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Book Review: Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier

Aug 27, 2014

Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier

Pages:304 (paperback)
Publish date:July 23rd 2014
Publisher:Penguin Australia
ISBN: 9780143571070
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

It’s the Carnevale of 1750 and Venice’s ballrooms, theatres, palazzos and squares are filled with delicious gossip, devilish fun and dangerous games. In this glittering masked world, everyone has a secret…

Set in an age of decadence made famous by Casanova, Masquerade uncovers the secrets of seven teens, from the highest aristocrat to the lowest servant – their dreams, desires, loves, loyalties … and betrayals.

All the world’s a stage. Let the show begin.

Masquerade:

First Line: In a city shrouded in secrets, it was only fitting that Orelia’s first view of Venice was shrouded in fog.

I received an e-arc of Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier from Netgalley by Penguin Teen Australia. This in no way has influenced my review.

I have been reading so many amazing books lately and Masquerade was nothing less. I absolutely adored Masquerade. I could not put it down at any moment, I was reading both in between classes and in class. It was thrilling and drawing in every way possible.

Venice has always been a place where I have wanted to go since I can remember, but not only that I always wanted to go at the time of carnival. So when I was told that not only is Masquerade set in Venice, but also at the time of carnival? I was in love from that moment on.

Kylie Fornasier’s writing is very intriguing and captivating. Once I started to read I was immersed into the story.

Masquerade is really different from what I have read before. First, I don’t read that much Historical Fiction so it’s really nice to read a different genre that I really enjoyed. Also the fact that there are 6 different perspectives gives a whole new feel to the book.

Kylie Fornasier is a genius when it comes to writing different perspectives. At first it was hard for me to know who was who, but not because it was hard to tell person from person. But because there were quite a few. Fornasier was able to write from 6 different perspectives and they didn’t even sound the same. I was able to tell one character from another. It was really interesting.

I really enjoyed all the main characters. They all had different personalities and valued different things, but they were all really likable in different ways.

Orelia is the main protagonist of Masquerade. The story starts when she enters Venice. After the unfortunate event that you find out at the start of the novel Orelia finds her way to Venice in need for a place to live, but something just isn’t right. She is not welcomed in Venice, not at all. I really enjoyed Orelia. At times I just wanted hug her and hold her tight.

Angelique Contarini’s least favourite night of the year was the last night of Carnevaale. It was like saying goodbye to a dear friend…

Angelique and Veronica are cousins of Orelia. They might be sisters but they are complete opposites. I really enjoyed Angelique. She was sassy, but I felt that she was in love with the thought of love and sometimes that isn’t the best thing. It was really weird reading from Angelique’s POV because, if you didn’t know, that is actually my full name. Veronica is nothing like her sisters. She is quiet and isn’t looking for someone to marry. She is just so against it, but throughout Masquerade you see her crack.

Anna works for Angelique and Veronica’s family. But she isn’t all that she seems. I think that Anna was one of my favourite characters. There was just something about her that I really liked.

Bastian. What can I say about Bastian other than he is a player. There is no denying it. There were times when I wanted to hit him on the head and knock some sense into him. Marco was also a very interesting character.

Isn’t it better to be free for a short while, than caged for life?

Claudia. Oh I feel for Claudia so much. With a mother like hers. She was trying to have her own life, but her mother just had to take over.

I loved the setting of Masquerade. Just everything about it made me smile so much. All the balls, dresses, masks. Through the beautiful writing style of Kylie Fornasier I was able to imagine everything.

Everything about Masquerade was just compelling and beautiful. There was just so much drama. It was so interesting and kept me craving more. The ending though. Gosh it was an ending. Everything that happened was so unexpected and left me hanging for more. I need a sequel like right now. I need to know what is going to happen next.

Masquerade is a beautiful and compelling novel that captures you from the very first page. The stunning writing style of Kylie Fornasier brings something new to Australian authors and literature.

Have you read Masquerade? What did you think of it? Will you read it?

Book Review: The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Aug 10, 2014

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Pages:368
Publish date:July 3rd 2014
Publisher:Bloomsbury
ISBN: 1408858207
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

The Winner’s Curse:

First Line: She shouldn’t have been tempted.

I received a copy of The Winners Curse from Bloomsbury Australia. This in no way has influenced my review.

I love this book. I cannot explain how much I love this book. It is even more beautiful than the cover and which is simply divine.

Just everything about this book is amazing. The world – how much I love the world created by Marie Rutkoski. It is so intriguing and striking. Rutkoski created something that is new and refreshing but still sticks to a ‘guideline’ for fantasy/historical fiction novels. It was interesting to see the world that Rutkoski created. She formed a world that is complex, but quite easy to get your head around.

The characters that she creates are even more intriguing than the world. You cannot trust anyone and they are multi-layered which adds so much depth to the novel.

Kestrel, the main protagonist, is so intriguing and different a character than. I have read before. She is strong and builds up all these walls, but they are brought down slowly by someone she doesn’t expect to affect her the way he did.

Kestrel is the daughter of general and she is given two choices: join the army or get married. As you can guess Kestrel wants none of those.

There are many reasons why we won…but the fundamental reason is simple. They were weak. We were not.

Rutkoski’s writing in The Winner’s Curse is simply beautiful and captivating. It draws you in and you just can’t seem to put the book down. If I tag could put sticky notes in the whole book I would, because there are just so many beautiful moments. There are many beautiful quotes that I want to remember.

Aria, the slave that Kestrel brought, is very interesting. We don’t know too much about him expect what the slave says to make someone try and buy him. But as the novel goes on we get to see more about him and, man, he was fascinating.

Kestrel’s father is also an interesting character. He is the army general, but when it comes to his daughter, he will do anything even if he doesn’t realise it. Kestrel and her father have interesting relationship that I actually didn’t mind at all. Because he may be all tough on the outside, but deep down he loves his daughter with everything.

Happiness depends on being free, and being free depends on being courageous.

I fell in love with the romance. Oh, it was just so beautiful. Slow, but just so gorgeous and breathtaking. I just swooned half the time. Both Kestrel and Aria don’t even realise how they feel about each other, but it’s beautiful to watch. Rutkoski is a mastermind. The combination of forbidden love between a slave and someone of high standard and the blissful moments are perfect.

She saw him and didn’t understand how she had ever missed his beauty. How it didn’t always strike her as it did now, like a blow.

Some might say that the first half of the book’s pacing is slow, but I think it is the perfect type of slow because the second half? Well, I just could not put the book down. It was thing after thing and it was amazing.

The ending…Wow. What a way to leave a book. You shouldn’t end a book like that, but Rutkoski did and damn I sobbed. I need the The Winners Crime now! I just cannot handle it.

Everything in war hinges of what you know of your adversary’s skills and assists…but how you negotiate the strengths of your opponent is more likely to decide the battle than anything else.

The setup of the whole book is just as amazing as the book. The gorgeous cover that I simply adore. The first pages that are fully black and the way that the chapter numbers are written add as much individuality as the novel does.

The Winners Curse doesn’t disappoint. An outstanding fantasy with relatable characters, beautiful romance, flawless world building and an enthralling storyline. Rutkoski has started the trilogy off with a mighty bang and if anyone asks for a book suggestion it’s going to be The Winners Curse without a doubt.

Have you read The Winner’s Curse? What did you think of it, did you love it as much as I did? Will you read it?

Book Review: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead

Jul 28, 2014

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Pages:380 (paperback)
Publish date:29 July 2014
Publisher:Penguin Australia, Puffin, Razorbill
ISBN: 0141350180
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour,

Silver Shadows:

First line: I WOKE TO DARKNESS

I received a copy of Silver Shadows from Penguin Australia. This in no way has influenced my review. This review will contain spoilers from the Vampire Academy series and the previous Bloodlines books. It will NOT contain spoilers from Silver Shadows.

I love Richelle Mead. I cannot explain how much. With each book she writes everything just seems to be getting better and better and I don’t even know how. Silver Shadows is pure brilliance and, in my eyes, a masterpiece.

I cannot control my fangirling at all. But what VA/Bloodlines fan can? There were so many moments in this book that I wanted to scream and dance. I read Silver Shadows in less than 12 hours. As soon as I received it and picked it up I could not put it down. From the first page the story grips you and you cannot put it down. Richelle Mead’s writing is breathtaking and gripping.

Like The Fiery Heart, Silver Shadows is told from both Sydney and Adrian’s point of view. And let me tell you, Richelle Mead knows how to write from two perspectives. You can tell who is who even without having each chapter title.

We’ll be together soon. In real life. The center will hold.

At the end of The Fiery Heart we are left with a massive cliff hanger and it doesn’t get better for either Sydney or Adrian. I wanted to hug them both and cry with them. Sydney, as we know, is in rehabilitation and it’s not great, not at all. She suffers in so many ways that I cannot explain. Sydney is so strong throughout the whole series and she becomes so much stronger in Silver Shadows and I admire her so much more.

Adrian, oh my poor Adrian. I wanted to hit him across the head sometimes. I also wanted to hold him in my arms. I just wanted to make everything better. We really got to see a lot more of Adrian, the real Adrian. Richelle Mead captures the true emotions of her characters so much. And we feel those emotions too and it’s heartbreaking. He made some wonderful decisions and some, let’s just say a ‘Really Adrian’ is needed. Why, why why.

The romance. Oh how I feel for both Sydney and Adrian. Not even the universe wants them together. But those times, those times that I could not keep a smile off my face were brilliant. Adrian and Sydney are just so beautiful together.

To be told that was a sham, that all love was a sham, couldn’t have come at a worse time. I didn’t believe it, of course. I knew there was real love out there. I’d experienced it firsthand…

We get to know quite a few new characters in this book. They were all very intriguing. Duncan is one of the new characters that I really enjoyed reading about. He was different, but still quite the same. Even though at times he annoyed me and got on my nerves because of things that he said and did. But I know that his intentions were in the right place.

We also got to see a lot of our old characters as well. I loved seeing Rose and Dimitri. I always love seeing them and we even got to see that playful side of Rose that we haven’t seen in a while. I also loved, like a lot, the scene with Dimitri and Adrian even though it might have not ended the best way, it was still nice to see. Lissa on the other hand. . .

Lissa, I love you girl, but please just stop. I wanted to hit her across the face just so many times I cannot explain. Everything that came out of her mouth just got on my nerves like you wouldn’t believe. But I guess Lissa has always sort of been like this, but something just ticked me off.

We finally get to see some faces that we only know names to and it’s really nice and thrilling at first, but then we see those people that we don’t want to see at all. They made my blood boil and yours will too.

Okay, let me try and say something without giving anything away. Okay I can’t say anything that won’t give it away. But I know that you will know what I am talking about when you get to it and then we can all fangirl like crazy people. Because I was screaming around the house at 9 at night because of this and I just OMG. I love you Richelle Mead so bloody much. Trust me all of you will love it. Well I hope you do. Okay it is just so amazing and I cannot stop fangirling. None of you will not be able to do the same, not after you get to this bit. It’s just so cute and I cannot control myself.

For a moment, there was a part of me that was a little more in love with her than ever.

But, then again, I can hate you as well. Another cliff hanger. Why do you do this to us Richelle? Why hurt us, stitch up our hearts, then rip them out again? But you are the queen of cliff hangers that I can give you.

There were so many times that I was on the edge of my seat. Turning one page after another, wanting to know what was going to happen next. Richelle Mead is unbelievable she grips you from the start and hold you on a leash. She doesn’t let go. You cannot anticipate what is going to happen next because she can pull something out of a hat that will turn it all upside town.

Silver Shadows is utterly breathtaking, heart gripping and sensational. It’s Richelle Mead’s best work yet. It is a magical piece of work that pulls you right in, waiting for more.

Have you read the Bloodlines books yet, what did you think of them? Have you read Silver Shadows? What did you think of it?