Bite Size Book Reviews (2)

Take a look at three of the books I read and enjoyed recently :-)

Title: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn

This is my kind of story - fantasy, kick-ass heroine, some humorous moments, a bit of romance, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Plus the adorable magic pig. Who doesn’t love that?!

THE GOOD: I liked the idea behind the magic of poisons and how they can been mixed and diluted for different effects. In fact, I would have enjoyed seeing more of that! The occasional flashbacks were slotted pretty seamlessly into the main story, providing back story in bits instead of one large info dump. Most of the characters were believable, and I especially enjoyed Fred, who made me want to laugh out loud on several occasions!

THE BAD: There were some plot "twists" I saw coming, and some I didn't. One in particular could have been foreshadowed better, as it seemed to come out of the blue and wasn’t entirely believable. The pacing started off well, but after about halfway, the tension sort of … dropped.

THE PRETTY: As others have pointed out ... Have you noticed the similarity to the poster for Snow White and the Huntsman?! Anyway, I still like the cover :-)

THE BOTTOM LINE: Overall, it was an enjoyable story. I’d probably recommend it to a younger YA audience.

Title: Cinders & Sapphires
Author: Leila Rasheed

This review is based on the SNEAK PEAK from NetGalley (which, of course, ended at a VERY interesting moment!).

I am a major fan of Downton Abbey, so there was a good chance I was going to enjoy this. And I did! There's intrigue right from the first page, and characters you'll be desperate to know more about. (There are quite a few of them to keep up with, but if you pay attention in the beginning it's not too difficult.) The chapters flip between different characters, so you get to watch the dramas of the two different worlds (the servant one and the lord-and-lady one) play out at the same time beneath the same roof.

If you're concerned that you're just going to be getting a book version of Downton Abbey with different names, never fear. So far there is no hint of similar story lines.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I would very much like to read the rest of this book!

Title: Shadowhunters and Downworlders
Author: Many awesome names
Edited by: Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare's shadowhunter world is one of my top favorites, up there in the ranks of Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings (for me, at least!), so I take any chance to read more about it. This book is a collection of essays from some fabulous authors who have come together to share their insights into the awesomeness of the shadowhunter world and its characters. Some serious, and others humorous (and others, admittedly, long-winded and a teeny bit boring), these essays go deeper into the ideas, worldbuilding and relationships that have made this series such a success.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This is a MUST-READ for any die-hard Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices fan!


(Thank you to NetGalley, who provided all three of these ebooks)