Tag Archives: fantasy books

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 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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Apr 28 2013
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5/28 Coming Soon: Antiagon Fire

may 28, modesittTitle: Antiagon Fire

Author: L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Series: Imager’s Portfolio #7

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: May 28, 2013

The Overview: The hard-won battles fought in Imager’s Battalion have earned Quaeryt a promotion to commander, as well as an assignment to convince the Pharsi High Council in the nation of Khel to submit to Lord Bhayar’s rule, which is key to Bhayar’s ambition to unite all of Solidar. Joined by his pregnant wife Vaelora, who is also Bhayar’s sister, Quaeryt leads an army and a handful of imagers deeper into the hostile lands once held by the tyrannical Rex Kharst, facing stiff-necked High Holders, attacks by land and sea—including airborne fire launched by hostile imagers from the land of Antiago—and a mysterious order of powerful women who seem to recognize the great destiny that awaits Quareyt and Vaelora, as well as the cost of achieving it.

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Nik’s Notes:

I’ve heard that this author has a tendency to be a bit dry, and actually experienced it firsthand in his Soprano Sorceress series. I have also heard from those same people that his Corean Chronicles and Imager Portfolio series are just as slow, but definitely worth reading. The premise for this particular series sounds amazing, and within the hundreds of books on my TBR list, this one has made its way up to the top 20. As for those of you eagerly anticipating this book, you only have one more month to go! His next installment Rex Regis, comes out in January 2014. Other than that, I couldn’t find any information regarding how long the series is supposed to be. If his Recluse series is anything to go by, it’s going to be a long one.

Apr 23 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books I Thought I’d Like MORE/LESS Than I Did! (4/23/2013)

a111Top 10 Tuesday is a feature hosted every week by The Broke and the Bookish. I love it because it gives me a chance to sit and stare at my library once a week and admire all the excellent books I’ve read. This weeks category is:

Top Ten Books I Thought I’d Like MORE/LESS Than I Did

Less:

#1 The Night Circus: I am really picky with ARCs and don’t usually take home any fiction because I never end up reading them. So when this one came out of the box, something abobut it perked my interest and I broke my rule and took it home, and I am so glad I did. It was beautiful, magical, and absorbing and to this day one of the best books that I’ve ever read. 

#2 Kushiel’s Dart: I bought this one based on a recommend from a trusted coworker. For the longest time I kept passing it over because, frankly, I thought the premise sounded a little boring. When I finally did get around to it I kicked myself for not picking it up sooner. It has every element I expect from a good book and more.

#3 Succubus Blues: Honestly I found the cover somewhat less than appealing, but I really loved the vampire Academy books, so I thought I would give it a try. I am a really scattered reader and almost never read sequels back-to-back. I devoured this entire series in about a week and a half and to this day it is still one of my all-time favorites.

#4 Dead Witch Walking: I didn’t really find the covers of these to compelling at first (they’ve gotten a lot better as of late) but I was just getting into the urban fantasy genre and had my go-to person for book recommends tell me it was worth reading. The first hundred pages or so where a bit of a struggle, but after that the entire series captured me. These books are amazing and they have some of the best sidekicks of any series I’ve ever read. Read full review

#5 Beautiful Disaster: I am sure I am not the only person who does this, but I picked this one up solely because I received an ARC for the second book. And I love it. In my review, I had some criticisms of basic outlining for the story but other than that found the book to be incredibly absorbing and fun. I have resolve to read anything else this author writes because her writing was outstanding! Read full review

More:

#6 Falling Kingdoms: I find it exhausting to consider all the things I didn’t like about this book. No world building, too many viewpoint characters, and a week outline to name a few. Awesome cover gods – you really let me down here. Read full review

#7 Inkheart: I have yet to hear another negative review of this book, so I’m the absolute minority. But come on! The story is about a girl who can bring characters from her books to life. The possibilities are endless!! And, sadly,  untapped. Not more than a handful of characters ever made their way out from the pages. And the girl spent a great deal of time wandering from one place to another trying to figure out what was going on. I’m angry for what this book could have been.

#8 Bitterblue: Graceling was one of my favorite books ever (and fire was pretty good too). I had host of issues with this particular book, however, and I was certain that I would love it. Not so… Read full review

#9 The Maze Runner:  This one was probably my biggest disappointment out of everything on this list. It’s one of the bestsellers of the teen fantasy genre that people absolutely rave about it. It also has one of the coolest concepts of any series I’ve ever read, so it’s a real shame that the author didn’t take it where I thought I could go. Withholding information to create suspense can work to an authors favor, but all of the false tension made me tired of not knowing what was going on (and bored).

#10 Eve & Adam: Written by the author that got me hooked on reading as a kid with the Animorph series, I  snagged this one the minute it hit the shelf. Unfortunately, despite some really strong writing passages near the beginning of the book, the story left me seriously wanting. Read full review