Review Wednesday: Sinful Cinderella by Anita Valle

Title: Sinful Cinderella (Dark Fairy Tale Queen #1)

Author: Anita Valle
1st Date of Publication: September 15, 2015 

ISBN: 9781518811968
# of Pages: 156

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 13+

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Book Description:
And you thought the stepsisters were wicked....

I'm not who they think I am. A docile girl who meekly obeys her stepmother and stepsisters. Some kind of sick angel who cheerfully bears their mistreatment. That's what I WANT them to think. Because then they won't suspect what I'm really up to.

The ball, the prince - it's all part of my plan to come out on top. Stepmother and her demented daughters will pay for every floor I have scoured, every sneer I have borne. They don't know about the white magic, how I use it to enhance myself. They can't see that my heart is black as midnight, rotten as a poisoned apple.

They're about to find out.

Setting: Fictional kingdom
Point of View: 1st person- Cinderella

Goodreads Rating: 3.63

My Rating: 3.50

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: Cinderella looks absolutely beautiful in a devious dark way. The black dress and the sharp jagged crown fit her dark presence.
View on Title: I really was intrigued by the title since it has some alliteration, specifically consonance, with the "s" sound. Why is Cinderella sinful anyway? What does she do?

Pros:

• I liked the twist with Cinderella's character. She's a bad girl and only seems like a good girl for her own benefit.
• I found it funny how Cinderella calls her fairy Godmother "Godnutter" which I have always perceived as a little crazy.
• In this book, nothing is what it seems, which makes the reader want to read more.
• This book obviously foreshadows Snow White, which I thought was very creative and makes me want to continue reading these novellas.
• The ending was perfect in my opinion. I will not give any spoilers, but the concept of "what goes around, comes around" is at play. Nothing truly goes unpunished.

Cons:

• I know this book is a novella, but I felt that it was really rushed and was too short for the story. It made me feel a little frustrated because I felt more could have been done with the plot.
• Because the book was short, it lacked character development for all characters, even Cinderella herself.
• I felt that Cinderella hearing about her mom was a crucial part of the book and it was barely touched upon. This could have become a large part of what could make the book feel fuller.

Anita Valle's Website:
http://www.anitavalleart.com/

Other Recommendations:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

New Release Review: The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

Title: The Wish Granter (Ravenspire #2)

Author: C.J. Redwine
1st Date of Publication: February 14, 2017

ISBN: 9780062360274
# of Pages: 432

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 13+

Buy on Amazon 

Book Description:
An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.

Setting: Fictional world of several kingdoms
Point of View: 3rd person- Arianna Glavan, Sebastian Vaughn, Alistair Teague

Goodreads Rating: 4.11

My Rating: 4.25

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: It looks like a quilt where there is magic involved through the circular motion as if the wind is blowing it.
View on Title: Who is the Wish Granter? Does he or she truly grant wishes or is there more to it?

Pros:

• This book is a stand-alone despite being in the same world as the previous book.
• I really like that you get to see more of the world that you saw from the first book, The Shadow Queen.
• You get to see the main characters, Lorelai and Kol, from the previous book in a short scene of this book.
• The characters I thought were also very well-developed.
• Princess Arianna is a very bold character and is relentless in what she thinks is right. She never loses her servant attitude even though she literally went from rags to riches, which is the same for her brother, Thadeus.
• Sebastian is a heartthrob and he is good with weapons. He is the perfect hero who struggles with his past and tries not to become what he is predisposed to in his early life.
• Teague is so cutthroat and manipulative. He's basically a mob boss, except that he's the only mob boss in the entire kingdom. He's willing to go at any lengths to gain the ultimate power. His character is how I really see Rumpelstiltskin. 

Cons:

• The only thing I did not particularly like was how rushed the end felt, which I felt the same with The Shadow Queen. I understand that the situation was dire and last minute, but it felt like Sebastian and Ari went from nothing to "we have to do this now."

Critics' Reviews:
“Satisfying fare for fantasy fans.” -Kirkus Reviews
“A welcome feminist revision of the classic fairy tale.” -School Library Journal

C.J. Redwine's Website:
http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/

Other Recommendations:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Anticipation Friday: The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

Goodreads Description
An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.

Preorder on Amazon

Other info
Expected Date of Publication: February 14, 2017
Stand-Alone or Series/Companion: Stand-Alone and Companion (Ravenspire #2)
Genre: Young Adult Fanatsy

Why Am I Anticipating This Book?

• The first book, The Shadow Queen, was a rendition of the Evil Queen. This one seems to be about Rumpelstiltskin as the Wish Granter.
• I'm pretty sure that the two main characters, Lorelai and Kolvanismir, from The Shadow Queen are going to show up sometime.
• I like how it starts with a set of twins where they both try to protect each other.
• Finally, I hope to see more of the world rather than Ravenspire.

Review Wednesday: Sinful Intent by Chelle Bliss

*This is a book meant for adults due to some inappropriate content for people younger than 18.*

Title: Sinful Intent (ALFA Private Investigations #1)

Author: Chelle Bliss
1st Date of Publication: July 14, 2015

ISBN: 9781682305119
# of Pages: 300

Genre: New Adult

Age Rating: 17+ (Sexual Content and Language)

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Book Description:
Never cross the line. That had always been my rule. But that was before Race True.

The moment I saw her, I wanted her. But there was a problem. She wasn’t just another pretty face—no, she was my first client at ALFA PI. My take-what-I-want attitude shouldn't include her, but how the hell can I be expected to keep my hands off?

The danger that followed her had my protective instincts in overdrive. And as the clock ticked down, the choice was laid out before me: save her career or risk everything and have her in my bed. Could I put aside my wants for her needs? Or would my selfishness destroy everything in the process?

Warning: If you can't handle a dirty-mouthed bad boy or a tough woman with an attitude, this might not be the book for you.

Setting: Florida
Point of View: 1st person- Moran DeLuca and Race True

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

My Rating: 4.25

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The cover looks very steamy and scandalous. It's pretty obvious that the girl in the photo knows what she is doing and the male seems to be really good at catching her attention.
View on Title: The title sounds very sexy and makes it sound scandalous.

Pros:

• I really liked how the book is split between Morgan and Race's points of view. The reader is able to truly understand each of their emotions and motives when dealing with each other.
• This book has detectives rather than cops, which I believe makes the book hotter because the detectives aren't afraid to get their hands dirty despite the law.
• I really enjoyed seeing the racecar world through Race.
• Morgan's character is perfect for his role. He's a bad boy who became an army veteran to straighten his life out, but he's still a bad boy at heart. He is a very motivated and committed person despite having a trouble maker personality.
• Race's character is very bossy and does not let people push her around. She sets her territory and is not afraid to tell people to back off.
• The plot twist at the end was not completely expected. It's hard to explain without spoiling the book. It made the book more interesting and worth the read.
• There is a true sense of family through mostly Morgan. He's been on his own for awhile until he moves to Florida where his entire family gets together for Sunday dinners. Race on the other hand shows a sense of loneliness which has always caused her to push others away.

Cons:

• The names of the two main characters seemed like Chelle Bliss couldn't think of the names for them. Race is named after racing which she has been associated all life. I understand the sentiment of it, but she probably got picked on a lot as a kid. For Morgan's name, I know it's a boy's name but I don't hear it often enough to make it sound normal.
• I felt a lack of the secondary characters. I understand that the situation was urgent and meant for only the two characters to deal with in that short period of time.

Critics' Reviews
"I didn't think I could possibly like this new series as much as I liked Men of Inked... Chelle has worked her magic and proved me wrong." -- Literature Litehouse
"God do I love it when Chelle Bliss puts the pen to paper, or the fingers to the keyboard. She creates an epic tale each and every time!" -- Sexy Book Reviews
"It's an interactive experience that will cause you to smile, frown, laugh, gasp, giggle, and blush." - Rosarita Reader

Chelle Belle's Website:
http://chellebliss.com/

Other Recommendations:

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
My Skylar Penelope Ward

Review Wednesday: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice #1)

Author: George R.R. Martin
1st Date of Publication: August 6, 1996

ISBN: 9780553103540
# of Pages: 694

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 17+

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must ...and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

Setting: Medieval era, Westeros
Point of View: 3rd person- Many characters

Goodreads Rating: 4.44

My Rating: 4.75

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The sword's handle looks really cool with its intricate design and the blue background sets a somber or cold tone.
View on Title: Who doesn't like to play games? Or being royal? It made me think of a game of wits.

Pros:

• It's a whole new world. It is a more modern version of Lord of the Rings without the elves and hobbits, but there are dragons.
• This book is full of knights, kings, and dragons. It makes the story more interesting as it develops and the characters cross paths.
• I liked how it didn't show the world as glorified, which made it more believable.
• There is a lot of character development and the reader can understand the motives of a character because there is several different chapters dedicated to different characters.
• There is a very distinguishable line between good and evil for many characters but there are others that seem to see actions and morals as bendable.
• There is not a clear line of power and politics because those who may be in political power may not actually have power at all.

Cons:

• There are so many characters with odd names that it's a little difficult to keep track of everyone in the beginning.
• It's in third person, which I'm not a fan of, but it is necessary for the story.

Critics' Reviews
"The major fantasy of the decade . . . compulsively readable."—Denver Post
"We have been invited to a grand feast and pageant: George R.R. Martin has unveiled for us an intensely realized, romantic but realistic world."—Chicago Sun-Times
"A Best Book of 1996: Martin makes a triumphant return to high fantasy . . . [with] superbly developed characters, accomplished prose, and sheer bloodymindedness."—Publishers Weekly
"A splendid saga . . . . Inventive and intricately plotted."—BookPage

George R.R. Martin's Website:
http://www.georgerrmartin.com/

Other Recommendations:

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis