Review: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Paperback: Brightly Woven
Author: Alexandra Bracken

Pages: 368
Publisher: EgmontUSA  

Release Date: June 28^st, 2011(reprint edition)
Genre: Young Adult/High Adventure/Fantasy
Rating:  ♥♥♥♥

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him. 

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers. 

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

(Goodreads.com)

A fantastical story of magic, romance, adventure and weaving! I am truly smitten with this stunning cover art. The contrast of Sydelle’s alabaster skin and her vibrant red locks most definitely captures the visual I imagined while reading this book.

Sydelle lives with her family in an isolated mountain-esque village that has been experiencing a drought for ten years. With one rain storm her entire existence is transformed from drab village dweller to the assistant of a powerful and rogue wizard, Wayland North. North literally whisk’s Sydelle away from impending doom in her village. The good king is dead and war encroaches on the free lands. Together North and Sydelle must venture to the capital with hopes of presenting the truth behind the King’s assassination. Sydelle is aware that North is keeping something from her and when more than one wizard attempts to claim Syd as their own, North stops at nothing to protect her from danger. 

I enjoyed Brightly Woven. Bracken did a solid job of creating a lyrical narration and Wayland North is one hot mess of a wizard. Brightly Woven is a wonderful break out novel of traditional fantasy reads. Sydelle and North are wonderfully rendered characters; they’re honest, funny and charming. The magic was enchanting and I really loved the weaving element. 

I hope Bracken gets to writing; I am ready for another fantastical adventure.

♥♥♥♥

Possible Pairings:

Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore

Alana: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness)  by Tamora Pierce

Waiting On...Wednesday Week 2

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by, Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we are breathlessly anticipating… Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries and to share your own.:)


I am really looking forward to:


Book: Vanish: A Firelight Novel
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: September, 6th 2011
Genre: Young Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Adventure


I love dragon books and I especially enjoyed Firelight and I cannot express my excitement at this upcoming release. And, goodness how gorgeous is this cover?

Product Description

An Impossible Romance.
Bitter Rivalries.
Deadly Choices.
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever. 

Book: Iron Knight (Iron Fey Book 3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: October 25th, 2011

Genre: Young Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Adventure / Fantasy

I am such a fan of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Series. I think that this is probably one of my favorite Faerie series out there (If not my favorite). I am so heartbroken over the ending of Iron Queen, but I am sure we will all celebrate a happy ending when Ash finds his soul so he can be with his love, Meghan... at least he better. Can't wait to see what mischief Puck gets Ash and Grim get into on their journey. And again, like the covers before, simply beautiful.

Product Description:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his arch rival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice

Review: Divergent, Veronica Roth

Book: Divergent (Divergent Trilogy)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Adventure

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

I don’t think I have any complaints about this book, except, that I have to wait until sometime next year for the second book in this epic trilogy to be released, Insurgent, hurry up already. Veronica Roth created and most engaging and terrifying dystopian world where people are now broken up into five different factions: Abnegation who put others before their own needs and where Beatrice is from, the Dauntless who are extremely brave, and fearless, Erudite who are studious, the Amity who are peaceful, and last but certainly not least are Candor who are honest.

At the age bright young age of 16 each child has the opportunity to choose their forever faction. You can either stay where you were raised with your family or you can choose to attempt and assimilate into another one of the four factions. To help prepare you for this very important decision, each person is administered a test of sorts to see where you most likely fit in. Cue book where things get interesting. Beatrice doesn’t test into one of the five factions, oh no, she shows that she has three of these traits. She attempts to get answers as to why this is bad but she isn’t given really any information except don’t tell anyone.

From here on out Beatrice or really, Tris, shows nothing but her determination to make a mark on the world. She makes the one decision that will turn her world upside down.  

***Spoilers***

Once Beaetrice decides to choose Dauntless she ditches her name for Tris. Here she will no longer be the meek silent girl with no voice. She raises up to the challenges that are laid out before her. Divergent, was nothing short of brilliant. I was literally on the edge of my seat with anticipation of the next insane thing our girl was going to go up against. All I am going to say, butter knife in the eye. Damn. I recommend this book to any one into major action, adventure, romance and kick ass heroines.

I think this is one of the best books I've read thus far in 2011!

♥♥♥♥♥

Review: Ruby Red, by Kerstin Gier

Book: Ruby Red
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Adventure

Rating: ♥♥♥ 1/2

Gwyneth Shepherd has grown up just like any average teen, she goes to the movies, talks about boys and doesn't have to learn French, be well versed in European History or have to deal with those nasty time travel induced-headaches... or does she?

In Kerstin, Gier's Ruby Red, book one in her Ruby Red Trilogy, we are introduced to Gwyn; a sixteen year old who as always lived in the shadow of her perfect cousin, Charlotte. In the blood of this family lies the gene that allows one to time travel. Charlotte has been trained since early childhood on the secrets of time travel; she is fluent in different languages, she knows her history and has been educated on proper etiquette. Unlike our under-prepared Gwyn who has been brushed to the side by her rather overbearing family that is all members of the Time Traveling Society that has been around for centuries. Once Gwyn starts having the ever-telling dizzy spells she is rushed back into time. Gasp! She luckily is only gone for a few moments before any real damage can be done. Once the truth finally comes out (she time travels three times before she tells her Mother), all hell breaks loose. Unbeknownst to the family, Gwyn’s mom lied on her birth certificate and was born on the special day that would mark her or Charlotte as the next time traveler in the family. The family is simply outraged. Gwyn’s aunt is a most wretched woman who thinks Gwyn’s mom has plotted to bring her own daughter glory and Charlotte shame and embarrassment. This is of course absurd. Gwyn’s mom was really trying to save her daughter the pain of what would be her life would be if she were the one to be the next in line for time travel, AKA, Ruby Red.
To get Gwyn caught up, she is rushed into the plot to outwit the supposed bad guys who have their own agenda to sabotage the ultimate mission that will reveal a long lost secret. Oh my!
Cue, handsome, smug and a bit dashing in his looks, traveling companion, Gideon. Here these two will start to unravel the mysteries of the past (which have been altered by other time travelers). They engage acts of espionage, ancient devices, magic (but of course) and for our leading lady, murder. We witness time travel back into the 17th and 18th centuries. Gwyn is lacking some polish but she tries her best to figure it out. The research was clearly done and the costumes created sound simply divine. Overall, I was entertained and look forward to Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green. It lacked some zest in the romance, there is definitely an attraction between Gideon and Gwyn but I wanted a little more oomph. Maybe in Blue Sapphire? I enjoyed the aspect of Gwyn being able to see ghost and the fact that she does indeed interact with them as though they are living, breathing people. I thought the time travel was well done and creative and that time travel isn’t for the faintest of hearts.
I give this book 3.5 ♥♥♥ 1/2.