{Mini Reviews} Witches, Vengeance, Truths, Music & Sinking Towns

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger-a boy who seems to fade like smoke-appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know-about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.

Well, that was just creepy enough to give me nightmares every night while I was reading it. It's not the jump out and scare the bejeezus out of you, though...it's the kind of eerie story that sneaks up on you, digs down into your subconscious and makes you start seeing and hearing things when left to your own devices. Or it did me, anyway.

I've had this book on my shelf for ages. I'm a huge fan of Victoria Schwab's work, so I don't know why I resisted picking this novel up until now, except that I do tend to focus more on newer releases these days rather than backlist titles. Luckily, I have a great friend who just got a copy of the book and did her very best to make me jealous that she was starting this book, and I caved to peer pressure. But peer pressure from bookish friends is rarely a bad thing.

This entire story just had this ethereal quality to it, most especially Cole, the love interest. I sometimes forget how great Schwab is at creating romance because her stories are so full of, well, everything else that it doesn't matter if there's a romance at the heart of the story or not. But I so very much appreciated the relationship between Lexi and Cole, especially because Cole was an outsider, ostracized simply because he was not from Near and also because their entanglement develops in spite of the fact that another boy in town thinks he's already laid claim to Lexi and her future. What a horse's ass.

But this story takes place in a time when the men did the hunting and the women tended to the meals and the children. Lexi may not have many options in a village so small, but she knows what she doesn't want. And that's to be trapped. Her father made sure to teach her hunting and tracking and the stories of Near, and so she's pretty well-prepared to take care of herself. But she's the only one who thinks so.

I really enjoyed this book of witchcraft and windy moors and nights that sing you out of your bed. It was enchanting and utterly captivating but also haunting and eerie, to the point that I had to make myself stop reading right up until bedtime if I didn't want to dream of witches made of loamy earth or see things skulking in my peripheral vision when I got up in the middle of the night to get a drink. Even so, it was a lovely fairy tale, done in the vein of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson and I'll be recommending it from here on out.

Revenge is worth its weight in gold.

When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

I never intended to read Vengeance Road. I couldn't even make it through Bowman's Taken. And I'd already ready Walk on Earth a Stranger and Under a Painted Sky, both of which were YA westerns centered around the Gold Rush, so I felt I had little use for another, especially coming from an author I'd already had a bad experience with. But people kept raving about this book, and it was always checked out from the library, and I assumed there must be a reason for it.

There are definitely some similarities between the three books: murdered parents, vengeance, girls dressing as boys. But I think this book was the most violent of the three, and on one hand, I want to applaud it for some great shoot-out scenes, but on the other...it did nothing to make the story better than the other two. I try not to compare books, instead allowing each book to stand on its own, but I also feel like the release of all three of these books in the same year was purposeful, and so maybe it's a little fair to make comparisons.

Amy Rubinate narrated this audiobook, and while I don't dislike her narrative style, it can be over-the-top at times. This is the first time I've heard her speak in the vernacular of the period, and it wasn't terrible.

Vengeance Road definitely has the prettiest cover of the three, but that's not enough to make it my favorite. I'm also not sure how I feel about a sequel in the works, since this book ended on a pretty satisfying note. I don't know if I would have liked this book more or less had I read it before the others, but I do know that as it stands, this was my least favorite.

A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to question her sheltered life.

Is it really always better to be safe than sorry?

It's not summer without a Sarah Dessen...or two.

I'm slowly plodding my way through her backlist -- while throwing a re-read in here and there -- and I'm discovering new favorites along the way.

Her love interests are always terribly sa-woon-y, but Wes is definitely among my favorites. And I loved the catering crew, too. Might be one of my favorite casts of characters from her books, period. :)

Funny story...I heard someone say spinnerbait at a family gathering recently, and my first thought was HATE SPINNERBAIT, even though I'm almost 99% sure they were talking about fishing. ;0)

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Thanks to my library, I've really been making it through some Sarah Dessen novels. I think there are only two or three that I haven't read yet. But I've read all of the ones I really wanted to get to. Including this one, which was high on my priority list because so many mention it as a fave of Dessen's novels.

And I understand why. With the focus on music and secrets and sisters and holding it all inside, this novel is entirely relatable. It definitely rivals The Truth About Forever for my fave Sarah Dessen novel. Plus, it's always nice to get glimpses of characters you know from her other stories.

As always, #hatespinnerbait. :D :D :D

What if your town was sliding underwater and everyone was ordered to pack up and leave? How would you and your friends spend your last days together?

While the adults plan for the future, box up their possessions, and find new places to live, Keeley Hewitt and her friends decide to go out with a bang. There are parties in abandoned houses. Canoe races down Main Street. The goal is to make the most of every minute they still have together.

And for Keeley, that means taking one last shot at the boy she’s loved forever.

There’s a weird sort of bravery that comes from knowing there’s nothing left to lose. You might do things you normally wouldn’t. Or say things you shouldn’t. The reward almost always outweighs the risk.

Almost.

It’s the end of Aberdeen, but the beginning of Keeley’s first love story. It just might not turn out the way she thought. Because it’s not always clear what’s worth fighting for and what you should let become a memory.

I live in a small, rural town on the edge of a major river. And I could see the events of this book playing out similarly where I live. The fight against turning the town into a lake would start out strong. Residents would rally and pretend that everything would go on the same as it always had, knowing it would all come to an end eventually, understanding that the battle was already lost before it had begun.

Despite that, this novel was still uplifting when it came down to it. Keeley was one of those unlikable characters that I just couldn't help but like. Because she makes mistakes. Because she's genuine and inevitably remorseful and just trying to do what she thinks is right. Yeah, she's selfish. And she turns a blind eye to everything until it's too late. But that's what makes her real and makes her realize what she really wants and needs.

This was the first Siobhan Vivian book I've read, but I have a feeling I'll be checking out her backlist soon.

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Labels: audiobooks, contemporary, erin bowman, historical fiction, Just Listen, mini reviews, reviews, sarah dessen, the near witch, the truth about forever, vengeance road, victoria schwab, wild west

You Just Have to Keep Reading REBEL OF THE SANDS Until You Either Pass Out or Finish

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands, book #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

This book was everything, EVERYTHING I was hoping for when I read that synopsis. A gunslinging girl. Magical sand horses. Mystical djinni. Rebel princes. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect story. It was just so unpredictable and amazing and wonderful.

Sure, I had some theories that panned out, but they were so far-fetched that I was actually glad when I saw them come to fruition. But the same is true for the theories that didn't come to pass: I was equally as happy to see the direction the author took the story in those instances, as well. The writing is fun and fast-paced and sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. This was a buddy-read for me, but neither my buddy nor I deigned to assign a limited number of chapters to read each night because it was just that type of story, where you just have to keep reading until you either pass out or finish. We read most of it in the better part of two nights, texting back and forth all the while.

I loved the combination of Middle East and Wild West in this book. The setting is a desert, and it works for either type of story, obviously, but it really made this novel. The desert became a character in itself, with the things that dwelled there hidden by day and attacking by night. Usually, I'd find a trek through the desert boring and tedious, but in this book, it was terrifying and kept me glued to the pages.

As did Amani's antics. Amani is my favorite kind of heroine. She wants a better life for herself and she will do whatever she has to -- including posing as a boy and entering a shooting contest -- to achieve her goal. Amani is an expert marksman, but the only appeal she has to the people of Dustwalk is as a wife. She wants out of her one-horse-town and she's not about to fail. One way or another, she will be rid of her uncle and the past that haunts her.

Enter Jin. Amani is instantly intrigued by the foreigner, but she also knows he's her ticket out of this place. I thought I knew who Jin was, and then I didn't, but it turns out I really did. That may sound confusing to anyone who hasn't read the book yet, but it just comes down to me trusting my heart when it came to his character, rather than listening to my head. Jin makes for an amazing love interest, but he's so much more than that because he's so good for Amani. He makes her own up to who she really is, makes her see that she is more than just one thing. And I loved him to pieces for it.

I'm dying to experience more of Amani and Jin's story! I might just have to re-read the book to get my fix for now. There's just so much to this story that I'm sure to have missed in my impatience to see how it ends. Those myths! Those demdji! So compelling! So captivating! Rebel of the Sands is a phenomenal debut...a book you definitely don't want to miss! I had SUCH high expectations for this book, and it delivered on every level.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often.

Find Alwyn:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Tumblr

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Labels: alwyn hamilton, beautiful covers, fantasy, favorites, jinn, magic, must-read, penguin, rebel of the sands, reviews, wild west

Walk on Earth a Stranger Release Day Blitz

You guys! I am SO excited to help celebrate the release of Rae Carson's Walk on Earth a Stranger today! I read this beautiful, poignant book over the summer, and it is just absolutely incredible. You can read my full review here, but be sure to check out the rest of this post for an opportunity to win your own copy, as well as a chance to read the first chapter of the book!

I had visions of playing Oregon Trail dancing in my head while reading this novel, and if you know what I'm talking about, then you'll likely enjoy this novel, too! :D

About the book:

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger
Author: Rae Carson
Series: The Gold Seer Trilogy, book #1
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety?

Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes. Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

Read Chapter 1 of Walk on Earth a Stranger annotated by Rae Carson HERE!

About the author:

Rae Carson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. Her next book, Walk On Earth A Stranger, will be available September 22, 2015. She lives in Arizona with her husband.

Find Rae:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

One winner will receive a set of the three Girl of Fire and Thorns books (in paperback format). US only. Ends on September 30th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you've read Walk on Earth a Stranger, what did you think? If not, what excites you most about this story?

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Labels: beautiful covers, book blitz, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, giveaways, harper-collins, historical fiction, magical realism, promotions, quest, rae carson, the gold seer trilogy, wild west

{Review} Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger
Author: Rae Carson
Series: The Gold Seer Trilogy, book #1
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Source: ARC received for review from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety?

Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes. Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

You guys, I didn't think I could love Rae Carson's writing any more than I did after finishing the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, but then I read Walk on Earth a Stranger. Admittedly, the last time I read a summary for this book was back in May 2013 when I added it to my TBR on Goodreads. All I remembered was that it was historical fiction focusing on the California Gold Rush. Not necessarily my kind of story, but Rae Carson penned it so I knew I'd at least be giving it the old college try. But it was so amazing and brilliant and brought back memories of playing Oregon Trail in elementary and middle school. So, of course, while I was searching for the game online, I had to take a break from writing this review and play for a bit. =)

Lee is the exact opposite of Elisa from Carson's first series, at least in the beginning, and yet I loved her tremendously. Whereas Elisa initially shrunk away from her future and duties, Lee embraces what she has to do when her world is turned upside-down. Still, there are a lot of similarities between the two protagonists, too, because when push comes to shove, both of these girls let the fire burning within them reign supreme and they get the job done. And both are harboring secrets that could mean the difference between life and death.

When I said that this story reminded me of playing Oregon Trail while reading, I wasn't kidding. There are covered wagons. Yokes of oxen to pull them. Hunting and trading and river crossings that can turn disastrous. And disease that can take out a wagon train lickety-split like. (I'm still playing the game in another tab while I'm writing this, so I can vouch for all those things. :P) But while the game was fun and somewhat entertaining, this story was sad and heartfelt and a little bit hopeful. It tugged at my heartstrings and kept me on the edge of my seat because just like with that game, you never knew what the trail would throw at you next.

Walk on Earth a Stranger isn't just about what happens on the trail, though. We get to see a little of Lee's home life before she sets out on her own -- and what put her on that course -- and there's a smidge of a romance thrown in, too. I honestly wasn't expecting much on that front, since Lee has to dress as a boy the minute she decides on this quest of hers, but it worked and it was rather sweet. But the hard-earned friendships and trials and tribulations of the trail were definitely the driving force of the story.

The book also goes a long way toward encouraging acceptance in a time where there was little to be had: of African Americans, of gays, of foreigners...even of women as equals. I loved every aspect and found it entirely too difficult to put this book aside for any length of time. Lee's story just kept calling to me, the way the Oregon Trail is calling to me as we speak, and even though I have a multitude of other things to do right now. I never once found Manifest Destiny as intriguing while learning about it in school as I did while reading this story. It's well-researched, and it felt like reading the gritty journal of one who actually traveled across the continent to get to California.

Like I mentioned, I hadn't read the summary prior to picking this one up, and I was actually kind of hoping for a stand-alone, what with all of the other series I have yet to finish. But once I got to the end, I was pretty stoked to realize that there was more of the story to come. I can't imagine the hardships Lee and her wagon train faced, but I also can't get enough of them. Also, I want so badly to see some of the characters get the comeuppance they so richly deserve.

I highly recommend this story for my fellow thirty-somethings who got to play this game while waiting for others to finish up their tests or for anyone who just loves a good historical fiction that's not afraid to get its hands dirty. I will definitely be in line for the next book in this saga.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest and therefore sexiest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. I especially love to write about questions I don't know the answers to.

Find Rae:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: beautiful covers, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, harper-collins, historical fiction, magical realism, quest, rae carson, reviews, the gold seer trilogy, wild west