Leap into Books Giveaway Hop

Giveaway time! Don't you love those moments? I know I do! Besides, I have something very exciting to share with you this time: I hinted at it last week, in this post, and now I'm telling you that I have...

Review: Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta

Author: Melina Marchetta

Title: Finnikin of the Rock

Series: Lumatere Chronicles (#1)

ISBN: 9780670072811

Publisher: Candlewick Press (first published September 29^th 2008)

Buy your copy: Paperback | Hardcover | Audiobook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock—to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

In a bold departure from her acclaimed contemporary novels, Printz Medalist Melina Marchetta has crafted an epic fantasy of ancient magic, feudal intrigue, romance, and bloodshed that will rivet you from the first page “ GoodReads’ blurb

In all fantasy circles, Finnikin of the Rock is quite well known, and its upcoming sequel is very anticipated. Well, I completely understand why!

Finnikin of the Rock feels, in many ways, a classic for the genre. Genre being secondary world fantasy, not the urban kind, by the way. But, instead of presenting the classic concept of an epic fight between good and evil, where the heroes do... heroic things to prevail in the end, Marchetta presents us a conflict of people.

Review: Death Masks, by Jim Butcher

Author: Jim Butcher

Title: Death Masks

Series: Dresden Files (#5)

ISBN: 9780451459404

Publisher: Roc (1st published August 1st 2003)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback | Hardcover | Audiobook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he’s getting more than he bargained for.

A duel with the Red Court of Vampires’ champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards…    

Professional hit men using Harry for target practice…   

The missing Shroud of Turin…   

A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified…   

Not to mention the return of Harry’s ex-girlfriend Susan, who’s still struggling with her semivampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.    

Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you’re charging” GoodReads’ blurb

And yet another great performance by James Marsters as Harry Dresden!

I really liked this instalment. There was Susan, who I didn’t like. There’s Michael, whose impromptu appearance on book 3 I didn’t like. And I kept falling asleep through some chapters (I think this part is due to my being exhausted because of work, though). And there wasn’t enough Murphy. Sounds like a bad recommendation, right?

Actually, this has to be one of my favorite titles in the series yet.