The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Title: The Impostor Queen
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Untitled #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: January 5, 2016

Summary from Goodreads:
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.

Review

Sarah Fine has done it AGAIN. She creates some of the most unique stories I have ever read and some of the most fleshed out characters and relationships. The Imposter Queen is only her latest in a long line of amazing reads.

Elli has been preparing her whole life to become this super magical Queen who will do great things for her people only to find out in the harshest of ways that that isn't her destiny at all. She barely escapes with her life and finds herself at the mercy of the outcasts of her city. It is there where she learns of her true purpose but it goes against everything she was raised to believe in. I loved uncovering the truth of this world alongside Elli - it was mesmerizing in a cruel and unfair way. It was easy to get swept up in it all as Elli comes to terms with this new dangerous and unfamiliar reality. As she struggled to adapt, she displayed so much strength and an unwavering desire to do right by her people. Her character was so admirable.

As with all of Sarah Fine's previous books, the pacing of the story was strong and steady such that this book always held my attention. And there was the promise of a beautiful romance to root for throughout.  Oscar was another good one. He had powerful magic but was afraid of using it and accidentally hurting others so he held it inside himself and suffered in silence. I felt for him and loved how Elli balanced him out. Their slow-burn romance wasn't without it's complication but they were great together. And I would be remiss not to mention the rest of the cast of secondary characters who were just as interesting and complex. Sarah Fine has a way of writing very grey characters - they are neither clearly good or bad. I love it.

There isn't anything this book doesn't offer readers. It was exciting, new, adventurous, interesting, romantic, brave, and ultimately satisfying. There is enough left wanting for the next book but it ended in a good place as well. Every book of Fine's just cements my fangirl status. If you have any inkling for fantasy, I highly recommend you check this one out, or any of her other books.

Blog Tour: Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine: Why in 5 (+Giveaway)

Being the HUGE Sarah Fine fangirl that I am, I am thrilled to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Of Dreams and Rust, the follow-up and conclusion to Of Metal and Wishes. I would recommend all of her books to anyone anytime but this duology is one of my all-time favorites. Since I already shared my 5-star review here, today I am sharing 5 reasons why you should read this book. And don't miss the opportunity to win copies of both books at the end of this post! Thanks for stopping by!

The Book

Title: Of Dreams and Rust
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: August 4, 2015

Summary:
War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to "Of Metal and Wishes", inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In 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?

BUY LINKS: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

5 Reasons to Read Of Metal and Wishes/Of Dreams and Rust

1. Phantom of the Opera retelling set in a slaughterhouse
Is that not the best mash-up you've ever heard? It was the second thing to draw me to this series (the first being Sarah Fine's name of course). I personally LOVE Phantom of the Opera and Fine manages to take the best elements of that story and make it her own. The execution is quite brilliant and unlike anything I have EVER read. It's reason enough to read this duology!

2. Wen, Melik and Wen AND Melik.
Perhaps the THIRD thing I love most about this series is the romance. Sarah Fine writes some of the BEST romance. I know some of you are concerned about a love triangle but I personally don't think there is one. This duology, but especially book 2, was all about Wen and Melik and although their relationship was far from simple, it always had such a strong presence in both books. I think this can be largely contributed to the strong presence of each of these characters. The were both extremely brave, kind-hearted, and willful.

3. Non-stop action
Sarah Fine always manages to balance character and plot development perfectly. These books don't slow down for a minute but I never feel any of the action was at the expense of the characters. Of Dreams and Rust was an especially tense book with so many ups and downs. Fine does not go easy on our hearts but she makes sure to give us plenty of happy moments too. It's a real heart-wrencher. 

4. Important Themes
I always love when authors shed light on social issues. In this book we see sexism, classism, racism, and more but the important thing is that Wen and Melik battle and rise above all of it. We see  examples of hate and love, freedom and oppression, strength and weakness, and evil and kindness all around them. But they protect one another and unite their people and it's really quite relevant and beautiful.

5. Everything else
Basically, there are more than 5 reasons to read this book so I am cheating and saying that reason number 5 is everything else I haven't mentioned. Like the fact that the writing is brilliant and the characters are wonderfully complex (there is NO ONE like Bo and you all need to meet him). And that this is only a duology and let's be honest, there should be more of these. Also, Sarah Fine EXCELS at world-building. And these covers are GORGEOUS. And on and on....

SO READ THESE BOOKS.

The Author

Sarah Fine is the author of several books for teens, including Of Metal and Wishes and its sequel, Of Dreams and Rust, and the Guards of the Shadowlands YA urban fantasy series. She is also the co-author (with Walter Jury) of two YA sci-fi thrillers: Scan and its sequel Burn. Sarah is also the author of the adult urban fantasy series, Servants of Fate, with the third book in the series, Fated, releasing September 2015. When Sarah’s not writing, she’s psychologizing. Sometimes she does both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.


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Tour Schedule

August 4: My Friends Are Fiction 
August 5: Reading Teen 
August 6: Rainy Day Ramblings 
August 7: The Starry-Eyed Review 
August 10: There Were Books Involved 
August 11: Writer of Wrongs
August 12: Love is Not a Triangle 
August 13: The Quiet Concert (*waves*)
August 14: Nick's Book Blog

Giveaway

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Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine

Title: Of Dreams and Rust
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #2
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Source: ARC obtained through trading

Summary from Goodreads:
War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to "Of Metal and Wishes", inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In 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?

Review

It's been a year since Wen and Melik have parted at the end of Of Metal and Wishes but despite the time and distance between them, Wen's heart is still very much with Melik. After she hears of her people's plan for war, she decides to leave the relative safety of the Ring with the hope of finding and warning Melik before it is too late. This book is very action-packed as Wen reunites with Melik and together they try to save the people they love from the weapons of war bearing down on them. Naturally, war brings death and Sarah Fine does not go easy on our gentle hearts. But its those losses that make the wins that much more precious. My heart was all over the place with this one.

Wen and Melik's relationship arc was extremely well done. They've spent a year apart and that's enough time to change people. Wen is insecure when she reunites with Melik and doubts whether her feelings are still reciprocated. And when Melik first appears hard and unforgiving, Wen worries that war has hardened him beyond her recognition. I thought these were very honest questions given the circumstances of their relationship. But Melik proves that he's just as steady and loyal as ever. Together they face trials that that would challenge the  strongest of relationships and I loved watching their love persevere. They were wonderful together.

For those of you who are wondering, Bo is still very much present in this sequel and Wen and Bo's relationship is still a complicated one. But even though Wen cares for Bo deeply, I never felt that her feelings went beyond a sibling/friend type of love. He was also a very interesting character to explore as he oscillated between love and hate and immaturity and maturity in his actions and expressions. Yet, despite everything, I still wanted the best for him.

Of Dreams and Rust was such an AMAZING sequel and conclusion to Of Metal and Wishes. Sarah Fine continues to amaze me with her brilliant storytelling, and penchant for creating the best romances. I cannot recommend this duology or the rest of her work enough. I have never given a single book of hers less than 5 glowing stars.

Chaos by Sarah Fine

Title: Chaos
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands #3
Publisher: Skyscape
Release Date: October 7, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:
With Juri in control and everything in absolute chaos, Lela plunges into the depths of hell to free Malachi from creatures that have waited decades to exact their revenge. But the Judge has her own way of doing things, and Lela must work with Ana, the new Captain, who has a very personal mission of her own. Together, they infiltrate the most horrifying realm either has yet encountered in the Shadowlands—the bitter landscape ruled by the Mazikin.

The stakes could not be higher, and Lela must accept the help—and love—of people she barely knows or trusts. As alliances and loyalties shift and she realizes the soul she came to save isn’t the only one in need of rescue, can Lela summon the strength to see the fight through to the very end?

Review

I finished reading Chaos over a month ago and I have been avoiding writing this review since then. I haven't been able to find the right words to do this book or this series justice. And I still don't have them.  But I want need to publish something, even if it isn't perfect, because I have to give this series conclusion the recognition that it deserves. So without further ado...

Chaos is the type of conclusion one wishes for. The story that we've been introduced to in the first two books peaks and wraps up in this final installment. The pace didn't slow down for a minute and kept me glued to the pages. My emotions were all over the place and so intense that I might have permanently damaged my heart. And the ending was ridiculously perfect and satisfyingly complete. In one word, it was epic.

Lela and Malachi are one of my favorite couples ever and the heart and soul of this series. I love them as individuals, but together... they are a force to be reckoned with. They have suffered such hardship but continue to fight and endure... their resilience amazes me. It is beautiful the way that they strengthen each other and show each other such unending love. I cherished the moments of tenderness that we experience amidst all the ugliness and fighting. Malachi is so delicate with Lela, it gets me every time. Their relationship progressed beautifully. I loved their ending. Gah, this couple. I just love them.

And the world-building in these books is simply amazing. Each book has a different setting and they are all equally vivid and dark. I love the reimagining of the afterlife and how complete the picture was painted. The Mazikan were the perfect villain.

I just think Sarah Fine's writing is flawless. She knows all the strings to pull to make a strong story. If you like lots of action, fantastical dark worlds, strong characters, OTPs, and emotional roller-coasters, then you need to read this series. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine

Title: Of Metal and Wishes
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Pages: 320
Source: Purchased

Summary 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.

Review

Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite stories and to have one of my favorite authors retell it in such a magnificent and unique way is like a bookish dream come true. I am not sure I can find the right words to describe how dazzling this book was.

As the synopsis says, Of Metal and Wishes takes place in a slaughterhouse. A slaughterhouse that is haunted by the ghost of a boy long believed dead. A ghost that sometimes grants wishes, and happens to favor Wen. This is probably where the parallel to The Phantom of the Opera ends. Sarah Fine works her magic from here.

The Noor have just arrived to work at the factory and tensions rise between them and the Itanyai, who believe themselves to be superior. Accidents, illness, fights and riots befall Gochan One as the Itanyai blame the Noor for all of their problems. As the situation worsens, Wen finds herself torn between her people and the Noor whom she grows more and more fond of, especially their leader Melik. But what role does the Ghost play in all of this? For he will do anything to protect Wen...

Sarah Fine excels in all things storytelling–related. She once again proved her brilliance with this world that she created, which was both vivid and layered and felt like a genre all of its own with gothic, fantasy, steampunk elements and more. Her characters were as wonderful as always - diverse, likable, complex, selfless. I grew to care for Wen, her father, the Ghost and the Noor. And the romance. *sigh* Sarah Fine knows all the right strings to pull. The story itself was suspenseful, haunting, imaginative, and elaborate. I couldn't get read fast enough. And the ending was great. In typical Sarah Fine fashion it was a little brutal, a little hopeful, and a whole lot dramatic.

Sarah Fine is 3 for 3 in my book. Her Guards of the Shadowlands series is one of the best series to come into my life and I am just as in awe of and in love with Of Metal and Wishes. I am now convinced that I will love everything she writes. She is extremely talented and I will champion her work all day, every day.

Hell yes, I recommend this book. It was perfection.

Fractured (Guards of the Shadowlands #2) by Sarah Fine

Title: Fractured

Series: Guards of the Shadowlands #2
Author: Sarah Fine

Publisher: Skyscape

Release Date: October 29, 2013

Pages: 357, Hardcover
Source: ARC obtained at BEA

Summary from Goodreads:

In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.

Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.

As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?

Review

Recently I listed 5 of my favorite books that I wish more people would read. Sanctum was number one on that list. I loved Sanctum, and after reading Fractured, this is easily one of my new favorite series. Right up there with the likes of Throne of Glass. I actually think Sanctum was a stronger first book than Throne of Glass was. Yes, I said it. That should be reason enough for everyone to go pick up this book now. There is literally nothing I dislike about either the first or second book. I think they are that great.

Since it’s safe to assume that anyone reading this review hasn’t (yet) read Sanctum (I don’t understand why this series isn’t hugely popular), I am going to attempt to write this review spoiler free for both books.

So what makes a great book? Well, I think really strong characters are essential. But I also think the relationships between the characters are equally important. And this series excels on both accounts. Lela and Malachi are not only amazing individuals but they are now one of my favorite couples. Both are such complex characters with dark histories, and both are among the most capable, passionate, smart, loyal beings I know. And together? Holy sexual tension. Gosh the chemistry between these two has a physical presence in this series. Think Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy. Lela and Malachi are akin that relationship. The secondary characters are strong too. In fact, I think Fractured does a better job with the secondary characters than did Sanctum. By the end of the book I cared just as much about Jim, Henry, Ian, and Tegan, as I did about Lela and Malachi. And that’s just to name a few. There are few series where I love all the characters as much as I do here.

Setting and world building can also make or break a book but Sanctum/Fractured will not disappoint you on this front either. The Suicide City that Fine created in Sanctum is so eerily fantastic that it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I marvel at her imagination. And even though the second book takes place in Rhode Island, Fractured is just was exciting as Sanctum, so let me put to rest any worry over the setting change right now. Fine manages to make RI feel just as dark and ominous. In fact, I may be scared of Rhode Island now too. And from the way things ended in Fractured, readers can look forward to what should be one hell of a third book.

Now let’s talk about the plot and the writing. In my opinion, Fine has some serious talent. Both books are extremely well-written, with a good mix of story and character development and plenty of action and suspense to keep the pace moving. What was started in Sanctum was nicely continued in Fractured, with no signs of middle book syndrome whatsoever. Actually, I think Fractured is a stronger book than Sanctum. Sanctum was Fine’s debut novel, and it was a great one, but to me there are signs in Fractured that she is becoming more sure of her storytelling and willing to take more risks plot wise. There are a lot of emotional moments in Fractured and one explosive ending. The third book is easily one of my most anticipated 2014 releases (as was this book for 2013).

I don't think I know of anyone who has read either book and disliked it. Christianna from The White Unicorn gave both Sanctum and Fractured 5/5 stars. Lili from Lili's Reflections gave Sanctum 5/5 stars. Sam from Realm of Fiction gave both Sanctum and Fractured 4/4 stars. There are more out there but you can see the trend forming... I am not the only one who loved these books!

I understand that there are a lot of great books out there, and all of our TBR piles are overflowing. Even though I'd like you all to go out and start this series right away, I know that is unrealistic. But I highly HIGHLY recommend this book and cannot imagine anyone would wind up disappointed by it. So it can't hurt to bump it up the TBR, right?

Sanctum (Guards of the Shadowlands #1) by Sarah Fine

Title: Sanctum
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands #1
Author: Sarah Fine
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Pages: 433, Hardcover

Summary from Goodreads:

“My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Find a way out. Simple.”

A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

Review

Sanctum is:

dark

dangerous

sexy

chilling

passionate

intense

addicting

imaginative

complete

What a fantastic debut. Sanctum has a lot to offer the YA community. Complex and intriguing characters. A well-paced, compelling storyline. A vivid and interesting setting. A believable romance. And a satisfying, stupid-grin-worthy ending. Where to begin?

Let's start with Lela and Malachi (but not Lela and Malachi, we'll save that for later!). When Lela first met Nadia she was broken, closed off, hopeless. With a past consisting of abuse, attempted suicide and near murder, it is no surprise that she was just going through the motions of life. But Nadia saw something in Lela and through friendship and kindness, helped Lela turn her life around for the better. When Nadia committed suicide, Lela followed her through the Suicide Gates to save her soul, not because she felt she owed Nadia, but because she loved her and wanted to be the friend that Nadia deserved. Lela's past made her resilient and her present made her loyal. She was a strong lead with a commanding presence.

The plot focuses on Lela's journey to find Nadia in the Suicide City. There is no shortage of action and suspense, which danger around ever corner. Along her way she crosses paths with Malachi (*sigh*), the leader of the city guards. Malachi reminded me a lot of Dimitri from Vampire Academy (for those familiar with the series). He was the best at his job, both feared and respected, dangerous but kind. Wanting to protect Lela from a fate worse than this city, he decides to accompany her in her search for Nadia.

The relationship between Lela and Malachi was intense. They were immediately drawn to each other,  for both reasons of curiosity and admiration. This initial connection only intensified in the face of danger when they had to rely on each other to survive. To complicate matters, their love was impossible. After all, they are in a version of hell that Lela is not meant to be in. But love knows no bounds and the passion continues to build. It was a very satisfying romance with an ending that doesn't disappoint. Again, I can make a connection to the relationship between Rose and Dimitri in VA. If you were a fan of their romance, you will likely be a fan of this one.

Sarah Fine does a good job with the imagery of the Suicide City. She provides more than just a backdrop by elaborating on the inhabitants and they way the system works. In the end I could vividly picture the city in my head and trust me, it was no place I ever wanted to end up. It was depressing, hopeless, and creepy.

"In the dark city, scents were faint and thin - nothing to hold on to, nothing that repelled me, nothing that drew me in"

"In the dark city, something sucked the life out of the color. Something vital had bled from it, leaving it easily defeated by darkness"

"In the dark city, sounds were shallow."

In summary, Sanctum really stood out for me among other YA novels. I finished the book feeling completely fulfilled. Great writing. Great ending (no loose ends). Heated romance. Adventure. You name it. I definitely recommend this book.