Sip

Sip by Brian Allen Carr

I want to warn you that this book is kind of dark, truthfully graphic (like violent/naked/kind of uncomfortable situations presented in very blunt factual manner), and it kinds of reminds me a teeny tiny bit of A Brave New World. Just in the sense they present kind of taboo topics in a way where none of the characters really bat at an eye at it.

So, be warned? An amazon summary to maybe give you a better feel for the book, "A lyrical, apocalyptic debut novel about addiction, friendship, and the struggle for survival at the height of an epidemic.

The sickness with a single child and quickly spread: you could get high by drinking your own shadow. Artificial lights were destroyed so addicts could sip shadow at night in the pure moonlight. Gangs of shadow addicts chased down children on playgrounds, rounded up old ladies from retirement homes. Cities were destroyed and governments fell. And if your shadow was sipped entirely, you became one of them, had to drink the shadows of others or go mad.
One hundred and fifty years later, what’s left of the world is divided between the highly regimented life of those inside dome cities who are protected from natural light (and natural shadows), and those forced to the dangerous, hardscrabble life in the wilds outside. In rural Texas, Mira, her shadow-addicted-friend Murk, and an ex-domer named Bale search for a possible mythological cure to the shadow sickness—but they must find it, it is said, before the return of Halley’s Comet, which is only days away." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

The world kind of crashed and burned when people started drinking their own shadows...and going a little crazy. The shadow drinking essentially gets you super high...but it can also kill you if you have no shadow. You have to 'eat' shadows to live, and someone else can eat your entire shadow, leaving you shadowless, and also makes it so now you have to eat shadows to stay alive.

There are also domes where people can hide from the sun with decrease in shadows and be safe? It's a little odd and kind of unclear. Anyways.

So Mira and Murk live outside the domes, where Murk is addicted to his shadow, but he has a peg leg, so that means he doesn't run out... ....I'm still not entirely sure how that works. Mira can turn her shadow on and off, but she sips shadows without eating them to keep her mother alive, so she's not ill-affected by shadow harvesting. But the first scene we see...is Mira contemplating killing herself by getting close enough to the train to get shot. Where Bale, who guards the train as part of the dome guards, gets himself kicked off the train for not shooting her.

I don't know the book, is kind of a weird slapstick of one happenstance that I bet if I read it again I would pick up on subtle nuances that would paint a more complete picture? ...but I don't feel compelled. I'm kind of stumped by what I was 'supposed' to get out of this book? It kind of seemed like an inane ride through madness with enough landmarks along the way that it was kind of recognizable. I don't really have anything else to say so I guess...

Happy reading?

Dance of Thieves

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

This is the start of a sequel duology to The Remnant Chronicles. I have not blogged about The Remnant Chronicles at this point, but I am kind of madly in love with the trilogy. Here are some amazon links; BOOK 1 - THE KISS OF DECEPTION, BOOK 2 - THE HEART OF BETRAYAL, and BOOK 3 - THE BEAUTY OF DARKNESS. Seriously, love all three books. I would HIGHLY recommend reading those three books before reading this book.

Brief crap summary if you need a hook. Post apocalyptic world where kingdoms of people have formed and basically live in a medieval style. There are three different narrators in the first trilogy, which, with what they do in book 1, well, that has made me recommend it to everyone I know in real life. It's kind of intense.

Imagine my intense delight when they even announced there was going to be MORE books in the same world. I about lost my damn mind.

Again, I would HIGHLY recommend reading the first three books before reading this book. Not only because they're good, but you will get to see some characters from the previous series in this book. I don't think you inherently have to read the first three books before reading this book....but like why wouldn't you. THEY ARE AMAZING. 

...anyways. An amazon summary, "A stunning new adventure set in the kingdoms of the Remnant.

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen's premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives―and their hearts." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

I want to say up front this book is written from Kazi's perspective and Jase's perspective in alternating chapters. Very similar to how the first trilogy was written from three different character's perspectives. Anywho.

Kazi of Brightmist is part of the elite guard (Rahtan) who protect the Queen of Venda. After the events of the previous three books, Kazi and two of her fellow Rahtan are sent on a mission to investigate treaty violations committed in Hell's Mouth/Tor's Watch.

Jase has recently become the leader of Hell's Mouth/Tor's Watch at the untimely death of his father. He's doing everything in his power to protect his family, his city, his people, and his ancestry in the turmoil of his father's untimely demise. Unfortunately, the first time he meets Kazi, is after a night of drunken antics. They have a scuffle and as Jase stalks off away from his guards, Kazi leaves her fellow Rahtan behind to talk to him alone.

Where they run into labor hunters (essentially slavers). The labor hunters begin to transport them out of the city in a wagon, where Kazi and Jase are shackled together at their ankles, and Kazi was knocked out pretty bad to the point where Jase is keeping an eye on her to make sure she's even breathing. When Kazi wakes up, a series of incidences occur which lead to Jase and Kazi escaping into the wild, desperately trying to find their way to a settlement or Hell's Mouth/Tor's Watch.

That is ENOUGH SUMMARY.

So much like the first trilogy, this book has a lot of interesting relationship dynamics, tons of backstory and character growth for our narrators, and I've always admired how Mary E. Pearson can write about a scene from both character's perspectives without rehashing a stupid amount of details. Her stories flow very well, and they're also very intricate. I also loved how the political dynamics carried into this book as I was a little nervous there wouldn't be a lot of political shenanigans based on the first three books story. 

There were definitely times throughout the story where I was rooting for one narrator, then the other, and even got to points where I was like SCREW BOTH OF YOU, YOU'RE BOTH BEING DUMB (but I love you anyways). 

There's definitely going to be a sequel, and I'm very excited to find out what happens next! ...and I'm not going to start looking up sequel release dates in the same month the first book was published.... because usually that information isn't available... ha.... ha..... ....

Happy reading!

Frost

Frost by M.P. Kzolowsky

This did have one of the more interesting takes on the end of human society as we know it...but unfortunately that didn't mean it was well written.

For full clarity, I read up until page 182 out of 336 pages. This book review is only based on what I managed to finish of the book.

An amazon summary, "16-year-old Frost understands why she's spent her entire life in an abandoned apartment building. The ruined streets below are hunting grounds for rogue robots and Eaters.
She understands why she's never met a human besides her father. She even understands why he forbids her to look for medicine for her dying pet. But the thing is, it's not her real father giving the orders . . .
It's his memories.
Before he died, Frost's father uploaded his consciousness into their robot servant. But the technology malfunctioned, and now her father fades in and out. So when Frost learns that there might be medicine on the other side of the ravaged city, she embarks on a dangerous journey to save the only living creature she loves.
With only a robot as a companion, Frost must face terrors of all sorts, from outrunning the vicious Eaters. . .to talking to the first boy she's ever set eyes on. But can a girl who's only seen the world through books and dusty windows survive on her own?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Frost lives in an apartment with her best friend Romes, a broot (like a gigantic wild dog/wolf thing, but not a dire wolf), and their robot Bunt. Her father uploaded his mind into Bunt before his death, so sometimes he can take over Bunt, but he has a very difficult time controlling the robot body. Romes becomes sick, and Frost is determined to leave their apartment and venture out into the desolated streets. Frost "knows" of the dangers outside but has been inside the apartment for as long as she can remember. Determined, Frost is adamant about leaving the apartment to go find a cure for Romes, since well everyone else she ever knew is dead at this point. Did I mention her mom is dead too?

Anyways, they embark on their adventure out into the world, and well, if it weren't for Bunt, Frost would be dead like ten times over. They basically start going through different areas of the world and Frost is encountering the different reactions/happenstances people went through as society fell.

It all sounds really interesting right? The humans even turned into eaters in some cases. Eaters are basically humans with insatiable hunger. They have some kind of mutation that as they start eating themselves (if they can't find anything else to eat) that their wounds basically cauterize quickly enough that they never bleed out. Also, the robots all went crazy or something? And Frost's Dad seems to be the one who invented the robots?

I'm sure there's more to the mystery, and there's more to the book, but I couldn't read anymore. There was too much of this weird belligerent innocence from Frost; like she was constantly unaware of how the world currently existed and was completely caught unawares by every different situation she came across. She's sixteen. I found so much of her innocence to be implausible. Also, in the beginning of the book, Frost is able to see a lot of the city from the missing wall of their apartment. So many of these things should not be surprising to her.

I also disliked how her motivation to leave the apartment was to save Romes, but it felt like her best friend was forgotten over half the time. I had to stop reading, the writing style really struggled to hold my attention. It was just so sterile, even during an emotional reaction. It seemed almost on the level of, "Frost was sad," and that was all you got to understand the emotions of the situation.

So I gave up.

Happy reading!

To Kill a Kingdom

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Who doesn't like a good sea story? ...probably someone. I don't know.

An amazon summary, "Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most--a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian's heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. 

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby--it's his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she's more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good--But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind's greatest enemy?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Princess Lira is a siren. Siren's are supposed to kill and capture the heart of a human each year. Her mother, the sea witch, would kill and capture the heart of a prince every year to keep her alive. So when Lira became old enough, she also hunted down a prince every year to keep herself alive. With 100 kingdoms in this world, there seem to be enough princes to continue the tradition. She became known as the Prince's Bane.

Which brings us to Prince Elian, who has made it his mission to hunt down sirens. He loves the sea, he wants to be out on the oceans, and when he's on land he's just incredibly sleepy. He's hunting the oceans to rid the ocean of sirens, and hopefully the sea queen that controls them all.

Who happens to be Princess Lira's mother. Princess Lira's mother, is kind of an awful variety of being. She's ruthless, she cares nothing for other's lives, and she will murder to make a point. So when Princess Lira harvests a prince's heart too early, she sees it as defiance against the decrees she has set. As punishment, the sea queen turns Lira into a human and charges her with taking Prince Elian's heart while she's a human, then she can return back to the sea kingdom.

Prince Elian comes across a naked woman floating in the ocean by herself who is drowning. He plunges into the ocean to save her and brings her aboard his ship.

So the story begins. That's enough summary.

I really liked this book. There was a stunning contrast between the narrations of Lira and Elian, the contrast of cultures, and there was also such a great world building. How the 100 kingdoms came to be in the state that they are, how the struggle with the sea kingdom was born, and so much more.

I was rooting for Lira, I was rooting for Elian, and they were on two sides of the same struggle coin. That is good storytelling.

I also really loved Lira's entire character; seeing her as a siren, seeing her as a human, and seeing how it all played together in the end.

I also really liked Elian, understanding where he came from, understanding what he was doing to get to a future he could live with, and how his crew came to be the way they are. The supporting characters were just as good as the main characters.

This was a rich tapestry of a story, and I definitely want to see more in this world. Maybe not a sequel with how the story wraps up, but just more within this world. Definitely an author to watch.

Happy reading!

Roar

Roar by Cora Carmack

More fantasy books? Don't mind if I do!

Kind of a disclaimer? I have no idea who Cora Carmack is in the adult publishing world. I've never read anything else by her. I kind of purused her website and I'm pretty sure I haven't. The amazon summary starts out by stating she's a new york times bestseller, and I just had a 'wait, what' moment. So, clarifications! Whee!

An amazon summary, "New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack's young adult debut: Roar.

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks―storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. 

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Aurora is the princess to a Stormling kingdom where her magic has yet to manifest itself. The stormlings are able to tame storms. The storms seem to have a mind of their own and are usually hell bent on destroying cities/people. So, it's kind of big deal that the princess to a stormling kingdom doesn't seem to have any magic....but her mother (the queen) has decided to keep it a secret. Constantly rotating out her maids and doing the work to fend off storms from their kingdom (where normally the heir starts to). Stormlings are also able to capture the heart of the storm after they've defeated it essentially. ...which is how Aurora's brother died (the original heir to the throne). So Aurora is doing her absolute best to try to be worthy of the throne. But she doesn't have magic, so she can't protect her kingdom. 

The solution? Marry a prince from a powerful stormling family of the neighboring kingdom. Enter....well... a very unsavory dude. He's super manipulative but to what end? Aurora ends up following him out of the palace when her suspicions are raised and wanders into...essentially the black market. She meets a group of storm hunters, and she's never heard of them before. The black market excursion opens her world view and she begins to wonder what else she doesn't know.

That is enough summary.

The story telling in this is a little weird for this plot line. It's third person omniscient, but it skips around so much. There's also a weird, immediate lust thing that happens when Aurora meets the prince from another kingdom and also one of the storm hunters in the black market. I guess it could kind of made sense in the strict context of Aurora not really being around people, but like, dudes, you're making it so hard to treat Aurora as a respectable character. It's basically that weird, "what is this weird fire that seems to be igniting in my belly and on my skin?" when they got anywhere close. Apparently, Aurora also did a crap ton of training with the soldiers of her kingdom...so I feel like she should be super used to close contact. You can't really learn how to fight without getting up in someone else's personal space. So I found that entire aspect of the story highly implausible.

There were also elements introduced about other characters personalities that it seemed like within pages, they were dismissed or were shown a completely opposite trait. So in the grand scheme of running around in this chaotic plot and finding magic potentially, you also have conflicting storytelling. There were lots of aspects of Aurora I wanted to root for as like a gung ho, strong female character, but because of how the storytelling was done, it was a little jarring. Especially when you were hopping into the minds of the men who find her attractive also make a lot of comments of like, "She's so hot, but determined, what a rare quality in women". It was just pretty discouraging. I guess it kind of makes sense in the aspect of making sure to portray how the world views her to know exactly what mindsets she's dealing with...but it was still disheartening.

I am intrigued by the overall plot presented by the book, but I don't think I'll pick up the sequel.

Happy reading!