Kate Avery EllisonRezensionen

3.5

4.5 stars. This is the best one yet. Wish I hadn't read it until the next one was ready because I'm going to be upset until then! Characters were much more real/developed in this book I felt. Great story!

The plot gives me the chills-the good kind;)

Series Info/Source: This is the 4th book in the Spellwood Academy series. I borrowed a copy of this book through Kindle Unlimited.

Thoughts: This book picks up right where the last book left off and was a bit disappointing. Kyra is upset that Lucien has left and spends the first portion of the book moping around. Then she is put in charge of prepping for the Wintertide Ball (which oddly she ends up not really doing anything for). After that she falls down the well and then ends up stuck in the labyrinth with Tryst (Lucien’s best friend). I really enjoyed this part of the book; however, right after that things end on a total cliffhanger which was annoying.

So, yeah...not a huge fan of this one. The first part was slow and I kind of wanted to smack Kyra, she was just mopey and depressed about a boy she hasn’t known all that long. The second portion was better; I enjoyed getting to know Tryst better and loved their adventures in the labyrinth. However, then the whole book just abruptly stops at a huge cliffhanger...it basically stopped mid-chapter with no decent ending.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was a weak installment in this series. I have been going back and forth about this series, there are some things I really like about it (fae, magic, revelations around Kyra’s past) and some things I don’t like (inconsistent pacing, lack of plot, cliffhanger endings). At this point I don’t plan on continuing with the series. However, if I find myself wondering about what happens in the next book in the future, I might pick it up again. It’s an easy, quick read and I have enjoyed previous books well enough.

Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Spellwood Academy series. I borrowed this for my Kindle through Kindle Unlimited.

Story (4/5): This continues the story of Kyra as she tries to figure out who is trying to kill her. When other students are shot with arrows and hunted on school grounds, the consensus is that this person is hunting Kyra. Spellwood Academy might not be safe for her anymore. Things are escalating with the spring court and half bloods are no longer safe in the fae courts. As a results many are being sent to Spellwood Academy for their safety. Meanwhile, Lucien has his own issues and has been recruited for a secret mission that has him literally under a spell. Lucien and Kyra continue to be on the outs, but in addition to everything else they are dealing with they are supposed to play opposite leads in the annual school play.

This was a lot better than the second book in the series. The story about Kyra and her mysterious background and her mysterious assassins makes a lot of progress. Lucien has a lot of interesting things going on as well. The whole school play thing was the main “academy” event in the story but it tied in well with the broader story. All of the attacks happening at the academy also make things a lot more interesting and exciting. I thought this was well paced and enjoyed the progress that was made. It does end on a total cliffhanger though and is still a fairly brief story.

Characters (4/5): I liked Kyra better in this book, I am getting a better feel for her as a character. I liked seeing her grow as a character and learn to stand up for herself better. Learning more about her background and her family’s background was great too. Lucien is also filled out a lot more and featured in the story more. We spend more time with a number of other students as well. Also Joras is developed a lot more as a character too. I liked all of the characters, they aren’t amazing, but they are fun to read about and entertaining.

Setting (4/5): I continue to enjoy the creative and magical setting of Spellwood Academy. We are introduced to a few new secret and magical places on campus and some more of the traditions there. The story was expanded some to include the fae realm as a whole, I hope we eventually get to journey outside of Spellwood more.

Writing Style (3/5): The book is generally well written, easy to read, and entertaining. The story changes POV between Lucien and Kyra again...many times within the same chapter. A couple of times I had trouble remembering whose viewpoint I was reading from, but most of the time their voices are unique enough that I didn’t have that issue. This is another fairly short book and ends on a cliffhanger (which I hate...you don’t need to torture your readers in order to keep them coming back for more if you are a good writer). There were also a couple small typos throughout. Aside from those issues this was an entertaining read.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I am continuing to enjoy this series. It is a fun urban fantasy YA read, featuring fae characters. I like the characters and the setting. This is one of those fun, light, easy reads...definitely a guilty pleasure sort of read. I do hate how short these are and absolutely abhor the fact that all of these books end on a massive cliffhanger. I am caught up on the series now but plan to continue it because it’s easy and short and I am curious as to what will happen. In the future though I will probably only start a series by Avery Ellison that is already finished. I would recommend this if you have Kindle Unlimited and are looking for a light, fun, easy YA urban fantasy read that features fae. I don’t think I would flat out buy these books because they are expensive for how short they are.½

Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Spellwood Academy series. I borrowed this for my Kindle through Kindle Unlimited.

Story (3/5): This story is very centered on a secret war between the houses of Spellwood where each house tries to hunt down each other's orbs in order to claim a part of campus for themselves. The mysteries surrounding Kyra and some strange politics happening in fairy continue in the background. I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t see the larger story make more progress and was struggling to see the point of this secret house war. It was still a fine read and went forward at a good pace. However, it was very very short and I really wanted to see more expansion on some of the issues presented in the last book.

Characters (4/5): I like Krya’s stubbornness and her willingness to push through things. I also really enjoy Lucien as a character. Their relationship was well done and something I enjoyed reading about. Kyra’s roommates are also well done and we are finally getting to know some of the other girls in Briar. My only complaint is that Kyra and Lucien were so on again, off again that it got a bit annoying.

Setting (4/5): I continue to enjoy the Spellwood setting and how it is on the border between the faerie and the human world. The world-building has been slow but it’s there. The descriptions of Spellwood are truly magical and I enjoy them.

Writing Style (3/5): This is easy enough to read and moves at a good clip. I love some of the magical descriptions but do feel that the story is a bit simple. There are some interesting things happening in the background here but they are never filled out, instead we are distracted by this silly school game. This is also super short and ends on a huge cliffhanger (which I hate). I feel like these aren’t quite as polished and filled out as they should be.

My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this was okay but I wish more had happened. I like the idea of Spellwood and all the magic that happens there. I like Lucien and Kyra as characters. However, the storyline didn’t progress much...instead focusing on something that seemed totally irrelevant. There wasn’t much progress made on the more interesting issues like Kyra’s past, the strange reaction between Lucien and Kyra’s magic, or the upheaval in the fairy courts. I plan on reading the third book but may stop after that if it is more of the same. I am on the fence with this series right now.½

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Spellwood Academy series. I borrowed this for my Kindle through Kindle Unlimited.

Story (4/5): The story starts out pretty typical. Kyra finds out she has fae blood after someone tries to kill her and is sent by her mother and grandmother to Spellwood Academy (a school for part-fae) to keep her safe. Spellwood Academy channels very serious Harry Potter vibes but has more of a YA paranormal feel to it than pure fantasy. Kyra has to navigate the school and choose her House and (on the side) try to figure out who is trying to kill her.

The story was fast-paced and fun. In general I enjoyed it. It’s similar to a lot of other YA magic academy types of books out there. I did enjoy the fantasticalness of Spellwood Academy (very Harry Potterish). Although there is a bit more romance here and more beautiful descriptions than in Harry Potter. The book was very short and, aside from Kyra getting to the school and choosing her house, not a ton happens.

Characters (4/5): I like Kyra as a character and really enjoyed her roommate too. The leading male characters that were introduced: Griffin and Lucien were very brooding and mysterious and I enjoyed them as well. Although we are just introduced to the characters in this book, I think they show a lot of potential to be intriguing.

Setting (4/5): I loved the setting of Spellwood Academy. Even though it was very Hogwartish at times, I still really enjoyed it. The setting is a bit darker than I expected and I can’t wait to delve deeper into it.

Writing Style (4/5): This was very easy to read and engaging. This was also very short, it only took me a couple hours to read. This is more of an intro to the story, however I enjoyed the setting, characters, and mystery enough that I plan on continuing the series. Ellison does a good job with creating interesting characters and also created an amazingly imaginative setting for the story. I love some of the mysteries here but we will have to see how the story progresses since this was such a short book it’s hard to judge where the story is going.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. I love reading about faeries and this book presents some fun characters, an intriguing mystery, interesting magic, and a magical setting. The book is incredibly short but shows promise. I plan on continuing with the series to see how things pan out in the second novel. I would recommend if you like YA books in an academy setting and enjoy magic and faerie.

There isn't much of a plot in this one. Things are kickstarted about 50 pages in with the kidnapping and then they lull for 150.

We meet a good number of characters, but they come across one note and bland. Nol is Aemi's hated love interest who barely speaks or does anything. He definitely doesn't earn the 180 view of him. Mr. Darcy earns our trust and affections. Nol is just there. Aemi's fellow servant friends talk about food and tease each other. They remind me of school friends and how you stop talking to each other post grad when you realize the only thing bonding you together was the truancy fine.

Aemi's (spoilers: heritage) twist isn't much of a twist in this genre. An orphan who turns out to be more than she seems? Bleh.

The author creates some beautiful descriptions of the underwater world. I wanted to know more about the creation of it where Aemi wants to find escape routes. How does a world of glass survive in the ocean? How the pressure not crack it? Is this world magic or science?

Unfortunately I'm not sticking around to find out.

This book was interesting. The main characters are from such different backgrounds, yet in a difficult time they bond with each other, proving that there is more to a person than what may appear.

I loved the idea of communities like Tovio. If it worked I think it would be somewhere I would like to live.

I totally didn't see the end coming. Talk about a twist.

“My family has secrets, Sam. I have secrets.”
“We all do,” he says quietly.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” he says.

This book has quite a few surprises in store. I had initially thought that it was a contemporary romance (maybe with some drama or suspense), so the sci-fi elements were a pleasant surprise to me. Plus, that ending was one huge plot twist. It’s like “so you think you know everything by now? WELL YOU’RE WRONG.” I’m honestly giving one star to the ending alone.

“The future is here, and it’s highly realistic fake cats and too many humans without jobs.”

Speaking of sci-fi elements, who doesn’t love a morbid vision of the future? ALL HER SECRETS features a city called Toivo, which was supposed to be a symbol of hope for the working population, but has now been completely ruined by a corrupt leader and the introduction of robots. It was created to test a utopian idea for community and growth where residents would have everything they needed to live a simple healthy, happy life. But there was a new leader, who slashed the city’s budget and now it’s residents live on barely enough money to survive. This is hauntingly reflective of the world we live. How many times have you heard about projects that started with good intentions but went downhill due to corrupt leaders? However, this book focused more on the robots. I guess it’s easier to hate on something that isn’t human. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

“Future, Inc. is also responsible for dozens of other inventions that have shaped the country, like the virtual realities that don’t require you to wear goggles, or the space elevator that lets people vacation weightless above the curve of the planet, but around here, they’re known mostly for the robots, because that’s what destroyed the city.”

Victoria and Sam were, well, okay characters. They aren’t annoying or dislikeable but I didn’t really care much for them either. The moment one reads the summary, it’s pretty obvious they would fall in love with each other, but their relationship was smooth sailing. Sam, despite living in Toivo and experiencing the effects of the robots’ introduction daily, does not hold any anonymity towards Victoria’s father and all who hold his last name. Basically, he doesn’t hate Victoria at all, and so he was willing to help Victoria escape when they were both trapped in the cabin. While it is important that they depend on each other during their time in the cabin, I would rather that there be some conflict between them at the start but they manage to work it out with time. Instead, we got bland scenes where they simply exchanged stories with each other.

“I can’t sort out how long we’ve known each other anymore. It has been days? Weeks? Months? It feels like a lifetime in that darkness.”

I never knew that the length of chapters in a book could ruin my enjoyment of it. Well, now I do.

“SAM

When I get off work, I discover my bike has been vandalized. Tires slashed, handles hacked, spokes bent. I can’t ride it, so I walk the three miles home.

I have a pretty good idea who did this.”

This, guys, is a legit chapter from the book. A full chapter. While reading this, I just felt really disjointed. It’s like “I really want to stick to this alternating POV thing but there’s nothing interesting going on with this character right now so here’s a short peek of what he/she’s currently doing.” I wouldn’t mind this as much if both POVs were two distinct voices, but I could barely tell the difference between Victoria’s POV and Sam’s POV.

“Everybody has secrets, and I don’t know all of hers,
but do I know the ones I need to know?”

Overall, this was a decent quick read that had enough mystery to keep my interest but could do better with longer chapters, more insight into the issues mentioned in it (i.e. corrupt leaders), and more conflict between Victoria and Sam.

Other stuff that didn’t make the cut due to my poor mastery of the English language… or me simply being lazy:

• As I was looking through the highlights made on my Kindle, the fragility of life was something that was mentioned quite a few times by Victoria
• Stockholm Syndrome was briefly brought up but quickly brushed away

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

What could have been a story we have heard before, about a kidnapping and the bond that forms because of it, is instead a unique and gripping tale full of surprises and twists.

Ellison's best move is the world she creates for her characters. The "experimental utopia gone wrong" gives Ellison a fascinating and unique world to play in, and sets up the great twists and turns to follow.

Even though much of the story takes place in one setting, with the two main characters trapped in a cabin, the revelations and secrets each character shares keep the story from dragging.

I would definitely recommend this book for fans of young adult books, especially psychological thrillers.

Of sea and stone is a well written book . Easy and smooth to read . The author gave birth to a different and rather authentic world for the story. Unlike the usual-nowadays-YA books , you’ll certainly be transported to it by the description and partly wishing to be there to witness such a beauty.
Though the plot does not vary entirely from other story-lines, but it has its originality, I felt a bit of quick pace in some part that should’ve been focused on. Yet, as the story unfolds it becomes more and more intriguing, calling for more attention and looking for more answers while mysteries surrounding Aemi’s current life unveiled.
It certainly is an enjoyable and a light read, and judging by the first book, the series is a promising one.
I finish this review with my heart aching for the other four books #_# .

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

The dystopian world is well described and original. I enjoyed reading about the underwater world and its gardens. The actual plot for our heroine is pretty standard for a YA novel but was fine. My biggest complaint about the story, was that the emotional beats and emotional motivations didn't hit correctly. In particular a scene near the end of the book w/ Nol should've had a lot of emotional impact and instead i was sitting there thinking i should really care about this, i should feel some emotions, and i didn't. However, the fact that our heroine keeps insisting on escaping didn't feel honest. Her life is much better than it was (another complaint, that NOTHING bad actually seems to happen to her, besides the lashes in the beginning) yet she keeps insisting on escaping. I'm assuming for Kit but, but his character and their interactions were so small that that didn't feel like a real reason. I would enjoy reading the next book in the series and seeing if more of her character's motivations make sense now that the author has fleshed out the world and can maybe focus on it better.

I have started this review half a dozen times and continue to come up speechless. The Curse Girl drew me with its compelling cover and blurb, but within the first few pages I knew I was about to fall in love. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite faerie tale, so imagine my surprise in discovering its modern day retelling. Knowing the source material, be prepared for more than a few twists and turns as Bee tries to unlock the curse.
The Beast is terrible and charming. The servants magical and though small in their parts engaging. The history and magical element is fresh and exciting.
Purchase this book and be prepared to read something extraordinary.

I dove into "Thorns" quickly after finishing "Frost", first installment in Kate Avery Ellison's "Frost Chronicles". And after, quite unceremoniously, it was lost in my to-read list. I'm very happy that I picked it up again earlier this evening. I was quickly drawn back in by Lia Weaver and her extraordinary family. I am a huge fan of Ellison's gift for world building and strong female characters. She isn't an author afraid to go deeper, to portray various kinds of strength and courage. Questions from the previous story are explained further in this installment, as well as revelations that will have your head spinning at the possibilities. You might have already guessed that I just opened the next in this fantastic dystopian series, "Weaver" and look forward to unwinding the tapestry the author has woven for us.

I was introduced to Ellison's writing with "The Curse Girl," a YA revamp of Beauty and the Beast. And at long last, I was able to read the first in her epic series, the "Frost Chronicles." From the beginning, we are introduced to the bleak, frozen world of The Frost, where monsters stalk the forests. The people live in a time apart, avoiding technology so as not to upset the Watchers.
While there is plenty of adolescent drama and hints of love triangles to satisfy most girls, Ellison brings it to the next step. Not only does she give you hope in the midst of her characters' desolation, but she gives us the gift of a sensible heroine. Lia Weaver must put aside her youth to care for her crippled twin brother and ditsy sister. She has blocked out many of her emotions in order to become strong. When love knocks on Lia's door post, she doesn't swoon and lose herself in the romance. She keeps her focus on what's most important, her family and people.
Frost leaves you with many questions, such as the origins of the Watchers, the fate of our hero and above all, what challenges the Weaver's will face next.

Full of action, suspense and memorable characters that ends with a twist to make a nice set up for book two.

Overall, I would rate this book 3/5 stars. The book was well written, and in a way that was simple and easy to understand, with outstanding character and plot development. I would reccommend this book for young adults. The book revolves around main character Aemi, who is a slave. Aemi's city goes under attack and she is taken captive, along with others from her city. Aemi becomes a servant, and plans her escape to her home.

The conclusion to the Secrets of Itlantis series. By the time I started reading this I had forgotten a good portion of the previous books. I struggled to remember certain people and plot points. Even without this information though the story was decent. Good plot twist with the shock cook there and solid conclusion. Would have liked to see a bit more evolution in the characters.

likable characters - decent world building - fun adventure - some technical problems - overall would read more by author½

Ellison is one of my favorite authors, and I enjoyed this book a lot, if not quite as much as the first two. At any rate, I think it is easily as tightly plotted and interesting; I just liked the first one more because I loved the way Ellison introduces us into the world, and the second one because Adam had been one of the characters who interested me most from the first. A secondary note, but the copy has become much, much cleaner. There were a number of typos in the beginning chapters of this book, but by the end, there were none.

Here, we finally get some of the explanations that some critics of the first book were looking for: the origins of the Frost, and its rather peculiar, primitive society. I was disappointed that Adam disappeared just as Gabe reappeared, as I still highly favor Adam, but I appreciated having Gabe back again, as well.

How to summarize my feelings about this book? The plot is thickening, and the pace has picked up--not that I'd ever really accuse Ellison of slow pacing, from what I've read of her so far. A lot of interesting twists I'm excited to read more about. The only thing that I liked less about this book, besides Adam's disappearance, is that there's a bit more graphic violence, though by no means deeply graphic. I'm just supremely squeamish, and the other books didn't have any places where that might be activated, but this did, a little.

I enjoyed The Curse Girl overall, but not quite as much as I was expecting.

I love fairy tale retellings, and Beauty and the Beast in particular (although, to be totally honest, probably the Disney version more than anything--the decidedly scary elements of the story don't appeal to me as much). That being said, I understand it's a really tricky one to pull off. I think I can count on one hand the number of books that really fully persuaded me that two people genuinely hated each other for valid reasons, but then also genuinely fell in love for valid reasons (I'm thinking of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and, in a more lighthearted fashion, William Shakespeare's As You Like It.)

A few things that I found kind of disappointing: though it naturally inclined me to like Will more to discover that he hadn't been the one the curse was originally meant for, it also felt, to me, a bit like a cop out. That's the instant removal of one genuine barrier to love between him and Bee--that he's actually someone who got cursed because he truly was beastly on some level.

Also, I found it unbelievable that Bee didn't consider, even once, that Liam might be Will. They're two halves/nicknames of the same full name. I understand why Ellison might not have let Bee think about this, because I think the only reasonable thing that Bee could have thought to brush that aside would be that they had different-sounding voices... but, though I generally have a pretty generous suspension of disbelief, this one I just couldn't buy.

I thought this book, unlike Ellison's other books I've read so far from the Frost Chronicles, could have benefited from more than just another round of copy-editing. For example, I understand that Will spoke in a more old-fashioned way, but why (especially in the beginning) did Bee? She switched back and forth between being pretty formal and being colloquial at first, which threw me off a little. Also, in the beginning, maybe it was just me, but I felt like reasons to hate Will were more or less manufactured, and profanity used mainly to emphasize hatred without really showing a lot of it first. I also did find Bee unnecessarily dramatic a lot, especially in the beginning, and wished that she were not quite as temperamental. But again, I acknowledge that this is a really tricky dynamic to write, and I don't think Ellison did a terrible job; I just wasn't always fully convinced.

In the end, though, I still found the romance very sweet. Some of the descriptions really gripped my imagination and I loved the way things came together towards the end. And I still stand by the declaration that I love Ellison's narrative style. Plus, from what I've read of Ellison so far, she's good at plotting--planting clues here and there that are put together in a satisfying way at the end. I definitely enjoyed this book, and it was fun enough that I can imagine myself going back and wanting to reread it in the future, when I'm in a certain mood for it. But there were parts that held me back from loving this book as much as I thought I might.

*Note: I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.*

This story was kinda predictable and frustrating although the Author did develop the characters towards the end of the tale. The heroine is somewhat unlikable in the beginning being so spoiled and sheltered, she often would rebel then get extremely butt-hurt and cry endlessly when things didn't go her way.
I do like the writers style with the letter correspondence, I was able to be drawn into the characters lives a little more.
Overall this is an okay novel but ends right when you starting to enjoy the chatacters.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Season of Lightning was a solid read that is reminiscent of the civil war era - dealing with issues of race, slavery, plantations, and the wealthy elite.
I loved the realistic character growth of the main character Verity. Her ignorance about the world around her is cushioned by her lavish lifestyle; but soon that ignorance is transformed as she opens her eyes and becomes an informed, intelligent adult who is fully aware of all the racism/slavery around her. She learns her privilege can be used to help challenge and change the world for the better. She also happens to fall in love along the way and I have to say that I really enjoyed the romance. It wasn't the focus of the story, but was well developed and quite lovely.
An enjoyable read that had several twists and turns that kept me guessing every time I thought I had everything figured out.

This is a book that you end up thinking of long after the final word is read. I love the characters and the setting. The plot was beautifully written and I look forward to reading more from the author.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via LibraryThing.