Showing posts with label Gilded Ashes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gilded Ashes. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top Ten YA Novels 2014 #8: Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge

It's actually not a full-length novel. A novella set in the same universe as Cruel Beauty. You know what that is.

The eighth place belongs to

Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge

Synopsis:

A romantic and fantastical reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale,Gilded Ashes is a novella by Rosamund Hodge set in the same world as the author's debut novel, Cruel Beauty.

Orphan Maia doesn't see the point of love when it only brings pain: Her dying mother made a bargain with the evil, all-powerful ruler of their world that anyone who hurt her beloved daughter would be punished; her new stepmother went mad with grief when Maia's father died; and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother's approval, yet she always spurns them. And though her family has turned her into a despised servant, Maia must always pretend to be happy, or else they'll all be struck dead by the curse.

Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn't believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. What's the point of pretending to fall in love with a girl just so she'll pretend to fall in love with him back? But when his father invites all the suitable girls in the kingdom to a masked ball, Anax must finally give in and select a wife.

As fate would have it, the preparations for the masquerade bring him Maia, who was asked by her eldest stepsister to deliver letters to Anax. Despite a prickly first encounter, he is charmed and intrigued by this mysterious girl who doesn't believe in love. Anax can't help wishing to see her again—and when he does, he can't help falling in love with her. Against her will, Maia starts to fall in love with him too. But how can she be with him when every moment his life is in danger from her mother's deadly bargain?

HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.

***

Date Read: April 3, 2014

My Review:


My rating: 9/10

***

Top 3 reasons why I like it.

1. It's so freaking twisted

I'm not talking about plot twists. In fact there's... probably none. But the darkest corner of Maia and Anax is clearly shown. And damn, isn't that completely twisted. It's like with Nyx from Cruel Beauty, where everything is pushed to the extreme. It's not about honor and respect and stuff, no. It's about facing their darkest evil. Let me tell you, their deepest secret is pretty scary by normal standards. I like how Hodge didn't sugar-coat Maia and Anax's dark side. She literally put it under the spotlight, exposing their greatest flaw. It's a daring act. Not only do I appreciate this brave behavior, it's also masterfully written. 

2. Uncanny resemblance between Cinderella and this story

Don't get me wrong, I know this is a retelling of Cinderella. It's subtle enough that you can view it as any wildly imaginative story, but not so subtle that you can actually see the similarities between to the two stories. That takes a lot of skills. But the part where it actually stuns me is how Hodge twists the story into something even more sinister. Cinderella Maia has a dark secret that can kill (literally). The prince Anax is definitely not your dreamy charming prince lord either. Maia's family is even more sick (and not the good kind) than in the original tale. Why do I call it uncanny? Besides the perfectly balanced tone of the story, Hodge surely knows how to turn a fairy tale into something terrifying yet oddly beautiful.

3. I just like Maia

What can I say? While it's clear that she has quite a big heart underneath all her defenses, she's actually quite bipolar in the way that she's more sane than most other people. Hodge portrayed her as a character who nails the meaning of love behind all the haze of happiness and protection but knows nothing about the true appearance of love. She's an extremely complex character. And she also comes up with the best lines. Very tactful and as Anax said, like a chameleon. She can blend in with her words and be unnoticeable, yet still stands out in an unique way. Maia is one of the more complicated characters I've read about, and I really respect her wits and honor.

***

Why I recommend this book or series:

I like Gilded Ashes more than Cruel Beauty, even though I like it and it's the main book. Gilded Ashes is a novella with the perfect length, just enough to make us feel content about the story. There are times where a book or a novella or even a series stretches to god knows where, which can be annoying sometimes. Gilded Ashes is the perfect quick read. And yet, it leaves a mark in my heart. I find myself re-reading it a bunch of times. It's a magical world full of sins and regret and darkness, and yet so fine and delicate and extraordinary.

***

Do I like the cover?

Not really. It's too extravagant and grand, even though it suits the word "gilded". I prefer something simple and sweet. I think the cover of Cruel Beauty is actually better. 

***

Top 3 favorite scenes: (Spoiler Alert!) 

(I can't do three or I will spill out the whole plot. I will just tell you my favorite scene)

1) The park scene

I don't exactly know why this is my favorite scene. There are a lot of good scenes in the novella. But it's definitely a symbolic one.

***

OTP: There's only one couple in the book, come on.

***

P.S. Is there going to be another book set in the same universe? Because that would be awesome.

P.P.S. For those who think Crimson Bound is another novel set in the Cruel Beauty universe, no. It's another standalone set in a whole new world.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Gilded Ashes: Review

Synopsis:

A romantic and fantastical reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale, Gilded Ashes is a novella by Rosamund Hodge set in the same world as the author's debut novel, Cruel Beauty.

Orphan Maia doesn't see the point of love when it only brings pain: Her dying mother made a bargain with the evil, all-powerful ruler of their world that anyone who hurt her beloved daughter would be punished; her new stepmother went mad with grief when Maia's father died; and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother's approval, yet she always spurns them. And though her family has turned her into a despised servant, Maia must always pretend to be happy, or else they'll all be struck dead by the curse.

Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn't believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. What's the point of pretending to fall in love with a girl just so she'll pretend to fall in love with him back? But when his father invites all the suitable girls in the kingdom to a masked ball, Anax must finally give in and select a wife.

As fate would have it, the preparations for the masquerade bring him Maia, who was asked by her eldest stepsister to deliver letters to Anax. Despite a prickly first encounter, he is charmed and intrigued by this mysterious girl who doesn't believe in love. Anax can't help wishing to see her again—and when he does, he can't help falling in love with her. Against her will, Maia starts to fall in love with him too. But how can she be with him when every moment his life is in danger from her mother's deadly bargain?

HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.

***

If you don't read this one, you will miss out one of the best novellas.

Gilded Ashes is actually a really long short story. It features Maia who is an orphan. She has to pretend to be happy at all cost because otherwise it will be death. And then there's Anax, who's hurt badly by his childhood best friend. Fate brought them together, and Maia is willing to do everything to keep Anax safe -- even if it means breaking both of their hearts.

Unlike Cruel Beauty, the traits of the original Cinderella story are quite significant. Maia, her stepmother and stepsisters, Anax, the ball, etc. Only things are so much twisted here. Maia is not an orphan longing for love, and Anax doesn't believe in love either. Everything is so much darker in Gilded Ashes. But as you read through pages, you can't help but fall in love with this book. Part of the reason is that Gilded Ashes captures the spirit of Cinderella perfectly when it seems like everything is out of place and takes a slightly wicked edge. If you like a fairy tale re-write with the spirit of the original one, this is the book you should go for.

The events are so much more intense in the novella. Nothing is wholly innocent. Not the stepmother, not the stepsisters, not Anax, and certainly not Maia. Even the world itself is tainted by darkness because of the Gentle Lord. Yes, the Gentle Lord/Ignifex from Cruel Beauty. You might be amazed to see how his part fits into Maia's story. The chemistry between Maia and Anax is just... there are no words to describe it. So the best way for you to understand is just read the book.

Gilded Ashes is filled with intensity, fear, and heat. You will not be disappointed.

Rating: 9/10

Saturday, March 29, 2014

TBR #12: April 2014

This April, surprisingly, is quite uneventful comparing to the last April. But still, there are good books!

1. Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1) by Danielle Paige

Synopsis:

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

Expected Publication: April 1, 2014
2. Gilded Ashes (Cruel Beauty) by Rosamund Hodge

Synopsis:

A romantic and fantastical reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale, Gilded Ashes is a novella by Rosamund Hodge set in the same world as the author's debut novel, Cruel Beauty.

Orphan Maia doesn't see the point of love when it only brings pain: Her dying mother made a bargain with the evil, all-powerful ruler of their world that anyone who hurt her beloved daughter would be punished; her new stepmother went mad with grief when Maia's father died; and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother's approval, yet she always spurns them. And though her family has turned her into a despised servant, Maia must always pretend to be happy, or else they'll all be struck dead by the curse.

Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn't believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. What's the point of pretending to fall in love with a girl just so she'll pretend to fall in love with him back? But when his father invites all the suitable girls in the kingdom to a masked ball, Anax must finally give in and select a wife.

As fate would have it, the preparations for the masquerade bring him Maia, who was asked by her eldest stepsister to deliver letters to Anax. Despite a prickly first encounter, he is charmed and intrigued by this mysterious girl who doesn't believe in love. Anax can't help wishing to see her again—and when he does, he can't help falling in love with her. Against her will, Maia starts to fall in love with him too. But how can she be with him when every moment his life is in danger from her mother's deadly bargain?

HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.

Expected Publication: April 1, 2014

3. Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle #1) by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

Expected Publication: April 8, 2014

4. Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3) by Laini Taylor

Synopsis:

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Expected Publication: April 8, 2014

5. Frozen (Taken #2) by Erin Bowman

Synopsis:

The Heists were only the beginning.

Gray Weathersby escaped from the primitive town of Claysoot expecting to find answers, but what he discovered shook him to the core: A ruthless dictator with absolute power. An army of young soldiers blinded by lies. And a growing rebellion determined to fight back.

Now Gray has joined a team of rebels on a harsh, icy journey in search of allies who can help them set things right. But in a world built on lies, Gray must constantly question whether any ally—or enemy—is truly what they seem…

Expected Publication: April 15, 2014

6. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

Expected Publication: April 15, 2014

7. The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3) by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:

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, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

Expected Publication: April 15, 2014


8. Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3) by Wendy Higgins

Synopsis:

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

Expected Publication: April 29, 2014

9. The Treatment (The Program #2) by Suzanne Young

Synopsis:

Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

Expected Publication: April 29, 2014


10. The Taking (The Taking #1) by Kimberly Derting

Synopsis:

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of dĆ©jĆ  vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Expected Publication: April 29, 2014