What You Wanted by Mina V. Esguerra [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: What You Wanted
AUTHOR: Mina V. Esguerra
PUB DATE: Nov 26 2015

It's the classic one-night stand: Beach wedding, bridesmaid, groom's friend. When Andrea and Damon meet, sparks fly, and they give in to the attraction. Sounds simple, but Andrea's still getting over someone, and Damon thought he'd be hooking up with another person that night. It could still be simple, really, if they chalk it up to a weekend tryst and move on.

But one night becomes lunch the week after, and then dinner the next weekend...and before they know it, Andrea and Damon are still together, dealing with the feelings they know they might still have for other people. How hard can it be to get exactly what you want? How do you even know what it is?

- Source: Goodreads

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Rating:

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"It's my life, that's all.
I won't quit. I will see where this leads."

What You Wanted follows the story of Julie's sister Andrea. In case you're not aware, Julie is the main character of Mina V. Esguerra's That Kind of Guy. While you don't need to read TKoG to understand What You Wanted, it let's readers get more in tune with Julie and Anton's presence in Andrea and Damon's story. Now back to Andrea and Damon. They met during Julie and Anton's wedding. There's a short story of that event, Wedding Night Stand, which I have not read yet. So if you're tempted to pick this book up, be rest assured that you can easily see how comfortable our protags are even if you haven't read WNS.

Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout [REVIEW]

TITLE: Obsession
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Armentrout
PUBLISHER: Entangled Publishing
PUB DATE: May 31 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

This is a stand alone novel that is an adult spin-off of the Lux Series You do not need to read a Lux book to read Obsession and vice versa.

"He’s arrogant, domineering, and... To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something... unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life… or is it Hunter?"

Rating:

“Well, the good guys really weren't typical. They really weren't the good guys at all, but if I discovered anything, there was no such thing as white and black. There was a lot of gray in the middle.”

When Jennifer L. Armentrout said that Obsession would change the way we’d look at the Luxen and the Arum, she wasn’t kidding!

Meeting Hunter, an Arum, had definitely changed the way I look at these alien life forms inhabiting earth. Yes, Hunter admits he’s a killer but the kind of affection he has developed for Serena gives the impression that he’s more than just a bad guy. I’m sounding like one of those naïve women who long to change the bad boy image of the men in their lives, but as much as it sounds so pathetic, Hunter is [fictional] proof.

It also made me realize that not all the Luxen are like Daemon and his group. There are those that are just as lethal and wicked as any Arum. And there are Arum that can be as good-natured as Daemon and his group, who want nothing more than to live as normal a life as possible.

It was a little hard for me to appreciate Serena and Hunter’s relationship. They sound so much like Daemon and Katy when they first started out that it doesn’t have the same spark of amusement that I once felt towards Daemon and Katy. Although I got to admit, Serena and Hunter had quite an intense bond… Ahem! If you catch my drift! Let’s just say this is definitely not g-rated. But at least it didn’t border over ridiculous, there is so much passion and warmth within.

It feels like these two races are just being pitted at each other. By whom, I have yet to figure out. I wonder if whatever happened here in Obsession would be some relevance to what would happen in Origin, especially since Daemon made a teeny-tiny cameo near the ending. Will we be seeing two rivaling races suddenly join forces for the greater good? Or will this be an endless battle over a war that has raged for generations that should have died down along with their ancestors?

Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black [REVIEW]

TITLE: Rogue Descendant 
           (Nikki Glass #3)
AUTHOR: Jenna Black
PUBLISHER: Pocket Books
PUB DATE: Apr 30 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"The third novel in an action-packed urban fantasy series from the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books—starring a female private eye who discovers that she’s an immortal huntress.

No longer the leader of the Olympians, Konstantin has now gone into hiding. Konstantin is vulnerable, and Anderson believes now is the perfect time to destroy his nemesis. He orders private eye Nikki Glass to use her powers to locate Konstantin, and she balks at the idea until a series of attacks leads her to believe that Konstantin is gunning for her and Anderson instead of remaining safely in hiding.

Nikki’s search is complicated by Cyrus—Konstantin’s son and the new leader of the Olympians—who threatens retribution should his father be killed. The complications mount up as Nikki begins to suspect that Konstantin might not be behind the attacks after all. The only person who hates Konstantin more than Anderson does is Anderson’s estranged wife, Emma, who has joined the Olympians. And Nikki knows Emma would be more than happy if Anderson and his people embroil themselves in an all-out war against the Olympians—a war they cannot hope to win.

As Nikki tries to figure out who the true enemy is, she deals with her tumultuous relationship with Jamaal, who struggles to control his death magic. But being loved by a descendant of a death goddess is the least of Nikki’s worries…"

Rating:

Warning: This review contains spoilers.

This is slightly less exciting than the first two novels from the Nikki Glass series written by Jenna Black. With how book two, Deadly Descendant ended, I expected to see more of the whole Liberi lot to be working together now that they were established as part of Nikki’s life. Not that I mind looking into Nikki’s point-of-view, but thinking that they all live together in one roof, I expected that a deeper bond has been created with each and every one of them, considering all that they’ve been through previously. So it kind of dampened my excitement knowing that Nikki was working alone again.

In spite of that, there are still some interesting surprises going on. For one, I’ve always thought Anderson was a father-figure to the Liberi living within his mansion. I never thought he’d have feelings for Nikki that would run deeper than platonic affection. That was weird. Isn’t he like way older than her? Ew?!

The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams [REVIEW]

TITLE: The Shattered Dark
            (The Shadow Reader #2)
AUTHOR: Sandy Williams
PUBLISHER: Ace
PUB DATE: Oct 30 2012

Summary from Goodreads:

"McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows…

McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save."

Rating:

Ms. Sandy Williams! How. Dare. You?! You... you... I can’t even... *sighs heavily* Okay, okay. I’m keeping my cool. *inhales deeply*

....... *exhale*

... Nope, not working – WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!

Alright, let me back up a little on this. I oh so loved The Shadow Reader that I just had to read The Shattered Dark immediately – as in right after I finished the last page of the first book. It was a good thing I purchase these two books at the same time. Else I would have had to painstakingly wait for my copy of the second book, and we all know that’s just torture.

Anyway, I was very enthusiastic about stepping into McKenzie’s world once more. Especially now that she’s considered trying out a relationship with Aren. I expected things to get really interesting. Not that The Shadow Reader wasn’t as interesting mind you, but I really expected this book to take this series to another level.

The Shattered Dark was a mess. Nope, not in a bad way but rather a mess with all the war, emotions and all things crazy in between happening to McKenzie’s life. Ah, our poor little protagonist. Not only is she dealing with a complicated relationship, which by the way is rather cute that she and Aren may be from different worlds but they go about with problems just as any typical relationships go through; but she’s also dealing with the war between the former Rebels and the former Fae King’s men; add in the predicament that McKenzie’s best friend, Paige has been kidnapped by the opposing fae.

The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams [REVIEW]

TITLE: The Shadow Reader
(The Shadow Reader #1)
AUTHOR: Sandy Williams
PUBLISHER: Ace
PUB DATE: Oct 25 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

"There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war."

Rating:

There are those who see beyond what normal human eyes can see. There are those who see creatures called the fae... and there are those who, like McKenzie, can see shadows they leave behind; shadows that she can read to track an escaping fae’s whereabouts. Her ability has made her an asset to the fae king. McKenzie is incredibly good at reading the shadows... good enough that the Rebels have thrown her plans of retiring and a chance at a normal human life out of proportion, and decided to kidnap her.

As she was confined by the Rebels, her captor, the fierce rebel leader, Aren makes her realize some dark truths about the Court she willingly serves. And now, McKenzie must make a choice whether to cling to the loyalty she has for the king, most of all to Kyol, the king’s sword-master whom she loves, or should she trust this rebel who has shown her the many things the Court has been eager to hide from her. In the end, she must decide which side she would be standing on once a brewing civil war finally commences.

I came across The Shadow Reader while I was browsing through Goodreads looking for an Adult Fantasy book I could read. When I saw Wendy @ The Midnight Garden gave it a 5-star rating, I was more than eager to see if it would be a satisfying read.

Hallelujah! This book has just left me grinning like an idiot afterwards. It was so good!

McKenzie has been made to believe that the rebels are vicious beings, and considering her past and what she experienced in the hands of a rebel before she met Aren’s lot, she has every reason to think that way. But I love the idea that the story showed her that when in any opposing sides, things aren’t as black and white as she sees it; there will always gray areas in between.

Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey [REVIEW]

TITLE: Beauty and the Werewolf

             (Five Hundred Kingdoms #6)

AUTHOR: Mercedes Lackey

PUBLISHER: Luna

PUB DATE: Oct 18 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

"The eldest daughter is often doomed in fairy tales. But Bella—Isabella Beauchamps, daughter of a wealthy merchant—vows to escape the usual pitfalls.

Anxious to avoid the traditional path, Bella dons a red cloak and ventures into the forbidden forest to consult with "Granny," the local wisewoman. But on the way home she's attacked by a wolf—who turns out to be a cursed nobleman. Secluded in his castle, Bella is torn between her family and this strange man who creates marvelous inventions and makes her laugh—when he isn't howling at the moon.

Bella knows all too well that breaking spells is never easy. But a determined beauty, a wizard (after all, he's only an occasional werewolf) and a little Godmotherly interference might just be able to bring about a happy ending..."

Rating:

I usually start my review with giving a rundown of the book in question but right now I am not in the mood to do just that for Beauty and the Werewolf.

*Sigh* I don’t know why I bothered continuing on reading from this series, even though I know that the last few books from Mercedes Lackey’s Five Hundred Kingdoms haven’t left me satisfied at all. I guess the promise of a fairy tale retelling and mash ups made me drawn to it. Those are after all, my weaknesses.

Beauty and the Werewolf is a retelling story of “Red Riding Hood” and “Beauty and the Beast” combined, in its own way I guess. The protagonist’s name is Bella, who claims to be the clever girl, whose age is beyond marriage years (since this took place in the medieval times, people married young, being twenty and up considers a woman a spinster), and wants nothing more than withstand the fate The Tradition, an unconscious powerful force that entail kingdoms to have fairy tale undertakings, wishes to push on her.

Love Your Frenemies by Mina V. Esguerra [REVIEW]

Love Your Frenemies
by Mina V. Esguerra

Summary from Goodreads:

"Kimmy Domingo was the kind of girl everyone hated and envied -- until her fiance dumped her a week before their wedding. Soon after, she quit her job, hopped on a plane, and just hid from everyone who knew her. A year later and she's back in Manila to be maid of honor at a wedding she can't miss.

Kimmy's home because she's ready to start over, but she also knows that some people at that wedding were responsible for the mess her life turned out to be. The first step to recovery? Cutting off the ones who caused her troubles to begin with: her best friend and her first love."

Rating:

Kimmy Domingo is a b*tch. Everyone hates her. So when misfortune stroke and she got left by her fiancé days before their wedding, people thought she got what she deserved. Humiliated by what happened, Kimmy packed her bags, quit her job, and hopped on the next flight off to the States, cutting off all communications from everyone in her life. After a year of going MIA, Kimmy is back in Manila, ready to claim her life back. But where to begin?...

Kimmy is not the typical heroine that I am used to. She was the villain in Mina V. Esguerra’s My Imaginary Ex, so I already had my mind set that she’s a mean person. I apologize for being judgemental, Kimmy. It’s difficult to empathize with a villain, but I’m really happy to see a different side of the character.

Fairy Tale Fail by Mina V. Esguerra [REVIEW]

Fairy Tale Fail
by Mina V. Esguerra

Summary from Goodreads:

"Twenty-something Ellie Manuel's Prince Charming may have broken up with her, but she won't give up... because fairy tale heroines don't live "happily ever after" right away, silly. So she spends the next year restoring herself to the girl he had fallen in love with. Until she discovers that life without him might not be so bad after all. So when is it okay to quit on a fairy tale?"

Rating:

Fairy Tale Fail introduces readers to Ellie. A girl in her twenties who believes life is like a fairy tale, and she falls in love with the idea of a happily ever after – oh girl, are you in for a huge reality check!

Fairy Tale Fail kind of reminds me of the movie, Legally Blonde. You know, the movie where this blonde girl gets dumped by her boyfriend, and she goes into law school where the guy is at and tries to prove herself so that he’d take her back. But in the end the guy’s a douche and she realizes she doesn’t want the guy anymore – something like that.

Deadly Descendant by Jenna Black [REVIEW]

Deadly Descendant
(Nikki Glass #2)
by Jenna Black

Summary from Goodreads:

"The second novel in a unique and action-packed urban fantasy series from the acclaimed author of the "Morgan Kingsley" series.

Once, Nikki Glass was an ordinary private investigator, running her own business in Washington, D.C. Then, her world turned upside down when she accidentally stole the immortality of a descendant of Hades. 

Now immortal herself, Nikki is plunged into the world of the Liberi Deorum, descendants of the ancient gods, discovering that she is descended from the goddess Artemis and has new supernatural abilities. While she still longs for the normal life she left behind, Nikki is now part of a team of immortals, led by the mysterious Anderson Kane, bent on making the world a better place. Which would be a lot easier if it weren't for the Olympians, a rival group of immortals who exploit their powers for their own benefit. In a strange twist of fate, the Olympians come to Anderson to ask for his--and Nikki's--help. The Oracle, a descendant of Apollo who is Olympian to the bone, has had a disturbing vision of a man with a jackal's head being captured by the government. This vision coincides with a rash of wild dog attacks that are terrorizing the city, and the Oracle believes her vision means these killings were perpetrated by a descendant of Anubis, the Egyptian god of death. It's up to Nikki and the rest of Anderson's team to track down and stop this serial killer before the authorities do. But the more Nikki investigates the crimes, the more she comes to suspect that the Olympians haven't told the whole truth, and the more terrifying the killer becomes..."

Rating:

Done with Deadly Descendant... hand me Rogue Descendant, please?! I need it right now!

This series just got better! I was already blown away by how awesome Jenna Black created Dark Descendant but Deadly Descendant just made things a lot more interesting.

Dark Descendant by Jenna Black [REVIEW]

Dark Descendant
(Nikki Glass #1)
by Jenna Black

Summary from Goodreads:

"From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she’s an immortal huntress.

Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die. . . .

Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy.

But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy. . . ."

Rating:

You know you got a good book when you can hardly put it down. Dark Descendant, for me, is just one of those books.

Nikki Glass, the leading character for Dark Descendant, works as a Private Investigator and she’s damn good at it. Ironically, she finds out she’s a descendant of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt when she stumbles into the world of the Liberi. Her world then after has become far from ordinary...

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale [ARC REVIEW]

   

Midnight in Austenland
(Austenland #1)
by Shannon Hale

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?"

Rating:

I have been an avid reader of Shannon Hale’s books ever since I read the Goose Girl. I’ve read her entire Books of Bayern series, Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days and of course, Austenland. I really enjoy Hale’s writing because it’s very pleasing and the stories are always interesting. Hale has the way of making her readers feel the actual era of where the book is set and Midnight in Austenland is no exception.

At first I thought that this was going to sit in the same way the first book was done, where we had a thirty-something protagonist who’s fixated with the idea of a man in the image of Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and the Prejudice which unfortunately, is totally ruining her love life. I thought Midnight in Austenland would go through an identical idea. Boy was I surprised with how it went!

Charlotte, the main character in this book, treats herself to a two-week vacation after being divorced to her husband who filed for it because he was in love with another woman. So she went off to Pembrook Park, leaving her two children in the care of her ex-husband and his new wife. And this is where everything turns topsy-turvy.

As with Austenland, the people at Pembrook Park have roles to play, even the clients. The clothing, the place, the customs and traditions are all set in the 1800s. But the difference is, here in Midnight in Austenland, the story doesn’t simply revolve around a romantic interest. There are bigger things involved; murder and money, pretence and manipulation. Something I didn’t expect to occur here.

It’s nice to see the change on the plot but there are parts that I feel like the actions done by the characters were not believable. Like when Charlotte experiences a life threatening event, I get that she doesn’t feel afraid and she feels more brave, but I always thought that if it occurred in real life, that feeling would come because of adrenaline rush or something. Then you feel the fear later after everything happened already, like some sort of case of late nerve reaction. I don’t know if I’m making any sense, but the point is it doesn’t seem like Charlotte felt she was in danger, and after the event the next scene goes to a romantic set-up as if nothing bad ever happened.

I like that this was a big step from the usual and that I got a bit of mystery-feel story from it but my concerns above got the best of me. Yet, if ever there’s a third installment I’d be one of those people who’d pine for a copy immediately. This is still a quick, enjoyable book to read.

One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey

        

One Good Knight
(Five Hundred Kingdoms #2)
by Mercedes Lackey

Summary from Goodreads:

"When a dragon storms the castle, what should a (virgin) princess do?

Why, turn to her studies, of course! But nothing practical-minded Princess Andromeda of Acadia finds gives a definitive solution. The only Traditional answer, though, is soothing the marauding dragon by a virgin sacrifice. Things are going fairly smoothly with the lottery -- except for the women chosen, of course -- until Princess Andromeda herself is picked!

But facing down the dragon doesn't go quite as planned, and now, with the help of her Champion, Sir George, Andromeda searches for the dragon's lair. But even -- especially -- in the Five Hundred Kingdoms, bucking Tradition isn't easy. It takes the strongest of wills, knowledge, quick wits and a refusal to give up, no matter what happens along the way . . ."

Rating:

I've seen a number of reviewers not pleased with One Good Knight. When I read it myself, I had mixed feelings about it. My mind has been switching from liking to not then liking it again, and then not...again. By the ending I was really confused.

I enjoyed reading the book, don't get me wrong. I was really pleased to see this take lesser pages than Lackey's other books that tended to be so descriptive. I also found the characters very likeable and the twist with regards to the champion was really sneaky! And I absolutely did not expect it.

What bothered me was that I didn't get to know the villains that much. There was a constant mystery about their agenda with each scene that they appear at but there wasn't much of a revelation in the end.

Also, as much as I liked the "happily ever after" thing with Lackey's stories. I think this was a bit too much of a cliche. I get that this is a fairy tale after all and I'm happy for the characters but there wasn't much to it to commend about.

Overall I think it was okay, plus points on being more fast paced than the other books... and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey

        

The Snow Queen
(Five Hundred Kingdoms #4)
by Mercedes Lackey

Summary from Goodreads:

"Aleksia, Queen of the Northern Lights, is mysterious, beautiful and widely known to have a heart of ice. But when she's falsely accused of unleashing evil on nearby villages, she realizes there's an impostor out there far more heartless than she could ever be.

And when a young warrior disappears, Aleksia's powers are needed as never before.

Now, on a journey through a realm of perpetual winter, it will take all her skills, a mother's faith and a little magic to face down an enemy more formidable than any she has ever known…."

Rating:

Ever since I read the Fairy Godmother, the first book of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, it became my goal to read all of these books. As of today, the only books I haven’t read are One Good Knight, Harvest Moon which is a novella and the upcoming 6^th book, Beauty and the Werewolf.

So with that in mind, I feel like this series is a little inconsistent. I enjoyed reading The Fairy Godmother, Fortune’s Fool was even better but Sleeping Beauty wasn’t much of a standout. And I’ve read reviews that One Good Knight was not so appealing, which I hope isn’t true. And now for The Snow Queen, I’m really sad to say that I did not enjoy.

I really like the way Mercedes Lackey created her stories from the well-known fairytales we’ve loved when we were kids. In fact, The Snow Queen was the first of the series that I wanted to read. I think it was a good thing that I came upon a copy of the Fairy Godmother first before this book; else I wouldn’t have such a strong urge to read the rest.

I think the characters and the setting were excessively narrated. Too much information really isn’t so good. I was already happy with what I know of the Ice Fairy and the other protagonists but was it really necessary to go over so much detail that really didn’t give much help on what they needed to accomplish?

You know the one thing that really bothered me? This isn’t very much a spoiler, I promise. There’s this part that described a character performed shape shifting. Now I’m all good with the idea but I really don’t think the hunting for prey and feeding off of them needed to be described occupying almost half of a chapter… twice!

Okay, yes, with Lackey’s style of writing, I should’ve expected long narratives but this was just a little too much. Adding that there was not even any romance going on. Sure they have love interests but no sweet scenes or whatever. It was more on the planning and journey side that wasn’t as eventful as I expected.

I don’t question the author’s creativity, and I know she’s an amazing fantasy writer but I guess this book just wasn’t one that I’m in favor of. 

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

        

The Sleeping Beauty
(Five Hundred Kingdoms #5)
by Mercedes Lackey

Summary from Goodreads:

"Like any other princess, Rosamund just wants to believe in fairytales. Unfortunately, those velvety dreams dissolve in smoke when poor Rosa is chased by savage hunters and then unceremoniously held by some very impolite dwarves. At this point, our frantic princess takes an extreme measure: She agrees to submit to an incantation from, you guessed it, her stepmother, which brings her, first, sleep, and then a very touchy-feely stranger. What is a young girl to do?"

Rating:

A Sleeping Beauty tale with not much sleeping in it!

Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed this book.

For those who vaguely know about the Five Hundred Kingdoms series by Mercedes Lackey, most of the time the characters from each book try their best to outsmart The Tradition, a very powerful but unconscious force that entails kingdoms to have fairy tale happenings.

Lackey’s books tend to be very descriptive and state the “this and that” of some events, which can be annoying sometimes, but I find it bearable this time. It’s not very eventful at first but the progress of the book had a very nice flow to it. I also like how witty this book turned out to be. It wasn’t outright laugh-your-head-off, but definitely entertaining. I love that it had a nip of action in it too.

Although I do find that the love interest between Siegfried and Rosa kind of obvious and Leopold being in the picture wasn’t much of a rival of sort.

I’m sorry for being too ambiguous over the details but if I start going over what I’m talking about specifically then I’ll just be spoiling the whole story, because despite the 400 pages of the book, it’s actually a quick story. It’s an easy book to read and a good break from all the dark tales I’ve been reading and I appreciate the happily ever after feel and ending of Sleeping Beauty.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. 

Austenland by Shannon Hale

       

Austenland
(Austenland #1)
by Shannon Hale

Summary from Goodreads:

"Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. 

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?"

Rating:

Austenland was like an engaging chic flick. It was sweet and simple yet heaved with a surprisingly beautiful ending.

I’ve always loved Shannon Hale’s books but I’ve only read them in YA genre so I was curious to see what she can offer for an adult genre. 

When I read the excerpt of Austenlaand, I was wowed with the idea. Imagine, living in the twenty-first century and yet you get to experience living the life in the 1800s. Even I was eager to be in Jane’s shoes. It’s like stepping into fantasyland for an unusually exciting vacation.

I will admit that am unfamiliar with Jane Austen’s books so I couldn’t relate to Jane’s obsession with Mr. Darcy. But I do understand the feeling of ogling over a fictional character. Duh! I do that too! LOL! 

Anyway, at first I was struggling to understand Jane’s character but as I progressed through the pages, I began to love her character. Her voice was very much engaging and the snippets about her ex-boyfriends were also something that helped me get to know her better. I won’t go into talking about any of the other characters in the story because I know it would strongly spoil the whole surprise of this book so I’ll move on to something else.

The progress of the book is a tad slow but I can’t blame Hale for it. I mean staying in an estate at Pembrook Park that caters life during 1816, what else is there to do but drink tea, make calls, and chat with the household and merry gentlemen? 

But the real deal was getting to know the people in Austenland. Everyone is an actor, even the clients themselves. You get to play a part that you’ve always fantasized to portray. And I got confused one too many times of trying to know who was actually being real. And I like the confusion I felt, it drew me closer to the book and made me eager to know who Jane would actually end up with because although there are strong hints to whom she’d choose, she makes these decisions that catches me by surprise; at first she gives up on guys, then she flings with someone, then she feels falling for this other guy, then she thinks she’ll just enjoy the attention and move on, and here comes the end of her vacation! And still no final statement over what she wants. Just when I thought her decision was a final, Hale surprises me with a very funny, amusing and gushy climax. That gives a very sweet ending to this humble yet invigorating tale.

Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey

        

Fortune's Fool
(Five Hundred Kingdoms #3)
by Mercedes Lackey

Summary from Goodreads:

"The Barnes & Noble Review

New York Times–bestselling author Mercedes Lackey spins a variety of fairy tales -- think The Little Mermaid and old Russian folktales -- into a satisfying romantic fantasy in this third installment in her Five Hundred Kingdoms series. 

Katya, the youngest daughter of the Sea King, is sent by her father on a spying expedition. It's a perfect assignment for one with the unique ability to transverse both land and water. Once on land, Katya encounters a spectacular battle between two mages, then meets Sasha. He is also of royal birth -- the seventh son -- destined to play the part of the Wise or Fortunate Fool and Songweaver. Their instant affinity and blooming romance is interrupted when Katya's father calls her back on business: Two magical maidens have gone missing from an island. Katya disguises herself and gets kidnapped by the Jinn who is keeping the others prisoner, but it will take all her cleverness and powers, as well as Sasha's magic, to get them out alive. Readers will admire Katya's spirit, and fans of the previous two books -- The Fairy Godmother and One Good Knight -- will welcome the return of the Little Humpback Horse. Ginger Curwen"

Rating:

I relished reading this book. It has a nice fantasy/fairytale plot that’s involves outwitting “The Tradition”. I enjoyed voyaging through different myths, legends and fairy tales created from Japan, Russia and the Middle Eastern Regions.

The characters were created with the right hint of courage, uniqueness, magic and most of all the power of being clever. Lackey presented the readers with characters that you would truly learn to love. Katya and Sasha are both clever and funny; and every other character created for this tale is definitely noteworthy.

While Lackey seemed to be very descriptive in a lot of aspects, the story was good, and it opened a new way of re-telling folk stories. It has the right amount of adventure, humor and romance that gets you turning page after page despite the pull of every thought being narrated and the idea of explaining the plans and consequences of actions, which has always been Lackey’s style.

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

        

The Fairy Godmother
(Five Hundred Kingdoms #1)
by Mercedes Lackey

Summary from Goodreads:

"The Barnes & Noble Review

Mercedes Lackey's The Fairy Godmother is the debut title in an exciting fantasy line called Luna Books, an imprint dedicated to women and fantasy fiction. A compelling retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale, Lackey's novel blends fantasy and romance -- with enchanting results! 

Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella -- the mistreated stepsister who fatefully falls in love with a prince, marries him, and lives happily ever after -- except that the prince is only a child! When Elena's stepmother and her two wicked stepsisters hastily leave town to escape debtors, she is left alone in the empty house to fend for herself. A 21-year old woman with no education, no money, and no hope of ever marrying a highborn man, Elena has only one option: to try to be hired as a servant. (At least she'll be paid for her hard work!) Then fate intervenes. She is taken on as an apprentice to a fairy godmother and is introduced to a life of magic and supernatural creatures. 

Elena eventually becomes a fairy godmother herself and revels in helping steer people in the right direction. But when she helps three princes (one extremely handsome, by the way!) on a quest, will she let her emotions get in the way of her responsibilities? Readers who enjoy their fantasy mixed with a healthy dose of romance should check out The Fairy Godmother. Who says no one lives happily ever after? Paul Goat Allen"

Rating:

It’s my first time to read a book by Mercedes Lackey. It’s also my first to read an adult fantasy book. Probably because I found the excerpts of some strangely focused on…well, – to lightly put it – intimacy; which I prefer it to be seen somehow only in a chapter or two. I like fantasy books that engulf in twists in their plot rather than focused on that matter. 

When I picked out “A Fairy Godmother”, I automatically expected a Cinderella story retold; I was even wondering why it seemed way too thick for a Cinderella tale. But boy was I wrong. It was a retelling of Cinderella but not entirely focused on that story. It was a marvellous clash of every other fairy tale ever told. 

I love how Lackey comprised humor and romance in the least expected events of the story, it was quite entertaining. I didn’t expect any battles for this book, thinking that it was Cinderella so I was surprised to find fighting near the end. It was a bit shortly described but providing a bit of action was also amusing. Although I do have to admit, that the story was a bit too long and some parts are a bit slow but in totality, I was pleased with reading this book. I’m excited to read the other books of the Five Hundred Kingdoms.