easy read Archives - On Starships and Dragonwings

4.5 Stars: Poison by Bridget Zinn

April 9, 2013 by Anya 12 Comments

One of the first things I noticed about Poison by Bridget Zinn was the cover. I’ve heard differing opinions, but I loved a cover that told most of the premise and had a heroine that wasn’t in an overly sexual pose. It’s so difficult to find covers like this on fantasy books! I also loved the depth of the cover, since I kept noticing new aspects to it (totally didn’t see the piglet the first time >.>)! Anyway, the cover also reveals the “Disney”-esque feel to Poison, in that it totally could be the cover to a Disney movie and has a plot line that very much reminded me of a Disney movie. So if you are up for a light-hearted fantasy that doesn’t take itself overly seriously, check out Poison.

Note: I bought a copy of Poison to review because I couldn’t resist that cover…. >.>

Goodreads | Amazon | LibraryThing

Title: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn
Length: 288 pages (hardcover)
Genre-ish: Light fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆- fun for what it is

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? — Goodreads

Strengths:

There were several times when my neighbors probably got annoyed at me because I laughed long and hard while reading Poison. I just love those witty lines :D.
Poison is not a book that just throws a cute piglet on the cover to be adorable. The pig has a purpose and it’s a very important one, yey!
Potions! I love the idea of a heroine whose greatest skill is in making and using potions. Freaking awesome.
Poison has a pretty typical “magic kingdom” world, but there are a few interesting and fun twists.

Weaknesses:

The “potion” magic system in Poison is quite simplistic and convenient unfortunately.
There is a fair amount of vocabulary you wouldn’t expect in fantasy settings, though this fits in with the “Disney” feel.
Poison starts out all action-packed and cool, but it takes a fair while to explain the actual motivation that Kyra had for trying to assassinate her best friend. It makes sense once it’s explained, but I was a bit confused for the first part.

Summary:

Poison is great if you want a story that is light-hearted and fun with just enough fantasy elements to make your brain daydream. If you like Disney movies, you will probably like Poison ;-). Just don’t expect this to be an epic fantasy adventure since you would be setting yourself up for disappointment. As many of you know, the author of Poison, Bridget Zinn, passed away shortly after finishing Poison, and so there won’t be any sequels. I can assure you that Poison wraps up well and doesn’t really leave any questions, however I wish that there was the opportunity for deeper development of this world through later books.

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- A

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: easy read, fantasy, heroine, poison by bridget zinn, witches, ya

4 Stars: The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

March 26, 2013 by Guest 7 Comments

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan is the second book of the second series and continues the story of young demigods who must forge friendships and figure out to use their unique gifts in a race to save the world …. again.

When I (Barbara) finished The Lost Hero, I knew I would be working my way through the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. I had minored in classical studies during college and appreciate Riordan’s modern extension of the Perseus archetype into a light but engaging series for young adults. This book was my personal copy, and there aren’t any spoilers for The Son of Neptune, but there are some for The Lost Hero. If you haven’t read the first book, check out Anya’s review of The Lost Hero instead.
Goodreads | Amazon
Title: The Son of Neptune
Author: Rick Riordan
Length: 513 pages
Genre-ish: YA Fantasy (set in our world)
Rating: ★★★★☆- light and easy read

Setting: In The Son of Neptune, not only are the Greek gods real, but so are the Roman ones. While they are technically the same gods, the Roman aspects of the 12 Olympian gods are more stern, serious, and disciplined — but they still fall in love with mortals and have demigod children. The young Roman demigods, like the Greeks we met in the first series and in the Lost Hero, inherit traits and powers from their godly parents, speak Latin like a senator in the forum, have a special, secret camp, and are the favorite snack of monsters. Mere mortals are kept unaware of this by the Mist, which obscures reality and keeps us unaware of the battles between the gods and various powers that want to destroy the world and its inhabitants.

Premise: This time, Percy Jackson is the one with amnesia and monsters hot on his tail. He ends up at Camp Jupiter where he is as out of place as a Greek among Romans. One Roman in particular remembers who he is … and that he is not exactly on her favorites list. Still, Percy makes friends and ends up on a trip to Alaska to save the world. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Juno/Hera is putting together a dream team from BOTH Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood to defeat Gaea — the personification of the earth — who will threaten Mount Olympus itself before the end of the series.

Strengths:

Riordan’s writing is wonderful to read. He is descriptive without being too wordy, immersing the reader in the scenes he weaves. We come to see the world through the points of view of each of the major characters, which are interleaved without confusion.
Riordan also uses humor to good effect in The Son of Neptune to keep the tone of the story light. If the heroes are joking in the face of adversity, how bad can it be, right?
I love the friendships that develop between the heroes. They feel right and develop at an appropriate pace out of shared principles, choices, and actions.
In The Son of Neptune, each character has his or her strengths and weaknesses. Often the heroes complement each other, which shows young readers the value of collaboration and valuing one’s own gifts. But the heroes also show that you don’t necessarily have to like doing what you are good at. The son of the god of war does not particularly like what he inherited from his father – but these abilities are used wisely save the day on a number of occasions.
Although the Son of Neptune occurs at about the same time as The Lost Hero, it was not repetitious. The two stories run parallel until the very end when the two sets of heroes meet, leaving the reader to wonder who will comprise the seven heroes of the prophecy.

Weaknesses:

The formula is beginning to be a bit too repetitious. The frantic journey of less than a week to get somewhere, find something, and save the world at the last minute is exciting but … tired. And having a hero with a guilty secret – again – seemed definitely like a lazy way to bring in dramatic tension.
The female characters are strong and gifted, but after a series and two books, I’m hoping that the third book will really let Annabeth shine as the daughter of Athena.

Summary:

If you have been enjoying the two series up to this point, you should enjoy The Son of Neptune as well. It has some interesting variations to throw at you but keeps the winning formula intact.

- Barbara

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: easy read, fantasy, four stars, riordan, series, the son of neptune, ya

3.5 Stars: Red Madrassa by Terah Edun

February 21, 2013 by Anya 5 Comments

Welcome to my tour stop for the Red Madrassa blog tour! I decided to read Red Madrassa because, let’s be honest, look at that cover!!! It’s freaking gorgeous! I just wish I could have gotten a physical copy to drool over ;-). I have to say that I adored the beginning of Red Madrassa, even if it took me a little bit to get all the characters straight in my head, and while I was a bit disappointed at the sudden ending, I think Harry Potter fans might like this magical school adventure :).

Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Red Madrassa
Author: Terah Edun
Length: 244 pages
Genre-ish: YA fantasy
Rating: ★★★☆☆- awesome start, slipped at the end

A magical accident threw them together. But when Fate holds all the cards, it can be impossible to tell the difference between pure chance and Destiny…

The Madrassa, a magical school for mage practitioners, is the stuff of legend. With selective entrance exams and quotas for only the most advanced of mage children, it’s almost impossible to attend.

When Allorna, a guardian trainee for the royal family, ends up on the doorstep of the citadel on the eve of the final day of a recruitment ceremony, she decides it must be fate.

She was sure she knew the path her life would take before she enrolled. But sometimes life has a way of throwing in magical curveballs and strange friends, just to see if you’ll trip up.

Oh, and one of those friends is a mage accused of murder, another is a slightly psychotic dragon, the third a healer facing an existential crisis, and the last is a female storm-caller with more hidden secrets than a thief lord.

Do they all belong at the new school they call home? – Goodreads

Strengths:

Red Madrassa has a full cast of interesting characters with a wide range of backgrounds included various races and sexual orientations, yey diversity in fantasy for once!
The writing was so readable and compelling! No matter what was happening in the plot, I still found Red Madrassa fun to read, which is saying something since sometimes the kids were just taking classes, haha.
There were some nice editions to the typical schools of magic, including an unknown/innate type which was pretty cool to learn about :D.

Weaknesses:

There was a mystery that was introduced in the beginning of Red Madrassa, but the characters didn’t really do much to try to solve it and didn’t have a hand in resolving the plot tension. It just sort of resolves itself….
No real action happens in the last half of Red Madrassa until the veeerrrry end, since the kids were mostly just going to class. Don’t get me wrong, classes are great, but I really wanted the book to continue for another hundred pages at least to give me a nice epic conclusion.
There were several times where the pronouns really confused me and may not have been grammatically correct. Especially when there are so many characters, it probably would be better to use more specific identifiers than “he” and “she” given that there are multiple of those in a room pretty much all the time ;-).

Summary:

Red Madrassa had a great start as a magical school adventure, but it felt like it needed to be a bit longer in order to capture that young kids saving the day adventure that we all love. It’s no fun when the adults step in to do all the adventuring! Nonetheless, if you go in knowing what to expect and are looking for a light and diverse school-based fantasy, Red Madrassa is for you. I look forward to seeing what the next book holds, now that we’ve gotten the basics of the school out the way!

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- A

Red Madrassa by Terah Edun

Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: 3.5 stars, easy read, edun, fantasy, magic system, red madrassa, ya

4 Stars: Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

February 19, 2013 by Anya 16 Comments

My friends and I were having a discussion about audiobook recommendations and one of them brought out Dealing with Dragons. She didn’t have the audiobook version, but apparently it is very good. She instead had a text-copy, which I immediately started eye-balling because it was a. short (so I wouldn’t feel guilty taking a break to read it) and b. had dragons in the title and the cover! (no brainer :D). She is pretty much always trying to lend me more books, and only resists because she’s knows that my TBR pile is on the verge of crushing me continually as it is, so she not only lent me a copy of Dealing with Dragons, but also a bookmark to match :D. She might be a little crazy that she tries to have bookmarks to match as many of her favorite books as possible (and she has many), but I think it’s cute :3.

Goodreads | Amazon

Title: Dealing with Dragons
Author: Patricia Wrede
Length: 212 pages
Genre-ish: YA (old) fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆- light-hearted fun, no romance

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart – and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon – and finds the family and excitement she’s been looking for. – Goodreads

Strengths:

Dealing with Dragons has some REALLY fun characters! Between the witty dragon, headstrong princess, mischievous witch, and scheming wizards, what’s not to love??
This whole book is one entertaining fairytale re-telling after the next all tied up with a bow. I should have kept a list of all the references, but I didn’t want to distract myself from laughing, hehe!
There is not just one, not just two kick-butt princesses, but also a kick-butt dragon :D. So awesome!!
I just had to pull out this quote for all you cat lovers out there. This is from when Cimorene (the princess) and Kazul (the dragon) go to visit their witch friend who happens to have a lot of cats and Kazul asks one of them to get the witch for them:
“He doesn’t seem very impressed,” Cimorene commented in some amusement.
“Why should he be?” Kazul said.
“Well, you’re a dragon,” Cimorene answered, a little taken aback.
“What difference does that make to a cat?”
Hehe, cats aren’t afraid of dragons either apparently!

Weaknesses:

While Dealing with Dragons is juvenile fiction, it is an older book, so don’t expect it to have the same pumped up plot style that has become a trend in YA recently. This plot was much more fun and leisurely.
There is literally no romance in Dealing with Dragons, none at all, sorry :(. Some would consider this a strength, but I know many wouldn’t, so I’m just warning you :).
Because Dealing with Dragons is pretty dang short, there isn’t really room for any character development. There are several more books, so perhaps Cimorene grows up a bit in those, but she’s still just as headstrong and rowdy at the end of Dealing with Dragons as at the beginning, hehe.

Summary:

Dealing with Dragons was the perfect distraction, light-hearted and fun plus dragons! While it isn’t what we are used to with YA anymore, it is what juvenile fiction used to be, so if you are up for a break from all the angsty, romance-filled novels of today (or just want some fun, I’m not judging!) you should definitely try out Dealing with Dragons. There is just something alluring about running off to live with dragons isn’t there??

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- A

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: 4 stars, dealing with dragons, dragons, easy read, fantasy, heroine, wrede, ya

Four Stars: Magick by Trish Milburn

January 23, 2013 by Anya 6 Comments

Magick is the exciting conclusion to the Coven trilogy. Jax needs to learn to master her white witch power, come to terms with the horrible act she has done, and figure out how to bring an end to the dark covens’ reign for good. But no pressure or anything ;-).

I love the Coven series and have been lucky enough to receive Magick (Coven #3) from Netgalley to review (thank you so much!). This is the third book, so there will be spoilers for the first two! Fortunately, you can just pop over to my review for White Witch (Coven #1) and Bane (Coven #2) instead and get started on this awesome series if you haven’t had a chance to yet!
Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Magick
Author: Trish Milburn
Pages: 166 (paperback)
Genre-ish: Urban fantasy (witch edition :D)
Rating: ★★★★☆ - great characters, plot struggled

The covens are coming for her.

But is she a White Witch or a Dark Witch? In a war for control of the witch world, the answer will save-or doom-everyone she loves.

In White Witch, Jax gained friends she’d die for and a staggering power that threatens them all.

In Bane, Jax did the unthinkable and killed a supernatural hunter to protect her friends. She found herself lost in darkness and prisoner to the Bane, a secret society of witches sworn to prevent the use of the dark magic.

Now, in Magick, the powers of Jax and her friend Egan have been magically bound by the Bane. She must convince the Bane she can learn to control her power and become a White Witch in truth. She’s their only hope now that the dark covens have called a Conclave with one purpose-to kill this generation’s White Witch and anyone who has ever stood with her. If Jax can’t amass an army of her own, rebuild the trust of her friends and boyfriend, and find the White Witch’s elusive weapon against the dark, it may be too late. – Goodreads

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Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: easy read, four stars, magick, milburn, urban fantasy, witches, ya

Tournament of Chance by S. G. Rogers Review and Giveaway

January 3, 2013 by Anya 6 Comments

An unjust king picks the wrong commoner to betray in Tournament of Chance by S. G. Rogers, a fast-paced fantasy story about a rebellion fueled by love and happening through time itself.

I love the tours that I Am a Reader, Not a Writer hosts, since they are a great opportunity to read and review wonderful books that I might not get a chance to otherwise. When the email came for Tournament of Chance, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but there was a dragon on the cover so my chances seemed good :D. Plus archery is pretty awesome!

Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Tournament of Chance
Author: S. G. Rogers
Pages: 273 (ebook)
Genre-ish: Fantasy + Time travel!
Rating: ★★★★☆ - fast-paced story, some flaws

Heather’s skill is archery. King Chance’s skill is treachery. Who will win?

When a beautiful commoner enters the Tournament of Chance archery competition, her thwarted victory sparks a revolution in the oppressive kingdom of Destiny. Although Heather never believed the legends about the restoration of Ormaria, after three shape-shifting Ormarian wizards awaken from a long magical slumber, she joins their perilous quest to regain the throne. Heather battles vicious predators and angry trolls to free the wizards’ magic, but at a horrendous cost. She is unexpectedly torn from the arms of the man she loves and hurled back in time to fulfill a prophecy not yet written. The ensuing maelstrom tests Heather’s survival skills, wits, and endurance. Will she become an unwritten footnote in history, or can she trust the magic to lead her back to her one true love? – Goodreads

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Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: dragons, easy read, fantasy, four stars, giveaway, heroine, rogers, time travel, tournament of chance

Four Stars: Heart of the Dragon’s Realm by Karalynn Lee

December 27, 2012 by Anya 16 Comments

In a land torn by war, the arranged marriage of a headstrong princess to a reclusive mountain king would seem of little consequence… unless you’re the princess! Kimri is bound for adventure greater than she can imagine, however, and perhaps a solution to the war that has plagued her childhood, if only she can break through the gruff exterior of her new husband-to-be in Heart of the Dragon’s Realm, a touching romantic fantasy.

You know me and dragons ;-). When I saw the title and the dragons in the background of Heart of the Dragon’s Realm on NetGalley, I had to request it :D. A big thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this great book! While Karalynn Lee states on her author page that she is more of a romantic writer, the fantasy element in Heart of the Dragon’s Realm was plenty strong for me, and so I highly recommend this story for all fantasy and dragon readers out there :D.

Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Heart of the Dragon’s Realm
Author: Karalynn Lee
Pages: 142 pages (ebook)
Genre-ish: Epic Fantasy + romance
Rating: ★★★★☆ - really fun, minor flaws

Princess Kimri is used to betrayal. Her brother sold her to a king in exchange for swords to defend his lands. King Tathan’s reputation is as fierce as that of his mountain kingdom—where dragons are said to guard the castle walls—but the realms are unstable enough without angering the mountain-king, so Kimri reluctantly agrees to the union.

When she arrives in Helsmont, the king promises her a year of courtship before marrying—or parting ways. Before long, Kimri thinks she may find comfort, and perhaps eventually love, with the stoic king.

But the realms are more unsettled than Kimri realizes, and she soon finds herself caught in the middle of a war between the kingdoms. Can she count on her betrothed to take her side? Or will his loyalty to his kingdom come before his loyalty to her? — Goodreads

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Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: dragons, easy read, four stars, heart of the dragon's realm, lee

Five Stars: The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

November 19, 2012 by Anya 5 Comments

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson might be a novella, but it packs a full-length punch. A stamp and history based magic-system combines with an outlaw girl’s past and a dying emperor to make a brilliant and fast-paced fantasy story.

Brandon Sanderson is in the middle of several long projects right now, and so released two novellas this year instead of a novel, one (Legion) that is more sci-fi, and The Emperor’s Soul, which is very obviously fantasy. However, Sanderson is never content with recycled ideas, and even though The Emperor’s Soul is much shorter than any other book of his I’ve read, the story and magic system were just as amazing as I’ve come to expect :D. Also, The Emperor’s Soul is in the same world as Elantris, which you only notice if you’ve read the other novel, which is pretty awesome.
Goodreads | Amazon
Title: The Emperor’s Soul
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Pages: 167 (paperback)
Genre-ish: Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★ - Epic-ly awesome

A heretic thief is the empire’s only hope in this fascinating tale that inhabits the same world as the popular novel, Elantris.
Shai is a Forger, a foreigner who can flawlessly copy and re-create any item by rewriting its history with skillful magic. Condemned to death after trying to steal the emperor’s scepter, she is given one opportunity to save herself. Though her skill as a Forger is considered an abomination by her captors, Shai will attempt to create a new soul for the emperor, who is almost dead.

Probing deeply into his life, she discovers Emperor Ashravan’s truest nature—and the opportunity to exploit it. Her only possible ally is one who is truly loyal to the emperor, but councilor Gaotona must overcome his prejudices to understand that Shai’s forgery is as much artistry as it is deception.

Brimming with magic and political intrigue, this deftly woven fantasy delves into the essence of a living spirit. — Goodreads

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Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: easy read, fantasy, five stars, heroine, magic system, novella, sanderson, the emperor's soul

Four Stars: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

November 15, 2012 by Anya 8 Comments

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan is a strong start to another thrilling and fun series combing ancient Greek and Roman culture with the perils of being a teenager!

When I spotted The Heroes of Olympus series on the bookshelf of the new guy in my lab’s bookshelf, I new they were good people!
Well, I knew that I would be great friends with his fiance, whose books they were ;-). It doesn’t hurt that she makes these really delicious chocolate desserts whenever she has people over, freaking fantastic! In any case, she was gracious enough to lend me The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, making her possibly the coolest person ever :D.

Goodreads | Amazon
Title: The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 553 (hardcover)
Genre-ish: YA Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆ - Light and fun
Setting: The Greek gods are real and periodically fall in love with mortals, producing demi-god children. These children have powers associated with their god parents, as well as the ability to speak ancient Greek, uncanny prowess with weapons and other helpful things. There are also all of those ancient Greek monsters, however, and they things demi-gods are tasty. We knew all this from the Percy Jackson novels, however. Now, it seems there may be more than just Greek heroes and gods, where did the Roman gods go after all?
Premise: Jason wakes up on a bus with no memories at all. He doesn’t know why he is holding this pretty girl’s hand, nor why an angry old man is yelling at him. His day proceeds to get worse as wind monsters attack him and his friends and they discover that they are actually demi-gods and things are pretty bad in the world right now. This is all par for the course though. The weird part is that everyone important keeps looking at Jason as if he, in particular, is a really really really bad omen, but they refuse to tell him why…. Oh well, before he can figure that out, they need to go save the world.

Strengths:

Riordan can write! The Lost Hero is fast and fun, so that even though is is fairly long, you’ll have no trouble buzzing right through it. The writing is lightly descriptive (not too much, as we’ve all complained about before!) with plenty of humor thrown in.
The three main characters are all good kids that care about each other despite the odd situation they are in, yet they all have their own personalities and weaknesses to deal with. The Lost Hero benefits from three points of view that switch each chapter, so we get a good idea of what is going on, and get the chance to follow three subplots that weave together throughout the book.
It’s so interesting to start finding out about the Roman side of things! I won’t say more, since I don’t want to ruin anything (and because I don’t actually know that much yet), but I’m so excited to find out :D.

Weaknesses:

I was super creeped out by the description of two of the female deity figures at first. Like, I had to turn the light on because the descriptions were so creepy! Isn’t this book supposed to be for younger-ish kids??
There is only so far that you can push the epic “Omg something more horrible and all powerful is going to try to take over now” and I really am not sure that I’m convinced it’s going to work. The Percy Jackson books used up the Titans trying to take over, and so now Riordan has to go bigger, and while he seems to have found something bigger in the Greek myths, I’m just not quite convinced yet.
The YA nature of The Lost Hero annoyed me at times, with big words being a little overused and then explained, or kids being just plain annoying.

Summary:
The Lost Hero was very similar to the Percy Jackson books, so if you liked those, you should definitely pick this one up! Riordan continues his light and fun style, while incorporating the Greek myths that so many of us were so interesting in in school :D. While The Lost Hero has the weaknesses that many YA books have for those of us that don’t read YA as much, anyone who reads and enjoys YA should definitely love The Lost Hero! I’m super excited to borrow the next book in the series *sneaks over to friend’s house*.

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- A

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Filed Under: What A Story - Book Reviews Tagged With: easy read, fantasy, four stars, greek myth, riordan, series, the lost hero, ya

Four Stars: Fate Succumbs by Tammy Blackwell

November 1, 2012 by Anya 4 Comments

In the harrowing third book of the Timer Wolves series, Blackwell tells a tale of duty, fate and love of all kinds. Fate Succumbs puts Scout through the ringer, but also shows just how many allies she has on her side.

I’ve said this before, and it’s worth saying again: Tammy Blackwell is a fantabulous author, especially considering she is an indie author. She is proof that indie authors can have well polished and riveting books. Fate Succumbs is the third book in the Timber Wolves series, so there may be spoilers for the first or second books below. Also, check out that cover! Isn’t it gorgeous??
Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Fate Succumbs
Author: Tammy Blackwell
Pages: 296 (Kindle)
Genre-ish: Urban (very rural?) fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆ - awesome plot, but not quite enough
Setting: All over? There is a cross-country escape from evil people trip that ends with the Canadian woods in winter, which proceeds to Ely, Minnesota :D. All in an alternate world where shifters (coyote and wolf) exist alongside seers (people with various powers).
Premise: Time Mends ends with Scout being pulled from a death sentence by her friendly neighborhood wolf. Fate Succumbs opens with her proceeding to travel across America in an attempt to stay under the FBI and Pack radar. All of this occurs with the company of Liam, the surly big brother from the earlier books. Scout finds unexpected allies, truths she couldn’t begin to imagine a year ago, and a destiny even though she doesn’t believe in fate.

Strengths:

We find out so much more about the shifter and seer history in Fate Succumbs and it just left me wanting to know more!
Blackwell also starts revealing much more about the other supernatural aspects of the world, including the Immortals that were hinted about in previous books. There is definitely a lot more to build on for future books.
Epic battles and horrible villains getting their just dessert ;-). So satisfying.
Liam develops a lot as a character and we find out so much more about what makes him and Alex who they are. While I wasn’t a fan of all the development that happened (see below), it definitely expanded the secondary characters, which can be hard to do with a first person narrative.
Also yey for popular boy falling in love with heavier nerdy girl!

Weaknesses:

Ick, I’m super not a fan of the romance that occurred in Fate Succumbs. Blackwell does a fair job of showing that Scout is also not super sure about who she is falling in love with, but seriously, why can’t any male-female relationship just be friends??
It seems fairly obvious that Timber Wolves is not a trilogy, because there was a whole lot left unresolved at the end of Fate Succumbs. This was a bit disappointing, since strings being cleverly tied up just makes for a much more satisfying book.
The epic battle that everything was leading up to just wasn’t all that epic…. It seemed to go by pretty fast, and I honestly don’t think it was supposed to be the climax, which seemed weird. There was a sense of something not being completed to 100% satisfaction.

Summary:
Fate Succumbs and the Timber Wolves series so far, is a really fun read. The characters are fun, the dialogue is witty, the setting is interesting. While they are lacking depth at times, and tend to give in to romantic elements a little too often, the writing of Blackwell makes them fast reads and wonderful brain candy. Also I’m completely in love with these covers! I might have to get the physical copies even though I have the Kindle editions…. I’m very much hoping that Blackwell continues the Timber Wolves series, since there is a lot left untied at the end of Fate Succumbs, and Blackwell is definitely on my insta-read list.

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- A