Book Tour Book Review: The Gilded King by Josie Jaffrey

Self Published
Published June 25, 2018
303 Pages

In the Blue, the world’s last city, all is not well.

Julia is stuck within its walls. She serves the nobility from a distance until she meets Lucas, a boy who believes in fairytales that Julia’s world can’t accommodate. The Blue is her prison, not her castle, and she’d escape into the trees if she didn’t know that contamination and death awaited humanity outside.

But not everyone in the Blue is human, and not everyone can be contained.

Beyond the city’s boundaries, in the wild forests of the Red, Cameron has precious little humanity left to lose. As he searches for a lost queen, he finds an enemy rising that he thought long dead. An enemy that the humans have forgotten how to fight.

One way or another, the walls of the Blue are coming down. The only question is what side you’ll be on when they do. – Goodreads

This is not your typical vampire story and I am here for it. I am just going to jump in and say it that although Julia’s and Cameron’s story are connected (they told separately but trust me its completely fine and works fantastically), I found myself more engaged with Julia’s side than Cameron’s. Normally, I would figure it was due to me be able to empathize with her because she is a human that was dealt with a trash card but I actually liked her beyond that. She had a grit to herself that didn’t completely define her. She was able to still open herself to experiences outside of what she has always known or thought of and it made her an easier and enjoyable character to read.

Cameron was a bit. . . not annoying but a “alright, I get it. You have a chip on your shoulder, you’re trying to find the girl and life sucks.” His emotions became a bit redundant because it was constantly being repeated “I won’t come back until I find her.”

However despite this, I fully enjoyed reading both point of views because they provided, very clearly, details about what was going on each side. Although one side was human and the other vampire, as a reader you are able to sympathize with both of them and understand why things are happening in the way that they are.

The pace of the novel was really good. It was easy to get sucked into the world because you know it is full blown mess with hope of redemption once you meet Julia. The setting was clear and detailed without dragging on. Although I wish more for some more history and intensity, a reader couldn’t go wrong picking up this book.

Overall,

3 Pickles

Short Story Review: Hello, Moto by Nnedi Okorafor

Tor Books
Published Nov. 2nd, 2011
32 Pages

There is witchcraft in science and a science to witchcraft. Both will conspire against you eventually.- Goodreads

*Short Review*

The summary doesn’t really give away anything. So I really took a chance on this read. Also I will say this time and time again, me and short stories do not get along. It is rare that I enjoy a short story or a short story collection…. This is one of those rare times.

As short as this was, I enjoyed it. I was captivated mainly because I wanted to know more. I wanted a backstory to the witches and I wanted more details to why things were turning out the way they were.  The story doesn’t really lead up to anything. You are right there at the beginning of a battle scene.

My biggest with this is the fact that it is a short story. The ending stops mid scene, which pissed me off because it is like how can you do that? Right when everything was happening :(

Overall, for what it was I enjoyed this but wish it was leading to a larger story.

3.5 Pickles

Book Review: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Lavabrook Publishing Group
Published Nov. 15, 2016

Callypso Lillis is a siren that from the outside looking in has a pretty good life. A successful business with her best friend, a gorgeous shape shifting boyfriend and a beautiful home.

However, bracelets stretching on her arm, show that her life hasn’t been the easiest to obtain. Beads of magical IOUs, from the Bargainer remind Callypso that someday she will have to pay back those favors. After seven years of silence, the Bargainer has come to collect and he is looking for much more than a simple repayment; he needs Callypso and her skill as a siren to save the Otherworld. 

I like this author. She has a way of surprising you and I was pleasantly surprised with this book. If you are looking for something dark and creepy as the cover makes it seem, this is not that type of book.

There is heavy romance in this book and for a while it gets redundant. However, the background, which is the foundation for the next book, is pretty good. The Bargainer, who is also a Fae king, has alternative motives that get really annoying to figure out. You are not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy til around the end of the book. What I wanted more in regards to him was a better description of how he looked. For most of the book, I couldn’t see him. Yes, he is described but that description didn’t stick and follow for me. I also would have loved more personality from him as well and a deeper back story.

Callypso was interesting because I didn’t dislike her but then again, I cannot say that I liked her either. Her personality was missing. There were glimpses but I don’t who she is or how to really describe her. Maybe headstrong? The same goes for the Bargainer.

What I loved about the book was the back and forth between the past and the present. So, you know how the two meet and what their relationship consist of. I really loved that. The book kept my attention from beginning to end. But I didn’t like the ending. I felt that what happened to Callypso didn’t really fit with the story. It was un-needed at least for me.

I look forward to the next book but I am slightly weary. Me and this author have an interesting relationship because the first book will be great, the second book stale and the last book great.

Overall,

4 Pickles