Timeless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: March 1st,  2012
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. I do contend that teens can enjoy the story and world, but some people may be upset about the sexual content. Totally fair. I usually only review content that is clearly marketed to teens, and this is not. I'm reviewing this because it is in the same universe as the YA Prudence and is the pre-story to that. So...

If you don't like some steamy content, please skip this review/book!

Introduction

Alexia and her husband Conall were busy living their Happily Ever After when they are summoned by a very important vampire Queen in Egypt. Apparently, their toddler who can touch an immortal and absorb their abilities has raised some eyebrows. To Egypt! Oh, wait. Also, old secrets are unearthed and repentance is in order. LGBT romances blossom. Pastries. Mummies. Water. Coffee. The end of the 5 book series. 

Final Verdict/End of the Series

So, the loose ends get tied up. Some more than others. But Alphas, Lyall, and Floote, her father's past are done. Undoubtedly, my favourite books in the series were the first and the last. The only question remaining is...

Why Would You Take Your Daughter to a Vampire Hive? 

.

.

.

.

.

.

...

Next?

This was all to get into Prudence. Seriously. 5 books. I'm going to reread skim Prudence, and continue on. The world is phenomenal. 

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: September 1st, 2010
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. Not as much as Soulless, but it is there. I do contend that teens can enjoy the story and world, but some people may be upset about the sexual content. Totally fair. I usually only review content that is clearly marketed to teens, and this is not. I'm reviewing this because it is in the same universe as the YA Prudence and is the pre-story to that. So...

If you don't like some steamy content, please skip this review/book!

Introduction

Cast out from Woolsey Castle after her husband accuses her of infidelity, Alexia returns to her parents' home. She is desperate for answers to her pregnancy, and when she seeks her friend Lord Akeldama, she discovers that he is missing. Thus she turns to her last remaining allies to seek the truth of her "infant inconvenience" to prove to her husband that he is wrong (and an idiot). Together they travel to new territory with murder constantly on their heels.

Biffy

The best thing this book did was with Biffy. Not with the main characters, the setting, or the explanation of the pregnancy. It's Lord Akeldama's favourite drone. I hated that the book had so many POVs, because I just wanted to know about Biffy and how it would be worked out with Lord Akeldama. Best couple: Biffy and Lord Akeldama.       

Ivy

Alright, so the second-best thing that this novel did was redeeming Ivy. She isn't nearly as annoying. I stand by that this is the life that she was always supposed to have, but she was confined by her station at birth. I'm happy that she's happy. Perhaps the author realized making her absurdly stupid in the second book was a mistake. 

Romance Genre?

No romance here, unless you count the cringy steamy scene at the end. I was hoping someone else would come along to test/hit on/be with Alexia, but it didn't happen. I'll admit though, I don't need romance in every book I read, I just want Alexia to be with ANYONE else (alas, I know what happens because I've read Prudence). She has a beautiful French inventor who is into her, is totally cool with the pregnancy/raising kids, and STANDING RIGHT BESIDE HER. But no, let's be boring.

Final Verdict

I'm extremely impressed that maternal instincts just don't magically spring up on Alexia. She was resigned to never having children, probably before she ever met with Lord Maccon. I don't see this in fiction nearly as often as I ought to. In this one there's tonnes of fighting and fleeing, near escapes, and fantastical gadgetry. It's adventurous (fun) fluff, that's all, and if that's what you're looking for, you may have a good time. 

SPOILER RANT

If you don't want to read any spoilers, please don't read anything beyond this point. Three things in this book really bothered me.

Piping hot, loose-leaf tea.

1. Connal

He just shows up at the end and they...just make up? Making up implies that she did something wrong, which she didn't. And he didn't do much to convince her to take him back, she was just willing to do so. If he could have dashed in during one of the fights that were taking place just minutes before, it would have been a tad bit more convincing.

2. The Little Dog

So why did the little white dog have to die? He was doing what dogs do and that's reason enough to murder it? Ok, psychopaths. How did beta readers/agents/the publisher let that slide?

3. The Vampires

Ok...why are the vampires trying to kill her too? The werewolves don't seem to give a hoot...but the vampires do. Did I miss something? I feel like this wasn't explained.

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: April 1st, 2010
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. Not as much as Soulless, but it is there. I do contend that teens can enjoy the story and world, but some people may be upset about the sexual content. Totally fair. I usually only review content that is clearly marketed to teens, and this is not. I'm reviewing this because it is in the same universe as the YA Prudence and is the pre-story to that. So...

If you don't like some steamy content, please skip this review/book!

Introduction

Alexia Maccon, muhjah to the queen and bluestocking extrodinare, takes up nighttime hours to manage werewolf pack dynamics and vampire politics. One morning, her husband wakes Alexia with an angry conversation with a ghost. Then, he up and returns to Scotland, leaving her to navigate the current crisis: the widespread loss of immortality. Along with her own problems, Ivy and Alexia's family also bring their own issues to her that she has to deal with. With an entourage in tow, she travels to Scotland to unravel a few mysteries.

Characters

All I really have to say about this book is regarding the characters. The first book, Soulless, did a fairly good job of creating characteristics for everyone that were simple but concrete. This book tosses it all out. Perhaps this section will only be useful to writers who want to do better. The final verdict is at the end of the post.

Lord Maccon was a fairly simple character before: gruff and not easily swayed by sentiment. Emotions? Ew. Alright. Now, he has been sitting on information that Alexia should have been told, and he's just so flippant about it. He calls Alexia "Wife" all the time, which to me is demeaning. In public he says he married her for her body and to shut her up. Their dynamic is awful. And then the ending is beyond infuriating. Why would he act this way? He's with BUR and is fully aware that bizzaro creatures like WEREWOLVES (which he is one!), vampires, and ghosts exist. I saw the plot twist coming very early on, but the reaction to it was astonishingly stupid. I don't think it was properly written into Maccon's character/the world. IF she had given him cause to worry, it would have made a bit of sense, but she had literally never given him reason to question her loyalty. I officially hate him. Unfortunately, because I have already read Prudence, I know the ultimate outcome. I wish she would run away with anyone, including the lovely lady introduced in this book.

Ivy turned into an absolute dolt and I'm not sure why. Any why would Alexia be friends with someone that ridiculous? I did enjoy her ultimate action at the end of the book, as I think she would find it all romantic and against societal rules that she so stringently abided by. One of my favourite scenes in this book is this:

But the author did Ivy a disservice and I don't know why she was so poorly written. The character became unbearably annoying when Ivy could have filled her purpose in the story without the mind-numbing stupidity. Perhaps some of the ignorant comic relief that she's supposed to be providing could have been shifted to Alexia's sister.

Madame Lefoux and Lady Kingair are two new characters that are actually amazing. Each has their own histories, personalities, and ambitions. I think some things with Madame Lefoux (like Alexia undressing her and commenting on her bust) was cringy. Perhaps Ivy being so stupid was to balance out these two other women? 

Final Verdict

This book loses the romance elements, which is fine by me, because there is much less steam obstructing me from reading the actual story. These books aren't going to win literature awards, but the world is interesting and the characters are fun. This book has more same-sex representation than in the first installation, though Maccon does look down on my favourite vampire for the same reason, and that's a bummer. If you've already read Soulless, I don't see why you wouldn't read this one, and if your library already has Soulless, you'd get Changeless (unless you're my current library, that has all of this universe's books in print except this one). It's steampunk, has vampires, werewolves, lesbians, and women in men's clothing, so there's a little bit of everything here.

Fortuna Sworn by K.J. Sutton

Publish Date: June 23 2019
Format Reviewed: eBook
Series: Fortuna Sworn #1
Author: K.J. Sutton
Author’s Goodreads
My Review on Goodreads

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Introduction

Fortuna is a very special being in the world. Only herself and her missing brother are left of their otherworldly kind. She is dangerous, alluring, and very protective of the people she cares about. When the chance to find her brother is presented, she takes it. But she must trust a faerie and play their twisted games. It goes beyond saving her brother, as it quickly becomes apparent that she must fight for her own survival as well.

World Building and Characters

There are two worlds in this book. The familiar human world is just as we know it, though there are some things we regular humans don't get to see. Then there's the other, unseen world. I won't spoil anything, but this book details this new and exciting place. Fortuna is a fantastic bridge for the reader, because she holds some knowledge, though some of it is flawed and she's still learning. The world of the faerie court is thick with intrigue, indulgence, lust, and violence. They have their own traditions and history and there's so much for Fortuna and the reader to learn. 

Every character is well described and have great character details. What they look like, dress like, and their personality really shines. Fortuna changes throughout the book, reacting to her ordeals and growing. Just when you think you can trust another character, you can't, and she has to change too. I appreciate that there are no wasted characters, with the exception of one girl from the beginning, there are no wasted characters (but I'm hoping we get to see said girl in another book). There is one witch that is mentioned, and I hope we get to see her at some point too. 

Love Interests

There are a few possible love interests here and they are all great. You can't trust faeries but dang, does one really try to get Fortuna to like him. I flipped-flopped between liking him and loathing him. The other option, who I shall not name, is just so amazing as well. However, it's unconventional, and at first, I really wasn't rooting for him because it was so weird. But you know what? The more I read, I was like, no, girl, please be happy with someone because everyone here sucks.  

Age Group

Faerie stories seem to have a heaping spoonful of steamy moments, and this book is no exception. Because some of the scenes get fairly explicit, I recommend this to older teens, the new adult age range, or adults. In case anyone is wondering, these scenes are leagues above Soulless. What I do appreciate about Fortuna Sworn is that intimacy IS hella confusing, especially when you are new to it with new people.

Cover

Can we just take a minute and appreciate this cover? It's gorgeous and it's faithful to the book. Isn't it the worst when the cover has a representation of a character and it doesn't match the description? This absolutely does. It's amazing, please oogle the cover, it's deserving.

Final Verdict

I've read a lot of good books last year and this year, but this seriously this one is in my top 5 (even higher than The Hazel Wood, and I really got into that one). I couldn't put this down. I am so sad that it ended because it needs to go on and I can't wait for the next one. With the last line, I was loosing it. Winter 2019 can't come fast enough. I usually don't like stories that have three trials, but these were engaging and the stakes were high. As long as you are ok with some sexual scenes, I highly recommend this book.

 

This book was a roller coaster for me. The review ends here, but just in case anyone is interested, here how I basically handled it my reading experience.
Outrage came pretty quickly. This is what I wanted Fortuna to do right from the start:

Every time someone stood in her way or was just being so wishy-washy with their feelings/actions, I also put them on my list. Especially by the end. I was basically internally screaming Why isn't she murdering everybody?!

Give me back my brother!

Sometimes I softened a bit and it was confusing. Urgh,feelings!

But then, of course, I got angry again, and decided rampaging was still the best option.

I do, however, realize that if I tried to do anything of this, the outcome would be this:

So that's why I'm not the heroine of this book. I hope in the next book, she gets to kick even more deserving butt.

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Blood of Eden

The Immortal Rules * The Eternity Cure * The Forever Song 

Dawn of Eden

Published: 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd/Audible
Author's Website
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Series: Blood of Eden
Narration by: Thérèse Plummer

Introduction

Zeke is dead, and Allie, Kanin, and Jackal are still travelling to stop Sarren. Allie has decided that with Zeke dead, she hates everything, and she wants to be a monster now. Jackal approves. Kanin isn't mad, he's disappointed.

Weak Female Protagonist

First, this book waxes sentimental WAY too much. I wish my music app on my phone had a "skip ahead 10 seconds" button like Youtube.

Overall, Allie is a weak protagonist in this book, which is the exact opposite of what she once was. People do change, sometimes for the worse, but this seems like bad writing. Instead of saving the world, she decides to go after her love interest. You know, after saving the world, he will STILL BE THERE. Saving the world is more important. Too many times she should have waited for the other two members of her team to come, but she rushed into danger and made everything worse. I guess the power of lub <3 is detrimental to strong women.

Sacrifice Ending

That was so lazy and just a dramatic gimmick. I'm pretty sure you could have sprayed your blood on them and gotten the same effect. You're a vampire, and we know limbs regenerate. Toss them an arm!

In my headcanon, he didn't die. He decided to get a hobby, like golf, and he took some time off to be by himself, away from the trio of idiots he had to spend last 6(ish) months with.

Final Thoughts

Despite Allison's terrible decision-making abilities, I still recommend this book. The trio has a nice family dynamic to it that was hilarious to listen to. If you've read the first two books in this series, or if your library has purchased the first two, there isn't a reason to not have the final book in the series in your collection. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal fiction, dystopias, vampires, or horror.

Beyond Falling Stars By Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook
Published: April 2017
Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing
Series: Starlight Saga #3
Website: Author’s blog
She’s Also on Wattpad
Amazon: Here
Goodreads: Here


Story

Get in the spaceship, we’re going to Reticuli.

Sloane and the gang have been through a lot. During all their troubles, they get news that the Lancasters are going to the alien planet Reticuli. It also just makes sense that everyone else can go too, so the whole cast goes to the two-sun beach planet. Once there, not much goes in Sloane’s favor - attempts on her life, a war with her new mother-in-law, and Hayden’s ex just not letting go.

Mystery

We have another round of trying to figure out a who is the person behind some nefarious deeds. In the last book I didn’t see it coming and I felt amazing at the reveal. This time, I thought, It’s definitely not X. Though wouldn’t it be funny if it is X? And…turns out that it is X, and it was still another awesome moment for me (NOOOOOO WAAAAAY!), especially because it’s a little more complicated than it seems.

Flow

For me, it wasn’t as fast of a read as the previous two in the series, but it still had that easy flow and nail-biting what will happen next anticipation. I haven’t had much time on my lunch break to read, so I’d get a few pages read and have to stop, and that was agonizing. The way it’s written keeps you hooked - I think it has something to do with the lack of purple prose and superfluous description, so the plot and general excitement keeps going.

Final Verdict

The whole series was fantastic. Alien-human hybrids, romance, action, a few mysteries - everything to keep you interested. This book did not disappoint and I highly recommend it along with the other two books. I have some more thoughts below if anyone wants to read them, but they contain spoilers.

I didn't make this.

SPOILERS

End of the Series

I have a few thoughts about how the end wrapped everything up.

The “Let’s not do it until marriage” message is a good message. Not one that I agree with, but for a YA audience it’s good. And they seem to be sticking it out, which I think fits better with the story. It's not controlling like Twilight, it's just what they have agreed to.

I didn’t always like Hayden. Maybe for a sixteen-year-old he’s a hotbad-boy, but I couldn’t get past his communication issues. I liked how he ended up though. Looks like no more communication issues by the end scene.

Writing about a girl’s weight is difficult, as we are currently in a difficult cultural climate about women’s body image. Do you celebrate loving your body no matter what the size, or do you advocate for health and therefore a smaller size? I like how Soule handled Sloane’s struggle. Most importantly, Sloane’s happy with herself. The fact that Hayden loves her is just icing on the cake. With her new life she seems to be more active, and she tries not to overindulge, and she is losing weight without making it an unhealthy obsession. On a personal note, I am a huge horror film, video game, novel, and art nerd. Along with my librarianship and writing jobs, I (and most people) have a largely sedentary lifestyle. It’s really easy to gain weight, and I totally did during high school and university. I had to take up running and exercising a dog every day to balance this out (lol). It's just one of those common things about life that happens and it's nice that there's at least one book out there that address it without making it the focus of the book (e.g. a book about a girl's weight loss journey or anorexia).

Under Sunless Skies by Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook

Published: July 14, 2016/April 2017

Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing

Series: Starlight Saga #2

Website: Author’s blog

She’s Also on Wattpad

Amazon: Here

Goodreads: Here

Introduction

A few weeks ago I was wondering if Sherry Soule wrote the sequel to Lost in Starlight, as I was thinking about what will happen to Sloane. Then, BAM, I get the news that the author is looking to get reviewers for the THIRD book in the series. I was floored! I know I’m in the running for the slowest writer ever, but she works fast, AND look at her goodreads listing of all the books she has authored (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4925996.Sherry_Soule).  

Sloane and Hayden have broken up, she gets a bombshell of news from her own family, and intergalactical organizations are causing her grief. This time around, Sloane has some mysteries to solve. First and foremost, she has a mysterious blackmailer threatening to leak her secrets, putting her and her family in danger.

Story

I was hooked on this book! I couldn’t stop reading because I NEEDED to know who the blackmailer was. I know some books make it obvious who the blackmailer is, and I DID NOT see this one coming. Everyone was acting so suspicious I couldn’t fathom who was behind it. It was an awesome experience that I haven’t felt in a while. There was also the aspect of will they/won't they get back together going on.  

This book feels to be more paranormal romance, with a light layer of sci-fi, and I enjoyed the atmosphere. The sci-fi is a backdrop and it’s unobtrusive. There's no attempt to explain crazy futuristic technology or science and I appreciate that.

Characters

Once again, I really like Sloane. I see her as the kind of girl that gets things done. She's a journalist for her school’s newspaper, a blogger, she has too many mysteries to count to figure out, and she still makes time for her friends. She pines over a boy and that drives me crazy, but in the end, she’s still just a teen. She has problems that are both relatable and paranormal, and the mix is perfect. The book is from her perspective and you get more of her interesting lines and thoughts.    

Two of my favourite quotes are:

If you stabbed me, I’d probably bleed frosting.

I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.

Hayden angered me for about 70% of the book. LISTEN TO SLOANE SHE HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU. I hate reading about on and off again relationships because I also hate them in real life. When an ex comes back after treating your heart like a cigarette butt and is like, hey, let’s get back together! Sure, entertain the idea. Then tell him it’s a good thinking point, as is the idea of setting him on fire.

It is realistic though. It happens all the time. A guy breaks up with you and you’re still totally in love, and you’re like I’M FINE, but secretly you hope he’ll take you back. As an adult I was screaming in my head that she needed to leave him be. He’s being a few shades of Edward Cullen/Christian Gray creepy. I wanted her to be the best kind of awesome she can be without him, and she was, though she was still pining for him. She was chasing him, which I hate, but this is a fictional character...and real people do this too. They do things we don’t like. It just made me want to shake her because she’s better than that, and punch him because he’s being mean and she deserves better.  

As for chasing boys:

(With the exception of the two with text denoting the possible creators at the bottom of the images, I have no idea who made these originally.)

Final Verdict

I highly recommend this book, and the first one in the series, for older teens who are looking for a fun romp with romance and sci-fi. Even if sci-fi isn't your thing, give these a try. These two books were written in an easy flowing way that are easy to get lost in. I have only read the first two books from this series, I am interested in checking out some of the author’s other books because I like the writing style.  

Fun (Maybe) and (Definitely Pointless) Fact:

I wore a lot of black back in the day. Then my mother told me to stop buying black clothes. So I switched to shades of darker blue...then she asked if I was in a blue cult. I know it’s more of a generational thing, but I would love to have Sloane as a daughter, as I know that there’s nothing inherently wrong with looking a bit different. But her mom seems pretty awesome too, even when she wants her daughter to be a little more “normal”. (Side note: Normal people worry me.)  I would have loved to read this as a teenager, and I would have been drooling over all the cool stuff Sloane has.   

Captivate by Carrie Jones

The Need Series

Need, Captivate, Entice, Endure

Published: January 5th 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Website: Series website

Introduction

            Zara and her friends have successfully kept the pixies of Bedford in their house in the woods, keeping them from killing more boys. Zara knows that a better solution is needed, but her problem solving is cut short when a new group of pixies move in to seize the territory. She meets a new pixie who could possibly be the shining example of a good pixie, unless it is all an act. When she loses Nick and has to get him back, she will have to trust the new pixie and change herself.

Plot

Plot spoilers – read at your own risk!

            The plot here is rather small – Nick dies in the beginning of the novel, and Zara needs to get him back from Valhalla to protect Bedford from a new group of evil pixies. They have to do some internet research to figure out how to do this. To accomplish all this, Zara has to make a choice and that leads to big changes, and that’s it. The end of the book is the big change, so you have to read the next installment to get the consequences and benefits.

Cover

            The gold on the eyes and the gold tear can be interpreted as deceit and trust. There is always the threat of deceit from many sides in this book. Trust in this book and the rest of the series plays a significant role. Closing your eyes and trusting/relying on others to not deceive you is a recurrent theme in this series.

Chapter Headings

            While the first book has phobia info, Captivate has Pixie Tips, and I quite like them. Two of my favourites are:

            “Pixies can be annoyingly cryptic. Don’t talk to them. They’ll confuse you and laugh about it later like movie villains and physics teachers.”

            “Hero: you might want to be a hero if and when you and your friends are attacked by pixies. Remember, though, that heroes often die.”

Norse Mythology

More plot spoilers -- read at your own risk!

            A huge problem I have with this is the mythology. Valkyries collect souls, not bodies. Nick should not have been physically picked up and taken to Valhalla. His body should have remained, and if Zara acted quickly enough, she would have to theoretically return his soul to his body before it decomposes. Granted, when mythology is used in fiction, it has to be bent to suit the author’s needs, but it doesn’t mean that I have to like it. 

I didn’t particularly like where the new book went with the Norse mythology theme, and that says a lot from me because I adore Norse mythology.

With this series, I also think about what I consider the downfall of True Blood: too many “beings” were introduced into the world (demons, fae, vampires, weres, shifters, etc). I think the story would have been much stronger if it left out the Norse themes and just kept with the weres and pixies and another being that you meet in Captivate. Why does it need Valkyries and Ragnarok? Plus, Zara acts confused most of the time. If you know you are dealing with Norse gods, and you and your team have done the research, why would you refer to Odin, the All Father, as the “head god guy”? You’d have the vocabulary to have a discussion about this.

Zara

            I’ve seen that people dislike how she reacts to Nick’s death – that it consumed her. I wonder where the empathy is in this situation. Everyone grieves differently. I know that I would be torn apart if my partner died, and if I found out that I might be able to get him back, I too would be totally consumed in the effort. However, I have to point out that they have only been dating a few weeks, not months or years. Then again, first love.

Nick Vs. Astley

Astley.

I’ll elaborate.

Do you know what Nick is? A young man with muscles who  knows how to use them. He’s not all about protection; he’s about killing too, when he has to. But he has no qualms about being merciless (and I will further rant about this in the later two books). 

According to Zara, his lack of likable personality traits doesn’t matter because he is the best guy EVAAAAR.

            Seriously though, Nick is a bit bossy for me to stay emotionally invested in. Zara and Nick constantly go back and forth about not going anywhere alone, and they both do it anyway, they both fight about it, and it gets old. Nick calls Zara “baby” all the time and that irks me to no end (and that’s not just the feminist in me either; it even sounds stupid, so get a better term of endearment).

   

Final Verdict

            I greatly prefer the first one over this one, but Astley is a great character that carries the series forward and makes me want to read the next two books. This book lost the creepy atmosphere that the first one had, and it is sorely missed. The story of this book feels like filler for why the next two happen, and it isn’t that thrilling. The next two books have much more in terms of plot, so if a teen enjoys Norse mythology, I recommend reading this book to get to the next two.  

Lost in Starlight by Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook
Published: June 26th 2014
Publisher:  Disenchanted Publishing

Series: Starlight Saga #1
Website: Author’s blog

First Five Chapters on Wattpad
Paperback Release date: June 16, 2014
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1i1gdRK
Read an Excerpt: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/2014/05/new-series-by-sherry-soule-starlight.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707942-lost-to-starlight

Introduction

                Sloane, journalist for her high school newspaper, horror fanatic, and alternative style aficionado, is spunky, and surrounded by like-minded friends. Hayden is a genius bad-boy and absolutely gorgeous. What started as a silly crush that could never cross the cliques of high school becomes dangerous when Sloane discovers Hayden’s secret.

Story

                There isn’t much plot; it’s primarily a romance story. Every event ultimately revolves around their love. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing if you care for romances. The first part of the book is the mystery of what Hayden is hiding, then the rest is mostly about them going on dates. They have a cute connection (even though it is rushed) and their love is forbidden from a lot of angles. Interspersed are moments of brief action until the climax, which had a satisfying amount of action that had me glued to my eReader. 

Genre

                I originally got excited about this book because it is something I probably wouldn’t have picked up myself. I do enjoy some sci-fi, though I am selective and mostly prefer dystopias (the MadAddam trilogy, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, I am Legend, The Chemical Garden Trilogy, The Hunger Games Trilogy, the Divergent Trilogy, etc.). Stories involving space and all the themes that come with it? Not really my cup of tea. But, as a librarian I need to be more open and be more familiar with a wide range of interests. What Lost in Starlight has is a story that I haven’t seen in YA lit before. I’ve seen similar (which I will not name because I don’t want to spoil anything here!) but nothing that handles the story like this.

                The one thing that bugs me about slapping a sci-fi sticker on this book is that it feels more paranormal than sci-fi. Conventions of sci-fi include technology (that may or may not be possible in the future) and scientific principals (you know, the kinds that I don’t understand), and I don’t recall these appearing in the book. It does, however, have the social commentary that I love, and it does it well.

To me, it feels more paranormal, and that’s ok. I think we need more variety in our paranormal literature, as vampires, werewolves, and witches are overdone.

Writing

                The writing comes from the main character’s POV. She has a bouncy way of describing everything, even when she is sad. At first, I found the writing engaging. Then it grated on me.

Fudge. With extra cherries. I’d totally forgotten.

Holy zombie guts.

Well, hello paranoia!

Is he seriously using big words to call me fat? Total douchebag move.

Sweet zombie babies!

It feels like a diary, which suits her just fine, considering. If this kind of writing is your thing, then you’ll love it. At times I was annoyed...yet I couldn't stop reading. Her voice is addicting.

Relationships

Very Mild Spoiler!

                This book gave a heroine a normal portrayal of teens – she had another relationship before the relationship that the book focuses on. I’m tired of all these YA books and their virginal teens. Teens are likely to have more than one relationship before finding the person who they are going to be with forever (if they even want to do that). Too many unrealistic people want to espouse the notion that teens do not have sex, and if they do, it’s because marriage is just around the corner. These kinds of people like to think that teens do not have random sexual encounters either. I don’t care if anyone is for or against it, but it happens.

                Not all heroines are pure white virgins that wait for their true love that they are fated to be with. I find this thought to be extremely detrimental to women – that their first time is going to be with THE ONE and they will get married and live happily ever after the end. So, I applaud the book for being realistic. She lost her virginity before and she is not with that boy anymore. Still, she is not throwing herself at Hayden just because sex isn’t a big deal anymore, and this also makes me light up with appreciation.    

Gripes

                You can’t Google everything! Sloane is supposed to be an intelligent student headed for greatness academically, so she’d know about trustworthy sites on the internet (especially if the librarian had ever had a library orientation). She’s a super-sleuth reporter, so she should know better. And what are the chances that enough specific information actually got on the internet? Also, by the story’s standards, I think the websites would have been pulled from the internet.

                In your last year of AP English class, it is highly unlikely that you would be reading Romeo and Juliet. I know the author wanted to draw a parallel with division between families and forbidden love, but this is just too easy to point out.

                The author mentions brands and stores (Manic Panic and Hot Topic) so much, it is almost like she is making fun of them. As a teen, I was a fan of alternative styles, and I didn’t recite the brand of every article of clothing I was putting on, nor did I ever have to remind myself that I was using Manic Panic’s Purple Haze. This also severely dates the content of the book, and it is possible that in a decade or so no one is going to know exactly what she is referring to. Also, portraying teens as being this into brand names make them seem like shallow scene kids who just want the look and the labels. Sloane says she’s into her own style…but it sounds like she’s into retro rockabilly. It would have been more interesting if she was actually creating her style.

                Too much emphasis was placed on the size of her chest. I know they can and will get unwanted attention, but it was nearly all the time. The end portion of the book had a scene about this, and it was just unbelievable that she would allow such an act to happen. Then again, it’s unbelievable that she would let a blatant pervert harass her. The girl has spunk and fire, yet she withers on this subject.

                There is a lot of fat-shaming happening to Sloane. However, this book likes to stereotype thin girls as terrible people, and that’s not fair, either. Her friends are the only girls I recall that are thin and nice. I get the impression fat-shaming is bad, but it’s ok to thin-shame. I don’t know if that’s a thing we’re culturally aware of yet, but I’m putting it out there. Of course girls who are thin are narcissistic Barbie dolls who try to steal your boyfriend.

Final Verdict  

                Overall, I recommend Lost in Starlight, especially to older teens who are into paranormal romance (that stress the romance). It is a unique read that touches issues that I’ve not seen in YA yet, and Sloane is an awesome character with real issues alongside the more fantastical ones. I know I pointed a lot of gripes in this review, but they are (mostly) minor. The book ended on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to one day read the next installment!