Shattered Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Shattered Glass
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: Glass Series (Also Chronicles of Ixia or Poison Study Series)
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 86 Pages (Kindle)
Published: April November 19th 2016 by Maria V. Snyder
Rating: 5/5

While trying to teach her adopted daughter, Reema, how to work with molten glass, Opal receives a letter from Master Magician Zitora Cowan requesting Opal's immediate help.

Zitora resigned from the Sitian Council over two years ago to search for her lost sister, and no one has heard from her since. The letter is probably a trick, but Opal refuses to pass up the opportunity to help her mentor, who may be in genuine trouble. Good thing Opal isn't that easy to fool. With her two soldier friends Nic and Eve providing backup, the three travel to a small town in the Jewelrose Clan. But can they rescue the Master Magician without being caught in the same trap?

My Review:

I can't believe that I never posted this review! Shattered Glass is an essential short story if you are reading the new Yelena/Study books. This one should be read before Dawn Study. Opal receives a message from Zitora that is most likely a trap, but she has no choice but to answer the call for help. Great short story with Opal and her friends from the Glass series. I was happy to find out where Zitora disappeared to and to spend a little time with Opal again.

I had the honour of working with Maria to create the cover for this novella and it was a dream come true for me. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to her daughter's friend Araella's medical expenses. Her world was shattered back in August when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer - she's just 18 years old! :(

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas or Graceling by Kristin Cashore

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The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Forever Song
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #3
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 393 Pages (Hardcover)
Published: April 15th 2014 by Mira Ink
Rating: 5/5

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

My Review:

All the feels! The Forever Song was my favourite book in this series.


Allie is broken from losing Zeke, and now vengeance is the only thing driving her. The road to revenge is paved in blood and heartache and I loved every minute of it.


Sarren has a head start and he isn't making it easy to follow him, let alone beat him to Eden. Allie and her unconventional family have to figure out a way to beat the psychotic vampire before he unleashed his hell on earth.


Jackal drove the story for me with his sarcastic humour and unpredictable nature. It lightened the mood when Allie was on a rampage or getting her soul crushed. I didn't always agree with the choices that Allie made, but in the end she made me proud.


The story was well paced and the conclusion was great without being too conveniently wrapped up.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

“I am proud of you, Allison Sekemoto,” he whispered as he drew back. “Whatever you decide, whatever path you choose to take, I hope that you will remain the same girl I met that night in the rain. The one decision for which I have no regrets.””  

“Oh, heads are going to roll for this. I’m going to set up a special lane and use their skulls for bowling balls.”

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

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Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Title: Spectacle
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Menagerie #2
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 392 Pages
Published:  May 30th 2017 by Harlequin MIRA
Rating: 5/5

In this riveting sequel to New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's acclaimed novel Menagerie, Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind…

When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.

My Review:

I couldn't put this book down.

Delilah and the group of cryptids from Menagerie aren't free for long and this time their captor is wealthier and more intelligent than Metzger was. In a high-tech facility catering to the whims of the rich and powerful, they face a harsher reality and escape seems impossible.

I have read some reviews harping on how much this book resembled the first but personally, I found it much like the Hunger Games trilogy, where the similarities shone a light on a new set of issues and gave answers to some of my what if questions from the first book.

Spectacle was darker than Menagerie, but Rachel found a way to have a lot of the more trigger-sensitive scenes happen "off-camera." Although our characters suffer through many heart-wrenching ordeals before the final page.

Menagerie for me dealt with a society willing to overlook captivity so that they could satiate their curiosity and it explored the rights and wrongs of the treatment of captive creatures. Spectacle sunk deeper into those issues by exposing some of human nature's darker side. The average person would want innocent entertainment and parlor tricks, but when money strips away a person's consequences, the vile and those of broken conscience seek darker, crueler ways to get their thrills.

There was a definite arc to this one, the second half kept picking up speed until I could barely turn the pages fast enough. October is too far away for Fury!

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, or Room by Emma Donoghue (If you also like fantasy as well).

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