The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2) by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2)
Author: Sherry Thomas
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: 16 September 2014
Rating: 4 Stars

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future. - Summary from Goodreads

Right from the first chapter The Perilous Sea I was sucked in and it was near impossible to put down. I’m serious, that first chapter is just evil! The chapters alternate between things that happen after summer when Iolanthe and Titus return to Eton and events that take place SEVEN WEEKS IN THE FUTURE! Guess which type the first chapter is. I’ll give you one guess…

This book spends a lot of time asking questions about the nature of prophecy. If you see it, is it written in stone? If you manipulate events to encourage the prophecy, are you making it happen? What if the Seer makes a mistake when interpreting the vision? Prophecy is a tricky thing, and Iolanthe and Titus are beginning to learn just how tricky. It causes drama in their relationship, but I like them better for dealing with it and working things out between them.

As good as the first book was, its sequel surpasses it in awesomeness. We get to know some of the side characters better, like Cooper and Kashkari (whom Sarah loves). It has plenty of action and tension in the book and the story is just so good! But for some reason I can’t give it a 5-star rating, it wasn’t until after reading book two that I figure out why. I don’t have an emotional connection with the characters. Maybe it’s because the writing style feels distant to me. When I’m reading an emotional scene, I’m reading about what the characters are feeling, I don’t feel it myself. That is the only thing that makes this series less than perfect for me.

I love how The Elemental Trilogy references fairytales in the Crucible. The innocence and “and they all lived happily ever after” of the fairytales contrast the horrible reality of what the characters are dealing with in such a heartbreaking way. It’s such a small part of the series but I wanted to mention it.

The Perilous Sea contains all the action, drama, and adventure that you can hope for in a sequel. The ending is set up perfectly for book three and leaves you hanging from the side of a cliff (metaphorically speaking) and anxious for the conclusion to the trilogy.
     -Christina

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy #1)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Genre: YA High Fantasy

Rating: 4 Stars

It all began with a ruined elixir and a bolt of lightning.

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

Guided by his mother's visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.

The Burning Sky—the first book in the Elemental Trilogy—is an electrifying and unforgettable novel of intrigue and adventure. --Summary from Goodreads

I have been trying to up my fantasy reads this year and happened to run into this high fantasy on Goodreads. Because I was going to see the author at an event I decided to bump it towards the top of my TBR list. Though it was a bit of a confusing start, and perhaps because I haven’t read many high fantasy’s it took me a while to adjust, I really enjoyed getting pulled into this world.

I was a bit confused at the beginning as to what time this story was set in. We are given two dates that seem centuries apart but are actually happening at the same time? I didn’t know what to think. However, after a few chapters I discovered that the times did indeed coincide but one was the year for the mage realm and the other for England. Once I realized that I was able to fully enjoy the mixture of the Victorian England with the mage realm. It’s like Harry Potter in a way, where there are two separate world and only one knows about the other.

After a series of events where her elemental powers manifest into something beyond amazing, Iolanthe finds herself ripped from her old life and on her way to an all-boys school in Victorian England where she is in hiding from the Bane, a tyrant who wants to capture her, with the help of Prince Titus.

Let me just say that Iolanthe is an awesome heroine but she also makes an amazing boy. When she first arrived at Eton College, where the prince had spent years creating an identity for the person in his mother’s vision, I was as nervous as Titus as to how she would pull off being a boy but she fit right in, armed with an arsenal of insults and swagger. She’s quick and smart and though she never wanted this destiny thrown upon her, she rises to the task despite her fear.

The relationship between Iolanthe and Titus is a mixture of desire, disgust, and despair. Titus is protecting Iolanthe but only so he can train her to confront the Bane and hopefully destroy him. Iolanthe just wants to stay in hiding and live a semi-normal life. Titus basically cons her into creating blood oath with him leaving her little option but to train or else endure excruciating pain. You kind of wanted to kill Titus at this point but, like Iolanthe, there is no way to fully hate the boy who carries so much on his shoulders.

My favorite parts of the book was when they were in training in the Crucible, a book that they can enter and run fairytale and legend simulations in order to exercise their powers. They can even set it up so they can fight against dragons, how cool is that! In the Crucible you can get hurt, and even die, but it doesn’t physically carry over into the real world. And to exit the book all they have to say is “and they lived happily ever after.” Isn’t that awesome!

The world Sherry Thomas has created is a mixture of fantasy and historical and I love it. This story has good pacing and plot and the cast of characters, main and side (my favorite being Kashkari), really bring it all together for one great read. If you love fantasy, you must try out the Burning Sky.

-Sarah

 

Top Ten Books We'd Like To See As a Movie/TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

MOVIE
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
This would be such a BEAUTIFUL movie! Well, now that I think about it, it would also be a very bloody movie, but still enjoyable! And it's a standalone which means that you don't have to watch 3 4 movies to get the entire story. I need this to be a movie!

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Ridley Scott is doing this movie.... sometime. I don't know when but I do know that it's going to be AMAZING once it comes out! I love this book so much!
 
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Can you imagine how visually beautiful and creepy this movie would be? And the whole tone would be amazing. I've love to see the faerie world on screen. Also, I think it would be fine with just one movie since the book itself can standalone.

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
It would be so cute and funny! We need a YA book movie that won't make us cry.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
This is such a great trilogy and I think it would make some awesome movies (even though I kinda hate watching zombies)! Then I could see Eleanor and Daniels relationship on the big screen as well! ;)

TV SHOW
Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter
I can see so much potential in this being a TV show because each book cover's one semester and there could be so much fun in-between the main story. On the other hand, I think this would make a great TV show post-books and follow the girls once they've already gotten their jobs. Either way, I need some Gallagher Girls TV!!!!!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Movie format doesn't really work for this book, I'd love to see it stretched out into a series. The world is so vast, there are so many adventure that they could have. And after a while they could spin-off Bloodlines!

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Each book lasts a year, there are so many mini adventures that our beloved characters could have that lead up to the main plot of the novel. Also, there could be more time spent on characters like Seamus, Dean, Neville, and all of the Weasleys. I'm not saying that a TV series would be good right now, it's too soon after the movies. Maybe in another 20 years it would work.

Mind Games by Kiersten White
There's a lot that can be done with this story and also this world. I'd love to see it on the screen!

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
The books are so long and cover such a great period of time that I don't think this could be anything other than a TV show!

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Title: Keeping the Castle

Author: Patrice Kindl

Publisher: Viking Childrens Books

Publication Date: 14 June 2012

Rating: 4 Stars

Seventeen-year-old Althea is the sole support of her entire family, and she must marry well. But there are few wealthy suitors--or suitors of any kind--in their small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo. Then, the young and attractive (and very rich) Lord Boring arrives, and Althea sets her plans in motion. There's only one problem; his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks keeps getting in the way. And, as it turns out, Fredericks has his own set of plans . . .-Summary from Goodreads

I read Keeping the Castle exactly when I needed it the most. It has been over a month since I read a book for fun, and even longer since I found a book that I loved reading. This book pulled me out of a reading slump with its light, fun, silly story. I didn’t realize when I first started it that it is historical fiction set in Regency era England. The last Regency book I read I had to throw put down after a chapter because the dialogue and ideas presented by the characters were so modern it wasn’t even worth it. I did not have that problem here. The dialogue didn’t call attention to itself and fit in well and the ideas on marriage and women fit the time period completely even when the character’s ideas evolved.

This is a story about a girl trying to capture a rich guy so she can save her family. She doesn’t try masking her intentions at all. Her family’s castle (belonging to her little brother), and everything inside of it, is literally falling apart. She needs to marry rich so she can afford repairs to it. Althea is often compared to a Jane Austen heroine but she isn’t a specific one. I can see traits from different characters at times but she remains very much her own character.

Now on to the romance. I can’t say I was the biggest fan of it, but I didn’t despise it either. They have plenty of good scenes together that make me like it, especially the last scene which was hilarious and stayed true to the characters. I thought the point where she realized she was in love with him was a bit too rushed and had little foundation, but you know what? I didn’t care. I just had so much fun with this book that it didn’t matter too much to me.

Keeping the Castle is the perfect book for a rainy day (literally or figuratively). If you are looking for a short, funny, cute, historical romance than this is the perfect book for you. 

-Christina