{Mini Reviews} Lion Heart, Invasion of the Tearling, Magonia & Extraordinary Means

Because sometimes you just want to read ALL the books but you don't have the time -- or the energy -- to review them all. Or, sometimes it's been months since you read the book, but you still have something to say about it. So, here are some short and sweet reviews that are long overdue...


Title: Lion Heart
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Narrator(s): Helen Stern
Series: Scarlet, book #3
Length: 8 hrs 7 mins
Publisher: Audible Studios
Publication Date: July 31, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

Read in August.

I had an ARC of this final book in the Scarlet series, but I was still kind of devastated by what transpired at the end of Lady Thief. And it didn't help that I thought I'd do myself a favor by re-listening to the first two books prior to picking up the finale. That only broke my soul more. So, it's safe to say that I went into this book with some trepidation.

My fears weren't unreasonable. But that's what I've loved so much about this series. The author isn't afraid to test her characters...to test their loyalty, their love, and their unfailing sense of right. In the beginning, I thought our heroine might have reached her limits, but she proved to be as resilient -- and obstinate! -- as ever.

I never feared for the romance because the love between Robin Hood and Maid Marion has been tested over time. But I must admit, I did not expect the direction it took, though I'm not unhappy about it. :)

As always, Helen Stern portrayed Scarlet beautifully, both as the thief and as the lady. In fact, it wasn't just the fear of how things would end for our merry band of thieves that kept me from reading this sooner. I also just really enjoy Stern's narration, and having begun the series via audiobook, I felt it only fitting to end the same way.

All in all, Lion Heart was a fine ending to one of my favorite retellings. It may have taken me awhile to begin the series -- and awhile to finish it -- but Scarlet and company will always have a place on my shelf and in my heart.

GIF it to me straight:

If you haven't started this series yet...

Title: The Invasion of the Tearling
Author: Erika Johansen
Narrator(s): Davina Porter
Series: The Queen of the Tearling, book #2
Length: 18 hrs 4 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion.

But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling —and that of Kelsea’s own soul—may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out.

Read in August.

I re-listened to Queen of the Tearling prior to picking up this audiobook, and not gonna lie, it helped immensely. I really enjoyed the first book -- and I might have been one of the only ones, if peer reviews are any indication -- but it was long and there was a lot I'd forgotten in a year's time. It also didn't help that part of the way in, I thought I was listening to an altogether different book because the narrative no longer seemed to be focused on Kelsea and the Tearling.

That being said, I think I still managed to like this sequel better, if only because we're starting to see Kelsea come into her own as Queen. She's no longer content with being the young, naive new queen, and it shows. But she's also got the Red Queen to contend with, which is no easy feat.

It's her connection to Lily that really fuels her, though. Well, that and her desire to know more about the past, about the Red Queen and the deal that was made. This book kind of brings things full circle, and though it wasn't effortless, it made sense in a roundabout way.

This series really brings past and present together. I still don't really know how to catalog it because it's got hints of fantasy that are somehow sown into our future and bits of our present that are made to feel like the past. I'm really looking forward to the next installment to discover more about this world

GIF it to me straight:

I love the combined efforts of the past and present and how they come together in this book.

Title: Magonia
Author: Maria Dahvana Headley
Narrator(s): Therese Plummer & Micheal Crouch
Series: Magonia, book #1
Length: 9 hrs 22 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air.

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live.

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

Read in August.

This book was not at all what I was expecting, mostly because it starts with a very contemporary story about a sick girl and then morphs into fantasy along the way. And it does it rather seamlessly. Or kind of explosively. Or maybe both at the same time, but it changes courses pretty well.

Magonia is the story of "the one". You know, the special girl who'll right the wrongs that have been done to her people and save their race or something along those lines. But Aza is rather clueless about it all when the Magonians discover rescue kidnap her, so she must become this powerful being she was fated to be, all the while wishing she could just go back to her beloved friend Jason, who she was on the cusp of beginning something sweet with just moments before the feathers hit the fan.

So, obviously, that means there's someone meant for her among the Magonian people birds bird-people. Yep, there's a love triangle of sorts, and though it seems to have somewhat resolved itself in this book, I wouldn't look for it to be completely gone yet. Aza is a part of two different worlds, and it will continue to be difficult for her to reconcile that, making it that much harder for her to know where her place is, let alone her heart.

I wanted a little more from both Magonia the book and Magonia the world. It was a quick listen -- and an enjoyable one, considering the narrator for Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda was the voice of Jason -- but it just didn't have that oomph I was hoping for.

GIF it to me straight:

Birds and bird-people seem to be big this year, but so far, none of the books featuring them have wowed me.

Title: Extraordinary Means
Author: Robyn Schneider
Narrator(s): Khristine Hvam & James Fouhey
Series: stand-alone
Length: 7 hrs 41 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

From the author of The Beginning of Everything: two teens with a deadly disease fall in love on the brink of a cure.

At seventeen, overachieving Lane finds himself at Latham House, a sanatorium for teens suffering from an incurable strain of tuberculosis. Part hospital and part boarding school, Latham is a place of endless rules and confusing rituals, where it's easier to fail breakfast than it is to flunk French.

There, Lane encounters a girl he knew years ago. Instead of the shy loner he remembers, Sadie has transformed. At Latham, she is sarcastic, fearless, and utterly compelling. Her friends, a group of eccentric troublemakers, fascinate Lane, who has never stepped out of bounds his whole life. And as he gradually becomes one of them, Sadie shows him their secrets: how to steal internet, how to sneak into town, and how to disable the med sensors they must wear at all times.

But there are consequences to having secrets, particularly at Latham House. And as Lane and Sadie begin to fall in love and their group begins to fall sicker, their insular world threatens to come crashing down.

Told in alternating points of view, Extraordinary Means is a darkly funny story about doomed friendships, first love, and the rare miracle of second chances.

Read in August.

I loved Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything, but once I really read the premise for this book, I have to admit that I avoided reading my review copy. I'm more than over the sick kid trend in YA. Kid deaths kinda wreck me, and I don't need that emotional suckitude in my life right now.

Or so I thought. When my library uploaded all of their Harper Audio titles, I was drawn once again to this one. I like Schneider's writing style. It's smart and clever without being pretentious. Read: it doesn't come off like a John Green. I actually think one of the main characters -- Lane -- said about the same thing regarding Sadie's group of friends.

I don't really think the fact that Lane and Sadie went to summer camp together years before factors into this story all that much because they get to know each other in the here and now, albeit reluctantly at first, at least on Sadie's part. But it's cute to know that they have that past and see how far they've come along since then.

I understand the limitations put on sick kids are there for a reason, but I also understand that they might only have this once chance...or rather, less of a chance than a non-sick person has at seeing their dreams realized. So, yeah, it bothered me that these kids were hiding things from the doctors and being altogether careless with their welfare at times, but from their point-of-view, I get it.

Which makes it all the harder when the kids do start showing signs that they're not getting any better. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering that they are in a special home for kids with their disease, but I was still caught off-guard. I really, really think I'm done with this type of book. My heart just can't handle it, even when the ending is tinged with hope.

GIF it to me straight:

I need some tender, loving care after a book like this. :(

Huh. I thought these were all from months earlier, but it looks like the month I was big on reading/listening but not so much for the reviews was actually just August. Figures...ITSHOTASHELLIDONTWANTTODOANYTHING is kind of my mantra at that time of year. :P

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Labels: a.c. gaughen, audiobooks, bloomsbury, erika johansen, harper-collins, maria dahvana headley, mini reviews, reviews, robyn schneider

Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer After You and Me & Lion Heart

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: The Summer After You + Me
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Series: n/a
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 1st, 2015

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

I need this book. I live in Pa, so the Jersey Shore has always been a summer destination for us. Until Sandy rolled through and destroyed Sea Sides Board walk. It's back up and rebuilt, but without all the rides and stuff that used to be there. Its just not the same. I can't wait to read this, just for the setting alone. :) Plus.. summer romance and all. I love that stuff.






's Pick:



Title: Lion Heart
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet, book #3
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: May 19, 2015

The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They cannot rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

I only just discovered this series right before the last book released, and I am a forever fan now. A girl impersonating a boy and carrying on as a thief, falling in love with Robin Hood? Yes! A thousand times YES! If you haven't picked up this series yet, you don't know what you're missing. But maybe you should wait until this final book is out, after that cliffy in Lady Thief...yikes.


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: a.c. gaughen, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, favorites, jennifer salvato doktorksi, retellings, scarlet, the summer after you and me, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Lady Thief
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet, book #2
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

You know when a sequel just blows your ever-lovin' mind, leaves you screaming and angry and in ruins?  Lady Thief is that kind of sequel.  I don't know how the author managed to make me fall even harder for these characters, but she did. And now my poor heart is in tatters after that ending.

Okay, so, if you know the story of Robin Hood fairly well, a lot of what happens in Scarlet and Lady Thief won't come as a surprise to you, but the way that events unfold is sure to.  You might think for a second that in this one instance, Gaughen's going to go the traditional route and orchestrate the same sequence of events you've come to know as the history of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.  But you'd be wrong.  Though I've had many of my theories pan out over the course of these two books, I still feel like the story is remarkably fresh.  I think the fact that I'm able to foresee a lot of what's to come is actually one of my shortcomings, not the author's.

I am still so in love with the fact that Scarlet is who she is, that she's survived what she has, and she still manages to persevere, to fight and love and do what she can for the people of Nottingham.  Scarlet's narrative is sparse but that doesn't keep her from painting a very brutal picture for us.  She doesn't hide her feelings nearly as well as she once did, though, and with what's going on now, it's no surprise.  I had so hoped that she'd finally get her chance at happiness, but it looks like it wasn't meant to be, at least not yet.

Robin is a bit broken after what he suffered in the first book, and Scarlet bears the brunt of his inability to cope.  As such, she's forced to make a decision that will change the course of her and Robin's future, though not as either of them expected.  Neither of them knows of the stratagems already at play when Scarlet accepts a bargain from Lord Gisbourne, and when Prince John involves himself in her affairs, all hell breaks loose for Scarlet.

Fortunately for Scarlet and Rob, they find -- or rather, make -- time for romance along the way.  Because of their honor and devotion to each other, I feared we'd go another book without so much as a single kiss between them, but they put that aside to bask in each other while they can.  Nothing about their future is set in stone, and if the past is any indication, they have a long road to travel before they can truly seek solace in each other's arms.  So it was nice to see them give in to their hearts and take a moment or two for themselves, even if doing so was technically wrong.  (I'm not here to judge, but Scarlet is a married woman.  Just sayin'.)  Their love story is raw and achingly painful, but deliciously so, and despite all odds, I'm still betting on them.

The other characters' stories have all become compelling in their own rights.  [Little] John may finally be over his roguish ways, which is quite the change from the first book.  Much is showing just how capable he is and is full of worthy advice for Scarlet.   Even Gisbourne's story arc proves quite intriguing.  He may be pure evil incarnate, but in the beginning, he was such an enigma and as much as I loathed him, I still wanted to know how he came to be the man he was.  I got more than I bargained for in that respect, but it's fitting and makes the story that much more captivating.

As I said, if you know anything of the lore surrounding Robin the Hood and his entourage, you can guess where the story is headed for both him and Scarlet, especially with the death of the sheriff and Prince John's political machinations while his brother is away.  But the ways in which the end result was achieved were still shocking and at times, utterly heartbreaking.  Guard your heart, folks...you're in for a bumpy ride.  And if you're waiting until the third book is out because you've heard about the tear-inducing cliffy at the end of Lady Thief...well, that's all well and good, but it's still going to be there whether you wait or not, and you can't change what happens, much as you'll want to.  So, what I'm saying is, hurry up and read it so we can discuss and be miserable together while we wait for book three.  ;0)

GIF it to me straight:

I won't be able to wait another year...I won't...iwontiwontiwont.

About the author:

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won't give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I'm not that mad at Scotland).

Find A.C.:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Labels: a.c. gaughen, bloomsbury, favorites, must-read, retellings, reviews, robin hood, scarlet

{Audiobook} Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Narrator:  Helen Stern
Series: Scarlet, book #1
Length:  6 hrs 56 mins
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Publication Date: July 16, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

That's me, upon finally diving into Scarlet and realizing I've been putting off a very, very good book for ages...and for no good reason.  I'm glad I finally had the sense to snatch up the audio in an Audible sale. Especially since the audiobook was freaking fantastic!  You, too, can experience the awesome in ebook form for only $2.99 for a limited time:  Kindle and Nook. Or you can pick up the incredible audio, too, so we can squee about the awesomeness together, but it's going to cost you a bit more coin.

So, I've always liked the story of Robin Hood:  a merry band of thieves stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, whom the rich more than likely got their wealth from in the first place. Which is obviously one of the reasons I added this book to my TBR all those months ago. But I also love a story  revolving around a girl masquerading as a boy...and getting away with it.  This type of protagonist has to prove herself less in a "man's" world, but she also has to prove to the reader and to herself that she is, underneath the disguise, still just a girl.

A lot of people think Robin Hood and revert to their childhood, envisioning this:

I wish that were the case for me.  No, I was subjected to a different Robin Hood many times by coaches in high school who were "teaching" history classes.  I don't know what it was, but they all showed this film ad nauseum whenever they didn't particularly feel like holding a regular class:

That's not the worst movie ever, but I've seen it too many times now to appreciate it anymore.  If there ever was anything to appreciate.  I'm not a big Costner fan myself.  The point of this tangent, though, is to explain -- partially -- why I put off reading Scarlet for so long.   I was afraid of being disappointed.  This book offers up several aspects that my reader's brain craves:  a fierce heroine, thieving, secrets, and a romance with a historical figure I'd fallen for way before I'd ever picked up the novel.  And so I was hesitant, not wanting to get my hopes up, only to have them dashed away by a book that couldn't live up to my expectations.

Except, it totally did.  Honestly, this story was even better than I could have imagined.  I don't know if it was the fact that I was listening to the audio, and that the narrator was so perfectly perfect for the book, or if it's just because I loved the story that much, but I could not stop listening to this book.  I was there with the characters, traipsing through the woods, hiding in the trees, rescuing my friends.  I'm absolutely astounded at how easily, how thoroughly, the author was able to engage my thieving, lying alter-ego and pull me into this story so completely.  And the narrator was impressive, as well. No deep, throaty voices for Robin and the gang.  Just a rough Cockney accent for our dear Scarlet and the merry men and a more refined voice for the Hood.  It made these characters feel like old friends.

Scarlet is just so unbelievably entertaining, with its familiar story and its deadly twists, and I can't believe I waited until now to experience it myself.  Immediately, you're going to recognize some old friends and old enemies, but there are plenty of new faces, friends and foes alike, to keep the story interesting and fresh.  The fact that Will Scarlet is actually a girl in this story aides the book in being an entirely unique retelling of Robin Hood, but that's not even the half of it. There are so many secrets and lies peppered throughout this story, and it will really keep you on your toes if you're not paying attention.

The romance, though I very much enjoyed its development, was kept very much to the background, but I think that's to the benefit of the novel and to the characters, as Scarlet really isn't the romantic type.  She's fierce.  She's a thief, she's a liar, and she is downright deadly with a blade in her hand.  And you'll soon discover that Scarlet is definitely not the type of girl you want to cross.

This is a retelling, and so much of this story will feel like familiar territory.  But I found it an entirely refreshing take on an old favorite, and I'm thoroughly impressed with the author's execution of this story.  Gah, I feel like all I did was gush about the book and that I didn't tell you anything really useful, like about the plot or the characters, but honestly, you won't care...not really.  The story is just too much fun to worry about things like that, even though those aspects are great, too.  Here's all you really need to know, though:  Scarlet is a kickass heroine who can take out opponents three times her size with the simple throw of her knife, she steals to help the people of Nottingham, and she's falling for Robin of Locksley.  Big time.  Oh, and everyone thinks she's a boy.

My only complaint?  The story was too short.  :P  Good thing I already have the sequel in my possession!  Eeeeeeee!!!  =)

GIF it to me straight:

I can read the sequel now?  Yes?!?  YES!!!

About the author:

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won't give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I'm not that mad at Scotland).

Find A.C.:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

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Labels: a.c. gaughen, audiobooks, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, favorites, historical fiction, must-read, retellings, reviews, robin hood, scarlet