Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

From Goodreads.com:

"The apprenticeship is over—now the real test has begun.

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before....

Honor sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the land she holds dear."

Jennifer's Review:

Well, I hate to say it but; the last book of a series tends to disappoint me. The story was creative and the newest characters were still well written. Maria is a great author.

I just found myself getting bored with how much repetition there was. Being that I had read both the first and second books, I knew everything that was repeated. I expect some repetition so that we can be up to speed in case it has been a while or a couple books since reading the beginning of the series. However, it almost felt like half the book was taken up with "getting us up to speed". There was even stuff from the beginning of the book that was explained later in the book...?

The romance was perfect, I thought, in all three books but this one was, well, perfect. LOL The ending made me smile and even feel like the ending didn't leave me wanting more. I can't remember another series that has done that for me.

I give Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder 3 1/2 stars.

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

From Goodreads.com:

"YOU KNOW YOUR LIFE IS BAD WHEN YOU MISS YOUR DAYS AS A POISON TASTER...

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better....

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies...."

Jennifer's Review:

Well, I gave five stars to the first book in this series. Magic Study also had me turning pages. Love the new characters Maria created in this story and the strength of Yelena keeps building. It did take me two days to finish instead of the one of Poison Study.

I kept wondering what was going on in Yelena's brother's mind, why he was so angry. Loved that she brought in people from Ixia to keep the story "together" with the first. I usually have a hard time when an author goes from one character in a book and then book two is about a character in the first book instead of keeping the same main character. Does that make sense? In short, I love this series and can't wait to pick up the third... my family isn't near as excited!

I  give Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder four and a half stars.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

From Goodread.com:

"About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear..."

Jennifer's Review:

I hadn't ready any other of Maria V. Snyder's books before picking this one up. I couldn't put it down. You can ask my family. They were quite annoyed that I had to finish it in one day.

I just really liked the main character, Yelena, and how much she was able to handle. She is strong willed...kind of like me. The twists in the story made it impossible to put down. I kept guessing what would happen next and was never quite right about any of it. Definitely prefer to not be able to guess every step in a book.

Will be checking out and reading the next two in the series and let you know what I think.

My almost fourteen year old started reading the first couple of pages and couldn't wait for me to finish so she could read it too. A book that gets you from the beginning.

I give Poison Study five stars!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

On the back cover:

"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."

Jennifer's Review:

Great story! Love the adventure and romance of it. I knew this was being made into a movie so I picked it up at the book store on Monday. Had it read by Tuesday night. Nice, quick read. Had me turning pages. At one point my daughter asked me what I was reading because my eyes were big. LOL

The twist, I felt, is that it is written from Ethan's perspective. Usually it is the girl that does all of the talking- at least in all the books I have read. I was interesting but I could tell it was written by a girl ( or girls in this case) because some of Ethan's thoughts were a little too... Well, they sounded like they were what a girl would think a boy would say or think. Does that make any sense?

I really loved the magic and intrigue. I will definitely be picking up the second in this series!!

I give Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 4 1/2 stars.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

On the back:

  "Although I had never seen him before, I recognized him immediately. I'd have known his voice anywhere. This was the guy I'd seen on my last journey back in time.  Or more precisely, the one who'd kissed my doppelganger while I was hiding behind the curtain in disbelief.
  Sixteen-year-old Gwen lives with her extended- and rather eccentric- family in an exclusive London neighborhood. In spite of her ancestors' peculiar history, she's had a relatively normal life so far. The time traveling gene that runs lie a secret thread through the female half of the family is supposed to have skipped Gwen, so she hasn't been introduced to "the mysteries," and can spend her time hanging out with her best friend, Lesley. It comes as an unwelcome surprise when she starts taking sudden, uncontrolled leaps into the past.
  She's totally unprepared for time travel, not to mention all that comes with it; fancy clothes, archaic manners, a mysterious secret society, and Gideon, her time-traveling counterpart. He's obnoxious, a know-it-all, and possibly the best-looking guy she's seen in any century..."

Jennifer's review:

  I was intrigued from the first page and really enjoyed the storyline. The characters are all intriguing and have their own mystery behind them.

  There are a few parts where I felt lost but quickly found my way.

  Only a few cuss words- of course the book would be just fine without- but it wasn't covered in them.  There is only a hint of romance in this book. I was expecting more from the back cover. The story is so intriguing that you really didn't need much more, but I still would have liked more. 

  I have so many theories running through my head about what is to come next that I am holding my breath for the next book in the series, "Emerald Blue". Should be out this year in paperback. Came out last year in hardcover. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

I give Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier 4 1/2 stars.

Entwined by Heather Dixon

On the back:

"For centuries, the Keeper has been waiting within the walls of the palace. But now Azalea, eldest of the kingdom's twelve princesses, has found the magic entrance to his hideout. Azalea, who thought her life was unfurling brightly before her, but then lost her mother. And her freedom. She, too, is trapped inside the walls of the palace by the strict rules of Mourning- no color, no sunlight, no suitors, no dancing. What is more, her father won't stop treating her like a child. So the Keeper extends an invitation. Each night Azalea and her sisters may dance in his silver forest. He is dashing, and his magnetic eyes are always on Azalea. What the Keeper wants in exchange may cost her everything. But the Keeper should not underestimate Azalea's temper, or her strength,  or her love for her sisters and her kingdom."


Jennifer's Review:

Well, I have to say, this was CUTE! So clean, so intriguing. This story is based upon the Twelve Dancing Princesses, a story I never really understood. With this "version" I got it. :) Much better!

Azalea, being the oldest, feels the resposibility of taking care of her younger sisters resting heavily on her shoulders. While her father is truly grieving for the loss of her mother, Azalea must keep the family upbeat but is kept within strict rules of Mourning.

Just enough romance, suspense, with a twist of humor. An easy read that is great for all ages starting around middle school.

I give Entwined five stars!

  

A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

Jillian’s Review:

I love-- LOVE Jane Eyre. I know parts of it by heart, which is why I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I would have if I'd never read J.E. It was a pretty fun story; a great romance (I wish these teens were more chaste though), even a great bit of fantasy, but when the main girl wakes up as Jane in the novel Jane Eyre, it gets monotonous because I’ve already read that story a dozen times and don't want to read a poor imitation of it.

Mont would have done better to just make up a whole new story instead of trying to copy a classic.

 

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

  

On the back:   

"Some people are born with the first word of a language resting on their tongue, though it may take some time before they can taste it.

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Islilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue. She spent the early years of her life listening to her aunt's stories and learning the language of the swans. Then, a colt was born with a word on his tongue- his name, Falada- and when Ani spoke it, she found the key to his language, too. But as Ani's gift grew, so did others' mistrust of it, and soon her mother felt she had no choice but to send her away to be queen of a foreign land..."

Jennifer's Review:  

Loved this book! Great characters you love almost immediately. So much adventure and just enough romance.

I feel like the description on the back of the book just leaves you guessing. There is so much to this book, so much more than the back describes. Plus, the girl on the cover is just gorgeous. Wonderful story that my 13 year old wouldn't read because of the title. Finally I "made" her read it and she LOVED it, too. :)

I was so sad when the book ended but dove right into the second. 

I give The Goose Girl five stars.

Evermore by Alyson Noel

On the back cover:

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school- but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head- wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is- or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

Jennifer's Review:

Somewhat of a mushy and unbelievable rendition of Seers by Heather Frost. From the moment Damen comes into the story it is no longer believable. He is super gorgeous, rich (as everyone seems to be in this story), and only wants our main character Ever. Because of his amazing looks all the girls want him and bend over backwards to catch his eye. That isn't so untrue when it comes to high school but for Ever being lost in his eyes and always feeling that he makes her world right... I would have liked a lot more insight into why he has an affect on her. Maybe in her next book?

Can't stand how bad the language was and the romance scenes got worse and worse. Luckily they never went all the way but that seems to be their main purpose in life.

I really do like the story line and Ever. Her character is the most realistic of all of them. Her sister, Riley, doesn't act at all like a twelve year old. She acts more like a seven or eight year old. I would have LOVED her if she were made to be that age and acted the same.

One thing I would like to offer this author is to stop having everyone "purse" their lips all of the time. Just a thought.

I give Evermore three stars.

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

On the back:

  "According to the oracle, there was a chance the princess could die, murdered, before her sixteenth birthday. All the oracle saw was blood, and the princess dead in this room."

  But I am sixteen, I thought hazily. Is that what they want to tell me, that I'm safe now?

  My father went on. "The princess was the only heir. We had to keep her safe, no matter what the cost... We hid the princess away so she would be safe until after her sixteenth birthday. And we replaced her with another baby, a false princess. You."

  I am alone, I thought as I gazed around the hall. All of this, all of my life, it was a dream. And it is ending.

  "What is my name?" I asked. For the first time, the queen stirred, raising her head to look at me. "Sinda," she said, her voice thin. "He said your name was Sinda."

  Jennifer's Review:

  This is a book I could not put down. Ask my family, it was constantly in my hands until I was done.

 Great story line, neat main character, good clean romance, magic and adventure.

 There were quite a few editing errors making me wish I could have gone through it before it was published and helped out a little. It always detracts from the story when you have to read and re-read something just to understand that part of it was a type-o.

  I give The False Princess 3 1/2 stars. It would be four stars if not for all of the long descriptive paragraphs. There were many times I just skipped a paragraph to get to the juice of the story. A couple of times I went back to read what I had skipped and found that it wasn't anything that kept the story going. Lots of pretty words and nice descriptions but they, to me, were just too long.

 Still, I think you'll enjoy it!