Review: The Glass Gauntlet by Carter Roy

Image & description from goodreads.com

Ronan Truelove barely survived his first encounter with his father and the Bend Sinister. Now, he’s determined to become one of the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect thirty-six pure souls crucial to the world’s survival.

Eager to prove he’s got what it takes, Ronan is sent on his first mission with his friends Greta and Sammy to visit a weird-sounding school and take a series of tests called the Glass Gauntlet. Paper and pencils and nerdy scholarship—where’s the life-or-death challenge in that?

But the Glass Gauntlet is actually something much more dangerous: head-to-head competitions against ruthless opponents. Nothing and no one are what they seem. Who can he trust, and who will kill him? Ronan has to figure it out fast because his enemies are multiplying, and soon he will have to pass the ultimate test: facing his father again and standing up to those who threaten not only him and his friends but also the world. 

My Thoughts:
The adventure continues!  The Glass Gauntlet begins shortly after The Blood Guard ends.  Ronan (love that name), Greta & Sammy are all in training at the make shift home base of the Blood Guard.  While Jack trains in them in his unique way, Ronan's mom continues to search for the Head of the Bend Sinister & the soul they stole from an innocent woman.  Soon Jack & the new trainees are off to the mysterious Glass Estate to enter Ronan, Greta & Sammy in the Glass Gauntlet.  Once they realize the competition is not what it seems things get pretty crazy.  I loved the twist in the plot and the pace the story moved at.  I wonder if the new character will stick around and be of help to the Guard.  Ronan continues to be one of my new favorite characters as he lets his instincts take over and uses his new training to protect his friends.  I can't wait to see where the next book will lead.  I hope it's not too long.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Recommended for readers 12 & up.  

Review: The Blood Guard by Carter Roy

When thirteen-year-old Ronan Truelove's seemingly ordinary mom snatches him from school, then sets off on a high speed car chase, Ronan is shocked. His quiet, nerdy dad has been kidnapped? And the kidnappers are after him, too? His mom, he quickly learns, is anything but ordinary. In fact, she's a member of an ancient order of knights, the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect the Pure—thirty-six noble souls whose safety is crucial if the world as we know it is to survive. Now all those after-school activities—gymnastics, judo, survival training—she made him take, make sense. For suddenly Ronan is swept up in a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but always thrilling adventure—dashing from one danger to the next, using his wits to escape the Bend Sinister, a posse of evil doers with strange powers. Falling in with two unlikely companions, Greta, a scrappy, strong-willed girl he's never much liked and Jack, a devil-may-care teenage pickpocket, Ronan is left with only his wits and his mom's last words of advice: Trust no one. That's a lot for an ordinary kid to deal with. But then again, maybe Ronan's not ordinary at all. 

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love these kinds of adventure books!  From Percy Jackson to Jack Templar these snarky, awkward teenage boys have stolen a piece of my heart.  Now Ronan Truelove is joining the club!  Ronan is sent on a wild journey starting when his mom drops him off at the bus station with cryptic instructions to not trust anyone unless they tell him it's "twelve till midnight".  What?!  I can't imagine thinking you have this sweet, mild mannered mom then all of a sudden you witness her sword wielding, ninja skills.   Once he finally meets up with Jack & Greta things get really out of hand.  Being chased by crazy, gun toting hit men bent on capturing him is a lot for a kid to deal with.  Thank goodness Ronan's mom & Greta's dad prepared them with some training even if the kids didn't really know the reason for it.  But the ending is what will really surprise you!  I can't wait to read the next book & find out how The Blood Guard plans on stopping the Bend Sinister. These books have just a touch of magic that really keeps the excitement going.    

Recommended for everyone 12 & up.  Great humor.  Mild violence.  Tons of adventure.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Jack Templar and The Lord of The Demons

 

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  Jack Templar and the Lord of the Demons (The Templar Chronicles #5) by Jeff Gunhus With two of the Jerusalem Stones in hand, Jack and his friends must race the clock to find the remaining Stones as Ren Lucre's Creach forces gather strength. With two of their group now with Creach blood flowing in their veins, the team will be tested as never before. They must unite together if they have any hope of surviving their journey to the Underworld and their battle with the vicious Lord of the Demons. The fate of the entire world hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts:

Why did this book have to end?!  I need more!!  These books are so fantastic!  Ok, enough with the exclamation points.  But seriously, these books are addicting.  When the series is done, I will gladly re-read it all over again.  I hope if they do make movies from these books they do them more justice than they did the Percy Jackson movies.  To be safe, Jeff, have them call & consult with me so I can make sure Jack & the gang are done right.

If you haven't read any of these books, get on it NOW!  This review can not express the awesomeness of these books if you haven't read any of them.  But I digress...

Jack is once again trying to find another one of the Jerusalem stones.  He's already faced down two powerful Creach Lords, but the Lord of the Demons will be next to impossible to defeat.  Not only does Jack have to get the stone away from the ruler of the entire underworld, he has to actually survive the UNDERWORLD!  Surprisingly, Jack, Eva, Daniel & the rest were all able to find some closure & healing along this journey.  

Of course what great story could be called "Great" without more mystery added to it?  By the end of this book I had a some new questions to be answered before this series wraps up.  

I think these books would be enjoyed by both girls & boys 12 & up.  They're great for anyone who loves to read adventure.

Here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure:

Just then, Eva stepped out from the brush directly into the forest path, straddling it with her feet set wide apart like a gunslinger in an old Western. For the life of me, I don’t know how she got that close without me seeing her, but she did.

“Hey,” she called out. “Wolfboy. Where do you think you’re going?”

Even as a vampire, Eva retained her English accent. Usually that took the edge off what she said, but she managed to deliver the challenge to Daniel with so much condescension and mockery that I thought he might charge at her.

Daniel spun around, lips curled back, every tooth showing. What I thought was a snarl before was no more than a tiny growl compared to the vicious sound that now came from his mouth. The skin on my arms and across the back of my neck turned to gooseflesh. I was, after all, a monster hunter. That snarl activated every instinct I had to pull my sword and fight. But I held steady, knowing that if they attacked each other, it was going to be up to me to pull them apart.

“I’m right here,” Eva hissed, barring her teeth to show her vampire fangs. “Come and get me, you dog.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before Daniel launched himself toward her. She crouched low where she was, her face twisting into a terrible mask of hate, her fangs extending out of her mouth past her lower lip, her hands held in front of her like claws.

Daniel took three enormous steps, landing the third immediately beneath the rabbit still desperately kicking to free itself. The second Daniel’s paws touched the ground, the forest floor gave way and he fell out of sight.

The cloth covering the hole we’d dug fell into the trap with him, dragging a layer of dirt and leaves in with it.

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 Author Jeff Gunhus Jeff Gunhus is the author of the Amazon bestselling supernatural thriller, Night Chill, and the Middle Grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book of the series, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His book Reaching Your Reluctant Reader has helped hundreds of parents create avid readers. Killer Within is his second novel for adults. As a father of five, he and his wife Nicole spend most of their time chasing kids and taking advantage of living in the great state of Maryland. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel. If you see him there, sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. You just might end up in his next novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

 $25 Blog Tour Giveaway + 3 Templar Coins $25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash (Open Internationally) 3 Templar Coins (US only) Ends 8/31/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: The Last Faerie Queen by Chelsea Pitcher

Image & Decription from goodreads.com

A FAERIE REVOLUTION . . .

After risking her life in the mortal world, the faerie princess Elora returns home to incite a revolution. Allied with the Bright Queen, Elora rallies her people for a battle aimed at overthrowing her mother, the Dark Queen. While some question their ability to win, Elora senses victory, knowing she has a secret weapon: Taylor, the human boy she loves, and a motley crew of his school friends, each armed with a skill that can turn the tide of the coming battle. 

A MORTAL SACRIFICE . . .

But then Elora's supporters in the Dark Court turn on her, believing she has forsaken them in favor of humans. When the Dark Queen kidnaps two of her human friends, Elora must mount a daring rescue mission to free them before her mother offers them up as a sacrifice.


My Thoughts:

At first I was left with some mixed emotions from this book.  I guess I needed some time to let it settle.  This book begins right where The Last Changeling left off.   Taylor, Elora, Keegan, Kylie & Alexia are all refugees/captures of the Seelie Court.  Each with their own idea about their part in the upcoming war between the Bright & the Dark.  Trust is a constant issue in this story.  Who can they trust...each other, them selves, allies or enemies?  There is a nice complexity weaved into each character that is almost tangible as they battle their inner demons & desires.  One thing I really appreciated was how Taylor never lost his humanity.  His reactions to his circumstances were realistic & I liked that.  It made me a little sad he never quite got the closure he should have with his parents, but sometimes that's how life truly is.  We don't always get the loose ends tied up.  There were some pretty violent moments in the book that showed just how cruel the fey can be.  I love the way things turned out in the end.  Some things were quite unexpected and that, to me, is what makes a story great!  Humans & Fey alike must save each other.  AWESOME!!

This book is recommended for readers 15 & up.  Moderate and sometimes extreme violence with moderate sexual content.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in return for my unbiased review.

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

Summer is slipping away so fast!!  What have you read this summer that you've loved?  Here are a couple of good books I've enjoyed lately.

For my stop on this hop one winner will get a $10 Amazon GC code,  Get'cha something good to read to help beat the summer heat!  Happy reading!

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Review: The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher

Image & Description from goodreads.com

Elora, the young princess of the Dark Faeries, plans to overthrow her tyrannical mother, the Dark Queen, and bring equality to faeriekind. All she has to do is convince her mother’s loathed enemy, the Bright Queen, to join her cause. But the Bright Queen demands an offering first: a human boy who is a “young leader of men.” 

A Dark Princess In Disguise . . .

To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating a high school is surprisingly easy. When Elora meets Taylor, the seventeen-year-old who’s plotting to overthrow a ruthless bully, she thinks she’s found her offering . . . until she starts to fall in love.

My Thoughts:
This will be a short & sweet since I'm diving into the next one right away!
First, I love the covers of this series.  They are just gorgeous.  It's been a while since I've read a book about the Fey & this one did not disappoint.  What I loved most is the change in who saves who.  Chelsea takes a new twist with the usual Fey lore in making a Princess of the Dark Court the heroine instead of the villain.  I hope Taylor's dealings with his parents isn't done yet.  I think there's a lot of healing left to do on that front.  I am curious to find out who Elora's father is and what the Bright Queen has in store for her.  Anyone who loves faerie stories will enjoy this one.  I can't wait to start reading the next one.  

Recommended for 14 & up.  Mild to moderate language & sexual content.

Review: Sorcerer to The Crown by Zen Cho

Image & description from goodreads.com

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large… 

My Thoughts:
It took me longer than expected to finish this book.  The biggest reason would be in the way it's written.  While I appreciate the author's authenticity with the language of the late 1700's in England it was a huge distraction.  I'm a college educated, avid reader and I had to reread several passages to understand the intentions of the characters.  The language posed such a barrier that I couldn't get a feel for the characters at all.  At the end I liked Prunella, but I still wasn't particularly attached to her or Zacharias.  The end of the book was much more interesting with some added comic relief.  Learning what happened to Sir Stephen, Zacharias's mentor was a great mystery until the end.  I was satisfied with out come of the story and I don't feel that any loose ends were left untied.  

I'm not sure, age wise, who I would recommend this book to.  It doesn't contain any violence or sexual content.  But the writing wouldn't be enjoyed by many teens.

I received this book in exchange for my honest & unbiased review.