*February Winners*
The Diviners, by Libba Bray. Fantasy, Historical, YA. A+Pros: Gorgeous setting, lyrical writing style, snappy dialogue, fantastic heroine, great premise! Cons: All that greatness plus an enormous pagecount makes this a physically heavy book. So there's that.
Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman. Fantasy, Historical, YA. A+ **Joint review with Foz Meadows**
Pros: Excellent concept, great magic system, well-drawn heroine, swoony romance. Cons: Some of the world-building is a little too far-fetched.
*February Dud*
You Can't Hurry Love, by Christine Ridgway. Romance, Contemporary. D
Pros: A few laughs here and there. Cons: Manipulative Dick Hero, woo-woo psychic powers out of nowhere, utterly contrived plot.
*Best of the Rest*
The Red Garden, by Alice Hoffman. Fantasy, Fiction, Short Story Collection. B+
Pros: All solid stories set within the same setting along a chronological time period. Cons: One or two of the stories don't really go anywhere, but that's about it.
To Catch a Bride, by Anne Gracie. Romance, Historical. C
Pros: Interesting setting (at first), strong and practical heroine (at first). Cons: Nothing gold can stay - also, insensitive portrayal of barren women.
Altered, by Jennifer Rush. YA, Science Fiction. D+
Pros: An interesting mystery with original clues. Cons: Silly sci-fi plot, over-objectified teenage man candy, lame-ass wish fulfilment heroine.
Never Lie To a Lady, by Liz Carlyle. Romance, Historical. DNF
Pros: Excellent setting and detail, complex character backgrounds. Cons: Overly-complex backgrounds, boring characters, hero is inexplicably and melodramatically angsty, too many details not enough plot or emotional investment.
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