Book Review: Ever the Hunted, or, The One Where Not Bathing is Still Sexy

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Pages: 392
Publisher: HMH
Release Date: December 27th, 2016
Cover Comments: I LOVE this cover. Beautiful font and design with a nod to the content with the bow and arrow.
First Lines: "To survive these woods, a man must be strong as the trees, Papa had said."
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Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

Review

"If I were ever the hunted, you would find me."

Ever the Hunted felt like a mixture of several different stories I've seen and read, and while this sometimes led to a unique and intriguing blend, most often I felt like I'd been here, done that. The main character is reminiscent of Katniss from the Hunger Games, while her love interest reminded me of Gale. Bordering countries who are enemies because of disagreements over magic actually occured in the book I read before and after this one (Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst and Frostblood by Elly Blake). New trend? The magic system was different, I'll give it that, but almost random in the types of abilities that come together.

The issue of falling into fantasy tropes is not my main problem with Ever the Hunted, though. If I'm invested in the characters, the novel can be as tropey as you please. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with our main characters, Britta and Cohen. Britta, as we know from the beginning of the novel, recently lost her father. But she spends much more brainspace on Cohen and his somehow always pleasant scent (after spending three weeks in the forest without bathing? I don't think so) than her recently deceased father. I found this a little odd and I think some opportunities were missed for introspective moments on the way we may perceive someone who has died differently than the idea we had of them when they were living. Sort of a Harry Potter learns about Dumbledore's past type of insight.

Another thing I found unlikely was that Britta never suspects that she might have magical powers. Trust me, that's not a spoiler. I knew from the first chapter, but it takes Britta 3/4 of the book to even raise the question to herself, and only after a few pretty striking displays of power. Britta is set up as a wonderful tracker, archer, and handy with a knife, but these skills don't actually help her a lot, which I was disappointed about. She has all the tools of being a kick-ass heroine, but Cohen is the one who does most of the saving. *cue Cinderella by the Cheetah Girls pls*

After struggling with a lack of connection from these characters for most of the book, I did feel it towards the end. It was an emotional part that actually made me feel strong rage, which I admit is pretty rare for me. The other element that kicks this book up from a 2 star to a 3 star rating is the fantastic ending. It ties up the necessary storylines from this book, while setting up some really intriguing possibilities for the next one. I still wasn't buying Cohen and Britta's romance by the end, but I felt connected enough to the characters and interested enough in the plot twists, that I'd be happy to pick up the next one in this series.

3/5

Book Review: Snowed In, or, The One in Which the Actual Names Sneaux and Wynter Appear

Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne
Pages: 261
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: November 27th, 2007
Cover Comments: An adorable, snowy cover that perfectly matches the story within.
First Lines: "It'll be fun!" Those were my mom's words. It'll be fun. At the time, I'd thought so too.
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Well, apparently I live here now—my mom just bought the place. And named it after me, Ashleigh, which was nice. But did she know how cold it is here??

Um, it's a tiny island with not much to do, unless you really like sleigh rides. But I gotta say there are quite a few hot guys on this cold island . . .

Review

"You can either dab or swirl," he said, leaning forward to show me. Which put him even closer, close enough that it was almost an embrace. So close that my mouth went dry. "Personally," - he cleared his throat - "I like the swirl."

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for seasonal novels. I want the book scenery to reflect my own - there's nothing more cozy than a winter read when it's cold outside. As such, this book was exactly what I wanted, and probably makes my review a little kinder because there were definitely some elements of this book that were less than ideal.

First, the protagonist, Ashleigh, is one of those "not like other girls" girls. She's never had a boyfriend and never wanted one, loves horror films and watches them with her eyes open (gasp), and needs her coffee in the morning to be a functioning person (can't argue with that one). This is all well and good, except every time something different came up about Ashleigh, it was usually preceded or followed by something alluding to the fact that she's not like other girls. This is one of my personal pet peeves. Girls are human, and different from on another. Her differences don't make her superior to other girls, and I object to the idea that being "ungirly" or "not like other girls" makes you better. There's nothing wrong with being a girl, and not all girls act the same, so you may as well say she's "different from other humans". Well, duh. We all are. Kay? Kay. *rant over*

That pet peeve aside, I really enjoyed Snowed In. It's exactly what it seems: a cute, fluffy, winter romance. Our love interests Josh and Ashleigh have that love/hate relationship in the beginning, which is always fun. Some of the side characters were a little ridiculously immature, such as the girl who calls her boyfriend only "my boyfriend" instead of his name and starts snowball fights to get out grievances. But, all in all, its's a great read for a snow day and if you want to feel warm and fuzzy and embarrassed to be seen with it in public.

Josh Wynter and Ashleigh Sneax. Smooshy and a vomit-inducing level of cuteness and I LOVE IT.

3/5

Book Review: Sunshine, or, The One Where Vampires Aren't (That) Sexy

Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Pages: 405
Publisher: Jove
Release Date: September 1st, 2003
Author Website: Robin McKinley

Cover Comments: The cover is really nice and atmospheric, and ties into the story with the setting. However, I think that it gives off a super serious vampire book vibe, when in reality, Sunshine is a pretty chattery, sort of sarcastically funny narrator.

First Lines: “It was a dumb thing to do but it wasn't that dumb. There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake in years. And it was so exquisitely far from the rest of my life.”

There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it's unwise to walk. But there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind.

Until they found her...

Review

Ever since I read Robin McKinley's Beauty and the Blue Sword, I've been hooked. I love McKinley's style of writing and her ability to write stories that keep me entranced. If you've read her previous work, Sunshine is a bit of a departure from her usual style. The story revolves around Rae, aka, Sunshine, who decides to take a trip to her grandmother's old house by the lake and has the misfortune of being abducted by vampires. The plot thickens when she is taken by the vampires to an old house and chained to the wall within reach of a mysterious vampire who appears to be a fellow (albeit, hungry) prisoner.

The first thing you should be forewarned about concerning Sunshine is that McKinley employs a very circuitous writing style. Girl loves her tangents. A huge chunk of the book is Sunshine talking to herself and pontificating on the world she lives in. This is nice for a bit of world-building and introspection, but I found it a bit annoying at times. The style of writing also makes it a little hard to figure out what's going on sometimes. Sunshine likes to use vague and confusing descriptions for how she's seeing the world or doing or feeling something. It creates an overall disorienting effect, which I think might have been what McKinley was going for, but I didn't really enjoy it.

McKinley has definitely created an interesting world here - one in which almost everyone is "half-blood", or a mixture of human and demon/supernatural creature, but vampires are the big bad. I liked the way other otherworldly beings were portrayed, like an old lady who is a were, but it isn't clear what she turns into- possibilities evidently range from a wolf to a Dachshund. There's a sense that anyone could be anything, and you wouldn't know it. I also really liked the idea of the SOF - Special Others Force, a sort of supernatural police.

Romance in Sunshine is barely present, excluding maybe three paragraphs total. This makes the description on the inside: "a mesmerizing novel of supernatural desire" a bit misleading. This is not Twilight. Romance is barely an aside and nothing actually ever happens except for a brief scene between Sunshine and her human boyfriend, Mel. I did enjoy reading about Mel and Sunshine's relationship though. It's the kind that could never be the focal point of a book because it's too normal and stable, but that made it very relatable for me. 

Overall, I liked the book, but a lot of Sunshine's babble could have been cut and I would have been quite happy. The whole novel seemed as though it were building towards a sequel, but there is none, and I think I would have forgiven a lot of the tangents and extensive world-building if Sunshine were not the endgame. I would say that if you're a fan of McKinley or not-so-sexy-but-a-little-sexy-vampires, give Sunshine a try.

3/5

Teaser Tuesday: My True Love Gave to Me

Hi everyone! If you aren't familiar with Teaser Tuesdays, it's a bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. All you  have to do to participate is grab one of your current reads, flip to a random page, and share a sentence or two. It's super fun and easy! Head over to Books and a Beat for more info and a linkup.

My teaser is from My True Love Gave to Me, an adorable holiday anthology.

Not even trying to sound casual about it, Miranda says, "It's going to snow. It has to snow. And if it doesn't snow, we're going to do something about it. We'll make it snow."

She feels quite gratified when Lillian looks at her her as if Miranda is insane, possibly dangerous.

- page 43; My True Love Gave to Me, "The Lady and the Fox" by Kelly Link.

Feel free to comment below so I can visit your posts!

Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Rating: PG-13
Minutes: 133
Categories: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Family
Released: November 18th, 2016
Director: David Yates
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Main Actors: Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler

Me when I first heard about Fantastic Beasts:

Me after the movie, knowing that there will be five more of these magical things:

Guys, I was a little nervous about this movie. The wizarding world is very very precious to me and I was really unsure about how a new movie would ever compare to the original Harry Potter saga. I think the solution is simple, and something many people who are disappointed in this movie might consider: don't get into it expecting Harry Potter. The week before I saw Fantastic Beasts, some coworkers of mine were saying how disappointed in it they were, which you definitely would be if you were expecting a pseudo-sequel. But on its own merits, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them is a wonderful foray back into the world we love, with new and interesting characters to boot.

Okay, can we talk about Eddie Redmayne? 

He was the perfect casting choice, and so darn cute, honestly. I love that's he's a Hufflepuff, it's about time that house got some recognition for the heroes it produces (I'm a Ravenclaw myself, but most of my best friends are Hufflepuffs). Also, if you haven't seen Eddie's PSA for the Hufflepuff house, you need to. 

I really liked the other characters, although they weren't quite as engaging as Newt. I also appreciate that the film doesn't try to rush romance. There are two budding romances in Fantastic Beasts, but they both grow naturally and at their own pace. The plotting was a tad bit slow in the beginning for my tastes, but I did enjoy getting to know the 1920's New York wizarding world, including some of it's less than ideal parts, such as no-majs (Muggles) and wizards being unable to be married or even friends.

Newt is basically a magical biologist, which, as an ecology major, is so up my alley it's insane. The CGI was amazing, and really brought the creatures to life in a way that wouldn't have been possible just a few years ago. If you've read J.K. Rowling's mini-book, also called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, you may find some of the magical critters familiar. If not, they'll all be brand new to you. 

Finally, that ending.

It set up the next movies perfectly and I am PUMPED. There's also an intriguing romance in Newt's past that I can't wait to hear more about! Also, here's hoping that we get to see Dumbledore in the sequels!

4/5

Stacking the Shelves (12.3.16)

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I'm participating in Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga Reviews, today! This is a weekly meme where we share the book goodies we got this week, whether physical books that we bought, ebooks, library books, borrowed books, etc.

I don't normally buy a ton of books, but there have been so many great deals lately that I've really stacked up! 

Library

I'm super excited about all of these! Three Dark Crowns and This Savage Song are book club reads on one of my Goodreads groups, and Rebel Angels and Killer are both part of series that I started forever ago and never finished.

Ebooks

These were all on sale for 2.99 or less - which is an amazing deal for the four book Jennifer Estep bundle! I've heard great things about all of these.

Print Books

Again with the amazing deals - everything except for Heartless I got for four dollars or less. I've already started reading My True Love Gave to Me and it's so adorable I want to marry it. Heartless came in November's Owlcrate, along with some amazing Alice in Wonderland items!

That's it for me this week! I might have to take a break after all this book-buying, because I definitely don't have a bookshelf right now... Not to mention I brought two bags full of books back from Thanksgiving at my parent's house! Wish me luck in my search for a big enough (cheap enough) bookshelf. :)

Book Review: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater, or, What To Do With My Life Now

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #4)
Pages: 400
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 26th, 2016
Author Website: Maggie Stiefvater

Cover Comments: I really love the cover, and it matches the other covers perfectly of course. However, the deer is just a bit out of the blue.

First Line: “Richard Gansey III had forgotten how many times he had been told he was destined for greatness.”

The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

***SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE BOOKS***

Review

“He was a book, and he was holding his final pages, and he wanted to get to the end to find out how it went, and he didn't want it to be over.”

Once again, Queen Stiefvater leaves me feeling so happy that there are books and series like this in the world, and devastated that this one is over. Maggie is so so good at creating unique characters that you just have to care about. They're flawed, hilarious, brave, and feel very real. Over the course of the series, each character has been fleshed out and explored, and while there are many new things to discover about the characters in this book, (some surprising to me) all the revelations feel very right given what we already know.

I assume if you're reading this, then you've already read the first three books in the series. If not, GO NOW DO IT. Ahem. One of the other unique things that I enjoy about this series is the family dynamics. Often in YA, especially fantasy, parents are conveniently never around, and can't interfere with any supernatural havoc or teen romance. However, each of the main characters in the Raven Cycle have very different home lives, and rather than being brushed under the rug, their families are highlighted as an integral part of themselves, as it should be. Blue's mom knows all about the fantastical adventures her daughter is having, and they have an open and honest, if a bit terse, line of communication about Blue's love life: 

"Do you love him?" Maura asked curiously.

"I'd rather not," Blue replied.

"He has lots of negative qualities I can help you hone in on," her mother offered.

Gansey's family, on the other hand, knows that he is searching for an ancient king, but brushes it off as a historical quest, ignoring any magical element. Even though Gansey's family is not a huge part of the books, Stiefvater shows how Gansey's single-minded quest affects his relationships with his family.

Now, to the romance. I am SO HAPPY about the romances that bloom in The Raven King. One I expected, and one I only suspected, but they both ended up feeling so perfect. Romance is still not the central focus in the story, but it does take up significantly more space than it has in the previous books, which I am not complaining about.

One comment I've seen about this book/series/Stiefvater in general, is that some aren't a fan of her pacing. Sometimes it seems like the plot takes forever to progress and then runs at a breakneck pace. Maybe I'm just so in love with Stiefvater's writing that she could write about laundry and I would be interested, but this has never proven to be a problem for me. It's true that  A LOT happens near the end of the book, and not a ton in the beginning/middle, but I think this was necessary to set up the end.

And the end. I definitely didn't see everything happening the way it did, but it was utterly perfect. I'm very satisfied with the ending and I'm already planning my next dive into Stiefvater's books.

5/5