A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This was a book that I literally could not put down. I had to force myself to close the book three times, and then I just gave up and finished it completely. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the story of Feyre, a survivor with an icy heart and a will of steel. Her world changes when she kills a wolf in the forest. A wolf that was not a wolf at all, but a Faerie. As punishment, she is taken to live in the Faerie Realm, a place that she has been taught to dread. With a wall of hatred and blame between the faeries and humans, it is difficult for her to understand why the Faerie that punished her has not killed her. But time passes, and she begins to learn about the history that the faeries and humans have had. 

Feyre learns that heroic deeds come with a price, and not all is what it seems in this strange world of glamours, rumours and danger. 

Sarah J. Maas has written a book that combines Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon with the deadly politics of the Faerie Courts of Celtic lore. 

Not only is the story layered by mystery, but the world has been thoroughly created, and the complex characters are well written. 

Maas takes her time introducing each character, dropping clues here and there for the reader to pick up on. 

The story itself is a thrilling ride with unexpected twists and turns. As Feyre decides what is true and what is false, she learns more about the mysterious Fae. Despite the stories she was told, and the cruelty tied to her knowledge, Feyre discovers that the Fae are not so different from humans. 

As she learns more about the Faerie Tamlin, and his clever friend Lucien, Feyre finds a hope that she never knew she had, and maybe her heart wasn't as icy as she trained it to be. 

This book has joined the ranks of my favorite Beauty and the Beast tales, along with Beasty by Alex Flinn and Beauty by Robin McKinley. The mysteries of the fae were intriguing, the history fascinating and Feyre's character was a powerful representation of what it means to be human. 

I will both curse and praise the cliffhanger ending of every chapter, and I will honestly say that I can't wait for the next book. 

I give this book five out of five venetian masks. A wonderful fairytale retelling and epic story rolled into one! 

You're Never Weird On The Internet (almost) by Felicia Day

This book was a very interesting story of how Felica Day made a name for herself, created her own web series and stayed true to who she is. 

Learning about how she started her career as an actress, to a screen writer and then a producer was fascinating. 

Felicia Day always wanted to be an actress, but she also loved video games. She found a way to merge those two interests, and to be honest with herself. 

I knew about The Guild webseries, and I had seen Felcia Day on Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog, but I didn't know that You Tube was released the same year that Felicia Day released her web series. 

Writing her pilot for the Guild, and trying to market it was very difficult for her to achieve with many producers, so eventually, she took the project in her own hands, and with the help of her friends, she created what is known as The Guild today. 

The important thing about her memoir is that it's real. She comes clean about her anxiety issues, and it was comforting to know that despite her anxiety, she went through with her project 100%, and she never looked back. 

Reading her memoir was a little familiar, because I could relate to some of the situations that she put herself in, mostly with anxiety and the writing process. 

The writing process is not easy, but it is simple. Felicia Day described it perfectly as writing something, then deleting it for hours and hours until she felt that the page was good enough to move on. This is similar to my script writing process, novel writing and sometimes blogging. 

I enjoyed this book, and it gives me hope that I have just begun my own journey toward a career in script writing. 

I give it five out of five EXP. 

The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz and Descendants

I'll admit, I was curious about what the next generation of Disney fairy tale characters would be like. And we have seen a few over the years. Melody is Ariel's daughter. Kiara is Simba's daughter. Neither of these characters are mentioned in Descendants. But Descendants has an intereresting world of its own. 

King Beast and Queen Belle run Auradon, a state system of fellow kingdoms of other Disney royalty. They take care of matters of state between kingdoms run by Aurora, Prince Phillip, Snow White, Prince Charming, Rapunzel, Eugene, annd many other iconic Disney characters. 

The book begins when Beast and Belle's son Ben is preparing to be crowned King himself, and he has a different perspective compared to their generation. Ben is a kind, understanding prince who has Belle's intellect and Beast's determination. He must prove to the council that he is ready to become king. He has done lots of research of Auradon's history to deliver his first official proclamation, and he has discovered the truth behind the Isle of the Lost. 

The Disney Villians live on this island with their descendants, and they have become bored and resentful. They are given very little and their next generation makes due with what they have. 

While all of the villians are unhappy with their situation, Maleficent is the most vengeful, and she trains her daughter Mal to be the same. 

Mal is smart, opinionated and rebellious, but Malificent constantly belittles her efforts to make her proud. As the daughter of a human, Malificent views Mal as weak, insignificant and a failure. 

Mal is used to this, but she doesn't give up, she teams up with Jay (son of Jafar), Carlos (son of Cruella DeVil) and Evie ( daughter of the Evil Queen) to win the approval of their parents. 

The book switches back and forth from Mal and Ben's point of view. Both feel trapped, forced to follow the path of the previous generation.

It's an interesting take on what happens after Happily Ever After, and what kind of generation would follow the Kings and Queens of fairy tales. 

It's also the prequel to the upcoming Disney Channel movie Descendants. 

Descendants focuses much more on Mal, and we follow her plot to turn the tables on good and evil. Mal is a very well thought out character, and her struggle from what she wants to do and what is expected of her is very interesting. Evie, Carlos and Jay are also very well written, and they adapt to the world around them a lot faster than Mal does. 

At times the novel goes overboard with teen lingo, but this is their target audience. 

The story was very interesting, and Mal and Ben were my favorite characters. 

I don't want to spoil the story for the upcoming movie and the book, but I liked it, and I'm going to watch the film. 

Now, there is a similar franchise that has been successful with a similar but very different plot: Ever After High. 

Ever After High follows the life of Raven Queen, the Evil Queen's daughter. She also has pressure to follow in her mother's foot steps, but she is not the same character as Mal. She is much more open minded and trusting. Dexter is also the son of Prince Charming and Cinderella, and he isn't as confident as Ben is, or as social. 

I like both of these stories on their own, because they do different things with fairytale archetypes, and they focus on telling deeper stories. With that said, I'm looking forward to the Descendants and I hope that the movie is similar to the books I read. 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

What if someone told you that you will kill your true love? 

Blue faces that fact every day, and the ominous prediction from countless psychics, including her family, has haunted her since day one. But destiny can only be avoided for so long. 

After a solid record of avoiding boys, she is thrown into the lives of four: the Raven Boys. These boys are on a mission, to find the relic of a lost Welsh king, and each one of them has a destiny of their own. 

Richard Gansley must find the truth behind a dark past, and he walks near death everyday. He leads Noah, Ronan and Adam to learn the pattern of strange events that surround them. 

As Blue becomes attached to these boys, she searches for clues to the strange energy that surrounds them, dangerous magic that threatens her life and theirs. 

This book is intense, comical and entertaining. 

Not only are the characters complex and realistic, but the dialogue is intelligent, and the mystery unravels with every chapter. 

Stiefvater does an excellent job balancing myth and modern day. Her knowledge of folklore and storytelling is plain to see. 

This is a dark series, and it delivers a dark promise from the beginning, but the way the story is told, and the characters in it make you keep reading. You get a good look at every main character, and book one is only the beginning of their journey. 

I give it four out of five tarot cards! 

Kaleidoscope by Tracy Campbell

My friend wrote this book, and it's incredible! 

There are some battles that we face behind closed doors. Those battles can be the most challenging, and for seventeen year old Jade, it's as difficult as piecing together a complex puzzle. 

As Jade searches for her memory, she learns about trust, happiness and love. 

In order to recover the truth, her therapist suggests writing, but Jade enjoys many types of art, and through art she is able to understand the beauty of the world despite its deep dark secrets. 

Her tale is intuitive, inspirational and a beacon of light for those lost in a similar sea. 

I recommend this book to anyone fighting an inner battle, and fans of Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Cabot and Elizabeth Scott. 

Five out of five Blue Monarch butterflies ^_^ 

You can purchase her book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope-Tracy-Campbell-ebook/dp/B00S6JBBTQ/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr&qid

Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck

The final chapter of Kelsey's journey has arrived, and Kelsey, Ren and Kishan must decide how they will meet their destinies. As the pieces fall into place, Kelsey faces a battle of the heart. 

Even after fighting kappas, metal birds, and dragons this will be the most difficult journey for Durga's champinions. 

The last prophecy leads them to a world of fire, where deception and illusion can only be resolved by truth from the heart. 

Kelsey must determine her fate, but to do so, she will have to make a choice. 

This book was the most exciting of the quartet, and by far the most intense. As Kelsey learns the meaning of inner strength, she grows from the confused girl who began the journey into a determined young woman with an important role to play. 

This was one of those books that subtly hints what's going to happen, but it doesn't hit you until the big reveal. While what I predicted did happen, it didn't happen in the way I expected. 

A part of me is very sad that this series is over. From epic adventure to epic adventure in a modern world, the entire series balanced the elements of the real and majical world. 

I give it five out of five phoenix eggs, and I can't wait for the film adaption of the first book. 

This series was an amazing journey. 

It inspired my writing and gives me hope for my own series. 

Warrior by Sean Golden

This is my Dad's novel, and it's epic! It's a story of magic, myth and adventure that is growing to more than your average hero's quest. It weaves between the philosophies of the world, the ties of myth and the human condition. 

Although he is smart and strong, Lirak is ostracized from most of the Dwon village. His dreams, although useful in hunting, bring great fear to the Elders. With rumors of his missing father and a different looking mother surrounding him, he is able to confide in his older brother Jerok, younger friend Patrick and the fiery Mayrie. At the age of sixteen, he is ready to become a man through the tasks the Elders choose for him, but he has a difficult totem to bear: the Eagle. Those of the Eagle totem are known to journey far and never return, and through their wanderings they can bring with them danger and doom.  

As Lirak grows from a boy to a man, he is destined for a legacy much grander than he can even imagine. Chosen by the goddess Kathoias, both beautiful and ruthless, Lirak begins a grand adventure through the world he once believed to be a mystery. But this adventure requires bravery, intelligence and sacrifice. The more Lirak learns, the more he wonders: is he a pawn of the gods, or is he creating his own legacy?

This story is amazing, and Lirak's journey from a boy to a man is a powerful tale of humanity. What it means to be human, and what it takes to look beyond what you have been told.

I give it five out of five Eagle totems!

I recommend this book to readers of Lord of the Rings, Eragon, Ender's Game, Hyperion, and many more fantasy epics. And it's just the beginning! This book is part of The War Chronicles trilogy, and I can't wait to read book 2! 

Warrior is now available on Kindle here: 

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-War-Chronicles-Book-I-ebook/dp/B00SGCWXYU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1421799471&sr=8-5&keywords=sean+golden

For more info on Warrior and The War Chronicles: you can visit the brand new website here: 

https://thewarchronicles.wordpress.com