Book Review: Faces of the Dead by Suzanne Weyn

Goodreads summary:

When Marie-Therese, daughter of Marie Antoinette, slips into the streets of Paris at the height of the French Revolution, she finds a world much darker than what she's ever known.

When Marie-Thérèse Charlotte of France learns of the powerful rebellion sweeping her country, the sheltered princess is determined to see the revolution for herself. Switching places with a chambermaid, the princess sneaks out of the safety of the royal palace and into the heart of a city in strife.

Soon the princess is brushing shoulders with revolutionaries and activists. One boy in particular, Henri, befriends her and has her questioning the only life she's known. When the princess returns to the palace one night to find an angry mob storming its walls, she's forced into hiding in Paris. Henri brings her to the workshop of one Mademoiselle Grosholtz, whose wax figures seem to bring the famous back from the dead, and who looks at Marie-Thérèse as if she can see all of her secrets. There, the princess quickly discovers there's much more to the outside world - and to the mysterious woman's wax figures - than meets the eye.

My review:

I've always enjoyed Weyn's books.  They're quick, fun reads, and I read quite a few of her fairytale retellings in my early teens.  So I was looking forward to reading Faces of the Dead.  It was a fast and interesting read that held my attention, although it does have a few problems.

What I liked:  History fans, be sure to check this book out!  Weyn captures the gritty feel of the French Revolution perfectly, and she doesn't hold back.  Every dark detail is there.  I felt like I was swept away in that time period.  Even in such a short book, I learned so many facts about the French Revolution.

There is a strong cast of characters too.  It's so clever that the main character, Marie-Therese, is the daughter of Marie Antionette!  I haven't heard of many YA books about Marie Antionette, and I liked how she's inserted into the story.  In fact, all the members of Marie-Therese's family are so realistic and distinctive.  Another interesting addition is Marie-Therese's maidservant and friend, who looks just like her, enough that the two of them frequently switch roles.  I liked all the characters and felt caught up in their story.

What I didn't like:  Something about this book just didn't click for me.  I liked everything, but I didn't love it.  I think part of the reason why this book didn't totally work for me is that it's so short.  It's barely 200 pages, and it took me a little over an hour to read it.  It was as if the whole story was over so quickly, especially because it spans so much time - we jump from Marie-Therese's childhood, to her preteens, to her teens, etc.  It was like the story never paused long enough for me to grow attached to the characters.

Something else that felt off was the magical aspect of the story.  I guess this book is considered a historical fantasy, but it felt so much more like a historical book than a fantasy.  The magical aspect isn't even introduced until halfway through the story, and it seemed very out of place.  Plus, the ending is tied up way too easily thanks to the magic.  It just wasn't very satisfying.

Faces of the Dead is a decent, entertaining, and very quick read.  The detailed setting and strong characters add life to the story, but it was too short and jumbled for me to really love it.  Still, I'll keep my eye out for more of Weyn's books.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

Waiting on Wednesday (49)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to read.

My pick is Suspicion by Alexandra Monir!

Goodreads summary:

Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.

"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.

All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?

Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.

My thoughts:

I just found out about this book yesterday while browsing Netgalley, and WOW!  It sounds amazing.  Fresh twist on Rebecca?  How about yes.  And it was pitched on Netgalley as a modern Downton Abbey.  Um, yes please.  I can't freakin' wait for this book!

Suspicion releases December 9, 2014.

What's your WoW pick?

~ Kaitlyn

Book Review: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy. 

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

Goodreads summary:

I was beyond thrilled when it was announced that Maggie Stiefvater had written a book about Cole and Isabel.  I can remember the exact moment I saw the news on my phone and started squealing out loud, much to the alarm of my family, haha.  Cole and Isabel were my favorite characters in the original trilogy, so to say I had big expectations is an understatement.  I'm so happy to say that Sinner was amazing!  Even better than the trilogy, in my opinion.  It's definitely my favorite of Maggie's books.

Sinner is a lot different from the first three books in that it's not so much focused on werewolves as it is on the characters of Cole and Isabel.  They are both such complex and broken characters.  I love that they both have tons of faults - just look at the title of the book, after all - but it's impossible to not love them anyway.  And of course, they are amazing as a couple too.  Cole and Isabel both fight a lot, have tons of issues to work through, and have dark pasts, but underneath it all they are deeply in love with each other.  It's a beautiful romance that's impossible to forget.

As I mentioned above, the plot doesn't focus much on the werewolf aspect.  It's touched upon briefly and comes into play during a few scenes, but this is really more of a contemporary novel.  It's about two broken people who are trying to find themselves, and in doing so find their way back to each other.  And as always, I'm still just astounded at the writing.  Maggie writes some of the most gorgeous prose ever.  I usually only highlight a few passages here and there when I read a book on my Kindle, but I was highlighting like crazy while reading Sinner!  There were so many profound quotes and amazing little lines and achingly beautiful descriptions.  It's a treat to read a book that is full of such detailed writing in every aspect - the setting, the characters, the storyline.  I loved it.

If you're a Maggie Stiefvater fan, there's no doubt in my mind that you're going to love this book.  It's perfect in every way, and I'm so happy that Cole and Isabel got their own story and their own happy ending.  Filled with lovely writing and irresistible characters, Sinner is one book you don't want to miss.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  5 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

My Top 5 Books of July 2014

Umm, how is it August already?  Because I am so not ready for school to start in a couple weeks!  Thankfully, I still managed to squeeze in a small amount of reading this past month despite being gone at camp for a week.  Here are the books I read in July:

- Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
- Nantucket Red by Leila Howland
- This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
- The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
- House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
- The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
- Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- The Falconer by Elizabeth May
- Take Me On by Katie McGarry
- Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
- After the End by Amy Plum
- Deliverance by C. J. Redwine

Yikes, I seriously need to step up on my reading game!  My top five:

1. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  I'm convinced that no matter what genre JLA chooses to write, it's gonna be awesome.  This book is different than what she usually writes; it's a contemporary thriller with a mystery twist.  I loved it!  Suspenseful, humorous, addictive, and everything that a JLA book should be.

2. Take Me On by Katie McGarry.  GAH.  She writes the BEST contemporary romances ever!  I love how she can take the most cliched romance storyline and spin it into this emotional story that will make you tear up.  And she writes some of the best book boyfriends ever. ;) West was so swoon-worthy and I loved him and Haley together!

3. Death Sworn by Leah Cypess.  This book wasn't even on my to-read list, I just grabbed it randomly at the library because I remembered skimming some bloggers' reviews of it.  Now I'm sooo glad that I did, because this fantasy book kept me turning the pages late into the night.  Creative and full of action.  Also, loved how the chemistry developed into a romance!  I had to make a concentrated effort not to squeal out loud at the adorableness of the growing romance between Illeni and her love interest, lol.  Loved it!

4. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith.  Another fantastic contemporary author.  I always highly enjoy her books; they are this lovely mixture of thoughtful reflections on life, uniquely developed characters, sweet yet realistic romances, and touches of humor here and there.  This one was about long-distance relationships and if they can really work, and I adored it.  Such a fun read!

5. Deliverance by C. J. Redwine.  An awesome ending to a fantasy trilogy that I've loved.  I will say I preferred the other books in this series, though.  For some reason it took me longer to get through this one, I guess the pacing was a little slow and it didn't hold my attention the whole time.  But overall it's a solid ending to a series I'll always love.  Lots of action and amazing character development.  I can't wait to read what this author writes next!

What books have you read lately that you loved?

~ Kaitlyn

Waiting on Wednesday (48)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to read.

My pick is In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis!

Goodreads summary:

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.

My thoughts:

I can't wait for this book!  I loved the first book, Not a Drop to Drink, when I read it last year.  It's rare for me to absolutely love dystopians anymore,  but I thought it was extremely realistic and well-written.  I also think it's so cool that In a Handful of Dust isn't exactly a sequel, but more of a companion book.  I'm excited to see what McGinnis will do with this story!

In a Handful of Dust releases on September 23, 2014.

What's your WoW pick?

~ Kaitlyn

ARC Review: Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore

Goodreads summary:

Pretty and popular track star Marijke Monti is confident about almost everything – she’s got great friends, a great family, and she’s on her way to the State Track Championship. In fact, the only thing Marijke isn’t confident about is her relationship with Tommy Lawson.

Lily Spencer has spent her entire high school career preparing for the future – she’s participated in every extracurricular activity and volunteer committee she could. But, at home, she watches her mother go on date after date with dud-dudes, still searching for “the one.” Lily realizes that she’s about to graduate and still hasn’t even had a boyfriend.

While they live on each other’s periphery at school, Lily and Marijke never seemed to have much in common; but, after a coincidental meeting at the movie theater, Lily gets an idea – why can’t life be like a movie? Why can’t they set up their perfect romantic situations, just in time for their senior prom, using movie techniques?

Once the girls come up with the perfect plans, they commit themselves to being secret cohorts and, just like in the movies, drama ensues.

My review:

Just Like the Movies was a cutesey, feel-good summer read that I devoured in a day.  With humorous moments and likeable characters, it's easy to enjoy this book.  However, I do have to say that there's no real substance to it and it honestly doesn't stick out in my mind as a particularly memorable contemporary book.

I liked the two main characters.  Lily and Marijke, although they both have very different personalities, somehow manage to come together when they share the same goal: make their life just like the movies.  This was a fun idea that's perfectly fitting for a contemporary story.  It's unique, results in some rather hilarious situations, plus all the movie references made me smile.  (Also: Pitch Perfect shout-out for the win!  Although I wish one of the scenes from that movie could've actually been used in the storyline.)

The romance was okay-ish.  Honestly, I didn't find either of the boys that Lily and Marijke are interested in particularly appealing - especially Marijke's!  The boys' characters were a little bland and cookie-cutter for me.  I had my fingers crossed that their love stories wouldn't turn out to be so predictable, but it turned out the same way it would in your typical romantic comedy.  A little disappointing for me, but I suppose if you love happily-ever-after endings you'll like it.

I also found the ending to be a little rushed.  Everything worked out just perfectly just in time.  But that and the slightly boring romance are my only complaints.  Otherwise, I found this story to be utterly charming.  I laughed at the characters' crazy schemes and found them to be very quirky and relatable, and I was pleased at the great development of minor characters like Lily and Marijke's families.

Definitely check out this book if you feel like being entertained with a fun, fast read.  I certainly enjoyed it, and this is the kind of author whose books I'll reach for when it's summer and I want a good beach read.  It's not a favorite contemporary of mine, but it's still oh-so-fun and worth reading.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

ARC Review: Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Goodreads summary:

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

My review:

Kiss of Deception was indeed an epic fantasy.  I highly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading the sequel, but for some reason it just didn't have the "wow" factor for me.  I had a couple problems with it, mainly the pacing and the writing style.

What I liked:

Lia is such a kick-butt heroine.  I loved her!  Not only is she unafraid to work hard for what she wants, she is also intelligent, smart, and sticks up for her friends.  She's not some naive princess; instead, she thinks things through and does her best to make the right decisions.  I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't much insta-love, too.  The romance is really only centered on Lia and one guy, and I liked their sweet relationship.  Which brings me to...the love triangle.  Or lack of.

So, I liked the two love interests.  They were well-developed and had integral roles in the plot.  But...it wasn't much of a love triangle.  There's really only one guy that Lia's in love with, so I kept wondering why the other guy had to be in love with her.  It seemed a little pointless, because his character would be much better if he wasn't in love with Lia.  Just my thought. *shrugs*

Also, the setting was fantastic!  The author really worked out every detail of the world.  It felt so real, and it was such a treat to read a book with such wonderful world-building.  It reminded me of reading about worlds like in the Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings.  And of course, the plot was top-notch.  The three points-of-view help add to the suspense, and despite the slow pacing, there are many well-crafted twists and exciting action scenes.

What I didn't like:  

The pacing wasn't great.  Even though I was really enjoying the storyline, it took me forever to finish this book because it was so slow.  Honestly, the writing style just weighed it down.  I feel like a fantasy book like this should have a slightly faster pace to it.  But instead of having a little more action, the story was flooded with endless descriptions and lengthy paragraphs.  Yes, the descriptions are good in that they add to the world-building and help the reader feel lost in the characters' lives; the problem was there there was just way too much.  Also, some of the paragraphs really should've been shortened.  They take so long to get through, unlike short lines of dialogue, which would have suited the story better.

I had issues with the slow pacing and overly descriptive writing, but despite that I really liked this book.  It's so fun to read a well-developed fantasy with such in-depth world-building and characters.  This is one fantasy book you definitely want to try.  I'm looking forward to the sequel.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn