The Heiress of Winterwood- Sarah Ladd

My Rating: 2 Stars

Description: Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an ancestral estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s infant baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father, Graham, a sea captain she’s never met.

Tragedy strikes when the child vanishes with little more than a sketchy ransom note hinting to her whereabouts. Fear for the child’s safety drives Amelia and Graham to test the boundaries of their love for this infant.

Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she examines her soul and must face her one weakness: pride.

Graham’s strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline.

Both must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has for planned for them.

My Thoughts: I had to force myself to finish this. Nothing really ever happened. Constantly, I was told that something happened (Graham was injured in a battle, Lucy was kidnapped, they are searching for her, there was a fight), but you never really see any of it. It was more like watching a movie that keeps skipping in the player. The description of a fight was truly, "With every muscle still tense and alert from the previous skirmish, fresh fire surged through his veins. Within moments, fists were once again flying...". It continues but still does not say what is happening, and then we are expected to believe that he is stiff and bruised from the blows he suffered.

I found that so much happened which was unrealistic. They repeatedly say that they must marry as soon as possible, and obtain a license that makes it so they can, yet never make any real move to do so. This is even though they have almost constant companions in vicars and witnesses. All so that we can get to this moment, spoiler, "'Marry me, Amelia. Not for Lucy. Not for your inheritance. But for me.'"

While the description was often beautiful, I felt cheated by characters who could not make up their minds or act like someone of their age and station.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

For followers of my blog, that is why I have posted a review of a book that I do not back.

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Writing Tips- Write With Heart... and Music

In a great book, the writer bleeds with its characters. The writer feels their characters joys, triumphs, and falls.

When I write, I like to listen to music that inspires me. The music blocks out distractions and sends me into the worlds of my characters. So what inspires you? Is it an awesome playlist, a particular room? As you think about that, and maybe come up with one of your own, here is one of my favorite songs to listen to while I'm writing. It just captures why I love to read and write.

And here is another that has become the anthem of my heroines.

The Healer's Apprentice- Melanie Dickerson

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

My Thoughts: This was a good retelling. I liked that it was set in Germany rather than England or some other expected country. I did prefer the first one, The Merchant's Daughter, however this was still enjoyable.

Reign- Ginger Garrett

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Beyond the Drama, Her Heart Was Real
From the moment her marriage to prince Ahab thrusts her into the intrigues of palace life, Jezebel’s exotic beauty opens doors and her will breaks down walls. Torn from her homeland and wed to power in a strange country, Jezebel vows to create a legacy and power all her own. Some might call her a manipulative schemer, bent on having her way. But they don’t know the whole story, and she was much, much worse. As she moves through the halls of power, her heart struggles between devotion to the gods she worships, the prince who loves her, and her thirst for revenge. She sparks a battle between her strangely powerless gods and the God of palace administrator Obadiah—a God who confronts her with surprising might. She will fight, though victory may cost her everything.

My Thoughts:  This books is amazing in its richness of detail. Israel really came alive for me. Not only that, but the human portrayal of Jezebel was a refreshing one. Often I read of the typical villain; evil to the core. This character, while not the most sympathetic was real, with true reasoning behind her actions.

My problem with this story was that I did not like Jezebel as much as I wanted. She was truly the Jezebel of the Bible, committing all the same acts. It was great to be true to who she had been, but it kept this from being 5 stars.


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Writing Tips- Speaker Tags

Is anything else in writing so delicate, so miniscule, or so important to writing as speaker tags? They are tiny- and they are everywhere. Using them wrong can put of a reader for good. So what is the correct why?


What are Speaker Tags?  First, speaker tags are those two words (usually) that tell the reader who is talking and how they are saying it:

Said

Asked

Questioned

Mocked

Argued

ect.

How to Use Them.  It is a common rule that 'said' and 'asked' are for the most part invisible. You can use them, they serve their purpose, and they don't throw the reader. Other speaker tags are not.

Constant use of constant use of 'mocked' or 'argued' will annoy. Ex:

"What are you doing?" questioned Sally.

"Oh, nothing," mocked Anna. "Only the same thing as every other day."

"You don't have to be like that," yelled Sally.

"Of course I do," argued Anna. "Nothing else seems to effect you."

I have heard some authors say to never use speaker tags other than 'said' and 'asked'. I disagree. Sometimes they can work, and I do mean sometimes. Like everything, they should be used in moderation, and that includes 'said' and 'asked'. See the example for if you do that:

"What are you doing?" asked Sally.

"Oh, nothing," said Anna. "Only the same thing as every other day."

"You don't have to be like that," said Sally.

"Of course I do," said Anna. "Nothing else seems to effect you."

Other Options: 

Drop it: Sometimes it is obvious who is speaking, like if there are only two people in the conversation. In that case, use the speaker tags for the first couple lines and then drop them all together.

Break it:  Try using a beat instead of a speaker tag. Ex:

"What are you doing?" The chipper question was asked by none other than Sally. The back stabber.

"Oh, nothing." Anna slammed her locker door. "Only the same thing as every other day."

Sally took a step back and frowned. "You don't have to be like that."

"Of course I do." Anna stepped around her once friend. She walked towards first period and said over her shoulder,  "Nothing else seems to effect you."

And Remember...   'Smirked', 'laughed', 'gagged', and 'shuttered' are not speaker tags. They are physically impossible to speak as. Ex:

Bad: "You're doing that wrong," Tim smirked.

Right: Tim smirked. "You're doing that wrong."

Now go! And write an Epic!

Merlin's Blade- Robert Treskillard

My Rating: 4 Stars


Description: 
A strange meteorite.
A deadly enchantment.
And only Merlin can destroy it.

A meteorite brings a mysterious black stone whose sinister power ensnares everyone except Merlin, the blind son of a swordsmith. Soon, all of Britain will be under its power, and he must destroy the stone—or die trying.


My Thoughts:  This is a great debut novel, one that I highly recommend for fans of Merlin and
King Arther. At first, because of its age group, I feared that Treskillard might have cheeped on the research and detail but that is not the case. He made Britain come alive with characters, both new and known, amazingly described scenes.

My only complaint is that the end seemed to drag out. I would have liked for it to have sped up just slightly.

I can't wait for what happens next.


Also, you can find the link to a giveaway for this book on the giveaway page, ending 6/20.

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Legacy of Lies- Stephania McGee

My Rating: 3 Stars

My Thoughts: I am struggling to have any opinion on this book at all, whether positive or negative. It was not great, but neither was it the worst that I have ever read. The characters were real and I liked them, but their conversations could be boring. Two pages of characters explaining colic was a bit too much for me.

I was also a bit confused as to what was happening in the beginning. Really, all I can say is that you should read the excerpt below and see what you think about it. Some might really enjoy it.

Description: Sarah Sanders was always the reasonable sort, until she kissed a cowboy against her better judgment. Feeling strangely drawn to this mysterious ranch hand with a dark past, she finds herself swept up in an adventure that will force her to question everything she believes.

Jim Anderson's cowboy gig is going pretty well. Except for one thing - he thinks he's going insane. Night terrors, hallucinations, and now a girl he has no business falling for. It's better to keep his distance. But when Sarah is nearly killed, he will risk it all to save her.

When tragedy brings him back to the home he tried to escape, Jim will have to face the truth behind his strange circumstances and hope that Sarah will believe him. Digging up the answers to questions long buried, does he have the strength to face the dark family secrets that threaten to destroy them both?

Author Bio: Stephenia McGee is a woman of many projects. Besides being a wife, mother of two very active little boys, writer, author, book reviewer for InD’Tales Magazine and Fiction with Flair Christian Book Reviews, a literary agent’s assistant and artist, she is also the chairman of Spirit Horse Ministries (a youth ministry dedicated to helping foster and underprivileged children).  Stephenia has always loved books and her stories can best be described as Christian fiction with flair. 




Excerpt:

It was cold.

Too cold.

The eerie silence of a moonless, starless night engulfed him.

Jim shivered. It had been high noon only a few minutes ago. Had he fallen asleep? He didn't remember being tired. He shook his head and tried to focus his groggy mind. He peered around cautiously. Where was his horse?

A rustling sound in the bushes startled him. His eyes darted to investigate.

Nothing.

No, wait. There it was again. Off to the left. His eyes strained, searching for the slightest movement or shape. Something. Anything.

Silence.

He felt like a kid afraid of the dark.

Get a hold of yourself, man.

Fingers of fear teased along the back of his neck. The hairs stood on end. He shivered.

Where was that horse?

"Ciervo!" His voice sounded weak even to his own ears. He tried again. Now he was completely hoarse.

Swallowing the panic rising from the pit of his stomach, he took a cautious step forward.

He heard stirring in the woods behind him. Squirrels? He listened intently.

The noise came again. No. Definitely not a squirrel. Something was pacing in the woods.  Deliberate. Stalking. Jim's mouth went dry.

Mountain lion.

His heart raced and he looked desperately around, scanning the darkness. Blackness blanketed the meadow. Jim hoped Ciervo hadn't wandered too far. He started to walk. Slowly. Calculating. He couldn't tell in what direction he moved.

His cell! He could use it as a light source. Jim's hand brushed at his hip. It wasn't there.

He frowned. It always stayed on his belt. He never left the ranch without it.

Jim's eyes strained, but he could barely make out his surroundings. The farther he walked, the darker it got. His breathing came in quick, rapid intakes.

A shrill sound broke the silence. His heart leaped.

"Ciervo?"

Where was he? Was the mountain lion after him?

Hoof beats. Thank goodness.

They were pounding quicker than his rapidly drumming heart. A shadow appeared about thirty feet in front of him.

It wasn't his beloved horse. It looked like something galloping up from Hell.

The horrid creature ran wildly toward him. The cold air caused the hot breath to billow from its nostrils like a smoking dragon.

The monster's eyes looked like no earthly thing he had ever seen. The bulging orbs had a luminescent shine that came from deep behind the pupils. In the pitch black they glowed like a ghostly beacon.

The horse-shaped beast lowered his head. The creature was preparing to slam into him.

Jim threw himself out of its path and landed sharply on his hip. His right thigh slammed into a large, extruded boulder. Fire shot down his leg. Ignoring the pain, he jumped to his feet, eyes probing the darkness for the crazed brute. The ghostly version of Ciervo had vanished.

Despite the cold, he began to sweat. Jim felt eyes boring into him. Someone or something watched him. He was exposed. Unprepared. His heart hammered in his chest. His body refused to move.

Another sound. Different. It wasn't rustling limbs or bushes, and it certainly wasn't the horse's wild hoof beats. It was quiet, like a soft whisper. Crying? No, calling out for something.

He strained to catch the garbled words. The voice grew louder. More urgent. Still he couldn't make out the woeful tone. Then, as if his brain finished translating some cryptic code, the word became clear.

"James!"

Again. Louder this time. "James... James..." The voice rose and fell in the darkness. Its eerie sound slithered into his ears.

"Hello?" His voice echoed hoarsely. He held onto a feeble hope the voice came from someone nearby lost in the dark along with him. No one here knew him by that name. He stood holding his breath, listening.

Suddenly, a freight train of frigid air knocked him backward. Terrified, he dared not to move. The voice came again.

"You must help. Soon it will be too late--"

An insidious roar erupted around him. Hot, musty breath bathed Jim's face. He struggled backward. He couldn't quite make out the figure standing over him. The silhouette was enormous. Its shoulders spanned at least four feet. An odd-shaped head swayed from side-to side.

It growled.

Paralyzed with fear, Jim lay helpless. The creature rose to stand upright. Seven. Eight feet tall. Jim gasped for air. His feet tore into the soft ground, trying to gain footing. Desperately trying to get away.

The creature came crashing toward him.

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Writing Tips- Other Writing

So you want to get published? Have written that amazing story and are now looking for a way to get it out there. Conferences are great, but not everyone can afford them.You're confused about when you should look for an agent... in fact, you're confused about a few different things. Mainly, that is how to impress agents and editors.

My research on the subject has lead me to this conclusion: They like to see that you have won writing contest and had other writings published. This can range from short stories to school papers, any writing that has made money (whether for you or someone else) is impressive.

What does this mean? It means that you write for your school paper, your local paper, an online magazine, anything that showcases your ability to write. You try contests (remember, don't pay an arm and a leg for something you are not sure of) and see what happens. Below are some things that I vouch for.

Contests:
Novel Rocket Launch Pad Contest: I did this last year and am planning on it for this year as well. Though I did not win, I got valuable feedback on what I sent in that has helped me out. This year it does have a $45 fee though, so only send in something that you are sure of advancing at least to the second round. It doesn't say so on this page, but past winners have been published with such companies as Thomas Nelson and others.

Five Glass Slippers: This is a contest and a way to get something else out there. Five short retellings of Cinderella will be chosen to be published in a book. The fee is only $10 and it is edited by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, one of my favorite authors.

Publishings:
Jill Williamson has this page on her blog of magazines and such that need writers if various ages. Jill is another favorite author of mine and is dedicated to helping teens get published. Though I have not tried these sights, I trust her judgement.

There are many other contests and magazines out there, but these are what I was able to think of. Hope they help!

The Escape of Princess Madaline- Tour

Festival began. Lively merchants, hardworking farmers, and musicians eagerly awaited this event of harvest and joy. This year’s festival was even more important, as they celebrated Princess Madeline’s betrothal to her knight champion, Daniel.

Celebration quickly turns to disaster as Prince Paulsen returns with curious demands, either Princess Madeline will be his, or no ones. Rejection turns to obsession and battle is declared.

In a tense struggle to decide her future, Princess Madeline must choose where to put her trust… in the king’s tried and true plan, the wizard’s cryptic messages and maps, or her own sense of bravery. Follow Princess Madeline on this adventure as she battles evil in an attempt to create a future of love and magic.

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My Thoughts: A nice, short read about making your own choices. There was little description or climax but was sweet and new.

Happy Birthday Kirstin on May 27th!!

Kirstin Pulioff is a storyteller at heart.   Born and raised in Southern California, she moved to the Pacific Northwest to follow her dreams and graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Forest Management.  Happily married and a mother of two, she lives in North Plains, Oregon, and enjoys being a stay at home mom.  When she’s not writing, she is busy with her kids, church and the family business.

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Madeline's story begins...

The Escape of Princess Madeline
by Kirstin Pulioff
ebook, 66 pages
Published November 5th 2012 by Malachite Quills Publishing

Premise:

The Kingdom of Soron is known for many things, its rolling landscape, haunting history, fiery sunsets, and its beautiful princess. Princess Madeline woke on her sixteenth birthday to realize that her future had been planned out, a life full of privilege, royalty, and boredom... a life with a husband and knight champion that she did not choose. Using her charm, strength and stubbornness, she defies the King at every turn, determined to keep her freedom on her terms.

Freedom quickly turns to disaster as she finds herself seized by a group of wandering bandits. With the kingdom in turmoil over her capture- her Knight Champion eager to prove himself, a group of dedicated suitors determined to win her hand, and a group of exiled wizards join forces in the hunt to rescue her. Follow Princess Madeline in this adventure to find freedom and love.

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Tour-Wide Giveaway:

International Giveaway. Must be 13 to enter. See below Rafflecopter for more details. Available to WIN:

* Autographed set of both: The Escape of Princess Madeline & The Battle for Princess Madeline
* Autographed copy of The Escape of Princess Madeline
* Autographed copy of The Battle for Princess Madeline
* 5 eCopies of The Battle for Princess Madeline
* $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 13 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kirstin Pulioff and  Burgandy Ice & Colorimetry as Prism Book Tours. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

The Tour:

5/27 – LAUNCH!  

5/28 – Book Deep in Cliffhangers

-          I Am aReader, Not a Writer

5/29 - Geo Librarian - Review

-          Novels,News & Notes

5/30 – Dee’s Reads – Review

-          Tressa’sWishful Endings

5/31 – Green Mountain Couple – Review

6/2 – JoJo’s Corner - Review

6/3 – Mel’s Shelves – Review

6/4 – Books for Kids – Review

-          TheBookish Daydreamer

6/5 – Books for Kids – Review

6/6 – MisAdventuresof a 20-Something Year Old Girl

6/7 –  Mel’sShelves  - Review

6/9 – Wonderings of One Person - Review

6/10 – Cassandra Lost In Books – Review

-          Jessie’sBook Place

6/11 – Backing Books – Review

6/12 – Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Review

6/13 – Fluttereal Flight - Review

-          MySeryneti

6/14 – Grand Finale Blast!

Cover Reveal!- Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

This is so exciting!!!! I love this series by Anne Elisabeth Stengl and am happy to reveal to you the next cover for Shadow Hand. So without further ado, here is.....

It is gorgeous!

"She will take your own two hands

To save your ancient, sorrowing lands"

By her father's wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. Unable to bear the future she sees as her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.

But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal fey parasite . . . 

A world that is hauntingly familiar.

 

This is the most beautiful cover yet, and I had thought that to be Starflower before.

Stengl, because she is awesome, is giving away a coffee mug with all the beautiful covers on them.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The new website for Shadow Hand is here. Check it out.

So Shines the Night- T. L. Higley

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Daria's new home in Ephesus with Lucas both beguiles and confounds her, until she meets followers of The Way.

Her past has taught her that evil is real, that it can consume a person. She saw it happen with her husband, before he took his own life. Widowed, with no family, Daria becomes a tutor to Lucas, a rich traveling merchant from Ephesus. There she discovers evil has a strong foothold and that Lucas himself seems drawn to evil and sorcery.

As her relationship with her employer grows, she fears that she will be unable to pull him to pull him from demonic influence. Tension in the city is about to erupt, as a new sect called The Way continues to draw followers. A man called Paul leads the movement against the economic and political strength of the city, found in its goddess cult.

When she learns more of the ways of the Christians and their ability to defeat evil, she begins to have hope. But then Lucas is arrested and jailed for a brutal crime, and it seems not even the Christians can help.

Tensions escalate in the city until thousands are pouring into the arena to protest the influence of the Christians, and a plot to kill Paul is underway. When Lucas's execution is scheduled, Daria must find a way to prove his innocence, save his life, and help her new friends before everyone she loves is destroyed.

My Thoughts: Once again, Higley weaves a master story combining history and fiction. I loved this continuation of the seven wonders series. When the remains of Colossus made an appearence in this book (the wonder from book one) I literally squealed.

Higley has this way of telling stories that I already know (like that of Paul or Nebuchadnezzar) in a way that enthralls me as if I had never heard it before. I cant wait to the sixth book to come out.

The only reason this has four stars is because it started out a little slow. Once it got going though, I couldn't put it down.

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Writing Tips- Dialogue

Is there anything more difficult than dialogue? In my opinion- no! Characters need to sound realistic and dynamic. They have to make sense and they must be captivating. Gerrrr...

I found this image here.

The Issue
Let's just talk about my most resent clash with dialogue. I was at crucial place in the plot. My H (Othniel) and h (Lan) needed to meet a new and integral character to the story (not yet named, I need a good one). When they met him, they needed to reveal through conversation a bit of information to him (that the Elders had basically kicked them out of the city). So here is the problem:

•H & h have never met this man nor heard of him. Not only that, but they recently had a bad experience with strangers, so they will not just hand over information. That would be unrealistic.

•The reader needs to care about what is being said so I need something interesting to be said, even though the reader would already know who these characters are and what is happening in their lives.

•This new man is known to the reader by name only. Now he has to reveal his character and personality.


So what did I do? (the following examples are exaggerated)
 •First I made sure that no one said anything normal and boring:

"Hello, I am Othniel and this is my wife, Lan. It is nice to meet you"
"Nice to meet you too. I am (insert name). Welcome to my home."
"Why, thank you."
   blah- gag.

•Or confusing:

"Nice day in this near miss."
"Great fish! Eating ants for birds?"

And This Was What I Ended Up With:

This is only a small snippet, not including everything that I spoke of before because it is a rather long scene. It is also only a first draft, I wrote it yesterday.

   “Here and there.” The man returned to his spot on the bed. “These herbs grow all over the mountain side.”
   “Perhaps you can show me sometime.”
   “That sounds like a good time, -.” The man laughed. “I just realized that we did not exchange names. I am Molgam.”
   “Othniel and Lan.” Othniel reached a hand across the table to grasp his wife’s.
   “And you’re married?” Molgam asked.
   “Over a month now.”
   “I can’t imagine newlyweds wanting to move up here.” Molgam stood as the tea began to bubble. He wrapped his hands in cloths and moved the pot from the stove.
    Othniel squeezed Lan’s hand to ensure she let him speak. After Master Vindrew’s questions, he did not feel right about telling everything. “You live here,” he said, more to state the fact then ask why.
    “I am neither newly married or young enough to need the constant company of others.” With his back to them, Othniel could not see Molgam’s expression. The man removed two cups from the shelf and set them next to the pot. “Nor did I choose my exile.”
    “Exile?” Othniel shifted so that his sword was in easy reach, no longer comfortable with sitting there.
    “Yes, I had a bit of a disagreement with the Elders.” Molgam poured tea into the cups, all the while straining out the leaves. “They didn’t like my interference in ‘city’ matters.” Holding the cups by their sides, he gave one to each of them. “Though, last I checked, Vanor was not yet a city.”
     While Othniel studied the contents of his cup warily, Lan clunked hers onto the table. “You’re from Vanor?”
      “It’s been about thirty years, but yes.”
      Othniel sat straight. “Thirty years? But then all the Elder’s you knew are dead. Why have you not returned?”
      “This is my home now. I would not know what to do with myself in the hustle and bustle of such a large place.” Molgam nodded to them. “You should understand, you’ve found yourself here as well.”
      Lan took a sip of her tea. “We’re not staying.”
      “There goes my hope for neighbors.” Molgam frowned and stared out the window. “Why are you here at all then?”




If you are wondering more about dialogue, this is a great post by author, Jill Williamson, on the topic. It goes a bit more in detail and has more examples.

Scarlet- Marissa Meyer

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Thoughts: Again, Marissa creatively retells a beloved fairy tale in an amazing way. She took the short story of Red Riding Hood and made it into an epic adventure. I am still reeling from the way this book ended.

I would have given this book five stars if it were not for influx of POV characters. Half the time I did not know that Cinder or Kai were speaking until a ways into their scene.

I would like to also warn people that this book is, by far, more graphic than the first. It is hard to explain this without giving it away so here is a spoiler: Some characters are violent, killing by biting throats and doing so without mercy. These are some of the Luna's warriors shown in the first book. There, you have been warned.


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