Blog Tour: The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake

Entangled Teen
Published Oct. 2, 2017
292 Pages

Luke can uncross almost any curse—they unravel themselves for him like no one else. So working for the Kovrovs, one of the families controlling all the magic in New York, is exciting and dangerous, especially when he encounters the first curse he can’t break. And it involves Jeremy, the beloved, sheltered prince of the Kovrov family—the one boy he absolutely shouldn’t be falling for.

Jeremy’s been in love with cocky, talented Luke since they were kids. But from their first kiss, something’s missing. Jeremy’s family keeps generations of deadly secrets, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty. As Luke fights to break the curse, a magical, citywide war starts crackling, and it’s tied to Jeremy.

This might be the one curse Luke can’t uncross. If true love’s kiss fails, what’s left for him and Jeremy?- Goodreads

Well well.. this was something I was not expecting. Jumping right into this the book is a bit cliche. Breaking the curse for a chance of love with the one you really want. We’ve heard it and read it before. The thing about it you are reminded how much you have heard this before.

Jeremy is the perfect human being that is getting hit with the worst things possible and needs saving, a real good hug and love. But the thing with Jeremy is despite that he was an entitled brat and at times came off really, really annoying. Like roll your eyes status  I liked Luke with his “we can do this at any cost” attitude. But there romance was a little weird for me. Personally, Jeremy wouldn’t even be the last person on earth, I would speak to. I would avoid him. So it was interesting to see Luke falling for him.

I did enjoy the romance between the two but it seemed to die down as the book went on and I wasn’t too thrilled with that. I wanted that spark to keep burning for like ever.

What I loved was the setting and how the author created this magical world. I wanted more from this world. Not necessarily Luke or Jeremy but the author did some really good stuff creating the environment in which magic rules.

But the book despite it being only 292 pages on the ebook felt long and at times I felt the author was reaching. There was too much repetition within the book especially with Luke and Jeremy fighting. Also the lack of backstory was a killer. I love when books jump right into things but questions that would normally come in the beginning need to show up during the book.

Also the ending could use some work. Leaving it open for either a book two or just because isn’t appeal and can come off as lazy.

Overall, it was an alright read. There is ton of potential and the author can pull you into a world. The trick is keeping you there.

2 Pickles

Book Review: The Tiger’s Watch (Ashes of Gold #1) by Julia Ember

Harmony Ink Press
Published Aug. 22, 2017
180 Pages

Sixteen-year-old Tashi has spent their life training as a inhabitor, a soldier who spies and kills using a bonded animal. When the capital falls after a brutal siege, Tashi flees to a remote monastery to hide. But the invading army turns the monastery into a hospital, and Tashi catches the eye of Xian, the regiment’s fearless young commander.

Tashi spies on Xian’s every move. In front of his men, Xian seems dangerous, even sadistic, but Tashi discovers a more vulnerable side of the enemy commander—a side that draws them to Xian.

When their spying unveils that everything they’ve been taught is a lie, Tashi faces an impossible choice: save their country or the boy they’re growing to love. Though Tashi grapples with their decision, their volatile bonded tiger doesn’t question her allegiances. Katala slaughters Xian’s soldiers, leading the enemy to hunt her. But an inhabitor’s bond to their animal is for life—if Katala dies, so will Tashi.- Goodreads

I have mix feelings about this book and I have mix feelings about book two and it didn’t even come out yet. Jumping right into this, when I began the book I was all over it. Tashi is an interesting character because he/she makes decisions that are based so much more on emotion rather than common sense, faith or basic knowledge. The decisions come off really selfish and surprising especially at the end. Tashi also isn’t as passionate as I would have liked nor is there growth in that area. Tashi’s emotions from beginning to end feel really misguided and it was frustrating to read because Tashi could have been a bad ass.

The story centralizers around relationships, oddly enough. Be it Tashi’s relationship with the tiger, Katala, Xian and Tashi’s partner/friend. Although the author makes it seem as if the war and the battles are the focus, it really isn’t. It is the backstory because while Tashi falls in love with Xian, the author throws it in there that he is enemy. I wanted more about the war and the battles won and lost. I wanted more fight and blurred lines between love and duty. There was a really great battle scene but like having your first taste of sugar, I wanted more.

My excitement for the book didn’t last because things began to become redundant. The relationship between Tashi and Xian didn’t have the chemistry or passion one would expect with first love and at the end you really don’t know where the two actually stand. And as important as Tashi’s relationship with Katala and her partner, you see less and less of it as the book goes on.

Now my mix feelings about book two is it isn’t in Tashi’s point of view. That bothers me because the ending just kind of ends. I want to know what Tashi is doing at this point and my interest in her partner isn’t even there.

Overall, it was alright. I liked it but at the same time I’m on the fence if that makes sense. I just wish Tashi made smarter decisions and the book wasn’t so relationship based.

3 Pickles 

What Tanya Wants: October 2017

Book Review: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Flatiron Books
TBP: Sept. 5th, 2017
400 Pages

At sixteen, Mina’s mother is dead, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass.

When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina.

Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all. -Goodreads

This is a Snow White retelling and it doesn’t become apparent til about half way through the book. I do not have any issue with this at all because this book was a really surprising and good read.

Before dipping into the story, there needs to be an appreciation for how the author was able to use magic within this story. It wasn’t a run of the mild magic as stated in the summary one girl has a heart of glass while the other is made of snow. The magic in this story isn’t slap in your face from beginning and end but it was powerful and there was always a thin layer of when the explosion is coming. I liked that about this book; although it had a slow start once Mina’s voice got stronger the book picked up.

I liked Mina better than Lynet. Mina was stronger, she wasn’t sheltered nor did she whine a lot. Mina has a purpose and eventually Lynet finds hers and she does become a different person but there is a strength about her that still isn’t there especially compared to Mina.

But what I really enjoyed about this book was the relationship between Mina and Lynet. There is love… genuine love between them as a mother and daughter and it was everything that I wanted in any Snow White retelling especially in the book “Fairest of All” by Serena Valentino. I really really loved seeing their relationship from the beginning to the end (I guess).

The romance in the story was alright. I would have appreciate more love and less obligation. It wasn’t a strong or even close to the mother daughter fierceness. Therefore, I didn’t feel that the romance was love and more something new,

Overall, this book is creative, I loved how it references the original fairy tale but it isn’t the original fairy tale. Although it started off slow, when it picked up, it got good.

4 Pickles

Book Review: Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Feiwel & Friends
To be published Oct. 4, 2016
336 Pages

Flynn’s girlfriend, January has disappeared and the cops are asking him questions he cannot answer. And her friends are telling stories, he has never heard of. Determined to discover the truth about his girlfriend, Flynn hunt down answers but with a secret of his own, he has to tread lightly.

 *Short review*

I am disappointed in this book. Not just from the summary but from the book itself. It started off really really good. But then the author feel right into the predictability. And he didn’t just fall slowly, but the downfall was really fast.

I hated Flynn. He was a jerk and he had no right even close to complain about January when he was using the mess out of her. He had this sense of entitlement as her boyfriend; he had no right and he pissed me off.

What made the story predictably was Flynn’s secret and what happened to January. It was such a typical turn of events. Yeah, it had its little oh moments but there wasn’t many. The way it was written despite the predictability was really good. I kept reading the book but it was a struggle because I knew what was going to happen. Roehrig has talent as a writer but this book would be best for someone who has never read this type of story before.

I can’t say much about the characters because they were predictable as well as the romance.

Overall, I would have probably enjoyed this book better if I read this before I read any other disappearing act stories.

 

2 Pickles