The Blood Spell by CJ Redwine

The Blood Spell by CJ Redwine
Release Date - February 12, 2019
Publisher Website - Harper Collins

Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages -  400 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.

Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating tension among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures.

When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts. When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?

CJ Redwine's Ravenspire series has been filled with delightful fairytale retellings that blend magic, well crafted world building and some clever references to some of the iconic elements from each of the fairytales tackled. The Blood Spell offers her twist on the Cinderella tale which, once again, has magical results.

The story of Cinderella has been taken and stretched into a more complex, more interesting story of a young woman discovering family secrets, falling in love, and following her heart. It takes the more memorable elements of Cinderella's story and weaves them into a much larger, richer story.

The world building in this story is always impressive, along with the magic that is infused into each of the fairytales. The magic is so integral to the plot that I hesitate to talk too much about it. It's more detailed than I first anticipated when I started reading this book. This particular kingdom is different from the ones previously featured, but still feels like it exists within the same universe which is important for this series. It's a perfect backdrop for the story and one made all the better by having a well defined world for its characters to interact with.

Blue is a courageous, outspoken, loyal, and kind young girl. Cinderella is always painted as someone who cares about others and this is true here as well. Blue's desire and need to help those around her is one of her most defining qualities. She's strong in the most horrible of circumstances and it s strength that comes entirely from within her. It's a strength of character rather than a physical strength which I find makes her more interesting.

Kellan isn't just a background prince who only appears to whisk Blue off her feet and away from her horrible life. He is a fully developed character. He is given a chance to be more than just the prince and that makes him a much more engaging character. I enjoyed the backstory he was given and that he had his own trauma and issues that he had to deal with that were not strictly related to Blue.

Nessa and Blue's grandmother are two side characters that shine brightly. Nessa is a fascinating character who I could easily read an entire book about. She is brave, loyal, loves to sass her brother even though he will one day be king, and is so eager to learn. She's fierce in her own special way and I predict many will find she leaps off the page. Blue's grandmother is funny, and used exactly how she should be. She loves Blue, and is here to support her always. Her character adds a little something extra to the story just by existing. It makes Blue's character seem less alone and her options more open than they usually do for the Cinderella character.

The romance is filled with so many of my favourite things. They have a history that feel authentic. It starts out as a mutual dislike for each other. Their families are old friends and this has pushed them together over the years. These interactions has lead to a foundation that turns into a friendship. That friendship eventually turns into something deeper. There is a delicious uncertainty that is felt as their feelings begin to chance. Kellan is the prince and must marry for the good of his kingdom. He is not free to choose for love. Blue is a commoner and definitely not someone suitable for the prince to marry. This tension results in a delightful slow burn romance. There is something delicious in them attempting to fight their feelings only to be drawn together. This relationship really has a little something for everyone has it touches on so many of the popular tropes and does so in a way that feels natural. I was also a huge fan of the Prince and 'Cinderella' knowing each other before the fateful ball. It makes you more invested in their happily ever after and their connection more believable.

The Ravenspire series are more companion novels in that they could technically be read out of order, but I recommend reading them in release order as there are always side characters and references to the previous novels buried like little gems to discover in the subsequent books. Those references are little bonuses that reward careful readers of the series and, sometimes, hold a significance that would be lost if the reader were unaware of the events in the previous novels. Luckily, all of the books are wonderful and worthy of your time.

I highly recommend this book, and the entire series, to anyone who loves a well crafted fairytale retelling. It captures the essence of the original well creating something entirely unique and new. I eagerly await my return to this series and getting to see what fairytale CJ Redwine tackles next.

The Traitor Prince by CJ Redwine

The Traitor Prince by CJ Redwine
Release Date - February 13,  2018
Publisher Website - Harper Collins

Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages -  416 pages
My Rating - 3.5/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom. But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious imposter takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince.

After barely escaping the imposter’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison. The only way to gain an audience with the king — and reveal Javan’s identity — is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament. But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena, but also a band of prisoners allied against him, and even the warden herself.

The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check. Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive — but she has dangerous secrets.

Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight the deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoners intent on killing Javan. If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both. 

The next novel in the Ravenspire series offers up a fantasy twist to The Prince And The Pauper tale It is a story that I am not overly familiar with (other than some vague memory of Mickey Mouse cartoon) but one that grabbed my interest immediately due to my love of retellings. It offers a story about identity, freedom, and the responsibility a leader has to those they serve.

The world that CJ Redwine has built over the course of the three novels within the Ravenspire series is breathtaking. There are so many details that make you want to dig deeper. There is a richness to the overall world that entices you to discover more. It's a series that could easily continue for countless books simply because of the vastness of stories that could be told. It's the world that shines the brightest within these stories and that fact is used to its fullest.

Javan, the rightful prince of Akram, is filled with honour and noble intentions. He wants nothing more than to make his father, and his kingdom, proud. He is so kind and caring that, at times, it is hard to believe him capable of the violence he has to commit to survive the deadly tournament he finds himself in. He is, at times, selfless to his own determent.

Sajda is the character who I found the most fascinating. An enslaved young woman who has had to learn to protect herself. She wants nothing more than her freedom. Freedom from her captors. Freedom from the harsh reality that is her life. The freedom to live her life the way she wants to. She is Javan's polar opposite in that she is jaded, bitter, and guarded. Her story is one of the more heartbreaking elements of this novel, and one I found myself really invested in.

This novel benefits from a decent villain in Rahim. It is easy to understand his motivations. He acts in his own self interest at all times which makes for an interesting dynamic as the story progresses. He is not overused and the author does not rely on this character to carry the conflict in this story. The secondary threats, such as the prison warden, do a lot of the heavy lifting, but Rahim is perfectly used as someone pulling the strings in the background.

There is some romance lightly sprinkled within the story. A romance that worked for me because of the sparseness in which it was used. The romance only carried the plot when necessary, and ensured that both characters grew because of the connection growing between them.

The nods to the original tale of The Prince And The Pauper are sprinkled throughout the story. The item that reveals the true identity of the prince is found, along with idea that there is much to learn from having to walk in someone else's shoes. A large part of the story revolves around Javan having his eyes opened to the realities of the kingdom he is desperate to save. It makes him realize things that his privilege may have prevented him from seeing.

The ending of this story, while satisfying, felt a little rushed for me. I wish it had taken a little more time to allow the events that occur during the novel to really be felt. The adjustment that would happen due to the events that transpire did not feel as jarring as I anticipate it would. It felt a little too neatly wrapped up, but I expect many will be happy with an ending that feels as hopeful as this one does.

If you're a fan of retellings and are looking for one that feels a little more unique, I recommend this series and this particular book in particular. The Prince And The Pauper is not an inspiration for many YA retellings, so this one really felt fresh to me while I reading it. It's a welcome addition to the Ravenspire series, one that I hope sets up many more to come.

The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
Release Date - Feburary 14, 2017

Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages -  432 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul. 

I was very excited when I heard that the follow up to CJ Redwine's fantastic The Shadow Queen was a story based on the Rumpelstiltskin tale. I don't recall having read one, especially not a young adult retelling, so that only increased my excitement. Sadly, this novel did not quite meet my expectations, even if it had plenty of potential.

The fairytale feel of the first one is not as obvious in this companion novel. The world building, and fantasy elements that felt so developed and defined in the The Shadow Queen feel like an afterthought in this sequel. I did enjoy what was given but wanted more. The idea of a seedier side to this world with drugs, theft, and a pseudo crime syndicate was interesting and it held a lot of potential but was not fleshed out to really maximize on that potential.

The characters, particularly Ari, is where this story shines. Ari is an illegitimate princess made legitimate out of circumstance. The fact that she is not a recognized princess at birth was unique for me. I cannot recall many books that feature such a character. She is also described as being more curvy than most and totally comfortable with her body. She's even presented as having a realistic dose of self confidence. She has a deep love of food, and loves to cook. She was also not afraid to get her hands dirty. She was pretty much the opposite of the usual character found within this type of story and I appreciated that fact. She is loyal, determined, and doesn't back down. Her character is what makes you want to follow the story because she is such a breathe of fresh air.

Thad, her brother who finds himself in the role of King, is equally intriguing, but we never really get to know enough about him. I wanted more from him. I would have liked to get into his head a little more, especially when he was making certain decisions. He felt like this enigma that I wanted to unravel but never really got the chance to.

Sebastian is your typical boy from the wrong side of the tracks character. He has a tortured past and his issues stem from that traumatic past. His character could have certainly been more developed, but he is endearing enough and seeing the cracks in his armour as he begins a tentative friendship with Ari is the highlight of his character. Those cracks blossom into something deeper which gives the romance a little more substance as they do start out by building that friendship first.

Perhaps the biggest hindrance to my enjoyment was the mythology. The Rumpelstiltskin tale is filled with memorable moments and these are only briefly touched upon in the story. The notion of having to guess his name is tossed in as a last minute thing without the mythology behind it being properly addressed. The way in which he is defeated felt a little too conveniently discovered as there was not a lot of build up to the mythology behind the character or the rules of his power.

This Rumpelstiltskin retelling certainly has its magical moments, but didn't quite take the mythology or characters deep enough for my liking. I wanted more from all elements of this story, but ultimately still find this one enjoyable enough to finish. I am curious enough to see which fairytale is adapted next and would certainly read another novel by CJ Redwine in the future. 

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

This week was the week of ebooks arriving into my virtual mailbox. I snagged these from the epic Harper Collins drop that happened on Edelweiss.

The End Of Our Story by Meg Haston (goodreads)
#famous by Jilly Gagnon (goodreads)
Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer (goodreads)
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine (goodreads)

A huge thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for all these amazing sounds review copies!

What bookish items made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Release Date - February 16, 2016
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 400 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received for honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose. 

The Shadow Queen is everything I wanted Snow White and the Huntsman to be. It's romantic, twists the Snow White tale by giving her some agency, and adds more than a touch of magic with it's fantasy spin. It retains it's fairytale feel even well embracing the fantasy elements that have been woven in.

Lorelai was surprising. She's someone who is born to lead and be a Queen. Both she and Queen Irina are these powerful women with these fierce powers. They are formidable and equal which creates a tantalizingly level playing field. This is a clash of two driven women who each feel justified in their actions, even if it comes at a steep price. This is what I have looked for in a Snow White adaptation and it ended up being even more satisfying in book form.

Queen Irina is, perhaps surprisingly, the most fascinating character to grace these pages. She's a villain who believes what she is doing is justified and deserved. As she grows more and more desperate to hold on to her power, the lengths she is willing to go to become more sinister. I would devour an entire book about her, and her complex relationship with her loyal servant, Viktor. Villains who are willing to sacrifice anything for their agenda are the most terrifying because they have nothing to lose. Combined this with her blind justification and she's a compelling presence in this story. C.J. Redwine knows that a villain must pull some sympathy, and there is a little glimmer of that within these pages. Irina has plenty of chances to make different choices, she just refuses to back down regardless of the cost. She has plenty of chances to atone for what she's done, but it doesn't interest her in the least. It's easy to play 'what if' with the events that unravel because it would have changed the outcome so significantly.

Combining the huntsman and Prince into one character created a delicious tension that added to the fairytale feel of the romance. The romance is the element that felt most like a fairytale. It was romantic, fraught with high stakes, and the stuff of legend. It's the type of romance you could see as a tale told throughout the kingdom and beyond. This aspect was only helped by the fact that Prince Kol is genuinely princely. He's honourable, determined, and fair. Even when he takes on the huntsman role, it is done in a way that only highlights what a perfect fit he would be for Lorelai.

The star of this novel, however, is Sasha. She's a sassy, humourous, fiercely protective white gyrfalcon whose personality leaps off the page. Whether she is fighting at Lorelai's side, or taunting with visions of what she considers delicious food, this gyrfalcon will win over your heart. She provides so many of the lighter moments in the novel which are paced perfectly against the action and romance.

Those who like their fairytales to be combined with magic and dragons will immediately fall in love with richly vivid world. The Shadow Queen is a wonderful set up to a series of companion novels as it's easy to get lost within it's pages. I anticipate that the next fairytale C.J Redwine twists will be just as enchanting as The Shadow Queen, and I eagerly await returning to this magical world that she has created.

2016 Most Anticipated - The Shadow Queen

This next selection is a story that takes one of my favourite fairytales and twists it. This Snow White retelling not only has a STUNNING cover, but it's premise will immediately make you want to pick it up!

This Goodreads synopsis makes it clear that this is not the Show White you remember....

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose. 

I love the fantasy spin this put on it. This is also rumoured to be the start of a series that retells various fairytales with this fantasy spin which has me VERY excited. I hope she does Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast as I think they would lend themselves to this style wonderfully.

CJ was kind enough to take the time and  answered a few questions about her book, designed a delicious sounding drink and teased DRAGONS!!

1 Describe The Shadow Queen using only three words.

Magic, Dragons, Battle

2 If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

Melted snow, drops of crimson liquor, and black cherries all warmed with dragon's fire

3 Let us in on one secret about one of your characters, or the world they inhabit.

Lorelai, the fugitive princess who is the heroine of the book, knows how to do parkour, and frequently uses her skills to get away from the queen's men.

4 This is the beginning of series that is going to be retelling various fairytales. What about the Snow White fairytale inspired you to write this novel?

Actually, the Snow White version of both Grimms and Disney didn't do much for me because Snow White herself was basically useless. She needed rescuing time and again and was only valued for her beauty and her ability to clean house. When I saw the trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman, I was excited because it seemed like they'd tapped into what the story could truly be ... but I was disappointed when I saw the movie. I ranted all the way home about Snow White's lack of agency/goals/true choices that impacted the plot. There was nothing that made her special, but every character acted like she was. I wanted the story to be a showdown between two females of equal power. THAT was interesting to me. My hubby finally looked at me and said, "If you think you can do it better, write it." So I did.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

Ooh! My brain just exploded with the possibilities. The future? An alternate universe? A parallel world? All interesting! But if I have to stick to our known timeline, then I want to see a Shakespearean play and experience that era in London for myself. I will, however, be fully vaccinated and will bring along a supply of soap because really.

6 What 2016 release are you most anticipating?

There are two that are tied for "books I HAVE to own RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE." One is MIRROR KING by Jodi Meadows, which completes the ORPHAN QUEEN duology. If you haven't read that yet, you are missing out on an incredible fantasy world! The other is M.G. Buehrlen's THE UNTIMELY DEATHS OF ALEX WAYFARE (sequel to THE 57 LIVES OF ALEX WAYFARE) which is so lovely and fascinating. Time travel, gorgeous historical scenes, a conspiracy that spans the ages, and a heroine who is honestly different from any I've ever read. Loved it!

7. If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of The Shadow Queen

Nothing had been right in the castle since her mother’s death. 

Love that Snow is getting some agency of her own, and HECK YES to it being a showdown of two women of equal power. This already has me needing to read it immediately.

The Shadow Queen releases February 23, 2016 and can be pre-ordered right now from any retailer.

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble

You can also follow CJ Redwine on Twitter, visit her official website, and find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to find out the next book that made this year's list!

What do you think of this Snow White retelling? Why do you think fairytale retellings are so popular? Let me know in the comments.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

A huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada (particularly HCC Frenzy) for the amazing book that arrived in my inbox this week!

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (goodreads)

What books made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday ....... The Shadow Queen

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

I am, obviously, a huge fan of fairytale retellings so this one immediately caught my eye. A different twist on the Snow White tale, and a stunning cover as the pretty gift wrap basically made this one jump to the top of my wishlist.

Expected release date - February 23, 2016

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOK

Cover of The Shadow Queen by C.J Redwine

It is no secret that I have a thing for fairytale retellings. Any and all of them usually catch my eye. I was intrigued by the sound of this Snow White retelling and the cover just cemented my need to read this.

Stunning right? I love the symbolism for the Snow White tale, and the darker tone they took with the iconic apple. So excited to read this one. This is, so far, one of my favourite covers of 2016.

TV/MOVIE

Outlander

I am now 11 episodes into this show and am loving it so much! The 11th episode was by far my favourite. It's pretty much filled with all the swoons, tears, and other feelings. I am so invested in these characters now so I am going to be finishing up the season and will check out season two for sure.

What are you obsessed with this week?