Early review: Memories of Ash - Intisar Khanani

In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.

Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.

If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate punishment: enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.

My thoughts:

Hitomi does not have it easy in this book. She still suffers from the sunbolt. She is slowly getting her memories back. She is learning magic, but if anyone finds her they will hunt her down. And then they come for Bridgit, whom she lives with. All alone again, what will she do? She really is cursed.

So I get the whole rogue thing, but, I mean Bridgit is teaching her now, could she just not just become one of them? I do not really get why she is still bad then? Why would she have to be like killed or drained of power? She is not a rogue, she has a teacher. These people are just MEAN.

But let's move away from that. This is a book where Hitomi tries to get her teacher back. Where she finds herself again. Where we meet some old friends, and new friends. And I find myself curious about the next book and a certain thing. And then there was that other thing I am SO curious about too. I so want to know THAT thing. But we have to wait until book 3, but I am soooo curious!

Hitomi is not particularly kick-ass in the ass kicking aspect, she is a thinker. She waits, she plans. And she is kind.

Oh...I miss Val. Val is awesome. I have a Val crush.

Conclusion:
I look forward to more

Kindle Edition, 359 pages
Expected publication: May 30th 2016 by Purple Monkey Press
The Sunbolt Chronicles #2
YA FANTASY
For review

Sunbolt - Intisar Khanani

The winding streets and narrow alleys of Karolene hide many secrets, and Hitomi is one of them. Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame.

When the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detain—and execute—a leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape. But there are more secrets at play than Hitomi’s, and much worse fates than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life. 

My thoughts:

It was too short, it was too shooooort! *sad panda*

BUT, it does not end with a cliffie, I mean yes the whole book is one big cliffie, or not, but the ending is one of those all good for now, but soon you are in trouble again. One of those look the sky is blue, we are happy, but oh oh, you missed those dark clouds at the horizon......

Anyway. Hitomi is a young thief. She is nice, and does her best to survive. She is also a part of a organization trying to help since the island is going to hell. They got one of those evil mages, you know how it is.

We do not get that much of the world, I can't blame it on her, since we later learn she is educated. But right now her worldview is narrow, the city, best places to hide from soldiers, best places to hide from anyone. I would like to learn more though, cos there are other lands, the whole mage thing and so on. Oh and a map, I love those.

Since the story is short not a lot happens. Some people needs protection . Things go badly. We get to see ...stuff, I liked that. And a twist too before that, and well then it ended. And I got sad. Because hello! So much story still to be told. I look forward to that. I also hope X shows up again, I liked X...haha, spoilers ;)

Conclusion:

A good fantasy novella.  Easy and fast to read. It kept be hooked and wanting more.

Paperback, 142 pages
Published June 17th 2013 by Purple Monkey Press
The Sunbolt Chronicles #1
YA Fantasy
For review

Thorn and The Bone Knife- Intisar Khanani

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For Princess Alyrra, choice is a luxury she's never had ... until she's betrayed.

Princess Alyrra has never enjoyed the security or power of her rank. Between her family's cruelty and the court's contempt, she has spent her life in the shadows. Forced to marry a powerful foreign prince, Alyrra embarks on a journey to meet her betrothed with little hope for a better future.

But powerful men have powerful enemies--and now, so does Alyrra. Betrayed during a magical attack, her identity is switched with another woman's, giving Alyrra the first choice she's ever had: to start a new life for herself or fight for a prince she's never met. But Alyrra soon finds that Prince Kestrin is not at all what she expected. While walking away will cost Kestrin his life, returning to the court may cost Alyrra her own. As Alyrra is coming to realize, sometime the hardest choice means learning to trust herself.

My thoughts:

This was a book I read at a work. I read for a while in darkness (that is what ebooks are great for), get back to it the next day, and the day after. Except, today I was all NOOOO. I can not stop now! But I had to. So I did what anyone would do, I continued the book at home. I just could not let it go. I loved the "silence" of it all...

Alyrra was not your kick-ass, cool, assertive heroine. She was quiet, walked in the shadows and I liked her for it. She was a princess, but hated her home. As a princess she was sent to marry a stranger, but was betrayed, and made into someone else. But then, she liked that. It gave her a freedom she never had. It made her work hard, it made her make great new friends. All while the intrigues at the court was far away. But sometimes way too near.

Grr, Valka was such a bitch!!!! What a backstabbing bitch.

The prince. Yes I did expect some sort of romance, but there was none. He lived his life, she lived hers (re-telling of the goose-girl, figure it out.) But I must confess I did want her to hook up with this man she met.

I did not care if the world building was not splendid. It needed not be. She did not see the whole world. She did not see a lot in fact doing what she did. But she saw the city, and I could see it.

And sure, she did not do much. She was caught in a spell and wondering what she could do, or wanted to do. But in the end I think she will be happy, or I hope so. A good ending.

Conclusion:

This might just be one of the better freebie indie books I have ever downloaded. I recommend it. A good YA fantasy book.

Cover

Different

Kindle Edition, 246 pages
Published May 30th 2012 by Intisar Khanani
YA, fantasy
Own

Rae knows how to look out for family. Born with a deformed foot, she feigns indifference to the pityand insults that come her way. Wary of all things beautiful, Rae instantly distrusts their latest visitor: an appallingly attractive faerie. Further, his presence imperils the secret her sister guards. But when the local townspeople show up demanding his blood, Rae must find a way to protect both her sister’s secret and their guest. Even if that means risking herself. 

My thoughts:

Not much to say, it was very short. I did not get the whole Faerie thing. Yes in her other book she mentions them but no one sees them, and now he came from the king's city..was this another world?

Anyway, the story about Rae, who has a clubfoot, who meets a Faerie. Who protects her sister. And then the end.

I wish it had been longer

Kindle Edition, 35 pages
Published October 22nd 2012
The Theft of Sunlight 0.5
Fantasy, YA
Own