not a good sign, even if you read a lot. A medieval/fantasy setting is a quite challenging task to write about as there are so many things to think and to be consistent about in order to maintain the suspense of disbelief, in addition to create likeable and thrilling plot to support the novel as a whole.

Even though The Witch Hunter wasn't for me, it may be an excellent summer read for somebody else. After all, these are just my opinions. I was looking for a book that would thrill me with 'political intrigue' (which was non-existent) and 'unrest' (which appeared to a synonym for Elizabeth's naivety), but my expectations weren't met at all. A shame.

☆☆

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Description from Goodreads

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

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Finally!! Finally, I got this novel in my hands and had the chance to devour it! And of course (just as expected), Ms. Maas didn't let the readers down this time either. The new trilogy from the author continues with the same high quality as her Throne of Glass series: multidimensional characters, mysteries and secrets, twist and turns, and naturally a heart-pounding romance. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses was a such enjoyable retelling of Beauty and the Beast (reading the book really made me want to watch the Disney movie!!). The downfall of doing a retelling is of course that at times the plot is somewhat predictable, but I was really proud  of Maas (can I say that of an author who I don't even know??) for integrating small and big original ideas to the concept, making the novel more surprising and exciting than I would have first assumed. Being a fan of the original Beauty and the Beast story, I feel really protective of it. Maas however did justice to the original fairy tale by keeping the original themes of personal growth, feminism, trust, and love. 

Of course Maas took some artistic freedom while writing her novel and it paid off very well. For instance, I really enjoyed that she had decided as much as she did to write about Feyre, the main character's, family, and that she didn't paint them simply as 'good' or 'bad'. For example, one of Feyre's sisters, Nesta, was a really intriguing character. Outside she appeared cold and calculating, but there was so much more to her. I loved that Maas gave all the other characters the needed depth to them, not just in the case of Nesta. By doing this, the author reinforced my opinion that minor characters can be influencing power on the main character and the plot progression, and that it should always be done. The novel simply reaches one level of deeper meaning by writing all characters multidimensional, not just the two main characters. 

I suppose I do have one bone to pick with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tamlin, the 'Beast', wasn't exactly a beast. Yes, he had to surrender to magic every once in a while and so became a bit animalistic, but most of the time Tamlin was a really patient, kind, generous, and really smoking hot. Does something sound a bit wrong there? In the original story the Beast is described having a 'deformity', but in the Maas's version the Beast had a mask hiding his face. This was a bit disappointing, at least for me, because I was really looking forward to read how Maas had decided to deal with the theme of inner beauty. Of course this theme was still handled in the book, but not to the same extent as I had hoped. A shame.

I have to mention there was this another character, an anti-hero you could call him, who was just my absolute favourite thing as I most definitely had a love-hate relationship with him. I'm 100% that Maas is going to include him in the upcoming instalments, and I just can't wait what the author has in store for us in terms of this complicated character. I can't help it but I have a real weak spot for misunderstood, dark guys. Oh, Rhysand. 

Maas laid out a very strong basis for the trilogy and I have no doubt that the trilogy will get only better with each subsequent book. That's sort of a speciality of the author. I still like Throne of Glass series better than A Court of Thorns and Roses, but this is the first book of the trilogy so who knows? Maybe I'll change my mind when I read the other books (yes, I most definitely will read all the books by her because there hasn't been one book by Maas that I haven't liked). Even though A Court of Thorns and Roses wasn't as dark as I had hoped, but I was entertained by Maas's magical writing and incredible characters as well as the twists and turns from the very beginning to the last page.

☆☆☆☆

A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

Description from Goodreads

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped. 

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I have to say right away that I loved Vicious by V.E. Schwab which was published in 2013, and ever since I've been looking forward to reading her other books. So, when I read the blurb for A Darker Shade of Magic I knew instantly, INSTANTLY, that I had to get this book because there's nothing that I didn't like about the premise: parallel worlds, travelling between these worlds, magic, and adventures!! It was really nice to notice that I wasn't let down by A Darker Shade of Magic, even though it was a quite a bit lighter than I thought it would be (I kind of hoped that A Darker Shade of Magic would be a gruesome and dark read).

I've always found parallel universes a really fascinating concept, so naturally I loved the fact that Schwab hadn't created only two parallel universes, but four. FOUR! Grey, Red, White, and Black London all had their own distinguished features in terms of appearance, amount of alive magic, politics, customs, and even language which was so cool - the author had really thought the concept through which made me to fangirl quite a bit. I loved how inventive and intriguing this concept was and its execution, and the fact that the author didn't give away too much. She gave the readers all the basics and then a bit more about the parallel worlds, but also made them hungrier to know more about these Londons. Hopefully, we'll get more insight of these cities and the parallel worlds in general in the next instalments!

Kell and Delilah/Lila were such an interesting duo, both of them being used to be self-reliant and distancing themselves from other people. I liked that they weren't those typical YA characters 'handsome/beautiful without really knowing it' but Kell and Lila were very impressionable with their quirky yet a bit sad personalities. And I have this really weird thing for girls dressing as boys to get away with things! I don't what it is, but I just always seem to love novels in which the girl dresses as a boy and is a really badass and conquers the world in her own way. Even though I had a bit difficult time to connect with Lila first, I was really glad to notice that she eventually grew on me. With Kell, I had no problem - I liked him instantly. He with his red-hair and brooding personality was right up on my alley! One thing that I would've liked to know more about was these characters' pasts - what's up with Kell not remembering his childhood? I need to know!! I guess I just have to wait the other books to be published...

I think A Darker Shade of Magic is one of those books which are best experienced when known as little as possible, so I'm just going to list somethings that I absolutely loved in this novel (hopefully) not giving too much away: banter, a potential romance, Kell's coat with more than two sides, sadistic villains, dying magic, just enough open-ended ending to peak my interest for the second book. One thing that I didn't like, though: the constant use of italics to emphasise words. 

So if you have been meaning to read A Darker Shade of Magic, but still haven't: DO IT. I can almost guarantee that you won't be disappointed. I have to say thought that I did enjoy Schwab's Vicious more than A Darker Shade of Magic, but I still have to read her The Archived (which I'll try to read soonish as soon as I get a copy in my hands). A Darker Shade of Magic offered banter, slice of magic, exciting adventures, and heartfelt emotions which made the book a rememberable and unique read.  

☆☆☆☆

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Description from Goodreads

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard, known only as the Dragon, to keep the wood's powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the wood. 

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows - everyone knows - that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia - all the things Agnieszka isn't - and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her. But no one can predict how or why the Dragon chooses a girl. And when he comes, it is not Kasia he will take with him. From the author of the Temeraire series comes this hugely imaginative, engrossing and vivid fantasy novel, inspired by folk and fairy tales. It is perfect reading for fans of Robin Hobb and Trudi Canavan.

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When I saw raving reviews about Uprooted, I knew that I just had to read it. It was a compulsive need. And just like I expected, Uprooted just blew me away with everything. It was actually pretty fascinating, because when I finished this novel, I felt like I had just read a trilogy instead of a stand alone (I read the book within 36 hours of receiving it). And the reason for this is because it was immensely well thought, engaging from the first page to the last, and constantly surprising with the twists and turns! It's really rare for me to read a fantasy book as long as this one (approximately 400 pages, but it must have took me about 9-10 hours to read it, maybe?) in such a short period of time, but I just couldn't put the book down. The world of Agnieszka and the Dragon was too compelling for me to pause reading. 

There are only a very few things that I adore more than a well planned fantasy novel. The most obvious example of well-thought fantasy book series is of course J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, and how she was, and still is, able to construct such a detailed world of magic yet never letting any loose strings come about. Naomi Novik's Uprooted was the same, and she was able to do it with one novel instead of a series! I cannot praise enough the fact that how Novik gave the readers these small hints of what's going on with novel and then (brilliantly) she gradually brought the all elements together in the end. It's so satisfying to read a novel when you can just immerse yourself in the novel and not constantly pick up certain oddities or holes in the plot. Thank you Ms. Novik!!

Also for once, the main character (Agniezska who is a 17-year old woodcutter's daughter), is realistic yet admirable character. She isn't the beauty queen of her town or the most talented in the traditional sense of her world, but she still has her amazing personality: kind, loyal, loving, creative, and very intelligent. Of course she isn't perfect with her occasional sharp tongue and a brave fool behaviour, but as those are the essential parts of her character - you just couldn't picture her without those traits. Also, the mysterious Dragon.. I don't want to go in detail about him, as I think he is one of those characters who are best read when known about as little as possible. But, let me just say that he evoked some serious emotions in me (not telling if good or bad though). 

There was a slight romance aspect to the novel, and I thought it was a very subtle and gradually done (but it also was hothothot). Which to be honest, is the only believable and heart-felt way to go, at least for me. The mutual respect and time spent together being the basis for something romantic is right up my alley - I loved how there weren't any insta-love, googly eyes, admiration of that sexy jawline and bursting biceps. The romance between the characters felt authentic. Even though I did kind of hoped that there was more romance in the novel (or maybe the author planned it that way so that the readers wanted constantly more... hmm..), I was still so pleased when the relationship wasn't rushed, but gradually built and the feelings were justified, not just conjured up out of thin air. Once again, thank you Ms. Novik.

Besides the incredible fantasy world and the small romance element, I loved that there were also themes of friendship, loyalty, and standing up for yourself and taking a stand. All the elements were knitted perfectly together as they were introduced bit by bit, not overwhelming the reader but instead growing the reader's knowledge and belief in the story and the world. The novel never was one dimensional and that's probably why I ended up liking it so much. And also because of the banter and the humour the characters contributed - it was fantastic!! Well, long story short, I loved everything about Uprooted. 

☆☆☆☆☆

The Girl at Midnight (The Girl at Midnight #1) by Melissa Grey

Description from Goodreads

For readers of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, The Girl at Midnight is the story of a modern girl caught in an ancient war.

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire. 

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Despite the fact that I had read so many mixed reviews of The Girl at Midnight, my gut told me: read it. Without even meaning to, I was a bit apprehensive when I started the book as I had heard that the book bears a lot of similarities to Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy and The Mortal Instruments series. Nevertheless, my instinct whispered: give it a chance. And I'm so glad that I did. I really liked this book! I absolutely fell in love with the elegant and pretty language the author writes, without even mentioning the likeable and funny characters (even though they were a bit already-seen, but it didn't really matter because they were so well-established).

Ah, where should I start? Maybe I'll start off with the characters since they were kick-ass without being shallow or superficial. Echo, the main character, is officially one of my newest additions to the independent and cool heroines list. Even though the majority of YA heroines are witty, funny, and smart, there was just something really cool and unique about Echo that made me instantly like her. Maybe it was because she didn't wallow in her sad history, or that she lived in the moment and enjoying the life as it came, but she felt such a real character troughout the novel. The emotions she felt weren't downplayed but processed and examined just in the perfect level of depth. Two other characters that I want to mention are Caius (the Dragon Prince) and Dorian (the Captain of the Guard). While Caius as well was the slightly typical hurt and misunderstood (and of course devilishly handsome) royalty, his character was well-established and stayed true and consistent. He was immensely charming and had a surprisingly strong moral values which I always find attractive in a guy, even though Caius wasn't exactly Mr. Perfect, either.. Dorian on the other hand was the brooding yet clear-eyed mysterious guy who has the potentiality to become one of my favourite characters in the series due to his complex and conflicted nature (and he also was included in some of the best scenes in the novel). 

I have to admit that while the book had quite a bit of similarities to other popular YA novels, I didn't find this off-putting (even though unoriginality often is a turn off for me). The author was able to transform something old/used into her own story with small yet brilliant additions. For example in the case of Avicien and Drakhain, the two unique societies which have been in a war for a century. While you can spot many contrasting cultures in YA literature, the current book's cultures were particularly fun to read about. Especially in the case of Drakhain as they appeared to be descendants of dragons with their elegant scales (I know it sounds a bit gross, but Grey is able to write the scales as very beautiful) and their accent with soft Rs resembling Scottish accent to some extent. The violence-proneness of Drakhain also was somewhat fascinating as Avicien came across as the more gentle ones with their tales and a Seer (sort of like a person who can see the future). I wish that these societies were explored more in detail as Grey has so much material to work with. 

Like I already mentioned, Grey writes very beautiful text. She isn't afraid to use a bit more sophisticated vocabulary which I love as it conveys that she isn't underestimating her readers. The author has the ability to paint a very atmospheric and beautiful scenes like when she is describing Echo's visit in Kyoto, New York, and in Strasbourg. The character and world-building was very subtle and sophisticatedly done, as it was done gradually rather than everything just being splurged at the reader. The fact that the book's world was part modern, part fantasy, didn't feel forced at any times as everything Grey had created felt very well-planned and thought-out. The integration of the fantasy element felt seamless and so effortless which made the reading experiences so joyful - urban fantasy at its best.

The book was so funny at times that I actually sniggered on the bus while reading. I highlighted a bunch of funny retorts, comebacks, and banters. I just went back to take a look at them and they still managed to bring a smile on my face. The humour mainly arises from the amazing personalities and dynamic interactions between the characters, often between Echo and Caius, while Jasper (Echo's friend, if you can call him that) makes the most hilarious, teasing remarks which are equally hilarious and piercing. I loved when Jasper made others (some more than others..) speechless. He is such a sassy guy. Also the fact that the author often makes impeccable Lord of the Ring references just increases my love for the occasional lightness of the book.

If I had to call out the book for one weakness, it would be that fact that the book was rather predictable. While the middle part of the novel was relatively mysterious to me, I always knew what was going to happen in the end. But strangely enough, it wasn't a too bad turn of events even though I knew what was going to happen. And this fact still puzzles me, because I constantly talk about how I hate predicable books. Maybe the predictablness didn't bother me because otherwise I really enjoyed the book. There was so much goodness included in the book like the humour, the best characters, adventure, a bit of romance, and the importance of loyalty and being brave in the right occasions. I have high hopes for the next instalment in the series (trilogy?) as I have often found that second books in series are often a lot better than the first ones, and when the first one was as good as The Girl at Midnight, what can we expect from the sequel??

☆☆☆☆

The Mirror Empire (Worldbreaker Saga #1) by Kameron Hurley

Description on Goodreads

On the eve of a recurring catastrophic event known to extinguish nations and reshape continents, a troubled orphan evades death and slavery to uncover her own bloody past… while a world goes to war with itself.

In the frozen kingdom of Saiduan, invaders from another realm are decimating whole cities, leaving behind nothing but ash and ruin.

As the dark star of the cataclysm rises, an illegitimate ruler is tasked with holding together a country fractured by civil war, a precocious young fighter is asked to betray his family and a half-Dhai general must choose between the eradication of her father’s people or loyalty to her alien Empress.

Through tense alliances and devastating betrayal, the Dhai and their allies attempt to hold against a seemingly unstoppable force as enemy nations prepare for a coming together of worlds as old as the universe itself.

In the end, one world will rise – and many will perish. 

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Oh wow, where do I even start? The book was so massive and epic (and not just in terms of page numbers)! The different cultures, political systems, the reversed gender roles – there was so much in this book that it’s difficult to include everything in a single review. But. I’ll do my best to convey my feelings about this revelling new series.

I think the strength of the book was that the world of Worldbreaker Saga is so unique and distinguishable from what the typical fantasy worlds provide. I absolutely adored the idea of different jistas who had their own star and god they worshipped, receiving magical powers from them. And of course, the cherry on top was that there was this one category of jista called Omajistas, who arise so rarely in power yet they are the most powerful jistas known. The cycle of jista powers was so intriguing, getting more power as they star was rising and losing power when another start was rising. It is so difficult to try to explain the system in one paragraph, so if this concept interests you, please pick up the book.

One of the fascinating elements of the Mirror Empire was the fact that the gender roles were reversed. Women traditionally were the army commanders, spiritual and political leaders, usually had multiple husbands, and men were the pretty things who were kept at home. It was so conflicting yet utterly compelling to read about a society like this when you’re used to the norm, which dictates that women are usually the inferior gender. I can’t even begin to describe how I felt about the fact that men were basically treated as sex objects in the novel and treated like second-class citizens, while our society still tends to treat women like that. I felt so bad for the men in the novel, yet I know that women, myself included, go through similar experiences. I think the author wanted to evoke discussion about our society’s gender roles, and I must admit that she did fantastic job doing it.

I did have one problem with the novel though. The characters. The main characters were decent and likeable, but that’s about the only adjective that I can come up with while trying to describe them. Even though the overall concepts and the backgrounds of the characters initially were very different from each other, I didn’t feel like their personalities per se differed very much. I know that the author most likely disagrees with me on this one, but I can’t help but to say that the characters felt very flat to me, with the exception of Anavha (a trophy husband of an army commander). The novel was so concentrated on the world and society building, which in itself is a marvellous thing, but it definitely ate away from the character development. While the characters were okay, I never really felt for them or felt like I needed to root for them (again with the exception of Anavha, bless his soul).

The Mirror Empire’s author most definitely is a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, and you can see it – the violence, different cultures and political structures ooze the similar atmosphere that George R.R. Martin’s popular series carries. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, and in fact, I would recommend the novel for the fans of A Song of Ice and Fire. There definitely are similar elements, meaning that both series do not shy away from gruesome things and are not afraid to mix up things without any warning.

Lastly, I want to mention that I’m so stoked that the author is a woman. I’m not sure if I have looked at the wrong places, but it is relatively rare to come across with an epic fantasy book, which was written by a woman. So content at the moment that I got the chance to read this book!  It would be very pleasing to see more female writers in the epic fantasy genre for sure. The Mirror Empire was a very different, but enjoyable read which did have its highlight moments but also some less thrilling times but I think that’s all due to the fact that this was so massive novel which needed the slow world-building element.

☆☆☆☆

Rain (Paper Gods #2) by Amanda Sun

Description from Goodreads:

American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.

When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.

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I was really captivated by Sun's first book of the trilogy, Ink, when I read it over one year ago. Ink had a phenomenal setting and original plot which made me really like the book. However, there also were some things that I didn't really like such as the possessiveness of the main character Katie towards her new boyfriend, Tomo. Nevertheless, I found the the book a really refreshing and unique from the generic YA novels, so when I saw that Rain was requestable on NetGalley, I requested it immediately. After all, I was really intrigued how the plot was going to develop and also experience some Japanese culture once again. And I most definitely wasn't disappointed!

I feel like Sun had probably gotten a lot of feedback similar to mine for the first book, as all the "flaws" that were in the first book were missing from Rain. Katie wasn't that stalker girl anymore, but independent, caring, and determined. I liked her a lot better in this second book of the trilogy as her personality was stabler and better grounded. Katie's actions made a lot more sense and I was able to identify with her 101% now. The fact that I wished that I was more like her, conveys pretty well my adoration and liking towards her. I really can't wait to see how much she will grow in the third book which is due in summer 2015 (how am I able to wait until that long??)

Once again, Sun does amazing job depicting Japanese culture and customs. I used to be obsessed with Japanese culture, and I basically dedicated almost 7 years of my life to daily researching and studying of Japan as a country and Japanese (until I became a university student and the new life took over), so I think I can state to some extent that the author did fantastic job when demonstrating the language, manners, and customs of Japanese. In fact, I felt like I was reading a novelisation of J-drama - it was so good. I think everyone who is obsessed with Japanese drama series should read these books because they will blow your mind as a non-Japanese person has actually created this fantastic Jdrama/supernatural story.

The plot was sooo amazing and captivating, and not just romance-wise. There were twists and turns that I wasn't able to see coming and I only paused reading because I had to sleep - I think I would have read the book in one sit if it was possible. The story didn't have any annoying fillers, but all the events were important and intriguing and I loved the fact I kept learning something new while reading, even if fact was mixed with fiction. In addition to great storyline, I loved the fact that the romance between Katie and Tomo got deeper which of course made me even more invested in the story. I was also really surprised that I wasn't really that bothered by the love triangle, even though I usually hate them. In Rain, the relationship drama was just so well executed that I sort of liked the love triangle! Who would have guessed that?

So, yes. I loved Rain. I really, really, really loved it. I'm so glad that even though Ink, the first book, didn't become my favourite, I decided to continue with the trilogy because Rain might be one of my favourite reads of 2014. The spiralling down with Kami and Katie just sucks you into the story, makes you breathless and causes you to demand for more. The beautiful watercolour illustrations were a sight for sore eyes as the equally stunning story progressed. I can't simply wait for the third book as I know it will have a really epic and phenomenal ending, and I have hopes that the third book will be even better than the first, or even the second. 

☆☆☆☆☆