May 8 2013
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Book Review: Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

A oneTitle: Indigo Spell

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #3

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch–a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood–or else she might be next.

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The Review:

Okay, okay, I promise this is the last Richelle Mead book I’ll review for a few months – but only because I have finally read everything she’s written. It’s a shame I’m all caught up, too, because these books make my job as a reviewer a whole lot easier. Indigo Spell was so absorbing and well written that I didn’t have time to worry about anything other than just enjoying it. I never once stopped to see how many pages I had left (as I often do with books) and in fact could have continued reading long after the book ended – it was fantastic.

This is a highly character driven novel, and honestly, not much happens with regard to action. Events in this book are more like vehicles to get our characters from one emotional point to the other. Well, that’s not strictly true. Stuff happens, but that stuff is just nowhere near as important as the effect it has on the characters. And what awesome characters they are! Mead always finds a way of developing well-rounded, yet flawed characters that you can’t help but love despite their imperfections. Take the main heroine, Sidney, for example: she’s uptight, controlling, and downright ornery on occasion but she is one of my favorites in any series because she feels real. And she’s found her perfect match in Adrian – his affection and interest towards her is a great writing tool to make them both more appealing.

Speaking of Adrian, the romantic tension in this book is by far my favorite element. It’s been a love story that has been developing over the course of the last three books and I feel like its momentum is getting ready to snowball (in a good way). The love story is not the only thing that is gaining momentum, there were a few discoveries in this book that point towards one heck of a finale. Mead’s ability to carry excitement from one end of the series to the other is why she is my all-time favorite author. She simply doesn’t let you down and I devour her books much faster than I want to (note to self for the next one: read slower – savor it).

Overall, this is an excellent book that has me impatient to pick up the next one.

Recommendations: I would recommend this to those looking for great character development and a sweet love story. For fans of Vampire Academy, this is an absolute must as it’s so much more than a simple spinoff. I would also hand this to someone who enjoys paranormal but doesn’t want to be hit over the head with the supernatural.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

May 7 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun (5/7/2013)

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 As you know, this is a feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish once a week where all of us geeky book bloggers get to stare at our libraries and figure out which books fit that week’s topic. It’s really fun, so if you haven’t joined in yet, maybe you should. ;)

 This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

#1 Goose Girl: this is the most charming love story i’ve ever read, and it made me smile the whole way through.

#2 Eli Monpress: this series doesn’t excellent job at capturing whimsy and fun without being stupid (i’m not pointing fingers, but it happens). The whole thing is incredibly memorable, and it has one of the coolest magic systems ever. Read full review

#3 Wild Magic: this is essentially about a girl who can talk animals – what’s not to love?

#4 Redwall: an awesome saga where woodland creatures take on the personas of humans, elves, dwarves and other Middle Earthian creatures and take you on one grand adventure after another. These are so epic in places that you forget you are reading about mice. Read full review

#5 The Selection: this is the Hunger Games meets the Bachelor. all the vicious backstabbing in the world, but without all the blood (well, maybe there was a little).  I enjoyed the snot out of this book, but be warned – as light and fun as this one was, the second one stressed me the F out.

#6 Wings: the only way i can describe this one is that it was a very “pretty” read. The plot was relatively simple but it was done in such a way that made you not care. It was also an interesting take on Arthurian lore. Read full review

#7 Sword – Dancer/Sword – Singer: don’t read this one if you’re looking for a compelling and complex plot. If you are interested in hilarious exchanges of man versus woman told in a very cheeky manner, this might be the tale you. There might be some sword fighting involved, too. Read full review

#8 Poison: although it had a couple of flaws, Poison was definitely a fun read. I liked the pig.  Read full review

#9 Hounded: this urban fantasy was unique and awesome and fun and one of my favorite books that i’ve read this year so far. Read full review

#10 First Truth: this book was written by Dawn Cook, which is Kim Harrison’s alias, so right there you know it’s awesome. I loved every minute of it – it was the the epitome of a “fun” read and it just kept getting better and better with each book.  Read full review

Well, there you have it – my top 10. What are yours? Leave a link to your site in the comment box so I can come check out what your fun read books are.

If you’re feeling really helpful, you can click here and nominate a book or two for our “Your Pick for Nik!” book club. Thanks! :)

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Thank you for your response. ✨

May 5 2013
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Book Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Title: Fablehaven

Author: Brandon Mull

Series: Fablehaven  #1

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite … Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most.

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The Review:

I have been trying to write this review for at least three months. Everything I put to paper just doesn’t do the series justice, and I’m stuck staring at a full page of notes not knowing the best way to put them together. Suffice to say, I love everything about this series and am now reading it again for my fifth or sixth time (which is really saying something given how many books I have on my TBR list). It is one of the best series I’ve ever read even compared to all the mainstream adult fantasy out there. Let’s put it this way, it’s not quite Harry Potter epic, but it is the closest thing I’ve come across since.
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What Brandon Mull does so well is offer adventure and wonder at every turn to capture your imagination and make you feel like a kid again. Every few pages he introduces something fun and creative, but it’s never frivolous. Every scene takes us farther and farther into this brilliant world which only continues to build off itself and get more exciting with each book. I found every last moment captivating and am in awe at Mull’s ability to tell such a great story. It’s weird, too, because he keeps the plot simple enough for kids to really get into, introducing rounded, relatable characters, but writes in a sophisticated enough manner for adults to enjoy just as much if not more than the kids. It’s not a fluke, either. I saw him do the same thing in the Candy Shop Wars – he just knows how to weave wonder and magic into his story in a way that’s accessible to all ages.
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Overall, I’m not sure what else to say without absolutely gushing – it’s clear I love this series. Most people have usually already read it, and I’m assuming that if you’re reading this review you probably have too. All I can say is, if you enjoy fantasy and children’s literature and have not yet picked this one up, it should definitely be next on your list!
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Recommendations:  I recommend this to anyone who says they loved Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. It’s also the first one I gravitates to when parents are trying to get their kids more into reading (provided said child likes fantasy). Personally, I don’t think this series has any age limit so I recommend it to anybody wanting to go on an adventure and feel like a kid again!
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Other books you might like:
May 4 2013
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April 2013 Review Recap!

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This is a once a month feature (obviously) where I to look back and admire all the books I’ve read and provide my readers (you guys) with the opportunity to access any reviews you may have missed. I realize I’m a few days late for an April Recap, but I’ve never done one before and I really didn’t want to wait until next month to start.

This has been one of the best months of reading that I’ve ever had. I have to thank The Broke and the Bookish for hosting their Top 10 Tuesday feature because, about two months ago, they provided the topic “top 10 books at the top of my spring 2013 reading list“. I compiled a list of books that I was most excited to read and then promptly realized that ARCs, sequels, and the endless list of my TBR pile would keep me from reading those books for many months to come. How stupid is that? The books I most want to read take a backseat to my “obligations”.  Anyway, I decided that from here on out I would focus my reading on the books that excite me most and not on the endless list of books that I feel like I “should be reading.” Unfortunately, since I’m only just reading it the top books on my list now, most of the reviews won’t be posted until May. Even so, I did get in quite a bit of good reading last month.

So without further ado, here’s a look at Aprils reviews (you can click on the covers to read the full reviews):

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (5/5 stars)

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

 Eve and Adam by K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant (3.5/5 stars)

Eve & Adam by K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant

The Ghost King by R.A. Salvatore (5/5 stars)

The Ghost King by R.A.Salvador

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (4.5/5 stars)

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie Maguire

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck (2/5 stars)

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe (4/5 stars)

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

And my Favorite….

Fragments by Dan Wells (5/5 stars!)

Fragments by Dan Wells

There you have it! There were a couple I didn’t really care for, but for the most part this is a collection of fantastic books. It also oddly represents my reading habits, as you can see it’s a bit scattered and from a few different genres. It’s difficult to choose a favorite but I landed on Fragments as the best book on the list, but barely. The one that will stick with me for years to come is The Ghost King, so it gets an honorable mention.

May 3 2013
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Coming Soon: Spirit Animals

9:10 mullTitle: Spirit Animals

Author: Brandon Mull

Series: Wild Born #1

Genre: Young Adult

Release Date:  September 10, 2013

The Overview: Four children separated by vast distances all undergo the same ritual, watched by cloaked strangers. Four flashes of light erupt, and from them emerge the unmistakable shapes of incredible beasts – a wolf, a leopard, a panda, a falcon. Suddenly the paths of these children – and the world – have been changed forever.

Enter the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. A dark force has risen from distant and long-forgotten lands, and has begun an onslaught that will ravage the world. Now the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers . . . and on you.

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Nik’s Notes:

Oh my gosh!  Of all the awesome new releases between now and December, this just might be the book I am most looking forward to reading. If you take Harry Potter out of the running, Brandon Mull is by far my favorite young adult author, specifically for his Fablehaven series. Take that excellent writing and wonder-filled storytelling ability and add in animal shape shifters and I can’t see how this book would be anything less than amazing! If I could write my own novel with even the fraction of the skill that Mull has all my goals will have been achieved. If you haven’t read Fablehaven yet, you are solely missing out!

May 2 2013
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Out This Month – Noteworthy Releases May 2013!

cccApril was kind of a slow month for me. Sure, the new Robin Hobb came out, and that’s awesome in its own right, but there wasn’t much else that I was just dying to read. May, on the other hand is packed with books that I’ve been eager to get my hands on. Any of them on your reading list?

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