Jon SkovronRezensionen

One Sentence Summary: Now that Sonya and the Uaine have driven the empire out of Izmoroz, a tapestry of maneuvers and plots are set in motion to change the lives of Sonya, her brother Sebastian, and Sebastian’s former intended Galina.

I really enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, The Ranger of Marzanna, so I was eager to leap back into the world and the lives of two siblings at odds with each other in The Queen of Izmoroz. I love that this series focuses on siblings and that they’re on opposite sides, but, as we see glimmers of it in the first book, they might not be too different from each other. This is turning into a wonderful series not just about a fantasy world and military and political maneuvering, but also of family and siblings. This second installment was a lot of fun to read, and I look forward to seeing how it concludes.

The Plot: The Separate Paths of Siblings

Following the events of The Ranger of Marzanna, a new set of events have been touched off for siblings Sonya and Sebastian and everyone they know.

After her victory alongside the Uaine she recruited, the people have unexpectedly turned from Sonya, forcing her leave with her new friend Jorge. Feeling adrift, especially when the truth of her goddess’s blessings come to light, she willingly goes with him to his home country of Raíz. But the people there, while happy to embrace her, are more interested in what she can do to help liberate them from the empire.

Sebastian has chosen to travel to the Aureumian Empire’s capital alongside his mother, his commander, and a general. But he begins to question his own role and where he belongs. Reassigned by the Queen, he finds himself with a company that’s weary but has no choice but to follow orders in Kante. Meanwhile, his mother has been recruited as something of a spy in the capital while a deadly force is preparing to bear down on them.

Galina has dreams of making Izmoroz greater than it was before. But the men in charge appear to be interested in doing nothing more than yell at each other and take their time rebuilding the country. Frustrated, she takes things into her own hands, especially as she witnesses first hand the desperation of her people.

As with The Ranger of Marzanna, I really enjoyed The Queen of Izmoroz. I love everything about the world and adore the characters. My favorite part is it’s centered around one family, particularly siblings who seem to have nothing in common. It’s not a particularly complex story, but there’s still a ton in it, making it easy to follow and surprisingly easy to read.

The sister-brother dynamic is the whole reason why I wanted to read the first book. I loved it so much that I couldn’t wait to see what would happen to them in the next book. They’re so different, their ideas seemingly oceans apart. But they’re still tied together. The push and pull between sibling love and sibling hate is so present and so well done that I often feel Sonya and Sebastian are the whole reason I’m even reading and loving this series.

Really, the characters make the series for me, but I also really like that there’s so much going on. There’s this empire that’s taken over almost the entire continent and another country that’s so out of the way no one knows much about them, but I get the feeling they’re not too different from the empire. The characters slip and slide all over the place and everyone has different ideas, especially when it comes to how to rule, that I couldn’t help but be sucked into the story. I loved the layers, the intrigue, the switching of sides. I loved the secrets and the distrust that seemed to flower almost everywhere.

The Characters: Full of Personality

As I mentioned, the characters really make the story. They’re all incredible and so unique that I hardly ever mixed any of them up. The Queen of Izmoroz neither has too many nor too few characters. Sometimes I can seem like there are maybe a few too many viewpoints the story is told from, but I could see how every single one of them was necessary and important. Good thing they were easy to tease apart from all the others. But I was most impressed with how all the secondary characters really stood out well. The tertiary ones did blend together a bit, but the more important characters were all incredible.

My favorite characterizations are, of course, Sonya and Sebastian. Not only do they lead very different lives, but they also have different values and ideals. Though The Queen of Izmoroz saw them start to realign. I loved how everything there is to know about them was really couched in the way they spoke and behaved. Sonya feels more like a free spirit and has a very common and casual manner of speech. She’s always ready to leap without thinking and is quite the protector. Sebastian, on the other hand, is more thoughtful and, well, better mannered. He acts the way one would expect a noble’s son to act. He has the tact and decorum his sister lacks. It was fun to see them interact, though they were mostly separated throughout the book. They were, though, never too far from each other’s thoughts, which was really sweet.

I can’t not mention Galina or my favorite character, Jorge. Galina comes off as young and innocent, but underneath is a spine of steel. She’s extremely well-read and very intelligent, and isn’t above using manipulation. She seemed a bit softer, a bit more noble, in the first book, but she quickly shook off that mantle in this one. I loved how her character evolved, and why it had to evolve. She was amazing and I’m really starting to love her. Then there’s Jorge, Sonya’s friend from the colorful and warm country of Raíz, a Spanish-influenced world. In the first book, there are hints at his past, but this book dove him head first back into his roots and family. It was so much fun to see him back at home and see just how different and similar he is to his family. But, through it all, he was still the levelheaded young man I really liked. Of all the characters, he was the least likely to engage in guile and intrigue and just seemed to keep it simple. He’s a nice anchor in a world that seems to be going mad.

The Setting: An Earth-Inspired World

While The Ranger of Marzanna was centered on Izmoroz, The Queen of Izmoroz just bursts the world wide open. Not only do we get to explore the entire continent, but we also get glimmers of the world beyond.

The only disappointment with the world is that each country is a thinly veiled one from our world. Izmoroz is clearly Russian/Eastern European, Uaine is Scottish (definitely not the kind of Scotland I’d like to visit, though), Kante is Germanic, Raíz is Spanish, and then there’s the continent across the ocean that seems to be Middle Eastern inspired, though I could be wrong. There were no pains taken to hide any of it. Indeed, Skovron used words from the respective languages to further cement the parallels.

On the other hand, the thinly disguised countries did make it a lot easier to ease into this world and figure it out. It felt comforting and familiar while also adding a layer of unrest and political intrigue that could really shine. I liked that the world building seemed simple and was easy enough to figure out and remember in order to better focus on the story. I really, really loved that this book cracked the world wide open, and can’t wait to see where we go in the last book.

Overall: Many Excellent Threads

I really enjoyed The Queen of Izmoroz. I enjoyed the first book, but I think I loved this one more. There was so much going on, so many intricacies, and even some traitorous deeds. I felt the whole story was handled with a deft hand and I never felt I could really predict what was going to happen. The sibling story continues to be well done and all of the characters were wonderful and quite human. I loved getting to see the wider world and how it helped to paint a bigger picture of people’s feelings about the empire. I can’t wait to see what the last book has in store for readers.

Thank you to Angela Man at Orbit and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Joh Skovron's reading of his own book was brilliant. He had different voices for the characters that really fit each character. This is a very clever take on what has become of literary and mythical monsters like Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde, and Medusa. Boy, the manmade son of Frankenstein's monster and Bride, is a very likeable young man trying to make his own way in life but having a difficult time when he runs away to the world of humans.

Now that was a fun book. I love the beginning of it. It's rare to read a book where you follow the main characters from childhood into adulthood. The way you see Hope and Red early years affect who they become was very well done. That said, the last few chapters don't stick the landing for me. I felt the book had some characters that were archetypes. I was fine with that. Red is the lovable rogue with a heart of cold behind his mischievous grin. Hope is the honorable warrior out for revenge. Thats all fine but near the end one character goes Mad Max; Fury Road on us. Thats when it becomes Star Wars.

The dark side versus the light side of the force ending doesn't work for me. I enjoyed those movies but I didn't want to see parts of them confiscated for this story. There's also the feeling of pandering when one characters changes themselves to get more power. The change happens but I didn't know or care about the character so the significance of the change was minimal. Plus the feeling that this character will now have a relationship with another character who entered the story late felt obvious. I don't know what the big threat is but hopefully it's not a giant space cloud. Otherwise all the evil that the evil doers do in this book will be for nothing. That said I'm really looking forward to read what happens in the next book. Hopefully that ending won't be so over the top as this one was.

I read this book via NetGalley. I thank them for this book. I will also thank Orbit for fulfilling my wish for this book. It was available to UK members but I wished for it and my wish was granted. Thank You for your kindness Orbit.

#NetGalley #OrbitBooks

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a very fun ride. It dragged here and there, but made up for it with the interesting lore and actioned scenes. I felt like the magic system needed some work as Sebastian's powers were not very defined, especially when compared to Marzanna and her Riders. There was something there that felt very concrete and had me disappointed and wishy-washiness of elemental magic. However, the idea that using magic ages you is interesting though it was glossed over and not used to its fullest potential.

There was also a lack of direction for the first half of the story. It spent no time solidifying why Sonya and Sebastian had their stances, as they practically had them from the beginning and spent more time engraving them into their roles. The siblings started separate and were slightly more separate by then, making it feel like there were little to no emotional stakes in the book and that the siblings were just doing whatever for some arbitrary notion they had and never questioned it.

What Sebastian lacked in motivation, his sister Sonya did manage to make up. While it still felt like she was there "just because", she also had the most interesting growth as she becomes more and more ranger. I wished there'd been more focus on the rangers as they were by far the most interesting thing in the book. It was clear that a lot of time was spent on their lore and impact in the world and I wish there had been as much time spent on the characters and their motivations, as while Sonya makes a nice ranger, I'm left questioning why she is one in the first place as at times she seems to be the last person I'd expect to be one as her personality seems so contrary to a lot of the legends. This could be why she makes such a good ranger though it didn't come across clearly in the text. She did serve as a sympathetic lens to view the interesting culture of the rangers and their cold-hearted goddess fo death.

Sebastian is an interesting case of someone wanting to do good and becoming a monster in the process. He does seem to lack some conviction however and I found myself inclined to think that he was a bigger fan of the books Galina was reading than Galina herself at times. Galina, on the other hand, was a major surprise as she went from being a background character to the character with the most conviction. Unlike the siblings I can tell you where and why she stands on the side of the split that she does without saying "just because she's there". Her motivations and role in the story were well thought out and executed.

My final thoughts are that despite the character flaws, this book is amazing. It has an interesting fantasy world with distinct cultures and traditions as well as interesting histories and war tactics. The final battle was a pure joy to read and I have nothing against the writing. The book feels a bit like a set-up for something bigger and I'm all ears for something bigger, especially if there will be more involvement from Marzanna. It was really easy to get lost in the lore and I had vivid pictures in my mind as I read, mostly on the bus and surrounded by blizzards, which may have helped a bit. But all that being said I would recommend this to fantasy nerds who love strong mythologies or those who are looking for something similar, and maybe a bit more sinister, to being a huntress of Artemis.

After his father is murdered by imperial Aureumian soldiers, Sebastian and his mother are taken to Gogoleth where he is persuaded to join the Aureumian army stationed in his homeland of Izmoroz. As an elemental wizard, the Aureumian commander sees him as vastly useful as they anticipate a Spring invasion by the Uaine. Despite being half Izmorozian and half Aureumian, Sebastian's loyalties become aligned to the Aureumians. But Sebastian has an older sister, one of the last remaining Rangers of Marzanna who protect Izmoroz, Sonya, who will do everything in her power to liberate her homeland as she serves a goddess of death. Even if it means allying herself with an enemy nation.

I quite enjoy stories about siblings, both when they're at odds with each other and when they work together, so I was intrigued by this book. I was also really curious about who, exactly, Sonya was intent on recruiting, as well as how a confrontation between brother and sister would go. This turned out to be not exactly what I had expected, but was different in a way I really liked.

The Characters: A Charming Main Cast

I found the characters to be interesting and quite representative of their respective culture, which really helped to showcase the world building. At the same time, things seemed a little too easy for them. Their decisions were quick, their actions were decisive, there was little stewing around about what to do. It felt more like they were being pulled along by the story.

However, I was charmed by most of the main cast. Despite the fact that they just embodied their cultures, they were fun and meshed well with each other. I did love that, at the end, so many of them were revealed as having ulterior motives, indicating there's more to them than what was presented at first. I look forward to what the next book has to offer about them and their schemes and machinations.

I most enjoyed Sonya, Jorge, and Blaine, who represented 3 different cultures. Their differences were fun to see as they interacted and became friends. I think the only thing that bothered me about them was the romantic undertones to their relationships with each other. It felt unnecessary and distracting, and a bit out of place. But Sonya was a lot of fun. She always seemed good-natured and in high spirits, even in serious situations. I also found her unique speech pattern to be refreshing and just as much fun as her. Jorge was adorable as his religion holds him to strict rules. He did seem a bit prudish, but it somehow just made him more charming. Blaine was interesting and almost as fun as Sonya. We don't get to know him quite as well, but I got the feeling there might not have been much more to get to know about him. He seemed to be refreshingly upfront, and a typical brash young warrior.

As for Sebastian and his intended Galina, an Izmorozian noblewoman in Gogoleth, I understood their relationship completely, but felt my heart aligning more with Galina. Just as Sebastian and Sonya became divided over their loyalties, so too did this young couple, though I was surprised by the turns it took. While I was charmed by Galina's bookish nature and quiet intelligence, I quickly came to be equally un-charmed by Sebastian. He just seemed young and impressionable, which made him a blind follower in every area of his life. He never seemed to stop and think about anything other than himself and his magic. I do hope that he grows up in the next book as there were signs of uncertainty in his path, but I'm afraid he might be eternally young, stupid, and angry.

The Setting: Based on Eastern European Folktales

The last fantasy I read was very typically Eurocentric, so, I expected more of the same from this one as the book description didn't indicate anything otherwise. In a way, I was right, but I was thrilled it was also quite different. The author is of Polish descent and several reviews note the book is based on Polish and Russian folklore. I definitely got a strong War and Peace vibe from this book, especially reading about the nobility's mannerisms and speech patterns. I found it delightful, charming, and quite different from a lot of the fantasy I have read over the years.

When the story opens, there's a great deal of snow mentioned. At first, I was a little confused because I'm used to things like trees, dirt, and little to no snow. But then I started to get an Eastern European vibe and it all finally made sense. I very much enjoyed immersing myself in Izmoroz. It seems too snowy and cold for my tastes, but I could easily imagine the small villages and towns as well as Gogoleth. It was both charming and depressing, especially as the vast divide between life in Gogoleth and the small villages was starkly apparent. I even found the tundra to be quite interesting!

This book introduced not only an interesting world in terms of setting where most of it is snowy instead of woodsy (though there's a fair amount of woods), but also in culture. I really liked that it reminded me of War and Peace, especially in terms of the high society in Gogoleth. It felt a little stilted and formal at first, but, once I acclimated, I found I really enjoyed it and loved being immersed in this world.

I'd like to also mention that the Uaine have a very Celtic feel to them in terms of their speech patterns and their society. I found them to be quite boisterous and a complete counterpoint to the more stuffy Izmorozians. As I really enjoy all things Celtic, I loved that this book brought together my enjoyment of that culture as well as my fondness for War and Peace.

The Plot: Always Moving, Sometimes at a Gallop

I loved that this story moved along at a very nice clip. It never seemed to lag, but did seem to leap at times. There were gaps that the reader is left to fill in based on prior information as well as what happened after. I didn't find it too troubling, but the jumps and then the lack of ever really mentioning it again were a little puzzling. It almost felt as though chunks of this story had been cut out and the edges not quite seamlessly sewn together.

Still, I found myself unwilling to put this book down. The author knew just when to end a chapter and when to switch viewpoints. It definitely kept me reading to find out how everyone's plans would turn out and how the clash between the siblings would go. I wouldn't call this fast-paced, but it did move along at a good canter.

The one thing that bothered me was the violence and goriness. Of course, it did involve someone serving a death goddess, so it made sense, but it was a little too gross for me. At the same time, I have read worse, and recently, but I was taken aback by just how peppered throughout the book it was. Still, it could have been worse, though it did help to highlight a bit of Izmorozian and Ranger culture.

I really enjoyed the story of siblings being on opposite sides, though there was still some feeling of love between them. It wasn't as heart-wrenching as I would have liked, but it provided enough for me to feel like they were siblings. I liked that the story followed them equally and really showed how different their paths were as well as how they progressed to where they were when they came face to face after quite some time apart.

Overall: Never Boring

This book has plenty of fun characters and interesting cultures. It moves at a good pace that never seemed to bore me. There were hints of broader intentions and some intrigue, but I felt it was more focused on the action than the subtleties. Still, it was a good introduction to the series and I have high hopes for the next book.

Thank you to Angela Man from Orbit for a free e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley.

The Ranger of Marzanna is a Russian-inspired epic fantasy that pitches two gifted siblings against each other, with the fate of an empire on the line. Sonya is the title character, the Ranger. Her strong connection to the Death goddess gives her incredible sensory skills, plus the opportunity to make some pretty dark bargains. The empire thought they killed all Rangers a generation before, but now Sonya is back to deliver vengeance. Then there's her younger brother, Sebastian. He's a powerful elemental wizard who has been sheltered--with very good reason--by their parents, but once the empire has hold of him, they train him to be his utmost: a weapon.

But then... then! There is Galina, the best character of all. She comes across as a shy teenage bookworm. She connects to Sebastian through a love of poetry and the classics. As he begins to take an increasingly dark path, her own true nature emerges.

I'm left wanting a book that is all Galina, because the two actual main characters left me feeling frustrated throughout the book. Mind you, this story has a lot of innovative twists going. Usually armies of the undead are a bad thing, but here, the rebels want to recruit whatever help they can get, living or dead. The Russian-inspired setting is fun, too, and the bitter chill really comes across. But Sonya as a character is just not the kind of person I want to be around. She's flippant and impulsive, sometimes outright stupid but still gets what she wants. She makes major sacrifices to her goddess but unfortunately they don't feel like sacrifices. Sebastian is an easy character to pity as he gets manipulated--the teenager is just so oblivious, it hurts--but I was baffled that the army recruited him then let him... train himself. I get that there are almost no wizards, but he has no oversight at all, and then he's quickly given a command over troops. The only helpful info he gets late in the plot is from a book that Galina gives him.

Also, I was REALLY EXCITED that Sonya had a horse named Peppercorn that she had a powerful bond with. I was totally there for some mystical horse adventures, but then Peppercorn was left with a village to fatten up for much of the novel.

Overall, a good book, but I just didn't feel like everything came together to sufficiently wow me in the end.

The Ranger of Marzanna is the first in The Goddess War series by Jon Skovron. This is a character driven epic fantasy with heavy Slavic influences. The story focuses on a pair of siblings that end up on separate paths after their father is murdered by Imperial soldiers.

The nation of Izmoroz has been conquered by the Aureumian Empire for many years. Sonya Turgenev Portinari - a Ranger and devotee of Marazanna, the goddess of winter and death - has vowed to remove the Empire's influence from Izmoroz and free her country. Coming home after a one of her trips into the wilderness she finds her father has been murdered and her mother and brother abducted. Following their trail to a nearby city Sony is shocked to find her mother, Irina Turgenev Portinari, has returned to her old life as an Izmorozan noble while her brother, Sebastian, has joined the imperial army as a powerful elemental mage. With her family torn apart by the Empire Sonya sets out to find allies in her quest to free her country.

There are a lot of things to like about The Ranger of Marzanna. The worldbuilding is solid. The elemental magic system will be fairly familiar to fantasy fans with just enough changes so it doesn't feel completely stale. More interesting is Marzanna's influence on her followers. A Ranger that receives her blessing is "marked" and begins to change, gaining beastly characteristics of an animal assigned to them by the goddess. I found this aspect fascinating and definitely want to see more of this as the series progresses. There is just enough action mixed in so that the pace remains steady though not breathless like more action oriented books can be.

Sonya is brash and wild, having fully embraced her life as a Ranger. She is determined to protect the land and her countrymen, going to any length necessary to acheive her goal. This takes a surprising turn, bordering on horror elements a times, giving her character a surprising depth. Sebastian is almost her exact opposite. He is a gentle soul, confused by his father's death yet joining the Imperial Army anyway after having been convinced it's the best way to protect his country. He is gradually lead down a path of brutality, not even realizing how badly he's being manipulated by his commanding officer, and continues to deny the atrocities he's committed against the populace. It's an interesting contrast between the two. The supporting cast is great, with the standout being Galina, Sebastian's betrothed. She understands exactly what is happening to Sebastian and tries her best to counteract it, knowing in her heart it's a losing battle. In many ways this makes Galina the most interesting and sympathetic character in the book. I hope she has a larger role in the story to come.

The Ranger of Marzanna is a solid start of a series. I look forward to continuing Sonya and Sebastian's story.

I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Expected publication date is April 21, 2020.½

In many ways, this is rollicking-good-read fantasy with low effort required. It was pacey, interesting, full of grimy thief-and-ninja derring-do, and held up by some big fantasy ideas. I don't mind a bit of that sort of thing now and then; it's not my favourite sort of reading; this was done pretty well for what it is. Within that, there one surprising positive, balanced out by a key and unfortunate negative.

On the positive: the gender balance of the worldbuilding. The book first grabbed my attention when it introduces the background of one of our orphan protags; he's the child of a whore and a noble-turned-slumming-it-artist... it's just that the mother's the artist and the father's the whore. Our hero's first love-interest (who likes him heaps but isn't a settling-down sort of girl, whereas he's figuring out how to hyphenate their names) works security at a brothel; we see her at one point acting in defense of a male whore. And the thieves-cant of their slum is charmingly gender balanced, reflecting the fact that everyone fights hard regardless of gender. (This is all lowest-rung stuff. High society and official organisations are reliably and familiarly misogynist, but that's a key plot element. And sure, the sailors around the Southern isles are nervous about having women on board, but the reason is that it attracts sea monsters, something that we are given reason to suppose might just be true. It would be far from the weirdest thing the magically-messed-with fauna of this world can do.)

On the negative: the pacing. The book takes its time establishing our two main characters (Hope and Red) through their youths, before they finally meet as established if young adults. There's plenty of interesting stuff going on here, but when the final half of the book seems to rush through all of the actual plot, it leaves me wondering whether the author shouldn't have been a touch less indulgent about all that opening material. Moreover, there's a third key character who barely gets any screentime before she's essential to the finale (and the story ongoing at the book's close), and I really wanted to see more of her. (Especially since a big part of her story is her transition from male-bodied to female-bodied, and I am uneasy about the peremptory nature of that significant shift. Having her be a fully explored and thoroughly known character would make it feel less blithe.)

I think I'm going to read more, and if you like some social conscience with your thiefly grim-fantasy hijinks, perhaps have a crack at this one.

If you like Nephilim books such as the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, you should check out this one, which explores the flip-side of that. Not half-angel, but half-demon.
In this book, demons aren’t necessarily evil. In fact, demons are all old gods who were ousted by Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It makes complete sense.
So, our main character, Jael, has spent her whole life with her father, moving from one place to the next, running. From whom, you ask? Well, there’s this big bad demon who hates ‘halfbreeds’ and is out to kill her.
On her sixteenth birthday, Jael gets her demon powers and then all kinds of chaos start happening.
I loved Rob.
And, with words like Google-fu and Skater-Zen, You’ve got the recipe for a GREAT STINKING BOOK!
And (if the author is reading this) a sequel would not be amiss. *hint, hint*
:)

Pulling mythology from numerous sources and tying it together, Jon Skovron creates his own world world for Jael, a half demon and her father - an ex-monk who is running from the demon that killed his wife.

Being half demon, Jael’s family has been on the run from one of the dukes who is out to kill her. On her sixteenth birthday, a present from her mother released her powers and as she learns to wield them she also learns more about her past and find that she has to fight hard for her future.

For the most part, this book was a bit on the slow side as we were introduced to Jael’s world and the situation she found herself in. However, the way that it was executed was interesting enough to keep my attention.

The best parts of the story was the background on Jael’s parents, I enjoyed the way it was fleshed out, allowing the reader to understand Jael’s mother and also the reason her father is so overprotective.

I was also surprised to see that her father was so involved in her life, this is one of the few young adult books where we see the parent playing an important role and that was a bit refreshing.

Overall, it was a good read and quick read.

Not bad but not good. Middle of the road for me. There were alot of times that I got bored and then the book would go into history between Jaels Mom and Dad and I got interested. But mostly, I felt myself just not engaged in what was going on. Didn't like some of the characters, really liked others etc. Just a book of many opposites for me.

Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2016/06/06/review-hope-and-red-by-jon-skovron/

Hope and Red could be the fun read you are looking for, especially if you love stories about thieves and vengeance, and warrior women. The two main characters are in quite different settings, each with intriguing elements. The story follows these two characters whose lives are both shattered from what they knew when they were young. Their paths after their tragedies are very different, yet similar in some ways. Here is the thing about this book. It is full of familiarity and predictability. These are not necessarily bad, depending on what you are looking for. I mean, there is a reason certain elements become familiar and predictable. It’s because generally, people enjoy them! If you are craving an easy, fun read with adventure and ups and downs, this could be good.

I am always a sucker for stories of women who break the normal gender barriers. So, for this, I love that Hope is being trained to be a Vinchen warrior. This training is not easy, and she is certainly not accepted among the men of the order. But she powers through with dedication and becomes a fierce warrior. She becomes proof that, given the chance, there are some women who can accomplish the same levels (or greater) as men. Hope faces some interesting dilemmas as she is so driven by vengeance, she has to at some point evaluate that. At what point does vengeance cost you more than it will gain?

Now, another thing that I noticed was Hope’s inconsistent adherence to a code of honor that she followed as part of her warrior training. This is a hard one to explain without an example, but I usually try to not go into too many concrete details in my reviews. So, while I don’t really think this is a major spoiler, I will put it in spoiler tags just in case. View Spoiler » Maybe there are just some nuances to the warrior code that differentiates these scenarios and I just missed it.

Honestly, while the books characters go by “Hope” and “Red” they are really “Mary Sue” and “Gary Stu”. These two characters accomplish amazing things through the greatest odds. Really, its kind of unbelievable what they can do, but I think that is also the point. This is a fantastical tale of two characters that are in many ways larger than life. This is one of those things that can come down to reader preference, because sometimes it is just plain fun reading about a character doing the impossible and somehow always managing to come out on top. There’s a reason why you see that in books, it can be very fun! I think it is just better to know upfront, because I know that I, personally, have to be in the mood for that when I pick up a book.

I found Red to be a very likable character. He did not grow up in the rough part of town he lives in now, and had a softer, kinder life for his first few years. This seemed to give him a little bit different perspective. But life can be unexpected, and he found himself a very unlikely mother figure. It was interesting seeing his determination to make a name for himself, and see his skill make it seem feasible. Like I said earlier, he is definitely a bit of a Gary Stu, but he is at least a fun Gary Stu. The kind I don’t mind inviting into my books.

And lastly, I don’t really want to make this a major point, but decided to bring it up. I am usually quite accepting of whatever lingo an author wants to use. I am far from easily offended or put off. But I have to be honest. The term “cunt-droppings” (which refers to foolish people) really started to annoy me. The first time, I confess, I actually chuckled a little. The second time I was ambivalent. But the third time I decided it irked me. And every instance of it after that bothered me more. I think part of it was I never liked the term “slice” that is used for women in this book. Its usually a derogatory term (depending on who is using it). That in and of itself is not the issue for me. I just didn’t like it because it felt a little too visually representative of the female genitalia. Maybe that is a short coming on part, but it is my honest reaction. So, pair that with referring to people as “cunt-droppings” (also a little too visual) and I just about had it. Maybe others won’t have these hang ups. I usually don’t, so I was surprised to struggle with these terms in this book.

Overall, this can be a fun read for the right reader. There is plenty of action and fun. I may have had a few issues, but I don’t think they will be universal problems for all readers. If it sounds interesting, I think it is worth giving a read.

I would like to thank Orbit & NetGalley, for a copy of this e-ARC to review. While I received this ebook for free, that has no impact upon the honesty of my review.

Goodreads Teaser: "In a fracturing empire spread across savage seas, two young people from different cultures find common purpose. A nameless girl is the lone survivor when her village is massacred by biomancers, mystical servants of the emperor. Named after her lost village, Bleak Hope is secretly trained by a master Vinchen warrior as an instrument of vengeance. A boy becomes an orphan on the squalid streets of New Lavender and is adopted by one of the most notorious women of the criminal underworld, given the name Red, and trained as a thief and con artist. When a gang lord named Dreadface Drem strikes a bargain with the biomancers to consolidate and rule all the slums of New Laven, the world's of Hope and Red come crashing together, and their unlikely alliance takes them further than either could have dreamed possible."

I read the teaser for this book and expected I'd probably enjoy it, but that it'd be mighty similar to several other books I've already read. I was right and wrong. I completely enjoyed this book, more each minute - and while there are always going to be similarities between stories, this one stands apart, unique unto itself. Partly because of the characters and situations, and also simply the author's voice is so very distinct.

The beginning of the book bounces between Red's story and Hope's. And as they get older life finds a way to have their paths cross. Only they don't complete the cross, for once they meet they end up partnering with each other in their mutual quest for vengeance. And they want more than their pound of flesh for the emperor's biomancers. Each has suffered deep loss of one kind or another thanks to the nefarious biomancers.

Hope and Red and an excellent blend of personalities. Between them they are brash, levelheaded, prone to acting without any plan, being methodical in their reasoning for all that they do and how their world view is impacted by all they see, hear, and do. And those are just a few days thing. Other labels can be slapped on them as well: artist, student, leader, follower, romantic, pragmatist, charming, slick, inexperienced, passionate, worldly. . . They are the perfect compliments to one another, even if at least one of them may not yet know it.

I also got a real kick out of many supporting characters. Sadie the Goat, Nettles, Captain Carmichael, Filler, and Hurlo the Cunning are just amazing secondary characters, and they are by no means the complete list. Among them is a salty woman with a well-earned reputation, by turns endearing, irascible, and abrasive. An enforcer at a brothel, protecting the whores from the less 'savory' clients. A good man turned from his path by circumstances beyond his control, yet still dependable and decent. A best friend who'll do anything for his best wag. A man of honor whose inner wisdom forces him to defy the very rules his entire life has been guided by . And those are just a few of the charming companions kept by the redoubtable Hope and Red. Each with their own tale to share, for good or ill.

Although this story not only has to create the world for us, set the tone, introduce all the players, and then pull it all together to get us started on this adventure, never once did it feel as if the action stopped to allow for all that to happen. Instead it was very smoothly blended into the story, with everything laid out neatly and while keeping pace with the story being told. Without a doubt I fully expect this to develop into an incredible trilogy before all is said and done, and if this first book is anything to judge by, it's off to an amazing start! If I could, I'd give it 4.5 stars!!

I adored this book. I'm a huge fan of Frankenstein, and to see that this was a book about the child of the Monster and the Bride, I just had to read it.

Boy is your typical teenage boy. He has a crush, and wants to prove himself worthy of her attention. He also doesn't want to end up like his father. Having to basically be the bouncer amongst the monsters in The Show. I loved seeing Boy go throughout all of his little ordeals. At times I wanted to scream at him to see if he realized that he was making some major mistakes in how he handled things. But after all, he is a teenage boy. I also loved that he had the hormones and thought process like most folks at that age.

Claire and Sophie are definitely up there with my favorite characters. They bring lightness, and sometimes a little badassery to the front lines. They had me laughing, and cheering them on. There are so many creatures that are mentioned int his book. The Invisible Man may be another favorite of mine. I won't go into more because I don't want to spoil anything. But wow, if you're looking for a book that includes so many monsters, this is it.

Boy's journey was definitely one of self-discovery. I don't think he realized how alone he was until he was out there in the real world. Even then, it seems like the world is moving so fast, and he's left behind. I enjoyed the whole cyber-talk even though I had no clue what most of it meant. I was able to put two and two together, and figure it out though.

Jon Skovron does an amazing job bring Boy and his family into modern times. I definitely can't wait until my son is old enough to read this book.

This wasn't the most thrilling read, but the characters were enjoyable and I liked that the romance didn't drive the whole plot.

Misfit by John Skovron is about Jael, a teenaged girl who’s different from the other kids. Jael’s different, because she’s half demon. Always moving around with her distant ex-priest/ex-demon slayer father, and not knowing anything about her mom, she has kept her demon side a secret from those around her. Fulfilling a promise he made to her mother, when Jael turns sixteen her father gives her a necklace. And that’s when the secret she’s lived with her whole life, and secrets her father has kept come to light.

I really liked this book. Jael is a likeable heroine; she knows she is half-demon, which is refreshing after so many other clueless-about-one’s-true-nature paranormal YA novels. She has a crush on a boy her own age, but he isn’t the catalyst that drives her, again, is a nice change from conventional YA books. I also enjoyed the flashbacks about her parents, and found their story to be as interesting as Jael’s. With a few other colorful characters thrown into the mix, and a new take on mythology to play with, I would definitely encourage you to read Misfit.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

received from Abrams through NetGalley.

4.75/5

You might be misled by the synopsis into thinking that this is your regular run-of-the-mill YA, but the truth is far from it.

This is dark and twisted, Contantine-like story which I thought was AWESOME.

The beginning was a bit confusing because the author kept switching between first person, third person and third person present tense, but then you get used to it.

Jael knew she was a daughter of a demoness and a mortal since she was eight years old. Her father who is an ex-exorcist and a demon fighter keeps moving them every now and again. He teaches in a Catholic school and Jael goes to the same school for free. The last two years have been the longest they stayed anywhere and Jael even managed to get a best friend - Britt and a potential admirer/boyfriend, geeky and adorable Rob if only he becomes brave enough to ask her out.


Now Jael is sixteen and she finds out that her demonic part was hidden from her so one of the Hell Lords Belial, who hates halfbreeds, wouldn't find and kill her. She must claim her heritage and learn how to access her powers with the help of her goofy demon uncle pretty quickly,

so she can fight Belial, protect her friends and administer some necessary changes to the demonic world...

It's gritty, harsh and very realistic writing with pretty unexpected take on Jael's powers and the way she accesses them. There are bloody battles, subtle corruptions of the spirit, possessions and exorcisms and exploration of the darker side of the human soul.

I was also quite relieved that the focus wasn't on the love story, but on the survival. Don't get me wrong! Rob and Jael are good for each other, but them having or not having relationship is not as interesting as Hell intrigues and weird and wonderful demons around.

I totally adored the story, and I am dying to know what will happen next. If you like darker YA, more urban fantasy then paranormal romance, then this is definitely your kind of book.

P.S. I loved the cover as well. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?

I really love this book but it seems to me not a lot of people has read it so I can't really talk to anyone about it. What I love about this book is that it has a little twist, sure a demon fell in love with a human that has been said and done many times but this is different for they had a baby and they are kinda really religious. I like how she's trying to find her true powers of what she can do and learning more about her mother who died. *spoilers*

Just read Misfit by Jon Skovron over the weekend, EXCELLENT book! Finally, fully developed characters, good plot pace, interesting story! I can't wait for the next book, I just hope he keeps it up!

Loved the voice, loved the exploration of life as an artist, loved the cast of realistic characters with strengths and flaws.

Man Made Boy was like reading the best B-Movie ever! I don’t know about everyone else but I’ve always been a big fan of B-Horror Movies because they were fun and always gave you the monsters in the classic way. That is exactly the way you’ll see them in this book, except you’ll see just how well those old monsters do or don’t adapt to the modern world.

I immediately fell in love with the character Boy and his quiet personality. Though I seriously wish his name would have been something other than “Boy.” He is the son of Frankenstein’s Monster and of course he wasn’t born in the same way other creatures would be – no he was created. Patched together with the parts from dead humans. But whereas his parents were science experiments, Boy was a labor of love. Not only is he a wonderful character, he is also a tech genius! A computer hacker extraordinaire if you will. He’s been locked up his whole life inside the Broadway show house where his family and a myriad troupe of other creatures live, hiding from humanity right under it’s nose. Entertaining humans with a magical Broadway show each night.

“Humans are pretty complicated,” I said.

“No, Boy. Rain-forest ecosystems are complicated. Humans are just a mess.” – pg 24

But Boy is restless and wants to get out into the human world. And that is where all the trouble and this adventure starts. He is a bit naive but also strong. After all, it would take a brave person to strike out on their own the way he did. I really adored this guy and my heart was constantly going out to him. There were moments when I was so achingly sad for him because of his self loathing that I could see many teens relating to him.

“Haven’t you ever been in bed with a girl before?”

“One.”

“That’s it? Geez, are you ridiculously shy or something?”

“No, I’m just fucking ugly, okay?” – pg 208

We get to see Boy’s life in the theater, outside of the theater, on the run from his mistakes, as well as him finally finding a place where he thinks he can be happy. Even during moments that weren’t action packed this pace moved along so well that I could barely put the book down. Not to mention the dialogue constantly had me smirking.

“You don’t believe in extraterrestrials?”

“Do I believe they exist somewhere out there in infinite space? Yes. Do I think they’re hanging out around our solar system, occasionally sneaking over to steal a cow or probe someone’s ass? No.”

“Arse-probing gets a bad rap,” she said.” – pg 211

I can’t say enough how much I really enjoyed this book. I knew from the moment I read the book description that this would be an excellent read for me and I was not let down.

There are so many creatures from different cultures and folklore that you find yourself wondering what or who Boy might encounter next. I was surprisingly thrown for a loop when I made assumptions about things to find out later I was wrong. This was definitely a coming of age story of a boy on the cusp of adulthood and about self acceptance and doing what’s right. I can only hope there will be more of these books and have already picked up another book by this author in hopes I will enjoy it as much as I did Man Made Boy.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Interesting setup with some humor, but overall the vulgar language and poor transitions made this just an ok read.

Opening Sentence: In the beginning, there was zero.

The Review:

Boy, the son of one of the most famous monsters of all time. Boy, the kid who has grown up hiding with all other outcasts. Boy, the computer whiz able to create, hack, and code with ease. This is a boy, whose name is Boy, whose birthday brings new challenges and a chance to live a life outside this captive prison where he has grown up.

He is being forced by his father to move to Europe to go to school and return to his father’s old painful roots. He rejects this, and runs away. The life outside is one he was getting a hang of, even if he looks like the ugliest human ever. He has a job and a place to live, which he is happy about. That’s when things go from ok to horrible. As he ventures into the world he meets many new people including a couple different girls that teach him about love and heartbreak. He also has made a lot of mistakes on his journey of self discovery and if he wants to right the wrongs he has committed he will have to face his dysfunctional family once more.

I look on the back of the book and see age 12 and up. I’m sorry but with the vast amount of strong profanity, I’m having a hard time seeing this appropriate for teenagers. Maybe Jon Skovron has a potty mouth, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of us want to read it. It destroyed the book for me. Just because the characters are teenagers, doesn’t make it appropriate for young adults. I cringed anytime the characters were arguing or mad, waiting for strong “F” words to show, and I was hardly ever wrong. Also, I listened to the audio book of this, so having to hear all the profanity made it even worse.

I liked the plot, it was interesting, although the transition from the first girlfriend to the second girlfriend seemed poor. Half the book is one story and then is sharply put on hold. The second part quickly begins with new characters and a different setting, which I really didn’t like. I felt like I was just getting into the story when all the sudden everything changes and that made me feel a huge disconnect with the story. There were parts that were funny and I liked the characters for the most part. But due to the profanity and the poor transition between the parts of the book, I would have to say that this was just an ok read for me.

Notable Scene:

“Where are you off to so suddenly?” asked Laurellan

“Hot date?” asked Mozart.

“Oh, uh…” Sometimes I wish I was quicker at responding. “Not really.” And better at lying.

The two of them grinned at each other.

“An almost date?”

FTC Advisory: Viking Penguin provided me with a copy of Man Made Boy. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Boy is the 17-year-old son of Frankenstein's monster and his bride--made from human parts like his parents but also somewhat of a cyborg with a knack at computer hacking. Having never left the catacombs of the NYC theater where he was raised, Boy is itching to go out into the real world (not an easy thing to do if you're a mishmash of stitched parts). When Boy's father has other plans regarding his son's future, Boy runs away in a quest to find himself as he works his way west, meeting some interesting and unusual folks along the way. An adventurous title with fantasy characters that will appeal to guys. Peppered with "F bomb" and other choice words; those who take offense may not want to choose this book.

After exhausting my brain reading Trying Not To Try: The Art and Science of Spontaneity by Edward Slingerland (March 4, 2014), I was ready for a light, easy read. I certainly never would have guessed that such a fun read as Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron would touch on some of the same concepts I had just waded through.

Find out how the two are connected in my full review on Library Girl Reads & Reviews.

The Good: I really enjoyed this updated Frankenstein's monster tale, much more so than the original. I enjoyed how the Monster, Bride and Boy were portrayed, especially surrounded by other creatures of legend. The Show is a great setting and I even enjoyed Boy on-the-run, which I usually despise. Boys romances were both original and realistic in his world. The entire creation as creator plot was absolutely fantastic, well done and meaningful.

The Bad: I'm not sure I loved the ending. I felt it was risky and probably went against everything Boy had learned throughout the book. While a natural impulse, perhaps, it seemed like an unneeded addition to the story.