Review of Fate of the Tearling-Erika Johansen

Johansen's first book in the series, The Queen of the Tearling, was a fresh entry in the epic fantasy genre; the world she created was original and her characters well-developed.  Her second book, The Invasion of the Tearling, was as its title suggested: the horror of war as another kingdom invades; this novel was too warlike and gruesome for my taste, especially the torture scenes.  Her final book, The Fate of the Tearling, is less bloody and sends the reader back and forth through time.  Although at times I wished for a spreadsheet to keep all the characters from the past & present straight, I enjoyed this final book for its resolution to a complicated issue.  The ending is surprising but strangely satisfying.  4 Elves - Highly recommended for mature teens and adults

Review of Heartless-Marissa Meyer

I loved Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, a creative mix of science-fiction & fantasy, but didn't love her latest novel as much.  Her other series was a fresh take on classic fairy tales but in this book, she takes on Wonderland.  It tells the backstory of the Queen of Tarts, who never wanted to marry the king; she just wanted to open a bakery and be with the king's joker, the love of her life.  But there is political intrigue in the kingdom and finding out the truth may cost her her dream. Because Wonderland is already an established world, there wasn't as much room for Meyer to let her imagination soar. 3 Elves - Recommended for teens and adults

Review of What Light-Jay Asher

Because I loved his book Thirteen Reasons Why, I was excited when Asher's new book was published.  Unfortunately although it's a nice enough story, I felt like I was reading a script for a Hallmark holiday movie.  It was a light romance, without any huge conflicts or revelations.  Not a terrible book, but not a great one either.  2 Elves - Lightly recommended for fans of Hallmark movies