Review: MAGIC STUDY

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
Book 2 of the Yelena Zaltana trilogy

Genre: fantasy

About Magic Study:

You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster...

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better....

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies..

Source: Info in the About Magic Study was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46202.Magic_Study on 15/04/2011.

Review:
This being book 2, the character development and world building was done already in book 1, Poison Study, and continued with the same masterful flair in Magic Study. I also love the author's "voice" but I do not like the way the protagonist constantly act stupid in the author's blatant effort to give the story more drama. Good read none the less. Great follow-up to Poison Study.

Empirical Evaluation:
World Building = 5
Character Development = 4
Story Telling Quality = 5
Plot = 3
Pace = 4
Ending = 4.5
Cover Art = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Other Books In The Yelena Zaltana Trilogy:

My review of Poison Study is here.

Review: TIGER'S CURSE

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
Book 1 in The Tiger Saga

Genre: urban fantasy

About Tiger's Curse:

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing 17-year old Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Source: Info in the About Tiger's Curse was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6926417-tiger-s-curse on 10/07/2011.

Review:

I wasn't very impressed with this book. I had to force myself to finish it. The way the author tells the story is kind of dragging but the world building I find quite good. So for me this book is a so so, but it is suspenseful enough for me to want to read the second book in the series. I just hope that the next book is better told than this one. Overall, I would give this book a 3 out of 5.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story Telling Quality = 3
World Building = 4.5
Character Development = 4
Pace = 3
Plot = 3
Story Itself = 4
Ending = 3.5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Tiger Saga:

Wishlist: ALTERANT

WISHLIST:
ALTERANT by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: Belador #2

Publication Date: 27 September 2011

Summary:

In this explosive new world of betrayals and shaky alliances, the only Alterant not incarcerated faces an impossible task — recapture three dangerous, escaped creatures before they slaughter more humans . . . or her.

The way Evalle Kincaid sees it, saving mankind from total destruction should have cleared her name. But when words uttered in the heat of combat are twisted against her, she’s blamed for the prison break of three dangerous Alterants. She has one chance to clear the cloud of suspicion hanging over her . . . for good. All she has to do is recapture the escapees. But deals with gods and goddesses are tricky at best, and now the lives of all Beladors, and the safety of innocent humans, rides on Evalle’s success. The only person she can ask for help wants to see her dead.

Source: Info in the Summary was taken from Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10319157-alterant on 08/07/2011.

WW28: LOVE IN THE TIME OF DRAGONS

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

WW28 book offering : Love In The Time Of Dragons by Katie MacAlister

"Just as you would know if you were one?" Gabriel asked lightly.

There is humour and sarcasm in the lines

About Love In The Time Of Dragons:

When it comes to love, one woman is scaling back her expectations...

Tully Sullivan is just like any other suburban mom-except she's just woken up in a strange place surrounded by strange people who keep insisting that they're dragons-and that she's one too.

Source: Info in the About Love In The Time Of Dragons was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6614238-love-in-the-time-of-dragons on 17/04/2011.

Movie Review: TANGLED

Tangled by Walt Disney

Review:

There are gaping flaws in the story's logic as wide as the grand canyon. But, this is a cartoon, so you'll just have to take the characters and events as they are presented. I think this is one of the reasons most people outgrow cartoons. Because cartoons not only dictates that you suspend disbelief but to suspend logic as well. But somehow I never outgrew cartoons, maybe because they always, always deliver a HEA! Though the suspension of logic does grate on me sometimes. I do have to praise the animators. They did their job well. One, they were bang-on the facial expressions! Looks to me like they did their homework. Two, the art was both beautiful and impeccable. Lots and lots of kudos to those talented artists who drew the characters and scenes! Overall, I enjoyed this film and I would give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries

Movie Trailer:

Wishlist: The Shape Of Desire

WISHLIST:

THE SHAPE OF DESIRE by Sharon Shinn
Publication Date: April 3rd 2012
By: Ace and Roc Books
No artist info

Description:

From national bestselling author Sharon Shinn—an original contemporary fantasy in which love and loyalty are tested at every turn.

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back—at least not all the time. Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal, and leaving Maria alone. Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she’s been telling about her life have become lies she’s also telling herself…

Source: Info in the Description was taken from Tor.com Urban Fantasy Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=230300226990890&set=a.229359203751659.60104.180079758679604&type=1&theater on 08/07/2011.

Review: SPECTYR

Spectyr by Philippa Ballantine
Book 2 of the Order of the Deacons

Genre: fantasy

About Spectyr:

Though one of the most powerful Deacons, Sorcha Faris has a tarnished reputation to overcome. She and her partner, Deacon Merrick Chambers, find themselves chasing down rumors of geists, but long for a return to real action. So they jump at the chance to escort a delegation sent to negotiate the terms of the Emperor’s engagement. Their destination: the exotic city of Orinthal.

But a string of murders has Orinthal on edge, and Sorcha and Merrick are asked to investigate. Meanwhile the Emperor’s sister has unwittingly released a cruel and vengeful goddess, one who it bent on destroying her enemies, including the geistlord who resides inside the shapeshifting rival to the throne—Sorcha’s lover…

Source: Info in the About Spectyr was taken from the author's website at http://www.booksoftheorder.com/?page_id=124 on 11/06/2011.

Review:

I was looking forward to this book after I finished Geist, but this book is even a slower starter than Geist was!It took me longer to get into this book than it did with Geist. Somehow the story telling quality felt like it wasn't as good as it did with Geist... Anyhow, one thing remains certain, the story and world building is beautiful and vivid, if not even more intricate! I could easily imagine myself in that world... It's a frontier world of magic on the brink of discoveries... A lot of unknowns to explore... I think it's actually grown on me. And by the way, it's skimming very closely to steampunkery... it got dirigibles. I bet steampunk fans will love this! This book showed the same wonderful "story building skills" that I saw in Geist. The story has a cohesive and coherent structure with a central dilemma and an ending with good resolution! And that won lots of brownie points with me. The ending also pointed to a lot of things going on with the next book enough to keep a reader hooked to the series, so am looking forward to the next book...

Though, I think the best part about this book is it's cover art. It's even better than book 1! My fantasy buff eyes just fell in love with the cover!!

Overall, this book has a good story structure but the story telling quality has slightly fallen so I would give this book a 3 out of 5.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story Telling Quality = 3
World Building = 4.5
Character Development = 4
Pace = 2
Plot = 4
Story Itself = 3
Ending = 3

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Order Of Deacons series:


Thank you to Penguin for the review copy of Spectyr by Philippa Ballantine received.

IN THE MAIL: KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE & FORGIVE MY FINS

This is what Mr. Mailman brought me:

Thank you to the wonderful people at Gollancz Dark Fantasy for hosting a Facebook contest which made it possible for me to win a copy of Kitty's Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn received.

Kitty's Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn
Book 9 of the Kitty Norville series

About Kitty's Big Trouble:

Kitty Norville is a werewolf DJ who would rather be creating mixes than disposing of supernatural dangers. In her latest escapade, she delves into history. Her recent encounters with werewolves suffering from post-traumatic battle stress have made her wonder how long the U.S. government has been covertly using werewolves in combat. That suspicion isn't just idle pondering. It leads Kitty down a very risky road on which she crosses path with a vampire hunter named Wyatt Earp and some dangerous undead characters. A mass market original for fans of Kim Harrison and Jim Butcher.

Source: Info in the About Kitty's Big Trouble was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11509410-kitty-s-big-trouble on 21/07/2011.

I would like to thank Bella of Cheezyfeet Books for hosting a contest which made it possible for me to win Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs from the wonderful people at Templar!

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Book 1 of the Fins series

About Forgive My Fins:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Source: Info in the About Forgive My Fins was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6710476-forgive-my-fins on 21/07/2011.