The Quiet Concert

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Title: Princess of Thorns
Author: Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Source: Netgalley (thank you Random House!)

Summary from Goodreads:
Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Review

The first thing you should know is that I am not one to read past my bedtime no matter how good a book is. I have learned enough times what misery awaits me the next day if I don't get enough sleep and very little can encourage me to knowingly take that on. So it means something when I say that I stayed up late for this book. I had to keep reading to find out what happened with Aurora and Niklaas. I just had to, zombie-level exhaustion be damned.

Aurora and Niklaas might be one of my favorite relationship arcs I've read this year. Niklaas thinks Aurora is her brother Jor when they first meet and Aurora keeps up the pretense to get Niklaas to help her, promising him that she will introduce him to Aurora, whom he is desperate to marry to break his curse. However, Aurora has a curse of her own and knows she will never marry, let alone marry this insufferable man. See how beautifully complicated things are from the start? I absolutely loved the boy-thinks-girl-is-a-boy twist and all that went along with it. It was wonderful to see their friendship grow as they traveled and fought together. But it was when Aurora's true identity was revealed and the entire dynamic between them shifts that things started to get REALLY interesting (aka incredibly tense and infuriating). They both had to redefine their feelings and it wasn't easy for either of them. These are two of the most stubborn and foolish characters ever but I love them dearly. I was so invested in their happy ending that I would not stop reading even if it killed me.

And the rest of the story was just as delightful and captivating as the romance. There are these creepy soul-eating Ogres that have taken over the kingdom and a prophecy on the brink of coming true that would destroy the world. These monsters have Aurora's brother and she will stop at nothing to get him back. Then the matter of the curses looming over both of them and no foreseeable way out of either. And there's magic and darkness and fairytale connections and twists and turns. It was exciting and suspenseful. I really couldn't get enough.

The confusion I experienced in the first 5 or so pages is the only negative thing I can say about this book. The rest was wonderful.

If you love Fantasy, loose retellings, great romances, standalones, or just books in general, I highly recommend this one!

Stacking the Shelves (99) - Nov 22nd

Stacking the Shelves - hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews - features books that you bought, borrowed, rented from the library, received for review, etc.

Upcoming Reads

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Nantucket Red by Leila Howland
Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
Endsinger (The Lotus War #3) by Jay Kristoff

What books are stacking your shelves?

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

Title: A Mad, Wicked Folly
Author: Sharon Biggs Waller
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: January 23, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.

After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

Review

I can agree with others when they say this book is well written, and when they say that it is relevant. I can agree when they say that Vicky was a strong-willed, passionate girl and easy to sympathize with. And I can agree when they say that Will Fletcher stole away their hearts. But unfortunately, I cannot agree with giving it 5 stars. For me, it fell short of that "WOW" factor even though I can't quite identify why. Perhaps my expectations were too high. But I still enjoyed it and find it deserving of praise.

I loved that this book focused on the suffragette movement. The wrongdoings that women had to endure at the hands of men in the past should not be underestimated. The strength of these women, or any group for that matter, that fought against such incredible odds, simply amazes me. Their story was inspiring. I also loved the passion that Vicky displayed for her art and the lengths that she would go to to make sure it was a part of her life. While she didn't always make the wisest choices, and I didn't always agree with her, she found her purpose in the end and I was proud of how far she had come. However, the men in this novel, with the exception of Will Fletcher, could all go to hell. I understand that they are a product of their society but they still infuriated me and I hate them. Will Fletcher, however, is a godsend and I wish it didn't take Vicky so long to factor him into her equation. Anyway, I'll take him for my muse, thank you. Lastly, the ending was neatly done and satisfying.

That's about all I have to say about A Mad, Wicked Folly. It was definitely a strong book but I think the ratings speak to that. Even if it doesn't move you to 5 stars, as in my case, it is still a book worthy of being read.

Finding it & Seeking Her by Cora Carmack

Title:Finding it
Series: Losing It #3
Author: Cora Carmack
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Release Date:October 15th 2013
Pages: Paperback, 304 pages,
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:
Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life . . . or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

Review

Kelsey never really captured my attention in the beginning of the series so starting was a bit rough for me. Kelsey seemed to be on a path of self destruction, sleeping with different guys every night and drinking her days away. It was a bit predictable to guess that she had something else going on. The story picked up after she started getting to know the tough guy who seems to be on a mission to get to know her. Jackson was her knight in shining armor and the romance is powerful, strong, and fast yet. I enjoyed their chemistry, dynamic, and tension; the writing did an excellent job of blending the romance with some unease.

One of the big secrets, while not predictable, did seem to be a bit unoriginal. Finding It was simply a middle of the road, average read. I felt like I could not connect with the characters and they were not the most like-able people. The overall tone was serious, full of deeper issues, personal growth and no humor. The humor is what I feel in love with in the first book and the second book but seemed to be missing in this one. Finding It just fell flat for me. It was not bad by any means, I just had such high expectations after really enjoying Losing It.

Title:Seeking Her
Series: Losing It #3.5
Author: Cora Carmack
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Release Date:January 28th 2014
Pages: Kindle 160 Pages
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:
A few months after being honorably discharged from the military, Jackson Hunt is still struggling to adjust back to the real world. He needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he’s going to keep his own demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Bodyguard (and baby-sitter) to spoiled-rich-girl Kelsey Summers isn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, but it’s a chance to travel, to get away from the home that has felt stifling ever since his return. It would be a pretty sweet gig if it weren’t for the fact that Kelsey’s father doesn’t want Kelsey to know she’s being followed. Hunt feels guilty (and a little bit creepy) as he watches her from afar. She’s vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When he sees her falling into the same patterns that he suffered years ago, he decides it’s time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know her is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.

Review

Seeking Her is a novella that allows the reader to see the story from Jackson's point of view. I wish the novella was like Keeping Her in that its focus is about the ever after, instead it is the same story just from a different view. While others may like the change in POV, I feel like the story is too similar and I have a tendency to lose interest in reading the same story line just slightly different.

As mentioned before, I had a hard time connecting with both Kelsey and Jackson making the story hard to get into. I would not recommend this one unless you loved Jackson and just want more from his perspective. And you have to be okay with him being a bit stalker-ish. Even with all that said, the writing is fast paced and an easy read. I cannot wait to start Carmack's next series!

Top Ten Sequels We Can't Wait To Get

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten list is
"Top Ten Sequels We Can't Wait To Get"

Nicole's Top Five

1. Lair of Dreams (Diviners #2) by Libba Bray
2. Lion Heart (Scarlet #3) by A.C. Gaughen
3. The Invasion of the Tearling (Queen of the Tearling #2) by Erika Johansen
4. The Heart of Betrayal (The Kiss of Deception #2) by Mary E. Pearson
5. Of Dreams and Rust (Of Metal and Wishes #2) by Sarah Fine

Ashley's Top Five

1.The Vanishing Throne (The Falconer #2) by Elizabeth May
2. The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski
3.End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee
4. Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5) by Marissa Meyer
5. Polaris (Avalon #2) by Mindee Arnett

What are your top ten?

Faking it by Cora Carmack

Title:Faking It
Series: Losing It #2
Author: Cora Carmack
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Release Date:June 4th 2013
Pages: Paperback, 304 pages
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:
Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

Review

I absolutely devoured Losing It, so I was so excited to start Faking It and hear more about Cade since he got the short end of the stick in the first book. I will first start off by saying I love how the books are a series yet since each book is about a different character, they can be read as a stand alone. Reading them in order gives the reader a bit more background and back story but the overall plot is quite stand alone with no cliff hangers. I enjoyed the feeling of completeness after finishing this one!

Cade and Max have a whole different kind of relationship, one that started as pretend and turned into something real. The biggest reservation I had, which is not really to the writing or story telling of the book but more a personal preference thing was that I was not a huge fan of the fact that Max was in a relationship for a bit while in the fake but real relationship with Cade. Besides that aspect, I loved their chemistry and banter. Both characters carried a past with them and needed help overcoming it; they were well developed and thought out characters, they never fell flat.

The whole situation was a comical one, while I thought the story had a bit more serious tone to it compared to Losing It, it was still quite enjoyable! I loved Cade, he was a sweet, loving, and overall just good guy. Max had a lot going on, she had a lot of hurt and sadness in her past yet a strong personality and facade. Together they made a great couple and a fun book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, it did not quite have the light-hearted nature I fell in love with in book one yet it had a different rough but strong story line. I recommend it if you enjoyed Losing It just keep in mind there is hardly any awkward, clumsy Bliss (who I thought was fantastic).

Stacking the Shelves (98) - Nov 15th

Stacking the Shelves - hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews - features books that you bought, borrowed, rented from the library, received for review, etc.