Land of Strength and Sorrow (Secrets of Orendor #1)

One cure can save them all...

Princess Jovi's sheltered life has taught her nothing about Orendor, the kingdom she will one day rule. Longing for adventure isn't the same as being thrust into the middle of one, which is exactly what happens when the Frost Mages attack the castle in Kingsperch.

Determined to save her kingdom, Jovi must gather an army of brave warriors to defeat the Frost Mages and protect the people she loves. She seeks help from the bravest Mammoth Rider in all of Orendor—her fearless uncle, Meical.

Jovi will endure harrowing trials she never imagined she’d face, but as a daring new enemy emerges from the darkness, Jovi will discover a startling truth about herself that might open the door to a brand new future.

Will she choose the lives of many or the heart of one?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Cassandra Fear begins a new fantasy series with her novel, Land of Strength and Sorrow, in which a sheltered princess finds herself the key to stopping an all-out war -- if she can provide a cure for her father's curse, cast twenty years before. 

Jovi represents the idea of a typical sheltered princess, but she differs from the stereotype through her strong personality, her understanding nature, and her intelligence. It's obvious through the choices she makes that Jovi would truly make a good Queen of Orendor, if she isn't killed by the enemy first. I think readers will like her determination, her caring heart, and her loyalty. Those three things motivate her to make the right decisions and stay calm in the midst of chaos. The only aspect of Jovi's personality that bugged me a bit was that she seemed a little wishy-washy at times. I also didn't really enjoy the love story as a side plot. It felt a bit awkward to me. She falls for a guard within a few days of knowing him. At one point she does admit her feelings could be because he's the first male her age that she's connected with and I think that was exactly what happened. I also struggled with the writing style at times. As the beginning of an epic fantasy, I expected more detail and a bit more weight given to the situations. 

The plot of the novel was interesting and held my attention throughout. To break it down a bit, there are three main groups: Jovi's people, Fire Mages, and Frost Mages. Twenty years prior, Jovi's father (the King) cast a curse on the Mages so that they could never have children because one Mage murdered his only son. Now, the Mages want to be cured of the curse and will either get their way or kill until they do. Thus, Jovi sets out to find the cure to save her parents and her kingdom. Though readers know that Jovi's journey for the cure is doomed from the start, there's still an air of hope that she'll succeed somehow. As this is the beginning of a series, there was a cliffhanger ending that sets up the next book pretty well. I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers who enjoy a female leader who's coming of age and building her strength. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (97)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. This book is the last full-length novel for the class I'm currently taking. This Japanese novel follows the love story and coming-of-age of Toru, a college student whose relationship is marked by his best friend's death years before. I'm excited to begin reading this book because I've really enjoyed reading other Japanese literature and Asian Literature throughout this class. 

Teaser Tuesday (308)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Land of Strength and Sorrow (Kindle 60%)

     - Cassandra Fear

"I think they held back a lot when Jovi told them she'd give them the cure first."

"That's what they're after?" Bastien paced in a circle. "Of course." 

Years in an Instant

When we last left our heroine at the end of the critically acclaimed novel "Like a Closed Fist", Phoebe was floundering. Left with a broken heart and shattered pride, she turns to the much older Mitch to pick up the pieces. This time, her father’s best friend doesn’t resist her.

Bruce, everyone’s favorite tough-love dad, finally takes a stand and tries to break the mismatched pair up. Phoebe, hurt and humiliated once again, runs away from home. Out on her own for the first time, she learns life’s greatest lesson: how to grow up.

Phoebe 2.0, mature and enjoying her independence, is determined to take a break from romance. But, as often happens, her best-laid plans go awry. Is it just a rebound, or will Phoebe fall in love?

With Bruce, Mitch, Annie, Mark, Frankie, Mason, Leo, and another trip to beautiful North Carolina, this California girl has another adventure in store for her!

*May Contain Spoilers*

Years in an Instant by E.H. Nolan is the sequel to Like a Closed Fist, which I reviewed a little over a year ago. With the ending of that book leaving Pheobe's life in complete chaos, the second part of the story was bound to come out. Though highly immature in the first book, this sequel shows Pheobe attempting to grow up and be her own person -- but relationships, love, and heartbreak get in the way once again. 

In this installment of her story, Pheobe tries to be a mature adult, but the way she begins is anything but. Involved with a married man since her wedding-that-never-happened, Pheobe thinks Mitch will leave his wife for her. But he won't. Though she doesn't realize this -- her dad does and puts a stop to Mitch's interest in his daughter. Thank goodness! Pheobe's dad was my favorite character in the first book and he is sadly absent for most of this novel. Though he does do the right thing for his daughter before he steps aside from the cast list. Pheobe's reaction to her father's actions are a bit ridiculous. She moves out of their family home without so much as a text message and into an apartment listed on Craigslist. Then Frankie comes back in the picture and she's completely over Mitch and moving on to fall in love with the Merchant Marine who lives across the country. 

Though the book was entertaining, it was really difficult to take Pheobe seriously. She falls in and out of love a lot. And I know that your 20s are all for figuring stuff out, but I was judging her decision-making skills from the start. A few times throughout the book I almost didn't want to continue, but it never got that bad. 

However, let me emphasize it wasn't the writing style. It wasn't the storyline. It was the main character. I felt like I couldn't connect with her. She's described as the woman who every man wants because she's so beautiful, but she's so trusting and naive that those men end up using her or trying to abuse her. To say it's bothersome is an understatement. Overall, I didn't feel like she was realistic enough to connect with. I want her to grow into a stronger character and a stronger woman who doesn't need to fall in love with every man who shows interest in her. And I want her to decide for herself who she wants to be with, not jump at every opportunity. I also want her to put her life goals ahead of her constantly shifting love life. I mean, she loses her job in this book because she's chasing after a man who told her he did not want to be with her. 

I'm starting to ramble, which is something I do a lot. My own character flaw. As a novel full of drama and entertainment, I would recommend this book. However, as a book that readers can connect to, I think that's a struggle... And even though there was a cliffhanger ending (again) I don't know if I'll read the next book. It doesn't seem like my cup of coffee. 

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Read the review of book one, Like a Closed Fist. 

What's Next, Wednesday (96)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to... 

Everything She Lost by Alessandra Harris. This novel promises suspense when a woman whose sanity is uncertain experiences a traumatic event. With this huge nor'easter just dumping snow, I feel like I might have plenty of reading time to dig in! 

Teaser Tuesday (307)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Love in the Time of Cholera (p.169)

    - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"The only regret I will have in dying is if it is not for love." 

A Tycoon's Rush (Sin City #2)

She heads to the Italian mountains to bring an Olympic hero back home. But will she lose her heart instead?

Natalie Schaffer has accepted that she’ll always be an assistant at her sports agency. That’s okay—her dream job is her outdoor photography, not the wheeling and dealing of agency life. But she jumps at the chance to take an endorsement deal to the reclusive Olympic champion Charlie Ahlers, who stepped off the gold medal podium and disappeared from public eye. Natalie never crushes on her agency’s clients, but Charlie holds a special place in her heart—from a distance, of course.

Charlie Ahlers is perfectly happy hiding out as a nobody in sleepy European ski towns. He knows he’s supposed to capitalize on his Olympic victory and train for the next Games. But, for reasons that are his own, his heart isn’t in it. When the sexy American girl prances into his bar and slaps a contract down next to his glass of scotch, he can’t believe she’s an agency rep. He hasn’t found a girl so interesting in months. When she dares him to take her out on the slopes, he can’t tell her no. When skiing turns into dinner—and more—he realizes he might be in bigger trouble than he thought.

With Natalie’s agency job on the line, and Charlie’s secrets holding him back, will they be able to let go of their fears and find hope—and happiness—together?

*May Contain Spoilers*

This second installment in the Sin City series, A Tycoon's Rush by Avery Laval, is a novella that cuts straight to the point of falling in love. Or becoming romantically entangled. Either way, this short and sweet shot of romance is incredibly enjoyable and offers up realistic characters while staying away from getting too deep. 

Natalie and Charlie are both interesting characters and Laval gives them a backstory that readers can connect with but doesn't overwhelm the easy nature of a contemporary romance novella. Natalie wants to be a photojournalist in the sports world and being an assistant at a sports agency based in Las Vegas, NV allows her to work, take classes, and get great shots. Charlie is a former Olympic gold medalist with a family issue that he thinks will be solved by staying off the podium and out of the limelight. When Natalie is sent to convince Charlie to come back to center stage, they immediately hit it off. I think readers will like Natalie's focus on her larger goals while maintaining a healthy interest in a career position that she's good at. I also liked her persistent attitude and fearlessness to try new things. In Charlie's character, I appreciated his desire to fix his familial issues, even though his plan was too indirect. Overall, I really liked his humor and his unique and fresh personality.

Readers who need a little break or a little excitement and enjoy romance novels, will certainly like A Tycoon's Rush. Though it was over before I really wanted it to be, the short and lighthearted read made me smile. And sometimes, that's all we need from a book. I would highly recommend this quaint story to readers who feel the same, are between longer reading projects or are just taking a few hours for themselves. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (95)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to... 

Land of Strength and Sorrow by Cassandra Fear. This is an epic fantasy novel, and the beginning of a series, that takes a Princess who dreams of adventure and thrusts her into the middle of a battle to save her kingdom. I haven't read a fantasy novel recently so I'm really looking forward to getting lost in another world for a while. 

Teaser Tuesday (306)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Years in an Instant (Kindle 29%)

    - E.H. Nolan

"Hey! You're playing hard to get, Mister."

"No, I'm not," Frankie insisted, the playfulness gone from his voice. "I'm comin' to California. That's as easy to get as you can get."

Something of Substance

Seventeen-year-old Grace Michaels is determined to be thin, even if she dies trying.

Part of the in-crowd at Providence High, she is steps away from being asked out by the most desired guy at school, winning a prom queen nomination, and her parents’ approval. If she can just get skinny enough, be pretty enough, and popular enough.

But Grace is thin on the outside and fat on the inside. No amount of weight-loss ever seems enough. Convinced the melting pounds will solve her problems, every pound lost brings her closer to her goals. But flesh and bone can only hide the weight of her secret for so long.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Something of Substance by Tia Souders is a novel that tells the story of a young girl who suffers from anorexia nervosa. Therefore, let me start off by saying that some people who read this book might be triggered to take up the habits and goals that the main character shares in order to lose weight. If this pertains to you, I would not recommend reading this novel and I would also recommend talking to someone you trust about getting help. However, let me also preface this review by saying that the consequences of Grace's eating disorder are also very clearly spelled out in this book. She faces life-threatening consequences of anorexia which provide a real look at what happens to your body when you're suffering from this disease. 

Grace Michaels used to be (what she considered) fat until she convinced her mom to send her to (what she calls) 'fat camp.' After losing a few pounds at camp, she begins to restrict her food intake until she can reach the "perfect" weight, which to her is 100 pounds. Grace's character is presented as an intelligent and aspiring artist, but this novel is about what happens when popularity, appearance, peer pressure from bullying, and a lack of self-confidence mix together. As Grace fights the high school battle of having a perfect body, perfect friends, and a perfect boyfriend she also deals with heavy resentment towards her twin sister, who Grace sees as the better daughter. Readers will connect with Grace as she explains her feelings, emotional turmoil, and goals. But the story she's telling herself is one that has Grace punishing herself. It wasn't the easiest book to read, though the romantic side plot made it much easier to keep reading by adding a sense of hope to the storyline. 

Jake, the younger brother of Grace's best friend, has a huge crush on Grace and serves as the character who supports and promotes Grace's best interests. Yet, as he's trying to help her, Grace is repeatedly pushing him away as she tries to starve herself into the perfect person. It's only when she realizes that all of her goals are misguided that things begin to change. But it's up to Grace whether she wants to heal as her secret is exposed and the important people in her life step up to help. 

As the plot follows Grace's progress toward what she thinks is perfection, there are other little side stories supporting the main arc, giving gravity to Grace's situation. From the beginning of the book, readers know that Grace is in the hospital, perhaps a coma-like situation, but there is no information as to why. With this situation in the background, Grace shares the spring semester of her Junior year of high school with readers, including love interests, fake friends, and the extremes she goes to in order to achieve her goals. Readers will be emotionally connected and emotionally invested in Grace's character by the end of the book. It's heartbreaking that young girls feel this kind of pressure and it's important for books like this to draw attention to it. But it is also very important to demonstrate the harm that comes with this pressure on females to be pretty and perfect -- and Souders includes that in this book. 

Due to the volatile nature of eating disorders, I would definitely not recommend this book to everyone. However, the book itself serves an important purpose to draw further awareness to the issue of eating disorders. The deadliness of this disease is often ignored and easily avoided, but the conversation on this needs to stay current and writers like Tia Souders are helping to make it happen and keep awareness going. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (305)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

A Tycoon's Rush (Kindle 37%)

    - Avery Laval

"I can see why a person might get lost up here. On purpose."

Charlie thought about that. Was that what he was doing? He'd always thought he was hiding here. But a person who was hiding knew how to come out of hiding. Someone lost, by definition, didn't know how to get unlost. 

Working Stiffs

At a time when civil liberties have been eroded and unemployment has exceeded Great Depression levels, nanotechnology provides the ability to reanimate the recently dead. Far from zombies, but nothing like their former selves, “Revivants” are a ready source of cheap labor able to perform simple, routine tasks. Great news for some sectors, but for many, the economic and social impact is devastating.

Enter Joe Warren—an unemployed college dropout, who is self-absorbed and disinterested in the world’s problems. All Joe wants is a job, food on his table, and a cure for his girlfriend’s lingering illness. What Joe gets is a stint in jail with a bunch of self-proclaimed freedom fighters, and coerced to become an informant by federal government agents.

Joe is forced to examine his me-first attitude, and in the process learns that some things just might be worth fighting—or dying—for.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Working Stiffs is a novel that is unapologetically blunt and dismal in regard to the possibility of a scientifically altered future. Scott Bell takes the idea of zombies to a whole new, creepy, and disturbing level as they become replacements for the working population, which leaves the living human race to contend with the dead. 

Though the writing style of this book wasn't one that I thoroughly enjoyed, Bell's sarcasm and inappropriate language added to the realness of this sci-fi book. Because the notion that zombies could take over the workforce in the future is such a strange concept, the main characters need to be believably realistic. Joe Warren, though the hero of this book, is much more realistic than a character usually is while playing the role of antihero. Warren is not nice. He doesn't care about much other than himself. He is selfish, rude, and is not incredibly intelligent either. In short, he isn't very likeable. But that didn't stop his character from growing on me. It's quite a feat to change the minds of readers over the course of only a couple hundred pages, but Bell successfully did that. Even now, I still don't like Joe Warren, but I respect his fictional decisions, even if it took him a long time to start making the right ones. Furthermore, I did find humor in most of the book, which is also a pretty respectable feat considering the novel is quite morbid. 

The plot of Working Stiffs is very interesting, which I think is why I initially kept reading after I determined that Warren was not my favorite main character and that I did not like the writing style. When Joe Warren's girlfriend is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, he accidentally gets dragged into a revolutionary movement. When the government turns that girlfriend into a zombie, er - Revivant, while he's in jail, Joe gets a little ticked off. But Detective Ramirez has a couple of strings he can pull to force Joe to do his dirty work. With those strings being heavily weighted, Joe is forced to go undercover into the revolutionary group who threatens to expose the decayed body of the U.S. government and all of its ugly truths. Though I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, as I really think the writing style, language, and antihero characteristics of the main character will not appeal to everyone, I did enjoy it and would pass it along if I really knew and understood the person I was passing it along to. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups