Category: YA - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Seriously Good Sequel

27/9/2022

Bravely (Disney)
by Maggie Stiefvater

There are two types of people - those whom magic seeks and those who seek magic. Merida is definitely the former. After a curious knock on the door on Christmas Eve, she encounters the god of ruin and realises that DunBroch is in danger of falling to his powers. Luckily, Merida is granted some time - a year - to prove that her family can change. But if she fails...all will be lost.

Okay, I did not expect this to be one of my favourite reads of the year. I was sure I would have to force myself through some lacklustre Disney release, but this was really quite special. Very well written, the triplets are given separate identities, Merida continues to grow, the world is expanded but retains the magic and feel of the film...I think I actually prefer the book to its progenitor. Gasp! This is mostly because the trailers of the day promised adventure and the movie did not deliver, which left me feeling very disappointed in the cinema.

At last, I've had a true adventure with Merida. I loved every minute of it.

Pointy, Thorny Courts

25/9/2022

These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1)
by Lexi Ryan

Abriella has always known that it is too dangerous to make a deal with any of the Fae, but after her sister is sold to the Unseelie king she has no choice. She is tasked with stealing three magical artefacts and she must succeed or risk losing her sister forever. But in order to do this, she has to infiltrate the Seelie court - and pretend she is interested in marrying the Seelie prince.

This felt like some weird mashup of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, with competing love interests from those tales, which I found interesting. I'll admit I'm not hugely into Fae stories, but it was nice to read one that's well written (yes, I'm throwing shade on the very popular books by another author lol) and properly dark. Alas, I hate love triangles. That I failed to notice the very obvious love triangle on the cover is on me! An enjoyable read that has left me, despite my personal preferences, wanting to read the sequel.

The Force is Not Strong with This One

14/9/2022

Star Wars: Padawan by Kiersten White

Obi-Wan Kenobi feels like he's failing his Master, the Order and himself at nearly every turn. When Qui-Gon fails to show up in time for a mission, Obi-Wan impulsively leaves on his own, chasing a planet that seems to have been lost in the days of the High Republic. He will either find his way - or become even more hopelessly lost if he doesn't centre himself.

My main gripes with this book are pretty much the same gripes I have with the other titles in the Disney canon. Not everything needs to have connection to the High Republic! Geez! I mean, yeah, I liked Orla but they did her so dirty and this book just reawakened my anger. I'm also getting very tired of standalone titles that terminate without much growth or anything new said. Could we perhaps have more serieses? To allow the characters and plots some breathing room?

Full disclosure: I'm a diehard fan of the old Jedi Apprentice series and yes the bookmark I used while reading Padawanwas carefully excavated from my copy of The Mark of the Crown back in 1999. So... this book was never going to match up to the Legends canon for me. Which is fine. Padawan even managed to catch an echo of what I enjoyed about JA every now and then... but Obi-Wan acted like a tween instead of a teenager, I started twitching every time he "laughed" (WAY too many times and often on the same page - was the editor really tired or something?), and there was none of that breathing room I was talking about.

And then there was that weird freaking moment. You know the one. Before it happened, I was quite pleased by the inclusion of a non-binary character who felt like an organic part of the the story. In contrast, the exploration of Obi-Wan's possible sexuality was not organic in the slightest. It was so awkwardly done and didn't feel true to his character.

Ahem. That all said, I'm still going to think of this book fondly because I'm just jazzed to have some Obi-Wan content. And that's a great cover. And the pages smell nice. I'm grasping here, aren't I?

All Poured Out

10/9/2022

Royal Tea Service (The Tea Princess Chronicles #3)
by Casey Blair

The Cataclysm is at risk of expanding, if certain players cannot be stopped - and so Miyara must call together representatives from the nearest lands, even those who cannot be trusted or convinced to help. Istalam is on the brink of disaster and Miyara cannot save it alone. So it's a good thing she has a team of loyal friends, royal sisters...and a cat-like dragon tea spirit.

Such a fitting end to Miyara's arc and the series - though I am intrigued by the open plot threads for other characters. I really like how these books show that problems can be solved through unity...and of course I love that tea is the main instrument of bringing people to together. Some things could have been covered in greater detail and I don't think this book having three epilogues did the conclusion any favours, but all in all I enjoyed Royal Tea Service.

Tea and a Good Book

3/9/2022

Tea Set and Match (Tea Princess Chronicles #2)
by Casey Blair

Miyara has settled into her new life, but she could lose it all if she's not careful. Her sister, a princess who has not ceded the title, is determined to take her home. Now Miyara must prove herself worthy of the title of Tea Master in a tea tournament in order to stay in the one place where she feels she belongs. But the tournament is the perfect staging ground for some illicit activities...

I'm really enjoying this series - it's cosy, cute and uncomplicated. Which means these books are basically the text version of a really nice cup of tea. Book #2 certainly benefited from not having to spend time on introducing Miyara and her world to us, but some of the same issues from book #1 carried over (mostly editing). That said, I'm still rating this highly because it was still a lovely and comforting tale.

Tea Cosy

30/7/2022

A Coup of Tea (The Tea Princess Chronicles #1)
by Casey Blair

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The day has arrived for Miyara, the fourth princess of Istalam, to choose how she may serve her people. But she has no idea what her path should be. So she renounces her title, flees to a city on the edge of the Cataclysm, and begins to find her place as a Tea Aspirant. But even though she is no longer a princess, Miyara might still yet discover how she can serve her people.

Turns out I have kryptonite and it's fantasy novels featuring tea. I wouldn't say this is the most amazing book I've ever beheld, but it was cosy and adorable and exactly what I needed during a period when I wasn't able to read for more than a few minutes at a time. A Coup of Tea is a like a trusted, always-welcome friend. And it's perfect for a reader obsessed with books and tea. Looking forward to my paperback copy arriving next week. ;)

Far From A Frosty Reception

26/6/2022

Frost Hands (The Mutation Files #1)
by Imogen Elvis

Tensions are rising while a new law requiring mutants to register themselves is being discussed. Eric wants to protect other mutants, but maybe there's a wrong way to go about it. He'll have to choose between betraying his stepfather or doing what might be the right thing. But can he trust mutants who are being deployed against their own kind?

I would have loved the heck out of this as a teenager - okay, adult!me still loved the heck out of it. Frost Hands ticked all the boxes for me: likeable characters finding their way in the world, said characters actually acting their age, cool powers, incredibly tense scenes, a villain who isn't hokey. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Until the Soul Singer Sings

25/6/2022

The Shattering Song (Song Magic #2)
by Imogen Elvis

Briar and her friends have already sacrificed much in trying to stop Lord Sachio from taking over the kingdom, but they have not yet succeeded. A dangerous trip to Mizra, the capital, may yield the allies and resources they need - or it may result in even greater sacrifices, if they can't avoid the punishment for so-called treason. Either way, this is the end of their journey.

While this is an excellent and satisfying conclusion to the story, I do feel that it might have worked better if it had been expanded over a trilogy. That said, I very much enjoyed spending time with Briar, Kade and Lara once more. I became attached to them so quickly! Elvis masterfully creates characters that you want to root for and protect as soon as you meet them.

This is the YA Fantasy You're Looking For

20/6/2022

The Crystal Tree (Song Magic #1)
by Imogen Elvis

Briar is a soul singer, a magician who can heal. But her magic offers no protection when the Nameless Ones come to her new home and abduct her sister. Briar immediately wants to rescue her - though this will mean travelling and joining forces with strangers who have secrets that can endanger their lives, as well as the entire kingdom.

For a while now, I've felt that something is missing from trad published YA fantasy. I can't say exactly what it is, but I guess I'll be cliche and say they're missing...the magic. The Crystal Tree brought back the magic for me. It threw me right back to my childhood in the 1990s and was the comforting blanket that I very much needed. This is a brilliant indie YA fantasy - and beautifully written too.

This is How the Trilogy Dies

15/4/2022

Queen's Hope (Padmé Trilogy #3)
by E. K. Johnston

Padmé usually shares everything that she is with the galaxy, especially her handmaidens - but now she has a secret. Something that is hers and hers alone. But the Clone War has begun and stealing moments with her new husband is difficult, especially when she must depart on a clandestine mission and leave loyal Sabé in her place on Coruscant.

I absolutely LOVED the other two books, so this was a little bit of a letdown. I do enjoy how Johnston gives the women of Star Wars a voice, though Queen's Hope contained too many voices and seemed to include some characters just 'cause. Padmé's mission didn't really add much to the plot either. But Johnston did finally make me like Anakin/Padmé together - something I never thought was possible. Ha!