Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

Hidden Huntress

by Danielle L. Jensen 

Read: June 5 - 10, 2015
Published:  June 2, 2015 by Angry Robot
Source: NetGalley (Thank you!)
Category: YA, fantasy, trolls, fae, magic 

Series: Malediction Trilogy #2
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.

Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.

To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

_________________________________________________________________________

Hidden Huntress is book two in the Malediction Trilogy. The first was Stolen Songbird. You can see my review linked in the title. To be honest, I went into this book expecting not to like it. Although I enjoyed the first book in the series, I’d seen some negative reviews of this one and middle-of-trilogy books are always dicey for me. The good news is that overall, I liked Hidden Huntress. However, it wasn't a perfect journey for me. 

Set-up

Hidden Huntress does not do a lot of recapping of Stolen Songbird, and because I didn’t reread the first, it took me some time to reorient myself into the world and remember all of the characters.  At the start of Stolen Songbird Cécile was kidnapped by trolls and taken into the caves under the mountain where they've been cursed to live. There she was forced to wed the troll prince Tristan. It was an unwanted union on both sides, but developed into true affection and love throughout the course of the first book. Then at the end of that installment, a plot to save the persecuted race of half-blooded trolls – led by Tristan – was discovered. Lots of chaos occurred, and Cecile was nearly killed. To save her life, she was sent back to her home above ground. 

At the beginning of Hidden Huntress, Cécile is separated from Tristan, living in the city of Trianon with her mother and secretly hunting down the witch who cursed the trolls. Tristan is a prisoner of his father, who was not happy to discover all of his son's scheming. 

Breakdown

Hidden Huntress is a heafty book at nearly 500 pages, and the majority of that is spent following Cécile as she searches for Anushka, the witch who cursed the trolls. There were times when the search seemed endless and the story dragged, as and Cécile spent more time following her mothers orders. In general, I think some of the content in this story could have been condensed or removed. Part of my trouble was that I figured out a key bit of information within the first half of the book. However, Cécile doesn’t realize the same information for herself until nearly the very end. I kept waiting for her to figure it out and became increasingly anxious when she didn’t. I honestly started to panic at one point that Cécile would never realize this info and I’d never get to the end. 

Cécile and Tristan spend a considerable amount of time apart in this story, but for the most part that wasn’t an issue for me. Partially because we were able to see what both of them were doing, and also because there isn’t any hint of a love triangle at all. They weren't always on the same page though, and I could understand why it took some time for them to reconnect when they finally saw each other again.  But I enjoyed watching their relationship develop further. Seeing their commitment to each other, slowly rebuilding trust, and sweet and swoony moments were highlights of this book for me. Still, these two both need to work more on communication and honesty. There were times that I wanted to yell at both of them for keeping things from the other – ESPECIALLY CECILE AT ONE POINT!! 

I enjoyed exploring Trianon in this book, it was fun to go to a new location and see how the human world contrasted with the trolls. It was interesting to discover how much Cécile and Tristan’s connection is part of a larger plot and schemes that have been building for much longer than they (or I) realized. Their individual situations and struggles against their powerful parents also paralleled well throughout the story. While the romance lover in me enjoyed seeing how they continued to choose each other despite the increasing odds against them. 

Although I had some issues with this sequel, especially with it feeling overly long, overall, I enjoyed Hidden Huntress and am excited to see what is going to happen in the finale. I’m definitely going to need more of a recap before that, however!  

Love Triangle Factor: None

Cliffhanger Scale: Medium - Ends in the middle of a dramatic situation, but the relationship drama cliffy is less this time around. 

Love Triangle Chatter: Why We're Never Going to Escape Love Triangles

original image source

When I was at BEA a few weeks ago, I spoke with an author who has a trilogy with a well known publisher. I love that BEA allows us to hang out and chat with authors, and get a more personal look at their books and what's happening in the publishing world as a whole. Of course our conversation eventually went in the direction of my favorite/most hated topic: Love Triangles. Raise your hand if your'e surprised. No one? 

This author had originally conceived a series with the heroine having a solid Linear Love Progression (my term) in the first book. This means the MC had a love interest when the first book began that shifted and settled in a different direction throughout the same book. The guy from the very beginning was supposed to be left behind at this point, and in book two and three it would continue to be all about the second "real" love interest, with no love triangle in the mix. (Ex. Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson has a Linear Love Progression). 

However,  this author's editor had a different opinion on the matter and wanted the first guy to be featured throughout the second book as well, essentially bringing back a love triangle. The author has obliged this request and mentioned having to juggle more people and more romantic drama than anticipated in book two. Though the author is attempting to keep the focus off the romance, at least in the heroine's mind. The author compared it to The Hunger Games series in that sense. (I have mixed feelings about that comparison.)

Some specific comments/reactions to this conversation:

1) It makes me sad to hear a change like this was made when a love triangle wasn't the original intent of the author. I actively avoid triangles, so I will likely not read this series now. I know I'm just one person, but I'm still disappointed. 

2) I didn't get into a conversation with this author about why the editor requested this change, but my guess is it has something to do with audience-selling potential. As much as I hate to admit it, love triangles sell. But does adding a love triangle really bring in more readers? I don't have an answer to that. 

3) BUT there are amazing - and popular - series out there that do not have love triangles at all. Why does it often seem like non love triangle books are the exception instead of the rule? How much is this a reflection of the author's planning and how much is it an editorial decision by the publisher?  Maybe it doesn't really matter in the end, but in my mind it makes a difference. Am I the only one who feels this way?

4) I guess I'm just feeling like I'm fighting a losing battle against triangles. (My forward campaign is not looking so good, guys!) I do not think this author's experience is singular in any way. Wendy Higgins has discussed being encouraged by her editor to put a love triangle in her Sweet Evil series. Even Stephenie Meyer was asked by her agents to include more Jacob in her sequel, and voila, a huge love triangle movement was born. 

Going back to my Love Triangle Red Flags, chances are that second hot boy who's just shown up in the book you're reading was requested by the editor and he'll be staying around for the duration. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic! 

Early Review: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Emmy & Oliver
by Robin Benway
Read: May 3 - 5, 2015
Published:  June 23, 2015 by HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss (Thank you, Harper!)
Category: YA, contemporary, missing persons
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.
__________________________________________________________________________

Emmy and Oliver live next door to each other and have been best friends since birth, until one Friday in second grade when Oliver's father takes him anyway, and he isn't seen again. That is until ten years later, when Oliver is found and he comes back into Emmy's life. This is the story of what happens when he returns. 

What I appreciate the most about this book is through these pages we are able to experience the complicated mass of feelings Oliver's disappearance and return has on Emmy and Oliver as well as their families and friends. Although everyone is thrilled when Oliver returns, it - not surprisingly - doesn't play out like anyone expected, and these characters must manage their expectations and get to know each other again. I hurt for them and felt their confusion, and the unfairness of the whole situation. But though there are some intense emotions at play, through Emmy's open and honest voice, I didn't feel completely dragged down amidst it all. 

I loved watching Emmy and Oliver's friendship develop - in a large part due to Emmy's efforts to embrace Oliver back into her life. Slowly we also see Emmy and Oliver's relationship transform into more than a friendship, and it feels natural, but also not at all inevitable, because they are different than when they were children and navigating through a very sticky situation. I enjoyed seeing their support of each other, and the way they work hard to communicate and understand the other as they both try to unpack how the past ten years has affected them. This is a personal thing, but I'm always thrilled when a book doesn't have the traditional "Big Break" in a romance plot, and this one avoids that trope, while also maintaining a strong emotional element throughout, and not centering the drama solely on them. 

As I said, this book isn't just about Emmy and Oliver, and I loved Emmy's friends Caro and Drew, who have their own lives and issues, and must adjust to Oliver's return as well. We also get some great moments of them hanging out and having fun. Emmy's parents - as well as Oliver's mom and her family - are also a big part of this story, and I'm glad that author Robin Benway took the time to give us their perspectives as well. It makes the story much more complex - also the older I get, the more I understand the parents' perspectives. I was especially moved by the moments when Emmy and her mom and dad were able to be honest with each other, even though it hurt to do that. 

One final note on the text, this book has some big timing/editing issues, that I'm really hoping will be fixed in the finale. A few scenes seemed like they'd been moved to later in the text without adjusting the timing in the language, so it appeared to jump back in time strangely. Also, I'm still not sure how Oliver had a school trip to a police station, when he was being home schooled. Maybe a co-op program? 

Emmy & Oliver tackles a very difficult situation while managing to balance the heavy and hopeful emotions, and never becoming too light or too depressing. This book left me thinking about how there are multiple sides to every situation and the ripples can have a far reaching effect, but listening and understanding can go a long way towards healing. 

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

Early Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Every Last Word
by Tamara Ireland Stone
Read: May 30 - June 1, 2015
Published: June 16, 2015 by Disney-Hyperion
Source: NetGalley (THANK YOU!)
Category: YA, Contemporary, Issues, Romance, OCD
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.
____________________________________________________________________

I am not much of a crier when I read, but I sobbed through several parts of Every Last Word. Granted, it was likely partially due to the fact that I read most of the book on the train ride home from BEA, when I was sleep deprived and sad to be leaving all of my bookish friends. But it wasn't all that. My tears also were't because this book broke me in a horrible way, but instead because of how much this story moved me, and the care that I could tell author Tamara Ireland Stone took to tell Sam's story. 

Samantha McAllister has OCD, more on the side of Obsession than Compulsion, a secret that she very carefully hides from her friends who often seem more judgmental than supportive. But when Sam meets Caroline and is introduced to Poet's Corner, she begins to discover a different, happier side to herself. She also meets a boy who makes her feel even more 'normal'. But what is normal anyway, and is it possible to maintain it when you're pretty sure you're crazy?

Samantha's friends are horrible. I hated how much anxiety they caused her, and how much she worked to hide her OCD and appear completely normal to them. They pretty much are are Mean Girls, but they've also been Samantha's friends since she was in kindergarten, and I could understand her fear of letting them go. Especially with her worries of being outed as crazy. Although it was hard to watch Samantha with them in the beginning, I loved how starkly those interactions contrast with her new friendship with Caroline and then the rest of the Poet's Corner. Seeing Sam find people who truly listen and care for her is one of the parts of the book that made me tear up. I loved the progression of Samantha's friendships in this story. It's even illustrated by the way that she transitions into being called the more causal Sam. 

I also love everything about how Sam's OCD is handled in this book. Although she feels she must hide it in pubic, Sam has a strong support team in her mother and therapist Sue. From the author's note in the back of the book, this is a personal subject, and I could tell all throughout the story that the author took care in how she approached it. In the second half of the book there is a big revelation that happens regarding Sam's illness and though it was a difficult and dramatic moment, I cried again during this scene because of how much Shrink Sue supports Sam through it. I do wish the author had given more explanation in her note about why she included this part. But I loved the way characters rallied around Sam - and the growth she found because of it. 

This book has a boy of course, and I adored he and Sam's slow building romance. It has a very antagonistic beginning, but develops beautifully over the course of the story. He is not your typical bad boy, which I always appreciate finding in a book. These nice, shy boys always mean more swoon for me. I also like that the relationship grows steadily and without unnecessary drama, paralleling Sam's personal growth. I was thrilled to find a lot less angst in these pages than I anticipated. Thank goodness for that! 

I am incredibly thankful to have met Sam and gone on this journey with her. I could tell how much the author cared about Sam, and wanted to make this book for her. There isn't a lot of unnecessary angst added to increase the drama of the plot, but instead, a steady growth as Sam discovers that she is stronger, braver and more creative than she ever imagined. I love how Sam learns to use poetry and words along the way, and especially the fact that embracing herself allows Sam to open up to others and find a community where she'd never imagined one before. 

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone. 

Love Triangle Red Flag Warnings A Joint Post with Jen from YA Romantics

original image

Joint post with Jen @ YA Romantics 

See her Red Flags list HERE

I've become a love triangle detecting fanatic. I don't want to start any book or series without knowing what I'm going to be facing. If I discover a love triangle is coming, I will skip the book entirely, or wait until I know more about sequels before committing. I've been burned in the past, and I don't need that emotional turmoil in my life anymore. We all have things that bug us in books, and I have fully embraced mine!

However, detecting oncoming love triangles is not as easy as I wish it were. Never mind the fact that everyone seems to have a different opinion on what constitutes a triangle. When I'm facing first book in a new series, one of the hardest problems for me is the fact that it's usually impossible to tell if a love triangle will be coming in later books. Even when the first book seems totally fine, you never know. Even when book one and two seem totally fine, sometime with no warning situations that I consider triangle-ish pop up in book three. NOTHING IS SAFE. 

Still, I think books with love triangles often follow a pattern, and I've devised a Love Triangle Red Flag Warning Scale specifically for series books. The more of these points your book has, the more likely it is that a full blown love triangle is going to pop up in the next installment. 

Love Triangle Red Flag Warning Scale

1) Has a second unattached attractive male popped up in the story? 

2) Does this other person seem just as obsessed with the heroine as the first love interest?

3) Is the second unattached male the antithesis/enemy/opposite of the main love interest?

4) Is the first love interest pushing away the heroine for “noble” purposes? 

5) Or are the MC and her first love choice unable to be together for some - usually supernatural - reason?

6) Is the plot of the book forcing the heroine to spend a lot of one on one time with this second male person? Often this happens in book two, so watch out if the end of book one sets up this situation.

7) Has it been revealed that the heroine and guy number two are exclusively and irrevocably linked in some way that excludes guy one - especially if #5 is true too? (They’re the same species. He’s the only person who can touch her without consequences. They are legally bound to spend time together, etc.) 

Completed Series with High ratings 
(there are many more)

Only one of these above didn't really become a triangle

BONUS. Stay vigilant! These situations don't seem like they'd become love triangles, but they're actually prime staging grounds for one to come.   

8) Has the first-in-a-series-book ended with the heroine indifferent to guy number two's advances? Does she seems content with her first love interest? This could be setting up the tension between the MC and the other guy for book two. Especially if several of the above list of factors are involved.

Examples: Twilight series, Shatter Me series.

9) Has the first love interest “died” or gone missing? He could be back, especially if you haven’t seen a body. In the meantime, it’s the perfect opportunity for another person to steal the MC’s heart.

Examples: Delirium series, Shade series, Tiger's Curse series

10) Is the heroine already in love with (or even engaged to) a childhood friend when the book begins? Likely a second choice is coming.

Examples: Snow Like Ashes series, Nightshade series. 

Will this new series become a love triangle? 

It got a lot of points on the Scale!

If the A Court of Thorn and Roses series turns into a Love Triangle, it'll be predictably like all the rest of them. I was really hoping for something different here, but I think that might be too much to hope for, sadly. 
___________________________________________________________

Don't miss Jen's Red Flags list! 
She discusses character types that often lead to Love Triangles, HERE. 

NOTE: I hadn't even thought of organizing a list of Love Triangle Red Flags until Jen asked me about doing a double post on the topic. When I started thinking about them, I realized how much sameness there is in the setup of love triangle books. Thank you, Jen for the idea and inspiration!  

Tell me your thoughts! Any other warnings you can think to add to this scale?
Is anyone else seeing this pattern?

Blog Tour: Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas Review + A Discussion on Inspiration + Giveaway

See below for the full schedule

Because You'll Never Meet Me
by Leah Thomas
Read: May 11 - 18, 2015
Published: June 2, 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's Books 
Source: Galley from Bloomsbury (TY!)
Category: YA, Bromance, Epistolary
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound 

Book Description: Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie has a life-threatening allergy to electricity, and Moritz’s weak heart requires a pacemaker. If they ever did meet, they could both die. Living as recluses from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times—as Ollie loses his only friend, Liz, to the normalcy of high school and Moritz deals with a bully set on destroying him. But when Moritz reveals the key to their shared, sinister past that began years ago in a mysterious German laboratory, their friendship faces a test neither one of them expected.

Narrated in letter form by Ollie and Moritz—two extraordinary new voices—this story of impossible friendship and hope under strange circumstances blends elements of science fiction with coming of age themes, in a humorous, dark, and ultimately inspiring tale is completely unforgettable.
__________________________________________________________________________

My Thoughts

Set-up
Because You'll Never Meet Me is the story of a friendship between two boys who live in very different circumstances across the world from each other. Fourteen year old Ollie is allergic to electricity. He lives a secluded life in a cabin deep in the woods in America. Moritz is a sixteen year old boy living in Germany who has a weak heart and an electronic pacemaker. Basically, it would kill both of them if they were to ever meet. But in these impossible circumstances, a friendship grows. 

Breakdown
My two favorite aspects of this book are Ollie and Moritz's unique voices and the strong friendship, or bromance, that develops between them. Sometimes in dual narrator books, I forget whose perspective I'm reading, but that never happened with this one. Not only are their continents, ages and lives different, but also the way they think and speak and see the world. I truly felt like I was able to get inside of each of their heads. Within these singular voices, a deep friendship develops. Trust doesn't come easily between them, and they each have moments of vulnerability, failure and heartbreak, but their care and honesty builds and flows out of a growing relationship that takes time. It is beautifully executed, and despite their differences, I don't think I could pick a favorite between them.  

Although the central element of this book - the very human friendship between two teen boys - is very contemporary and universally relatable, this book is also science fiction. I think it's important to understand that going into this story, because it does require some suspension of disbelief to understand in full. While I think some aspects of the story could have worked if Ollie and Moritz were living with less extreme conditions, I appreciated the scientific and philosophical discussions that came out of their experiences. Especially the commentary on genetic engineering and the discussion of superhero culture. I hesitate to say more on this topic, but I enjoyed journeying through this book with both boys as they discover more about themselves and each other. 

This book does have a bit of romance, but it's not central to the storyline. The focus really is on the relationship between Ollie and Moritz, and while I'm a romance girl at heart, I didn't realize how much I was craving a book that features a great bromance. Plus bromance is an excellent word, and I'm excited to use it more than once in this review. 

Because You'll Never Meet Me isn't your typical YA read, and for me, that was a good thing. If you're nervous about it being categorized as "literary," know that this story is very readable and relatable. Not that literary fiction can't be both of those things. It was hard to say goodbye to these two boys at the end of the book, and I'm still thinking about what is happening to them now. I hope you'll take the time to get to know Ollie and Moritz too.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

_________________________________________________________________

Author Leah Thomas Answers: 

What inspired you to write Because You'll Never Meet Me?

If anyone is looking for evidence that I am first and foremost Queen of Doofuses, all they have to do is ask what inspired me to write about Oliver and Moritz. Never fails. See, in my almighty doofusry, I never considered that many people would ask this (even though it seems like the most natural question in the world!), and every time I’m asked, I snort like a donkey and totally flub my reply.

This is partially because these two frustrated, frustrating young men – Oliver and Moritz – have been a part of my life for a long time now, and when people ask about what began them, how they were spawned, I panic and my brain curls in on itself and I blurt out things like “I was basically raised on a cocktail of Roald Dahl, Radiohead and Blade Runner!” or “I grew up in the woods of northern Michigan!” or “I like FEELINGS!” or “Yes-one-time-I-had-a-penpal-but-it-was-so-awkward-let’s-never-talk-about-it!” or “I really think long-distance friendships with strangers can be very legitimate and don’t challenge me on this because the people of Tumblr are legion and will back me up on this one okay!”  or “my parents are social workers!” or maybe all of these things at once, in a demented Frankenstein sentence: “Blade cocktail FEELINGS in the woods, but awkward penpal legit so legit and socialworkerents!”

I don’t know how to answer without saying everything. But more than that: explaining the origins of these kids, these characters who’ve become very real to me (and hopefully to others!) is like trying to explain how you can feel alone in a room full of people. How you can grow up and up and never feel like you’ve grown at all, but somehow everyone around you seems to have gotten there. This alienation we all feel sometimes, this sense of being different from others… Oliver and Moritz, if you sliced them open, would be chock-full of that. They are, in part, made from the fear that the distance between us and everything else is infinite.

Because You’ll Never Meet Me is a pretty universal story. It’s all about finding a place in the world, or a person who makes a place for you in the world. And I think the way to understand where we belong in relation to others is to truly understand and appreciate the distances between us, figurative or literal. And the only way to do that is to communicate. Through letters, by phone or online or through art or music or anything. Because even if it sounds cheesy, I’ll say what Ollie and Moritz know very well:

Words are the death of distance.

Words inspired this, like words inspire so many things.

_________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Leah Thomas frequently loses battles of wits against her students and her stories. When she's not huddled in cafes, she's usually at home pricking her fingers in service of cosplay. Leah lives in San Diego, California, and Because You'll Never Meet Me is her debut novel. Follow her on Twitter @blunderkinder
_________________________________________________________________

Full Tour Schedule

June 1: The Daily Dahlia

June 2: Paper Riot

June 3: Love is Not a Triangle

June 4: Writer of Wrongs

June 5: A Reader of Fictions

_________________________________________________________________

Giveaway

Win a finished copy of Because You'll Never Meet Me

a Rafflecopter giveaway