Crystal Kingdom (Kanin Chronicles #3) by Amanda Hocking (Review)

    As the third and final installment of Kanin Chronicles, Crystal Kingdom goes out with a bang. In this rivetting novel, Bryn Aven faces challenges new and old alike. Running from the Kanin Kingdom as a fugitive, Bryn meets up with Konstantin Black and makes an unsteady alliance to save Kanin and all of the other kingdoms. Plot wise, Crystal Kingdom has many levels and engaging plot points. The plot is diverse and very well developed. There were so many emotional ups and down, engaging the reader, throughout the novel.
   The characters in Crystal Kingdom are very well developed by this novel and each have their own quirks and quarks. I loved the romantic lead, Ridley Dresden. He is an interesting character, but not so interesting that he takes away attention from the plot and the main character, Bryn. Although there was moments I felt like the romantic relationship between Bryn and Ridley had slight room for improvement.
    Crystal Kingdom was a great and intense read. I felt like this novel was the best in the series and wraps up the story extremely well. I found myself emotionally engaged in the story and riveted by what I was reading.  I totally recommend Crystal Kingdom and give it the rating of FOUR AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!

*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Ice Kissed (Kanin Chronicles #2) by Amanda Hocking (Review)

   The second installment of the Kanin Chronicles, Ice Kissed continues the mystery of the dangerous traitors trying to take down the Kanin monarchy. Sent to a neighboring kingdom to investigate a missing Queen, Bryn Aven is thrown into a deeper world of danger, intrigue and mystery. Reading the novel, I found that Ice Kissed does not start off at it's best food, but the novel definitely improved farther you get into the story.

   There was a good chunk of politics towards the start, which was boring, but further I got into the story, more action and interesting moments began to occur. I still very much enjoy Bryn as a character, and believe her to be well developed. Her personality is solid and her motivations make sense to her actions. There are definitely some plot twist in this novel that I will not spoil, but that I will say where very intense to read,
   For the romantic connections in the novel, there is definitely room for improvement. I felt there was not enough tension and depth to the relationship between Bryn and her romantic interest. That lack of intensity did take away from the story in some ways. Looking past that though, I did enjoy reading Ice Kissed. I'm not sure I'd go as far as to recommend it, but if you are looking for a book to read in your free time, Ice Kissed and the Kanin series can definitely be a viable option. I give Ice Kissed the rating of FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS!

*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Frostfire (Kanin Chronicles #1) by Amanda Hocking (Review)

    I very much enjoyed the new world that Amanda introduces us to in her new novel Frostfire. I have never before pictured trolls as magical humanoids that are both beautiful and powerful, so it took some getting used to, thinking of the characters as trolls. On top of that, unlike many YA novels, the story actually takes place in Canada, yes the freezing snow covered most of the time Canada. I find that pretty awesome, yah know, being a Canadian. I find that it is rare to find a story taking place in my home and native land. I like it. Living in Canada, I could picture the freezing land the trolls live in quite clearly.
   On to the story it's self. I thought that the characters were very unique, and that the drive that is found in the main female protagonist, Bryn, to be very strong and solid. That definitely helped with rounding her as a character, doing so by giving her a goal that the readers can empathize with. Moving on, and looking at the plot, I did have one or two complaints. I felt like their was not enough twists or "big revelations" to keep the reader as invested as they should be. I found my thoughts wandering during lulls in the story. Coinciding with that, there was some parts of the story left untouched and undeveloped. For example, her charge from the beginning of the novel. Towards the end he just drops off, unmentioned in the rest of the story. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm definitely nitpicking. The story it's self was very interesting and I really enjoyed reading it. I do recommend you at least take a look at Frostfire. I give Frostfire the rating of THREE AND A HALF OUT OF FIVE STARS!

*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Getting to Know the Authors: Featuring Amanda Hocking!

Bio

    I live in Minnesota with my dog Isley, three cats Sophie, Nikki, and Squeak, my husband Mike and my stepson Gavin. I do many things, most of them lame and boring, but the thing I get paid to do is write young adult books.

     I enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, dinosaurs, sharks, Jane Austen, Lego sets, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand.

     By the end of 2015, I will have published five different series, with a total of 20 different published works. Two of my series and one standalone novel are self-published, and three of my series are with a traditional publisher, St. Martin’s.

     My New York Times Bestselling series the Trylle trilogy has been optioned for a film by Media Rights Capital with District 9 screenwriter Terri Tatchell adapting the books for screen. My zombie series, The Hollows, has been adapted into a graphic novel by Dynamite.

What has she written?

She has written many novels, they are:       

Switched, Torn, Ascend, My Blood Approves, Fate, Flutter, Hollowland, Wake, Wisdom, Lullaby, Hollowmen, Tidal, Letters to Elise: A Peter Townsend Novella, Elegy, Frostfire, Virtue, Forgotten Lyrics, Swear, The Beginning of the End, Honalee, Ice Kissed, Fresh Water, Radio Silence, Crystal Kingdom, Movin' On, Forced Eviction, The New Regiut me, That Old Time Religion, Grim, Inevitable, The Girl Next Door, The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook, Dark Tomorrows, And Then There Were Five, Surrounded by the Marauders, Endgame, United BDivided, Watersong, Torn, Switched, I Am Not Who You Think I Am, How I became rich, Royale: Trylle, T3, Ice Kissed, Freeks, Crystal Kingdom.

Now on to the Interview!!

1) How old were you when you started writing, in your opinion?

I started writing stories literally as soon as I learned how to write. Before that, I was constantly telling stories and making things up. 

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works?

I want them to gain a moment of escape. I write to forget my troubles, quiet my anxiety, and lose myself in another world, and I hope that readers get the same thing from my books. 

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer?

1. Write what you want to read, not what you think other people want to read. Sometimes writers get too focused on trends, but if you don’t love what you’re writing, nobody else will, either.

2. Read a lot in a variety of genres. Don’t limit to yourself to one thing. I love young adult and horror most of all, but I’ve found books in all kinds of genres that I’ve really loved and that have shown me things I wouldn’t have known otherwise. 

3. Find a writing group to give you honest feedback. You can’t become a better writer if you don’t know what isn’t working. Wattpad.com is an excellent place to get early feedback, but there a number of writing groups online, not to mention ones at schools and colleges. 

4) What is your favourite novel, why?

That’s hard to say, and it changes. The two books I’ve read more than any other are “Slaughter-house Five” by Kurt Vonnegut and “Manic Magee” by Jerry Spinelli. I think Vonnegut is a brilliant writer, and I’m a bit of a WWII buff, so I enjoy his take it immensely. “Maniac Magee” just really stuck with me when I first read when I was kid, so I keep going back to it. 

5) Who is your favourite author, why?

That’s another tough question. I love Kurt Vonnegut, but I also really enjoy Judy Blume, Richelle Mead, Holly Black, and Neil Gaiman. 

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?

Writing and reading are my two biggest pass times. Beyond that, I watch a lot of movies and cooking shows. I have a golden retriever and three cats, and they keep me pretty busy. I also play video games from time to time. 

7) Who in your life do you credit your imagination to the most?

I guess I don’t really credit anyone with my imagination. I grew up as an only child, living out in the country with no cable TV or internet, and I didn’t really have any friends. To entertain myself, I had to make things up. It was an act of survival. My parents and my grandma were always supportive and encouraged me to write, but I don’t think anyone really gave me my imagination. 

8) What are the top five things on your bucket list?

1. Travel to all seven continents. (I only have two down, so I have five more to go). 

2. Fly in a hot air balloon.

3. Swim with sharks.

4. Become fluent in Swedish. (I can only speak a teeny little bit).

5. Clone dinosaurs and create my own Jurassic Park. (A girl can dream, right?”

9) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be?

Don’t be cynical or do things ironically. Life is too short to be lived sarcastically. Do the things that you’re passionate about and matter to you, not just because you think you’ll look cool.