Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Book blurb 

"Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death. 

Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees."

My review:

Sword and Verse is an interesting high fantasy book. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down even though I was a little scared that there won't be enough action. However, I am grateful to have been allowed to read and review this digital ARC. This book will be released on January 19th, 2016 and I am excited to know your thoughts about this book. 

The main character, Raisa, is a slave girl who has been chosen to be the next 'tutor' when the last one was executed for treason. She learnt how to read and write in order to teach the next heir. Prince Mati has been studying with her in the palace and even though they both know they can't have a relationship, they cannot ignore their feelings for long either. 

A Resistance is forming against the slavery of her people and she will have to choose between helping them at the risk of her life and the loss of Mati's trust, or ignoring them.

Raisa could be a little frustrating at times but I still enjoyed reading her story. What happened to her family pained me. I was scared for a moment that Mati would turn out to be a jerk when Soraya arrived at the palace but in the end, their story was nicely written. I also like that it's a standalone instead of ending with a huge cliffhanger. I found that the ending was solved a little too easily but I still enjoyed it. 

***I wanted to thank HarperTeen for letting me read and review this ARC.***

You can find it here on Goodreads. 

Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas

Book blurb:

" The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world. "

My review: 

In one word: Brilliant.

This book was everything I could ask for and more. Queen of Shadows was one of the most anticipated books I wanted to read this year and I wasn't disappointed. It is probably my favorite book in the series. There are so many things happening, I cried, laughed and swooned over some characters. I was completely hooked by the story. The ending was just perfect. 

If you haven't read this series yet, please go read it! It's absolutely fantastic. 

You can find it on Goodreads here.

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Book blurb:

" It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world."

My review:

I enjoyed reading the first book so I was excited to keep reading the series. I wanted Meira to act like a Queen in this book and sometimes she was acting as such but other times I couldn't believe how she could be so stupid (at least at first), especially concerning Theron and the keys. Also, I couldn't really stand Theron in this book. Mather's chapters were interesting at first (but I ended up skimming some of them). In the end it still feels like their relationship isn't going to happen anytime soon. 

Overall, the pace was slow except for the last 30% of the book where a lot more action happened than in the entire book. Here we get to know other kingdoms (Seasons and Rhythms) and it was a lot more focused on the politics and the betrayals some people could face. You might enjoy it, but for me too much politics gets a little tiring in the end.

I am still curious about the next book, and I want Winter to be able to stand up for themselves and be their own kingdom. I hope Meira will be able to achieve that. 

***I wanted to thank Balzer + Bray for letting me read and review a digital copy of this book.***

You can find it here on Goodreads.

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Book blurb:  

"A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making. 

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since. 

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own. "

My review:

I really enjoyed reading this fantasy book. It was captivating especially toward the end and I am super excited to read more about Meira, Mather and Theron !

The beginning of the book was slower. I thought Meira could be a little reckless sometimes and there were some moments where she didn't do anything and I just wanted her to react and do something. It frustrated me a little... The ending and the big "revelation" wasn't that surprising but I liked the turn of events. The last 30% of the books are the best part for me. It was really good !

***I wanted to thank Balzer + Bray for letting me read and review a digital copy of this book. ***

You can find it here on Goodreads. 

Siren's Fury (The Storm Siren Trilogy #2) by Mary Weber

Book blurb:

" Nym has saved Faelen only to discover that Draewulf stole everything she valued. Now he’s destroyed her Elemental storm-summoning ability as well.

When Nym sneaks off with a host of delegates to Bron, Lord Myles offers her the chance for a new kind of power and the whispered hope that it may do more than simply defeat the monster she loathes. But the secrets the Bron people have kept concealed, along with the horrors Draewulf has developed, may require more than simply harnessing a darker ability. 

They may require who she is.
Set against the stark metallic backdrop of the Bron kingdom, Nym is faced with the chance to change the future. Or was that Draewulf’s plan for her all along? "

My review:

Before diving into this sequel, I had to go back into the world created by the author in Storm Siren. I needed a little reminding of the different characters and their role. After that, the reading in itself was pretty smooth. I enjoyed reading it, there was action and an interesting plot with Draewulf hiding inside another body. However I did find the pace slower and I just wanted it to be faster. Also, even though Nym has great powers at the end I felt like she was often losing and failing... and that disappointed me a little bit. I will read the next book because I want to see Nym use her powers efficiently and I'd like to see a little romance added into it. Overall, I enjoy reading this series but I preferred Storm Siren. 

***I wanted to thank HarperCollins for letting me read and review a digital copy of this book. ***

You can find it here on Goodreads.