Cathy Reviews: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

My mother in law Cathy is back today to share her latest review from the Shadowhunter world!

TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTER ACADEMY
Anthology
Young Adult/Paranormal/Fantasy
672 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available November 15th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of Simon Lewis as he trains to become a Shadowhunter is now available in print for the first time with ten brand-new comic illustrations!

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy is a collaborative effort by Cassandra Clare and several other authors. At first glance, it looks like a book of not-so-short stories. This is a big book, 600 plus pages, but I was nicely surprised that the stories were not disjointed but instead told a continuous story of Simon Lewis's time at the Academy learning to be a Shadowhunter. Simon's story is the thread that holds all the stories together.
 
For the Mortal Instrument series fan, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. Each story gives us a look at characters from all the different series. It gives some historical background on how some of our favorite characters evolved in this world. And you get visits from some of the most beloved characters, such as Jace, Clary, Jem, and Magnus.
 
For those who have not read any of the series, never fear, this might be a good introduction. We get to follow Simon's growth as part of this Shadowhunter world and all his insecurities. Ms. Clare gives us enough background information so that we are not floundering. When we meet these old friends, they might stir up enough interest in the Mortal Instrument series that they will all be added to your stack of books to read.
 
Don't be daunted by the size of this book because it is broken up into many smaller stories and moves quickly. We not only feel Simon's angst and pain while he is learning his trade, we are introduced to several new friends that we become very attached to and want to learn their fate as well. The book is very well rounded even though it is a divided into many parts. Unlike many short story books, these stories need to be read in order to keep a continuous flow in the plotline.

Find Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy:

Amazon • B&N • IndieBound • Goodreads 

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my, or in this case Cathy's, honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Beast Is An Animal

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL

Peternelle van Arsdale

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases March 2017 from Margaret K. McElderry Books

From Goodreads:

Alys was seven when the soul eaters came to her village.

These soul eaters, twin sisters who were abandoned by their father and slowly morphed into something not quite human, devour human souls. Alys, and all the other children, were spared—and they were sent to live in a neighboring village. There the devout people created a strict world where good and evil are as fundamental as the nursery rhymes children sing. Fear of the soul eaters—and of the Beast they believe guides them—rule village life. But the Beast is not what they think it is. And neither is Alys.

Inside, Alys feels connected to the soul eaters, and maybe even to the Beast itself. As she grows from a child to a teenager, she longs for the freedom of the forest. And she has a gift she can tell no one, for fear they will call her a witch. When disaster strikes, Alys finds herself on a journey to heal herself and her world. A journey that will take her through the darkest parts of the forest, where danger threatens her from the outside—and from within her own heart and soul.

This feels a little bit like the movie The Village, and that in and of itself makes it intriguing. Any society that has strict rules like this fascinates me because I want nothing more than to ask why those rules are in place find out what happens if one of them is broken. Curiosity killed the cat and all that ;-) It sounds like Alys might buck the rigid system of her village a bit, and I know I'll be right there with her trying to figure out what's going on with the soul eaters and the Beast. Also, the title has me asking a rather obvious question: Is the Beast an animal? Or something else? I NEED TO KNOW!

*shakes fist at March for being so far away*

Goodreads • Amazon

Cathy Reviews: Lady Midnight

My mother-in-law Cathy is back today with her latest review!

LADY MIDNIGHT
The Dark Artifices #1
Cassandra Clare
Paranormal Young Adult
668 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Lady Midnight introduces us to a new set of Shadowhunters living in the Los Angeles Institute. Ms. Clare does a seamless job of bringing us up to date on what has been occurring in their world since the earlier books, making this storyline easy to follow without having read the previous series.

This story begins after a war between the Shadowhunters and some of the Downworlders. We meet our new heroine, Emma Carstairs, a Shadowhunter trying to solve the mystery of who killed her parents. Emma is strong-willed and strong-minded, with her major motivation in life being revenge. This tunnel-vision results in numerous instances where she rushes blindly ahead into danger with very little forethought, something that may be frustrating for older YA readers but a little more accepted by a younger reader. I kept wanting her to stop and think but then I am old! But it does endear Emma to us and we want to protect her. Emma does have someone who tries to curb her rashness–Julian Blackthorn. He is a wonderful character who is responsible, caring, and brave, but there is something underneath that peeks out and lets us know that there is something more to be seen. 

Emma and Julian are bonded as Shadowhunter partners, parabatai, which works perfectly when they are out fighting, but as you continue to read it becomes a problem personally. This is where the romance and the angst begins and grows. There is that smoldering forbidden love that we have to watch and worry over.

Ms. Clare creates a well developed plotline of murder, deception, and mystery. There is a series of murders that Emma believes is somehow related to her parents' death. As they work together to solve these crimes, old secrets come to light and enemies need to join forces. You never know who you can trust. Just what I look for in a good suspense tale. Since this is the first book in this new series, there are a lot of characters introduced throughout the book. Ms. Clare manages to balance them all without confusing the reader too much. This is partly accomplished so well because this is a long book– almost 700 pages! Do not let that scare you, this story is compelling enough that it is a page turner and you come to know these characters so well that you are truly invested in them.

Lady Midnight manages to give something to everyone – mystery, paranormal, suspense and romance. Ms. Clare leaves with several questions and a new character to have us checking for the release date for the next installment.

Rating: 4/5

Find Cassandra:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is Cathy's honest opinion.

Review (+ Giveaway!): The Impostor Queen

THE IMPOSTOR QUEEN
The Impostor Queen #1
Sarah Fine
Young Adult/Fantasy
432 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY 
Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

MY THOUGHTS
The Impostor Queen starts a touch slow, the introduction of a royal hierarchy categorized by unfamiliar terminology keeping us from settling in immediately, but before long Elli’s journey picks up speed and has us racing to the finish to see how everything will unfold.

Elli is a sheltered young woman both literally and figuratively, having spent her entire childhood and majority of her teen years safe and coddled within the walls of her beloved Temple on the Rock. While her every need is attended to, her thirst for knowledge about the outside world goes unquenched, leaving her no choice but to trust blindly what those in a position of power tell her. Once she gets outside the walls however, she soaks up new information like a sponge, and it’s nearly impossible not to root for a young woman who has absolutely no sense of superiority despite being told she’s the future queen all her life.

The romance between Elli and ice-Wielder Oskar is everything we’ve come to expect from a Sarah Fine relationship, things between them starting out slowly as they both harbor secrets to protect themselves and others, and then steadily growing until we want nothing more than to read about the two of them building a life together. Unfortunately for romantics like myself, that dream of a life together is interrupted by a brutal series of revelations that tears the world Elli once new down and sets it aflame, and our fledgling couple finds themselves in the middle of a battle.

We’re left in a solid place despite a number of threads left loose to be picked up in the next installment, but Ms. Fine is an expert at ripping hearts out and stomping on them, so while this first book leaves us content, there are more than a few hints that she’s getting ready to ball her hands into fists and punch us right in the gut in the not-too distant future.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find The Impostor Queen:

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SARAH FINE

I’m the author of several books for teens, including Of Metal and Wishes(McElderry/Simon & Schuster) and its sequel, Of Dreams and Rust, the Guards of the Shadowlands YA urban fantasy series (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing), and The Impostor Queen (McElderry, January 2016).

I’m also the co-author (with Walter Jury) of two YA sci-fi thrillers published by Putnam/Penguin: Scanand its sequel Burn. My first adult urban fantasy romance series, Servants of Fate, includes Marked, Claimed, and Fated, all published by 47North in 2015, and my second adult UF series — The Reliquary, kicks off in summer 2016. When I’m not writing, I’m psychologizing. Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and Irish Banana Blog Tours there are 3 finished copies of The Impostor Queen up for grabs today! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out all the participating blogs for more reviews, interviews and guest posts!

Week 1:

1/18: Two Chicks on Books - Q&A

1/19: The Irish Banana Review - Guest Post

1/20: Bookmark Lit - Cover Colors

1/21: Bibliobibuli YA - Review

1/22: No BS Book Reviews - Polyvore Collage

Week 2:

1/25: What Sarah Read - Review

1/26: Supernatural Snark - Review

1/27: Paperback Princess - Review

1/28: Eater of Books - Top 10

1/29: Lili's Reflections - Review

Review: Of Dreams and Rust

OF DREAMS AND RUST
Of Metal and Wishes #2
Sarah Fine
Young Adult
288 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
n the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

MY THOUGHTS

Of Dreams and Rust is a stunning sequel, moving us out of the dirt, grime and politics of the slaughterhouse and out into a world we didn't get to experience at all in the first book. The taste of freedom we get in this story only has us turning the pages faster, eager for details about the escalating war between the Itanyi and the Noor, and thirsty for knowledge about a people of whom we only got a select sampling in Of Metal and Wishes. Suddenly what was a world of walls and blood is now vast and brutal, but death is as prevalent out in the open as it was amidst steel and machinery.

Wen, despite hearing nothing from Melik in over a year, is determined to warn him of the changing tide of the war, setting off on her own to save as many lives as she can. What she finds is not the clear cut battle of good vs. evil she expected, and Ms. Fine does a beautifully horrifying job of showing how war can make monsters of anyone, with mercy being a luxury neither side can afford. Though the new light cast on the Noor shakes the foundations of everything Wen learned of them in the first book, she takes the blow with a grace that's undoubtedly a rarity on the field of battle, continuing her quest to save human beings without separating them into Itanyi and Noor.

She keeps her feelings for Melik tight to her chest even when it's revealed that not everything she felt for him a year ago was the lie she initially thought, keeping our hearts in our throats as the tension between them remains at an all-time high throughout. As Ms. Fine has proven in previous books, she rarely pulls her punches, and though we desperately want everyone in this tale to miraculously dance their way out of death's reach, we're painfully reminded that life–even in fiction–is rarely fair. 

We're not left only with tears and heartache by the time we reach the last page however, instead our time with Wen and Melik comes to a close with a hopeful look toward the future, the fond memories of those we lost along the way a comfort in the grief of their passing. Ms. Fine never fails to write emotionally rich and romantic stories, delighting with layered and complex characters who slide easily under our skin and take up shop, refusing to budge no matter how many books we read after we close the back cover.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Sarah:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was  sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Waiting on Tuesday (?): The Skylighter

It's been a little while since I've gotten to do a Waiting on Wednesday post, something I thoroughly enjoy because I get to fangirl over upcoming releases, and since I have a cover reveal scheduled for tomorrow (so excited!) I thought I would just convert my WoW feature into a WoT feature this week ;-)

THE SKYLIGHTER

The Keepers' Chronicles #2

Becky Wallace

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases March 2016 (yikes!) from Margaret K. McElderry Books

From Goodreads:

Johanna and Rafi are in a race against time to save their country before a power-mad Keeper destroys everything they hold dear in the “enthralling magical world” (Cinda Williams Chima, author of The Heir Chronicles) introduced in The Storyspinner.

As the last of the royal line, Johanna is the only person who can heal a magical breach in the wall that separates her kingdom of Santarem from the land of the Keepers, legendary men and women who wield elemental magic. The barrier protects Santarem from those Keepers who might try to take power over mere humans…Keepers who are determined to stop Johanna and seize the wall’s power for themselves.

And they’re not the only ones. As the duchys of Santarem descend into war over the throne, Johanna relies more than ever on the advice of her handsome companion, Lord Rafael DeSilva. But Rafi is a duke too, and his people come first. As their friendship progresses into the beginnings of a tender relationship, Johanna must wonder: is Rafi looking out for her happiness, or does he want the throne for himself?

With war on the horizon, Johanna and Rafi dodge treacherous dukes and Keeper assassins as they race to through the countryside, determined to strengthen the wall before it’s too late…even if it means sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their world.

I absolutely adored last year's The Storyspinner, so I can't wait to dive back in to Johanna and Rafi's world. Typically multiple POVs are a bit of a struggle for me, so when I learned The Storyspinner followed 5 different characters I was a little hesitant to pick it up, but I quickly fell madly in love with each of them and never once felt that itch to return to a character I found more interesting. It sounds like things are only going to get more difficult for Johanna and Rafi in this installment, and while that makes me absurdly nervous (I should start stocking up on chocolate now so I have enough by March), I still need this book in my life asap.

Goodreads • Amazon

Review: The Storyspinner

THE STORYSPINNER
The Keepers' Chronicles #1
Becky Wallace
Young Adult/Fantasy
432 pages
Margaret K. McElderry
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.

With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

MY THOUGHTS
The Storyspinner starts out a little tricky, those readers (like me) who typically stumble with multiple point of view likely to develop a touch of anxiety as we're quickly introduced to the five primary characters with whom we're going to spend our time over the next several hundred pages. While getting situated with Johanna, Rafi, Jacare, Pira and Leao takes a few chapters, before long we find ourselves swept up in the search for a long lost princess and the scheming of those who would do anything to keep her from her rightful claim. Short chapters and the fact that our five protagonists are simply two groups on opposite sides of the search rather than five separate storylines helps keep our attention from wandering with each POV shift, and the strength of the characters themselves makes us absurdly grateful we're privy to each of their innermost thoughts.

Though we spend plenty of time with all five individuals, Johanna and Rafi get the most page time, their antagonistic relationship something that brings a smile to our faces from the moment she wakes up after Rafi knocks her unconscious in a case of mistaken identity. The tension between them is the kind that has us nearly bouncing on our feet in anticipation of their impressive mutual dislike shifting to something softer and sweeter, and the slow escalation of feelings between them doesn't disappoint.

In addition to the five protagonists, this tale also belongs to Johanna and Rafi's respective brothers, a secondary cast that steals the show on more than one occasion. Johanna's two younger brothers are absolutely adorable in their typical boy-ness, saying whatever pops into their heads and delighting in all things adventurous and troublesome, while Rafi's brother wins our hearts with his charmingly inflated ego and tendency to compliment himself (good-naturedly) whenver possible. The result of this entire group together is a story brimming with personality, moments of humor and levity sprinkled in between the rising tension as Johanna's identity gets closer to being revealed with every chapter. The only mild complaint is with an ending that is more a pause in the action than actual conclusion, but thankfully no cliffhanger awaits on the last page even though things as a whole are left very much up in the air.

Rating: 4/5

Find Becky:

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook •Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure and check out my interview with Becky!

The Storyspinner Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I couldn't be more excited to welcome author Becky Wallace to the blog today as part of the promotional tour for her new young adult fantasy release, The Storyspinner. I absolutely adored this book (my review will go up next week), it gave me a touch of romance, a sliver of magic, and a whole slew of characters who made me fall madly in love with them. I jumped at the chance to ask Becky a few questions about this world and those who inhabit it, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview. Don't forget to check the bottom of the post for a giveaway and the full list of participating blogs!

If you lived in this world and had no choice but to join a Performer’s troupe, what set of skills or hidden talent would you be able to put on display?

Ha! Great question! I would totally be a dancer. I trained for fifteen years as a competitive ballroom dancer. I can’t listen to samba music without busting out in bachacadas. My family totally loves the impromptu dance parties.

There’s always a lot of political maneuvering surrounding a seat of power. If you could transport yourself to any royal court in history to witness firsthand the machinations of those in a bid for power, which court do you think would be most fascinating?

As a Wallace, I have to don my tartan and defer to my Scottish heritage. It would be amazing, and slightly tragic, to have been a part of the uprising against King Edward I. I know Braveheart romanticizes the story, but there had to have been insiders, traitors, and spies, keeping tabs on both Wallace and the English usurper.

If Johanna was given the opportunity to interview you as part of the promotion for The Storyspinner, what’s one question you would be scared or uncomfortable answering about her story if she asked?

Without any spoilers, Johanna suffers a significant loss in the story—just thinking about it makes me cringe! If she asked me why this particular character had to die, I think I’d want to crawl in a hole and never come out again. I’m sorry, Johanna! I don’t blame you for hating me!

One of the highlights of any fantasy novel for me is the world itself. What is your favorite part of building a completely new world? Is there any one aspect of Johanna’s world that surprised you as you were creating it?

Building a world—stop for a second and think about that phrase—is amazing. It can be anything your imagination can conjure. But the truly great worlds are governed by reason.  If the sky is green, there has to be an explanation. If there are giant flesh-eating lizards, you have to create a habitat where those things can logically exist. A reader can only be pushed so far before the fantastical becomes the unbelievable. I like creating the rules my world is governed by, and then forcing myself to stick to them. 

The one aspect of Santarem, the country in which THE STORYSPINNER is set, that surprised me the most were all the nasty creatures. I am not a lover of toothy reptiles of any variety and yet I created a world full of them!! The next book I write is going to be completely nasty creature free. *shakes head* Not really.

If you were to give Johanna a short excerpt from book two with a sneak peek of what’s in store for her as this series progress, how might you describe the look on her face after she's done reading?

If she ever got over hating me for all the awful things I did to her in book 1, I hope she’d forgive me a little bit after she read book 2. Johanna faces incredible odds, but at least in book 2 she doesn’t have to surmount them alone.  ;)

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Becky!

• • • • • • • • • • • •

THE STORYSPINNER

Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.

With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • 

BECKY WALLACE

In second grade, Becky Wallace had to sit in the corner because she refused to write anything except princess stories and fairy tales (and because she talked too much).

Her time in isolation gave her plenty of opportunities to dream up the fantasy worlds she’s been dabbling with ever since. She was lucky enough to find her own real-life Prince Charming. They have four munchkins and live in happy little town near Houston, Texas.

Where you can find Becky:

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

 Up for grabs today are 5 personalized copies of The Storyspinner! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway open to US/Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
WEEK ONE
2/23/2015- IceyBooks- Interview  
2/24/2015- I Heart YA Fiction- Review  
2/25/2015- Effortlessly Reading- Guest Post  
2/26/2015- Fiction Fare- Review  
2/27/2015- Bookish- Interview    

WEEK TWO
3/2/2015- Mundie Moms- Review

3/3/2015- Owl Always Be Reading- Review

3/4/2015- Supernatural Snark- Interview

3/5/2015- Once Upon A Twilight- Review

3/6/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

Review: Of Metal and Wishes

OF METAL AND WISHES
Of Metal and Wishes #1
Sarah Fine
Paranormal Young Adult
320 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
There are whispers of a ghost in the slaughterhouse where sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic—a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. When one of the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor, humiliates Wen, she makes an impulsive wish of her own, and the Ghost grants it. Brutally.

Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including their outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the Ghost and learns he has been watching her … for a very long time.

As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen must confront her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen’s, and her need to appease the Ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat—real or imagined. She must decide whom she can trust, because as her heart is torn, the factory is exploding around her … and she might go down with it.

MY THOUGHTS
Of Metal and Wishes is as beautifully haunting as the story on which it’s partly based, a quiet intimacy established between character and reader early on thanks to a world that doesn't extend much beyond the walls of the slaughterhouse. Though the Phantom does his great and terrible things amidst the glittering beauty of a Parisian opera house, the Ghost grants wishes and exacts vengeance within blood spattered walls, the grittiness of the factory workers' existence a dark complement to the deeds of which the Ghost is capable. Through it all though, Ms. Fine weaves threads of hope of the finest nature, small phosphorescent moments that light up the darkness of Gochran One and show us that within the darkest shadows sometimes hide the most beautiful things.

Ms. Fine is an author with an extraordinary ability to craft characters with more layers than we can possibly fully explore in our relatively short forays into their lives, leaving us wanting more without fail while simultaneously satisfying us with what we are able to uncover. The Ghost is one such character, the ease with which he destroys lives on either his own whim or the whims of others a startling contrast to his vulnerability and clear affection for Wen. He is both childlike victim and monstrous villain depending on whether or not he considers you friend or foe, but despite his capacity for violence our hearts still ache for him throughout, tears threatening to spill for all he's lost even as we find ourselves oddly grateful on Wen's behalf for what he's become.

Wen is innocent in a number of ways, but accompanying that innocence is fire and an impressive strength of will that allows her to defiantly stand up in defense of those to whom everyone else would turn a blind eye. Despite growing up with stories of the barbaric Noor, it takes her very little time to shed the prejudice of those around her and realize the Noor are not the heathens she'd been expecting, and she quickly throws herself in their corner even when it's the most dangerous place for her to be. She's intelligent and compassionate, handling her delicate relationship with the Ghost with a maturity far beyond her young years by giving him the respect of her honesty even when it may not be what he wants to hear.

The only very mild complaint with this story is with the world-building, namely in that there isn't much, and we're tossed into life in the slaughterhouse without really knowing much about what exists outside of it. That being said however, being in the figurative dark as to the world beyond the walls painted with the deaths of those who slave away within them allows us to focus all our attention on the characters and the increasingly volatility of their social hierarchy. We're left with things fairly wide open for Wen, the dust from a massive upheaval in her world not yet beginning to settle when we part with her on the last page, but there's comfort in knowing we'll meet up with her again, and when we do our questions about what's in store for her will be answered.

Rating: 4.5/5
 

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.