Throwback Thursday: The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature co-hosted by Never Too Fond of Books and The Housework Can Wait. This is a fun way to write about and review beloved books we haven't read in a while.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.

2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.

3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.

4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

This week, my throwback is The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Goodreads Blurb:

It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father a laudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds.

The Order - the mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for.

My Review: 
The Sweet Far Thing is the final book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray. This was the longest as well as the darkest book in the trilogy. The beginning is a little slow, but the second half will keep you engaged. There are unexpected twists and an ending that I definitely didn't see coming. Each character had their own story within this trilogy. I can't say that they all got their happy ending, but their were no loose ends left in their stories. I have a definite love-hate relationship with the ending. To avoid giving too much away, I'll leave it at that.

Check out my reviews of the previous two books in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy: A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels.

To learn more about Libba Bray and her books, visit her website and blog.

Throwback Thursday: Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature co-hosted by Never Too Fond of Books and The Housework Can Wait. This is a fun way to write about and review beloved books we haven't read in a while.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.

2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.

3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.

4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

This week, my throwback is Rebel Angels by Libba Bray.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Goodreads Blurb:

Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. . . .

The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship.

But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

My Review: 
Rebel Angels is the sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty. The girls are able to leave their boarding school for Christmas and though they are not always together, they all find themselves in different and sometimes scary situations. Their friendship still isn't a true friendship per say. If anything, it seems to have gotten even more superficial to me. This book introduces you to new settings and new characters including a new love interest for Gemma. That's right! Kartik has some competition! This was a great second book. It sets you up for book three nicely. Rebel Angels takes things a little darker and adds more danger this time around, and it's not without some surprises.

To learn more about Libba Bray and her books, visit her website and blog.

Throwback Thursday: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature co-hosted by Never Too Fond of Books and The Housework Can Wait. This is a fun way to write about and review beloved books we haven't read in a while.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.

2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.

3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.

4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

This week, my throwback is A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Goodreads Blurb:

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.
Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

My Review: 
A Great and Terrible Beauty is the first book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy. This story includes mystery, drama, humor, suspense, & romance. It has a little bit of everything, making it a story that would entertain most audiences of all ages. There were moments that Gemma's friends irritated me. Actually, I wouldn't really call it a friendship. They only met together to escape from lives they have no control over. I would run away too. So, it's more of an alliance I suppose. The story mixed the realities young women faced from the Victorian Era with magic and fantasy to create something thoroughly addictive. Libba Bray weaved her story in such a way that even though it's pure make believe, it felt real while you read it. I found myself escaping into this book as much as the characters escaped into their newly found world.

To learn more about Libba Bray and her books, visit her website and blog.

Authors Cassie Clare, Holly Black, Sarah Dessen Dish On Favorite Dystopian Novels

Just because some of our favorite YA authors write about shadowhunters, curse workers and everyday girls (and not survivalist teens battling in a wilderness arena) doesn't mean they haven't jumped on the dystopian bandwagon. As part of our final Dystopian Week proceedings, we asked a few non-dystopian writers to weigh in with their favorites from the genre.



"Absolute favorite dystopian books... I love 'Shipbreaker' by Paolo Bacigalupi and his adult book, which is called 'The Windup Girl,' said "Mortal Instruments" author Cassie Clare. "I've been enjoying 'The Hunger Games.' I've been enjoying the new batch of YA dystopian that's been coming out. I think it's kind of a fun thing to see. I really enjoyed 'Wither' by Lauren DeStefano and 'Matched' by Ally Condie. And the really classic dystopians. It's really a look back at early sci-fi. I think 'City' by Clifford Simak and books like that... I really like 'Uglies' by Scott Westerfeld, it's one of the ones that tops my list."

Good friend and book tour mate Holly Black (author of the "Curse Workers" series), also appreciated a few of the classics but had a yet-to-be-released book to recommend, in addition. "Well, I certainly love the classics. Your '1984,' your 'Brave New World,' your 'Lord of the Flies,'" she said. "Actually, 'Beauty Queens' by Libba Bray, which is coming out in May [24], is this great—imagine if 'Lord of the Flies' was told with ladies who were beauty queens. It's absolutely fantastic and a shade into dystopian."

Sarah Dessen, whose latest "What Happened to Goodbye" comes out May 10, admitted that she isn't a huge dystopian buff, but she did have one great read to recommend. "Megan McCafferty’s new book, 'Bumped,' it’s crazy," she said. "It’s kind of a mix of 'Teen Mom' and this weird dystopian society. Girls have become incredibly valued because they’re the only ones who can have babies. It sounds so crazy, but it’s this cutting satire and incredibly funny but also—I’m surprised that people aren’t already protesting it in some way too. I’m just kind of waiting to see how it’s going to go down as far as school districts and everything. It’s a really interesting book, so I’d say that is my pick if I’m stepping outside of my comfort zone to something that’s very unlike what I’m doing."

And then there's "Hush, Hush" author Becca Fitzpatrick, who seems to have gotten her hands on every hot YA dystopian read. "I read the 'Hunger Games' series—well I haven't read the last book, 'Mockingjay.' I don't know if I want to. I want it to end on a happy note, and I've heard rumors that it's not the happiest of endings. I don't know if I can handle it right now. And 'Matched,' by Ally Condie, I've read that one. That was really good, because it wasn't what I was suspecting. It wasn't this loud novel full of action and suspense. It was very quiet, but at the same time chilling. I really loved 'Matched.' I just started 'Delirium.'

Phew! Lots of amazing book recs. What are you waiting for? Get reading!

Which of these novels will you be picking up?

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