Defy by Sara B Larson

 
 

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?<

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A great addition to the YA High Fantasy genre, which is a favorite of mine. I love stepping out of our contemporary world and into a fictional land. With fantasy novels anything is possible; I love the magic, politics and romance. This story had them all. Our heroine Alexa was likable and easy to root for. She has to hide her identity to protect herself and for the past three years has not only been a personal guard to the Prince, but has also been disguising herself as a boy. Normally I’m not a huge fan of the girl-dresses-as-boy storyline, but it was well done here. I guess I have a hard time believing people would be fooled. I think since no one knew her before and the fact she looks so much like her twin brother it was easy for them to believe. For the past three years everyone has known her as a boy, but in that same time she has actually grown into a young woman. She is now seventeen and beginning to show an interest in a couple guys and is surprised when they are showing an interest in her. It was interesting to see how she begins to see herself differently. Never really finding herself pretty and content with being a soldier, it was nice to see her softer, feminine side come out. To have men appreciate her for more than her fighting skills. For those who know me, you know I am not a fan of love triangles. While this one was better than most, it still seemed a little unnecessary to me. I liked both guys (which of course must be a requirement with LTs), Prince Damian really grows as the story progresses and the more we learn about him the more you like. I also liked fellow guard Rylan, who is loyal and protective and an all around good guy. I like who Alexa ends up with and thought they had good chemistry. I think their story could have been better and developed more if the LT element wasn’t involved (but, again that’s mostly because I don’t care for LT). Overall, I thought it was a fun read. I was luckily able to read it on my iPhone, so I could read and take care of my new baby at the same time. I had a hard time putting it down and wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I thought things ended well, but also look forward to reading more in the series. A great debut. Content: Clean, PG13. Clean romance, language and mild violence. Talk of breeding houses and rape (not descriptive).

Winter Queen by Amber Argyle

Mortally wounded during a raid, seventeen-year-old Ilyenna is healed by winter fairies who present her with a seductive offer: become one of them and share their power over winter. But that power comes with a price. If she accepts, she will become a force of nature, lose her humanity, and abandon her family.

Unwilling to pay such a high price, Ilyenna is enslaved by one of the invaders, Darrien. While in captivity, she learns the attack wasn’t just a simple raid but part of a larger plot to overthrow her entire nation.

With the enemy stealing over the mountains and Darrien coming to take her to his bed, Ilyenna must decide whether to resurrect the power the fairies left behind. Doing so will allow her to defeat Darrien and the other invaders, but if she embraces winter, she will lose herself to that destroying power—forever.

The synopsis and cover totally drew me to this book. After reading the Amazon “sample” I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. It’s one of those books that is hard to put down, you want to keep reading to see what will happen next and how everything will work out. I liked our heroine Ilyenna, she puts others needs above her own. She doesn’t back down and tries to do the right thing. She has it pretty rough throughout the book and I admired how she was able to stay strong. I also liked our hero Rone. He is loyal, brave and kind. I like that he continued to put Ilyenna first, even above his own needs. I liked their relationship, it did save the book for me. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them to be together. I had read some reviews that mentioned the violence, but I guess I still wasn’t expecting so much or so detailed. It seems like it was non-stop from start to finish. It seemed like so much time was spent on the violence that the rest of the story suffered. The politics and romance were overshadowed by beatings, wars and pain. I ended up skipping a couple fight scenes at the end because I was just burned out. Too much violence for my taste. I also thought the end wrapped up rather quickly. Especially in regards to Ilyenna and Rone’s relationship, it was rather sudden. The fairy elements were okay, but I’m still on the fence about how everything ended up in that regard. Overall, an interesting read. While I liked the overall story the violence was a big turn off for me. Content: There is sex before marriage and a pregnancy results. Aside from kissing, everything fades to black and there is no details. There are a couple attempts at Ilyenna’s virtue, but nothing goes too far. There is a lot of war, beatings and other violence.

You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.

Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.

The synopsis for this one totally drew me in. I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience stories and high fantasy, so this was a nice mix of both. I got sucked into the story right away and had a hard time putting it down. It’s a little slow moving, knew going in that it was the first in a trilogy so that didn’t bother me too much. The subject matter was pretty heavy though.

The world building was unique. The country of Chaldonia has some very backward ideas about women. They are treated poorly, actually that’s an understatement. Women are nothing more than property, and not property that is treated well. Our heroine Serena especially had a hard life with a very abusive father. They have no rights and are really nothing more than baby breeders and punching bags. It was disturbing, but even more so when you think of the countries and religions around our world that do treat their women in a similar fashion. It’s heartbreaking to know there are women out there going through similar things. I am glad that the author wasn’t overly descriptive of the punishments and abuse. You know what has gone on, but nothing is overly detailed.

The romance was a bit lacking for me. I thought there was a lot of potential for Serena and Zade, but by the end it felt more like a friendship. Knowing Serena’s background I appreciated that they take things slow and that Zade wants to gain her trust. I believe her response to him was accurate. Considering her background, it would take a great deal of patience to earn her trust. I could understand why she was on edge and waiting for punishments, since that is all she has ever known. His kindness was totally foreign to her. So, I do appreciate that a friendship has been built and will make a good foundations for something more. I’m a sucker for romance though and would have liked to have that aspect amped up a little. While I liked Zade, I do wish he was a bit more of a charmer, like the guys from a Marcia McClure novel. I would have liked to see him actually fall for Serena. They didn’t have much romantic chemistry. You know he cares about her and her welfare, but I’m still not sure if it is more out of sympathy for all she has gone through. When together they mostly just talk politics, which is one way to get information to the reader, but ends up lessening the romantic bond. IMO. (hide spoiler)] I think if the romance had been showcased more it would have lightened an otherwise pretty serious book.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say this is a downer, but it is definitely more on the serious side and the treatment of women is at times pretty disturbing. Again, nothing is overly detailed, but the overall mood is oppressive. I liked the end, the last chapter or so things happen that leave you happy and hopeful for Serena’s future. I am curious about continuing the series and look forward to seeing what will happen next. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked that it was unique and the characters were likable. The world building and writing was well done, easy to get into and hard to put down.


Content: Clean. Nothing more than kissing, but it’s clear a woman’s main purpose is producing heirs, especially male heirs. Some violent themes, but nothing overly descriptive. Some abuse, but again, nothing too descriptive. 

Just Ella by Annette K Larsen

Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she'd imagined.

I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me.

This was a pleasant surprise. For some reason I didn’t have the highest expectation going into it. I think part of it was that I didn’t love the cover. I probably would have put off reading it for awhile if I hadn’t read the great reviews (especially Chrissy’s). I guess I’m a cover snob and I gravitate to the books with awesome covers (which doesn’t always mean you’ll get an awesome book. Unfortunately.) Ariella was a great heroine. I really liked her. The book opens when she is fifteen and I thought the author did a good job portraying her at that age and especially how her relationship with Gavin grows from friendship to young love. Very believable. I liked that the book takes place over a few years and we get to see the changes Ariella goes through and how she handles struggles. I like that she wanted to do the right thing and was willing to make hard choices, if it meant doing the right thing. Again, I really liked her character. I also liked Gavin. He was a sweetheart. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them. I wasn’t sure how things were going to play out, they come from different worlds and obviously won’t have the support of her family. There was another character introduced towards the end that I actually loved, I think he is more my “type” and almost started rooting for him, but I was still on Team Gavin. I was happy with how everything eventually works out. Anyway, I love high fantasy novels that have a princess as our leading lady. Not sure why, but it’s just a great setting. The book kind of reminded me of Seer and the Sword and Queen in Exile, although this book focused more on Ariella’s self discovery, and not too much court intrigue. Maybe since I had those other books in the back of my head I expected this to be similar in action/intrigue, and did keep expecting something to happen, but for the most part it’s just a nice story. There is some excitement thrown in though and I thought that made the story fun. I think it’s one I would probably enjoy even more the next time around, knowing what to expect. The writing was well done and the characters likable. I look forward to reading about Areilla’s sister Lylin in the next book. Hope it comes out soon. Overall, a fun read and one I would recommend. Can’t wait to read more from Ms. Larsen. Content: Clean.

Midnight Masquerade by Marcia McClure

I didn’t realize until I started reading that this is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I have enjoyed this fairytale and all the recent retellings that have come out. I liked McClure’s take on it though, definitely making it original and unique. I liked that there were still the elements from the original fairytale, but was told from a different perspective. I also liked the reason behind the dancing, seemed more plausible than enchantments and magic.

I liked our main characters Evony (pretty name) and Stavos. They of course have good chemistry together and I felt their connection was realistic. With the setting and with everything going on I was able to believe them falling in love so quickly. Usually that’s a tough sale for me, but I bought it here. Evony is of course sweet, beautiful and kind. She is also selfless and has put her life on hold to protect her siblings and help her family. I like that she didn’t sit back and let someone else do the rescuing, she was an active participant in making sure everything turned out right. Stavos is what you want in a hero. Not only is he good looking, but he has a caring heart and is fearless. He has high morals and stands up for what he believes in. Like I said, they are great together.

The overall story was fun and even though I’ve read a few different versions of the story, it was fun to see how McClure made it her own. And it's that cover so pretty?

McClure has written a couple other retellings (Saphyre Snow and The Whispered Kiss) which were both fun, so I was excited when I saw she has plans to write a few more retellings based on Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and 1001 Arabian Nights. Definitely something to look forward to.

Content: Clean, PG. Kissing!!

Emma: A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca Jamison

Emma's her name and matchmaking is her game! Quirky life coach Emma wants to help her first-ever client, a lonely nanny named Harriet. But all of her attempts at matchmaking result only in embarrassing miscues and blunders, leaving the pair disheartened and confused. This modern take on the Jane Austen classic shows that sometimes the greatest match is the one we make for ourselves.

I thought this was a fun retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. It sticks pretty closely to the format of the original, but does do its own thing. Especially towards the end. I liked when it changed things up a bit and became more unique. I think I liked Emma more in the original version, but she was still okay in this one and you still root for her to figure things out. I didn’t feel as much chemistry between her and Justin, but I still liked their relationship. Overall, it was a fun romantic comedy and would recommend to any Austen fans or for anyone that enjoys that genre. Content: Clean, G.

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

I thought this was a lot of fun. I’m a big fan of Jane Austen (who isn’t?) and loved the Kiera Knightly movie version. I actually remember watching it for the first time and the second it ended (around midnight) I made my husband go buy me a copy. I couldn’t wait to own it and make all my family and friends watch it. Beautifully done (and much better than the BBC version!), IMO. Anyway, I thought the premise for the book was cute. Elizabeth fell in love with Mr. Darcy and would settle for no one else. I won’t say too much about the plot so I won’t give away spoilers, but soon a love-triangle emerges when Elizabeth has to choose between a guy she likes and a guy who she feels resembles her Mr. Darcy. I did think it was a tad crazy how obsessed she was with Mr. Darcy (and the actor who played him). It was nice to see her grow and watch as she figures out what she really wants in a relationship and choosing someone who is the best fit. Elizabeth was a likable heroine. She is a nice person and I thought that when she was with Chad she was much more herself and I enjoyed their time together. The guys. I liked Chad. We’re supposed to like Chad. He is a great guy, treats Elizabeth well and is obviously crazy about her. He respects her and accepts her for who she is. He encourages her and even when she dumps him is still understanding and tries to be a good friend. Then there is Matt. I didn’t really care for him. I guess we’re not supposed to. I was surprised Elizabeth dated him so long when it was obvious that they had nothing in common. Aside from his resemblance to the actor who plays Mr. Darcy, I didn’t see any other similarities. I actually disliked it when she would compare them and find them similar. I guess I always pictures Mr. Darcy a lot nicer, sure he was a bit cold at first, but I never get the impression he thought he was better than anyone else. Matt does. He is pretty snobby. Again, I don’t think we’re really supposed to be rooting for him, so it’s no surprise he’s not that likable. Overall, a fun read. If you’re a fan of Pride and Prejudice you’ll enjoy this story. I liked that it wasn’t a retelling of the classic, but its own story. I thought the cover was pretty as well.

Content: Clean.

The Scholar by May Nicole Abbey

A leap through time. A choice to make. A destiny to change. Dismissed by her professors, ridiculed by her classmates, Serena Metcalfe is determined to prove the existence of the Samu Aqaru, the powerful stone of the ancient pharaohs – even if it means travelling through time. But her study of Egyptology did not prepare her for the dangers and passions of the real Egypt of 2361 BC. Crocodile attacks, kidnapping, betrayal, murder…and a pharaoh who believes she is a goddess and wants her as his queen. But Serena isn’t about to give herself to a king – not when finding the precious Stone could mean saving the man she loves. Irresistible playboy Shepseskaf, fated for an early death, and his loyal yet ruthless cousin Pepisenkaura were once the closest of friends, but the right to the throne of Egypt and their rivalry for Serena threaten to transform them into bitter and eternal enemies. Only Serena knows the tragic destiny that awaits, and only Serena can rewrite history…by following her heart.

I really enjoyed the Egyptian setting in this novel. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that takes place in this time period before and I really liked it. Serena was a pretty likable heroine; she really goes through a lot, but always remains positive. I like that she is loyal and tries to do the right thing. It does take her awhile to decide what to do about her future and to see her own worth. I liked how by the end you can see how one person really can make a difference. I liked our hero, he really grew on my throughout the story and he was very protective of Serena. I don’t know much about the ancient Egyptian culture, but I don’t imagine the women were treated very well. So, it was nice to see the hero treat Serena with respect. There is a bit of a love-triangle, which was handled well. There is quite a bit of action and once you start reading it’s hard to put down. I thought this was quite different than the first book in the series, maybe because of the setting? I enjoyed it though and it makes me want to read more books that take place in Egypt, fun setting. Overall, it was a fun read. Content: Clean, PG.

Working It Out by Rachael Anderson

A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon. A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

I am a big fan of Rachael’s and was really looking forward to her newest book, Working It Out. The synopsis sounded fun and it did not disappoint. I loved our heroine Grace, I liked to see the changes she went through and how she grew as a character. I also liked Seth, I love confident guys. Grace and Seth had some great chemistry and fun moments between them. I liked how their relationship progressed, totally realistic. I like that their attraction for each other didn’t overshadow the story; they had a lot more things to like about one another than their looks. It felt like they were able to build up a friendship (from a fun awkward start) into a relationship that you can easily believe will last. I liked how they brought out the best in each other and how they were willing to make changes and take risks. Just a great couple. Rachael’s stories are always full of witty dialog, charming characters and stories with depth. I love that they are positive and upbeat, but always seem to have something special about them. Her characters are easy to relate to and it’s fun to learn from them. This was a fun read, I couldn’t put it down once I started and was grateful my kids decided to take long naps today so I could curl up and enjoy the ride. This is definitely one I would recommend and one I will be re-reading! Content: Clean.

Pride's Prejudice by Misty Dawn Pulsipher

Beth Pride really can’t stand William Darcy: he snubbed her at the Hartford College Children’s Benefit Auction; he has an infuriating propensity for pushing her buttons; his actions are frequently at odds with his words; and even his melting chocolate eyes and impressive physique don’t quite make up for his deficient personality. Beth’s plan to avoid William backfires when her roommate falls for his best friend. As the unlikely duo are thrown together time and again, Beth begins to second guess her earlier assumptions about William. Will Pride’s prejudice keep her from a happy ending, or will Beth discover that first impressions aren’t always what they seem?

So, I thought this was a cute, modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice. While it stuck pretty closely to the original, there were enough changes to make it different. I liked Beth, for the most part. She seems to have her head on straight and was easy to relate to. I also liked William; I guess there is no surprise how their relationship started and progresses. There are some nice moments between Beth and William and I thought they had good chemistry together. There is definitely more kissing than the original, that’s for sure! It’s hard not to compare it to Jane Austen’s; it’s hard to top perfection. While I did enjoy it, I also thought it was a tad long and wouldn’t have minded if it had been a little shorter. I liked it though and thought it was well written. Content: Clean.

Going Vintage by Lindseey Leavitt

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List: 1. Run for pep club secretary 2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree 3. Sew a dress for Homecoming 4. Find a steady 5. Do something dangerous But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

Isn’t that cover cute? Although, I don’t think the dress on the cover would really come from the early 60’s, it would have been fun if she was dressed to match the story. Anyway, I thought this was a cute story. Mallory discovers her longtime boyfriend has been cheating on her with a cyber-girl. Although they’ve never met in person, he shares things with her than he doesn’t with Mallory. Mallory is understandably hurt and decides to give up all technology in an attempt to get over him. She finds an old list of her grandmas and thinks life in the early 60s was better without the modern technology. So, I liked that aspect of the story, going back to the basics and cutting out technology. Although, she does get a little extreme, but I guess that’s the point. I thought the romance was okay, the “hero” seemed like a nice guy and was genuinely interested in Mallory. The side stories with the family added some depth to the story, but I kind of prefer straight romance with my YA contemporaries. At times I thought it was a little wordy or overly descriptive, but overall I thought it was a cute story.  

 Content: Clean.