Review: The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren’t much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s not there to chatter, she’s there to hone her craft as the world’s most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she’ll be lucky to leave the desert alive 

The Assassin and the Desert is the second of the Throne of Glass novellas. I really enjoyed reading it and it was nice to again learn more about Celaena’s past, in this case more about the Silent Assassins.

So what did I like about the book?

• The plot was entertaining. I really enjoyed the idea of the Silent Assassins and the difference between them and the Northern Assassin King.
• I loved the cool horses. Ok, I have to admit something here which is that I really love horses. So when any book has a cool horse, in this case two, my thoughts of the book are generally improved. The Asterion horses were great with their fast speed and incredible strength. I really wish I could own one.
• I really like Celaena. It is a surprise for me that I actually like the main character because quite often they annoy me, but in this case I do. I admire her morals, because even though she is an assassin she respects people and she respects human life. She always tries to find an alternate way than killing someone, even if it makes the job about ten times more difficult than it already was. I do find her a bit arrogant and vain, which are traits that usually annoy me, but the way she cares for others and the wrongs that happen to other help me to overlook this.
• The new characters that were introduced were really good as well. I loved the Mute Master and his son Illias. The difference between the Master and Arobynn and their interactions with Celaena was interesting to see. I loved the continual comparisons that Celaena made of Sam and Illias, as well, and I was hoping that it would make her more aware of Sam’s feelings toward her. I found Ansel intriguing but she annoyed me a fair bit and I never trusted her. I felt for her though when the truth about her past came out. I also liked Mikhail even if he didn’t play a big part.
• As always with Maas’ writing I found that the sentences flowed really well and drew you into the story. They weren’t too long and they weren’t too choppy.

Now to what I didn’t like (which in this case are more annoyances than not liking).

• I had predicted who was going to betray Celaena fairly early on in the book, so when the betrayal actually came I wasn’t at all surprised by it.
• I would like a little more description, but I can understand why it doesn’t seeing it is only a novella and not a full novel.
• I got annoyed by Celaena always going “I am Celaena Sordothian, Ardalan’s Assassin.” I think that it could have been left out more often than not because you still got that she was proud and vain without her constantly repeating it.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fairly well written and it was entertaining. I rate it 4/5 stars.

Mel.

Next Up: Throwback Thursday - Inheritance Cycle

Review: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about. 

This is the first of four Throne of Glass novellas that are set before the Throne of Glass book. Each novella covers the events that lead up to Celaena being imprisoned. I really enjoyed this book, it was great to find out part of Celaena's back story that was mentioned in Throne of Glass but not really explained.

What did I like about this book?

• As I said, I enjoyed getting the back story of Celaena, particularly finding out about Sam. We hear in Throne of Glass that Sam was a love interest of Celaena's and that he was killed, so it was nice to actually meet Sam at the start of their relationship where Celaena hates him. It was great to see this relationship grow, and to see Celaena start to trust him more. 
• It was also great to learn about the hierarchy at the Assassin's Keep. It was great to see Arobynn and his relationship with Celaena. It was also good to see Celaena start questioning her blind faith in Arobynn.
• I really liked Sam. He intrigued me at the start because of what we knew about him. I was also intrigued by Celaena's original thoughts about him, seeing him only as a rival and a threat, and how biased she was against him. I also had a feeling that what she thought he felt for her was probably the complete opposite of what he did actually feel for her. I also liked that he had a moral compass, even though he was an assassin, that I felt came from his background.
• I liked the fact that despite Celaena being an assassin she is compassionate and feels for other people. I liked that she found it difficult to kill someone who wasn't a murder/slave-trader etc. All this made her easier to connect to because if she didn't have that compassion I think it would have been impossible.
• It was also nice that Celaena didn't have to kill everyone to complete her mission. I like the fact that she was good at knocking people unconscious or leaving them too wounded to chase after instead of just killing in cold blood. I found it really refreshing to have an assassin who didn't have to kill everyone.
• I really enjoyed the plot. It was interesting and fairly complex, with some good twists and it caused you to aske questions about morality and the like. It probably wasn't the most original plot but it was enjoyable.
• I also like Maas' writing style. Her sentences weren't too long, but also weren't short and choppy. I felt like everything flowed really well. 

What didn't like about this book?

• It wasn't as descriptive as it could have been, or I would have liked it to be. I understand that it being shorter than a normal length book that the descriptions would have to be cut short but I felt that there wasn't enough for me to even form a vague mental image of some things. In saying that I really loved the description of Skull's Bay which reminded me of Tortuga from Pirates of the Caribbean. 
• The arrogant, headstrong side of Celaena annoyed me but I did see that there were other sides to her that didn't annoy me as much.

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord was a great start for the background story of Celaena and definitely leaves you wanting to read the rest of the novellas. I gave this story 4/5 stars.

Another note relating to Throne of Glass, is that the title for the sequel was released at the end of January. The title will be Crown of Midnight, and I must say that I am even more excited for the release of this in August than I was before!

Mel.

Up next: Review: The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas.

Preview for the week ahead

This being the first week of February means that I am now back from holidays and returning to a normal posting schedule.

So what can you expect from the week ahead?
Monday: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas review.
Wednesday: The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas review.
Thursday: Another edition of Throwback Thursday, this time looking at the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
Friday: Eternal edited by P.C. Cast review.
Saturday: Another edition of Seven on Saturday. This weeks topic is Seven Bookish Peeves.

That is about all for this week. I have ordered some books that I am hoping to get some time next week and I didn't get any this week.

Mel.

Up next: Review: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas.

New Releases for February 2013

There are seven books that I am really looking forward to being released this month! There are others that I also like the look of, but here are the main ones.

Released on February 5th

Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School 1)  by Gail Carriger

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Adult
Synopsis (from Goodreads): It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.
But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

Released February 7th

Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Publisher: Viking Adult
Synopsis (from Goodreads): A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen.
In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.
Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Released February 12th

Sever (The Chemical Garden 3) by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Synopsis (from Goodreads): With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.
Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

Pivot Point (Pivot Point 1) by Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows 1) by Yelena Black

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .
Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . 
Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed.  

Released February 16th 

Dominion (Gaurdian Angels 1) by Melody Manful

Publisher: Melody Manful
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
I Dare You.
Look Over Your Shoulders.
Do You See Them?
They are behind you...
They are always behind you.
Abigail Cells had a nightmare the day before she met Gideon, the new guy in school who has every girl drooling just to be near him. In her nightmare, she was murdered by a magical creature. As she gets to know Gideon, she begins to remember pieces of her nightmare, and was shocked when Gideon turned out to be the creature from her nightmare. Who is Gideon really? Should Abby allow herself to fall completely for him, or is he the next disaster waiting to happen?

Released February 19th 

Mind Games (Mind Games 1) by Kiersten White 

Publsher: HarperTeen
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future. 

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.
In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

Mel.

Up next: Preview for the week ahead.

Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive.

Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance . . . and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin's faith in her . . . but in himself.

This was a really good book. I managed to read it in two nights despite being busy and only managed to put it down when my eyes were closing because I needed sleep! This is the first book of the Lumatere Chronicles and I decided to give it a try on the recommendation of a friend. Although this book is probably classified as Young Adult, I wouldn’t recommend it to young YA readers because it is a fairly violent and the book and covers some adult themes.

What did I like about this book?

• It was refreshing to read a book with a male protagonist. It has been a while since I have read a book, particularly a YA book, that has that. I find that male protagonists often are less whiney than females and I tend to like them more. Plus there just aren’t enough male protagonists out there.
• I really enjoyed the plot. It was interesting and complicated, with one twist that I did not expect coming at all. There were plenty of hints along the way for you to try and guess what would come but quite often I managed to guess wrong. I also really enjoyed how it flowed well and how every little thing that happened would end up having an effect on something further down the track.
• I loved Melina Marchetta’s writing style. I like writing style’s where I find I don’t focus on the wording or the sentence structure too much, where I just focus on the story and Marchetta’s writing was perfect for me. It flowed really well. I also enjoyed how she changed the writing style when writing from another’s perspective, particularly one who was just learning the language and how she wrote his thoughts as jumbled and running into one another.
• I loved the depth of the characters. You had the most honourable men compared to the least honourable, a strong independent woman compared to a weak dependent male. I also loved the development of the characters across the book as you saw the strong independent woman become a little more dependent and the weak dependent male become stronger. I loved seeing the different interactions between the characters and how they changed over time because of certain events and revelations. I particularly liked watching Finnikin’s interaction with Evanjalin change and also his interaction with his father. I also liked how Froi’s interaction with other people changed.
• I really loved the romance of Finnikin and Evanjalin. I loved how it wasn’t an instalove but that it grew over time, quite slowly at times. I loved all the doubts and the things that got in the way because they were very realistic and problems that most couples in real life will have to face at some  point, if at a slightly smaller scale. I particularly liked the scene between the two at the end of the book.

What didn’t I like about this book?

• The only thing that annoyed me was when the first change of perspective of the story came. It wasn’t obvious at all that the perspective had changed, particularly seeing as it was a new character’s perspective. It took a little bit for me to realise what had happened and who’s perspective I was now reading from. I also didn’t really like that sometimes the perspective would change mid chapter without very much indication at all that it had happened.

I give this book 4.5-5/5 stars because it was a really good read. The only reason I didn’t give it the full 5/5 is because of the abrupt changes in perspective.

This book was read for the Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2013 (click the picture to sign-up).

Mel.

Books to come!

So I didn't manage to get a post up last week because it was my 21st birthday and I was busy preparing for my party! I apologise for not posting. This week is the second last week before we go back to normal post scheduling. I will do a short post next week as to what I have planned and I will also do a post about what books I am looking forward to in February, as well as a review or two.

Today I am going to do a post about what books I will be likely to review in the next couple of weeks. Some of the books I will be reading for challenges so I will tell you what challenges that they are being read for. Don't forget that if you would like to sign up for any of the challenges, visit my Challenges page!

I have borrowed a bunch of books from my local library over the holidays, that I am starting to make my way through. These are:

• Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta which I am currently reading and is being read for the Australian Women Writers challenge.
• Little Fur by Isobelle Carmody which is also being read for the Australian Women Writers challenge.
• Metro Winds by Isobelle Carmody which I am reading for the Short Story Summer hallenge and the Australian Women Writers challenge.
• Green Monkey Dreams by Isobelle Carmody which I am also reading for both the Short Story Summer and the Australian Women Writers challenge.
• Eternal edited by P. C. Cast which I am reading for the Short Story Summer Challenge. 

I did borrow some other books that looked interesting, but I may not review them, or actually get them read.

I also got some money for Christmas and bought 4 enovellas, among other books, that I have read and plan to review soon. These are all Throne of Glass novellas and are:

• The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas
• The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas
• The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas
• The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas

I also bought two paperbacks which are The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood and The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke.

I have another book that I will be reading for two challenges, the Short Story Summer challenge and the 2013 TBR Pile challenge. This book is a collection of short stories titled Merlin and is edited by Mike Ashley.

So these are the books that you can look forward to receiving a review for! If any of you have read these I would like to know your thoughts down in the comments. 

Mel.

2013 Challenges

So here is a list of Reading Challenges that I am undertaking for 2013. For some of the Challenges I have figured out what books that I will read for them so I will list them up to. If you would like to sign up for any of the challenges then click the picture to take you to the page.

Short Story Summer Reading Challenge

The goal is to read 4 published collections of short stories.
I have decide which books that I will read for this challenge and they are:

1. Eternal – edited by P.C. Cast

2. Green Monkey Dreams – Isobelle Carmody

3. Metro Winds – Isobelle Carmody

4. Merlin – edited by Mike Ashley

Take Control March 2013

The goal is to read at least 5 of my TBR pile. As of yet I don't know what books I will read for this.

2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

I have signed up for the Friendly Hug Level where the goal is to read 11-20 books. Again as of yet I don't know what books I will read for this, but I am aiming to read one a month and will let you know when I post a review if it is part of a challenge.

Australian Women Writers Challenge 2013

I signed up for the Franklin Level where the goal is to Read 10 and review at least 6 of those 10. I have currently planned 5 of the 10 books that I will read. 

1. Green Monkey Dreams – Isobelle Carmody

2. Metro Winds – Isobelle Carmody

3. Finnikin of the Rock – Melina Marchetta

4. Froi of the Exiles – Melina Marchetta

5. Quintana of Charyn – Melina Marchetta

2013 New Adult Reading Challenge

I signed up for the Just Graduated where the goal is to read a minimum of 5 New Adult books. Again, I haven't planned any of the books that I will read for this yet.

2013 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge

I signed up for the Initiate level, where the goal is to read 1-5 books. Again, I haven't planned any of the books that I will read for this yet.

I may still sign up for some challenges yet, but as of now these are the ones that I will do. If you have any suggestions for any of these challenges please leave a comment, or if you have read any of the books that I am planning to read feel free to tell me your thoughts on it.

Mel.

2013 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge

This challenge is being hosted by Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. I am signing up for the Initiate level, where I need to read 1-5 books that have a witch as a major character or major witchcraft elements throughout the book. If you also want to sign up then click the picture below! :)

Mel.

2013 New Adult Reading Challenge

So this week I will probably join quite a few reading challenges. The first one that I am joining is the New Adult Reading Challenge. I am currently signing up for the Just Graduated level where I will need to read a minimum of 5 New Adult books.

As always click the picture to sign up and read the rules.

Mel.

The Month of January - Information on what to expect

So I know that I said that I was likely to post on Sunday and be back at a normal routine but I have had so many things pop up that I haven't been able to do what I like.

January is going to be a very busy month for me. With my birthday, job searching, plenty of cleaning to do and dodgy internet connection means that I am going to be on semi-hiatus for January. I will probably only get around to posting one post a week for January. Not every post will be a review but I will try and make the posts worthwhile. Posts will also be coming out on whatever day I can manage, so it will be a little all over the place for January.

Sorry again.

Mel.