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The 4 Book Series I Want to Finish This Summer!

Hello! 
Summer is well and fully upon us, and whenever the heat comes out, what better way is there to avoid it then to curl up inside with a good book? :D There have been a couple unfinished book series lingering around me lately, so I decided to make the most of my summer reading time to finish them off. I start college classes again this fall and I know my reading time will be cut so it's time for me to embrace ALL THE SERIES. Here's what I'm planning on completing:

1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman // books left: #2 and #3

I read the first book in Grossman's trilogy earlier this year after starting to watch the TV show on Netflix. Hooked by the magical school with those serious Harry Potter vibes, I had to check out the book! And it was pretty dang good! I'll be honest, I actually can't stand the main character, Quentin, right now, but the rest of the world and characters are engaging enough that I'm super curious to see how this story pans out. 


2) The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare // books left: #2-#6

This one is certainly the most ambitious on my Summer TBR! I read the first book over three years ago, started the second one, and then just...didn't finish. Oops. I know, it's practically a sin anymore to be a regular YA fantasy reader and not have read this series, but at the time I just had other things I wanted to read more. I've had a couple people really encourage me to finish this so I figured now was the perfect moment! 

3) The Diviners by Libba Bray // books left: #2

Honestly, I have noooooo idea why I haven't read book #2, "Lair of Dreams", already?? I adored the first book! It was the perfect blend of paranormal, romance, New York City, and historical tones. I get such a Sherlock Holmes vibe from these books, too, and I'm a total sucker for all things Sherlock. This is probably the series I'm most anticipating finishing! With the third (and final? Not sure) book hitting shelves in October, I plan to be all caught up on this series so I can dive right into Bray's latest work of genius. 



4) Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes // books left: #3-5

Just like with "The Diviners", the most recent book in this series comes out at the end of 2017 so I'd like to be all caught up in time for the release. This isn't a series that I'm totally obsessed with (at least at the moment) but I am invested enough to want to see what happens. Two things I'm really hoping to see from this series are, first of all, more maturation on the characters behalf. Some of the main characters are so juvenile and it makes reading them a bit annoying. The exception to that is my favorite character, Lucia! That's my second hope: that Lucia gets more and more page time! 

"The Valiant" by Lesley Livingston || Book Review



Photo by Deborah Embury
When I about 14, I began reading historical fiction. That's not a very exciting sentence, but in the context of my reading life, it meant a big change had just happened. Up until then, fantasy was the genre that pulled me into most books and made me stay up late reading. But historical fiction quickly began pulling me into its pages. One of the historical fiction novels that sparked my interest in reading more broadly was "Cleopatra's Daughter" by Michelle Moran. It was a sprawling story of a book, set in ancient Rome and Egypt, and it was full of adventure, far off places, and settings which simply captivated me.

Since then, I have loved reading books that are set in or inspired by ancient Rome (see "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir) and am always looking out for new releases in that vein. At the end of 2016, I began to hear chatter in the YA community about an upcoming book called "The Valiant" by Lesley Livingston- and I knew I needed it. I requested it from my local library, but after reading the first few chapters, I placed an order for it, too. I was hooked.
Having now read "The Valiant" I am so ready to go buy more of Lesley Livingston's books, because this one was stupendous.

PLOT
"The Valiant" is a young adult novel that follows the story of Fallon, the daughter of a Celtic warrior
king, part of a ferocious tribe in Durovernum. Fallon wants to follow in the footsteps of her deceased sister, Sorcha, a brave and fearless warrior who died on the battlefield. But things take a turn when Fallon's father announces she it not to become a warrior, but rather be wed to a prince from another tribe. When she decides to take matters into her own hands, Fallon finds herself captured by slavers from Rome. She is taken far from her homeland and bought by an elite training school for female gladiators. And this school? It happens to be owned by the man Fallon despises most- Julius Caesar.

FALLON
Right from the beginning of the story, readers see how determined Fallon is. She attempts chariot tricks no one else dares, she speaks her mind, and she is a strong fighter who wants to be even better.
After the wedding announcement is made, we see this strength as she decides her fate:

"I would be the master of my own fate. Me and the goddess Morrigan. No one else- and certainly no man. Mael and Aeddan could fight over me until they were both bloody. My father could deny me my blade. But they couldn't force me from my warrior's path unless I let them."

Fallon refuses to let anyone tell her she cannot be who she wants to be. At first, I was a little worried that Fallon might be one of those heroines who is essentially a "Mary Jane"- no flaws (EVER), always right, and always putting other people in their place. But that's not true. As Fallon's story progresses, she finds herself in situations where her beliefs are challenged, and what follows is some beautiful character development.
Photo by Deborah Embury

Fallon doesn't want to fight in a school owned by Caesar. Her tribe has fought against him for years, and Fallon despises the thought of fighting for him. But other characters encourage Fallon to think about what she can accomplish by doing so.

"You think I should fight for Caesar?"
"I think you should fight for yourself," he said. "But those things needn't be exclusive. Temper passion with control, conviction with cunning."

"Temper passion with control" is a perfect way to describe Fallon's character arc. She is fiery, brave, and smart, but also a little stubborn. Throughout the book, she learns to use her attributes to fight for what she wants, even in bad situations.

"Be an idealist, by all means, but be a pragmatic one."

SISTERHOOD & FEMALE FRIENDSHIP
The friendship between Fallon and Elka, a fellow gladiatrix, was  by far one of the best parts of "The Valiant". What started as two captive girls at odds with one another quickly became two strong girl fighting side by side to survive. Elka is also a captive, and she and Fallon don't start out on the best terms. Both stubborn and spirited, they literally butt heads before ending their friendship truly begins.

I actually got quite emotional reading about Fallon and Elka. As much as I love reading Young Adult novels, one of the aspects I think is not very well represented is female friendship. Livingston does a marvelous job here, writing two young women whose friendship develops and grows in a genuine way.
Fallon and Elka fight for each other. They train together, each encouraging one another. They joke, they confide, and they look out for one another. After their initial fight, there is no moment when Livingston uses their true friendship as a plot device to make drama.
Yes, there is another female character, Nyx, who acts as a foil to Fallon. But even in the end, Fallon tries to do what she thinks is right and save Nyx from a horrible fate (see bottom of page 370). Fallon recognizes that she has the chance to give something better to someone who hates her, even if it may be a little difficult for Nyx to adjust.

The theme of female empowerment is strong in "The Valiant". The school in which Fallon learns is a sisterhood, where are the girls are expected to bind together and find freedom among themselves, even if it's not in the "normal" sense of the word freedom. During an oath ceremony, Livingston writes:

"This oath is the oath we all swear. Not to a god, or a master, or to the Ludu Achillea...but to our sisters who stand here with us. Our sisters. This is the oath that binds us all, one to one, all to all, so that we are no longer free. We belong to each other. We are bound to each other. In swearing to each other, we free ourselves from the outside world, from the world of men, from those who would seek to bind us to Fate and that which would make us slaves. We sacrifice our liberty so that, ultimately, we can be truly free."

At the start of the novel, Fallon believes being free to run about the forests of her home is true freedom. She doesn't understand how freedom can be found anywhere else. But throughout the book, she encounters characters who have made a life for themselves and are completely happy- even though they are slaves. One such character says to Fallon, "I've made my own freedom, and that is something I'll never give up."
Later, another female character confronts Fallon about her belief of what freedom is and what it can be. She asks Fallon is fighting over cattle back home was more honorable than what was going on in Rome. She proclaims that she is fighting for Fallon and for a sisterhood.
Photo by Deborah Embury

ROMANCE
At one point, I was really upset because I thought this was about to become a love triangle romance- but it didn't! The romance in "The Valiant" is lovely because it takes a back burner to the main story arc.
I don't want to say too much about the romance and spoil it for anyone, but I will say I very much enjoyed how Livingston brought two worlds together in the romance. She allowed both her characters and readers to learn something from the clashing of worlds, and we were allowed a look at both of the characters motivations and thoughts.
(also, the love interest is <3 <3 <3 )

OTHER
My only issue I had reading this was that, geographically, I was confused a bit at the beginning of the book. Livington uses older names of countries/cities, so I had to go and Google a couple names to find out where they were. For instance, Fallon is from Dunvernum, which I found out is actually modern day Canterbury in England. Clearly I knew where Rome was, but during the beginning of the book I needed to figure out where we were starting. I think a map would have been a good addition to the book (maybe we'll see one in the second?). It wasn't a huge factor at all, I just think it would have been helpful for the first half of the book.

CONCLUSION
If you are a fan of "An Ember in the Ashes" read this book.
If you like historical settings woven with a hint of magic, read this book.
If you like strong female characters who fight and grow, read this book.

This was a wonderful, epic read that transported me to ancient Rome in a heartbeat. It is woven with hearty descriptions, sharp dialogue, and a cast of characters that felt incredibly lifelike. I will absolutely be adding more books by Lesley Livingston to my bookshelf!
5/5 stars!!

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books

Sci-fi and fantasy books (especially fantasy!) were really my first true book loves. This genre was definitely what made me love reading so much, and to this day, a large portion of what I read are still SF/F novels! Everything from middle grade fantasy to adult sci-fi epics, I adore a good fantastical read, preferably with dragons. 
For the purpose of sharing books that aren't super well known, I decided to exclude three series from this list because basically every reader has heard of them before. So "The Lord of the Rings", "The Chronicles of Narnia", and the "Harry Potter" books are not on my list, despite the fact that I love them! I just wanted to talk about a couple books that are not quite as famous (although some are pretty close)...

1) The Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

This trilogy kicks off with "These Broken Stars", a YA sci-fi book that follows the story of Tarver and Lilac, two passengers aboard a giant starship. Although two very different people, Tarver and Lilac find themselves together in a way they could have never predicted. The two young adults end up in a drastic situation and uncover a phenomenon that could threaten the entire universe. 
One of the best parts of this series is the way each book builds upon the previous book with brand new characters but weaves the plots and people back together in unexpected ways. The series as a whole is focused on unraveling the phenomenon discovered in the first book; however, Kaufman and Spooner tie in new narratives which address other issues, too. My favorite book in the trilogy is book two, "This Shattered World"- the narrative on war and the effects of war is incredible and deeply moving. I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for some epic sci-fi adventure, romance, and great character development! 


2) "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells

A classic! I read this for the first time in a British Literature college course. I thought I would enjoy
it, simply because it seemed liked a quirky little science book, but I didn't guess just how much I'd like it! While part of my enjoyment of "The Time Machine" certainly stemmed from having been studying it at the time of reading, it's a whirling read even without academic knowledge of it.
 The story is about a man in Victorian England simply referred to as the Time Traveler, who is telling his dinner guests about the fantastic machine he has. Later, the actual time traveling occurs and the Traveler is thrown into the year 802,701 AD and meets two races known as the Eloi and the Morlocks. These creatures act as a symbol for the upper and working classes of Victorian England, and the text is saturated with Well's narrative on his opinions of such. 
"The Time Machine" is a short and deceptively simple read; a novella that is a must read for any sci-fi fan. 

3) The Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

Right after LOTR and Narnia, this middle-grade fantasy series was the one that had the greatest impact on me as a young reader. Full of vain fairies, shadowcharmers, ancient artifacts, dragons, enchanted preserves, and an utterly delightful cast of characters, "Fablehaven" is a marvelously crafted series that is certain to entertain. Seriously. 
The basic premise is this: two youngsters, Kendra and Seth Sorenson, are stuck staying with their rarely-seen grandparents while their parents are on a cruise. Turns out that the acres and acres of land the Sorenson's grandparents live on is actually a preserve for magical creatures. Chaos and spells ensue after the discovery of this hidden supernatural world. 
Although the first book is fairly simple, each consecutive book builds greatly upon the last to culminate into a whirling series finale. Along the way, Mull crafts a storyline that is unpredictable and addictive. I also want to shoutout his "Beyonders" trilogy, which has some of the best world building I've seen in a middle-grade series. I will read every one of Mull's books without question!

4) "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

This YA fantasy combines two of my favorite things- first: a Roman-inspired atmosphere and world,
and second: a high stakes competition. The reason "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is my fave HP book is because of the TriWizard Tournament. I love books with competitions or hunts like that (see also: "Ready Player One") and "Ember" is no exception. Told in a dual perspective narrative, Tahir's stunning debut novel tells the story of Laia, a lower class girl who has just lost her family, and Elias, a soldier in a harsh training facility. The two of their stories begin to clash together as they each try and hunt for answers and truths- Laia thinks she may be able to get her brother back, and Elias is questioning his loyalty to the realm.  I don't want to say too much about this and spoil it, but I will say that it is an epic, rich, and exhilarating story that had been reading late into the night. Heads up: this one is a little bit intense with the violence, so just take heed. This is a good choice if you liked "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo or "The Valiant" by Lesley Livington. 

5) The Inheritance Cycle (aka "Eragon") by Christopher Paolini

Step aside, George R.R. Martin- when it comes to massive fantasy books that involve dragons and spells and treachery, I prefer Paolini's sprawling saga of magic. These books were like crack to me as a teenager. My Tolkien-loving self was delirously happy whenever I immersed myself in the land of Alagaesia, the land in which the Inheritance cycle takes place. This story begins with a boy named Eragon finds a mysterious blue rock in the forest. Well, the "rock" turns out to be a dragon egg, and Eragon just hatched himself something he never expected. 
As I alluded to, this series is very Tolkien-y in my opinion. There are dwarves, elves, long treks, a wonderful magic system...Paolini is a masterful storyteller who builds the world up slowly but surely, and gives readers a host of characters to root for and curse at. Don't let the massive size of these books put you off, either. If you like "traditional" fantasy and strong characters, pick up "Eragon"! 


That's it for T5W this week! Thanks for reading! :)
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