"The Steel Queen"

“The Steel Queen”, by Karen Azinger, is the first book in a seven book series: The Silk and Steel Saga. I always get excited when I pick up the first book in a long series because if I like the story, then it doesn’t end for thousands of pages. However, you take the risk of only moderately liking the story. Then you are forced to decide between sticking with it to the end of those thousands of pages, or calling it quits after the first book and never having answers to the questions that drive every reader crazy; what happens to the characters, who does she end up with, do they end up discovering he is a back-stabbing traitor, how does it end??

I think I got myself into a little bit of a pickle with this series. The story piqued my interest enough that I know I will be bugged to just give up on it, but the writing drove me crazy and I don’t know if I can stand six more books. Here’s why:

This fantasy story really gripped me right from the start. I’ve heard it’s comparable to Game of Thrones, but I wouldn’t know since I’ve never seen that. The characters are three dimensional, and the plot is deep and thick right from the beginning. BUT the point of view switches between a handful of different characters and I found this to be a little too much. There is only a few pages, (really just like 2-3 pages), with limited information before it switches to a different person in a completely different part of the country. You feel like you are just barely getting to know the character, then it switches and you are left reeling. Once you catch on to who each character is and what is happening in their part of the story, then you see the bigger picture and understand how they all play out together. But this realization doesn’t hit for a few chapters, leaving the reader lost and more than a little confused at the beginning.

The story itself is rich and full of details that draw the reader in. However, the writing is repetitive and juvenile in some places.  You will read the phrase “good Castleguard steel” about 55 times. I think that there could have been more done with this book. A little more proofreading and attention to detail would have improved the quality by a mile. Also, one of the main characters, Katherine, is written as if life is so hard and she is so strong for overcoming her trials, but she really hasn’t had any trials. Every time an obstacle comes in her path, it works out perfectly in her favor in just a few paragraphs. This won’t stop me from reading the next book though. I’m hooked on the story and want to see how it ends.

WARNING: there are some sex scenes and analogies that I would not deem appropriate for younger readers, (or people who don’t like to read about rape).

Overall I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I am planning on continuing the series and will report back to let you know if it’s worth it or not. If you have already read these books, let me know what you thought!

I was given a free copy of this book from Reading Deals in exchange for an honest review.

Refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to go!

Hey guys, I’m back! I took an undisclosed, unannounced break. To be honest, I really was just worn out. Mothering two young kids, working, and then trying to find time to not only read books, but then get online and write about them just got to be too much.  Even though writing this blog is something that I consider “me time”, it eventually became just another item on my to-do list and I wasn’t finding the joy in it that I used to.

I found some new motivation recently that made me miss expressing myself through writing. It’s about time too. After nearly a year, my fingers are well rested and I am ready to get my head in the game again. My goal is to get posts on here weekly, (bi-weekly if life gets a little too crazy). Let me know if there are any good books you have read recently, or anything you would like me to read and review before you take the plunge. You can also follow me on instagram @spreading.bookishness

A huge thank you to all of those who stuck with me through this reprieve, and a big welcome to any new comers passing along this way.

Happy Reading,

Carli

"Everything, Everything"

As soon as I saw the preview for the movie "Everything, Everything" I knew that I needed to get my hands on this book ASAP. But, of course, every other person who saw the preview for the movie suddenly had to have the book too. So I waited and waited for a copy to become available at my city library....and huzzah! I finally got my hands on a copy and I devoured it in a few short hours. 

Madeline Whittier is a normal teenage girl, except for the fact that she can't leave her house because she is allergic to almost everything in the world. Madeline has contact with two, occasionally three, people in the entire human species. Her mom, her nurse, and on rare occasions her architect tutor. Despite these setbacks, Madeline thrives, meets new characters, and goes on adventures in the books she reads. She yearns for the thrills that her favorite characters get, but she has accepted her lot in life and is content. Her universe is routine and safe and predictable... until she hears the beeping of a moving truck backing up next door. That's when a fourth person is introduced that sets her small world spinning. Madeline quickly learns that to have everything you have to be willing to risk everything. 

Talk about a book with a plot twist! I almost got whiplash from how fast the plot changed and went in a different direction. From page one this book had me hooked and I literally did not put it down until I finished it a few hours later. The characters are quirky and adorable and they all have a depth to their emotions that is sometimes hard to convey as an author, but which was beautifully done here. The story is gripping and unpredictable. The text is engaging and the format of the book swaps between a normal book and the characters' Instant Messaging conversations as they would look on a computer, with some pictures or other random entries by Madeline thrown in. I personally didn't love how much the format rotated between all these things, I found it to be a little overwhelming at some points, but it did add some depth to Madeline's character and made it easier for the reader to understand her. 

There are a few swearwords littered throughout the text - something to keep in mind if you are getting this book for a younger reader. I would say anyone young adult and up could/should read this book. 5 out of 5 stars by my rating. It's not very often that I find a book that will elicit so many emotions from me in such a short amount of time. I laughed, cried, wanted to scream, and had steam coming out of my ears all in one evening. I'm sure that you will enjoy this story as much as I did. So pick up your copy and then let me know what you think!

The Infernal Devices Series

Shout out to my girl Kassidy for making me read these books. I had the misfortune of watching the TV Series and it disintegrated any desire I had to read Cassandra Clare's work. Kass told me to not judge a book by it's TV show (or movie for that matter) and I am eternally in her debt. She suggested I read the Infernal Devices Series before I read the Mortal Instruments series, so that is what I did.

The Infernal Devices Series, by Cassandra Clare, is a three book series set in the London's Downworld during the reign of Queen Victoria. The main character, Tessa Gray, has discovered that she is not human; but what she is, no one knows. She falls in with a group of Shadowhunters and learns that there is only one thing more dangerous than a demon - her own heart. She is torn between the calm and steady Jem Carstairs and the mysterious and un-readable Will Herondale. Each has is own unique attractiveness and both are hiding dark secrets. Tessa has to choose who has her heart while also overcoming one of the evilest and most powerful men of their time. 

I don't know that I have ever read a series that left me feeling so satisfied at the end. These books filled all of my literary needs. There was action, fighting, betrayal, loyalty, fantasy, friendship, and (most important of all) romance. There were a few times I thought the story was ruined but after I continued reading, the issue would be resolved beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails, and I couldn't stop until the last page had been turned. If you enjoy fantasy books where the unimaginable becomes imaginable, then you have to put this series on your to-read list. The main characters are deep and all have strong back-stories that come to light one at a time. The supporting characters add to the richness of the story and each of their unique personalities helps create a more complex and intricate setting. I would suggest these to high-school age kids and older. There are a few swearwords dotted throughout the text and there is a hint of a bedroom scene in the third book but it is not detailed. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Check them out and let me know what you think! 

"The Selection Series"

Can we all just agree right now that "young adult" books are not actually for young adults, but instead are for mature adults who just happen to have young hearts? I always feel a little bit judged when I am skulking around in the YA section of my library. And the fact that my little sister and I read the same books...simply means that she has good taste. Now that we have that cleared up, let me tell you about "The Selection Series" by Kiera Cass. 

In a dystopian America, everyone is split into numbered castes. The lower your number, the better your state of living is, with a royal family that leads them all. When the eldest child of the royal family is ready to wed, the country holds a Selection to help him find a suitor out of any of the ladies in any of the castes. For most girls, being picked to participate in the Selection would be a dream come true, but America Singer is content with her lot in life and doesn't want to move up in the caste system. However when she moves into the castle and meets Prince Maxon, she has to decide between her life of contentment, or a fairy tale that she never dreamed would be possible.

"The Selection Series" spans five books and is packed with twists and turns, big decisions and betrayals, and above all, love. It's like the Hunger Games, but replace the weapons and killing for words and backstabbing. 35 girls are selected to try to win the Prince and only one will win. During the selection process the country is under siege by two groups that want to be rid of the caste systems. Prince Maxon and America Singer's loyalties will be tested and each has to fight for what they want. The first 3 books are about the two main characters, the last two books contain the same characters as the first 3, but the focus is on the new princess and her selection process. So throughout the entire series the reader gets to go through two selection processes, one with a soft-hearted prince and 35 female suitors and one with a no-nonsense princess and 35 male suitors. 

I will forever be grateful that I had the forethought to buy the entire series together, because I gobbled these books up. The reader is swept up into a world where a poor girl is thrown into a castle where she is expected to dress and act a certain way. Through it all she is able to hold on to herself and come out of the trials better than she was before. It really did remind me of the Hunger Games, only I think I enjoyed these more because there is way less violence and nearly everyone gets their happy ending. These books will hold your attention from the beginning to the end. The characters are charming and will resonate with the reader, the story is fast-paced while remaining clear, and the writing is clean. There are a few minor swear words dotted throughout the text, but nothing too serious and no hot and heavy scenes. I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than high-school, but overall I think that readers of all ages will enjoy this series. For their genre, I give them a 5 out of 5 stars. Check it out and let me know what you think!