Broken Aro

****

4 Stars/5

After her city is invaded and has fallen, 15 year old Aro wakes up on-board a slave ship and is believed to be a boy thanks to her brothers disguising her before the city fell. Some of her cell mates are one of her brother’s friends, Kei a fey who has some connection to Aro and the mysterious Prince. After the boat sinks and they make it to the shore, they think they are safe but it is not that straight forward with surviving slavers, a terrible sickness and a prophecy, Aro will do anything to protect and look after her new family.

Broken Aro is a really good YA fantasy book which has adventure, magic, mythical creatures and a hint of romance.

Aro is a likeable and believable 15 year old girl who is frightened and scarred because she is going through a really hard time but she still is trying to remain strong and confident. I also liked the other characters especially her other prisoners as they all had their own different personalities but my favourites are the caring Kei and the secretive Prince, as they are both brave and protective. However, not knowing if Aro’s brothers were alive or dead did not affect me much, as we did not get to know them as well as we could have. 

Broken Aro is a really enjoyable YA fantasy book and I am looking forward to see what happens next in Broken Prince. I would recommend this book to fans of Tamora Pierce or Amber Argyle and people who like Slumber by Samantha Young.

The Pirate's Wish

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Strange Chemistry for giving me this book to review.

Ananna and Naji are still stuck on the island and have to complete the three impossible tasks to cure Naji which are, touching a starstone to his skin, create a life out of violence and have a true loves kiss. However, Ananna knows that not all the tasks are impossible as she loves him. Now with the help of fellow pirate Marjani and a manticore, they have to find a way to complete the tasks and stop the mist creatures from taking Naji away.

The Pirate’s Wish is the second and last book in the Assassin’s Curse duology and I still did not enjoy it as much as I wished I could.

I did not like Ananna and Naji in this book and especially the love/hate romance and I got bored with in from very near the beginning. However, I did like some of the secondary characters but especially the manticore (I don’t think I can spell her name) as she is funny and no-nonsense and I wanted she to eat Ananna and Naji half the time and the story to be just about her.

I would only recommend The Pirate’s Wish to people who liked The Assassin’s Curse. 

The Assassin's Curse

**

2 Stars/5

Ananna runs away from an arranged marriage with an ally pirate clan as all she wants to be is a pirate captain and not a wife. However, her would be in-laws have sent an assassin after her for shaming them and running away but when the assassin reaches her, she accidently triggers a curse meaning that the assassin Naji has to protect her. Now they have to work together and find a way to break the curse but that will be harder than either of them could have known.

The Assassin’s Curse is an ok fantasy book which I should have liked as it had an interesting concept of both pirates and assassin’s but I know most will not agree but I just could not care about the characters or what happens to them.

Ananna is meant to be a strong, independent character but she just came across as whiny and was trying too hard to seem resourceful and feisty. However, Ananna was much better than Naji, who for a main romantic (kinda) male lead as he acted like a 13 year old who was always brooding and got upset at any little thing.

While the story was ok, the main problem with it is there is a massive plot hole at the beginning, as her parents raised her to be strong and independent and yet still expected her to be ok with being married off, it just did not add up.

I would recommend The Assassin’s Curse to people who like Greta and the Goblin King or Sora’s Quest.

The Hero of Ages

*****

5 Stars/5

The force and godlike being Ruin, has been released from his prison and his aim is to destroy the world. Spook is in Urteau and is sent to spy on the leader of this city, Citizen Quellion, who is killing nobility in the name of Kelsier; however after escaping death, Spook is determined to use his powers to help the people. At the other end of the land, Vin and Elend are trying to find a way to help their people, but at the same time Elend is trying to get used to being a mistborn after almost dying at the Well of Ascension and Vin is feeling guilty about accidently freeing Ruin. Now following the clues which the Lord Ruler has left, the remains of Kelsier’s crew hope to find a way to stop Ruin before it is too late.

The Hero of Ages is the Final book in the Mistborn series and it is brilliant as it has well written characters, plot and a very unique magic system. There are many twists and turns in this book and the surprises were very clever as they are unexpected yet very obvious in retrospect.

I like Vin and Elend in this book as they are the same people we have grown to care about from the last books but have matured because the world has changed and is a darker place. I also liked the secondary characters in this book especially Spook as we have seen him grow-up from a shy teenager in to a strong and brave adult. One character I did not like as much in this book compared to the last was Sazed as he was so down and pathetic, however, it did feel like his character need to work through his problems to make him grow as a character.

I will be definitely be reading Sanderson’s other books and especially The Alloy of Law. I would recommend the Mistborn series to anyone who likes fantasy or just very well written books. 

The Well of Ascension

*****

5 Stars/5

Kelsier’s crew of thieves, mistlings and talented people have done the impossible and killed the Lord Ruler, but not without cost, as the man who masterminded the job, Kelsier, died as well. Now it is up to the rest of the crew including Kelsier’s pupil and former street urchin, Vin, and the man she loves, Elend, to build and run this new world. A year has passed and not all is as good as they thought it would be. Vin seems to be the only one who can see that the mists are acting strangely and she even sees figures in it since the Lord Ruler’s death. However, this is the least of their problems as three armies are approaching Luthadel, one made up of the fearsome beasts, the Koloss, all are hoping to seize the city and find the supposed hidden atium. With the city under siege, the is only a glimmer of hope that they will survive. Vin believes that finding the Well of ascension will solve their problems, however, no one knows where it is or what power it holds.

The Well of Ascension is the second in the amazing Mistborn series, which is full of politics, action and tension. Even though it is even longer than the Final Empire this really helps the world building and we get to really feel like we are in this world with the character we have grown to love.

Vin is very conflicted in this book as she does not know who she wants to be and what she wants to do, however, she is a young woman who has had to grow up really fast so it is not annoying and come across as true to life and adds growth to her character. I also like how we got to see more of Elend in this book compared to the last and it is nice to see him grow into a better king.

When you read this book make sure you have The Hero of Ages as well as you will want to read it straight away to see what happens next. I would recommend The Well of Ascension and the Mistborn series to people who like classic epic fantasy books which are not too dark. 

The Final Empire

*****

5 Stars/5

For a thousand years the Lord Ruler has reigned and during this time ash has fallen from the sky and the Skaa have been enslaved. Vin is a street urchin who makes a startling discovery that she is a mistborn, a person who can use magic by burning all types of metals, however, only those with noble blood should have it. Vin joins a group of people with unique talents, led by the charismatic Kelsier, the only other Skaa mistborn and the sole survivor of the Pits of Hathsin. This group’s aim is to overthrow the Lord Ruler and free the Skaa, but will Vin learn to trust them and master her powers in order to help destabilise the nobility and cause the chaos needed to defeat the Lord Ruler.

The Final Empire is the first in an epic fantasy series and even though it is full of clichés it is still a unique and interesting book. If I had one complaint it would be that it is long but apart from that it is really good as it has all the elements you want in a high fantasy.

While I like Vin, I did feel that she is quite similar to a few other fantasy heroines, as she was a poor unassuming urchin who has a undiscovered special power, however, that being said her character is well rounded and very likable. I also liked most of the other characters in this book but especially Kelsier as at first he seems all charm and ego but as the book progresses we find out he has a lot of depth.

I really liked how Sanderson portrayed the Lord Ruler in this book as you don’t get to see him until near the end, which adds a lot of mystery to his character. I also really like the magic system in this book as it is so simple, yet really different from other fantasy books.

I really liked The Final Empire and I am hoping that I will enjoy the others just as much. I would recommend this to fans of The Black Magician trilogy and The Belgariad. 

Poison

****

4 Stars/5

Kyra had a good and steady future as the master potioner; however, everything changes when she finds out that the kingdom is in danger. The only way she knows that she can save it is to kill her best friend, and heir to the throne, Ariana, but for the first time her poisoned dart misses. Now, with the help of a magical pig, she must find a way to find the princess and complete her task, but along the way she meets the handsome Fred who she cannot seem to get away from and cannot stop thinking about. Kyra now has to find a way to assassinate the Princess while hiding from those who once called her a friend all before it is too late.

Poison is a charming and sweet YA fantasy novel which has all the elements you want for a fun light read. While I thought I knew where the story was going, it surprised me with some unexpected twists which I did not see coming.

I like Kyra as she is strong, brave and is willing to do what is right even if it will cost her everything. I also like Fred as, unlike most YA love interests, he is a nice and geeky but most importantly he is a good guy, which is a change from the usual bad boy. However, my favourite character in Poison is Rosie the pig, as I wanted her myself and it adds charm and lightness to the book.

Poison is a lovely book and I wish there was going to be more books in this universe, however, sadly this is Bridget Zinn’s first and last book as she died before it was published. I would recommend this book to people who like Ella Enchanted and Brightly Woven.