{Book Reviews} Emilie and the Hollow World as well as Emilie and the Sky World, both by Martha Wells #2015HW #COYER

Emilie and the Hollow World by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a fun and wonderfully adventurous ride through a world that will absolutely remind you of the adventures in the Jules Verne state of mind. With marvelous steampunk inventions, brilliantly described worlds and different people.

I liked Emilie's determination and courage and cheered as she embarked on her journey, escaping her jerk of an uncle. I also liked watching her discover new peoples and new worlds and how she just absorbed it all and took it in stride!

Wonderful beginning to a new series and one I'm looking forward to continue reading!



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Emilie and the Sky World by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really loved how this book picked up in the instant we left off with Emilie as she was about to embark on a new life with Ms and Dr Marlende.

The description of this book as a modern Verne-esque adventure tale is appropriate, and you can expect to enjoy this book every bit as much as the first book. Engaging and fun to read, while this is targeted towards a YA aged audience, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult. Plucky Emilie fast grew on me - she is endearing and adventurous and courageous.





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{Book Review}FULL BLOODED by Amanda Carlson #2015HW #COYER

Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This has been sitting on my kindle forever and I am using COYER as my excuse to get to these old Netgalley approvals. My sincerest apologies to the author and publisher for not getting to those series sooner!

I absolutely loved this book. Just when you think you're getting tired of one of your favorite genres, you pick up a book like this and you sigh with contentment as a fresh voice weaves you a story about the paranormal. Jessica is the ONLY female werewolf - born into a Pack, she was feared due to an old myth and protected by her fierce Alpha father against those who wanted her dead. She didn't change at puberty, but she sure did about 10 years later and that is enough to spark a war.

As bits and pieces of lore and history make their way known while Jessica is trying to come to terms with who she is, what she is, and what she is to do now, the suspense builds and builds. This was a kindle bruiser for sure and I leaped from this book right into book two.

And a good thing, too, as it was part of #2015HW for COYER Reading Assignment 2015! If you love werewolf stories and a strong female lead that isn't overly confident but no mewling wimp, start reading this series!



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{COYER CHALLENGE} Tell Tiffy a Tale! -updated

It's my turn to host a challenge for COYER! YAY! This is the first time I'm hosting a challenge and I have to admit I'm quite excited!

My challenge will run from January 28 through February 10th. 

You will have 2 weeks!

Ideally, you will read 2 fantasy books during this time (or have already for COYER)

And then...

You tell Tiffy a Tale! 

In a comment here on the blog, tell me a short (2 paragraphs or so) story using / incorporating lines from the two books you've read. 

Lines should be chosen from the following pages: 1, 37, 98, 117, 225, and 328. If your book isn't that long, choose a line from the last page of your book. You can of course adjust pages as needed, but I thought with page guidelines, it would give you something to work with and make it easier. 

EDIT: 
I'm a ninny and forgot about page numbers and ebooks. 
SO... Instead please choose lines from
the following percentages:

 15, 28, 37, 78, and 89!

Don't forget to let us know which books you pulled from! 

What do you win?! 

I will choose two winners at the end. 

GRAND PRIZE 

Winner will receive any $15 or less book from

The Book Depository 

(anywhere it ships; can be 2 lower priced books as long as it doesn't go over $15 or so)

Runner Up Prize

Any Kindle Book from Amazon $4.99 or less, your choice

Entry-Form

{COYER Winter 2014-2015} Beauty and the Beast by Jenni James

Beauty and the Beast by Jenni James

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Quick, fast, enjoyable re-telling of the fairy tale, Beauty & the Beast. This one has a slight different twist twist on the story and I enjoyed it.

My favorite version of Beauty and the Beast is Robin McKinley's Beauty and I haven't read one that has jostled it out of first place yet, but this was an excellent retelling that had the right amount of romance, fantasy, it's own unique twist, and characters lively enough to make me want more. Now, I want to read all of Jenni James's faerie tale retellings!



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{COYER Winter 2014-2015} IAM HER by Sarah Ann Walker

I Am Her... by Sarah Ann Walker

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Okay. I really really really wanted to read this book based on the buzz I was hearing. It sounded so amazing. My Secret Santa/Elfster got it for me for Xmas and I just dove in, so excited to start. And it was intense from the get-go. You're nodding along like yeah, I get that.

And then...the twists come. And seriously...it's effed up. Which would make for an excellent book, except...

It was very repetitive. I get why; the attempt to stress how heinous this was, how mentally fucked up she is, etc., but it got to the point where, as the reader, I kept wanting to say, "I'M DONE!" and DNF it.

And then there's the grammar and punctuation. I could forgive here and there, but not every single page, not the inconsistencies from one paragraph to another, etc.

This book was torture to get through. I could barely sympathize with the main character because of her internal monologues. Her childhood was horrifying and utterly disgusting, and I understand what it did to her. In that way, this book was fairly good: The horror is palpable when she begins to remember what happened, when her triggers are recognized, etc.

I think a healthy dose of edits to get rid of the extreme repetition, to strengthen word choice and sentence structure, and this would easily hit 3.5/4 stars. For me, it was a miss, and about 1.5 Rounded up to 2.



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