Rosemary and Rue: An October Daye Novel, Book 1 by Seanan McGuire

Would you like to swing on a star? Carry moon beams home in a jar or would you rather be a......well, I wouldn't finish that question around Ms. October Daye.  It would be just plain rude considering what happens to her at the hands of a pure blood of the Fae.  As bad as that was, she has an even greater concerns in the here and now from some of those same Fae creatures.

Rosemary and Rue is cornucopia of mythological creatures and their quirks all found in and around San Francisco.  We are taken on a tour of the darker parts of the city and meet some of its denizens that are often much more than they appear to be in the light of day (or often even the dark of night.

We get to meet October (Toby) and some of her friends in this the first book of the series.  The problem I had was, we met so many more of her acquaintances and creatures she was familiar with.   It may be that I am so accustom to series like Harry Potter, Dresden Files or Jane Yellowrock where introductions are made on a more limited basis.  It gives me a chance to absorb the new paradigm the author is presenting in the world they are creating.  I am more than willing to believe it's just me and one of my more narrow ways but, if you are trying this series out for the first time, be prepared to meet what feels like the whole family.

 

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by Tynga at Wednesday, September 28, 2016

 fae, Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, October Daye, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Seanan McGuire  Leave your mark

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Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige

I think Stealing Snow was supposed to be a novel about self-discovery and creating your own destiny, and while I liked the idea of the main character Snow finding her true self, I was very disappointed with the novel. Snow was a misunderstood teen living in a psychiatric institute but had no real business being there. Most characters, while eccentric, were one-dimensional. And the world building lacked so many elements that it made the story hard to follow.

I'm not very familiar with the Snow Queen fairy tale so I can't even begin to compare it to the original story. Fairy tale retellings are so common these days that I can't help but wonder if these authors are checking off a list until every story has been reimagined. I loved Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die series, her version of what happens after The Wizard of Oz. However, I'm not a big fan of this new release. It doesn't have the same finesse as her previous books. I had great hopes for this new series but I was left very disappointed.

Snow has lived most of her life in a psychiatric institute but in my opinion, I don't think she ever belonged there. As a child she tried to walk through a mirror, injuring herself and another girl whom she tried to pull through the mirror with her. Honestly, that singular event shouldn't have institutionalized her. A child's imagination is a special thing and it could have simply been Snow playing pretend and hurting a friend and herself in the process. These days, I think we are too quick to diagnose children with behavioural problems and drugging them senselessly. Obviously, leaving the institute is the best thing that happened to Snow and without the medication, she's the same sarcastic person. However, you have to wonder, as soon as she stops taking her medication she gets pulled into the magical world of Algid.

She runs away from the institute in search for Bale, the only person she ever felt a connection to. She saw him disappear through a mirror and she feels responsible for what happened to him, especially since their first kiss rendered him numb and uncommunicative. Honestly, I don't see Bale's appeal. Snow's one and only goal in the novel is to save Bale yet we know very little about him except that he's a pyromaniac. We end up knowing more about Jagger and Kai, two boys she meets in Algid, and honestly I don't blame Snow for feeling attraction to both boys. She had very little contact with boys her own age in the institution and now she meets these fantastical, however one-dimensional characters, and she can't help but feel some attraction.

Jagger is the reason she's in Algid, the reason she found her way through the tree portal into her native and magical world. Through many different teacher, Snow slowly begins to learn how to control her magic, her snow. She also learns that she's a long lost princess (gasp!) yet no one she meets seem very forthcoming with information. So many things happen, one after the other, and that's where the author really lost me. She tried to introduce us to her magical world yet with very little description it was very hard to follow. The lack of world building and the constant shift in scenes, without description and without transition really spoiled the book.

Danielle Paige will have to come up with something special for the sequel in order to redeem herself and her new series. You would think a story full of secrets, magical fury, robbers, witches and royalty would be captivating yet Stealing Snow really wasn't for me. I had a difficult time getting through the book because of the confusing writing style and the strange pace of the book. I liked the premise of the story but the execution is what failed in my opinion. I doubt I'll continue reading this series since its first impression wasn't a great one. I would encourage anyone to form their own opinion about the novel, but personally, I have very little hope in Snow and her entourage. However, many renowned writers had positive things to say about the novel so my opinion may be the aberrant one.

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by Tynga at Monday, September 26, 2016

 Bloomsbury, Danielle Paige, fairy tale, Fantasy, Magic, Retelling, Review, Stealing Snow, Witch, young adult  1 Person left their mark

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Stacking The Shelves [226]

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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 Happy fall everyone! My favourite season is here, and not only because of the pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies (ok, basically pumpkin everything), the colourful leaves and the cool crisp weather. To me, fall also means great new book releases. This week, I purchased a couple of these new releases and already diving into one of them.

Purchased

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black

The following photos were taken last October and I think they explain why I love fall so much. Here in Northern Ontario, we're blessed with so much nature and wonderful colours. Onaping Falls is about 20 minutes away from my house, and while I don't visit often, I always try to walk the trails once every fall.

What do you love about fall? But most importantly, what will you be reading this fall? Did you add anything interesting to your shelves this week?

Leave a comment below or use the linky to connect with other readers and bloggers!

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by Tynga at Saturday, September 24, 2016

 Meme, Stacking The Shelves, sts  14 People left their mark

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Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

For a while now I have been a fan and regular listener of the Writing Excuses podcast which features, among others, Mary Robinette Kowa.  So, when I saw that she had a new book out recently, it was like an old friend saying "Hey, check out what I just finished' and I had to read it.  No, are not really friends but, I've heard so much of her podcasts and read her work that I feel like I should know her.  Ghost Takers is a period piece set in France during the First World War.  The premise centers around the militaries using paranormally gifted people to help with the war effort.

The setting is one of my favorites.  It is a time that is a  bit simpler yet is rich with historical value.  This book does an excellent job of portraying the period without making enough errors to bring the reader out of the story.   The author avoids the all too often, mistake of bringing modern sensibilities into a period piece.  It may feel like it is easier on the reader but, it takes me out of a story when that is done.

This book also steers clear of the  overly competent main character.  Our main character here is a young woman who not only fits the bill for this special unit, she seems like she belongs in this time and place.  There is the right amount of period correctness mixed with a nice bit of progressiveness to make the character both credible and interesting.  After all, this was a time of great change.

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal is an adventure set in a period we see too little of.  There is a great deal of violence as well as a bit of mature discussion which lands this book a mild PG13 rating from me.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, September 21, 2016

 Fiction, ghosts, Historical, Macmillan, Mary Robinette Kowal, Paranormal, Purchased, Review, Romance  Leave your mark

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Spells and Scones by Bailey Cates

Bailey Cates has done it again. It seems like she has found the right recipe for the perfect magical cozy mystery and keeps switching up the ingredients to entertain us with a new story with each new release. In Spells and Scones, not only do we unravel a new murder mystery, but we also have the chance to delve deeper into the relationships between characters.

Katie Lightfoot is a witch. She has only known for the last couple of years yet she has grown into her power relatively fast. She's a hedgewitch, sourcing her powers from plants and their magical properties. As a baker, it comes to her naturally, and as part owner of the Honeybee Bakery, she practices her craft daily by mixing positive ingredients and sending positive thoughts into her food. She also happens to be a lightwitch, meaning she's attracted to situations that need help finding a resolution.

Katie often finds herself near murder scenes and it's definitely true in this book. Only this time, it seems like there's very little magic involved in the crime. A Dr. Dana, a self-help guru and famous radio personality is found dead in the bookstore next to Katie's bakery. Katie feels compelled to help solve the mystery, especially when she learns the main murder suspect is an ex-witch, who just happens to be the previous owner of her familiar, Mungo. Her little terrier seems convinced that Angie is not guilty and for Katie, that's enough to convince her to help the ex-witch.

With the amount of murder scenes she "attracts", you would think Katie could start a side business as a private investigator. However, her true passion is her bakery so I highly doubt she would ever be comfortable leaving her business for a new one. She is good at investigating, using her magical powers only when necessary and only using her skills for good. However, even though it seems like she has everything figured out in her business life, it's her personal life she has a hard time dealing with. Her wonderful boyfriend Declan seems to want more (wants to move in more) but Katie is hesitant because of a past relationship that failed miserably. On top of everything, Steve Dawes professes his love for Katie and will stop at nothing to prove to Katie that he has turned his life around for her. That would put a damper on anyone's one year anniversary!

I love this series because it's light and easy to read compared to some of the other darker books I tend to read. The small town feeling, the sense of community and the wonderful food keeps me coming back for more. One of these days I'll try one of the recipes included. The Pumpkin Spice Softies sound delicious and yes, I just happen to be one of those people obsessed with pumpkin spice anything. Perfect for autumn, fans of Bailey Cates and cozy mysteries will fall for this book.

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by Tynga at Monday, September 19, 2016

 A Magical Bakery Mystery, Bailey Cates, bakery, cozy, food, Library, Magic, murder mystery, Mystery, NAL, Penguin, Review, Witch  Leave your mark

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Stacking The Shelves [225]

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

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Good morning! It's a lovely day to be here with you all as the newbie member to Tynga's Reviews!

My latest book haul is mostly from my library as I cannot possibly own as many books as I want to read. Here's what I've got waiting on my shelves, all YA.

Library reads:

This Dark Endeavor is the YA title selected for next month's Community Read celebration for my library, so that's part work, part fun. See How They Run is book 2 in the Embassy Row series and Ally Carter is very popular with middle grade teens and upcoming preteens. This Is Where It Ends was highly recommended by a teen in my teen book club, and I expect it will be one of those books that will stay with me emotionally as it is a fictionalized account of a school shooting. (And seriously, this cover? Every time I am blown away by this cover.)

I loved Alexandra Bracken's The Darkest Minds, so I am really excited to read Passenger, except I know I will want to read book 2, Wayfarer immediately after. Kate Elliot's Poisoned Blade is a sequel to Court of Fives and I've been highly anticipating it! Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters is the third Princess Academy book which I didn't know existed for a long time, but I always love anything she writes.

Seeker is the last library book on my current TBR shelf and comes with the sequel ARC Traveler set as a fantasy adventure. I am super excited about this next one even though I don't like anything Alice in Wonderland because I love Marissa Meyer (and have met her once--which is all it takes to want to be her bff). Heartless is a backstory retelling of the Queen of Hearts. My copy of Heartless is an ARC I received at ALA.

These next three are copies that I have recently purchased. The Heir and The Crown are the two newest books by Kiera Cass and the final ones in the addicting Selection series, which I am all set to re-read as well. The Beauty of Darkness is the final book in the Remnant Chronicles series and for the last year waiting on this book has been agonizing because I was so blown away by the first two in this fantasy series.

That's it for me for now! What are your new reads?

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by Tynga at Saturday, September 17, 2016

 Stacking The Shelves  16 People left their mark

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