The Skylighter by Becky Wallace [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Skylighter by Becky Wallace
Series: The Keepers' Chronicles #2
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release: March 22, 2016
Hardcover: 422 Pages
Publisher: Margaret McElderry Books
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

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.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

Skylighter was a solid follow up to the Storyspinner.   It does veer plotwise from The Storyspinner as it focuses much more on Johanna trying to decide whether to take her throne.

What I liked:
- I liked the multiple POVs.  I'm not sure this is everyone's cup of tea, but I liked it.  The chapters are short and it kept my interest.
- It's a page turner.  Because the chapters are short and the POV changes, it kept me wanting to see what happened next.
- I liked the side story with Rafi's brother, Dom.  It was fun to see him come into his own and I liked his relationship with Mirabelle.

What I disliked:
- Johanna and Rafi's relationship is fairly annoying.  Which is too bad because it is one of the main focuses of the story.  Rafi and Johanna argue a lot over the future.  Johanna doesn't trust Rafi and Rafi is overprotective.  It gets old after awhile.
- As in inevitable in these types of series, this book focuses more on the "big picture" and Johanna accepting her heritage.  The first book was more about Johanna finding out the truth, which I enjoyed slightly more.  

Overall, I think it was a good ending and if you liked the first one I think you will like this one as well. 

Books in the Series:
1. The Storyspinner
2. The Skylighter

Winter by Marissa Meyer [Joint Review!]

4 out of 5 Robots!

Winter By Marissa Meyer

Series: Lunar Chronicles #4

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release: November 15, 2015

Paperback:  824 Pages

Publisher: Fiewel & Friends

My Copy: Library

Reviewer: Julia & Shannon

Book Summary:
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Julia & Shannon - Joint Review! 

1. Winter - What did you think? 

Shannon:  Overall, I really really liked it.  This whole series has been very strong from start to finish.  It was a lot of fun.  The character are all very different, but inventive and unique.  They stick with you for awhile.  But I'm not sure this last book needed to be 800 pages.  There was a lot of stuff going on, but some of it felt like filler to the big showdown...which was a pretty easy showdown, all things considered.

Julia: WINTER is a great story and a fantastic end to a super fun, adventurous series. I did feel like this book is a little longer than necessary, but it is still awesome. So much fun! Going to miss these characters!  

2. Let's talk characters and couples. Is your favorite couple different from your favorite character?

Shannon:  My favorite couple was Scarlet and Wolf.  They felt the most "real" to me, the most "earned".  But I, in general, liked all the couples.  I like Cress and Thorne better in the previous book when it was more focused on them...this time around their romance felt a little squeezed in.  Cinder and Kai were a forgone conclusion from the start, so I liked to see that progression.  And while I liked Jacin and Winter, I felt the least from them.  Probably because I couldn't get a good feel for either.  I think Winter and Thorne are my favorite characters overall.  They bring a lot of humor and interest to the story.  You never really know what they are going to do.

Julia: I enjoyed all the couples, but couldn't stand the Cress and Thorne sappy stuff towards the end of the book. It didn't feel legit... I don't know. But Thorne is probably my favorite character in the entire series. SO yeah my favorite couple is also Wolfe and Scarlet. They're the only ones that made sense to me, felt like I could understand their relationship and saw it "grow." Everyone else was kinda like, instalove? I don't know. 

3. How did you feel about the romances? Did all those romances detract from the storytelling? 

Shannon:  On one hand, I like the romances.  I do.  I liked the swept away feeling and seeing the couples finally come together.  But, I can't deny that it was a lot to work out in the last book.  I think the problem was this: we have 4 couple and only one (Scarlet and Wolf) are established.  But Scarlet and Wolf spend most of the book apart.  Then we have three other couples in varying states of coupledom.  Kai and Cinder are together, as much as they can be...which is not much.  Cress and Thorne are still dancing around their kiss from the previous book and Jacin and Winter have a forbidden romance that is so forbidden that there isn't one for much of the book.  Like I said, that is a lot to work out and still deal with the rest of the plot.

Julia: Don't get me wrong, I enjoy romances, but these overpowered the story sometimes. I didn't need all that. I wanted action (of the fighting kind) and plot twists. Mostly the only couple that distracted from the story and was a little like, really? Now? Could have been Cress/Thorne because stuff goes down with them near the end. There were just too many all at once all apart of the same crew. I loved Jacin and Winter and Wolf/Scarlet. 

4. The plot work for you? What about compared to the previous stories?

Shannon:   Yes, I think so.  I'm pretty satisfied for the most part.  I have a few small quibbles, but that's it.  I think the biggest thing was for all the lead up to the ending, it felt a little easy.  No big sacrifices, only a couple fingers.  I think Scarlet was my favorite out of the four books, and the strongest one too.  But I would definitely recommend this series!

Julia: Yes! Though there are a few things that distracted me from it a bit, I loved the plot itself. And I loved all the character lives intertwining. 

5. That conclusion... 

Shannon: It was a definitely a "Happily Ever After", which is fine and good.  At least it didn't rip my heart out like a Sarah J. Maas book.

Julia: I liked the showdown, the happily ever after is great. This is a fairy tale retelling, after all. Do wish there was a little more sacrifice, I'm satisfied though!

6. Rating? Recommending? Will we read the novellas?

Shannon: I give it 4.5 stars and I would definitely recommend it.  We read Fairest and it was actually really good.  I generally don't like reading novellas, but I will probably read the new one that comes out.

Julia: I give it a 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend reading this book and all the other ones in this series. You won't regret it! I don't usually give novellas the time of day, but I miss this world and characters so much that I'm definitely reading the novellas. 

The Lunar Chronicles in the order they should be read:

0.1 Fairest

0.2 Glitches

0.3 The Little Android

1.0 Cinder - Our Review

1.5 The Queen's Army

2.0 Scarlet - Our Review

3.0 Cress - Our Review

3.1 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky

3.5 The Princess & The Guard

4.0 Winter  

The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #3
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release: October 27, 2015
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all. 

He killed me. 

Then, I woke up. 

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever. 

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

I liked this book, but find I have very little to say about it!  I don't have any complaints really.  I think I liked this final book this best out of the Call of the Forgotten series and it was a great ending to the Iron Fey series (which is divided into two parts: 4 books in the Iron Fey, which follows Meghan and Ash's story and 3 books in the Call of The Forgotten series, follows Ethan, Meghan's little brother).  

The book starts out at the worst it can possibly get and I was a little worried how they were all going to get out of it. But it had a very satisfying ending. I loved that everyone makes an appearance, even some from the earlier Iron Fey books.  Some of my little annoyances (like constantly referring to people by their title/nickname instead of their name, e.g. The Winter Prince, instead of Ash) were not as prevalent in this book, so I was happy.  Overall, a fun read if you like faeries!  

I don't think you necessarily need to read the first four books to read the Call of the Forgotten, but it would certainly give you a lot of context.

Books in the Series:
1. The Iron King
2. The Iron Daughter
3. The Iron Queen
4. The Iron Knight
5. The Lost Prince
6. The Iron Traitor
7. The Iron Warrior

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Release: December 1, 1958
Hardcover: 249 Pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.

Elizabeth George Speare won the 1959 Newbery Medal for this portrayal of a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

I have to admit, I am surprised I never read this book as a kid.  I was aware of it, but never got around to it.  But, as you know, I'm on a quest to read all the Newbery Award books, so I finally picked this one up.  And I quite enjoyed it!  

Kathryn "Kit" Tyler was raised by her grandfather on Barbados who let her run free and independent.  But Kit's grandfather died and having no other option, Kit gains entry onto a ship bound for Connecticut, which is where her aunt lives.  Kit finds her aunt's family to be a stern Puritan one and she chaffs under their rules.  But she also tries to make a place for herself in Connecticut.  I admire Kit's tenacity.  She eventually befriend Hannah, an old Quaker woman who is treated with suspicion by the other townspeople.  

This book had held up very well to the test of time.  I found the story very charming and timeless.  Kit is fearless, loyal, stubborn and a little reckless.  But she is also charming and brings a light to those around her.  She would be in good company with Anne of Green Gables, I think.   I also loved the other characters, who I found very believable.  I especially loved Hannah, who has a wisdom and gaiety about her I found irresistible.

Overall, I enjoyed this story much more than I expected!

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson [Joint Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

Walk on Earth a Stranger By Rae Carson
Series: The Gold Seer #1
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Release: September 22, 2015
Paperback:  432 Pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Julia & Shannon

Book Summary:
Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey. (Courtesy of Goodreads)

Julia & Shannon - Joint Review! 

1. What are your initial thoughts on Walk on Earth a Stranger?

Shannon:  My very first impression is the cover is TOTALLY misleading.  Based on the cover, I would think this was a fantasy.  And it's not.  Magical realism, sure, but it is very much a western.  My second impression is that this series is very different than Rae Carson's other series (The Girl of Fire and Thorns).  Which is not a bad thing!  And lastly, I thought it was a little slow to get going, but by the end, I was really interested in Leah's story.

 

Julia: Walk on Earth a Stranger is nothing like what I had expected. I was thinking, fantasy, magic. You don't get any fantasy and very very little magic. The book still works though and it is perfectly written. Not much happens, but I was totally engrossed.

2. How does it compare to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns series?

Shannon: Uhh, totally different.  For one, and I cannot emphasize this enough, this book is NOT a fantasy.  The only "magic" is Leah's ability to divine gold.  But that reads much more like magical realism than fantasy, as I mentioned.  Everything else is realistic.  Buuuttt, I'm not sure I enjoyed this quite as much as the Fire and Thorns series.  I really enjoyed that fantasy world.  And while I enjoy historical fiction and westerns, it isn't quite as exciting as a good fantasy world.

 

Julia: The only similarity is maybe how much I love the way Rae writes her stories and pushes her characters to evolve. Whereas the Fire and Thorn series is epic fantasy- this isn't even close. I'm thrilled at getting to read something a little outside of what I usually do though. 

 

3. Leah Westfall takes a trying trip west, what do you think about her? 

Shannon: I liked Leah (Lee). I liked that she was willing to do the hard things.  I wish she wasn't so...wishy-washy with acknowledging her feelings for Jefferson.  Get off the horse already, Leah!  (Haha, pun intended).  

 

Julia: Leah is an easy character to like. She's independent and strong, isn't afraid to work. I also like that she seems to accept everyone as they are.

4. Leah travels with many strangers- Do you have a favorite? 

Shannon:  What a great group of characters.  My favorite part of the book is when Lee is traveling with the wagons. I loved how Mrs. Joyner progresses through the book, but I think my favorite side characters are the College Boys and the Captain.  They both play some important parts, but I liked how they react to their situations.

 

Julia: Jasper, Mrs. Joyner, the Captain and Jefferson. I can't choose. Jasper is just compassionate and smart... Mrs. Joyner is terrible, but her character grows and changes and that's awesome. Captain and Jefferson are also just solid characters. Great group!

5. What about the ending? Will we be reading more? 

Shannon: I liked the ending because I felt like we got a full story, but with plenty to look forward to.  Half way through the book I wasn't sure if I would want to continue reading, but the ending was strong enough to change my mind.

 

Julia: I love the ending and that we do get closure. BUT I'm really excited there will be more because I want to know about the lives these people lead after such a long, devastating trip.

6. Rating? Recommendation? 

Shannon:  I give this book 4 stars and I do recommend it.  Especially if you like westerns! 

 

Julia: 4 out of 5 Stars. I would've probably given it 5, but though it was hard to put down- when I did, I wasn't rushing to pick it back up. But I'm definitely recommending this to anyone that needs something a little different or enjoys westerns!

 

The Nightmare Charade by Mindee Arnett [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Nightmare Charade by Mindee Arnett
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release: August 4, 2015
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Publisher: Tor Teen
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

It’s her junior year at Arkwell Academy, and Dusty Everhart just wants to be alone with her boyfriend, Eli Booker. But fate is literally keeping them apart. See, Dusty is a Nightmare, who can enter Eli’s dreams to find clues to the future, but an ancient curse predicts that any romance between them is doomed to end in tragedy. Dusty and Eli are willing to take that risk, but the authorities disagree—and have assigned a chaperone to make sure their relationship is strictly platonic.

As if that’s not bad enough, they’ve been recruited by the Department of Intelligence for Magickind Secrecy (D.I.M.S.) to use their dream-seer bond to help recover the most powerful object of black magic known to magickind. The Animus Mortem can raise the dead by stealing the souls of the living…which makes tracking it down a genuine matter of life and death.

To make matters worse, one of Dusty’s friends is accused of murder and is counting on her to clear his name.

Dusty has too many dreams, too many commitments, and too many people looking over her shoulder, but a Nightmare seldom plays by the rules. Curse or no curse, chaperone or not, she has to go deep into Eli’s dreams if she’s going to find the truth—and discover a way for them to truly be together at last!

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

Well, this was a fun and very satisfying conclusion to the Arkwell Academy series.  Just when Dusty and her friends thought they could get a breather after defeating bad guy Marrow in the previous book.  But no, they are needed again to find the Animus Mortem, or "Death's Heart", which can raise the dead.  It has gone missing.  To further complicate things, Dusty and Eli are being forced to keep their distance due to the curse that says one of them will kill the other.

I can't say the mystery aspect was my favorite part because I felt it stalled for a large part of the book.  Everything else kind of took precedence (the curse, for example), but I will say I didn't see the twist coming.  How tricksy, Arnett, how tricksy.  I thought the ending was the best part.  It was nail-biting and exciting.  And I thought the ultimate conclusion to Dusty's story was satisfying and sweet.  

Overall, this series is a fun one.  It has a Harry Potter-esque feel to it (magical academy for magic-kind, curses, prophecies, friends solving mysteries, teachers entrusting students with far too much responsibilities, etc).  I think fans of Harry Potter or books with magic boarding schools would enjoy this series.

  

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release: August 18, 2015
Hardcover: 432 Pages
Publisher: Dial Books
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.

Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.

And Alice is caught in the middle.

Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

The Boy Most Likely To is a companion novel to my favorite Huntley Fitzpatrick novel, My Life Next Door.  The Boy Most Likely To takes place shortly after the events of a My Life Next Door, but is told from Tim and Alice's perspectives.  Tim is the resident f**k-up.  In the first book, he is a teenage alcoholic with a very abrasive personality.  But by the end, he quits drinking and steps up a lot for his friends.  In this book, Tim is still sober, but is now being kicked out of his parent's house.  He ends up at Jase's house, living in the room above the garage.  Which puts him in close proximity  to Alice, Jase's no nonsense sister.  Alice and Tim flirt with each other and just when it seems that Tim finally has an in with Alice, he get a visit from someone in his past with some very unsettling news.

This book is definitely not the summer-y, romance-y book that My Life Next Door was.  But I really did like being in Tim's head.  Tim was a minor character in the first book, but he played an essential role and probably had the biggest character arc.  I really liked seeing him struggle to remain sober and "man up". That came out weird.  I didn't like seeing him struggle, but I was happy to see him working so hard on himself.  I wasn't particularly thrilled about the situation that crops up, but it really does give Tim a lot to think about.  I also liked that Tim was not made into a perfectly redeemed person overnight.  He is still abrasive and can be cruel, but he is also realizing his mistakes and trying to fix them.

The other portion of this book is narrated by Alice.  I like that we got Alice's perspective too.  Alice has her own worries, which includes her large family and all the sudden responsibilities she takes on due to her father's injury.  Alice has a hard time letting people in and letting go.  In the first book she comes across as a rock.  Impenetrable, but also a little cold.  But this time we are allowed into her inner thoughts.  She is still such a strong character, but she also has a lot of insecurities that she tries not to let show.

I never quite got Alice and Tim as a couple, but I am willing to roll with it.  I don't dislike them together, but I didn't find them to have amazing chemistry or anything.  But honestly, the romance is secondary to everything else to me going on in the story anyways.

I also like that we had some resolution with the Garrett's.  I love the Garrett's!  I will read any book that includes them.  

Overall, I recommend this book to fans of My Life Next Door!

In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis [Joint Review]

4 of 5 Robots!

In a Handful of Dush by Mindy McGinnis
Series: Not a Drop to Drink #2
Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic
Release: September 23, 2014
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Julia and Shannon

Book Summary:

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever. 

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Julia and Shannon's Thoughts:

1. What was your initial impression?

Julia: I really liked Not a Drop to Drink at first and was excited to see the characters older. Though I kept seeing Lynn as an older lady, when she was actually only 27. 
Shannon: I was very excited to continue Lynn and Lucy's story.  And for the most part I was pretty satisfied.  It took an odd turn near the end that put me  off a little.  But still, a pretty decent follow up overall.

2. What was your favorite part?  What was your least favorite part?

Julia: I was initially really excited they were leaving the pond, and just about any part where Lynn is showing off her rifle skills and cold attitude is good for me. My least favorite part is when they hit the town of men... I won't say much about it, except for that I checked out a little at that point. 
Shannon: My favorite part was seeing how much Lynn and Lucy's world had changed in 10 years.  Lynn went from having a completely isolated existence to now being a part of a community of sorts.  But I loved that she remained resolutely herself in that process.  My least favorite part was the same as Julia.  There is a scene near the end where Lynn and Lucy encounter a town that has no women.  It was such a weird scene and didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book.

3. How did this book compare to the first book, Not a Drop to Drink?

Julia: The first book is so character driven and fascinating - but for whatever reason, this one didn't hit home like book one. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but something about Lucy didn't do it for me. I missed Stebbs!
Shannon: I felt the first book had a better rhythm to it.  It was more concise and contained.  The second book had some parts that really bothered me, such as Carter's fate and some of the people Lucy and Lynn run into it.  I liked this book, I did.  Just not as much as the first.

4. How did you feel about the characters?

Julia: I am not into Lucy's character, but I do love that the main relationship focuses on Lynn and Lucy. Carter, Lucy's love interest is weak and not enthralling in the least bit. Was glad he doesn't have much of a presence. I'm still sad that Stebbs didn't make a big appearance. Lynn is cold and I like it, and I like that her character doesn't waiver or change throughout much.
Shannon: I miss Stebbs a lot in this book.  I've decided he is probably my favorite character.  I love that Lynn does not change though.  She is still as loyal, fierce, protective and mistrustful as ever.  I'm not sure how I felt about Lucy.  I didn't dislike her, but I didn't find her character all that compelling.  And this is totally a sidenote, but I found it annoying that Lynn was referred to as "the older woman" all the time.  She is 27 in this book.  But she is made out to be 57.  Also, everyone that meets Lucy calls her "Little One", which was Stebbs' nickname for her.  It's weird and annoys me for some reason.

5. What would you rate this book?  Would you recommend it?

Julia: I would give this one 4 out of 5 robots. I think it is the perfect ending to Lynn and Lucy's story. You don't need to read the first book to read this one, but I'd suggest it because the first is better... And if you liked the first one, definitely read this one!
Shannon: I also give this 4 out of 5 stars.  I recommend it everyone who read the first book or likes survival stories.

Books in the Series:
1. Not a Drop to Drink
2. In a Handful of Dust

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Under the Empyrean Sky by Chuck Wendig [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

Under the Empyrean Sky by Chuck Wendig 
Genre: YA Dystopian/Sci-Fi
Release: July 30, 2013
Hardcover: 354 Pages
Publisher: Skyscape
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

Corn is king in the Heartland, and Cael McAvoy has had enough of it. It's the only crop the Empyrean government allows the people of the Heartland to grow. And the genetically modified strain is so aggressive that it takes everything the Heartlanders have just to control it. As captain of the Big Sky Scavengers, Cael and his crew sail their rickety ship over the corn day after day, scavenging for valuables, trying to earn much-needed ace notes for their families. But Cael's tired of surviving life on the ground while the Empyrean elite drift by above in their extravagant sky flotillas. He's sick of the mayor's son besting Cael's crew in the scavenging game. And he's worried about losing Gwennie, his first mate and the love of his life, forever when their government-chosen spouses are revealed. But most of all, Cael is angry, angry that their lot in life will never get better and that his father doesn't seem upset about any of it. Cael's ready to make his own luck . . . even if it means bringing down the wrath of the Empyrean elite and changing life in the Heartland forever.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

This book was very different than I expected.  To be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting exactly, but I ended up really liking this book.  Corn is creepy, mmmkay?

Here is what I liked:
**It felt familiar and unique all at once.  This is a bloated genre and I've read a ton of dystopian books, so I'm a little jaded.  This book made me sit up and pay attention.  As I mentioned, a lot of it felt familiar, but not in a bad way.  The stuff that felt familiar was comfortable.  Everything else felt different and that was exciting.

**I liked the flawed heroes.  No one is perfect, but no one is completely evil either.  Cael, especially, is your typical young hotshot, but there is also something very vulnerable about him.  Even Cael's nemesis, who seems completely boorish at first, has some history that paints him in a more sympathetic light.  I love it when characters are drawn this way.

**I liked the steampunk/dystopian/sci-fi mash up.  I could COMPLETELY see this as a movie or TV show.  It just had that kind of quality to it.  

**Lastly, I really liked the humor.  There was this wry humor throughout.  Humor is always a plus in my book

Here is what I didn't like:
**I wish that Gwennie was a more developed character.  She doesn't have a big part, but is very integral to the story.  I could not get a bead on her.

**I wish there just a little more world building.  What or Who is Empyrean?  I certainly do not want a bunch of exposition and my questions may be answered in the sequels, but a little more context would have been good.

Overall:

A fun and fast paced book!

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Heart of Betrayal by Mary Pearson [Joint Review!]

4 out of 5 Robots!

Heart of Betrayal By Mary E Pearson
Series: Remnant Chronicles #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy 
Release: July 7, 2015
Paperback:  470 Pages
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
My Copy: Library
Reviewer: Julia & Shannon

Book Summary:
Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny. (Courtesy of Goodreads)

Julia & Shannon - Review! 

1. Quick and dirty on HEART OF BETRAYAL?

Shannon: I'm sad to say that I didn't like it as much as the first book, Kiss of Deception.  The book felt very long to me, and I just wasn't as into the plot as I was for the first one. 

Julia: I enjoyed the book, I liked the new, dangerous atmosphere and characters. BUT as the last book felt like a breeze, I felt the length of this one. There didn't seem to be quite as much action as was in the first, though I think there was? 

2. What was your favorite/least favorite part?

Shannon:  My favorite part was the ending.  Finally, everything came together and everything started happening!  It was tense and exciting.  My least favorite part was probably the length.  Also, this book reminded me a bit of Winner's Crime, in that a character is trying to play a long con and has to deceive a lot of people at once.  The difference, however, is that we knew what was going on in Kestrel's head in Winner's Crime.  We don't know what Lia's head during this book.  This type of thing worked better in the first book when we didn't know which character was the assassin and which was the prince.  We were all in the dark.  But now, those characters have been revealed, but we still don't know Lia's true purpose.  It frustrated me a little, because I never knew when I was being deceived versus when the characters were being deceived.

Julia: Ah, though I agree with Shannon on all counts, I hated the death of one of my favorite characters. Least favorite part, definitely... and usually I love a good death. My favorite parts are those between Kaden & Lia, but then, I'm a little torn, because I love the ending scene with Rafe.

3. What about the chemistry?  Who does she love!?

Shannon:  I...don't know what to say.  I mean, I think I knew who she loves by the end of the book...but as far as chemistry goes, I think she has more with Kaden than Rafe.  I was less interested in the romance this go around, to be honest.

Julia: Merp! Who knows. The scenes with Kaden & Lia are way more thrilling, seems to be more chemistry - or at least I'm enjoying those scenes more. BUT then, ya know. Love triangles and all that.

4. There are so many teams to root for. Which kingdom do you sympathize with? Excited to finally visit Delbreck?

Shannon:  This is one area that I feel this series shines.  I love learning about the different kingdoms!  And I like that Mary Pearson took the "enemy" and made them sympathetic, or at least, showed us why they are the way they are.  And yes, I want to learn more about Delbreck!

Julia: I can't wait to have a storyline in Delbreck, we finally get to see where Rafe comes from and why he is who he is. Maybe I'll begin to enjoy his character more when I visit his world. I love his soldiers and hope they're a big part of the story. The three different kingdoms are the most fascinating part of the story. 

5. Any new characters you loved or hated?

Shannon:  I can't say I loved any of the new characters, or disliked them.  I know Julia is going to say she loved the Komizar, though!  Haha!  But, I will say the new characters were interesting enough that I enjoyed their inclusion.

Julia: I did enjoy the Komizar! Mostly because you couldn't tell if he was truly good or bad for a little while. He comes off as terrible, then you see him with his kingdom and making sure they have hope, and creating a fearsome army for the Vendens... He just made the story more interesting, and he's dangerous. There isn't much plot outside of his relentlessness. I also loved the children there and what they added to the story. 

6. Did you like it! Rate it! Will we continue the series? 
Shannon:  Overall, yes, I did like it!  I know it sounds like I didn't, but I promise I did.  I just struggled a little bit with how long it felt before anything actual happens.  I still give it 4 stars and I'm looking forward to the conclusion, especially after that ending!

Julia: I did like it. It has some epic romance and lots of action. Four stars from me! I can't wait to see what Lia's actual purpose is in the conclusion. 

The Falconer by Elizabeth May [Joint Review!

4 out of 5 Robots!

Falconer By Elizabeth May
Series: Falconer #1 
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy 
Release: September 19, 2013
Paperback:  378 Pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books
My Copy: Library
Reviewer: Julia & Shannon

Book Summary:
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.

But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she's leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.

Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother. The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. (Courtesy of Goodreads)

Julia & Shannon - Thoughts! 

1. Quick and dirty on FALCONER?

Shannon:  Falconer was so much fun!  It was frothy and exciting and I plowed through it.  It could have been cheesy, but it managed not to be.  

Julia: This is a thrilling, extremely entertaining young adult novel filled with action and vengeance. I couldn't put it down!

2. What was your favorite/least favorite part?

Shannon: My favorite part was probably the relationship between McKay and Kam.  It was tense, but there was also a lot of chemistry.  When they are together, the whole story lights up.  My least favorite part was probably the handling of the Scottish setting.  I did not feel like it was set in Scotland at all.  It could have been anywhere.

Julia: I loved the chemistry and relationship between McKay and Kam. They know each other, but they have so much to learn about one another. I can't help but flip the pages as quick as I can when they're together. I didn't like that the author throws a little bit of a love triangle into it all.

3. What about the fae and world building?

Shannon:  It was ok.  I think if you weren't very familiar with Scottish/Irish/Celtic fairy mythology, you may be a little confused.  But, I don't think it impeded the story at all.

Julia: I don't think there is much attention to detail when it csomes to world building. That aside, I did enjoy seeing the fae as evil creatures with a few good apples in the bunch. It is all quite fun. 

4. Kam has a tragic past - was she an easy heroine to root for?

Shannon:  I liked that she was feisty and bucked tradition.  She is definitely a modern girl living in the past, if you know what I mean.  But yes, I feel she is likable and easy to root for.  Exactly what you would want in a book like this!

Julia: Kam is witty, confident and is quite persistent about avenging her mother. I love that she doesn't give up and she doesn't give in to the times... Love a character like her!

5. What about McKay? Are we rooting for him? Is the chemistry...?

Shannon: McKay is definitely a mysterious and aloof character.  I was on the fence about him through most of the book, but I came around by the end.  I do think there is undeniable chemistry between them.  It crackled sometimes, that's for sure!

Julia: McKay is my favorite type of character! Mysterious, confident and seems to know everything. The air seems to spark when they're together. They fight, physically as well as verbally - and the chemistry is like Shannon said - undeniable.

6. Did you like it! Rate it! Will we read the sequel?

Shannon:  As I mentioned, it was fun and exciting.  I give it 4.5 stars for entertainment value, although as a whole it's probably actually a 4, but I don't care.  I had fun.  I will definitely read the sequel!

Julia: I don't think this book offers anything new to the young adult fantasy genre, but it is pure entertainment anyway. I found it satisfying and electric - 4 stars! I will be reading the sequel. All young adult fantasy fans should pick this one up.