Waiting on Wednesday 05/28/14

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy's Pick:

Covenant's End by Ari Marmell: February 2015 (Pyr)

I'm a big fan of Ari Marmell's Widdershins Adventures. Pyr's Young Adult fiction is always a bit unconventional, unique and out of the box, and that's what I appreciate about them, and that's also why I love this series. The more I read, the more I become emotionally invested. The end of the second book practically destroyed me, ripping out my heart and cutting it to pieces. Evidently, all I could do was ask for more, because I read book three straight afterward, and I have to say, I think it's setting up for some pretty big things. 

We're looking at quite a wait until February 2015, but for now we can enjoy the cover, done by the incredible Jason Chan. The simple, elegant and clean style of his Widdershins covers have always been my favorites of his, and the one for the fourth book is the best yet.

"The thief Widdershins and her own “personal god,” Olgun, return to their home city of Davillon after almost a year away. While Shins expects only to face the difficulty of making up with her friends, what she actually finds is far, far worse. Her nemesis, Lisette, has returned, and she is not alone. Lisette has made a dark pact with supernatural powers that have granted her abilities far greater than anything Widdershins and Olgun can match. 

Together, Widdershins and Olgun will face enemies on both sides of the law, for Lisette’s schemes have given her power in both Davillon’s government and its underworld. For even a slim chance, Shins must call on both old friends-some of whom haven’t yet forgiven her-and new allies. 

Even with their help, Widdershins may be required to make the hardest sacrifice of her life, if she is to rid Davillon-and herself-of Lisette once and for all"

Book Review: Lost Covenant by Ari Marmell

Lost Covenant by Ari Marmell 

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Book 3 of Widdershins Adventures 

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: December 3, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "A perfect balance of light and dark, Widdershins' newest adventure takes us to new places and provides a turning point for one of my favorite heroines in YA fiction"

I gotta hand it to Ari Marmell. His Widdershins Adventures books have this way of repeatedly stabbing me in the heart, but all I can say to that is "Please, may I have some more?" Lost Covenant became one of my most anticipated new releases this season, after the events at the end of False Covenant took my emotions on a roller coaster ride and left me wondering in awe about what our protagonist will do next.

It's clear, though, that Widdershins has made good on her plans to leave Davillon, to the sorrow of all her friends at home. Burdened with grief and guilt, she and her own personal god Olgun have a few things to figure out, seeking a solace that only time and distance can provide. However, while sojourning in Lourveaux, Widdershins inadvertently stumbles upon a plot against the last surviving branch of House Delacroix. Remembering Alexandre Delacroix, the nobleman who took her in and changed her life, Widdershins is determined to help save these distant relatives of the man who was like a father to her.

Widdershins and Olgun discover more about themselves in this book, which marks a turning point for the character and her pocket deity. There is no doubt she is a flawed and damaged protagonist who has chosen to run away from her problems, but that doesn't change the fact she is a fighter -- and a smart, able and competent one at that. Her background and personality is what makes her unique, and she's probably one of my favorite heroines in young adult fiction right now. 

As usual, this latest installment of the series is a perfect mix of light and dark, balancing out the touching humor with plenty of horrors as well. Widdershins' internal conversations with Olgun, the god hitching a ride in her head, are as funny and outrageous as always, but this time many of their interactions are also tempered with a more somber mood as the partners-in-crime attempt to move beyond what happened in Davillon. In many ways, the personal turmoil within Widdershins is just as compelling as the main conflict in the plot, which is saying something because the ending to this book is INSANE. The suspense I felt as the characters fought to survive a hostage situation was only intensified by the difficult choices Widdershins had to make.

This book also served as a nice excursion away from Davillon, introducing some new players including fresh foes for Widdershins to fight. In terms of allies, Cyrille Delacroix was a great new addition, and he and our main protagonist made a great team. Still, this also meant I missed a lot of the characters I'd grown to know and love over the course of the series (with the bulk of my pining reserved for Renard Lambert, admittedly) which was my only dismay. We did, however, get a few glimpses through several interlude chapters that all is not well at home, with an enemy targeting those close to Widdershins.

Once again, I now find myself yearning for the next book (like I said, more more MORE please)! Lost Covenant was a satisfying and entertaining adventure, but I'll be glad to be returning to Davillon as well. Very much looking forward to Widdershins' homecoming -- and the world of pain she'll be bringing to the enemy threatening her friends.

 4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: False Covenant by Ari Marmell

False Covenant by Ari Marmell

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of Widdershins Adventures

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: June 26, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter 

Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars - "Series gets better the more I read; emotionally impactful and filled with suspense, this book kept me on my toes by raising the stakes and taking things to the next level"

First let me begin this review by stating how much I liked the first book of the Widdershins Adventures series, Thief's Covenant. That, however, still left me quite unprepared for how much I enjoyed this book, its follow-up. To be honest, I'm still reeling from the ending, and feeling not just a little bit heartbroken, but only because of how the story impacted me so emphatically. A book that makes me feel like this, even if it's like a punch in the gut, surely deserves my admiration and compliments! 

But more on that later, after I revel in how much fun it was to return to Davillon, catching up with Widdershins and her friends. The events of the last book have not left our protagonist in a very good place, however. The guilt over the deaths of two people close to her still weighs on her conscience, and she has taken to thieving again in order to support the beloved tavern she inherited. The minor god Olgun, whose worshipper-base consists of only Widdershins, is still a constant presence in her life, enhancing her abilities to sneak and steal.

Then, reports start coming in about a creature of nightmare stalking the streets. At first, no one is hurt, but soon the attacks turn deadly. The city guard are baffled and are in way over their heads. And as much as Widdershins would like to stay out of it, trouble always ends up finding her. Drawn into a battle against a supernatural terror, she must use all her wits to save her friends and Davillon against the greatest threat the city has ever faced. 

That I liked this book more than the first one is probably an accurate assessment. Don't get me wrong, Thief's Covenant was no slouch, but there were some slow parts I had to get through before I started warming up to it. I guess one advantage of subsequent books in a series is that the story can start right away, without having to go through all the motions of explaining background or character history. Unlike my experience with the first book, I was drawn in by False Covenant almost as soon as I started.

Also, I think I remember calling this a "cute" series. Time for me to re-evaluate that, perhaps. Not that there aren't a lot of light moments in these books; I still find lots to laugh about, especially in Widdershin's fiery and impulsive personality, not to mention her humorous banter with Olgun. Once again, Ari Marmell does a fantastic job pulling off their strange relationship as well as the their conversations that to all outward appearances seem one-sided. I don't think I'll ever get tired of those scenes, which are an endless source of entertainment!

However, there's a darkness to this series as well, which I'm just now starting to fully realize and appreciate. False Covenant strikes a good balance between that and the lightness, injecting mystery and even a bit of horror into the story. I found myself downright creeped out at times. This second book really raises the stakes, taking things to the next level and keeping you on your toes because you never know what might happen next. Ari Marmell doesn't pull any punches here.

Speaking of which, the ending. Ugh. It's hard merely thinking about it let alone having to write about it, which is just as well because I wouldn't want to spoil anything. Definitely, the characterization has gotten a lot better, and I feel a connection to Widdershins, feeling as she does about the other characters around her whether they are friend, foe, or not-sure-which. The book keeps you guessing, while still developing those character relationships and even some romance. It was all very engaging, which is why I find myself now still feeling so stunned. Those final scenes were phenomenally well done and suspenseful, and the way things ended was totally unexpected.

This seems to be one of those series that gets better the more I read. I'm so glad I caught up in time for the third book coming out in December, because now I can't wait to see what comes next.

 4.5 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell

Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Widdershins Adventures

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: February 21, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter


Our protagonist in Thief's Covenant is a young woman who wears many masks and goes by many different names. Once she was Adrienne Satti, an orphan taken off the streets to be raised as an aristocrat's ward, but soon after was forced to shed her old life to escape arrest for a savage crime she didn't commit. Now, she is known simply as the thief Widdershins.

And really, how could I not be drawn to a book starring a character with a name like Widdershins? Along with its impishly clever cover (I kept thinking I was holding the book upside down), it made me believe I was going to be settling back to a cute young adult novel, but to my delight it ended up being something so much more than that. It's true Thief's Covenant could be light and funny at times, but at others it was also quite dark, grim and heavy.

For instance, the book opens with a scene following a bloody and brutal massacre on page one, which instantly dispelled any sort of preconceived notions on my part. But this I considered to be a point in the book's favor, along with the fact that it doesn't seem to fall prey to typical Young Adult genre conventions (I for one thought the decision to forgo a romantic arc was brave but ultimately wise).

As such, I really think a wider audience can enjoy this without being worried about it feeling "too YA". Actually, I couldn't help but make comparisons to Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, not only for the obvious similarities like the subject of the orphaned thief and the past-present format of the novel, but because Thief's Covenant also contains the kind of unexpected plot twists and gut-wrenching story developments that are so characteristic of the Gentleman Bastard books.

Being such a slim volume, I was also pleasantly surprised at the richness of the setting and how layered the story was. The book takes place in a world where every person from the wealthiest noble to the grimiest street urchin worships one of the dozens of gods approved by the Hallowed Pact. Widdershins, however, is a follower of the almost-forgotten minor deity Olgun, but their worshipper-worshipped relationship is one that is unlike any other. Olgun is in fact a major presence in Widdershins' life, or more accurately, a rather major one in her head. Like I said, there's plenty of fun and cheeriness in this book too, and the playful banter between the two of them is a very good example of the humor you will find to break up the tension.

I only wish the story had been better paced; part of this is due to the aforementioned time jumps which occur quite frequently, with flashbacks to an earlier part of Widdershins' life almost every other chapter. On the one hand this was a very good way to give us better insight into her character and personality, and I find I really enjoyed her back story. On the other hand, it made the plot feel disjointed and gave the book a slow start, and because of this I couldn't get into it right away.

And yet, one thing I did notice was the carefully planned and measured way the chapters were laid out, done with such a subtle elegance that the events told in the flashback chapters would always relate to what was happening to Widdershins in the present. In this way, all the questions you'll have about her character and her history will eventually be answered. The steady doling out of details admittedly made this book a little tough to get through for the first half, but the rewarding second half made picking this book up well worth it in the end.

 3.5 of 5 stars

"A richly told story with a measured start, ultimately 

leading to unexpectedly good fun"

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.