Cassie James's Blog: Itz All About Books!! - Posts Tagged "powers"

Gambit by C.L. Denault

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


From the very first page of Gambit, I began to fall in love with Willow. Such a strong and willful character, She fascinates me to no end. Gambit is very well written with many unique components that makes it one of the best Dystopian I have read. It has a rich plot that draws one in and makes you quite anxious for more. Another character I love is Reece, yes I know he is extremely complicated but no matter how hard I try (I really tried) I just can't make myself hate him and his verbal sparring with Willow is quite entertaining and cute (sometimes). The relationship between Willow and Reece is hot, tense and tremendously entertaining. I couldn't put this book down until the ending, the action, romance, and humor were too gripping. The worldbuilding of Gambit is well constructed, with all the details falling into place in a way that just makes the whole book unique. The portrayal of the Prodigy's powers is also one of the things I love, while it's not magic, it's as equally satisfying. This is one awesome series I will definitely follow till the end. C.L. Denault writes words that flow together seamlessly, her writing is truly epic!!.



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Flicker and Mist by Mary G. Thompson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't influence my opinion and review of this book


I wasn't too sure what to expect going into Flicker and Mist but I didn't expect to fall very much in love with it like I did. I've read many YA fantasy but I can never get tired of finding awesome ones such as this.
Myra is an extremely funny and lovable character. The idea of the Flickerkin was brilliant and got my interest from the very beginning. It has a great set of character's that I can't help but love. Porti the steadfast friend, Caster the perfect hero, Nolan the dark rebel, Hoof a great companion (Though she's an animal).
The love triangle between Caster and Myra and Nolan is very sweet and adorable, I liked seeing them relate with each other. But I'm on Team Caster, I can't get tired of shipping those two together.
The worldbuilding is quite impressive and well put together. It was easy to understand the dynamics of Lefties, Plats, Flickerkin, Flicker Men and The Waters. Mary G. Thompson weaved a very intriguing world that I'm very much in love with.
Everything is well written especially the display of powers, the narration was never lost on me and I never got bored. The ending had surprising twists and turn that shocked me, but it left me quite excited for future installments in the series.
There is mystery, adventure, romance, powers, friendships and an unforgettable heroine.
Flicker and Mist is one book that pleasantly surprised me and I definitely hope for more books from this author. I recommend this to lovers of YA Fantasy and anyone hoping for a good time.
P.S: The beautiful cover has a significance that will be understood at a later point in the book.



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SeQuence by Lorraine M.L.M.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars





I willingly received an ARC of this book from the author or publisher of this book in exchange for an honest review, this doesn't in any way affect my opinion on the book


SeQuence is a book that I ended up loving more than I expected. Alessia's story just grabs at you and makes you curious about her and through this curiosity comes a bond that just makes you love her and root for her. I commend the author for making a compelling story that just arouses the attention of the reader.
SeQuence is one YA Fantasy that is one of a kind with a very original plot and a set of uniquely interesting characters. And that cover is just simply amazing, It's one of my favorites of 2016!!. Alessia is a funny, witty girl who can read minds but is labeled as a 'crazy' person. I loved seeing Alessia come to terms with the fact that she is more than ordinary, that in fact she is extraordinary. Among her family and friends she transformed from the shell she used to be into a blossom. Dante is one of my favorite heroes in YA, he is a great guy that is not afraid to let Alessia know how he feels about her. There is an instant connection between them that I absolutely love. Her relationship with Dante has always fascinated me from the beginning and I loved seeing it progress further. I also can't wait to know more about Alessia's power.
The worldbuilding is very well constructed, Zeneshia is a world that is very memorable. SeQuence is a mixture of fantasy, romance, action, adventure, magic, drama, comedy and absolute awesomeness. My favorite quote from the book is:

“Smiling, Dante rose to his feet. Goodness, he’s spectacular. Thick sleek, black and red hair…electric wine-red eyes…perfect cheekbones…a sturdy, muscular physique…”

Because it describes Dante who is now at the top of my list of YA favorite boy characters.
SeQuence has an ending that left me thirsting for more and I eagerly await book 2 SeQuence Aligned with bated breath.
The author has weaved a world that reminds me exactly why I love YA Fantasy. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any one looking for one of the great books out there.

P.S: I still can't stop gushing over the total awesomeness of that cover.



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The Hands of Time by Michelle Madow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review, this doesn't in any way influence my thoughts or opinion of this book


This series has come a long way, and I have been with it from the very amazing beginning. The Elemental series has been a favorite of mine and it was bittersweet to let it go.
It started with action as usual. Nicole made a decision that while it sucked she had to do it, I totally understand why she did. From there on, it was a wild thrilling ride of nonstop heart pounding action, adventure and intrigue.
I won't spoil it too much but a lot of events happened, old characters coming back, new interesting characters introduced, danger as usual for our protagonists, lots of portal travelling, a trip to the Underworld etc.
The Hands of Time has it's usual treats of monsters, romance, sorrow, drama and Greek gods. I absolutely loved this book and it was very nice to see how everyone ended up. Really sad and heartbreaking things happened but while I'm not entirely happy at the events themselves, I respect the way it was handled.
Michelle Madow once again proves that she is a wordsmith capable of weaving a fantastic tale of magic, adventure, romance and action. I will always love the fast pace of her writing, it always keeps me on my toes. I can't wait for her next book Collide.
The Hands of Time is a perfect ending to the bewitching Elementals series.



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Hey guys,
I am super thrilled to be part of the cover reveal of The Crown's Dog by Elise Kova. I am a very huge fan of hers, I have loved her stories ever since I read Air Awakens up till The Alchemists of Loom. Her books have captured the hearts of many readers across the world, Many of us were very happy when she announced the publication of the Golden Guard series which serves as a prequel series to Air Awakens. I am glad to present the cover and synopsis of the first book in this amazing new series. Without further ado, here is the cover that I spent hours lovingly feasting my eyes on:



Breathtaking isn't it? Her covers never cease to impress.

Book Info↓
Title: The Crown’s Dog (Golden Guard, #1)
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Author: Elise Kova
Genre(s): Young Adult, High Fantasy
Synopsis:

A coastal summer is turned upside down by a violent murder, and a quest for lost pirate treasure turns into a hunt for the killer.
Jax Wendyll is the crown’s dog. As punishment for the unspeakable crimes that tourment him to this day, his life has been conscripted to the Empire Solaris. However, in an Empire afflicted by peace, his duties are relegated to unquestioningly aiding the antics of the youngest prince, Baldair.
Erion Le’Dan, a nobleman’s son, expects a quiet summer visit to the Imperial Palace, his only agenda to visit with his unlikely friends. But Jax’s discovery the legendary pirate Adela Lagmir’s old workroom inspires a hunt for her long lost treasure.
The pursuit of Adela’s truth takes the three men to the Imperial summer manor, built along the old pirate mainstays. When Adela’s trident is branded into a murdered servant, Prince Baldair’s summer amusement of treasure-hunting becomes a hunt to find the killer. But, as mysteries compound, the ghosts of Jax’s past may not be the only things haunting them.

 

AN AIR AWAKENS PREQUEL
The Crown’s Dog is a prequel story about the founding of The Golden Guard. It features characters from Air Awakens and takes place in the Air Awakens world. While it is not required to read Air Awakens first, readers may get more enjoyment from doing so. For those interested, the Air Awakens is available for free on Kindle Unlimited , ebooks for purchase through Amazon , as well as physical copies through The Book Depository.

Right now, the first Air Awakens eBook is on sale for $0.99 in advance of The Crown’s Dog!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the real world long enough to graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she is not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Air Awakens Series as well as the upcoming Loom Saga (Keymaster, 2017). Check out her website at www.elisekova.com

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Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Carve The Mark is a book I can describe in one word, Phenomenal. After Divergent, I was curious as to whether Veronica Roth could amaze me once more and I'm happy to say that she did.
I literally fell in love with this book like 3 paragraphs in, the dual POV's is one of the reasons this book worked out so well. This is definitely going to become a fan favourite although Akos and Cyra are quite different from Tris and Tobias. It has trademarks of a Veronica Roth book (Though I hope it doesn't end like the Divergent series).
Carve The Mark is a mixture of SciFi, fantasy, romance and darkness. The two main characters have straddled the precipice of darkness many times and have come out scarred in one way or another. Cyra is a fierce character that I desperately love and can compare her to Aelin from Throne of Glass. Cyra has a lot of inner demons to battle with and it was soul soothing to see her emerge from the grim shroud around her through the influence of Akos. Akos is nothing like Tobias but I am very in love with him nonetheless, he is loyal, loving, accepting, resilient, brave, daring if need be, stubborn, funny and every other endearing quality that makes him one of my favourite characters.
One thing this book can boast of is intergalactic deliciousness, I am not a too huge fan of SciFi but I admit I got excited a lot of times in this book.
Reading about The different planets, their cultures, way of living, their beliefs, their equipments is an extremely amazing experience that I very much enjoyed. There are a lot of characters that are quite memorable but they all pale in comparison to the two main characters and their contrasting currentgifts(i.e powers).
The dynamic in the relationship between Cyra and Akos I one I was quick to love, I became a huge fan of them after witnessing their first few interactions. It was so obvious they are meant to be and nothing in the entire Galaxy could dispute that, The trials they faced for each other was amazing. The fact that they could still persevere after all they went through is a testament of their awesomeness.
I loved the way the book ended, not in a nerve wracking cliffhanger but in a more not quite disastrous but still victorious and hopeful way that left me aching for book 2. The world Veronica Roth weaved is one everyone who pick up this book will surely get lost in and long for, I feel very much immersed in it at this point just as much as the characters.
Another thing this book accomplished is not only providing a formidable villain but showing how this villain came to be, not by choice but by necessity hounded into him for years by a tyrant.
I feel very passionate about this book and I wait with bated breath for the next book in the duology (Though I certainly won't mind if this become a five book series). I can happily say fans of Veronica Roth will not be disappointed because Carve The Mark is one book I can see everyone falling hopelessly in love with.



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Frostblood by Elly Blake

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC for me in exchange for an honest review, this doesn't in any way affect my thoughts and opinion on the book.




I loved everything about Frostblood before I read it, the cover, synopsis, even the title. And when I did read it, this love transformed into a deeper connection. Frostblood is amazing especially coming from a debut author. This is definitely going to be one of the best YA Fantasy books 2017 has got to offer. Ruby (aka Lady Firebrand, Thorn in my Backside, Plague of The Gods, Fireling) is a very strong character. Despite all the horrible hardships she went through, I am impressed she could still be defiant and witty.
The worldbuilding of Frostblood is very very impressive, I am amazed at the well crafted plans. Elly Blake is a pleasant surprise I didn't see coming, I can totally compare her work to that of other major writers out there. The characters are superb, I am hopelessly in love with everyone in it. Ruby is very funny, her adventures are delightful despite the prejudice people have against the Firebloods.
“Before you came here, you were a tool to be used, a weapon to be wielded at our choosing. After all, you were slated for death anyway. If you died in the completion of our plan, it would be a worthy sacrifice. But now . . . please believe this is hard for me. You are a kind, feisty, headstrong, impulsive, generous young woman. I have grown quite fond of you.”
That just about sums her up. Her journey from being the lone and beaten prisoner to the strong woman she is at the end of Frostblood is highly fascinating, I gushed throughout the whole book.

I really got into it and I am very certain anyone who loves fantasy will see this book becoming a favorite of theirs. Some of the moments I enjoyed was when she bickered with Arcus, practiced using her powers, interacted with the others in the Abbey, fought with the Champions, kisses Arcus. Ruby's relationship with Arcus is one of my highlight points of the book, I absolutely loved their awe inspiring romance. The build up of their feelings and relationship us something I felt and followed. Every important event that transpired between them was something I could easily understand. Arcus is another character I very much love, he is full of surprises and he can be quite romantic and charming of he wants to be. He has his secrets but I still love him anyway.

In the vast world of YA Fantasy, Frostblood is definitely going to carve it's own corner and have an impact. Frostblood has all the impressive elements that made books like Red Queen and Shadow and Bone a fan favorite along with great writing. There is definitely more great things to come in this book, it boasts an impressive villain(s) that would probably take a lot of time to defeat.
One of my many favorite things about this book is the display of powers, I always watch the way author's portray the use of powers or magic and I definitely love this one. There is never a dull moment throughout the book, it's always thrilling and enthralling in its fast pace. Before the ending there are many things that happened that left me gasping in shock and marveling at the brilliance of the author. Expect twist and turns to come out of nowhere and shock you to your core. It had a great ending that befits it's level of awesomeness, the ending certainly left me thirsting for more. I have definitely found a new favorite author in Elly Blake, I wait with bated breath for the next amazing book from her.
Quotes:
“Breathing is optional. Looking beautiful is not.””
“You deny it, but killing gives you pleasure. It allows the darkness to seep in further, merging with you more with each death.”
Couldn't help but share those two.

P.S: Isn't that cover just divine?? It would look so good in my library where I can feast my hungry gaze on it whenever I feel like.



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Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, this doesn't in any way change my opinion of it.


First of, There are no exact words to describe just how good this book is.
Blood Rose Rebellion is definitely one of the most well written YA Fantasy debuts I've read. I have had my eye on this title for quite a while now, not only because of it's amazing and beautiful cover but because of the very intriguing premise that promises a whole lot of fun, magic, adventure and romance. This book certainly exceeded my expectations and that alone puts it on the list of my best reads. It has many things that can attract YA fans looking for a great read.
Blood Rose Rebellion tells the story of Anna, a girl with no magic in a society where power is revered. From a prominent magical family, Anna is expected to be skillful in magic but she shows no prowess whatsoever. This is actually a good thing because she can do the exact opposite of what they want, dispel magic rather than to create it. This of course doesn't go well with their covetous society or her family. After spectacularly display her particular quirkiness at her sister's magical debut therefore ruining it. For her safety from the scrutiny of the Circle (the people who control the use of magic), Anna is sent with her grandmother to their native land, Hungary. Anna's adventures in Hungary are nothing short of entertaining, From meeting her interesting cousins, the dashing and complicated Romani, Gábor, mastering her talent, communicating with ancient monsters who want to be freed, there is never a moment of boredom.
I love the worldbuilding in this book so much, it is so detailed, rich and lush and is definitely one of the best parts of this book. Rosalyn Eves has created and entrancing world that is hard to let go of. Either in London or Hungary or Budapest, this magical world of hers never seems to lose it's shine. I'm not normally into historical books but this one is definitely one I'm glad I read. The writing is also incredibly good for a debut author, Rosalyn has a way of weaving words in a manner that you find yourself anxious to know what more is going to happen.
Blood Rose Rebellion is definitely one of the highlights of 2017. The main characters are simply divine, While they are flawed at times (which makes me love them more because quite frankly No one is perfect), they do have moments of brilliants and humanity that served to make this book glorious and well fleshed out. Anna is one of my favorite heroines out there, she's not perfect, yes she can be a little selfish sometimes but I love that after everything she went through and the way lifer treated her, she didn't end up a villain. Her romance with Gábor is also another major reason I love this book. I have heavily shipped them together from the first tense moment they met.
Everything you could possibly want is in it, action, magic, romance, adventure, monsters, conflict, a great cast of characters, an interesting plot and many more to the readers delight. I couldn't put this book down until I finished it. One interesting factor that made this book stand out more is the beautiful and powerful culture of Hungary, You will absolutely love the way the culture is portrayed. The development of Anna from a girl who cowered in the face of scorn to the powerful strong weapon she was always meant to be is one you definitely don't want to miss. Towards the ending, twist and turns will come at you. You will love them, gasp and keep reading on. I won't spoil this book much but there are lot of stuff going on in it that you HAVE to know. Yes there are many YA Fantasy books out there but you definitely shouldn't miss this one. I await more books from this series with bated breath. Filled with just about everything you could want in a book, Blood Rose Rebellion is one book you won't regret buying.

P.S: That glorious cover inspires cover lust doesn't it?!!!.




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The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


The Last Magician is the second book from Lisa Maxwell I've read and she has once again outdone herself. From the very beginning, I could tell this was gonna be a great read. Her writing style just keeps getting better and better and that definitely paid off. This is definitely a formidable YA Fantasy duology. From the amazing characters to the action, the magic, the worldbuilding, the descriptions, and just about everything else in The Last Magician is tremendously well portrayed.
Esta is an amazing character who is a talented thief and a Mageus(People who can use magic) who can also manipulate time. She is complicated, intriguing and quite interesting, This makes her a character that is very captivating to read about.
Harte and Dolph, the other main characters is another factor that I love about this book. Harte and Esta have a hot and intense chemistry, I love the scenes between them. I can feel the intrigue. Esta's trials in maneuvering the past and try to keep everything together while working towards her goals is one thing I find very interesting.
The dual timelines made it have an interesting conclusion. This book is extremely addicting, the mysteries and puzzles is enough to keep you up at night until you've read the whole book and figured everything out. The many POV's made it an even more interesting and encompassing read. I am glad it's kind of long because it gave me the chance to fully savor the world. The Last Magician has so many deliciously wicked twists and turns that left me gasping in shock. Lisa Maxwell certainly knows how to build tension up and flawlessly deliver.
The parts leading up to the ending were beautifully written and smartly crafted and the ending itself is an explosive event full of revelations I certainly never saw coming. This has got to be one of the most well written books I have read and words aren't enough to explain just how good it is and how much you NEED to get it. But I can 100% assure this book is unlike any you've ever read. I can't wait for the captivating conclusion to this epic series.
Full of action, magic, romance, mystery, tension, time travel and badass characters, The Last Magician is one book every YA reader must have.

P.S: You will not put this down,I mean it.



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Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.



Sara B. Larson has been on my must get list ever since the Defy trilogy. I knew her YA Fantasy series will be just as good if not better than her previous books as I was so right. Dark Breaks The Dawn is an amazing new addition to the ever growing list of great YA Fantasy books. With a lush writing style displaying the talent of the author and a pace that's just right, it's really hard to put the book down.
It began on the morning of the 18th birthday of Evelayn, the Crown Princess of Éadrolan (The Light Kingdom). As is customary, the full range of her magic is unlocked. Her kingdom is involved in a war against the dark kingdom Dorjhalon. The Light Draíolon (kinda like saying magician) can control heat, sunlight and light while the Dark Draíolon can control cold, shadow and weather. The tyrannical king of Dorjhalon, Bain is bent on defeating the light Draíolon and is willing to use any means to secure his victory. Due to a chance encounter with a High Lord,Tanvir (who was just recently titled) on the morning of her birthday. Evelayn is able to form a connection with him that further deepens during their dance at her celebratory ball and their training sessions. As Crown Princess, Evelayn has a lot of cool powers such as shapeshifting and really strong magic. After a rather terrible attack from the Dark Draíolon, Evelayn is forced to claim the mantle of leadership sooner than she expected.
Despite the many trials, obstacles and tribulations she had to go through I admire the way she handled it with wisdom and grace. She's shown wisdom beyond her age though it's still obvious she's a teenager. Her relationship with Tanvir is not without problems, But the connection between them is strong enough to withstand such. Reading about their preparation for battle/war was more entertaining than I thought it'd be. There are many amazing moments in the last half of the book that really stood out such as the visit to the Ancient spider-woman thingy.
This book is mostly about the growth of Evelayn both magically and mentally as she's forced into hard situations that require delicate handling. Learning along with her was quite fulfilling. It's not to say there wasn't enough action, oh no, there is total non stop action. Sometimes I even hoped she'd get the chance to just take a deep breath and process things (though her moments with Tanvir are like an oasis in the desert). The different POV's (Point Of Views) gave the book a nice refreshing pace (though Evelayn still got the most attention).
Many jawdropping twists and turns I couldn't even guess were coming unraveled towards the ending. I commend Sara B. Larson for elevating the tension and making the surprises truly gasp worthy. The ending itself was a perfect combination of joy and tragedy, I knew something bad was coming but I didn't expect it to go down like that.
I can hardly wait for the next book in this series. With the amazing heart pounding action, the brilliant magic system, delicious romance, adventure, lush and rich writing (as usual), and beautiful cover, Dark Breaks the Dawn is one book that MUST not be missed.
I highly recommend it.



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