The Eye of the Beholder by Elizabeth Darcy

The Eye of the Beholder by Elizabeth Darcy (♥♥♥)

Once again, life has kept me from reading, but I managed to sneak in this independently published book on the sly.

• As fair warning: I really enjoyed this book, but parts of it annoyed me. These parts might not annoy you. Overall, it's a solid book, and in a different mood I might have no peeps to make to the contrary. Sadly, today is not that day. I am feeling very sassy.


• The title of the book, and author's penname, should give you a hint as to what annoyed me. This book is cheese all over. It's not a nice block of cheddar; it's Easy Cheese from a can. Allow me to provide a few quotes to illustrate my difficulties.

[My sisters] both looked a great deal like Mother: their thick hair fell in golden waves, their brows were delicately arched, their teeth were perfect, and their beauty undeniable. I, on the other hand, favored my father, and had inherited his rather mousy brown hair, his dark eyes, and his taste for philosophical discussion. In short, my sisters and I could hardly be more different.

I'm sorry, hair and eye color means you could hardly be more different? I must not have gotten the memo. We never hear anything along the lines that Mirabelle might have crooked teeth, or shaggy eyebrows, so she cannot be all that different from her sisters. If these are the characters hopping about with insecurities regarding their beauty, what are real girls supposed to think if they've got a snaggletooth?

[Mirabelle's] cheekbones were high and finely sculpted and her collarbone was delicately curved. Her eyes were large and a deep limpid brown, shaded by long, abundant lashes and crowned with delicately arched brows. She had a small, fine nose that tilted up slightly at the end, and a very well-formed mouth with lush, rose-hued lips. Her hair was an arresting shade of pale brown with threads of red-gold, and she wore it loosely pulled back from her face, her soft curls brushing her neck and tumbling down her back in shining spirals.

Hmmm, delicately arched brows, soft curls, how was Mirabelle different from her sisters again? Granted, this is from Edward's perspective, and maybe Mirabelle sees herself differently, but we never hear any of it other than soft grunts in the direction of not beautiful. Besides, a small nose is a small nose. Infatuation does not blind a person so fully, particularly with regards to acquaintances. To give the author some credit, Mirabelle may be focused on how her personality clashes with her sisters, but those opening lines speak nothing of her sisters' attitudes and instead pulse with aesthetic measurements.

Besides, that shift just brings up a new issue: Mirabelle's sisters are ridiculous! Perhaps one person could be so heartless, frivolous and self-centered, but two? I don't buy it and it robs the story of some much needed dimension in its characters. The monstrous gap of empathy might have been explained away by some past trauma, perhaps the divide happens at the time of their mother's death, but no effort is made to provide such an explanation.

Though I did not know why I chose [Edward] as my confidant, the choice simply felt right.

Lines like this make me seriously doubt the validity of claims to Mirabelle's intelligence. You don't know why you chose Edward? You chose him because he's the only one in your jail that is capable of speaking!

"Mira... If only... If only..." I spoke the words aloud, and the amount of pain in my voice was nearly unbearable.

Don't fret. Edward has just as much ridiculousness as Mirabelle. The pain in your own voice hurt you? That is a new one on me.

His chamber was the last place I could think of to search, and I stood before the door for a few seconds, afraid that I would be unable to bear the pain if he was not within.

Wouldn't his chamber be the first place one would look for him? Maybe this is a case of customs of the time period, or a peculiarity of the person in question, but such special circumstances should have been outlined earlier on in the story. Otherwise, Mirabelle once again comes off as a dunce. You might disagree with me: Mirabelle is frantic with worry and has just run through a forest in search of Edward, and maybe she's just off of her game.
 

• In short: poor characterization of side characters, foolishness when intelligence is claimed, and silly attempts to imagine a gross difference of appearance when there is none. One last thing that bothered me: the stilted conversations that were tooted as thrilling, clever, and full of romantic tensions. The romantic tension was there, but it was like a person who wears too much make-up: gaudy. Not all of Edward and Mirabelle's conversations were like this, and they improved as the story went on, but a few bad eggs stuck out like sore thumbs.


• Things I loved! I loved the servants. They were hands down the most interesting part of this book for me. I would have died to hear the backstory of one, or get to meet one again once their voices were restored. Hope perhaps?


• In addition, the grammar, world-building, and basic plot were all solid. The descriptions of the castle, and particularly of Mirabelle's home village, might have been expanded a bit, but served well. Given that, my criticisms shouldn't be seen as criticisms of the entire book, rather they are restricted to the realm of minor annoyances.


• I would recommend this book, particularly to those who favor fairy tale retellings. If someone is very fond of traditionally told fairy tales, the flat/one-dimensional sisters, and the cheesy/gaudy romantic overtones shouldn't brother them. I don't anticipate abstaining from purchasing another of Darcy's books in the future.

The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle

The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle (♥♥♥♥½)

I've been trying to start this book for a long time. Months. I kept picking it up, getting through a page or two, and then putting it back down. Finally, around 6:00 a.m. this morning, I really got going with this one.

• This book is set during the 1800s, vaguely the same setting as A Curse as Dark as Gold. I'm starting to warm up to this sort of a setting. I don't see it very often in young adult fantasy fiction, but when I do, the work is always top notch.


• The story is split into two phases: the first being when Kate attempts to evade the Goblin King, the second being when she attempts to rescue him. The transition from phase one to phase two is very pleasant. One never feels that Kate loses her initial vitality and defiance. She never falls into Marak's arms out of no where.


• Beauty and the Beast themes have a big role to play here but what I really like is that Marak never pulls away from his original character. He doesn't transform into a prince. His appearance never softens in Kate's eyes. He is what he is.


• There are two more books in this series and I'm really excited to see where things go. I'm guessing that POV will change and we will move to Kate's sister's perspective in the second book, possibly concluding with an heir's perspective in the third?


• I'm not being too articulate here, but overall, it's a lovely, adventurous, well-written story likely to engage many readers. There is some violence though, so I might not recommend this too enthusiastically to middle grade readers, but I wouldn't discourage them either.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass (♥♥♥)

This book is Cass' debut novel. (As a side note, this author, slightly adorable. I highly recommend you go watch some of her YouTube videos if you're interested in her work, just an entertaining vlogger, or a behind-the-scenes peek at becoming a new author with a large company.) As a debut novel, The Selection has two large strong points, and then a few weaknesses to balance it out.

• First, this book has nicely done true-to-life relationships. America--it did take me a while to swallow this name, but I got used to it--and her family seem real. The biggest highlight though, is a love triangle that doesn't feel utterly out of place and fake. America's conflicted feelings regarding Aspen (awesome name), and later the prince, seem true. I particularly liked the movement of allowing for America to feel conflicted because of her suitability for the role queen. This hasn't been fully explored but the hints gave me hope for a multifaceted set of feelings and desires.


• As far as fearing this book would be nothing more than a dystopian port of The Bachelor: well, it kind of is and it kind of isn't. The slow creeping tensions regarding the rebels and the fear associated with invasions of the palace, all point to a stronger plot taking center stage in the second book. So, the first book's frivolous and gimmicky tagline could very easily be forgiven considering the expert handling of a slow burning fire taking place at the same time. This forgiveness, of course, is hinged on the fact that Cass carries this potential to its fullest extent in subsequent books. The Selection had enough romance (maybe 80% romance to 20% plot) to start the series off, if two more books are planned, I would, as a reader, enjoy toning that down to 40:60 in the second book, and then bringing it back up to 65:35 in the last.


• A few things were lacking in this book for me. I would have enjoyed much more world-building. The first book in the series sets the stage and presents the context. This book was focused much more on the context and cultural history of the selection and the caste system, but less so on the context of the immediate world these characters live in. I would have liked to see America's life outside of her home and her interludes with Aspen. Just taking us to one of her and her mother's jobs would have been a nice eye-opener. I want to see the markets where her family sells their goods, how they get in contact with their patrons. I want to meet America's friends, although there is a hint she doesn't have any. That in itself is bothersome; how could America not have any friends outside of Aspen?


• I'm also really interested in what life is like for the royal family: what are their actual duties, are they an actual monarchy or is there a semi-republic/democratic system also in place, how many advisors are there and what do they do, etc. I would also like to know about more of the other girls in the selection. Granted there are a ton of them, but hopefully as they have been narrowed down to six the author can explore the individuals a bit more.


• At the end of all things, this book was a quick easy read that I didn't want to put down. I'm excited by the prospect of a more powerful political plot, and getting know the other girls in the selection better. A possible change of POV to showcase the context around the royal family, and maybe America's family so we can know more about their day-to-day lives, is exciting. Hearing Aspen's point of view would also be nice. I could easily be happy with American realizing her potential as queen and joining with Prince Maxon, or re-establishing her love for Aspen and joining with him on an adventure to save the country showing everyone that you don't have to be a 1 or 2 to be a catalyst for a better world. OR, though I don't think this route will be taken, America can realize her potential as a powerful self-motivated figure who can bring about change, she joins the Northern rebel colonies to try and assist with their plight, and leaves behind the idea of marriage after finding fulfillment in striving to provide for those without provisions.


• Okay, okay, bottom line: this book had potential. Oodles of it. Never quite hit the bar for me, but it kept me reading and I'll be picking up the second book.

The Goblin Books by Hilari Bell

The Goblin Wood, The Goblin Gate, and The Goblin War by Hilari Bell (♥♥♥♥)

It is very rare that I am able to finish reading a book independently while school is in session, but this round I managed not only a book but a trilogy.

• The protagonist of the first book, a hedgewitch named Makenna is my ideal heroine: she is strong and confident without being full of sass and bluster, she has suffered but does not let that bar her path, and she is human with faults as real as anyone's.


• There are two other protagonists that share the stage of the trilogy with Makenna: Tobin and his brother Jeriah. They are also worthy of their place as POV characters.


• The end of the first book is slightly disheartening as it falls on fantasy elements to avoid realistic solutions to a morally ambiguous problem, but while reading I found myself blinded to reality for the most part and such a criticism did not occur to me until after I finished reading.


• This book series is about 40% political intrigue : 30% action/adventure : 20% character development : 10% romance. It was a lovely balance.


• All in all, just a loverly little gem of a series that I had never heard of before with a fabulous driving plot that doesn't rest too heavily on any of its characters or romance.

False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal (♥♥♥♥)

I finished this book yesterday and my memory is already a bit fuzzy with it. I finished this book in two short bursts and it was a blast to read.

• This book takes loads of tropes about young adult fantasy fiction and turns them on their head. The title gives away the first one of course, which is that our protagonist is not a poor orphan who discovers she is a princess, but rather a princess who discovers she is a poor orphan raised to die in place of the true princess.


• This book, is about growing up. There is drama and intrigue but it isn't until the climax of the story that anything felt particularly intense. However it was a GREAT climax. One of the best I've seen of its type. And there was an honesty about the book. I love how the protagonist is a mature character not in that she saves the day and carries all burdens but because she faces the possibility of her own ego without hiding from it.


• The romance side of things is sweet but desperately predictable. I was not particularly taken with our male protagonist. It is a funny line because I get the impression the romance is so weak because the book is meant not to rest on this relationship, but the political and personal growth aspects of the plot. It is a balance that seems shaky now, because of how frequent mention of their relationship is found, but as I was reading I found it a pleasant emersion.


• Overall, I would call this book refreshing! :D

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell (♥♥♥♥½)

I've been sort of eyeing this book half-heartedly for about a month. It was a middle grade book, and while I definitely find them enjoyable, I usually enjoy the extra kick of romance more often found in young adult books. It was a story about a girl who was trying to break a curse on a princess (or two) and that was all I knew. So, I didn't want to buy, but when I was sifting around at my local library I saw it on a display shelf and couldn't resist.

• First off, the primary reason I couldn't resist? LOVE this cover. This is how it's done. I've never quite understood the surge in photographic covers lately and the huge deviance away from traditional artwork styles.


• This book is a quick read. I started at 1:30 p.m. today and finished about twenty minutes ago, less than 6 hours.


• As expected, there is far less romance than I would ordinarily find in a young adult novel of the same topic. However, this sat well with me, considering our heroine is only 13 years old. Plus it allowed for getting to know her as more than "this is who she loves and how she feels when she is in love." Reveka's heartbreak when she discovers her dreams of having a herbary may never come true screamed out to me in a way another story might when someone realizes they may never be with the one they love. In many ways I liked this better.


• Never would have guessed this was the author's first novel. (Although I rarely would guess such a thing. Good editors must be magic, I swear!)


• I couldn't even guess who Reveka's love interest was right up until the last chapter or so. Half the time I wondered if there was none. This made it exciting, adding a bit of mystery (for me only, of course!) into the mix. I also loved how genuine the romance was when it did appear. I feel like real people don't just toss head over heels with each other, particularly in a lifelong way at 13 years old. Everything was so lovely and developed in a very natural fashion. I only wish we could see it bloom in a sequel!


• LOVE the Hades and Persephone aspect! So much! This was one of my favorite myths when I was a little girl; I even played Hades in a school puppet show! All of the fairy-tale elements are elegantly woven together in a story that is entirely its own! It is fantastic!


• I really liked Reveka's relationship with her father in a strange way. It was not a perfect relationship, and it was slightly strange, as it should be given they did not know each other for such a long time. When Reveka's father comes to hug her after Didina is hurt, I could just feel all the things he wanted to say but couldn't.


• My one pausing thought, as it may be, is that Reveka, like many protagonists in middle grade and young adult fiction, is unrealistically mature for her age. Perhaps not in her thoughts or desires, but more so in her manner of speaking and acting. The argument has been put forth that there are children who are very mature for their ages and there are, but not in the numbers that fiction would imply, and not to the degree that fiction would imply. Part of me tried to absolve myself of these thoughts by thinking on the fact that during the time period when this story is set, children did have to grow up faster. Still, it is a difficult score to settle in my heart.


• My one last qualm; Dragos has such an interesting and exciting implied backstory, and the mystery behind the Nymph as well, but we never truly get to know everything! I do hope a sequel is planned!


• P.S. Will definitely be buying a copy for my (new!) kindle!


• Here's some awesome Hades and Persephone pictures from DeviantArt to fuel your fun: one and two.

Between the Sky and Sea by Jaclyn Dolamore

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore (♥♥♥)

If it isn't already obvious, I'm a huge lover of fairy tale retellings, as such I frequently find myself browsing tags on Goodreads: fairy tale retellings, fairy tales, etc. That's how I found out about this book. After reading A Curse as Dark as Gold, I was looking for a book that more easily fit within my comfort zone: I was looking for some homey Earl Grey after having some exotic Moroccan Mint. I wanted something familiar but brewed to perfection to warm me after my explorations. I'm not sure if this is making any sense, but you'll be happy to know Between the Sea and Sky satisfied all my desires and then some.

• This story is walking, smashing house of cliché, but I never understood why people always mark that as a bad thing. I firmly believe that if cliché elements are well-executed they can be enjoyable. Plus, as a lover of fairy-tales it's pretty clear that I'm no great enemy of a many-used plot lines/story elements.


• I personally love the childhood-friends turned lovers story arc. The hint of Romeo and Juliet elements is also appreciated. One of my favorite quotes from the film Ever After is the classic "A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they live?" and clearly this story embodies this quote. Yes, it is silly, but who cares!


• Families: I love the family relationships in this book. I love how supportive and real Esmerine's family was, and I loved that even though Alander does not have a perfect relationship with his father it is not overdramatized. I also love that his step mum was nice but not in a silly forced way.


• I was not a fan of the sort of meandering plot line. This story felt like it deserved more in that regard. I was also troubled by the about face in Doria's character: her marriage seemed so out of place, but then, Esmerine also thinks it is out of place...


• Why do the sirens keep picking new sirens among girls who are fascinated by land? Why is that a required element? It would be so much more sensible to pick a siren among a lot that hates the land, and thus they will never risk having their belt stolen. I mean, I guess it's magic, so what do I know.


• This story is more about the interactions between Alander and Esmerine than anything else, and I will say, if that is the central crutch of the story, it is not as fine as it could be. Nonetheless, as I was reading I had no trouble emerging myself with them and their interactions. Though I will say that I had more gut emotions about Randall and Charlotte in A Curse Dark as Gold, which is decidedly not a romance, than Alander and Esmerine.


• If you are into that sort of thing, there is a breakdown of the cover here.


• This book is difficult because while I can find fault with it in hindsight, while I was reading I had no trouble suspending my disbelief and jumping in headfirst, loving every moment of it. I would not hesitate to recommend this to a friend who is not too picky, and just wants to forget the world for a while.


• If could describe this book in one word, I would describe it as FUN. Speaking of fun, be sure to check on the author's prequel comics on her blog.