REVIEW: GRACELING BY KRISTIN CASHORE

Published by Harcourt, 2008. Hardcover, 471 pgs

      In this first installment of a Young Adult Fantasy trilogy, our main character Katsa has an extreme talent for killing. In this culture, anyone with an inherent gift and eyes of two different colors possesses a "Grace" and is known as a Graceling. Katsa despises that she is under the employ of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns. Her assigned tasks include punishing those who have bothered the king in any way, whether that be removing fingers or being an executioner. Wishing to use her gift for combat in an honorable way as well, she embarks on covert side jobs to protect and free oppressed peoples in other kingdoms. Upon meeting Prince Po, a young man also Graced with fighting skills, her life changes in unexpected ways as she discovers more about her abilities.
     I really enjoyed this. It's been on my TBR for awhile, and I was happy when it was chosen for me to read by my BookBuddyAThon partner, Felica. This fulfilled one of five challenges in a readathon I participated in on YouTube, particularly reading a book your friend gave five stars. I really liked the world building and the characteristics of the seven kingdoms, as well as the strong female lead. She reminded me a lot of Lia from Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson, in that she rebelled against the life set out for her.
       I preferred Po a bit more than Katsa. Along with her gifts, her level of angst and bad temperament could be grating (even though this was resolved by the middle to end of the book). While the Graceling talents could feel convenient for the situations sometimes, I liked the progression of the story-and it was incredibly well-paced! Po is so well-drawn because Cashore makes him seem genuinely humbled that Katsa's talents are often superior, and he's refreshing because he doesn't feel threatened. Other authors attempt this, but often I think it feels forced.
       This was a great story, quite jealous at the selection of wonderful YA options available for teens today. I've always been a voracious reader, but would have been more so at a younger age with this kind of diverse content. Two thumbs up!

REVIEW: A PLACE WITHOUT SHADOWS (BOOK 2 OF THE DEADLOCK TRILOGY) BY P.T. HYLTON

Published by Six String Books, 2015. Paperback, 313 pgs
Book 1 Review- Regulation 19

First off, I give props to any author who provides a recap of the previous book in a series as a preface to the upcoming book. Hylton does this through a section titled "What We Know". Rook Mountain, Tennessee is adjusting to some tough changes. While a single day hasn't passed in other parts of the country, the residents in this town have experienced eight harrowing years. PT Hylton did not disappoint with book two!

I was excited for fresh material as the mission to eradicate the enemy continues. We are introduced to a new setting called The Sanctuary in this installment, as well as some creepy new creatures to join the eery ranks of the Unfeathered. The title meaning was revealed in the second half and alluded to the ominous forest setting. We are also reunited with some old favorite characters from book one. I particularly appreciated that Hylton continued to draw strong female characters, with Sophie taking a strong position similar to Christine in the previous novel.

I like how Hylton plays with the changing laws in this society. In this case, we have the former Regulated days, and now the Unregulated system. It illustrates how tenuous judicial systems can be, and how a slight imbalance can tip a society into general chaos and lawlessness. The resulting uncertainty and unease made for a suspenseful second book. Going hand in hand with the legal system is the question of morality. The younger generation only knows the rough, unfair system that was in place with Zed, and wants to uphold the prior laws at any cost...unaware of how life was before. Many older folks realize the destructive nature and are warring against the "Zed Heads". This is fun for the reader as we get to see a complex power struggle.

Also, about time travel....this novel has highlighted that it can be tricky and troubling- don't think I would care to engage in it. Writers must have an interesting time outlining these types of stories, I'd love to see all the charts and notes. This was another fast-paced, action filled ending with crazy twists and turns. Looking forward to The Broken Clock, but will be sad when the trilogy ends.

REVIEW: REGULATION 19 (BOOK 1 IN THE DEADLOCK TRILOGY) BY P.T. HYLTON

 Published by Six-String Books, 2015. Paperback, 312 pgs.
 PT Hylton's Booktube Channel
His Website
      We open on a prison. Prisons absolutely terrify me. One of my worst fears is being set up for a crime and ending up in jail a la Orange is the New Black style. It wouldn't stop there. I'd end up getting an infraction of some sort and be put in solitary. Before this thought process is allowed to go further, let's discuss this novel. Frank Hinkle has been in prison for nine years. One day, he is unexpectedly given a reprieve from his sentence on the condition that he perform a certain task. In agreement, he is released to a vastly different Rook Mountain, Tennessee to the one he left. His friends and family are unrecognizable in their behaviors and lifestyle, his brother has disappeared, regulations are in place to keep the citizens of the town from leaving, and mysterious objects are found that end up being of paramount importance. Other than the basics, the less you know the better. 

       This book is a nice blend of elements. We have a Dystopian Tennessee setting nine years in the future, as well as flashback sections to the time before "Unregulated". We also have mystery/thriller/fantasy components with time travel thrown in for good measure. Regulation 19 is distinct and doesn't fit into any one specific genre. Due to the gritty style and excellent writing on a mystery in a small town, I'd liken Hylton's style to Stephen King if I had to think of the closest author comparison.  My favorite settings are rustic so this added to my overall enjoyment. Woods, cabins, and mountains simultaneously give the story a comforting feel, but a sinister one as well due to isolation and the event that keeps it walled off from the rest of the world. The juxtaposition makes for an intriguing story.

     I enjoy creepy small town stories, and this one delivered. I felt for all the characters and was interested in their relationships with each other. There are lots of twists and turns in this book, and, as some fellow reviewers have said (and I wholeheartedly agree) I never knew where the story was going and enjoyed the continuous surprises. There are a couple devices near the end that helped provide explanation and set the reader up for the second installment in the trilogy. This could easily have felt contrived, but it was done seamlessly and that impressed me even more. 

      I would also like to promote P.T. Hylton as a fellow Booktuber and a very nice, articulate person. Thrilled to say that I can wholeheartedly recommend his book as well. I was lucky to receive a signed copy with annotations throughout highlighting PT's thoughts/feelings on the scene or experience while writing. If you go here, you can get signed copies and also buy all three books in the trilogy for $32.95 (includes shipping-US only.) All three can be shipped to the UK for $59.95. I recommend buying directly from him for the great personalization! I'm very excited to see how A Place Without Shadows deals with the changes presented in book one. Highly recommend!   

REVIEW: CHILD OF THE PROPHECY BY JULIET MARILLIER

Published by Tor, 2002. Paperback, 555 pgs.

As the third book in a trilogy, this will be an abbreviated review to prevent any spoilers. Here are my first two Goodreads reviews (pre-blog days) of the first and second book in Sevenwaters Trilogy.
Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters #1)
Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters #2)

After some quick Wikipedia-ing to refresh the ol' mind on characters and important relationships, I dived into Child of the Prophecy. We open on Fianne, who is learning the art of glamour and disguise from her Father, the druid Ciaran. They live in the seaside town of Kerry in the "Honeycombs". Each book has dealt with different generations of the same family, and a progressive loss of magic within the realm. Prophecies must be fulfilled to prevent the old way of life from slipping away and ensure the future of Sevenwaters. Classic good versus evil stuff.

I really loved how Marillier re-introduced a few important characters from the previous books. I especially appreciated that Janis the cook spans the entire trilogy. While not a main character, she hears and sees everything and provides guidance behind the scenes. Like your trusty hairdresser or bank teller, other common professions that deal with hearing people's confessions.

This book dealt with the Druid lifestyle...which is something I wouldn't be completely adverse to. The appreciation for seclusion, forests, an introspective nature, along with the ability to possess a bit of magical ability, wouldn't be too shabby. However, I would miss having some modern amenities such as a Keurig and computer.

The major drawback to this book was the heavy-handed sense of duty stuff. While Fainne must make a difficult choice, the back and forth between whether she will use her abilities for good or evil was exhausting. She is certainly under extreme stress through the incessant blackmail of her Grandmother, but at some point a choice must be made. Fainne possesses the "wisdom of the druid, the craft of the sorcerer, and the blood of four races." So she's pretty important. Another beautiful line from the author: "Raised in discipline, in the endurance of hardship and the knowledge of the lore. Raised in love of solitude and trained in the craft of magic." 

Contrary to my Goodreads rating of the first book as five stars and the second as four stars, I would have to re-evaluate here and say that after completing the books I preferred the second, Son of the Shadows, overall. Liadan was the most decisive and strongest female character (in my humble opinion of course!). She still had flaws and hardships, but I found more empathy with her story because she took more action and didn't stew on one decision. Also, the pacing was better and the plot more intricate . I love the Irish setting and history of Sevenwaters, so I would still highly recommend this series.