Mundie Moms

Monday, April 30, 2018

ISLE OF BLOOD AND STONE By Makiia Lucier / Book Review #IsleOfBloodAndStone


By: Makiia Lucier
Published by: HMH Books for Young Readers
Released on: April 10th, 2018
Series: Isle of Blood & Stone #1 
Ages: 12 & Up
Purchase fromPublisherAmazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4 Stars - I Enjoyed It!
Thank you to HMH for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review


Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar’s oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way…until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear.
The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias’s father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king’s beautiful cousin by his side-whether he wants her there or not-Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried…and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.
Isle of Blood and Stone, the first in a duology, is a sweeping historical fantasy full of intrigue and schemes, romance and friendship, and fearless explorers searching for the truth.
A really good YA historical fantasy with plenty of mystery, the right amount of romance, and mixed with a bit of action/adventure. This book was a fun read, and one that definitely has lived up to it's Indiana Jones references. The 'who done it' was so well written, it kept me thrown off until the very end. 

While slow in the beginning, I ended up enjoying the story's pacing. A lot of this story is set up in the beginning, which makes for a slower pace, but once it's done the story really picks up the pace. I loved the historical elements in this story. They were a much bigger part of the story than the fantasy elements are. There are a lot of court politics, high society, spies, plenty of intrigue, and family dynamics that play a huge role in this story. 

The richly detailed island setting will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time. I loved how this played a big part of the story, including the legends that are told. When you read that part, which is a big spoilery, you'll know what I'm talking about. My favorite part of this story is the diverse cast of characters. They were are so well written, and developed. 

I really enjoyed, and appreciated the way family and friendships played a role with each of the characters. Especially with Elias, and Mercedes. I absolutely loved watching their relationship slowly, and naturally grow into something more. Their banter was hilarious. I loved what transpires between them. It made sense, and the slow build up definitely allowed their relationship to grown naturally vs feeling rushed or forced. Their relationship was one favorite part of this story. It wasn't hard falling for these two.  

This was a fun read. I really enjoyed the rewards of sticking with this book through the slow pacing in the beginning. There's so much more to this story, and I appreciated the way Lucier carefully unravels this story, and some of the characters' true motives, and their role in the 'whodunit' part of this story. It was surprising, well paced, and perfectly written. I can hardly wait to pick up this book's sequel! 

. @CassieClare Shares An Exclusive Excerpt from Queen of Air and Darkness / #QoAAD #MundaneMonday #Shadowhunters


Happy Mundane Monday Shadowhunters! If you're signed up to receive Cassandra Clare's emails, be sure to check your inbox. On Friday she sent out an email packed with all sorts of goodies, including this exclusive excerpt from Queen of Air and Darkness. This is a great excerpt too! 

NEWSLETTER EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT 

Something struck Cristina’s back; she screamed as her feet left the ground. A harpy had sunk its claws into the back of her gear jacket and was lifting her into the air. She thought of stories about how eagles flew high into the sky with their prey and then released them, letting their bodies smash open on the earth below. The ground was already receding below her with terrifying speed.

With a scream of fear and anger, she slashed up and backward with her sword, slicing the harpy’s claws off at the joint. The demon shrieked and Cristina tumbled through the air, her sword falling out of her hand, reaching out as if she could catch on to something to slow her fall — she saw Mark’s pale, terrified face turned up toward her harpies surrounding him in a dark cloud —

Something reached out to seize her out of the sky.

She gasped as a hand caught her elbow, and she was yanked sideways to land awkwardly atop something warm and alive. A flying horse.

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