Title: Crimson Bound Author: Rosamund Hodge Published by: Balzer + Bray Publication date: May 5, 2015 Pages: 448 pages Genres: Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat. Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night? Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption. I didn’t like it. Uh! I hate when I’m excited for a book and then…wawawaaa. The concept was interesting, and author, Rosamund Hodge, wrote an intriguing history, but it was all too much darkness and self-hate. Once, my husband was yelled at by an opposing religious group, “You deserve hell-fire, sinner!” His offense? Going to see Billy Graham (a well-known, respected Christian evangelist) speak. Rachelle is her own worst opposition, unable to see beyond her past folly, unable to accept anything but “you deserve hell-fire, sinner.” This is Rachelle’s constant struggle, and religion plays a key role. The book is stocked with religious themes. The church, represented by several characters, is a major player in the story, and Rachelle is deeply affected by it. Rachelle belongs to the Devourer, who wants to rule the world, consume it, and cover it in darkness. And demons or forestborn, like Rachelle, who belong to the Devourer will hunt people for sport (among other evil things). Rachelle has reconciled herself to the darkness while she fights for the good. So she hasn’t REALLY reconciled herself to the darkness, because she sees good and wants to defeat evil, but she’s not worthy of forgiveness or goodness or light, because she “murdered” her aunt who was already clinging to life by a thread (more of a mercy kill, but Rachelle doesn’t see it that way). She’s a terrible person who deserves every evil that comes her way. It’s annoying to write about and it was annoying to read about too. She was uncertain of herself for 85 percent of the book. It was a relief when she found some redemption toward the end, but it was through the words and actions of a man she distrusts the entire book. Because Rachelle looks at the world through her self-hatred goggles, she misinterprets other people’s motivations, and resents and hates those around her who could help her find redemption, like some of the religious followers (who go from enemy to ally within moments during the last 15 percent of the book, because she finally believes herself worthy of penance). Her self-hatred also forces her into the arms of a twisted relationship. And the healthier romantic option is clouded by unrevealed motivations and goals. So, the love triangle is sick and frustrating. Would I let my teen read this book? Crimson Bound does have some redeeming qualities. It’s mostly clean. Sex is referenced, but not detailed. There’s violence, but not graphic bloodshed. There are also some good discussion topics: hope in religion, hypocrisy, power as an ultimate goal, destructive behavior, and forgiveness. Age recommendation: 16 Language – none Drugs & Alcohol— none Sex – A few kisses; references to multiple sexual partners; two characters sleep together, but the scene is skipped with no details; reference to sexual favors exchanged for something a character wants Violence – Sword and knife combat; character gets head chopped off; people are killed, but nothing is graphic My Goodreads rating: 2 out of 5 stars Buy: Crimson Bound on Amazon.com
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Title: The Corridor Author: A. N. Willis Published by: Alloy Entertainment Publication date: June 23, 2015 Pages: 217 Genres: Science Fiction, Romance *ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Summary from Goodreads: Stel Alaster has never known life without the Corridor. It appeared suddenly seventeen years ago, the only portal to a parallel version of our world—Second Earth. Everyone on First Earth fears Mods, the genetically modified Second Earthers who built the Corridor. They are too smart, too strong, and have powers that can’t be controlled. Any Mod found on First Earth is branded, then detained in the Corridor’s research labs. Only Stel has a dangerous secret. She has a power, too: She can open a portal to Second Earth . . . and several other parallel universes she’s discovered. If anyone ever finds out, she’ll be imprisoned, no better than a Mod or common lab rat. But when the Corridor starts to fail, emitting erratic bursts of energy that could destroy First Earth, Stel must risk everything to save the people and world she loves. With the help of an escaped Mod and an infuriatingly arrogant boy from a third universe, Stel sets out to unravel the mysteries of the Corridor and stabilize it before it’s too late. The fate of every world lies in the balance. . . . I was excited to read The Corridor. Finally, some science fiction! I loved the premise with multiple Earths and Mods (a mutant-type character, but more genetically engineered). Despite my initial excitement, it was really hard for me to get into this book. I still can’t believe it’s only 217 pages…it felt like fourhundredandthirtytwo…thousand, to be exact. Fortunately, the second half gained some speed and the relationships fell into more natural rhythms, but it took a little too much time to get there. I was surprised when there was a six-month time-jump between when Stel suddenly obtained her powers and the story picking up again. It could have been fun to experience some of the uncertainty and discovery with her. And while A.N. Willis explained some things in good detail, other details were lacking. I wanted to know more about the Mods, more about the other Earths, more about the antagonists’ motivations, etc. It’s possible we could get more history in the next installment, which despite my complaints I still might read – there was a nice cliffhanger. My hopes for the next installment would be for more character development and more action. Would I let my teen read this book? If you’re teen likes science fiction, this is probably a good option. Despite my complaints, Stel and her friends are admirable for wanting to save First Earth. They go through a lot of emotions—tempted to hide or just run away, but decide to face the problem courageously. It’s also a pretty clean read. There’s some kissing and a little bit of violence towards the Mods, but nothing graphic. PLUS – it’s only $3.99 for Kindle on Amazon. Age recommendation: 14 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol— none Sex – There’s a skinny-dipping scene, while in the water a boy caresses a girl’s back and they almost kiss; An emotionally charged make-out scene (mixed with confusion and grief), a girl crawls into a boy’s lap and they kiss Violence – Some of the Mods are punished by shocks or electrocution; One character get’s his midsection “portaled” out of him (schkump!). My Goodreads rating: 2 out of 5 stars Buy: The Corridor on Amazon.com for $3.99 Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Author: Sarah J. Maas Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Publication date: May 5, 2015 Pages: 432 Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance Summary from Goodreads: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite Disney movie. Tamlin doesn’t feel like a real beast, though. He’s a shape-shifting Fae. Although Tamlin and his court are cursed with masks covering their faces, Feyre knows he’s a beautiful man, which feels a little un-beast-like. Feyre might hate him because he’s Fae, but could anyone avoid falling in love with a kindhearted, handsome MAN? Doubtful. Feyre is a self-taught hunter and all-around regular Bear Grylls—you get the feeling she could survive anywhere. Awesome. Ah, but Feyre is not one-sided; she loves beautiful things too. She dreams of capturing beauty on paper, and studies Tamlin’s Fae paintings for pleasure. Sarah J. Maas writes beautifully. She has a way of drawing you into a new world with interesting characters. Details about paintings and scenery could have become monotonous, but Maas kept my attention. I think Maas also writes great action sequences, I just wish there were more in this book! The book’s cover totally raised my expectations for an exciting, action-pact story. The majority of the 432 pages is relationship building between Feyre and Tamlin. We don’t even learn too much about Tamlin’s world because some details must be kept from Feyre (Though the second book in the series will probably be enlightening). One of the most exciting parts of the book is in the last 100 or so pages, which made for a great conclusion with twists, new relationships, and a set up for the next book in the series. Would I let my teen read this book? Maas is a popular YA author. Her Throne of Glass series, about a teenage assassin fighting for her freedom, won her many fans. However, I would not let my teen read this book. I think it’s more appropriate in the New Adult or Adult category. Unsurprisingly, this was a sensual book. It’s represented that way in some of its descriptions, and books about Fae tend to lean in that direction. I was disappointed when the sex veered toward an adult paperback romance. This was a sort of sexual relationship I don’t think teens need to be reading. Because Tamlin is a beast underneath his skin, these characteristics come out in their intimate scenes, like biting, and his claws digging into her hips when they have sex… There’s some violence, and the villain is a dark, evil woman. These things combined with the sexual content really confused me about the Young Adult categorization. Here’s some of the details below. Age recommendation: 18 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol— Feyre gets drunk on fairy wine Sex –Feyre imagines what it would feel like to kiss Tamlin, and what it would feel like to have him touch her in intimate ways, for example: his fingers brushing her breasts; There’s a sexual ritual that transfers Tamlin’s magic back to the earth (or something) – he’s in some sort of primal sexual haze when he finds Feyre afterwards, tells her he looked for her, but when he couldn’t find her he took another woman who asked him to not be gentle, he then bites Feyre’s neck in a sort of warning and marking of territory (YIKES!); There are 2 sex scenes with some graphic details. Violence – The dark Fae are really bad. There are threats of skin being peeled off, rape, and other forms of torture and horrific death; One character finds a severed head on a stake in the garden; A young girl is tortured (unseen) and displayed after she dies as a warning by the villain; Feyre suffers great injuries at the hands of the villain, too. My Goodreads rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars Buy: A Court of Thorns and Roses on Amazon.com Title: Red Queen Author: Victoria Aveyard Published by: HarperTeen Publication date: February 10, 2015 Pages: 400 Genres: Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver palace, at the center of those she hates most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win? I avoided this book for a while despite all the hype. Frankly, the cover frightened me! However, when I noticed it on the library shelf, I decided to dive in to discover what the excitement is about. I was pleased to find that the cover is more horrific than the story. Silvers have silver blood and Reds have red blood, hence the red blood dripping off the crown. Red Queen mimics a Hunger Games government, but instead of a president, there’s a king, and instead of wealth alone separating the masses, it’s special powers. Sort of like what the world might look like if Magneto accomplished his mission to rule the world in X-Men. “Mutants” have the power, so they dominate the throne. Supposedly, in Red Queen, the Silvers descended from gods or angels, but we never get more of a history lesson than that, which left me with questions. Who are the Silvers? Why do they have these powers? And why is there a new mutation in the Reds? If the Silvers descended from or are gods, then it seems like a higher power is in play here, but there’s no hint to the background of the two races. Take the following quote, for example: In school, we learned about the world before ours, about the angels and gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don’t believe that. Compelling, no? Super compelling! Yet, that’s the extent of an explanation. Disappointing. I was entertained by Victoria Aveyard’s book, but I didn’t understand all the hype. I’m pretty sure I’ve read about similar characters in a similar setting before. Granted, the powers are fun. And who doesn’t enjoy rooting for the underdog or dream about waking up with superpowers? But I predicted the twist at the end early in the book. It was anticlimactic. While Aveyard could’ve written so much more about the depth of this world and gone into more detail about the revolution, she mostly used the romantic entanglements to move the story, which stinks, because I really didn’t care much about Maven or Cal. Would I let my teen read this book? Despite the lack of depth, the book deals with themes like trust, faithfulness, repentance, and justice. Mare goes through a painful coming of age, but she admits her mistakes and weaknesses, and fights fiercely for what she thinks is right—the deliverance of her family and her people (Reds). The publisher recommends Red Queen for 9th grade and up. I agree. See the details below. Age recommendation: 14 Language – mild (shit and hell are used two or three times total) Drugs & Alcohol – Mare has a drink at a party, which is assumed to be some kind of alcohol. Sex – 2-3 kisses Violence – Some combat and supernatural violence. None of the violence is very graphic. Characters get stabbed, cut, burned, and drowned. Some characters are made to do violent things under the influence of mind control - one character gets his head cut off by another unwilling character. My Goodreads rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars Buy: Red Queen on Amazon.com Title: Talon Author: Julie Kagawa Published by: October 8, 2014 Publication date: Harlequin Teen Pages: 464 Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance Summary from Goodreads: Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser. Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George. Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons. I have to say that nothing is more disappointing than having exciting prospects (dragons! star-crossed love! historic rivalry!) dashed by cliché and boring storytelling. Julie Kagawa has a series called The Iron Fey, which I read a few years ago and enjoyed. I was hopeful for this book. However, within the first few chapters I started to wonder–maybe it’s just a start-up problem? You know how sometimes you read a book and the beginning is really rocky? Like, an author had a good premise for a book, but he struggled to set the groundwork in order to get to the actual story? This was not the case with Talon. The protagonists felt cliché, the history of dragonkind and the St. George rivalry seemed unimagined, and the love triangle was not very compelling. Ember is a beautiful, fiery redhead with a personality to match. In typical teen form, she wants to shed her responsibilities to embrace her freedom. Understandably, for she’s been living in isolation most of her life for her own protection. During her summer of freedom, she meets a bad boy on a motorcycle (Riley) who her dragon has an instant primal attraction. He will explain why Talon is not to be trusted (but you’ll have to get through 80 percent of the book first!) Ember meets Garret when she’s attacked and almost sexually assaulted by a frat boy. He takes this opportunity to infiltrate her life, rescuing her from chauvinistic frat boy. Ember has to be rescued by a boy, even though she’s a fierce dragon, because she can’t risk exposing herself while biting into the jerks throat. As Ember and Garret spend more time together, they fall for each other, despite being mortal enemies (though they don’t know they’re mortal enemies). Much of the book is spent developing Ember and Garret’s budding relationship (with a few dragoncentric Riley scenes to shake things up). Between Ember’s restlessness and Garret’s solemnness, there are long monologues about understanding their new feelings for the other. I wanted to know much more about Talon and St. George. Overall, I was a little bored. I picked up Talon because I knew the second book, Rogue, was publishing at the end of this month. Maybe we’re in for more history and excitement in the next installment. I haven’t decided if I’ll read it. Would I let my teen read this book? The content is mature enough that it’s firmly in the high school- age department. Despite that, there’s nothing to recommend against it, except that it might not be your kind of story. Your teen might like it better than I did! Age recommendation: 14 Language – moderate, 1 F-word Drugs and Alcohol – underage drinking Sex – Kissing; characters’ sexuality is ignited (meaning – lead couple is experiencing sexual attraction for the first time with lines like “I feel it low in my belly and pull her closer…” Violence – there are military scenes and battles with guns and explosions, but nothing described in gory detail; dragons like to talk about ripping people’s heads off My Goodreads rating: 2 out of 5 stars Buy: Talon on Amazon.com |
Lindsey Learn
I read a lot. I'm a Mom. I'm officially in my 30s, but strangers often don't believe I'm old enough to drink. I love Young Adult fiction, and thought it was worthwhile to help teens and adults find age-appropriate options. Categories
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