Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

Blurb from Goodreads:
Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.
 


4.5 stars
2014 is really a jackpot year for fantasy and sci-fi. I can't believe how many great books there have been this year. And Stitching Snow is another one to add to the list. If you are not a fan of insta-love, I dare you not to like this one. The romance is so sweet, so slow-building, so fantastic! I'm not a big romance fan, but this one was definitely worth reading.

I loved the Snow White story set in space. (Playing Risk with her father based on Earth from long ago was a nice twist to where we are in space and time.) Essie lives in an incredibly hostile environment when we first meet her - and she thrives. She is such a fighter and independent. I loved her from the first chapter. So often, main female characters are described as being tough, but turn out to play the damsel in distress. Essie is no such heroine. She's smart, resourceful and hard as nails.



The cover is gorgeous.  I should have known it was going to be a good book based on that.  I know - never judge a book by its cover and all that, but sometimes you can just tell.

The story wrapped up nicely so I don't know if there will be a sequel, but if there is I will definitely be reading it.

Content: There is a robot who is named Cusser, but it is just alluded to that he swears, the words are never stated.  No sex - the romance is really sweet with just a tender kiss.

Queen of Someday by Sherry Ficklin

 

Blurb from Goodreads:
ONE GIRL WILL BRING AN EMPIRE TO ITS KNEES...

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophie will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

I love any book that makes me scramble for my history book. At first I didn't know this was about Catherine the Great. So I researched and found out some really cool and interesting things. This book did a fantastic job of showing how a young, confused teenager could grow into one of the most famous Empresses in Russian history. My only complaint is that the books was too short. There could have been a lot more court intrigue and delving into the background of Empress Elizabeth (who also had a fascinating road to the throne). In a time when women were not treated as equals, it is refreshing to see a female character who takes charge of her own destiny rather than allowing circumstances and other people to decide for her. I don't know if this book was historically accurate - no one can know for sure - but things could have unfolded in this manner.

I hated the cover. It seemed more like an adult romance cover. I almost didn't pick this one up because of it. I hope the next one more accurately reflects the book.

I will definitely be looking forward to the next one (especially to see Peter get his comeuppance).

Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Valentina Cruz no longer exists.

One moment, she was wrapped in Emilio’s arms, melting into his kiss. The next, she was witnessing the unthinkable: a murder in cold blood, ordered by her father and carried out by her boyfriend. When Emilio pulled the trigger, Valentina disappeared. She made a split-second decision to shed her identity and flee her life of privilege, leaving the glittering parties and sultry nightlife of Miami far behind.

She doesn’t know how to explain to herself what she saw. All she knows now is that nothing she believed about her family, her heart, or Emilio’s love, was real.

She can change her name and deny her past, but Valentina can’t run from the truth. The lines between right and wrong, and trust and betrayal, will be blurred beyond recognition as she untangles the deceptions of the two men she once loved and races to find her own truth.

 

 

4 stars

 Great read! This book had everything it needed to make it a compelling and intriguing read. The characters were multi-layered and just when you thought they would act one way, they would throw you a curve ball. I was not a big fan of the romance between a 24 year old and a 17 year old especially when certain information was revealed at the end. Emilio should know better. At first I hated Marcel. Martinez did a great job of slowly revealing his inner layers and making you love his character in the end. I felt Valentina's character was strong and vulnerable at the same time. She truly grew and matured as the story goes on. She has a big decision to make in the end, and while I think I would have chosen to do some things differently I can still respect why she did what she did.

This seemed like a stand alone novel which I appreciate. I will be picking up more titles by this author for certain. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good thriller with great characters who have to make interesting choices. 

 

This was an absolute clean read.  Sex is vaguely implied and referred to later in the book, but there is nothing graphic.

Rebel Wing by Tracy Banghart

Blurb from Goodreads:
The Dominion of Atalanta is at war. But for eighteen-year-old Aris, the fighting is nothing more than a distant nightmare, something she watches on news vids from the safety of her idyllic seaside town. Then her boyfriend, Calix, is drafted into the Military, and the nightmare becomes a dangerous reality.

Left behind, Aris has nothing to fill her days. Even flying her wingjet—the thing she loves most, aside from Calix—feels meaningless without him by her side. So when she’s recruited to be a pilot for an elite search-and-rescue unit, she leaps at the chance, hoping she’ll be stationed near Calix. But there’s a catch: She must disguise herself as a man named Aristos. There are no women in the Atalantan Military, and there never will be.

Aris gives up everything to find Calix: her home. Her family. Even her identity. But as the war rages on, Aris discovers she’s fighting for much more than her relationship. With each injured person she rescues and each violent battle she survives, Aris is becoming a true soldier—and the best flyer in the Atalantan Military. She’s determined to save her Dominion . . . or die trying.

This is a new release of the previously self-published title Shattered Veil.

4.5 stars
The shift in cover art and title was a great move. The second cover really gives a better feel of what the book is about. The first cover was enticing, but it didn't really scream sci-fi book with a really cool MC who flies. I think the second cover will garner a much more devoted fan base. And this book deserves it. I found it to be really well written and engaging. I loved watching Aris learn and mature and grow into her own person. I really hope there will be more books set in this world. I am a map person so I would like a map next time too. Not that I have any say, just sayin'...

The one drawback to the books was the love affairs. They were too easily formed and dissolved. I need to see that a character is going to be constant and not distracted by another person while they are in a committed relationship. Just because things are hard, and you don't get to see each other, doesn't mean you form attachments elsewhere.

I felt this book was full of really strong women. Galena was my absolute favorite character. I really would like to read more about her. I found myself looking forward to her chapters. Her romance was tender and sweet even if it was full of heartache. But again we have a man who is promised to someone else falling in love with Galena.

I would have expected a book this good to be picked up by a major publishing house (that sounds incredibly snobbish to self published works, but I haven't had much luck with those), and I feel that the author will be putting out more quality work. I will be waiting to see what is next.

The Fall by Bethany Griffin

Blurb from Goodreads:
Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.

4 stars
Spooky and atmospheric - perfect for Halloween. The lyrical prose was top notch. It meandered a bit in the middle, but I loved Madeline's voice so much that I didn't mind. Some people may not like the way the story hopped around in Madeline's life, but I felt it really added to the mysteriousness. The incest was creepy, and I thought unnecessary. The last 15% was a whirlwind and felt rushed and did not match the beautiful build up that came before it. The cover conveys exactly what you are going to get in the story - mystery and suspense. I love EAP, and I think he would be proud and flattered that this story was based on one his short stories. It did a great job of remaining true to the original, but also having a more fleshed out story. Sometimes retellings can be tricky, but this one was a true gem. I haven't read the other Poe retellings by this author, but I am definitely going to check them out soon.

Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch

Blurb from Goodreads:
A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.
 
3.5 stars
Confused is a good word to describe how I felt throughout most of the book. It is clear that the author created a complex and intricate world. It was very hard to keep track of all the different kingdoms and leaders. The map in the beginning was really small, but that helped make sense of all the details. Everything was introduced so quickly and at times there was info dumping. The world was so detailed that I wanted to know all about it, but the information needed to be parceled out a little slower and more concisely.

Meira is an interesting character. She so desperately longs for acceptance and wants to find a place where she feels she belongs. As an orphan, that rang true and was well done. You could almost feel her longing. I thought her relationship with Sir was complex and layered. I did not like the insta-love and the changing of her affections so abruptly. One minute she is in love with one guy and the next she is madly in love with someone that she barely knew.

All in all, this was a good read. I want to read the next book as I feel that the world building was all set up in this book so the next one can concentrate on the characters more.

Content: There was no sex or language in this book.  There are some violent scenes, and the main character kills several enemies.

Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Blurb from Goodreads:
A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for.



4.5 stars
What a delightful surprise! I loved the setting and the premise and the characters and the tensions and the, well, you get it. I just loved this book. The carefully tended conflict between the generations was expertly handled. The ending between mother and daughter left me in tears. I am just an old softy when in comes to mamas and their babies. Fortunately, my 14 year old is such a great kid, and there is very little conflict in our home.

This book is so well researched that you can't help but believe in the world that has been created. The whale business is dying out being replaced by kerosene and the whales being harder to find. This mirrors the Roes as Avery and her mom are not taking over. The parallels are nicely done and striking. I really enjoyed the rich history of the whaling business. You felt for the sailors, but I was happy for the whales that the industry was dying a natural death.

The beginning is a little slow as the world is introduced but it is worth pushing through. I highly recommend to readers who enjoy a great fantasy with historical content thrown in.