Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Synopsis:

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

Before Reading:

It's by pure accident that I found this book. The only reason I was able to come across it was due to the fact that it was part of the daily deal on Amazon for the Kindle. With barely giving much thought to it, I downloaded it. I wasn't sure what to expect but I thought if nothing else it would kill some time and in the worst case I would return it.  

*WARNING*: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!!!!!

My Review:

I have a confession to make. Once I started reading The False Prince I couldn't put it down; I kept telling myself I would read only one more chapter and then I would stop for the night and go to bed. After 51 one more chapters I was able to put the book down. It wasn't hard to be ensnared by Sage's story. Between him and the wonderful plot with all the different twist and turns I never really stood a chance against this book. Nielsen did an amazing job in creating Sage and the world he lives in. Even though I bought the kindle version of this book I plan on buying the paperback sometime in the near future because I need this book on my shelf. 

What I liked:

It's often I can say this but I loved everything about this book. So I will try and keep the gushing to a minimum. Let's start off with the characters.

Nielsen did a brilliant job in creating her characters. I fell in love with Sage thanks to his wit and sharp tongue. Sage made the story both fun and interesting to read. The way Nielsen wrote Sage made you think you had everything figured out about him but just as I was getting comfortable with Sage’s identity *kaboom* a lie becomes a truth and the truth was just a white lie. Everything changed and I had to reevaluate everything I knew about Sage. The boy is a freaking Matryoshka doll. Just when you think you have everything figured out he does something to flip the tables. The ending is a great example of that. 

At first I was weary of Conner but that quickly changed when he tricked the boys and had Latamer killed to prove a point. It wasn’t long before I just out right hated him; every chapter I was waiting for karma to come around and kick him where it hurts.  He’s the perfect villain who everyone loves to hate. The worst part is I slightly understand why he does what he doing but at the same time he’s just a power hungry monster who needs to be stopped.  I won’t lie; I laughed when his plan fell apart and turned on him. It sweetened the ending. 

Roden and Tobias are the other two boys that are pulled into Conner’s scheme to plant a fake prince on the throne. These two boys kept me on my toes throughout the book. There were times where I was rooting for Roden and then other times I was rooting for Tobias. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted Sage to win but I knew he would come out on top since he is the main character but it was just fun watching Roden and Tobias try and impress Conner. Those two were like oversize puppies that couldn’t walk straight thanks to their bodies being bigger than their legs. Tobias would do something to impress Conner and then acted like an idiot when he created notes to overthrow Conner but that plot failed wonderfully. I love him though; he really pulled through at the end. I hope he shows up in the second book.  Roden on the other hand was an alright guy in the beginning but by the time the story was over I was ready to throw him over the cliff. He had his moments when they were at Conner’s estate but as the two week period was coming to an end he started to change. Roden only cared about himself and had no problem in seeing Sage and Tobias killed. I wish Sage had ran him through with his sword in that last fight scene but from what I read in the preview of the second book, Roden still has a part to play. Damn it.

I absolutely loved the plot of the False Prince. Reading the book and trying to figure out what would happen next was like a maze. Just when I thought I understood something a twist would present itself. The idea of trying to make a fake prince for the throne is an interesting concept, using orphans who know nothing about the court, much less how to read or write, is simply brilliant. The way Nielsen weaves all the different threads together to create her world and the story that takes place is fantastic. She also forces the reader to pay attention to the details of what Sage is saying when it comes to his background. It’s so easy to take his words at a face value but in the ending when he revealed everything, I was shocked. All the clues and hints were presented to me but I was never able to connect the dots.  It wasn’t until I read through again, this time really looking for the clues, did I see the neon flashing signs. The False Prince is just laying down the foundation of a great story and I can’t wait to see what she will do in the second book. The possibilities are endless.

What I didn't Care for:
Nada. Nothing. Everything was great.

Overview:

The False Prince is a brilliant first book about an orphan named Sage, who gets pulled into a political take over, and is forced to transform himself into a prince if he wants to live after a 2 week trial. I really enjoyed this book and I have no regrets in spending the money on buying it and since I enjoyed it so much I will buy the paperback because this book needs to be on myself.  I can’t wait for the second one to come out because from what I have read of the preview, Sage’s life is about to become more complex and difficult than ever.  

I give the False Prince 5 stars out 5 because it was freaking amazing.

Review: A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter

Review: A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter 

Synopsis:

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.

Before Reading:

I found this hidden treasure over the Christmas break. I was browsing through the free books on Amazon when I found it. Since it was free and I needed a book to read, I downloaded it to my kindle. Best decision I made that week when it came to book buying.

*WARNING*: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!!!!!

My Review:
I will admit I wasn't expecting much from this book. I thought at first it would just kill some time and I might delete it from my kindle later; it didn't take long for me to change my about it. From the first few pages of the story I was sucked into the supernatural world Elizabeth Hunter created.  She adds a creative twist to vampires and the way she wrote her characters was amusing and at the time made me bit my lip in fear of the worst happening with the different twists the plot took. By the time I finished it I was ready to kill Lorenzo, smack Giovanni for being an idiot at the end, and sit down with Beatrice and eat ice cream with her.

What I liked:
Description, description, description. Description makes the world go around. Alright, maybe not but I love when an author uses it as a tool to enhance the story. With A Hidden Fire the description was just plain wonderful. I love how she uses it to show everything looks and it helped make the story in my opinion. It was easy to imagine how everything looked and there were times where I imagined the story as a mini movie playing in my head.

Besides the description I also loved the twist Elizabeth Hunter used when dealing with vampires. I will admit, I had no idea vampires were part of the book when I picked it but it didn't bother me in the least thanks to the way she created them. Ms. Hunter's vampire are unique in the way that every single vampire is able to use an element: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. I believe this is the first time I have read a book were an author gave such a twist to vampires. It was refreshing. I also enjoyed the way she made them able to control people by touching them. 

If I wasn't already in love with the book, the characters made sure to change my mind. It wasn't hard to be intrigued by all the mysterious secrets Giovanni seemed to hold or start laughing with Carwyne as he teased and poked Giovanni or want to become friends with Beatrice. They were all likable characters. The one character that should of died but didn't was Lorenzo, the king of creepiness and evil. I hate him so much I just wish I could stake him. He doesn't show up into the end but his work is shown throughout the book. It's his fault Beatrice lost her father. If it wasn't for him her father would still be human. I really hope he dies in the next book. It will make me smile.

What I didn't care for:
The only thing that bothered me was Lorenzo didn't die in this book and the way Giovanni allowed Beatrice to be kidnapped. In the end I understand way the slimy douchbag didn't die and Giovanni's actions are explained but that doesn't stop me from wanting to hit him.

There wasn't much of the book that bothered me. The plot was good, characters were awesome and the romance was perfect. The one thing I was glad about the romance that didn't happen was Giovanni and Beatrice not having sex. I'm not sure why but I feel if they did it would have ruined the book for me. I am praying that the next few books manage to get buy without showing whats happening in the bedroom.

Overall:
I gave A Hidden Fire 4 stars out of 5. I enjoyed it more than what I thought I would. It was easy to get pulled into the story and by the time it ended I was ready for the next book Some point in the future I will read the next 3 books; I can't wait to see what Ms. Hunter will do next.

Link:  Buy A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter on Amazon for free!

Blind Date With a Book

I just found this and I have to say it is one of the most creative ways I have seen of doing a giveaway. I'm dying to see what each book is.

 If you need a date for Valentines Day than I suggest you check this out.

  http://www.great-imaginations.com/2013/02/great-imaginations-presents-blind-date.html

Review: Matched Ally Condie

Review: Matched Ally Condie

Synopsis:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Before Reading Opinions:
The only reason I know this book exists is because of CassJayTuck from YouTube. I saw a review she did about it and it peaked my interest. I was just getting back into reading and the chatter I heard about it told me it was very  promising series. Without much thought I bought Matched at my nearby bookstore. The cover looked beautiful and the synopsis was intriguing so I wasted no time in reading it.

*WARNING*: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!!!!!

My Review:

It's not often I can say this but the book wasn't as good I thought it would be. When I finished it I was disappointed because what I had read didn't match all the glowing reviews I had read about it. It felting lacking and I almost don't want to read the second one. Before the haters start hating this review let me just say there were some things I liked and even loved so here are the Pros and Cons of the books.

Pros-

The setting of the book was great. I loved it and was fascinated with the workings of the  Society. It was very clear that Condie spent a lot of time planing and building her world and it showed. The only reason I was able to finish the book was because I wanted to see how the Society would react to Cassia trying to fight the system. The way they decided every second of someones life was both terrifying and fascinating. The scene when Cassia spends the last dinner with her Grandfather horrified me. I can't image being in her shoes; going there and knowing that would be the last time I say my grandfather, I don't think I would be able to do it. It was the different scenes of when the curtain of the Society was pulled back was when my attention was fully capture by the book.  

I also enjoyed the different scenes when Ky and Cassia were talking about poetry or when he was teaching her how to write. It was touching and made me want to cry. The fact the Society bands knowledge is just terrible. As much as there are time where I hate taking tests and reading assigned school books, the thought of not being able to read what I want is sicking and not being able to write well, there no words. Those few scenes redeemed the book for me.

Cons:

Love triangles are a thing for ya genre now. It seems every single book I have read latly has a love triangle in it; it's gotten to the point where I can't stand triangles now. I don't mind reading a well written triangle. If the author is careful the love triangle can be a huge book dealer. Sadly in Matched the Romance was a triangle. I felt the romance story was boring and lacking. To me, it's not even really triangle. I felt like Xander was such a flat character. He wasn't very interesting and it was easy to forget him; if that was what Condie was trying to do than she succeed but I doubt it. It was the clearly the "bad" boy verse a "good" guy formula. I called it a few chapter into the book. Hopefully  Xander's character will develop more in the next book. Even though Xander was such a bore as a love interest the lack was picked up with Ky.  I did love Ky besides all the trouble he caused. I thought his character was well thought out and the similarities of the view on the Society between him and Cassia's now decease grandfather made me want to cry. He was nice blend of being sweet but not being overbearing as the second love interest. I am totally fine with him and Cassia getting together. There is no need more a love triangle in my opinion. He's the one. 

The next con in the book was the plot. The whole idea that everything happened because of a "mistake" is laughable. In this Society I doubt such a mistake would happen. The two names showing on the computer was clearing a plan  and I am dying to know what wanna-be master mind was behind it. It also leaves so many questions. Why did they do it? Why Cassia? Why Ky? I call bull on the Society taking claim that it was part of a experiment. Experiment my left foot, someone or someones wants Cassia to go through all the trials that will be happening in the next 2 books. Someone put Ky's name in the system to be matched and the Society is trying to cover it up by saying they meant for it to happen. You're not fooling anyone Society. If it was really just an experiment than you would have made sure Cassia took the stupid red pill. Instead you let her keep all her memories which is practically begging her to undergo a hero's journey. You will have no right to complain when she topples your kingdom over. None.

Overall:

I give Matched 3 stars out of 5. It would be a 2.5 stars but there were some good parts of the books I enjoyed. While the second book did bore me I am planning on reading both Crossed and Reached. I'm crossing my fingers that they will be better than Matched.