Review: Rua by Miranda Kavi

Genre: Fantasy | Faeries

Synopsis:

When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets. The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes up to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window. He knows what she is.

Review:

I enjoyed this novel. It was not what I was expecting at all. I came across this book while looking for novel that explore the Fae mythology. This is not your typical Sidhe interpretation. But, I kind of liked that. 

Celeste was spunky and smart. She was cautious and strong. She worked to learn how to control her powers so she would be able to defend herself. 

Rylan played the part of the mysterious rogue. He was so sweet to Celeste, yet he was also serious about their situation. He was very intuitive, and I really appreciated that about his character. 

The characters were relatable and the plot flowed smoothly. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rua. 

 

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

Nook | Kindle

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Review: Forever Fae by L. P. Dover

Genres: New Adult | Fantasy | Faeries

Synopsis:

He leans down, lips parted, and then our lips connect...We didn't know that this one kiss has FOREVER changed the Land of the Fae. 

According to the Prophecy proclaimed many years ago, Princess Calista of the Summer Court is destined to change the Land of the Fae from the evil determined to destroy it. Her powers are phenomenal, and she secretly trains for battle with her handsome warrior friend, Merrick, who unbeknownst to her protects her heart as well, in hopes of keeping it for himself. At least, until the seductive Prince Ryder attends the Guardian Ceremony and instantly sends a fire burning through her veins and a connection so deep they both discover a love above anything imaginable. 

No one knows how Calista is destined to change the kingdoms, but there is one that does. He not only craves Calista's power, but her body as well, and his goal is to steal her power, make her his Dark Queen, and take over the Land of the Fae. 

Will the evil succeed in claiming Calista's soul? Or will the two men that fight for her heart save her from despair, and help her fulfill her destiny to become what she was meant to be. 

Review:

The cover is so PRETTY! 

Based on the descriptions of the creatures and the types of magic evident in Forever Fae I can tell that Dover did a ton of research for the novel. However, I feel like the presentation of the characters, especially in terms of their language and general immaturity, is a disservice to the genre. 

I feel that there is so much potential with the plot and the world that Dover created. The characters seem disjointed in places because they shift from formal courtly language to using modern slang in the next sentence. Many of the images are beautiful, but I feel disappointed because Calista's magic was placed on the back burner. Every so often her magic is brought up--leaves and skin changing color along with controlling roots--but nothing is truly explored. The love triangle remains a strong focal point. I believe that if  there were only one perspective there would be more room for this type of exploration. 

As it stands now, I think the novel needs a couple of revisions to really capture the essence of Dover's world. It's not bad, but it could be better.

Rating: 3 out of 5 owls

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Review: Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Genre: Urban Fantasy | Faeries

I think I enjoyed Spells more than Wings. Laurel seemed to mature and get over herself. Her struggles in her classes in Avalon were more realistic. I enjoyed learning about the different traditions and social expectations that the faerie uphold. 

What I loved most was the undeniable chemistry between Laurel and Tamani. The "love" between Laurel and David just can't compare. I'm shipping for Tamani all the way. 

Pike has a beautiful writing style and her descriptions of Avalon are spectacular. New characters were introduced, but the mystery stayed throughout the book. There was plenty on conflict and just enough action to keep the plot interesting. 

The only reason Spells doesn't get five stars is because there was a little too much of the "We know you know absolutely nothing about our culture, but we expect you to abide by and suddenly know all the rules. Oh, and hurry it up." That was my only complaint. Other than that, Spells is a gem.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Review: On Fallen Wings by Jamie McHenry

Genre: Fantasy | Faeries

I decided to give myself a week before reviewing On Fallen Wings, simply for the fact that I didn't want to eviscerate it on a whim. During the last week, I have frequently replayed the story over and over in my mind and come to the conclusion that while I don't hate it, there are many areas that, with improvement, could be stronger. What first appealed to me about this novel is that it seemingly incorporated Fae mythology. Now, I happen to be writing a book about the Fae, so I have been doing a serious amount of research on the topic. You could say that I wanted to get a look at what other authors are writing about my subject. I was also intrigued by the fact that the author is a man and the lead character is a heroine. 

Unfortunately, On Fallen Wings left me disappointed on so many levels. The Fae-lore that originally attracted me to the novel was briefly mentioned and then quickly forgotten. There was no magic and the "faeries" were typical humans. I'm sorry, but the Fae are not humans and therefore do not look, think, or act like humans. I can overlook the author taking liberties with the mythology, but it took backstage too much for my liking. Either make it a prominent feature or leave it out. 

The characters had very little depth, despite the entire book being full of supposed character development. Enough said. 

What I enjoyed about McHenry's writing is his prose. The man can write some beautiful prose. So, in terms of style Jamie McHenry has it down, but he needs to work on plot development. The names were also very lovely and satisfied my pickiness over character identity. I feel that On Fallen Wings needed a better editor. I saw lots of potential, but it just didn't have any plot devices in place to really grab the reader's attention. Now, having expressed my negative feelings for this book, I just want to add that this review is merely my opinion. I have read other reviews on this novel that raved about how good it is. If at the end of the day you enjoyed it, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Feel free to give this novel a chance if you feel so inclined. You may like it.

Rating: 2 out of 5 owls

Nook | Kindle

  

Monday Mania--Fairies

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Tithe by Holly Black

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Genre: Fantasy | Faeries

Synopsis:

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

Laurel's life is the very definition of normal . . . until the morning when she wakes up to discover a flower blooming from her back. As it turns out, nothing in Laurel's life is what it seems. Now, with the help of an alluring faerie sentry who holds the key to her true past, Laurel must race to save her human family from the centuries-old faerie enemies who walk among them.

Review:

I believe my love for faeries began when I first watched Labyrinth, starring David Bowie. While I have always loved fairy tales (thanks Disney), I found the world of fae intriguing. I have read many books incorporating faeries, and I find Wings a refreshing twist on the typical faerie mythology. The female faeries actually have flower blossoms on their back in place of wings. Pike takes a scientific approach to the mythology while simultaneously building the romance that the teens are looking for.

However, despite this new take on an old myth, I found several things that annoyed me as an older reader. I have no sympathy for characters who are so beautiful that no one wants to be their friend. Except, they do have friends they are just too self-centered to acknowledge them. Laurel has this mentality and it is annoying. The first 30+ pages are focused on how Laurel has a difficult time fitting in not only because she was home schooled, but also because she is unnaturally beautiful. Yet, within those same pages she gets a new set of friends and a boyfriend. Yeah, some struggle. Furthermore, because she is so beautiful, Pike felt the need to insert a love triangle. I HATE love triangles. I understand that a key  component of adolescent literature  is a love triangle; however, I'm over it. When every YA novel has a love triangle the ingenuity and originality is gone. 

Despite these aspects that annoy me about the YA genre, once you get past the first  30-40  pages the story picks up and is very entertaining. It is easy to become attached to the characters, and the story has a steady pace. Check it out, it's worth the read.



Rating: 4 out of 5 owls



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