{Mini Reviews} All Fantasy, All the Time

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: The Immortal Heights
Author: Sherry Thomas
Narrator(s): Philip Battley
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, book #3
Length: 10 hrs 49 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

In a pursuit that has spanned continents, Iolanthe, Titus, and their friends have always managed to remain one step ahead of the forces of Atlantis. But now the Bane, the monstrous tyrant who bestrides the entire mage world, has issued his ultimatum: Titus must hand over Iolanthe, or watch as his entire realm is destroyed in a deadly rampage. Running out of time and options, Iolanthe and Titus must act decisively to deliver a final blow to the Bane, ending his reign of terror for good.

However, getting to the Bane means accomplishing the impossible—finding a way to infiltrate his crypt in the deepest recesses of the most ferociously guarded fortress in Atlantis. And everything is only made more difficult when new prophecies come to light, foretelling a doomed effort....

Iolanthe and Titus will put their love and their lives on the line. But will it be enough?

With The Immortal Heights, Sherry Thomas brings the acclaimed Elemental Trilogy to its breathtaking conclusion.

Read in October.

What a satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series! I remember being thoroughly confused for the first half of the previous book -- and loving it immensely despite that -- but there was no confusion in this final installment. Lots of shocking twists and turns, sure, but I was on board -- er, carpet? -- for all of them.

It all comes down to the blasted prophecies in this book, and sometimes I wanted to smack Titus for relying so heavily on them because I think he missed the big picture in doing so. It irritated me almost as much as his dismissal of Iolanthe in the second book, when again, he let a prophecy take priority and guide him instead of letting his own instincts take over.

Honestly, I loved this book, but -- and this may be because I re-read The Perilous Sea prior to picking up this final book -- I'm finding it a little difficult to remember the details from it. The events of The Perilous Sea are forefront in my mind right now. Because of that, I think the second book might have been the strongest of the series: it had to bridge past and present, memory gaps, and overcome second book syndrome, all of which it did amazingly. That said, The Immortal Heights is still an impressive finale.  The whole series was impressive, and I can't wait to return to it one day when I can read all three books back-to-back.

GIF it to me straight:

Title: Ice Like Fire
Author: Sara Raasch
Narrator(s): Kate Rudd, Nick Podehl
Series: Snow Like Ashes, book #2
Length: 12 hrs 49 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

Read in October.

This sequel has me stymied. I don't know whether to continue or not. I liked it, but it's completely changed how I feel about the series. Everything's been turned on its head, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Especially the ships. At first I was #TeamMather. Then I was #TeamTheron. And that's where I was when I started this book. But then I realized I had some chapters to read from Mather's perspective, albeit third person and not the first person Meira's are in. And I started to appreciate Mather's character a bit more again. His chapters reminded me of what I liked about him in the first place. And Theron was just pushy. After one kiss, he's ready to get married. Granted, that was originally the plan, but that was before.

I feel like I should just be #TeamMeira, but she's just not nearly as fierce in this sequel as she was in the first book. I mean, yeah, they stuck her in a dress and are trying to make her act queenly. (Good luck with that!) But even as such, she could still show some of that fire. Where she went wrong was not trusting her gut, not immediately standing up to her adversaries, instead letting the Cordellans get their hooks in.

This book started off strongly, and I was positive I was going to like it even more than Snow Like Ashes. But it got rather chaotic toward the end, especially after a major reveal. I'll inevitably end up picking up the next installment because my curiosity will get the better of me...I'm just not sure who I'm rooting for anymore.

GIF it to me straight:

Title: Firewalker
Author: Josephine Angelini
Narrator(s): Emma Galvin
Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy, book #2
Length: 11 hrs 17 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher, audio borrowed from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.

"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini!

Read in October.

I put off reading this sequel for awhile after release date even though I'd had the ARC for months prior to that. I read some early reviews and it just sounded like a huge disappointment. Granted, I feel like I was one of the only ones who really enjoyed the first book, so that probably shouldn't come as a shock.

What did come as a surprise was how much this sequel felt like the first book. Basically, it's Lily in her own universe, doing the same thing she did once she got her feet in Lillian's world: collecting mechanics for her coven, army, whatever you want to call it. Because of this, the book very much felt like a middle book and cost me whatever enjoyment I might have taken from it.

Also, there's the intense jealousy Lily's Tristan harbors toward her relationship with Rowan and the lack of communication between Lily and Rowan. I liked the romance in the first book, but in this book, I found it insufferable.

I'm really hoping for more from the third book. There were things alluded to in this book that still have me curious, and I'd like to see that all come to fruition before all is said and done.

GIF it to me straight:

Funny thing. When I first started this post, like two weeks ago, I had the latter two books rated higher. But the more I sat on the reviews, the less I liked about the books. I'm still holding out hope that the final installments end up redeeming both of those series, though...

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Labels: audiobooks, harper-collins, josephine angelini, macmillan, mini reviews, reviews, sara raasch, sherry thomas, snow like ashes, the elemental trilogy, The worldwalker trilogy

Waiting on Wednesday: Winter & The Immortal Heights

"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: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: November 10, 2015

Here is the stunning conclusion to the national bestselling Lunar Chronicles, inspired by Snow White.

When Princess Winter was thirteen, the rumor around the Lunar court was that her glamour would soon be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. In a fit of jealousy, Levana disfigured Winter. Four years later, Winter has sworn off the use of her glamour altogether. Despite her scars, Winter’s natural beauty, her grace, and her gentleness are winning admiration from the Lunar people that no amount of mind-control could achieve.

Winter despises her stepmother, but has never dreamed of standing up to her. That is, until she realizes that she may be the only one with the power to confront the queen.

Can Cinder, Prince Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Princess Winter, and the palace guard Jacin find their happily ever afters? Fans will LOVE this amazing conclusion to the series.

I blame Jen for getting me hooked on these books. They are amazing, and I'm dying to get my hands on Winter. Especially after reading Fairest a few weeks ago. :) And that cover... LOVE





's Pick:



Title: The Immortal Heights
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, book #3
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 13, 2015

In a pursuit that has spanned continents, Iolanthe, Titus, and their friends have always managed to remain one step ahead of the forces of Atlantis. But now the Bane, the monstrous tyrant who bestrides the entire mage world, has issued his ultimatum: Titus must hand over Iolanthe, or watch as his entire realm is destroyed in a deadly rampage. Running out of time and options, Iolanthe and Titus must act decisively to deliver a final blow to the Bane, ending his reign of terror for good.

However, getting to the Bane means accomplishing the impossible—finding a way to infiltrate his crypt in the deepest recesses of the most ferociously guarded fortress in Atlantis. And everything is only made more difficult when new prophecies come to light, foretelling a doomed effort....

Iolanthe and Titus will put their love and their lives on the line. But will it be enough?

With The Immortal Heights, Sherry Thomas brings the acclaimed Elemental Trilogy to its breathtaking conclusion.

I was super impressed with the sequel to The Burning Sky...I think I may have enjoyed it even more than the first book. So, it will be with some trepidation and some seriously high expectations that I embark on this final installment of the Elemental Trilogy. Still, I know Sherry Thomas can pull it off. The way she made me fall for Iolanthe and Titus again and again in The Perilous Sea, and the adventure they've embarked upon together...it's, well, impressive. ;0) I can't wait to read how their story ends!


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: fantasy, favorites, harper-collins, lunar chronicles, marissa meyer, sherry thomas, the elemental trilogy, waiting on wednesday (wow), winter

{Audiobook} Review: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Perilous Sea
Author: Sherry Thomas
Narrator(s): Philip Battley
Series:  The Elemental Trilogy, book #2
Length: 10 hrs 38 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

I just listened to The Burning Sky on audio as a refresher so that I could finally get to The Perilous Sea, a book I've been looking forward to since the second I finished the first installment. And after listening to that first book on audio and loving it even more the second time around, I knew I wouldn't be able to wait to start the sequel. Actually, I knew then that I'd have to listen to this one on audio because the narrator was just so right for this book. I questioned a single narrator -- and a male one at that since Iolanthe is such a big part of the story -- but Philip Battley really was the perfect choice for this series.

That said, when I started this audio, I felt that things were progressing rather slowly, compared to what I remembered of the previous book. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the story being split into a before-and-after type of narrative, with me waiting not-so-patiently for the two halves of the story to meet in the middle. But I'm sure it had more to do with Titus questioning the path he thought he was on with Iolanthe after a rather surprising turn of events early on in the story.

The pacing did pick up, and I kept holding out hope that things were not as they seemed. And I was rewarded with one surprise after another. Usually, I pride myself on picking up on things rather quickly, having worked out how the book's going to go pretty early on, even if it does make for a predictable read. But with The Perilous Sea, I never knew what to expect next. And I often found that I didn't care; I just kept listening, kept hoping that Iolanthe and Titus would continue to outwit and elude the Bane at every turn.

It probably didn't hurt that each chapter shuffles the reader between the present and back to the beginning of the term, when Iolanthe and Titus are only just reuniting after a summer apart. And at the end of each chapter is a cliffhanger that left me reeling, but I was so engrossed in the story that I just could not be bothered to press pause. I loved how much more prominent the secondary characters were in this installment -- especially Kashkari -- and I really enjoyed the focus on whether the hero writes his own destiny or if it's already been written in the stars for him. Honestly, I am just really captivated by the direction this series has taken overall, even more so than I was in the first book.

I'm immensely happy with what was revealed in this book and what remains to be discovered. And I loved the romance even more this time around, maybe because I got to see Iolanthe and Titus work their way back to each other in one time line and fall in love all over again in the other. The way Thomas wrote this novel really is impressive in that manner. The Perilous Sea was an amazingly strong sequel, and this series is fast becoming a favorite. If you love fantasy, girls disguised as boys, and all manner of magic, I highly recommend this series.

GIF it to me straight:

This sequel totally blew me away...and it's even better on audio!

About the author:

Sherry Thomas is one of the most acclaimed romance authors working today. Her books regularly receive starred reviews from trade publications and are frequently found on best-of-the-year lists. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.

English is Sherry’s second language—she has come a long way from the days when she made her laborious way through Rosemary Roger’s Sweet Savage Love with an English-Chinese dictionary. She enjoys digging down to the emotional core of stories. And when she is not writing, she thinks about the zen and zaniness of her profession, plays computer games with her sons, and reads as many fabulous books as she can find.

Find Sherry:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, fantasy, favorites, harper-collins, magic, reviews, sherry thomas, the elemental trilogy

Review: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Burning Sky
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, book #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Source: ARC received from publisher, from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to revenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Man, that cover is awesome.  The original cover for this book was pretty great, too, because it highlighted the duality of the storyline, but I'm equally as happy with this cover.  That said, the description of the book from the trailer (below) captured my interest in this book much better than the summary from Goodreads (above). I'm all for some magic, but when it's a girl wielding magic while pretending to be a boy in a pretentious all boys school in historic London while also hiding from those who would do her harm in her own world, well, I'm going to be all over that.

I'm a fantasy fanatic.  I'm always looking for the next fantastic world I can escape to, one full of magic and mischief and mayhem.  And there was plenty in equal measures in The Burning Sky.  It took me a bit to become fully engaged in this story, but once the pacing picked up, there was plenty to keep me interested. This book was kind of the anti-Harry Potter:  a girl is taken from her magical world and brought to ours, where magic doesn't exist, to attend school while hiding from the Bane and his cohorts.  I'm not attempting to make a true comparison, just laying it out there so you get the gist of the story.  (And I'm not telling you anything that's not shown in the book trailer.)

A lot of my friends who shy away from fantasy tend to do so because the world and it's rules can become quite confusing. I don't think The Burning Sky is supposed to be a confusing book, but there were times that I found myself questioning the laws of the magic of The Realm or the Seer's predictions regarding Titus and Iolanthe.  I often overlook things in fantasy novels, assuring myself that it'll all make sense later.  But with this novel, I needed instant gratification, and so when I was confused about which Crucible was being used and which rules related to it because of the location and who it had previously belonged to, I inevitably started flipping back and forth in the book.  I needed everything in this novel to make sense in the here and now, not chapters later when everything had worked itself out already.  And upon further inspection, it did make sense...it was just easy to get ahead of myself while reading and lose track of some of the details.  Some of the paradoxes involving predicting the future still don't make sense, but I think that's just one of those things that I might never fully comprehend.

Iolanthe and Titus' first meeting is the result of a prediction.  I wasn't immediately enamored with either character, their initial mistrust of each other and overall demeanor leaving much to be desired, but as the story wore on, and more of each character's story was divulged, I found myself rooting for them, separately and as partners.  The romance didn't wow me, but it was sweet.  My favorite aspect, though, was probably one of the super villain's underlings.  The Inquisitor was ferocious in her search for the powerful mage who had wielded lightning.  Her ability to seek out the truth in one's mind knows no bounds, and the Inquisitor makes for a truly terrifying enemy.  Her existence and her power make me even more curious about the Bane and his rumored malevolence.

I think The Burning Sky only touched on some characters that could definitely use further examination as the series continues.  And I'd like a little more background and explanation as to how the magic works and exists in both worlds.  As you can see, I definitely want more, and I'll absolutely be picking up the next installment.  I'm hoping that, where this book seemed to focus more on world-building, the next will focus more on characterization.  I'm excited to get to know these characters better!

Rating: 

About the author:

Sherry Thomas writes both historical romance and young adult fantasy. On the romance side, she is one of the most acclaimed authors working in the genre today, her books regularly receiving starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award. On the young adult fantasy side, there isn't much to say yet, as her debut book is not scheduled for publication until September 2013. Sherry writes in her second language. She learned English by reading lots of romance and science fiction--every word Isaac Asimov ever wrote, in fact. She is proud to say that her son is her biggest fanboy--for the YA fantasy, not the romances. At least, not yet...

Find Sherry:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: book trailers, dac 2013, fantasy, harper-collins, historical fiction, magic, reviews, sherry thomas, the elemental trilogy

Teaser Tuesday #71: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's what I'm teasing this week:

Title: The Burning Sky
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, book #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to revenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

"The Inquisitor awaited, her pale face almost glowing, as if her skin were phosphorescent. From fifty feet away, he sensed her anticipation. A predator ready to strike; a hunter who had at last closed in on her quarry."

-- 55% of ARC, loc 2982

Oh, that Inquisitor!  Just can't be rid of her!  o_O  I was excited by the summary above, but it wasn't until I saw the book trailer that I allowed my expectations for this book to build.  I mean, magic is great and all, but when you add in a girl pretending to be a boy and set the story in historic London, you have guaranteed me a good time.



What are you teasing this week?  Share it in the comments or leave a link so I can visit!

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Labels: dac 2013, fantasy, harper-collins, historical fiction, magic, sherry thomas, teaser tuesday, the elemental trilogy