Epic Recs Review: Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

Feature created by Amber & Judith

Recently I signed up for Epic Recs, a book pushing book club where you get to recommend books for each other to read every month. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Bec @ Ransom Reads which is pretty cool since I have been following her reviews on Readers In Wonderland for quite awhile now. For February, I recommended Bec The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston knowing her passion for historical fictions and high fantasy novels. In turn, she suggested me Graceling by Kristin Cashore since I too am a high fantasy addict. Is it truly an epic rec, you ask? Yes, of course! Read along and you will know exactly what I mean :) 

Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: Graceling Realm, #1
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release: Sep 7th 2009 (first published in 2008)
Source: Purchased
Pages: 481 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

I'm happy to say that I have been making some real progress with my TBR pile lately. *clap*clap* Graceling has been on my radar for quite a long time due to its widespread popularity, though it is only now that I finally stepped into Kristin Cashore's intriguing Medieval world - the realm of the Seven Kingdoms - and got to know these Gracelings who bear different colors in their eyes. With high expectations in mind, I started it off anticipating great things from Ms. Cashore and I'm glad that not one of them was left unfulfilled.

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: The Warrior & The Flower (3 Kingdoms, #1)

Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Warrior & The Flower by Camille Picott. This is an adult high fantasy.

To celebrate Chinese New Year the tour is running Jan. 27th-31st with mostly reviews and only a few interviews and spotlight posts. Be sure to check out our tour page with additional info and list of tour stops.

About the Book

Title: The Warrior & The Flower
Author: Camille Picott
Series: 3 Kingdoms, #1
Publisher: Pixiu Press (self published work)
Release: Mar 20th 2013
Source: Blog Tour Copy
Pages: 307 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads | B&N | Smashwords )

Yi, a retired soldier, has lost everything he loves — his wife, his daughter, and his home. He seeks refuge from his heartache by plunging into a secret mission for the World Emperor. The assignment takes him to the doorstep of a brothel, where he witnesses the madam beating a young girl. Drawn by the child’s striking resemblance to his lost daughter, Yi rushes to her defense and negotiates for her purchase — after all, how hard can it be to care for one little girl? But between the child’s inquisitive nature and the dangerous secret she carries, he gets more than he bargained for.

The Warrior & The Flower is an Asian inspired adult high fantasy novel written by Camille Picott. Being a Chinese native myself, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. It is not often that I encounter books mixed with Asian elements. The few times when I do, the references are either incorrect or inaccurate. Thus, I was both thrilled and anxious (just a little) when I picked up this book. Fortunately to my surprise, The Warrior & The Flower proved to be quite a delightful read with realistic traces of Asian traditions and I owe many thanks to both Camille and Candace :)  

ARC Review: Defy (Defy, #1)

Author: Sara B. Larson
Series: Defy, #1
Publisher: Scholastic
Release: Jan 7th 2014
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 336 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

I saw a good deal of mixed reviews regarding Defy before I finally started reading it. Naturally, I was a bit cautious when I flipped through the book, maybe even overthinking the details sometimes. Now that I have finished it, I'm glad to say that Defy was quite an entertaining read! It indeed has its own flaws and imperfections, but those did not stop me from enjoying it at all.

Novella Review: Poison Dance (Midnight Thief, #0.5)

Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: A Midnight Thief Novella 
Publisher: Lion's Quill Press (self published work)
Release: Sep 12th 2013
Source: Author
Pages: 84 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out—if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.

Poison Dance is the first self published work by Livia Blackburne. This novella serves as a prequel to Blackburne's upcoming novel Midnight Thief, which has been scheduled to release in July 8th 2014 (publisher: Disney-Hyperion). I must thank Livia for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to read her work. It has been an absolute joy and I was thoroughly intrigued. I know many of you are skeptical towards self published novels, but Poison Dance is certainly something worth checking out.