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Book Review: Long Way Home by Katie McGarry | Blog Tour

Jan 24, 2017

Long Way Home by Katie McGarry

Pages: 448
Publish date: January 31st 2017
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ASIN: B01HB97I5C
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Kobo
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It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

Long Way Home:

I received a review copy of Long Way Home by Katie McGarry from Harlequin Teen via Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book. Don’t forget to check out my review for Nowhere by Here and Walk the Edge.

I don’t know how I feel about this book. Katie McGarry is one of my favourite contemporary writers, but Long Way Home didn’t hit that spot and left me disappointed. I was so excited when I was picked to be on the tour, but after reading I was hanging for more.

Long Way Home follows protagonists Violet and Chevy as they both struggle with their lives that they have come to know. The Reign of Terror are both their families, but when Violets’ dad dies, she wants nothing to do with them. However, when everything is on the line including their lives, she might just have to let the terror back in.

What I love about Katie McGarry’s books, is as the series goes on we find out more about the world of the books. Everything isn’t throw at us at once. We also find out about protagonists, before they even star in a book. It’s done so effortlessly. I felt that we already had a sense of Violet and Chevy before the book began, and then as Long Way Home went on, the reader is able to find out more.

Violet and Chevy aren’t my favourite Katie McGarry characters. I didn’t click with both of them. Therefore making it really hard to connect and be invested in their lives. Violet has very strong options about the Reign and why she doesn’t want to be with them anymore. And while it’s totally understandable, it did get slightly frustrating at times. She didn’t want to listen to anyone, even while they were trying to explain and save her life.

While Violet has her troubles with the Reign, so does Chevy. Throughout the whole book, the reader is able to see him struggle. He is stuck between trusting the family that he knows, being by his mother’s side, and losing the girl that he has loved most of this life. It was hard to see Chevy compete with himself and think about what the best thing to do is.

I enjoy the intensity of Long Way Home. Every page there was the treat of something happening. That something is going to blow. The reader doesn’t know who to trust or what to believe, and it’s epic. I love these sorts of books, where you have no idea what is going to happen next.

The romance was one of my favourite aspects of Long Way Home. It’s rare in YA, that you delve into a novel where the romance has already been built. Although Chevy and Violet aren’t together at the start, the reader knows the history. There is already this connection and we don’t have to waste the novel building it up. The reader is able to see that both Violet and Chevy care so much about each other. And would do anything, even if they don’t realise it.

Overall, Long Way Home by Katie McGarry is a novel about family, friendship, love and finding out what happens. And although this isn’t one is her best, the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat. And has a romance that you cannot help but fall in love with.

Have you read Long Way Home? Are you planning on reading it? Have you read the first two books in this series? Have you read any other Katie McGarry books? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Frostblood by Elly Blake

Jan 23, 2017

Frostblood by Elly Blake

Pages: 304
Publish date: January 12th, 2017
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 1473635179
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

In a land governed by the cruel Frostblood ruling class, seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has spent most of her life hiding her ability to manipulate heat and light – until the day the soldiers come to raid her village and kill her mother. Ruby vows revenge on the tyrannous Frost King responsible for the massacre of her people.

But Ruby’s powers are unpredictable…and so are the feelings she has for Arcus, the scarred, mysterious Frostblood warrior who shares her goal to kill the Frost King, albeit for his own reasons. When Ruby is captured by the Frost King’s men, she’s taken right into the heart of the enemy. Now she only has one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who took everything from her – and in doing so, she must unleash the powers she’s spent her whole life withholding.

Frostblood is set in a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies – but together create a power that could change everything.

Frostblood:

I received a review copy of Frostblood by Elly Blake from Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review. This has no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

A new year off to a great start. Frostblood was the first book that I read this year and I am so glad that I did because I loved it. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was hooked from the very first page.

Frostblood follows protagonist Ruby a Fireblood who has spent most of her life hiding her powers, but when soldiers raid her village and kill her mother she reveals her powers and is captured. But she doesn’t stay there for too long. With the help of some ‘friends’ Ruby might just get her revenge.

This world captivated me, the magic, the characters, and the plot. It was like everything that I loved wrapped all into one. It was perfect, but it was sure damn close. One thing that I am upset about, is that I have to wait so long for book 2. Why can’t I have it already?

I really enjoyed Ruby as a protagonist. She has this strength about her that I admired. Ruby had been imprisoned, but it still never really got her down. She was there fighting with all her strength. People treat her like crap because she is a fireblood, but she stayed strong. But then what gave her power, was always her weakness.

Because she never trained, she can’t always control her fire and people could get hurt. So when she has to harness these powers and use them – it breaks her. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, even though people have tormented her. I also like how innocent she was at times. It was sweet actually.

When Ruby is first rescued, she is taken to heal and then learn to fight. And to her knowledge kill the Frost King. She meets some pretty amazing people, mostly importantly Arcus.

Holy crap. I will ship this romance forever. They made my heart melt. It slow, burning and just so good. Arcus is the typical mysterious guy that hides behind a hood. He projects a not so nice attitude, but as the novel goes on you begin to find out why.

The second after of the book was intense. And I’m not spoiler much here and it’s in the synopsis, but she is captured by the Frost King’s soldiers – again. But, this time she is taken right into the Kingdom and meets the King himself. And then all hell breaks loose.

The world of Frostblood is the basic fantasy world with magic. Where one power is seen as superior to another. But, there were so many other layers to this world. That fitted perfectly on top of one another. Everything wasn’t thrown at the reader at the one time but was slowly revealed to both the reader and Ruby.

Overall, I can see that Frostblood might be one of my favourite books of the year. With a mix of everything I love. Frostblood explores the notion of family, finding out who you are, where you belong and to fight for what you believe. I loved the romance and the world. This debut author has done an excellent job and I cannot wait to see what comes from her next.

Have you read Frostblood? Did you like it as much as I did? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Jan 12, 2017

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Pages:
Publish date: January 21st, 2017
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 9781473629158
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.

When the sisters’ long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless, she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

Caraval:

I received an ARC of Caraval from Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I was very excited to get Caraval in my hands, where it’s all about magic and fighting for what you love. However, it wasn’t what I expected, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it.

Caraval follows protagonist Scarlett Dragna and her sister Tella as they are invited to enter the magical game of Caraval. But, when they arrive Tella vanishes and Scarlett must do everything in her power to find her. However, everything is not what it seems. And you don’t know what’s real or not, you have to trust in yourself. And try not to be caught up in the game.

Scarlett was the type of protagonist that I clicked with. She cared so much for sister that she would do anything for even, anything. She has this presence about her that I really enjoyed reading. And as the book went on she grew stronger. One of the things I loved about Scarlett was her weakness – she love and compassion for her sister, was also her downfall.

Tella, on the other hand, was so frustrating at times. She reminded me a lot of one of my sisters when she was younger – and I just couldn’t take it. I don’t know if it’s the big sister in me or what. Although, we didn’t get to see much of her in the book.

One of the things I loved most about Caraval was the notion of family. It was great seeing both sides of the same rock. The readers are able to see the loving relationships between Scarlett and Tella. Where Scarlett will do anything for her sister and vise versa. Then on the other side, it’s the horrible relationship they have with their father. It’s rare that we get to see the good side of families in YA, especially in fantasy.

I don’t know how I feel about the romance in Caraval. It’s very hard to talk about it without giving anything away. But, it’s not your usual YA romance, also there are so hurdles along the way – that she didn’t sit right.

Be warned – Don’t believe anything in Caraval. It’s one of those books where you don’t know what is real and what isn’t until the last page. You are second guessing yourself the whole book, along with the characters. You don’t know what or who to believe. It’s like you are on a scale, tipping slowing. And however frustrating it is, it works in Caraval.

The world of Caraval was fascinating. They have this game that is never in the same place. Where you don’t know what is going to happen next and when you win – you get 1 wish. I was swept up into this magical world with beautiful writing that seemed also fairytale-like.

The ending was intense. The whole of Caraval lead up to this point. And everything clicked or was washed away. It was like layer upon layer finally clicking.

Overall, I enjoyed Caraval. It can be confusing and angry you to the bone, but it works. It explores the notion of family, friendships and doing what you think is right. It’s about finding believing in others and finding yourself. I cannot wait to read the second book in this two book series.

Have you read Caraval? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!