Realms Review: 'Stardust'

Imagine that the magical world of Faerie was next door to your village and the only thing separating the two was a wall. That's how the village of Wall got its name, and no one is allowed past the wall except once every nine years during the market. This is the story of Stardust, a novel written by Neil Gaiman. Would you go in search of what's beyond the wall?
          Tristran Thorn, a boy who's half fairy and doesn't know it, has no interest in what's beyond the wall until he and Victoria, the girl he's in love with, spot a shooting star. Tristran offers to find the star for Victoria in exchange for whatever he desires. She agrees, thinking Tristran would never go beyond the wall, and that even if he did, he'd come back shortly. But Tristran is in love and determined. He just didn't expect his months-long journey to be filled with quite so many fantastical things, like man-eating forests, candles that transport you miles in the direction you walk in, murderous witches, and treacherous princes. And, of course, the biggest shock comes when he realizes that the star isn't a lump of rock, but a young woman.
          A promise to a loved one leads to a perilous journey, the uncovering of Tristran's real identity, and the fate of Stormhold hanging in the balance. We give Stardust 4 out of 5 stars. The story and the world are incredible, and the magic lasts with you long after you've turned the last page. The characters motives are something we can all identify with, though we felt there was room for more development. Nonetheless, it's a fun tale we recommend to anyone over the age of fifteen.
          Stardust came to our attention after watching the beloved film adaptation starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, which adds new life and depth to the characters (and a lot more humor!) than what was portrayed in the book. Still, the novel offers more perspective into the story that the film was unable to touch on. Both version are enjoyable and we recommend them both to you.

For a look at the film adaptation, view the trailer below:

Author Interview: Kendare Blake on 'Anna Dressed in Blood' and Writing YA

Realms YA Fantasy Literary Magazine: Will you give us a brief background about who you are and where you’re from?

Kendare Blake: Sure! I was born in South Korea, and adopted by my Midwest parents. I grew up mainly in smallish towns in Central Minnesota, so I know a lot about ice fishing and Ole and Lena jokes. I went to college in upstate New York and grad school in London, and now I live south of Seattle, Washington, with my husband, and our four-legged boys.  We have three of them: cats Tybalt (yes, he was in Anna Dressed in Blood) and Tyrion Cattister, and their baby brother, Obi Dog Kenobi.

Realms: Would you say your childhood and adolescence influenced your writing?

Kendare: Absolutely. Not so much the Ole and Lena jokes, but those are formative years, right? They influenced the way I interpret the world. Those years are also the years when I read the most, first by checking out every unicorn book in the library with my mother, and later buying every Stephen King and Anne Rice in the bookstore, also with my mother.

Realms: What appeals to you about writing YA?

Kendare: Well, there’s the fact that you can do almost anything. That’s nice. It’s a broad category with lots to explore. But when I write, I never think to myself, “Oh, I’m writing YA.” I’m just writing a story, same as always.

Realms: What about Cas Lowood, ghost hunter extraordinaire in Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares, do you think appeals to readers?

Kendare: He appreciates that you refer to him as “extraordinaire.” I think Cas appeals to some readers because he’s tough but plainly lonely. Because he might act like a jerk sometimes and make stupid, bullheaded choices, but you can still see his reasons. And a lot of it has to do with his voice. It was a lot of fun writing with Cas. He’s just an engaging guy. I miss him.

Realms: Do you think that adults have something to gain by reading YA stories?

Kendare: Yes. I think everyone has something to gain by reading anything. I hear way too many people utter the words, “I don’t read,” with a tone of pride, like a badge of honor or something, and I don’t get it. Read, dammit. Read! I promise, the worlds you find in books are far cooler than the one we have to live in.

Realms: You have an MA in creative writing from Middlesex University. How did that experience shape your writing?

Kendare: It opened me up to looking at writing in a different way. Breaking it down. Seeing the strings. Appreciating the construction of pieces even if I didn’t find the narrative personally engaging. And it did a lot as far as helping me understand the business of writing. Plus, I was in London, man. And a writer’s workshop is a great place to form lasting friendships.

Realms: Who are your influences?

Kendare: Everyone I’ve ever read, probably. Lots of writers influence me in rather indirect ways, like reading Milan Kundera sort of pops the cap off of my brain. His words often feel like my own thoughts, put to better music. Reading Bret Easton Ellis tends to make me ambitious and sharp. Caitlin R. Kiernan pushes my imagination and makes me feel bad about my research skills.

Kendare Blake

Realms: If you had to choose a favorite YA book (decisions, decisions, we know!), which might it be?

Kendare: Aaaargh, that’s hard. Way too hard. By the time you get to The Amber Spyglass, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman might be considered YA. Or, I still really love So Shelly, by Ty Roth, and The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater…there are really too many to name.

Realms: From Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares to the Goddess War Series (the last of which is forthcoming in August 2015): what’s next for you?

Kendare: My next novel will be called Three Dark Crowns. It’s about queens on a hidden island in the Atlantic. On the island, queens are born in threes. Sisters, and each has a particular gift. She can be a naturist, or an elemental. A poisoner or a telekinetic. They are raised in the city populated with people of their specific gift, and when they come of age, one rises to take the throne, by killing the other two.

            Three Dark Crowns is the story of one generation of young queens. Arsinoe, the naturist, Katharine, the poisoner, and Mirabella, the elemental.

Realms: If there were the kind of magic in the world that is in storybooks, what would you want to be or be able to do?

Kendare: I’d want the ability to change a thing into another thing. I want to turn a rock into a cupcake. A dog into a goat and then back into a dog. That’s less storybook and more comic book, but it would be so rad.

Realms: What would you tell aspiring writers of fantasy and/or YA?

Kendare: Keep on writing, and keep on reading. You may read many bad things, and write many bad things along the way, but when you look back you’ll see the method to the madness. Try different ways of working until you find what’s best for you. Understand that what works may change from book to book.

            Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy it.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a YA fantasy novel by Kendare Blake. In this tale of horror, Cas Lowood, a ghost hunter, meets Anna, a spirit who's killed all who enter her home, but she spares Cas's life. Anna Dressed in Blood and its sequel, Girl of Nightmares, have been praised by YA authors Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, and more. Be sure to also check out Kendare Blake's Goddess War Series. You can learn more about Kendare Blake on her website, and follow her on Twitter.

Realms Review: 'Wildefire'

If you're into tales of gods, goddesses, and mythology, you'll want to check out Wildefire by Karsten Knight right now. Imagine being at the scene of a crime, a crime where someone you know is murdered, and the murderer is your sister. Such is the fate of Ashline Wilde, a fifteen-year-old Polynesian girl who watches helplessly as her sister commands the weather and electrocutes the girl vandalizing their house. 

          Months later, Ashline finds herself at a boarding school on the other side of the country in California. She likes it there, and she's made friends. But as she and four other students constantly meet each other under strange circumstances, they begin to question why they're really at a boarding school in the middle of nowhere. The truth is they were drawn there for a reason...to prevent the apocalypse, a task that is a little easier when you're a reincarnated god or goddess. 

          We give Wildefire 4 out of 5 stars. The story and plot was amazing, with a surprise twist at the very end. Knight slowly winds the characters into your heart, giving them a depth you don't notice until their wills are tested. The reason we don't give it the whole 5 is because there were a few instances where scenes could have been more developed. We would have loved to see character reactions to certain events that were unfortunately glossed over. Occasionally the point of view was written sloppily, but after the beginning, it straightened out. 

          Overall, we think this book is a fantastic read and should be on your list if you like anything to do with modernized mythology. And, if you like it, it's the first in a trilogy! Be sure to also take a look at the sequel, Embers & Echoes.

May 2015 Young Adult Fantasy Releases

Good afternoon, Travelers!

How are you this Wednesday? We are excited to be researching what we can do this summer to make a printed second issue of Realms a reality! Please tell us what you think of the magazine on our social media or comment on the website. Moving on, we know you're here to take a look at some of the enticing May 2015 releases.
          Below you will find five YA fantasy books or publications that we think are fantastic. This is purely opinion, and if you know of other books that released this month that are earth-shaking, please comment below and share the book/publication with the world! Nothing shows author appreciation like spreading the word. 

Realms, Issue No. 1

May 1, 2015:

Realms Young Adult Fantasy Literary Magazine – Step into the Realms, where magic and fairy tales become reality. We can't promise that every story has a happy ending, but we guarantee each one is intriguing.
          Come, join the sea riders, whose serpentine sea beasts guide them through the deeps. 
          Keep your eyes peeled for the follower. 
          Should you hear an earsplitting roar, do not be afraid; the dragons are not here to harm you. 
          Tread softly, carefully, around the fairy pool. 
          Do not go near the grim grimoire, particularly when it talks to you and whispers promises. 
          If you were told that rules are made to be broken, we hope you had the good sense to laugh at that; otherwise, you might be in the raven king's clutches....
          This is but a taste of six stories in the magazine. You can read all of the ones here and the rest on our main website.

May 5, 2015:

Crimson Bound
by Rosamund Hodge

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge – When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.
          Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?
          Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

A Court of Thorns and
Roses by
Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
          As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

May 12, 2015:

End of Days
by Susan Ee

End of Days by Susan Ee – End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy. After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.
          When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

Off the Page
by Jodi Picoult

May 19, 2015:

Off the Page by Jodi Picoult – Meet Oliver, a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale and transported into the real world. Meet Delilah, the girl who wished Oliver into being. It’s a miracle that seems perfect at first. Sure, Oliver doesn’t know that you shouldn’t try to open your locker with a dagger or that there’s no such thing as “the ruler” of the local mall. But he also looks at Delilah as if she’s the only girl in the world—the only girl in any world—and Delilah can’t help feeling that being with him is a dream come to life.
         But not every story can have a happy ending. Because the book wants Oliver back. And it will turn both worlds upside down to get him. 
         Oliver and Delilah will have to decide what—and who—they’re willing to risk for love and what it really means for a fairy tale to come true.

Let us know how you rate each book/publication and what you thought of them! We're curious to know, or email us with your review and have a chance at being featured on Realms News!

Realms

Realms Magazine has Officially Released!

Hello, Travelers!

Do you know the significance of May 1? Well, if you've been following us for a while, you should know it's a special date because it's the release of the first issue of Realms Young Adult Fantasy Literary Magazine! Join us in celebration of thirteen titles, various works by several artists, and of course, the team that put it all together! A special thanks goes out to our creator, Daphne Tuccitto, our editorial consultant, Lara Bessette, our layout designer, Brandon Griggs, and our cover artist, Laura Hackney.
          May 1 is also a special day because it's our editorial consultant's birthday (but you didn't hear that from us!). Happy birthday, Lara!
          If you like the design work you see in our magazine, please be sure to check out Brandon's website and refer him to people you know! We are so proud of his work and absolutely love it. And, if you are impressed by the cover art by Laura Hackney, we highly encourage to look at her other works on her website.
         The magazine wouldn't have been possible without the following contributors:
       
          (writers)
          Elizabeth J.M. Walker, "The Sea Rider"
          Brittany Valdez,  Dragon's Roar, Part One "Stained"
          Kimberly Hunt, "Change"
          Alex Carrigan, "The Follower"
          J.N. Race, The Lost Remnant, "Chapter Seven"
          Madelaine Formica, "Revenge"
          Whitney Emeigh, "Mira 'the Marred' "
          Grace O'Rourke, "A Dash of Illusion"
          Lara Bessette, "The Fateful Swim"
          Cam M. Sato, "Grim Grimoire"
          Marshall Highet, Modified, "Chapter One"
          Kaitlin Hillerich, "The Parade of Painted Elephants"
          Daphne Tuccitto, "The Raven King"

          (artists)
          Lauren Tyrell
          Kirstie Guerette
          Leanna Crossan
          Laura Hackney
          Noah Drayton
          Micaela Jawor
          Alex Germek

          Thank you to everyone who has turned this dream into a reality. If you are interested in reading the magazine, click here for issue no. 1. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr for updates about the magazine and our contributors.

          Now go forth and find the fantastical fixes for your supernatural cravings!

Realms

Realms Review: 'Extraordinary'

Yesterday, we just finished reading Nancy Werlin's incredible storytelling in Extraordinary. For those of you who love tales of the realm of Faerie, read on. You won't be disappointed by the intricate the plot and twist at the end of this beautifully written story.
          The story follows the fate of two best friends, Phoebe and Mallory, and takes place in Boston, MA. Except, Mallory's not exactly human. She's a faerie sent to the human world on a mission and that mission involves preparing Phoebe for an ominous something. Then, when Mallory's brother, Ryland, arrives out of the blue, their friendship is tested. For Phoebe, the answers to her problems lies at the heart of one question: what does it mean to be extraordinary?
          We at Realms would like to give Extraordinary 3.5 out of 5 stars. Now that seems low, but hear us out. Personally, we were not fans of the writing itself. It was slow at times, despite being lovely language, and this is the only reason we rate it why we do. The plot was phenomenal, the hook was enticing, and just when you think you've predicted the ending, Werlin flips the story on its head.
           If you love reading for the sake of the story, we recommend Extraordinary. However, if you're into "juicier" writing, then you may want to pass on this one. We leave the choice up to you!

Realms Review: 'Marked'

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is the first book in a series about vampyres and 16-year-old Zoey Redbird. This book came out years ago during the vampire fad, but is actually one of the rare original ones. Both authors manage to weave a story that is sensual and spiritual, while also managing the usual coming-of-age story.
          Zoey's home life is a wreck, and though she's terrified when she's Marked as a vampyre, she quickly learns that the vampyre boarding school she's sent to is more of a home than her mother's house. With new friends and new abilites, as well as being unusually Marked by the goddess, Nyx, Zoey finds her place. But not all is right at the House of Night. Some students are misusing their gifts, and Zoey has to be the one to stop them.
          Filled with romance, loyalty, friendship, and misadventures, Marked is a fascinating tale that will have you turning pages. We give this book 4 out of 5 stars for its intricate mythology, interesting plot, fast pace, and characters that have more depth than is apparent on the surface, which is more clearly illustrated in the sequel books!
          If Marked interests you, be sure to also check out Betrayed, the next book in the series.