Shadowfell

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier | 410 pages | 2012

Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill--a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk--Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death--but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban's release from Keldec's rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Juliet Marillier is such a comforting fantasy writer. Nothing too complicated, nothing too spicy, but just good solid magical stories with a hint of romance. This one in particular was a hit because I adore stories about lesser fairies. Loved it. Can't wait to dive into the next.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black -- 200 pages

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . Revealing a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan, his tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

The Queen of Nothing (The Fold of the Air #3) by Holly Black, 300 p.

"Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics. And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…"--Goodreads blurb

An alright ending to this series. It was worth reading, but the relationship between Cardan and Jude was very unbelievable. The snake storyline was not my favorite, for sure, but some side characters really helped this series stay interesting. 

The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black, 336 p.

"After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world."

This second book in the series suffered a bit from a sophomore slump, but not too badly. The court intrigue and family drama is always a good enough storyline to keep me coming back, but the relationship between Cardan and Jude is very frustrating. 
 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

 

The Cruel Prince (The Fold of the Air #1) by Holly Black, 370 p.

"Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself."

I've had this book on my TBR for quite a while, and this opening book was a good read. I liked the juxtaposition of the Fairy world and the "real" world. The story definitely kept me intrigued enough to continue on with the series with some twists and turns, but there were also some very cliche storylines. 

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

 

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa - 423 pages

Callie is a siren with a dark secret. When she was fifteen, she killed her stepfather. In order to wash away this crime, she called upon the Bargainer to clean her slate. Soon enough, she finds herself more and more in debt to the Bargainer - so in debt that she begins to give him her heart. But when the Bargainer leaves with no notice, she is left to deal with the heartbreak for seven years until the Bargainer shows up in her house to collect on her debts. 

I've heard great things about The Bargainer series, especially as a big fan of New Adult fantasy. I was definitely not disappointed by the first book! In fact, I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day. It was funny, dramatic, and crafted very well. 5/5 stars.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

 The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black -- 308 pages

He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to. Jude learned that lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now, as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time, determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines, she becomes ensnared in the conflict's bloody politics. And when a terrible curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity....

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

The Queen of Nothing
The Folk of the Air #3
by Holly Black
308 pages









Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…

The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King
The Folk of the Air #2
by Holly Black
326 pages









After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince
The Folk of the Air Series #1
by Holly Black
370 pages









Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Dark Harmony by Laura Thalassa

Dark Harmony by Laura Thalassa -- 369 pages

There are worse things than death. Things that lurk in the shadows and slip into your dreams. Things that have no business existing. Things that once slept … but have now awoken.

For Callypso Lillis, the fae magic that now runs through her veins is equal parts curse and good fortune. For the very thing that bonds her to Desmond Flynn, the King of the Night, also makes her vulnerable to the Thief of Souls, a man who wants to break the world … and Callie along with it.

But it’s not just the Thief whose shadow looms over the Otherworld. Des’s father is back from the dead, and he wants revenge on the son who sent him to the grave in the first place.

Des and Callie must figure out how to stop both men, and time is running out. Because there are forces at play working to tear the lovers apart once and for all … and unfortunately for them, death is no longer the worst thing to fear. 

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare - 701 pages
The Dark Artifices - Book Two

A rescue attempt in Faerie.  A risen Shadowhunter who was dead.  The search for the Black Book.  Will Emma and Julian be able to endure it all to save their family and friends?

This is the second book in The Dark Artifices series.  I am growing to like the series more and more with each book.  I can't wait to read the third book.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - 706 pages
The Dark Artifices - Book One

Emma Carstairs is considered the best Shadowhunter of her generation.  With her parabatai Julian she patrols keeping mundanes safe from demons.  When dead bodies are discovered bearing the same runes as those found on her dead parents five years ago, she is determined to finally discover what happened to them. 

This is the first book in The Dark Artifices, the sequel series to the Mortal Instruments.  I really enjoyed this book.  While the focus on different main characters from the original series, they do appear throughout the story. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)
by Sarah J. Maas
624 pages








Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

This series is for mature teen readers.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black  328 pages

Near the little town of Fairfold, in the darkest part of the forest, lies a glass casket. Inside the casket lies a sleeping faerie prince that none can rouse. He's the most fascinating thing Hazel and her brother Ben have ever seen. They dream of waking him - but what happens when dreams come true? In the darkest part of the forest, you must be careful what you wish for...

A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton

A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton  372 pages

Merry Gentry pretends to be human. She moved to Los Angeles and began working as a private investigator at Grey's Detective Agency. But all of this is just a disguise; in fact she is a princess of faerie, her real name is Meredith Nic Essus, and she had to flee the Dark Court of Faerie because of attempts on her life.

In order to inherit her rightful crown, Merry needed to conceive an heir, a notoriously difficult task for the slow-reproducing Fey. In the 2009 novel Divine Misdemeanors, Merry had finally achieved that goal.  Now she and the fathers need to protect their family from Taranis, King of Light and Illusion.

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones - 292 pages

Andrew inherits his grandfather's house and estate following his death - including his field of care.  It also seems he inherits Aiden -- The grandson of a family friend that is in trouble.  Now Andrew must detemine exactly what his field of care is, protect Aiden from those trying to kill him, and stop Oberon from taking over his town.

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book.  I loved the narrator's voice.  I also liked the story -- although I did get tired of them continually calling the characters "those who don't use iron" instead of just calling them fairies.  A great fantasy book from Diana Wynne Jones.

Tithe by Holly Black

Tithe by Holly Black  331 pages

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier, 416 pages
(Book 1 of Shadowfell series)

If you enjoy a book with a slow and steady pace this is your book. Action was jotted down here and there but for the most part it's Neryn's slow....slow...slow...slow....slow journey to Shadowfell (a place where those with "gifts" can hide and plan freedom from a ruthless king). We first meet Neryn with her father -- the last of her family. They've been on the run from the king of the land who is hunting Neryn for her uncanny gift - the ability to see the "Good Folk". The king wishes no one to be "special" outside of his inner court and there are mind wipers/enthrallers/enforcers willing to do his bidding no matter the cost. When her dad gambles her away, Neryn's life is changed for the better (though she can't see it). What follows then is an interesting journey through the land. She does encounter various creatures and fairies of lore who help her along her journey. She discovers there are seven tests she must complete before she can begin training on her very special gift. The romance side of it is very vague, but there. You get the impression that both parties are interested but neither makes a move until the very last page of the book. Actually, the book really doesn't end. It really doesn't prep the second book either in the series. You have no idea what direction the author is going to go in and that's actually cool. Granted, you know the second book will be about her training, but that's about it. The rest is up in the air floating around until you actually hold and finish the second in the series. I have a feeling the rest of the books will be just like that, too. Not sure that I want to continue the journey as it is a very slow read (if you didn't gather that multiple times before) and I tend to get frustrated with slow journeys without much action/suspense... but we shall see.

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer, 396 pages

Artemis Fowl is Irish, a genius, a criminal, and twelve years old.  But his most daring caper is to come, when he decides to kidnap a fairy and hold her hostage for gold.  Full of magic, trolls, goblins, and other characters, this might appeal to fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and other young boy heroes- but with less humor or heart.