Sophie Reads YA: Sara Raasch

Waiting On Wednesday: Set Fire to the Gods (Set Fire to the Gods #1) by Sara Raasch & Kristen Simmons

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2019 New Release challenge

Review: These Divided Shores (Stream Raiders #2) by Sara Raasch

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These Divided Shores
Series: Stream Raiders #2
Author: Sara Raasch
Published August 27th 2019 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
The thrilling sequel to These Rebel Waves—full of deadly magic, double crosses, and a revolution—from Sara Raasch, the bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes series.

As a child, she committed unforgivable acts to free Grace Loray from King Elazar of Argrid. Now Elazar’s plan to retake the island has surpassed Lu’s darkest fears: he’s holding her and his son, Ben, captive in an endlessly shifting prison, forcing them to make a weapon that will guarantee Elazar’s success. Escape is impossible—unless Lu becomes the ruthless soldier she hoped never to be again.

Vex failed to save Lu and Ben—and that torments him as much as his Shaking Sickness. With the disease worsening, Vex throws himself into the rebellion against Argrid. The remaining free armies are allied with the stream raider syndicates—and getting them to cooperate will take a strength Vex thought burned on a pyre six years ago.

Imprisoned, betrayed, and heartbroken, Ben is determined to end his father’s rampage. Watching Elazar sway the minds of Grace Loray as he did those of Argrid, Ben knows he has to play his father’s game of devotion to win this war. But how can a heretic prince defeat the Pious God?

As armies clash and magic rises, Lu, Vex, and Ben will confront their pasts . . . or lose their futures forever.
Goodreads

Review
All of Sara's books have been favourites of mine, and I was desperate to read These Divided Shores as soon as I had finished book 1, These Rebel Waves. Now that Lu and Ben have been captured, and Vex is ill and thinks they are dead, will our heroes be able to save the day? It seems as if Elazar is completely in control, and the power he has over the minds of those on the island can only be fought by Lu and Ben, who, unwittingly, are the reason Elazar has the power that he has. They have to stage a daring escape, but to do so, have to turn into their worse selves, who they have tried beyond everything to overcome. Once they are all reunited, that's when the main action happens, and all of the political intrigue and mystery that was alluded to in the previous books comes to a head now. Vex, with his Shaking Sickness causing him to consider his own mortality, is throwing himself into everything, before it is too late, and trying to atone for his presumed past sins. Ben, being considered a heretical prince, has become somewhat of a beacon of hope for those opposed to Elazar, and is trying to repair his relationship with cousin, Vex. And then we have Lu, who is coming to terms with her magic abilities, and the betrayal of her father which caused her all of the hardship she's faced in her life. By working together, they are the only hope that Grace Loray has, but are they enough?

I adored this book! The plot was riveting from the get go, and I was reluctant to put it down for anything, but real life meant I had to. The different points of view helped us to tie together all of the parallel story lines, and this helped us to understand the characters a little more than we may have done. Each of the characters grows, and develops so much over the course of this duology, and we really see that in this book. If we were to compare the three main characters - Lu, Vex, Ben - to how they were in the start of TRW, they would be unrecognisable, and I love that their growth has been natural, and felt real. We have seen what they have faced, and how they have reacted to it, and also, how they depended on one another, and stopped being so isolated. This series is really a case of found family, and that's just fantastic! Yes, there is romance in this book, and I ship Lu and Vex so much, but it's really not a big part of the series, and I like that it's not all encompassing, and takes away from the fantastic plot or the action. Anything I could've wished from this book was there, and I'm hoping I adore Sara's next literary venture as much as I have her previous ones.

Dates Read:

September 19-23, 2019

Rating
5 Stars

Sara Raasch

Waiting On Wednesday: These Divided Shores (Stream Raiders #2) by Sara Raasch

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5 Stars

ARC Review: These Rebel Waves (Stream Raiders #1) by Sara Raasch

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These Rebel Waves
Series: Stream Raiders #1
Author: Sara Raasch
Published August 7th 2018 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice—but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.

Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian—but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.

Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country—or if he’s building his own pyre.

As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are . . . and what they are willing to become for peace.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Sara's debut series, Snow Like Ashes, is one of my favourite all time fantasy series, and when I heard she was coming back with a pirates series, I was desperate to get my hands on it. When my trade for These Rebel Waves came through, I dropped everything, and dove right in.

In These Rebel Waves, we have a few different main characters. We have Benat, who is the crown prince of Argrid - where the book is set; Adeluna, whose parents are prominent Council members on Grace Loray; and Devereux, an infamous Stream Raider (pirate) who isn't tied with any other gang. Although piracy is a large part of the book, political intrigue also plays a large part, which I loved.

From Ben's story, we see him struggling with the laws that his father has brought in banning all magic from Argrid, especially when it led to the deaths of this uncle and cousin. He was always interested in learning about the botanical magic from the island of Grace Loray, but since it's been outlawed, he's had to hide anything to do with it, lest his tyrannical father find out about it. Anything that might subvert his power and control over Argrid is met with severe and harsh punishments, and even his son is not immune. Another this that Ben has to hide is his sexuality as well, though many know the truth about his feelings. As he learns more about the real world, and just why magic has been so cruelly outlawed, he finds himself questioning everything that he thought was true.

For Adeluna - or Lu - we see how hard it has been for her to grow up in conflict, since the Argrid Empire have sought to seize control of Grace Loray. Since a very young age, she's had to be both spy and soldier, and has been a secret weapon for her parents, who have prominent positions on the Grace Lorayan council. She believes in the council, and everything that they do, but slowly, she learns the truth.

Devereux, otherwise known as Vex, is a very secretive character. He has been tortured bu the Argrid church, and the empire has a hold over him, that he doesn't really want to talk about. He has his crew, but is not affiliated with any other syndicate in Argrid, which leaves him vulnerable from attack. He meets Lu when she hires him to find a missing diplomat, whose disappearance has come at the very worst time for relations between Grace Loray and Argrid. While working together, they soon realise just how naive they've been - Lu, in particular - about the hold that Argrid has over the world.

The world building in this book was hands down one of the best I've seen, ever. There are the two main areas of Grace Loray and Argrid, and as the book progresses, we learn more about the world, seeing it through the eyes of the characters. Each of the syndicates are tied to a country, but as Vex is unaffiliated with any, he comes and goes from them all. Class and race are large themes in the book, especially the plight of refugees and immigrants to Grace Loray. Through this, Lu learns that what she thought was true, really isn't, and realises that just because her life is somewhat decent, it doesn't mean everyone's is.

Because of how much action there is in the book, romance is on more of a back burner, but there are still two prominent relationships that begin to flourish. Firstly, is between Ben and Jakes, one of the Argrid Empire's soldiers, who works in the palace and very close to Ben. I loved the dynamic between the two, but as the story continued, and Ben grew to understand more, they drifted apart, as Jakes was a staunch believer in the Emperor's control. The other relationship was between Lu and Vex, and it was such a slow burn that I wanted to scream at times, but was also so cute. I need more in book 2 by way of romance, especially between these two!

Overall, this was a fantastic review, and while writing this review I've realised how much I adored it, and how much I want to re-read it before These Divided Shores is released! For fans of YA fantasy, and strong characters are world building, this is one for you!

Dates Read:

August 15-19, 2018

Rating
5 Stars

Sara Raasch

Waiting on Wednesday: These Rebel Waves (Stream Raiders #1) by Sara Raasch

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Frost Like Night

Waiting on Wednesday: Frost Like Night (Snow Like Ashes #3) by Sara Raasch

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

Frost Like Night
Series: Snow Like Ashes #3
Author: Sara Raasch
Published September 20th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

I recently read Ice Like Fire, and it ended with such a cliffhanger, I need book 3. Luckily, I have an ARC that I'll be starting asap!

I loved this book, and it was the perfect ending to the series. My review went live yesterday, see it here.

Are you waiting for this book? Have you already read it? Let me know :)

5 Stars

ARC Review: Frost Like Night (Snow Like Ashes #3) by Sara Raasch

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Frost Like Night
Series: Snow Like Ashes #3
Author: Sara Raasch
Published September 20th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.
Goodreads

Review
See my reviews of:
- Book 1, Snow Like Ashes.
- Book 2, Ice Like Fire.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

This series became one of my favourites when I first read Snow Like Ashes last year. I simply adored the characters and world that Raasch had created, and jumped at the opportunity to review an early copy. I'd just recently read Ice Like Fire, but still found it wasn't necessary to understand what was happening.

Picking up after the major cliffhanger at the end of Ice Like Fire, Frost Like Night follows the PoVs of Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen, as they come to terms with what has just happened. Angra is alive, and has infected many of the monarchs of Primoria with the Decay. Only a few remain to fight the spread of the the Decay, and now that Meira is aware of the Order of the Lustrate, and how to open, and destroy the magic chasm, she understands the sacrifice that is needed, or else Primoria will fall.

I have loved how in each instalment, we've had another PoV, and was overjoyed that we got to hear from Ceridwen, my newest favoruite in book 2. Each of the three main characters has their reasons for fighting Angra, and all know that they are risking everything they hold dear, and even themselves, at times. Now that they all have one mission - save their loved ones, and destroy the magic chasm before Angra can use it to destroy the world, their lives are irrevocably intertwined.

Meira has come leaps and bounds since we first met her. She has now settled into her role as Queen of Winter, and is a key player in the fight against the decay, and against Angra. She, and she alone, can destroy the magic chasm, and she takes this responsibility maturely. She throws herself into her magical training, and cares for all Winterian refugees she comes across. Mather, like Meira, has also grown. He and his Thaw take it upon themselves to be Meira's royal guard, and without them, many of the Winterian refugees wouldn't have survived.

Now that they all know about Theron's betrayal, the feelings Meira and Mather have for one another become more and more apparent. I'd always liked Mather, though at times in Ice Like Fire he was annoying with how his jealousy manifested. I had hoped that he and Meira would end up together, and I've got to say this book was filled with the feels. Both their PoVs showed their feelings, but there was always Theron lying in the background.

Everything I could have wanted to happen in this book, did, and so much more. I could hardly put the book down, and even though I was sad when I finished that it was the end to the series, it was the perfect ending, and I couldn't have asked for more. If you haven't tried this series yet, what are you waiting for? I can't recommend this enough, and look forward to reading Raasch's future novels.

Dates Read:
August 10-11, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Review: Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes #2) by Sara Raasch

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Ice Like Fire
Series: Snow Like Ashes #2
Author: Sara Raasch
Published October 13th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.
Goodreads

Review
See my review of book 1, Snow Like Ashes.

Yet again, this is another case of preordering a book, and then sticking it on my shelf and leaving it. I only picked up Ice Like Fire because I received an ARC of book 3 from the publisher, and decided now was the right time to read book 2. When I read Snow Like Ashes last year, it was one of my favourite all year, and Ice Like Fire may just be one of my favourites for this year.

Picking up after the events of book 1, Meira is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is the Queen of Winter, and not only that, but she's also the physical embodiment of Winter's magic conduit. Even though they haven't heard from Angra in months, Meira is still worried that he's out there, somewhere, biding his time. Noam and Cordell are bearing down on Meira to discover the hidden magic chasm, and when it is found, there's next to nothing she can do to stop it unleashing the Decay on Primoria. All she can do, is try and find the three keys, hidden in different kingdoms, before Noam, and ensure the chasm is kept shut.

To top it all off, there's the issue of her broken engagement with Theron, who wants nothing more than for the engagement to be very much on. Mather, too, has been ignoring Meira, and if anyone understands what she's feeling, it would be him. Meira just feels very much alone, and meeting new people and creating new friendships could be just the ticket.

Wow, I know quite a few trilogies seems to suffer from the so-called 'Sophomore Slump', but Ice Like Fire was not one of these. From the very first chapters, the action began, and we had the opportunity to see more of the amazing fantasy world that Raasch has created. The magic system, with only the rulers having access to the power via a conduit, is unlike anything I've seen before, and Sara managed to expand on the idea further, by the concept of a person becoming a conduit. Meira, having had no access to magic prior, deals with the fact she is now full of the stuff, quite well. Yeah, there's episodes where it seems to burst out, uncontrollably, but really, wouldn't that happen to anyone? Though she doesn't enjoy being queen, she understands that her duty is to her people, and when she discovers something that could fix her problems forever, and begins to seriously contemplate doing whatever she can to ensure the safety of Winter, and Primoria.

All of the characters, and not just Meira, developed in this book. For the most part, Mather is quite aloof, but by reading his PoV, we learn that Meira's not the only one struggling with the new status quo. After all, he'd been raised thinking he was the true king of Winter, and now he is pushed out of the hierarchy. His feelings for Meira, also, force him to stay away from her, especially with Theron's presence at court. This book made me question who I thought was the better fit for Meira. I really like Theron, and think he cares for her a lot, but sometimes he goes about showing it in the wrong way. With the way the book ended, I really don't know what will happen in book 3, and I'm glad I can start reading it ASAP.

The new characters, especially Ceridwen, helped carry the plot further, and there's a string of different story lines that have just started to tangle and intertwine at the end of the book. Already, I know that Frost Like Night will start strong, and have such a story line, that I might have trouble keeping up. An amazing instalment by Raasch, and I can't wait to read more from her.

Dates Read:
July 21 to 24, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

Ice Like Fire

Waiting on Wednesday: Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes #2) by Sara Raasch

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

Ice Like Fire
Series: Snow Like Ashes #2
Author: Sara Raasch
Published October 13th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.
Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

Snow Like Ashes was one of my most anticipated 2014 reads, and is so far in the running for my best read of 2015.
The world building is so creative and unique, and I can't wait for it to be explored further.

Are you waiting for this book? Have you already read it? Let me know :)

5 Stars

Review: Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

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Snow Like Ashes
Series: Snow Like Ashes #1
Author: Sara Raasch
Published October 14th 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Synopsis
A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.
Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.
So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.
Goodreads

Review
Ahh, I absolutely loved it!!! I'm so glad I've finally been able to read it.

The world building was simply epic, and the complexity of each of the eight countries was beautiful. I loved the way they were described, and can't wait to explore them further throughout the series.

Meira was an amazing protagonist, and as much as I hate love triangles, I actually shipped her with both Mather and Theron; I'm not sure which one is my favourite. Both of the main male characters were lovable, and though it was obvious that they were jealous of each other, this fact didn't annoy me as much as it could have done.

The 'twist' I had kind of seen coming, but was still shocked when it actually happened, because I wasn't expecting it to be as big as it was. I can't wait to see how the aftermath of the revelation impacts on all of the characters.

I would definitely recommend this any YA Fantasy lovers!

Dates Read:
February 18 to 19, 2015

Rating
5 Stars