Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Title: Six Crimson Cranes

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Six Crimson Cranes # 1

Publication: July 6, 2021, 454 pages

Source: Personal Library.

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A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse...

Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost.

MY THOUGHTS

I just finished reading Elizabeth Lim’s latest novel, A Forgery of Fate, and was so impressed that I immediately went back to explore more of her work. Six Crimson Cranes, a duology set in the same world, felt like the perfect place to start.

Lim masterfully weaves elements from various fairy tales, Cinderella being the most prominent in this story from what I noticed, which I’m starting to realize is a signature of hers. Our main protagonist, Princess Shiori, and her brothers are banished by her stepmother. Cursed into silence, Shiori sets off on a journey to find her six brothers and break the spell.

It took me a little longer to warm up to Six Crimson Cranes, but the writing and worldbuilding were just as strong as in A Forgery of Fate. While I usually enjoy multiple subplots, the curse, the romance, and the looming threat to Kiata didn’t blend smoothly for me. Just as I’d start to get invested in one storyline, the focus would shift, which occasionally disrupted my engagement. Personally, I might have preferred a more streamlined narrative but I understand why Lim chose to give Shiori a voiceless curse, as it plays a key role in her character development.

I generally liked the characters, but with such a large cast, none of them truly stood out. I didn’t feel much connection to the brothers, Raikama, Sheryu, or even Kiki. While I enjoyed the first half of the book, my interest started to wane around the midpoint. The ending felt a bit anticlimactic and left me unsure whether I want to continue the series or read the Raikama spin-off.

Overall, Six Crimson Cranes was a decent, very quick read, but I won’t be rushing to pick up the sequel.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

Title: A Fire in the Sky

Author: Sophie Jordan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: A Fire in the Sky # 1

Hardcover, 336 Pages 

Publication: September 24, 2024

Source: Personal Library
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Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it's her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard...though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride...but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead...it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

MY THOUGHTS

I went into A Fire in the Sky with fresh eyes, having skipped the synopsis, and it turned out to be better than I anticipated. The reviews for the book weren’t great, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. The main plot, featuring tropes like hidden identity, secret power, and a marriage of convenience (a personal weakness of mine), may have been done countless times before, yet I found myself invested in Tamsyn and Fell’s story.

The world-building was straightforward and easy to follow but, at the same time, fairly basic. The setting revolves around a central kingdom with Viking-esque clans where humans, witches, and dragons coexist. While intriguing, the story took a while to truly get going. Despite the month-long journey Tamsyn undertakes to reach the Borderlands with the clan, little to nothing significant happens until about the midpoint of the book.

Apart from the main couple, there was another love interest, Stig the guard. I didn’t understand why the author included him, as he added no real value to the story. He only appeared in two scenes as a plot device, and even then, his role barely advanced the narrative. On top of that, Stig came across as a creep from page one, and I never felt any real connection between him and Tamsyn.

Although the book was 336 pages long, the story felt incomplete, especially with the major cliffhanger ending. I wish there had been more interaction between Tamsyn and Fell to develop their relationship further. Despite its issues, I’m still interested in continuing their journey and look forward to the next book. I just hope it offers deeper character development and more robust world-building.

The Exile by C.T. Adams

Title: The Exile
Author: C.T. Adams
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Fae #1

Trade Paperback, 320 pages
Publication: March 10, 2015 by Tor Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. 

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Brianna Hai runs an occult shop that sells useless trinkets to tourists—and real magic supplies to witches and warlocks. The magical painting that hangs in Brianna's apartment is the last portal between the fae and human worlds.

A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.

The Exile is the first book in a new series by author C.T. Adams, co-author of the Blood Singer series. I've read the first 3 books in the Blood Singer series and enjoyed it. So, when I heard Adams was starting a new series on her own, and about the Faes I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. I love all things Faeries!

I thought the world-building was well-done, even if it’s your standard urban fantasy with the usual Faes, Gargoyles, Seers/Oracles, Pixies, and Trolls variety. The book is set up in a closed world, meaning the humans don’t know that magic and supernatural beings exist. Brianna Hai, is half-human, half Fae and she has been living in the human world for years and it isn't until someone attacks her beyond the veil does she go back to Fairy. I’m really big on world building, I expect it to be both complex (but not overwhelming) and believable…to have that oomph, but I didn't see it in The Exile. It’s was good but there was nothing new that we haven’t already seen in other urban fantasies. Also, the plot has been done before countless of times. I was waiting for a big revelation or twist to make this book stand out but it never came. Plus, it didn't help that the part of Fairy (The Palace) we explored was built to mirror the human world. I was expecting to see a magical and exotic plane, but I didn't get that. I hope this little issue will be remedied in the next book so we can see beyond the palace since the characters were only in two locations for most of the story; Brianna’s shop and King Leu’s Palace.

Brianna was a likable heroine, as were most of the other characters. But even after I finished reading it, the characters felt one-dimensional and that I didn't connect or relate to them at all. There were multiple POVs and while I usually don’t have a problem with it for once I think having so many narratives actually hurt the character developments. Since everyone was vying for equal page time we didn't get to know the characters beyond the basic facts/info presented at the beginning of the book.

As for the pacing of the story, I thought it was a bit shaky. At times it would flow smoothly but a few pages later it would get interrupted by a tedious scene. This happens on and off throughout the book. I would find myself riveted one minute and bored the next. But it isn't for the lack of trying; the book is full of action and commotions within the first chapter till the very end but it was written in a way that didn't work for me…I don’t know why though, everything just felt a bit off.

Overall, I liked The Exile, just not as much as I hoped. Despite the rocky start and flaws, I think it’s a good start to a new urban fantasy series. I am curious to see what’s in store for Brianna and Co, so I might check out the sequel when it comes out. I’d still recommend it to UF fans, I think it’s worth checking out…if you can, read an except/sample before buying or borrow it from the library.

Blog Tour: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Seraphina Blog Tour! 

 Be sure to check out the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of your very own!

Title: Seraphina

Author: Rachel Hartman

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Series: Seraphina #1

Hardcover, 499 pages

Publication: July 10, 2012 by Random House BFYR

Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review and blog tour.

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Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

I vaguely remember hearing about Hartman’s Seraphina when it was first published in 2012, but with the torrent of books always releasing I forgot all about it. All I knew about the book was that it was about dragons and that it was a YA Fantasy novel. I don’t recall ever reading a book with dragons as the main creatures and I don’t read many YA fantasy novels. So when I was approached to read Seraphina, I thought why not give this book a chance? It sounded pretty good. I went in without much expectations but wow was I surprised! Seraphina turned out to be an amazing book and I was so glad I read it!

Many Young Adult novels these days are mediocre, then we have the few that are pretty good but it is rare to find books that blow you away or surprise you; and Seraphina did both! Hartman’s world-building was complex, meticulous, and well- developed. The world was so fully realized that I can literally picture Gorredd in my mind like it was a real, existing place with fantastical dragons flying in the sky! But Hartman didn’t stop there. Hartman's inhabited the world of Gorredd with realistic and likeable characters. Each and every single characters were unique from their appearance, background to their personalities. I love all of the characters, and can find no fault in anyone…even the villain of the story! I also liked that all of the women (including Seraphina and Princess Glisselda) were strong, independent and weren’t afraid to voice their opinions. While I have seen many strong heroines in the dystopian genre…it is rare to see this for majority of the female characters throughout a book….I usually find some problem in heroines of other books, but none was found here for these characters.

The pacing of the book was great. The author sprinkled details of the world and background information throughout the book so that readers can piece the clues together, so don’t worry about being overwhelm with too much information. I loved that the plot and characters were the main focus, with the romance taking the backseat. It is there but it didn’t dominate the story like usual YA books.

Ienjoyed this book immensely, and I can’t wait to read the sequel, Shadow Scale, when it comes out next week (March 10th)! This is a wonderful start to a series that will appeal to adults and teens alike. If you’re looking for something fresh, unique and well-written, look no further…Seraphina may be a YA Fantasy novel but it is above many books of its genre and is well worth the read. It’s more than a story about Dragons and Humans. It’s about a girl learning herself worth, acceptance, love and friendship; about prejudice, loss, political intrigue, forbidden love, and family. Read it, you won’t be disappointed, I promise!

 

Random House has generously offered to give one lucky reader a copy of SERAPHINA! To enter the giveaway, please fill out the rafflecopter below!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Hartman lives and writes in Vancouver, BC.

Her first YA fantasy novel, Seraphina, was published by Random House on July 10th, 2012. Here are some things that are already being said about Seraphina by some fabulous authors:

“A book worth hoarding, as glittering and silver-bright as dragon scales, with a heroine who insists on carving herself a place in your mind.” — Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of the Temeraire series.

“Seraphina is strong, complex, talented — she makes mistakes and struggles to trust, with good reason, and she fights to survive in a world that would tear her apart. I love this book!” — Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author.

“Just when you thought there was nothing new to say about dragons, it turns out there is, and plenty! Rachel Hartman’s rich invention never fails to impress — and to convince. It’s smart and funny and original, and has characters I will follow to the ends of the earth.” — Ellen Kushner, World Fantasy Award-winning author.

To connect with Rachel:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Early Review: Hearts of Chaos by Kira Brady

Title: Heart of Chaos
Author: Kira Brady
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Deadglass #3

Mass Market Paperback,  352 pages
Publication: March 4, 2014 by Zebra

Source: I received a review copy (arc) from the author in exchange for a honest review.

Pre-Order|AMAZON|BOOK DEPO|

To save her world, one woman's fierce quest will put her up against an ancient evil—and a desire too dangerous to deny...

She is betrothed to Seattle's most feared shifter clan leader. Still, the Lady Lucia can never be the dainty aristocratic wife Emory Corbette thinks he needs. And as a malevolent, all-consuming monster plots to take hold of their shattered world, Lucia will risk her untapped powers to defeat it—and challenge the Raven King's seductive rule.

No one in Emory's many lifetimes has ever defied him. Lucia's courage and strength are shaking his iron control to its core...and making him hungry, for all she can give. But their only hope is a wrenching sacrifice that could unite humans and shifters in victory—or destroy everything Lucia and Emory desire most.

Heart of Chaos is the third and final installment in Brady’s Deadglass series following couple, Lucia Crane and Emory Corbette. It’s been a few months since the unraveling, where Demigod Kingu wreck havoc on Seattle and its citizen. The Kivatis (totem animal shifters) and Drekars (dragon shifters) are trying to pick up the pieces but the worst is yet to come as the Tablet of Destiny and Heart of Tiamat finds a new host in Zetain, a ruthless drekar warrior. Tiamat is finally freed from her prison and she plans to birth a new breed of children to create a pantheon she lost.

Emory and Lucia were betrothed from an early age, out of obligation to the Kivati people rather love. I loved seeing their transformation from the beginning of the series to their own book. I didn’t think I would like this couple as much as the previous couple, Grace and Leif but I ended up loving them just as much. I must admit I wasn’t a fan of Lucia from the start when readers first met her in Hearts of Darkness; she came off as snobby and immature. Everyone including the Raven Lord thought Lucia as a dainty fragile girl  and because of the prophecy she must be put on a pedal stool. The prophecy says Lucia will either be the savior or the destruction of the Kivati people, and because they think she's their salvation she's always locked safely behind Kivati hall. However Lucia grew immensely over the course of the series, becoming more than what people thought of her. In the first book she was physically attacked by one of her own people causing her to become even more closed off than normal but in book two she took her life back. She got fighting lessons from Grace and helped lead a group of Kivati into battle against Kingu. In Heart of Chaos she continues to stand-up for herself becoming a major player and fulfilling the prophecy. I admired her strength and determination to live life to the fullest…especially after what happened to her in the first book.

Emory came off as stand-offish and cold when readers first meet him, but yet he intrigued me. He was a man that people looked up to and at the same time a man that people feared. Readers only got to see one side of Emory in the first two books, a man that put his people above himself and an all-around leader. In this final book we glimpse the other side of him; one that is vulnerable and full of passion. It is in knowing that the end is possibly near that he finally realizes to live not only for his people but for himself. He breaks routine and his character and does things he wouldn’t contemplate before Lucia for Lucia.

Hearts of Chaos was an excellent conclusion to a phenomenal series. An exhilarating ride full of myths and magic. As I mentioned in my other reviews, this paranormal romance series is unlike any series I’ve ever read. Mrs. Brady is the only author that I know of that writes a paranormal romance that has different lead couples in a series but the same connecting plot/story arc and that alone makes her standout in a sea of identical paranormal romances. Brady pens a creative and unique world with multifaceted characters that you can’t help but fall in love with…even the baddies. The Deadglass series may have come to an end but the epilogue leaves an open door for a possible story in the world of Deadglass and one I hope Mrs. Brady will write. There are still so many stories to be told within the Deadglass world, so I hope that this isn’t the end end. I highly recommend this series to all PR and UF fans, you will not regret it! Brady is an author to watch. I will buy and read anything she writes! 

Guest Blog by Jon S. Lewis + Giveaway

I would like to give a big welcome to Jon S. Lewis, author of the
Grey Griffins series. Jon is here today to talk about his Kickstater campaign. His goal is to publish the next Grey Griffin novel and a charity anthology that he's collaborating with other incredible authors. For more details, continue reading the guest post below! 

The Silver Lining for Authors
by Jon S. Lewis

Sprig (Welsh faerie) by Imaginary

I haven’t been this excited about writing since I signed my contract with Scholastic.

The publishing industry is going through massive changes. Borders and Walden Books are gone and according to reports Barnes & Noble is going to shut 33% of its stores (Source).

Limited distribution and declining sales (Source) means that publishers have been forced to sign authors with massive sales numbers. That means midlist authors are in trouble. And if you’re trying to break in as a new author, you’ll need more than a dynamite book—you’ll also need a built in audience to buy your book (social media fans and blog subscriber).

The Silver Lining

Despite all the doom and gloom, there’s good news! According to BookStats, sales of e-book trade titles

Natalia and Brooke by Simone Kesterton

rose 44% in 2012 and e-books represent 20% of all books sold, which is up 4% from the prior year.

Companies like CreateSpace have made it easy for authors to go direct to market without a publisher, which means we have the ability to take control of our careers. Look at Amanda Hocking. She couldn’t find an agent who would represent her (much less a publisher) and she went from completely and totally unknown to literary rock star in less than a year.

Amanda isn’t alone. There’s Hugh Howey, John Locke, Rachel Van Dyken, H.M. Ward and dozens of others. And let’s not forget Barry Eisler, who turned down a $500, 000 advance.

I’ve talked about publishing my own books for years but I was worried about the stigma of being a self-published author and I didn’t want to upset my publishers. But everything is different now. Self-publishing has changed the paradigm forever and it’s time to jump in.   

Why I’m Self-Publishing Two Books Instead of One

My first self-published book is going to be Grey Griffins: Night of Dragons, the continuation of the Grey Griffins series that was published by Scholastic and Little Brown. But I wanted to do something different—something that would make a splash, so I enlisted some of my author friends to write an anthology of Grey Griffins short stories and 100% of the profits from that anthology will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/) and Kids Need to Read (http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/).

And these aren’t just any authors … they’re some of the biggest names in the industry today:

• Brandon Mull | NY Times Bestselling Author, Fablehaven
• Aprilynne Pike | NY Times Bestselling Author, Wings
• Frank Beddor | NY Times Bestselling Author, Looking Glass Wars
• Michael Spradlin | NY Times Bestselling Author, Youngest Templar
• Dean Lorey | Co-Executive Producer, Arrested Development
• Shannon Messenger | Let the Sky Fall, Keeper of the Lost Cities
• Tom Leveen | Party, manicpixiedreamgirl, Sick
• Joseph Nassise | International Bestselling Author, Templar Chronicles
• Matt Forbeck | Leverage: The Con Job based on the TNT television series
• Janette Rallison | My Fair Godmother, Slayers

Ice Dragon

The Drawback with Self-Publishing

Each short story in the Grey Griffins anthology will be professionally edited. It will also have its own cover painted by the incredibly talented Scott Altmann (http://www.scottaltmann.com/). The final product will look every bit as good as what the major publishing houses produce, but there’s a drawback. When you publish your own books you have to come up with the money to pay the artists and the editors, and those things don’t come cheap. That’s why I’m turning to Kickstarter.

Crowdsourcing with Kickstarter

Running a Kickstarter campaign gives readers the chance to pre-order the book. In turn I’ll invest the money into making an amazing product. And I know what it means to have a tight budget, so I made sure the pledge levels started at $1.

There are some fun rewards like custom Grey Griffins short stories, collectible character trading cards and sketches from the cover artist. For the writers out there, we’re offering the chance for a query letter review, a partial manuscript review, and even a Skype brainstorm session where I’ll help you come up with ideas for your story.

You can help fund the Kickstarter campaign >>>>here! <<<<

You Can Even Get Your Story Published in the Grey Griffins Anthology

Because I also have a passion for helping new writers break into the industry I thought the best way to do that with this project was to give someone a chance to get a short story published in the anthology. Your story will end up in the same book with all those New York Times bestselling authors. If it sounds like something you’re interested in, you can find the submission guidelines here: bit.ly/gg-anthology.

Thank you

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for your consideration to back the Kickstarter campaign. I’m going to need your help to make this project a reality, and I know that together we can do something incredible!

GIVEAWAY 

Jon is generously giving away a hardcover copy of his latest novel, The Paragon Prison (The Clockwork Chronicles #3) to a Short & Sweet Reviews reader! To enter please fill out the rafflecopter below :).

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About the Author

Jon Samuel Lewis is an American writer best known for the acclaimed Grey Griffins series published by Scholastic’s Orchard Books. After selling nearly a million copies in the original trilogy, Lewis and his writing partner, Derek Benz teamed with Little Brown to publish the Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He is also the author of CHAOS Novels, a young adult urban science fiction series published by Thomas Nelson and has written for DC Comics. Lewis is also a marketing executive and content strategist who works with Fortune 500 companies on their digital marketing strategies. 

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Books by Jon S. Lewis