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Starling #1
Starling
Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. She finds herself besieged by nightmarish creatures even more terrifying than the thunder and lightning. The raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name—the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family—with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods—is at the heart of the mystery, Fenn and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.
Set against the gritty, shadowed backdrop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.
Set against the gritty, shadowed backdrop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews
May 6, 2013
1.5 Stars
Mason Starling is a champion fencer. One night while in the middle of practice, a terrible storm rips through her swanky New York school. With the storm comes some apocalyptic killer zombie and a naked sword wielding blonde worrier, The Fennrys Wolf. Who also happens to have a bad case of amnesia. This book revolves around Norse mythology and prophecies for the end of the world and somehow Mason is caught in the middle of it all.
That sounds awesome right?
WELL DON’T BE FOOLED!!!
The opening sequence of this book is action packed. The raging storm, the sword fighting, the killer zombie attack and the arrival of our mysterious hero are all very exciting. Unfortunately by chapter five all we are left with is a confused heroine and an amnesiac hero, both wondering around New York City with no idea what is going on. While the author takes the opportunity to information dump. Endlessly!
I love a book with great characters, the more you feel like you know a character the more you care what happens to them and that in my opinion is what makes a book great. This book has no character development at all, in fact I kept forgetting the heroines name! And as for The Fennrys Wolf, he was so one dimensional I couldn’t get past picturing his as He Man from Masters of the Universe. Not cool!
The secondary characters were also very under written. A character that is mentioned once or twice 200 pages ago is all of a sudden a crucial element to the plot- saving the day, being the villain etc. I had forgotten these people had even existed!
And speaking of the plot, my god it was slow! Sure they fought a couple of weird creatures every now and then but nothing actually happened. The story never moved forward. Until miraculously about 30 pages from the end of the book things actually start happening! And then the final insult, after 352 pages of nothing, just when the book gets going the authors ends it on a cliff hanger! Seriously?!
This get 3/10 from me.
Mason Starling is a champion fencer. One night while in the middle of practice, a terrible storm rips through her swanky New York school. With the storm comes some apocalyptic killer zombie and a naked sword wielding blonde worrier, The Fennrys Wolf. Who also happens to have a bad case of amnesia. This book revolves around Norse mythology and prophecies for the end of the world and somehow Mason is caught in the middle of it all.
That sounds awesome right?
WELL DON’T BE FOOLED!!!
The opening sequence of this book is action packed. The raging storm, the sword fighting, the killer zombie attack and the arrival of our mysterious hero are all very exciting. Unfortunately by chapter five all we are left with is a confused heroine and an amnesiac hero, both wondering around New York City with no idea what is going on. While the author takes the opportunity to information dump. Endlessly!
I love a book with great characters, the more you feel like you know a character the more you care what happens to them and that in my opinion is what makes a book great. This book has no character development at all, in fact I kept forgetting the heroines name! And as for The Fennrys Wolf, he was so one dimensional I couldn’t get past picturing his as He Man from Masters of the Universe. Not cool!
The secondary characters were also very under written. A character that is mentioned once or twice 200 pages ago is all of a sudden a crucial element to the plot- saving the day, being the villain etc. I had forgotten these people had even existed!
And speaking of the plot, my god it was slow! Sure they fought a couple of weird creatures every now and then but nothing actually happened. The story never moved forward. Until miraculously about 30 pages from the end of the book things actually start happening! And then the final insult, after 352 pages of nothing, just when the book gets going the authors ends it on a cliff hanger! Seriously?!
This get 3/10 from me.
September 4, 2012
4.5 stars.
OMG- WAS SO NOT READY FOR THAT ENDING. MY MIND IS REELING. STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE LATEST EVENTS.
DAMN. THIS TOOK 'OTHERWORDLY" TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
THERE WERE GODS AND GODDESSES, DEMONS, ZOMBIES, GHOSTS, WEREWOLVES, FARIES, VIKINGS AND GODS KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
I got to say the ending was the best- I just didn't see that coming!! I was on edge until the very last page, glued to the story and waiting to see what happened next.
This book was unpredictable and unforseeable you just can't rest until you finish it. It was addictive.
If anyomes is looking for something new this is definitely it, it's so original I have never read anything that could compare.
Try it, I dare you!
OMG- WAS SO NOT READY FOR THAT ENDING. MY MIND IS REELING. STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE LATEST EVENTS.
DAMN. THIS TOOK 'OTHERWORDLY" TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
THERE WERE GODS AND GODDESSES, DEMONS, ZOMBIES, GHOSTS, WEREWOLVES, FARIES, VIKINGS AND GODS KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
I got to say the ending was the best- I just didn't see that coming!! I was on edge until the very last page, glued to the story and waiting to see what happened next.
This book was unpredictable and unforseeable you just can't rest until you finish it. It was addictive.
If anyomes is looking for something new this is definitely it, it's so original I have never read anything that could compare.
Try it, I dare you!
April 24, 2018
It's just ok.
I will not continue reading this series. It is not interesting enough.
I will not continue reading this series. It is not interesting enough.
September 24, 2012
I really didn't know what to expect with this book and I don't know what to say now that I've finished it, except - where the hell is book 2 already!!!
I have to say, Starling kept me as fixated as what Cassandra Clare did with The Mortal Instruments.... so much was going on and I was enthralled from start to finish - or should I say from start to BLOODY CLIFF HANGER!!! In no way am I comparing the books, I just mean that I loved this one in just the same way...
Oh My God What An Ending!!! I DID NOT see this one coming!!!
I loved some characters in this book and I was surprised by others - I disliked some too!!! But Mason and Fenn, I loved them both, I love to love our leading male and female and in this book I did just that!!!
I haven't heard of Lesley Livingston before but by goodness it's not the last time I'll rave on about her I'm sure. Her writing is fantastic, I was lost in a world that words provided and found myself holding my breath at times, I might have second guessed some minor happenings but nowhere was I even close to what was about to happen...
A book well worth reading and if, like me, you enjoy mystery of otherworlds creeping into ours, this book will come highly recommended!!!
I have to say, Starling kept me as fixated as what Cassandra Clare did with The Mortal Instruments.... so much was going on and I was enthralled from start to finish - or should I say from start to BLOODY CLIFF HANGER!!! In no way am I comparing the books, I just mean that I loved this one in just the same way...
Oh My God What An Ending!!! I DID NOT see this one coming!!!
I loved some characters in this book and I was surprised by others - I disliked some too!!! But Mason and Fenn, I loved them both, I love to love our leading male and female and in this book I did just that!!!
I haven't heard of Lesley Livingston before but by goodness it's not the last time I'll rave on about her I'm sure. Her writing is fantastic, I was lost in a world that words provided and found myself holding my breath at times, I might have second guessed some minor happenings but nowhere was I even close to what was about to happen...
A book well worth reading and if, like me, you enjoy mystery of otherworlds creeping into ours, this book will come highly recommended!!!
July 3, 2012
Similar Books: Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson, Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep, and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Confession: I'd never read a Lesley Livingston book before picking up Starling. I know. It's hard for me to believe, too. And I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'm about to go buy every single book in the Wondrous Strange series.
I've been looking forward to Starling ever since I saw the pitch for it on Goodreads almost a year ago. I'm a mythology whore, so anything with gods and goddesses gets me excited. Like, seriously excited. Like this:
There have been a lot of books recently with Greek mythology but not as many with Norse. Needless to say, I freaked when I saw that this book was coming out. I was anxiously awaiting my beloved Aesir to appear on the pages before me.
What I didn't realize (and what the blurb doesn't tell you) is that this book doesn't have only Norse mythology. It has Greek and Egyptian, too.
Yeah, I was shocked too. In a completely wonderful way.
Starling has some of the best worldbuilding I've ever seen in a YA book. Livingston mixes world mythologies into this one world that's totally and completely awesome in its complexity. And what's even more cool: this world coincides with the world of Wondrous Strange because this book is actually the start to a companion series. One of the main characters in Starling is Fennrys, who also appears in Livingston's fairy books. I didn't know this until a blogging friend mentioned it, and I was then even more impressed.
Another great part about this book, and what adds to the urban fantasy feel, was the fact that the book is told in the third person POV of a lot of characters, so we're getting all these different sides to the story that you wouldn't get if Livingston had stuck to only Mason's POV. I loved being inside the heads of Fennrys and Mason's brother Rory, as well as others. It adds to that complexity again.
Also, the blurb sort of makes this book seem like just another paranormal romance. But it is NOT. I repeat: this book is NOT about romance. Sure, it's in it. But that's not the central theme, and it is by no means what keeps the plot pushing forward.
This book as Norse zombies, Egyptian gods, "Beowulf" references, and a naked man within the first 20 pages. For a while there, I thought I wouldn't be able handle to amazingness.
Basically, this book is epic. In every sense of the word. And you need it in your life.
I just can't believe that I have to wait a whole YEAR before I can read the next one. Sadness of gigantic proportions!!!
Until then, I'll just be waiting...excitedly...
Confession: I'd never read a Lesley Livingston book before picking up Starling. I know. It's hard for me to believe, too. And I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'm about to go buy every single book in the Wondrous Strange series.
I've been looking forward to Starling ever since I saw the pitch for it on Goodreads almost a year ago. I'm a mythology whore, so anything with gods and goddesses gets me excited. Like, seriously excited. Like this:
There have been a lot of books recently with Greek mythology but not as many with Norse. Needless to say, I freaked when I saw that this book was coming out. I was anxiously awaiting my beloved Aesir to appear on the pages before me.
What I didn't realize (and what the blurb doesn't tell you) is that this book doesn't have only Norse mythology. It has Greek and Egyptian, too.
Yeah, I was shocked too. In a completely wonderful way.
Starling has some of the best worldbuilding I've ever seen in a YA book. Livingston mixes world mythologies into this one world that's totally and completely awesome in its complexity. And what's even more cool: this world coincides with the world of Wondrous Strange because this book is actually the start to a companion series. One of the main characters in Starling is Fennrys, who also appears in Livingston's fairy books. I didn't know this until a blogging friend mentioned it, and I was then even more impressed.
Another great part about this book, and what adds to the urban fantasy feel, was the fact that the book is told in the third person POV of a lot of characters, so we're getting all these different sides to the story that you wouldn't get if Livingston had stuck to only Mason's POV. I loved being inside the heads of Fennrys and Mason's brother Rory, as well as others. It adds to that complexity again.
Also, the blurb sort of makes this book seem like just another paranormal romance. But it is NOT. I repeat: this book is NOT about romance. Sure, it's in it. But that's not the central theme, and it is by no means what keeps the plot pushing forward.
This book as Norse zombies, Egyptian gods, "Beowulf" references, and a naked man within the first 20 pages. For a while there, I thought I wouldn't be able handle to amazingness.
Basically, this book is epic. In every sense of the word. And you need it in your life.
I just can't believe that I have to wait a whole YEAR before I can read the next one. Sadness of gigantic proportions!!!
Until then, I'll just be waiting...excitedly...
October 13, 2012
I'm going to put this out there and make no bones about it: I didn't care for Starling. There were a few different reasons for that, some of which are just bad timing and others which involve Starling running along classic YA tropes I personally dislike. Now, some books I don't like leave a bad taste in my mouth, make me angry, but this one didn't. I know many readers will enjoy this, and I do not begrudge them that. It just was not for me.
Starling sounded so up my aisle like you wouldn't believe. I mean, slap the mythology label on something, and I'm pretty much guaranteed to be chomping at the bit to read it. Unfortunately, while the mythology in Starling is original, it didn't resonate with me. I don't know if it's because I don't know much about Norse mythology (or some other kinds of mythology, since Livingston draws from a bunch of different ones), but I was a bit confused. I could have used more descriptions of the various attacking creatures, since very few of them were familiar to me.
Of course, I might have been more charmed by the mythology herein had I not, through unfortunate happenstance read Valkyrie Rising, another Harper YA title with an eerily similar cover, while in the process of listening to this audiobook. Both involve Norse mythology generally, and Valkyries specifically. With that little coincidence, I can't help comparing the two, and I much preferred the more straightforward tale in Valkyrie Rising, as well as the fact that the setting fit the mythology so much better than an expensive prep school. I had some suspension of disbelief issues with the plot evolving around this prep school run by families who believe in Norse mythology still.
If you like a lot of action, Starling will provide that for you in spades. It's pretty much storm-battle-family drama-flirting-battle-battle-date-battle and on like that. Not only that, but you get to watch Mason and Fennrys battle myriad creatures. I will say this for Starling. Mason does have skills, and I liked that she was a talented fencer. I liked less her tendency to choke at big moments, usually because a boy told her she wasn't good enough to win. For all her magical mojo, she's the kind of heroine who runs when told to by a protective male, even though she has fighting talent. This may be the wiser choice, but it's not generally how I like my heroines.
Up to this point in my little discussion here, I know I've sounded hypercritical, but, honestly, the book would probably still have elicited a 2.5 from me, just sort of meh. What dropped it into the 'nope, not for me' range was the romance. If you don't like the main couple and you're supposed to, it's painful, am I right?
When the story opens, Mason has a crush on Callum, her fencing partner, and has had for ages. We soon learn that he likes her too, but, due to a beauty-maiming injury at the start of the novel, he's too afraid to make a move, and never stands a chance, serving as the pathetic, bum leg of the love triangle. Well, too bad, so sad, because Mason's over it as soon as she sees another (now prettier) face. Fennrys, who falls butt-naked out of the sky like man(na) from the heavens, catches her eye immediately, both for his sexy body and his manly fighting prowess.
He comes and finds her later so that he can clothing borrowed from the fencing team. They flirt and she commits to helping him find out who he is, since, conveniently he has amnesia. You may be wondering what's so convenient about amnesia. Well, it's pretty damn convenient when the only things that have been forgotten are plot points! *headdesk*
Anyway, Mason and Fennrys did not work for me at all. For one thing, they are just shy of instalove. They moon over one another from moment zero, but they at least don't declare their love during that opening battle scene. What REALLY made me rage, though, was that I'm supposed to ship them, even though Mason is like totally terrified of him at times. You know what's not a good sign? BEING AFRAID OF THE GUY YOU LIKE. And I'm not talking afraid he's going to fart on you or eat the last oreo, okay? She sometimes suspects he's dangerous and might hurt her. I'm not saying that means she can't date him ever, but you should probably hold off on going places alone all the time and pretending he's your soulmate.
Starling failed to be what I wanted it to be, but you might still like it. So far as I could tell from the audiobook version, I had no issues with the writing. I really don't have a specific recommendation. Give it a go if you're interested.
Narration:
I think it's just so cool when authors narrate their own work. There's something so personal about that. Of course, not everyone has the voice for it, nor do they necessarily have the time, as audiobook narration is quite the length process.
Livingston has an incredibly pleasant voice. Her narration wouldn't have worked if the book were in first person, but suited a third person omniscient narrator just fine. Don't judge me when I say that my favorite part of the book was listening to Livingston's pronunciation of words in her Canadian accent. I am pretty fanatical about accents, so you can imagine me giggling with glee every time she said the word 'sorry.' Unfortunately, either because I was disengaged from the story or because of my personal reaction to Livingston's voice, I had a lot of trouble focusing on what was happening. I listened to at least two chapters twice, because I could not for the life of me remember what had happened, even though I'd only been listening.
Starling sounded so up my aisle like you wouldn't believe. I mean, slap the mythology label on something, and I'm pretty much guaranteed to be chomping at the bit to read it. Unfortunately, while the mythology in Starling is original, it didn't resonate with me. I don't know if it's because I don't know much about Norse mythology (or some other kinds of mythology, since Livingston draws from a bunch of different ones), but I was a bit confused. I could have used more descriptions of the various attacking creatures, since very few of them were familiar to me.
Of course, I might have been more charmed by the mythology herein had I not, through unfortunate happenstance read Valkyrie Rising, another Harper YA title with an eerily similar cover, while in the process of listening to this audiobook. Both involve Norse mythology generally, and Valkyries specifically. With that little coincidence, I can't help comparing the two, and I much preferred the more straightforward tale in Valkyrie Rising, as well as the fact that the setting fit the mythology so much better than an expensive prep school. I had some suspension of disbelief issues with the plot evolving around this prep school run by families who believe in Norse mythology still.
If you like a lot of action, Starling will provide that for you in spades. It's pretty much storm-battle-family drama-flirting-battle-battle-date-battle and on like that. Not only that, but you get to watch Mason and Fennrys battle myriad creatures. I will say this for Starling. Mason does have skills, and I liked that she was a talented fencer. I liked less her tendency to choke at big moments, usually because a boy told her she wasn't good enough to win. For all her magical mojo, she's the kind of heroine who runs when told to by a protective male, even though she has fighting talent. This may be the wiser choice, but it's not generally how I like my heroines.
Up to this point in my little discussion here, I know I've sounded hypercritical, but, honestly, the book would probably still have elicited a 2.5 from me, just sort of meh. What dropped it into the 'nope, not for me' range was the romance. If you don't like the main couple and you're supposed to, it's painful, am I right?
When the story opens, Mason has a crush on Callum, her fencing partner, and has had for ages. We soon learn that he likes her too, but, due to a beauty-maiming injury at the start of the novel, he's too afraid to make a move, and never stands a chance, serving as the pathetic, bum leg of the love triangle. Well, too bad, so sad, because Mason's over it as soon as she sees another (now prettier) face. Fennrys, who falls butt-naked out of the sky like man(na) from the heavens, catches her eye immediately, both for his sexy body and his manly fighting prowess.
He comes and finds her later so that he can clothing borrowed from the fencing team. They flirt and she commits to helping him find out who he is, since, conveniently he has amnesia. You may be wondering what's so convenient about amnesia. Well, it's pretty damn convenient when the only things that have been forgotten are plot points! *headdesk*
Anyway, Mason and Fennrys did not work for me at all. For one thing, they are just shy of instalove. They moon over one another from moment zero, but they at least don't declare their love during that opening battle scene. What REALLY made me rage, though, was that I'm supposed to ship them, even though Mason is like totally terrified of him at times. You know what's not a good sign? BEING AFRAID OF THE GUY YOU LIKE. And I'm not talking afraid he's going to fart on you or eat the last oreo, okay? She sometimes suspects he's dangerous and might hurt her. I'm not saying that means she can't date him ever, but you should probably hold off on going places alone all the time and pretending he's your soulmate.
Starling failed to be what I wanted it to be, but you might still like it. So far as I could tell from the audiobook version, I had no issues with the writing. I really don't have a specific recommendation. Give it a go if you're interested.
Narration:
I think it's just so cool when authors narrate their own work. There's something so personal about that. Of course, not everyone has the voice for it, nor do they necessarily have the time, as audiobook narration is quite the length process.
Livingston has an incredibly pleasant voice. Her narration wouldn't have worked if the book were in first person, but suited a third person omniscient narrator just fine. Don't judge me when I say that my favorite part of the book was listening to Livingston's pronunciation of words in her Canadian accent. I am pretty fanatical about accents, so you can imagine me giggling with glee every time she said the word 'sorry.' Unfortunately, either because I was disengaged from the story or because of my personal reaction to Livingston's voice, I had a lot of trouble focusing on what was happening. I listened to at least two chapters twice, because I could not for the life of me remember what had happened, even though I'd only been listening.
September 5, 2013
Hey, guys! Do you want a book full of action! Adventure! Mystery! Mythology! Stuff happening! Excitement! Battles! Yes? Sound awesome? OMG and this book opens with a tense battle in a gymnasium with mysterious monsters and a naked guy that fell out of nowhere? SO COOL!
Oh, wait, it was all a trick.
Yes, that’s right, if you read this book and love the first three chapters, you might as well put it down after that and call it a short story. After that first blush of action, the book then proceeds to crank up the “let’s ignore everything”-o-meter. A brilliant opening led into a disappointment of a book, because there is nothing that will piss me off faster than a cast of characters who collectively say “enough of that shit, let’s talk about school and boys instead.”
Books and authors everywhere, you seem to have missed the memo: I WANT TO READ ABOUT THIS STUFF, NOT ABOUT PEOPLE IGNORING THIS STUFF! Why write a book about mythical monsters attacking people if five seconds later everyone decides to pretend like it didn’t happen?
Most of the book deals with Fenn angsting and Mason making eyes at him. There are some tepid attempts at a mystery, since Fenn doesn’t have his memories, but the investigative skills in this book boil down to “let’s mope around and hope the answer presents itself eventually.” There are quite a few avenues they could have taken to actively seek knowledge, several characters who show up and clearly know something, and none of these opportunities are ever followed up on. Then the characters sit around going “wah, I don’t have any clues” and I want to bash them over the head screaming THAT WOMAN AT THE HOTEL CLEARLY KNEW YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE NO CLUES?
This book had a lot of potential, it really did. But all that potential got squandered as the book decided to wallow around in angst and purposefully hide information from everyone, characters and readers included. A lot of the concepts in this book were really interesting and I wanted to know more, which made it that much more infuriating that I didn’t get to find anything out.
In the book’s favor, it was pretty decently written. It had a very teenager voice, but without going over the top about it. There were a few points where words were just used wrong, but they were more accidently funny than outright bad. And I did like most of the characters, they all managed to neatly toe that line of being not-quite-a-stereotype, all fitting into a typical highschool role but without being flat or cartoons. I wish we’d gotten to see more of them, instead of sitting around with Mason and Fenn, ignoring plot points.
Oh, wait, it was all a trick.
Yes, that’s right, if you read this book and love the first three chapters, you might as well put it down after that and call it a short story. After that first blush of action, the book then proceeds to crank up the “let’s ignore everything”-o-meter. A brilliant opening led into a disappointment of a book, because there is nothing that will piss me off faster than a cast of characters who collectively say “enough of that shit, let’s talk about school and boys instead.”
Books and authors everywhere, you seem to have missed the memo: I WANT TO READ ABOUT THIS STUFF, NOT ABOUT PEOPLE IGNORING THIS STUFF! Why write a book about mythical monsters attacking people if five seconds later everyone decides to pretend like it didn’t happen?
Most of the book deals with Fenn angsting and Mason making eyes at him. There are some tepid attempts at a mystery, since Fenn doesn’t have his memories, but the investigative skills in this book boil down to “let’s mope around and hope the answer presents itself eventually.” There are quite a few avenues they could have taken to actively seek knowledge, several characters who show up and clearly know something, and none of these opportunities are ever followed up on. Then the characters sit around going “wah, I don’t have any clues” and I want to bash them over the head screaming THAT WOMAN AT THE HOTEL CLEARLY KNEW YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE NO CLUES?
This book had a lot of potential, it really did. But all that potential got squandered as the book decided to wallow around in angst and purposefully hide information from everyone, characters and readers included. A lot of the concepts in this book were really interesting and I wanted to know more, which made it that much more infuriating that I didn’t get to find anything out.
In the book’s favor, it was pretty decently written. It had a very teenager voice, but without going over the top about it. There were a few points where words were just used wrong, but they were more accidently funny than outright bad. And I did like most of the characters, they all managed to neatly toe that line of being not-quite-a-stereotype, all fitting into a typical highschool role but without being flat or cartoons. I wish we’d gotten to see more of them, instead of sitting around with Mason and Fenn, ignoring plot points.
January 9, 2015
Edit - listened to this again January 2015 - Just as good the 2nd time through. (read originally February 2013)
I really enjoyed Lesley Livingston's Wonderous Strange Series so I was excited to start her newest series Starling. I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Lesley. I'm not usually a fan of author narrated books but Lesley is definitely an exception to that rule. She does a great job of bringing her books to life.
Starling is based on Norse mythology which I'm not very familiar with. A great mix of action, romance and mythology kept me thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book. With an inevitable huge cliffhanger ending, I'm excited to get my hands on book two Descendant when it gets released this summer.
My only complaint with this book is I wish there had be a little less language.
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book
Content: Language throughout, innuendo
Source: Audible.com download
Genre/Age Level: Young Adult Fantasy
I really enjoyed Lesley Livingston's Wonderous Strange Series so I was excited to start her newest series Starling. I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Lesley. I'm not usually a fan of author narrated books but Lesley is definitely an exception to that rule. She does a great job of bringing her books to life.
Starling is based on Norse mythology which I'm not very familiar with. A great mix of action, romance and mythology kept me thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book. With an inevitable huge cliffhanger ending, I'm excited to get my hands on book two Descendant when it gets released this summer.
My only complaint with this book is I wish there had be a little less language.
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book
Content: Language throughout, innuendo
Source: Audible.com download
Genre/Age Level: Young Adult Fantasy
May 5, 2014
4.5 stars
OMG OMG OMG
******************************************************
Pre-release fangirling:
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....
Another book by Lesley Livingston! Recommended for fans of Cassandra Clare(giant neon sign above head) and I heard that the blurb was written by JULIE KAGAWA.
OMG.
ALL MY FAV AUTHORS.
THIS IS HEAVEN.
Someone hand me the book already!!!!!!!!
P.S. WAIT. FENNRYS WOLF!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, IT IS THE FENNRYS WOLF FROM WONDROUS STRANGE!!!!!!!!!?????????? AFTER HE WENT TO VALHALLA? (Makes sense, Vallhalla is of Norse mythology.) O.O
I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!!!!!!!!!! LIKE CRAZY!!!!!!!!
I AM GOING TO LOVE THIS BOOK! :D
OMG OMG OMG
******************************************************
Pre-release fangirling:
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....
Another book by Lesley Livingston! Recommended for fans of Cassandra Clare(giant neon sign above head) and I heard that the blurb was written by JULIE KAGAWA.
OMG.
ALL MY FAV AUTHORS.
THIS IS HEAVEN.
Someone hand me the book already!!!!!!!!
P.S. WAIT. FENNRYS WOLF!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, IT IS THE FENNRYS WOLF FROM WONDROUS STRANGE!!!!!!!!!?????????? AFTER HE WENT TO VALHALLA? (Makes sense, Vallhalla is of Norse mythology.) O.O
I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!!!!!!!!!! LIKE CRAZY!!!!!!!!
I AM GOING TO LOVE THIS BOOK! :D
May 27, 2016
Starling almost convinced me. I was curious with the second volume, but don't know if it's enough to give a second chance.
Starling is a story of fantasy genre, which brings us many secrets and mysteries, a collision between two worlds, where a human world start to appear supernatural beings.
A completely elitist school, follows the first incident with supernatural beings, which makes some students realize that maybe that school hide something more as well as hides something the founding families.
Mason Starling is a lonely girl with a crush on Calum, both fencing practitioners, after the incident at school that leaves scars on Calum, Mason knows Fennrys, the Wolf and through this young man without memory, by which has also a crush, she discover many things her father hid.
With the possibility of the arrival of the apocalypse and the kingdom of dead, Mason's life can never be the same.
Starling is a story of fantasy genre, which brings us many secrets and mysteries, a collision between two worlds, where a human world start to appear supernatural beings.
A completely elitist school, follows the first incident with supernatural beings, which makes some students realize that maybe that school hide something more as well as hides something the founding families.
Mason Starling is a lonely girl with a crush on Calum, both fencing practitioners, after the incident at school that leaves scars on Calum, Mason knows Fennrys, the Wolf and through this young man without memory, by which has also a crush, she discover many things her father hid.
With the possibility of the arrival of the apocalypse and the kingdom of dead, Mason's life can never be the same.
December 20, 2014
There wasn’t anything horribly wrong with this book, it was just slow, and I found it pretty put-down-able.
Mason was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. She had a bit of a rough time of it with her dad and being attacked repeatedly, but I just didn’t love her.
The storyline in this had plenty of action, but I found it really put-down-able. I would read a couple of pages, then I’d find something else to do. It just didn’t engage me the way I wanted it to.
There was some romance, but it was a little odd how everybody seemed convinced that Mason liked Fennrys, even when she’d barely met him!
The ending to this was a bit of a cliff-hanger. I can’t say I’m desperate to pick up book 2 though.
5 out of 10
Mason was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. She had a bit of a rough time of it with her dad and being attacked repeatedly, but I just didn’t love her.
The storyline in this had plenty of action, but I found it really put-down-able. I would read a couple of pages, then I’d find something else to do. It just didn’t engage me the way I wanted it to.
There was some romance, but it was a little odd how everybody seemed convinced that Mason liked Fennrys, even when she’d barely met him!
The ending to this was a bit of a cliff-hanger. I can’t say I’m desperate to pick up book 2 though.
5 out of 10
May 22, 2017
This wasn't a terrible book but it wasn't great either. I felt that there should have been more action. Most mythology books usually do. I will admit I was intrigued by the ending. Someday maybe I will continue this trilogy.
October 4, 2012
Lesley Livingston keeps getting better and better -- and she started at amazing, so that's saying something. Her latest, STARLING, collects a favourite character from her previous books (won't spoil it by saying who)and launches him into new and bigger problems. He's not alone. There's a new fabulous, gutsy, real heroine named Mason Starling introduced in this, the first of the Starling saga books.
I, for one, CAN'T WAIT for more!
Excellently written, paced, imagined. Truly an exceptional book by a writer growing by leaps and bounds.
En garde!
I, for one, CAN'T WAIT for more!
Excellently written, paced, imagined. Truly an exceptional book by a writer growing by leaps and bounds.
En garde!
September 30, 2013
My review can also be found on Reading Lark: http://readinglark.blogspot.ca/2012/0...
Oh how I missed being in Lesley Livingston's awesome fictional universe!! I absolutely loved her debut trilogy, Wondrous Strange, and specifically the Fennrys Wolf. So, you can imagine how excited I was when we learned who was going to be part of her new trilogy -- you guessed it -- our beloved FENNRYS!!
While it's not imperative to be familiar with the Wondrous Strange world before cracking open Starling, I will say that the events in those books do enhance this new story perfectly, and not to mention, they are just a great read in itself and I would encourage anyone who loves adventure, romance and mischievous faeries to pick them up.
Starling is the first book in what is promising to be another awesome trilogy and quite literally opens with a bang when a violent storm rolls in and an incredibly old oak tree comes crashing into the new gym at Gosforth Academy...accompanied by a legion of freakish demon things and -- guess who -- Fennrys!! His entrance, not surprisingly, catches the attention of everyone at the practice...most notably Mason's. And little did our protagonist, Mason Starling, anticipate that her expert fencing skills would be required in a very realistic way.
Perhaps my most favourite aspect of this new book was that I loved getting to know the REAL Fennrys Wolf. If you have read the Wondrous Strange books, you will remember that Fenn was a secondary character who made some questionable choices that came to fruition in the last book of the trilogy AND we thought we saw the last of him as he rode off with the Valkyrie, Olrun. But oh no...here he is again, in the flesh...quite literally. (You'll understand my meaning when you read that opening scene in Starling!)
I knew there was so much more to Fennrys than what little we knew of him before. And now, having no recollection of how he ended up in that gym on that fateful night, Fenn almost gets a 'do-over' -- to atone for his previous mistakes...if he could just remember them. And as it turns out Fennrys, is a great hero. As some of his memories slowly began to resurface, so did his amazing qualities come to light. I knew, deep down, he was a good-guy. He's complex in that he can be gentle (especially where Mason is concerned) but also fiercely savage when fighting for his (and her) life!
Mason Starling is another great heroine I enjoyed reading about. She does come from a very privileged family so I wasn't sure about her relatability at first, but it never defined who she really was. Mason is typical in many ways -- in that she has a crush on the hottest guy at school, she's studious, fully devoted to her fencing and is kind at heart. She has her vulnerabilities too...including a severe case of claustrophobia thanks to an unfortunate incident that occurred when she was a child. She has confidence when she is reminded of it. Mason is totally committed to her passion for fencing with ambitions to make the Nationals team...and she's well on her way. It's just that she never dreamed that her expert skills would come in handy in real life and death situations.
As much as Mason, at one time, had 'the hots' for Calum, it was Fennrys -- the enigmatic and mysterious stranger -- who quickly stole her heart. Although I did appreciate that it wasn't an insta-love situation...she was wary of Fenn at first and they slowly got to know each other. I loved how Fennrys didn't want to mess up his relationship with her and attempted to take things slow because he truly didn't know what he was getting her involved in. However, her life was already in danger and her destiny predetermined. Mason also reminded Fennrys of someone he had, frustratingly, forgotten...but, once again, those of us who have read the Wondrous Strange books know all too well who he was remembering.
The complimentary characters were developed just enough for their purposes in this installment but we were left wondering who had truly good motivations or bad or who was somewhere in between and I know we will get to know them more in the following books.
I loved how Lesley told her story on the foundation of the Norse mythology of Ragnarok (as well as a little bit of Greek and Egyptian lore, too). I found myself 'Wiki'ing' all about it and it's fascinating. The pace of the story was perfect with just enough action and intensity tempered with some lovely romantic scenes. And I will have to warn you that there is quite a hefty cliffhanger at the end...and one that I didn't see coming...ensuring that I'll be reading the next book...which I would have done anyway!
Thanks to Harper Teen for kindly providing an arc!
Note: Originally Read July 14-21, 2012. Loved it more the second time around!
September 30, 2012
At a Glance:
Starling was an exciting beginning to new story where so many supernatural and mythological creatures come together. Being based mostly on Norse mythology, but with pieces of faery lore, made this book something original and intense. I really enjoyed it!
The Audio:
I love it when the author reads her own books for the audio production, if she's good, that is. I thought Lesley did a great job with the reading. She sounded as good as any other reader I've heard, and I liked knowing that she knew how she wanted her characters to sound. She knew if they were angry or annoyed, or what inflection to use. The only thing that I found distracting was that some of her words were pronounced strangely. I'm not even saying she's pronouncing them incorrectly, they were most likely grammatically correct, it's just that no one I know talks like that. For example, she pronounce "again" uh-gane, and "been" like bean, and "sorry" was sore-ee. Again, probably correct, but still distracting for me. Other than that I had no complaints. She did different voices for different characters, and her low male voices sounded really good. I'm definitely glad I listened to this one on audio, and think you should give it a shot! Listen to a sample.
A New Mythology:
Ok, it's not new....it's just new to me. I've never really heard much about Norse mythology, and I've certainly never read a book based on the lore. I love when a book is familiar, but new, and that's how this one felt. It also had all sorts of other supernatural beings, like faeries, "zombies," a werewolf.....sort of, and other strange creatures. Mixing all these elements makes for some very interesting reading.
Slapped with Action!
Starling starts out with a seriously intense fight scene, and doesn't let up too much for the entire book. If you're a fan of action and fighting, you'll definitely appreciate these scenes, reminiscent of The Mortal Instruments series, or Angelfire. I really liked that it was intense like that. It got bloody in places, and there were a few times I had to cringe when a bone snapped, which, sick as it sounds, was awesome!
A Girl who Slaps Back:
I love tough, fighting girls. Maybe it's because I secretly want to be able to use a sword and fight non-existent creatures, but I can't resist a girl who can hold her own in a fight. Mason didn't grow up knowing these supernatural elements existed, but she did grow up learning how to fence and fight. So when the nasties came calling, she didn't slink back into the shadows and let the boys handle the fighting, she was right in the thick of it, and it was awesome. I also appreciated how smart and logical she was. There were many times when most female book characters would have doubted themselves, or felt guilty or inadequate, but Mason wouldn't let those thoughts take over, and stood up to anyone who tried to tell her otherwise. I really loved that.
The Fennrys Wolf:
Yes, the main male character's name is actually The Fennrys Wolf. Strange, I know, but I fell for him just the same. With a mysteriously forgotten past, and a fierce desire to protect Mason at all costs, how could I not? Part of the story is told from his point of view (along with Mason's, and some other supporting characters), which just added to my enjoyment. I love multiple viewpoints, when it's done right. I can't wait to find out what will happen with him in the next book!
Romancing the Wolf:
Although this book was definitely packed with action, it also had it's fair share of romance and tension. There are a couple of different boys that Mason is initially interested in, but I wouldn't call it a love triangle at all. I mean, once a guy shows up on the scene who is gorgeous, fights with amazing skill, and would do anything for you, how could you look at anyone else? Reading about Mason and Fenn falling for each other was perfect, but with that cliffhanger ending, I have no idea what will happen to them now!
Book Doppelgangers:
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, Everneath by Brodi Ashton
-Andye
Readingteen.net
Content:
Sexual Content: Mild
Profanity: Heavy
Violence: Heavy
Other Notables: Mythology, Supernatural Creatures
Starling was an exciting beginning to new story where so many supernatural and mythological creatures come together. Being based mostly on Norse mythology, but with pieces of faery lore, made this book something original and intense. I really enjoyed it!
The Audio:
I love it when the author reads her own books for the audio production, if she's good, that is. I thought Lesley did a great job with the reading. She sounded as good as any other reader I've heard, and I liked knowing that she knew how she wanted her characters to sound. She knew if they were angry or annoyed, or what inflection to use. The only thing that I found distracting was that some of her words were pronounced strangely. I'm not even saying she's pronouncing them incorrectly, they were most likely grammatically correct, it's just that no one I know talks like that. For example, she pronounce "again" uh-gane, and "been" like bean, and "sorry" was sore-ee. Again, probably correct, but still distracting for me. Other than that I had no complaints. She did different voices for different characters, and her low male voices sounded really good. I'm definitely glad I listened to this one on audio, and think you should give it a shot! Listen to a sample.
A New Mythology:
Ok, it's not new....it's just new to me. I've never really heard much about Norse mythology, and I've certainly never read a book based on the lore. I love when a book is familiar, but new, and that's how this one felt. It also had all sorts of other supernatural beings, like faeries, "zombies," a werewolf.....sort of, and other strange creatures. Mixing all these elements makes for some very interesting reading.
Slapped with Action!
Starling starts out with a seriously intense fight scene, and doesn't let up too much for the entire book. If you're a fan of action and fighting, you'll definitely appreciate these scenes, reminiscent of The Mortal Instruments series, or Angelfire. I really liked that it was intense like that. It got bloody in places, and there were a few times I had to cringe when a bone snapped, which, sick as it sounds, was awesome!
A Girl who Slaps Back:
I love tough, fighting girls. Maybe it's because I secretly want to be able to use a sword and fight non-existent creatures, but I can't resist a girl who can hold her own in a fight. Mason didn't grow up knowing these supernatural elements existed, but she did grow up learning how to fence and fight. So when the nasties came calling, she didn't slink back into the shadows and let the boys handle the fighting, she was right in the thick of it, and it was awesome. I also appreciated how smart and logical she was. There were many times when most female book characters would have doubted themselves, or felt guilty or inadequate, but Mason wouldn't let those thoughts take over, and stood up to anyone who tried to tell her otherwise. I really loved that.
The Fennrys Wolf:
Yes, the main male character's name is actually The Fennrys Wolf. Strange, I know, but I fell for him just the same. With a mysteriously forgotten past, and a fierce desire to protect Mason at all costs, how could I not? Part of the story is told from his point of view (along with Mason's, and some other supporting characters), which just added to my enjoyment. I love multiple viewpoints, when it's done right. I can't wait to find out what will happen with him in the next book!
Romancing the Wolf:
Although this book was definitely packed with action, it also had it's fair share of romance and tension. There are a couple of different boys that Mason is initially interested in, but I wouldn't call it a love triangle at all. I mean, once a guy shows up on the scene who is gorgeous, fights with amazing skill, and would do anything for you, how could you look at anyone else? Reading about Mason and Fenn falling for each other was perfect, but with that cliffhanger ending, I have no idea what will happen to them now!
Book Doppelgangers:
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, Everneath by Brodi Ashton
-Andye
Readingteen.net
Content:
Sexual Content: Mild
Profanity: Heavy
Violence: Heavy
Other Notables: Mythology, Supernatural Creatures
August 24, 2012
4.5/5 stars.
Here's what makes me different from a lot of fans who liked this book - I really did NOT like the previous trilogy featuring Fennrys Wolf, "Wondrous Strange". I couldn't get into it, couldn't relate to it. But in "Starling", Livingston feels like a totally new writer. I didn't want to throw the book across the room, I didn't want to punch the heroine. Livingston has made leaps and bounds of progress in "Starling", and you can definitely bet that I'm reading book two.
Now, what I'm not sure of - if it really is insta-love or not between Fenn and Mason. Why? We're not given a good sense of time within this story. The storm that Fenn comes out of is the one marker in "real time" (as opposed to the Ragnarok countdown for the rest of the plot) that we get, but we don't get much other than that. But honestly, the relationship that grows between Mason and Fenn does feel natural, so I'm thinking that this stretches out over a course of weeks/months instead of just days. That would be a vote of eh, maybe to no on insta-love.
What I loved: the mythology. Livingston threw all of these different cultures and legends together in one big mixing pot and it all worked. Gosforth as a school/protection ring for all of those families from all of those mythologies really worked, and mostly because it wasn't harped upon constantly like in books like "Kiss of Frost" (which I honestly just couldn't get through because of that). There are some awesomely clandestine meetings that go on, but there are only a few of those. Mostly, you get realistic teens who mostly don't know about their heritage, just that their families have been going to the same school since its founding.
The worldbuilding, though, is where Livingston seems to have grown the most - she really tightened this one up, and made the characters weave successfully back into the world itself, which is what I've found to be a key to really good worldbuilding. And with the melting pot that is New York City/the US, it all worked. There wasn't any one point where I raised an eyebrow because it didn't seem like it would mesh. It all did.
While there are a few teeny bits of the book that drag, the ending more than makes up for them (hence the +.5 added overall to my score). I mean, damn. What an ending. While it looks like it can standalone, it also works well as the first in the series (which we know is going to be the case with this book). I love how the prophecy was constantly changing - that felt the most realistic out of all of the fantastic business of the book. As time changes, so do prophecies, and Livingston successfully adapted that. I love how we have an answer to who Mason's mother is in this new mythology as well as where she ended up without it becoming a huge mystery hidden within the book itself.
Final verdict? Even if you're not a fan of her other works, definitely give this book a chance. I'm so glad I did and I can't wait for book two. It's made my best of 2012 list, if not my favorites of 2012 list because it was just so much fun. "Starling" is out August 28 2012 from HarperTeen, so be sure to definitely check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Here's what makes me different from a lot of fans who liked this book - I really did NOT like the previous trilogy featuring Fennrys Wolf, "Wondrous Strange". I couldn't get into it, couldn't relate to it. But in "Starling", Livingston feels like a totally new writer. I didn't want to throw the book across the room, I didn't want to punch the heroine. Livingston has made leaps and bounds of progress in "Starling", and you can definitely bet that I'm reading book two.
Now, what I'm not sure of - if it really is insta-love or not between Fenn and Mason. Why? We're not given a good sense of time within this story. The storm that Fenn comes out of is the one marker in "real time" (as opposed to the Ragnarok countdown for the rest of the plot) that we get, but we don't get much other than that. But honestly, the relationship that grows between Mason and Fenn does feel natural, so I'm thinking that this stretches out over a course of weeks/months instead of just days. That would be a vote of eh, maybe to no on insta-love.
What I loved: the mythology. Livingston threw all of these different cultures and legends together in one big mixing pot and it all worked. Gosforth as a school/protection ring for all of those families from all of those mythologies really worked, and mostly because it wasn't harped upon constantly like in books like "Kiss of Frost" (which I honestly just couldn't get through because of that). There are some awesomely clandestine meetings that go on, but there are only a few of those. Mostly, you get realistic teens who mostly don't know about their heritage, just that their families have been going to the same school since its founding.
The worldbuilding, though, is where Livingston seems to have grown the most - she really tightened this one up, and made the characters weave successfully back into the world itself, which is what I've found to be a key to really good worldbuilding. And with the melting pot that is New York City/the US, it all worked. There wasn't any one point where I raised an eyebrow because it didn't seem like it would mesh. It all did.
While there are a few teeny bits of the book that drag, the ending more than makes up for them (hence the +.5 added overall to my score). I mean, damn. What an ending. While it looks like it can standalone, it also works well as the first in the series (which we know is going to be the case with this book). I love how the prophecy was constantly changing - that felt the most realistic out of all of the fantastic business of the book. As time changes, so do prophecies, and Livingston successfully adapted that. I love how we have an answer to who Mason's mother is in this new mythology as well as where she ended up without it becoming a huge mystery hidden within the book itself.
Final verdict? Even if you're not a fan of her other works, definitely give this book a chance. I'm so glad I did and I can't wait for book two. It's made my best of 2012 list, if not my favorites of 2012 list because it was just so much fun. "Starling" is out August 28 2012 from HarperTeen, so be sure to definitely check it out then!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
December 27, 2012
3.5 stars
A good and solid start to Livingston's new mythology-based trilogy, which intertwines Nordic, Greek and Egyptian mythology with fey folklore and legends, all staged in present-day New York City.
Mason Starling is a young woman born to privilege and tragedy. Her mother dies giving birth to her. Her father is a shipping magnate and a very successful businessman from a long and proud line of shipping tycoons. Gunnar Starling has high expectations of his children and is a distant, authoritative figure in Mason's life. As a child, six-year old Mason was locked in an abandoned garden-shed during a game of hide and seek with her brother Rory. She was in that shed for over two-days. Eventually her other brother Rothgar found her, by which time she was unconscious and near death after two days in the summer heat without food or water. Consequently, she developed severe claustrophobia as a result of the harrowing experience. Rory, in turn, out of guilt or anger, grows to hate Mason. He ignores her, taunts her and makes it very clear he wants nothing to do with her.
So, Mason is a bit of a loner, attending the prestigious Gosforth Academy, as all her family have for generations, where she excels at fencing and has high hopes of making the national team. Then one evening during practice, danger comes literally crashing into her safe, stolid little world and with it comes the mysterious and intriguing Fennrys Wolf. He saves her and her classmates from death, and then leaves them to pick up the pieces of a life that suddenly did not make sense. The world is all at once bigger and more frightening, filled with nightmare creatures and powers beyond reckoning and yet they have all agreed to say nothing lest they be thought mad.
Fennrys, meanwhile, though familiar to readers of Livinston's WONDROUS STRANGE trilogy, is a complete stranger to himself. He has no memory of who he was or how he has ended up in this city. He cannot remember what happened to him 24 hours ago.
Of course, Fennrys and Mason find their way back into each other lives and begin to fall in love. The romance happened a bit quick for my taste, as it so frequently does, but I liked Mason and Fenn enough to go along with it.
The blending of faery and mythology worked very well and i am eager to see where the story leads. I have high hopes that we will get more development for Rothgar and Rory as characters in their own right (since we got snippet of POV) and especially in relation to their sister, Mason. I love sibling stories and I would love to see these three really get a good one! A bit more on Gunnar, Rafe. Any cameos from Fenn's friends would be fantastic. More Heather (which family is she from?) and Gwen Littlefield has a much larger role to play I would guess. I could do without Cal - he annoyed me and seemed very spoilt.
And that ending? Is her mom actually Hel (which is what my first thought was) or simply down there? Severely confused. Where is book two?
A good and solid start to Livingston's new mythology-based trilogy, which intertwines Nordic, Greek and Egyptian mythology with fey folklore and legends, all staged in present-day New York City.
Mason Starling is a young woman born to privilege and tragedy. Her mother dies giving birth to her. Her father is a shipping magnate and a very successful businessman from a long and proud line of shipping tycoons. Gunnar Starling has high expectations of his children and is a distant, authoritative figure in Mason's life. As a child, six-year old Mason was locked in an abandoned garden-shed during a game of hide and seek with her brother Rory. She was in that shed for over two-days. Eventually her other brother Rothgar found her, by which time she was unconscious and near death after two days in the summer heat without food or water. Consequently, she developed severe claustrophobia as a result of the harrowing experience. Rory, in turn, out of guilt or anger, grows to hate Mason. He ignores her, taunts her and makes it very clear he wants nothing to do with her.
So, Mason is a bit of a loner, attending the prestigious Gosforth Academy, as all her family have for generations, where she excels at fencing and has high hopes of making the national team. Then one evening during practice, danger comes literally crashing into her safe, stolid little world and with it comes the mysterious and intriguing Fennrys Wolf. He saves her and her classmates from death, and then leaves them to pick up the pieces of a life that suddenly did not make sense. The world is all at once bigger and more frightening, filled with nightmare creatures and powers beyond reckoning and yet they have all agreed to say nothing lest they be thought mad.
Fennrys, meanwhile, though familiar to readers of Livinston's WONDROUS STRANGE trilogy, is a complete stranger to himself. He has no memory of who he was or how he has ended up in this city. He cannot remember what happened to him 24 hours ago.
Of course, Fennrys and Mason find their way back into each other lives and begin to fall in love. The romance happened a bit quick for my taste, as it so frequently does, but I liked Mason and Fenn enough to go along with it.
The blending of faery and mythology worked very well and i am eager to see where the story leads. I have high hopes that we will get more development for Rothgar and Rory as characters in their own right (since we got snippet of POV) and especially in relation to their sister, Mason. I love sibling stories and I would love to see these three really get a good one! A bit more on Gunnar, Rafe. Any cameos from Fenn's friends would be fantastic. More Heather (which family is she from?) and Gwen Littlefield has a much larger role to play I would guess. I could do without Cal - he annoyed me and seemed very spoilt.
And that ending? Is her mom actually Hel (which is what my first thought was) or simply down there? Severely confused. Where is book two?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2012
I was so looking forward to this book as although the Wondrous Strange trilogy is not my favorite YA series, it is one I really enjoyed. The Fennrys Wolf..or "Fenn" is my favorite character in that series although he is more or less part of a triangle - the left out part. Just a little background but The Fennrys Wolf was kidnapped by the fey King as a small child and trained and made into a Janus Guard and thus has long outlived his family and time in the real world. He was a Viking Prince destined to be a leader and this was stolen from him. The Janus are a group of warriors who guard the gate between the Otherworld and our world. At the end of the previous series Fenn offers to give up his life in exchange for Herne who was dying and is taken away in a carriage by Olrun the Valkyrie. She came for Herne but in order for him to live, a hero must die.
Starling begins with the introduction of Mason Starling who is a fencing champion attending an exclusive school in New York where she is training. One evening she and her friends and instructor have an otherworldly experience when a strange storm comes up and a huge tree comes crashing into the building bringing a naked blond boy with it. Close on his heels are a variety of monsters which of course results in a battle where this boy obviously excels. Thus The Fennrys Wolf arrives in New York a good hundred years after he left it. But he does not know who or what he is or where he came from. He has a vague memory of being closed in and in chains and bears scars on his wrists and ankles. He does know his name and realizes he knows the city. Mason is the only one who seems to want to help him although she is not sure why. There is far more to her family than she has any idea of and this is revealed slowly through the story.
I pretty much had a book crush on Fenn in the series but just could not find that Fenn in this book. I suspect it is because Fenn can not find himself either. There are small flashes of the mystique that made him special but not enough. I just never really connected with the story. I will read the next book for two reasons. One I do want to find out what happens, and I hope that perhaps The Fennrys Wolf of the other books will be back.
Starling begins with the introduction of Mason Starling who is a fencing champion attending an exclusive school in New York where she is training. One evening she and her friends and instructor have an otherworldly experience when a strange storm comes up and a huge tree comes crashing into the building bringing a naked blond boy with it. Close on his heels are a variety of monsters which of course results in a battle where this boy obviously excels. Thus The Fennrys Wolf arrives in New York a good hundred years after he left it. But he does not know who or what he is or where he came from. He has a vague memory of being closed in and in chains and bears scars on his wrists and ankles. He does know his name and realizes he knows the city. Mason is the only one who seems to want to help him although she is not sure why. There is far more to her family than she has any idea of and this is revealed slowly through the story.
I pretty much had a book crush on Fenn in the series but just could not find that Fenn in this book. I suspect it is because Fenn can not find himself either. There are small flashes of the mystique that made him special but not enough. I just never really connected with the story. I will read the next book for two reasons. One I do want to find out what happens, and I hope that perhaps The Fennrys Wolf of the other books will be back.
December 30, 2012
The synopsis of this book had me so excited, a girl who is a gifted fencer, a wolf, monsters, mythology and the apocalypse. Nothing could go wrong, Right!?
Wrong.
The very beginning of the book(first couple of chapters) was exhilarating, a monstrous storm blows through New York City, blowing a tree through Gosforth Academy's Gym where the protagonist Mason and her classmates happen to be. Zombie like creatures called the draugr attack them. A mysterious naked young man who is later revealed to be Fennrys Wolf, jumps down and helps the students kill the creatures.
That scene is the only action-packed chapter in the whole book. After that it just gets dull and boring. Mason and Fennrys Wolf of Fenn start seeking each out for really no other reason except that they are good looking and eventually start hanging out. He helps her fence for a competition, they halfheartedly search for clues about his identity and sometimes they kiss.
That's it.
Sure there are other narrators who have their own shenanigans going on, but their narratives were sporadic.
Not only was the plot slow the characters were boring!
Mason didn't do anything that made me angry or anything that excited me. She was just... there.
Mason's love interest Fenn was better, I liked that he could be strong and fierce but also vulnerable and unsure too. However their relationship was lacking, they met, they were attracted and then they kissed. It was stale.
I didn't really get to know the secondary characters as much as I wanted. I think Rafe and Roth have the potential to become interesting characters.
Overall I give Starling 2.5 stars. This book had sososo much potential to be fantastic but it was just drab. The plot and the characters were flat and dull but the initial idea of the Norse mythology and Ragnarok is awesome so hopefully the next book will feature more of that awesomeness.
Wrong.
The very beginning of the book(first couple of chapters) was exhilarating, a monstrous storm blows through New York City, blowing a tree through Gosforth Academy's Gym where the protagonist Mason and her classmates happen to be. Zombie like creatures called the draugr attack them. A mysterious naked young man who is later revealed to be Fennrys Wolf, jumps down and helps the students kill the creatures.
That scene is the only action-packed chapter in the whole book. After that it just gets dull and boring. Mason and Fennrys Wolf of Fenn start seeking each out for really no other reason except that they are good looking and eventually start hanging out. He helps her fence for a competition, they halfheartedly search for clues about his identity and sometimes they kiss.
That's it.
Sure there are other narrators who have their own shenanigans going on, but their narratives were sporadic.
Not only was the plot slow the characters were boring!
Mason didn't do anything that made me angry or anything that excited me. She was just... there.
Mason's love interest Fenn was better, I liked that he could be strong and fierce but also vulnerable and unsure too. However their relationship was lacking, they met, they were attracted and then they kissed. It was stale.
I didn't really get to know the secondary characters as much as I wanted. I think Rafe and Roth have the potential to become interesting characters.
Overall I give Starling 2.5 stars. This book had sososo much potential to be fantastic but it was just drab. The plot and the characters were flat and dull but the initial idea of the Norse mythology and Ragnarok is awesome so hopefully the next book will feature more of that awesomeness.
September 5, 2012
I was really looking forward to reading this book! I've been going through a fencing phase and I really wanted to like this more!
The story is sweet and there are some cool fighting scenes, but I feel that they weren't highlighted like I expected them to be... Mason keeps losing her confidence in her skills and even after all the practice and effort she put into her traing a few verbal jabs from a former teammate are enough to throw her off her game. :P I expected Mason to be a more kickass character than that...
Fennrys was ok. Cute, strong, tortured, etc. I liked him like I liked Mason, but nothing more. The end didn't move me, even though it was supposed to be a cliffhanger I think... Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't relate to any of the characters, but it felt abrupt and a little flat.
Still, the world presented in this book though is interesting and I will probably pick up the next book, but I won't be waiting for it with baited breath.
Sweet, easy read from an interesting world. Torn between 2.5 or 3 stars... :P
The story is sweet and there are some cool fighting scenes, but I feel that they weren't highlighted like I expected them to be... Mason keeps losing her confidence in her skills and even after all the practice and effort she put into her traing a few verbal jabs from a former teammate are enough to throw her off her game. :P I expected Mason to be a more kickass character than that...
Fennrys was ok. Cute, strong, tortured, etc. I liked him like I liked Mason, but nothing more. The end didn't move me, even though it was supposed to be a cliffhanger I think... Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't relate to any of the characters, but it felt abrupt and a little flat.
Still, the world presented in this book though is interesting and I will probably pick up the next book, but I won't be waiting for it with baited breath.
Sweet, easy read from an interesting world. Torn between 2.5 or 3 stars... :P
Want to read
March 1, 2012Wait... Fennrys Wolf as in the same Fennrys Wolf from Wondrous Strange? Is she mixing the two series together or something??
January 6, 2020
This series was gifted to me by a friend. The premise, with a guy who has amnesia-like symptoms, seemed a little cliche (reading the book actually made me want to watch Borne Identity), but other than that I liked the book, and will continue reading the series.
January 24, 2018
Not bad, but the accent in the audio copy is distracting. Bounces between new England accent and Canadian. Words like been, sorry, and again sound so off compared to the rest of the reading.
November 22, 2013
3.5 stars.
Okay, first off. WHERE ON ASGARD IS THE SECOND BOOK??!!
Cover: Excuse me? Cover design artists? Can I has your attention?
*ahem*
Mason's hair is black (as Fenn points out on more than more occasion). Not brown
Her eyes aresapphire blue. Not brown.
Why is she in water?
What kind of a blurb is that?
I liked it; an interesting, fast read. I was never bored or wanted to chuck it aside. I liked the characters. Esp. Fenn, the poor dear.
This book is similar but different enough from Wondrous Strange trilogy that it didn't bother me. Esp. since there is a crossover.
Mason: Super rich. Horrible life. Smart and brave. But not overly so that you want to smack them because they're FEARLESS and stupid-smart. You know the ones...
Her dad is completely too far gone to be saved. Her brother locked her in a shed for two days when she was little resulting in her having fairly severe claustrophobia. Which I really hoped would be used more. So it created suspense and Fenn could save her.
She is pretty instantly attracted to Fenn. And do you want to know why the "instantly" part works here? Attracted. Not in love. And I like them which makes a big difference as well. At first, I'll admit, I was all, "IT'S TOO FAST, I TELL YOU! TOO FAST! SLOW DOWN! YOU'LL CRASH YOUR LITTLE HEARTS!!" But then I got here and all was well.
I think that I like Kelley slightly better as of right now.
I liked Mason. I liked her story. But I have some concerns as to where it is going.....
WHAT IN HADES IS GOING ON HERE?!
The end of this book begs to be asked this question.
I obliged.
Moving on......
Have I told anyone just how much I ADORE alternating POV??? Well, I ADORE it. I would marry this literary device if only I could.
Fenn: Fenn, darling. You poor tortured soul. Aww. If only you had someone who cared about you.....
*enter Mason*
Her!! Yes, her! She is perfect. She cares about you and quite frankly, you care about her too. You want what's best for her and you want to protect her and I just feel like you two should be together. Thy are not OTP level. I don't even really ship them to a large degree but I do like them.
Allrighty, on to other things.
Clearly I need to re-read Wondrous Strange to refresh my memory on back-story that we get on Fenn.
Rory: Um, you are psychotic.
Mason's dad: You are the father of all psychotics, you nut bag.
Roth: Mmmmmm. I think I maybe could like you. More on you, please? Maybe I can give you one of Fenn's "Save Mason" chips if you be a good person, yeah? I would like to see more brother & sister relationship in this series.
Heather: I ended up liking her. I didn't think I would but then I did.
Mythlogy: Well, very much a hodgepodge. Fey and Norse play the biggest part but it's made clear that all the mythologies are somewhat mixed together. I would love more explanation on all that in the future.
I am pretty excited for the sequels. By which I mean, "GIVE THE NEXT BOOK TO ME NOW OR SUFFER. Darn cliffhanger.
I liked the characters. I liked the story(though I was a tad confused). Good pacing and plotting(providing I get answers!!).
Content: language.
Okay, first off. WHERE ON ASGARD IS THE SECOND BOOK??!!
Cover: Excuse me? Cover design artists? Can I has your attention?
*ahem*
Mason's hair is black (as Fenn points out on more than more occasion). Not brown
Her eyes are
Why is she in water?
What kind of a blurb is that?
I liked it; an interesting, fast read. I was never bored or wanted to chuck it aside. I liked the characters. Esp. Fenn, the poor dear.
This book is similar but different enough from Wondrous Strange trilogy that it didn't bother me. Esp. since there is a crossover.
Mason: Super rich. Horrible life. Smart and brave. But not overly so that you want to smack them because they're FEARLESS and stupid-smart. You know the ones...
Her dad is completely too far gone to be saved. Her brother locked her in a shed for two days when she was little resulting in her having fairly severe claustrophobia. Which I really hoped would be used more. So it created suspense and Fenn could save her.
She is pretty instantly attracted to Fenn. And do you want to know why the "instantly" part works here? Attracted. Not in love. And I like them which makes a big difference as well. At first, I'll admit, I was all, "IT'S TOO FAST, I TELL YOU! TOO FAST! SLOW DOWN! YOU'LL CRASH YOUR LITTLE HEARTS!!" But then I got here and all was well.
I think that I like Kelley slightly better as of right now.
I liked Mason. I liked her story. But I have some concerns as to where it is going.....
WHAT IN HADES IS GOING ON HERE?!
The end of this book begs to be asked this question.
I obliged.
Moving on......
Have I told anyone just how much I ADORE alternating POV??? Well, I ADORE it. I would marry this literary device if only I could.
Fenn: Fenn, darling. You poor tortured soul. Aww. If only you had someone who cared about you.....
*enter Mason*
Her!! Yes, her! She is perfect. She cares about you and quite frankly, you care about her too. You want what's best for her and you want to protect her and I just feel like you two should be together. Thy are not OTP level. I don't even really ship them to a large degree but I do like them.
Allrighty, on to other things.
Clearly I need to re-read Wondrous Strange to refresh my memory on back-story that we get on Fenn.
Rory: Um, you are psychotic.
Mason's dad: You are the father of all psychotics, you nut bag.
Roth: Mmmmmm. I think I maybe could like you. More on you, please? Maybe I can give you one of Fenn's "Save Mason" chips if you be a good person, yeah? I would like to see more brother & sister relationship in this series.
Heather: I ended up liking her. I didn't think I would but then I did.
Mythlogy: Well, very much a hodgepodge. Fey and Norse play the biggest part but it's made clear that all the mythologies are somewhat mixed together. I would love more explanation on all that in the future.
I am pretty excited for the sequels. By which I mean, "GIVE THE NEXT BOOK TO ME NOW OR SUFFER. Darn cliffhanger.
I liked the characters. I liked the story(though I was a tad confused). Good pacing and plotting(providing I get answers!!).
Content: language.
December 3, 2012
STARLING is an exciting and action-packed adventure, with a fierce heroine, an even fiercer hero, shocking twists and turns and an ending that will make you desperate to get your hands on the next book in the series.
The story instantly pulls you in, introduces you to the world and nearly tears it apart, all within the first few pages. It’s fast-paced, it’s wildly entertaining, it’s got more than a little sizzle, and it will be impossible to put down until you’ve met every deadly threat and witnessed every intense battle.
I know I was riveted. Right from the start. All through the middle. To the very last word.
STARLING was everything I hoped it would be and then some. It was just as captivating and magical as the author’s Wondrous Strange series. The characters were just as engaging. And it was just so easy to get lost in the story, get tangled up in Mason Starling’s world which was turned completely upside down the moment the Fennrys Wolf crashed into her life.
Literally. Without a stitch of clothing on. Not. One. Stitch. And boy does he make a lasting first impression. Of course I’m talking about his ability to handle a sword, slay horrifying creatures and protect a group of otherwise helpless students and one ex-military fencing instructor. What did you think I meant?
I fell right back into Lesley Livingston’s version of New York City with its otherworldly beings plotting and scheming and biding their time waiting to break through and take over. And even though some time had passed since I’d last visited this world she created, I was immediately ensnared.
I was excited to meet this new character, Mason, discover the world through her eyes, and see just what role she would play. I was even more thrilled about seeing the Fennrys Wolf again, as he was one of my favorite characters in the author’s other series. The fact that he was to be a more central character to the story was what drew me to STARLING in the first place.
While it typically takes me quite some time to warm up to new characters an author creates, that was not the case with STARLING. I instantly liked Mason. She was competitive, more than a little bit fierce and was someone who was willing to go out on a limb for someone else. That she chose to take a chance on Fenn made her that much more endearing.
Lesley Livingston’s new series is incredibly addictive. Having just the one book to read won’t be enough. With all the secrets and lies it’s impossible to know who to trust. And with the mystery surrounding the Fennrys Wolf’s amnesia, even he can’t be trusted. Though you really want to trust him.
Filled with nail-biting chases and battles throughout the city, sword-fighting practices that sizzle, intriguing mythology that will make you want to know more, dark secrets that will leave you anxious for the safety of the characters you connect with, and an ending that will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat, STARLING is the start of a series not to be missed.
And if I had to pinpoint just a few highlights from this book that stood out, aside from the very charismatic, sarcastic and egotistical Fennrys Wolf, aside from the rather chilling Norse mythology that plays a huge role in this story, aside from the intense battles, electrifying chemistry and the dark twists and turns the story takes before it reaches its end, I would have to say the easy flow to the author’s writing, the darkly enchanting and magical world she built, the well-developed and compelling characters she created, and the cliff she leaves you stranded on.
The story instantly pulls you in, introduces you to the world and nearly tears it apart, all within the first few pages. It’s fast-paced, it’s wildly entertaining, it’s got more than a little sizzle, and it will be impossible to put down until you’ve met every deadly threat and witnessed every intense battle.
I know I was riveted. Right from the start. All through the middle. To the very last word.
STARLING was everything I hoped it would be and then some. It was just as captivating and magical as the author’s Wondrous Strange series. The characters were just as engaging. And it was just so easy to get lost in the story, get tangled up in Mason Starling’s world which was turned completely upside down the moment the Fennrys Wolf crashed into her life.
Literally. Without a stitch of clothing on. Not. One. Stitch. And boy does he make a lasting first impression. Of course I’m talking about his ability to handle a sword, slay horrifying creatures and protect a group of otherwise helpless students and one ex-military fencing instructor. What did you think I meant?
I fell right back into Lesley Livingston’s version of New York City with its otherworldly beings plotting and scheming and biding their time waiting to break through and take over. And even though some time had passed since I’d last visited this world she created, I was immediately ensnared.
I was excited to meet this new character, Mason, discover the world through her eyes, and see just what role she would play. I was even more thrilled about seeing the Fennrys Wolf again, as he was one of my favorite characters in the author’s other series. The fact that he was to be a more central character to the story was what drew me to STARLING in the first place.
While it typically takes me quite some time to warm up to new characters an author creates, that was not the case with STARLING. I instantly liked Mason. She was competitive, more than a little bit fierce and was someone who was willing to go out on a limb for someone else. That she chose to take a chance on Fenn made her that much more endearing.
Lesley Livingston’s new series is incredibly addictive. Having just the one book to read won’t be enough. With all the secrets and lies it’s impossible to know who to trust. And with the mystery surrounding the Fennrys Wolf’s amnesia, even he can’t be trusted. Though you really want to trust him.
Filled with nail-biting chases and battles throughout the city, sword-fighting practices that sizzle, intriguing mythology that will make you want to know more, dark secrets that will leave you anxious for the safety of the characters you connect with, and an ending that will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat, STARLING is the start of a series not to be missed.
And if I had to pinpoint just a few highlights from this book that stood out, aside from the very charismatic, sarcastic and egotistical Fennrys Wolf, aside from the rather chilling Norse mythology that plays a huge role in this story, aside from the intense battles, electrifying chemistry and the dark twists and turns the story takes before it reaches its end, I would have to say the easy flow to the author’s writing, the darkly enchanting and magical world she built, the well-developed and compelling characters she created, and the cliff she leaves you stranded on.
September 28, 2012
Jeezums. Well there's a cliffy if I ever saw one....sigh.
review to come.
~~~
See the full review on my blog! http://much-ado-about-books.blogspot....
I'll start off by saying I'm already a fan of Lesley Livingston; I read her Wondrous Strange trilogy in the span of two days. (I love anything Shakespeare, if you haven't gotten that already.) When I heard about this book, I didn't know until quite a while later, that it was a spin-off series, sort of centering around the supporting character, Fennrys. Now Fenn was never my favorite character and tended to keep me on edge whenever he appeared, but I was intrigued all the same and was excited to read Starling. Here are my thoughts upon finishing it.
The cover is really eye catching. The color tone fits the plot, and the girl on the front actually looks a lot like how Mason is described. Except her eyes aren't blue enough. (Her eyes were mentioned approximately a dozen times. :P) Wait, why is she walking through water and wearing Pan's pipes?
As soon as I read the blurb on the back, I clicked it to-read. Our heroine is a fencer. That's right; so she's going to be awesome. How unique is that? This is coming from a sabre fencer I might add, so that statement might be just a tiny bit biased . And overall I think this sport is a real part of the story. Mason is constantly practicing and you can tell it's really important to her. It's not like school, which is just mysteriously blown off, like many paranormal books usually do. She actually goes to practice and that proves she has a life outside of these pages.
Another thing that surprised me is that Mason has siblings. I know, right? And they actually have lines! No matter that they're all working together with an evil master-plan to sell her soul to save humanity...but they're alive and kicking! I really liked that. You might also like this blog post by Justine Larbalestier.
The pace of Starling is where it loses some star-points...It starts off with a quite literal bang of a huge unnatural thunderstorm, but then after about 50 pages of action, the story slows like a lot and I almost got bored. 100 pages later another action scene and then 20 pages after that, conversation again. I mean, you can only have so many conversations with an amnesic guy.
More on that amnesia thing. If I had known Fenn wouldn't even know who he was in this story, I would have picked it up expecting something different. Plots regarding memory always make me go ehhh......but it wasn't too bad. No strong opinions about it. Mostly it seemed like an easy escape to start an old character over again.
The romance aspect was mild. I didn't feel any chemistry between Mason and Fenn, but it was sweet I guess. Mostly it was Fenn drooling over her eye color, I mean really. It's not that I didn't particularly like it, I just didn't feel any strong connection between them. As of now, there is no strong third point to a triangle though.
I guess I expected to LOVE this, but it's more like I "really enjoyed" Starling. After that rather abrupt cliffy, it of course makes me want to read the next one...but it won't be at the very top of my can't-wait-for list. I still for sure recommend Starling for any fan of paranormal.
review to come.
~~~
See the full review on my blog! http://much-ado-about-books.blogspot....
I'll start off by saying I'm already a fan of Lesley Livingston; I read her Wondrous Strange trilogy in the span of two days. (I love anything Shakespeare, if you haven't gotten that already.) When I heard about this book, I didn't know until quite a while later, that it was a spin-off series, sort of centering around the supporting character, Fennrys. Now Fenn was never my favorite character and tended to keep me on edge whenever he appeared, but I was intrigued all the same and was excited to read Starling. Here are my thoughts upon finishing it.
The cover is really eye catching. The color tone fits the plot, and the girl on the front actually looks a lot like how Mason is described. Except her eyes aren't blue enough. (Her eyes were mentioned approximately a dozen times. :P) Wait, why is she walking through water and wearing Pan's pipes?
As soon as I read the blurb on the back, I clicked it to-read. Our heroine is a fencer. That's right; so she's going to be awesome. How unique is that? This is coming from a sabre fencer I might add, so that statement might be just a tiny bit biased . And overall I think this sport is a real part of the story. Mason is constantly practicing and you can tell it's really important to her. It's not like school, which is just mysteriously blown off, like many paranormal books usually do. She actually goes to practice and that proves she has a life outside of these pages.
Another thing that surprised me is that Mason has siblings. I know, right? And they actually have lines! No matter that they're all working together with an evil master-plan to sell her soul to save humanity...but they're alive and kicking! I really liked that. You might also like this blog post by Justine Larbalestier.
The pace of Starling is where it loses some star-points...It starts off with a quite literal bang of a huge unnatural thunderstorm, but then after about 50 pages of action, the story slows like a lot and I almost got bored. 100 pages later another action scene and then 20 pages after that, conversation again. I mean, you can only have so many conversations with an amnesic guy.
More on that amnesia thing. If I had known Fenn wouldn't even know who he was in this story, I would have picked it up expecting something different. Plots regarding memory always make me go ehhh......but it wasn't too bad. No strong opinions about it. Mostly it seemed like an easy escape to start an old character over again.
The romance aspect was mild. I didn't feel any chemistry between Mason and Fenn, but it was sweet I guess. Mostly it was Fenn drooling over her eye color, I mean really. It's not that I didn't particularly like it, I just didn't feel any strong connection between them. As of now, there is no strong third point to a triangle though.
I guess I expected to LOVE this, but it's more like I "really enjoyed" Starling. After that rather abrupt cliffy, it of course makes me want to read the next one...but it won't be at the very top of my can't-wait-for list. I still for sure recommend Starling for any fan of paranormal.
April 20, 2015
Mason Starling é uma jovem que sempre teve tudo o que quis. Vinda de uma família muito rica, a mais de sua cidade, ela sempre teve tudo o que quis, mas nunca se deixou levar por todo esse luxo e conforto. Sua maior paixão é a esgrima, esporte pela qual se consagrou campeã de seu estado. Numa noite, enquanto está treinando na Academia Gosforth,uma forte tempestade se forma no céu. Ela e seus amigos do time, incluindo seu ex-namorado com a qual tem uma relação bastante conturbada, ficam presos. Ao tentarem sair de lá, se deparam com uma chuva de criaturas horrendas que começam a atacá-los. É nesse momento que Mason terá de usar suas habilidades com o esporte para salvar a sua vida.
Após o sufoco passar, nossa protagonista percebe que na árvore em que caiu um raio e a dividiu ao meu encontra-se um jovem nu e em posição fetal. Fennrys não se recorda de seu passado, nem do que o levou àquele lugar. Ele se lembra que era chamado de o Lobo, mas não sabe muito bem o porque. Mason se vê estranhamente atraída pelo novo rapaz, mesmo que isso vá lhe implicar sérias complicações.
Quando ambos se juntam para buscar o passado de Fenn, uma série de eventos sobrenaturais começa a ocorrer e logo eles verão que estão no centro de uma trama ainda maior, que envolve mais de um mundo. Fenn e Mason descobrirão que estão juntos numa jornada afim de evitar o Ragnarök, ou o fim do mundo tal qual conhecemos. Conseguirão eles cumprir sua missão?
Starling é o primeiro livro de uma trilogia homônima que já tem todos os títulos lançados lá fora. A história é um YA sobrenatural que se passa numa nova York sombria e cheia de mistérios. Há elementos de mitologia e de fantasia presentes em toda a narrativa. A autora desenvolve o romance do casal de protagonistas do momento em que se conhecem até quando se veem juntos, em uma missão que colocará em xeque todas as suas habilidades.
Há muito tempo uma série sobrenatural não me prendia tanto quando essa. A leitura desse livro foi deliciosa. Sabe quando uma história te vicia e você fica querendo ler mais e mais dela? Foi isso que aconteceu comigo. Gosto de sobrenaturais que trabalham bem o romance, sem deixar de lado a ação e os conflitos dos personagens.
A narrativa de Livingston equilibra muito bem os diálogos e as descrições, de modo que faz com que a leitura seja ágil e com que o leitor não consiga largar o livro até a última página. O mistério de Fenn, aliado aos conflitos vividos por Mason e, sobretudo, o passado sombrio de sua família, dá uma excelente liga à história. Não há fortes desenvolvimentos de plots secundários, o que fortalece muito o plot original e cria uma boa condução da narrativa até o seu final. Há grandes reviravoltas, traições e revelações ao longo de todo o livro, o que o deixa ainda mais interessante.
Livro mais do que recomendado a todos que gostam de histórias do gênero. Estou ansioso pela continuação.
site: http://www.capaetitulo.com.br/2015/04...
Após o sufoco passar, nossa protagonista percebe que na árvore em que caiu um raio e a dividiu ao meu encontra-se um jovem nu e em posição fetal. Fennrys não se recorda de seu passado, nem do que o levou àquele lugar. Ele se lembra que era chamado de o Lobo, mas não sabe muito bem o porque. Mason se vê estranhamente atraída pelo novo rapaz, mesmo que isso vá lhe implicar sérias complicações.
Quando ambos se juntam para buscar o passado de Fenn, uma série de eventos sobrenaturais começa a ocorrer e logo eles verão que estão no centro de uma trama ainda maior, que envolve mais de um mundo. Fenn e Mason descobrirão que estão juntos numa jornada afim de evitar o Ragnarök, ou o fim do mundo tal qual conhecemos. Conseguirão eles cumprir sua missão?
Starling é o primeiro livro de uma trilogia homônima que já tem todos os títulos lançados lá fora. A história é um YA sobrenatural que se passa numa nova York sombria e cheia de mistérios. Há elementos de mitologia e de fantasia presentes em toda a narrativa. A autora desenvolve o romance do casal de protagonistas do momento em que se conhecem até quando se veem juntos, em uma missão que colocará em xeque todas as suas habilidades.
Há muito tempo uma série sobrenatural não me prendia tanto quando essa. A leitura desse livro foi deliciosa. Sabe quando uma história te vicia e você fica querendo ler mais e mais dela? Foi isso que aconteceu comigo. Gosto de sobrenaturais que trabalham bem o romance, sem deixar de lado a ação e os conflitos dos personagens.
A narrativa de Livingston equilibra muito bem os diálogos e as descrições, de modo que faz com que a leitura seja ágil e com que o leitor não consiga largar o livro até a última página. O mistério de Fenn, aliado aos conflitos vividos por Mason e, sobretudo, o passado sombrio de sua família, dá uma excelente liga à história. Não há fortes desenvolvimentos de plots secundários, o que fortalece muito o plot original e cria uma boa condução da narrativa até o seu final. Há grandes reviravoltas, traições e revelações ao longo de todo o livro, o que o deixa ainda mais interessante.
Livro mais do que recomendado a todos que gostam de histórias do gênero. Estou ansioso pela continuação.
site: http://www.capaetitulo.com.br/2015/04...
August 9, 2012
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: Literary Exploration
Lesley Livingston's Starling is an epic adventure filled with Norse mythology and fantastical elements. I've always been a fan of mythology, but Norse mythology is a rarity in YA fiction. Livingston did a wonderful job uniting the fantastical with reality. Sometimes mystical creatures are hidden right in plain sight! There was little that I didn't like about Starling. It's an epic adventure filled with strong characters and intriguing new ideas. Norse mythology based stories are definitely a new favorite of mine, and I can see them rising in the ranks of YA fiction. I am so incredibly excited to read the next one and find out what's going to happen with Mason and Fenn!
Mason Starling is such a strong female protagonist. She's an amazing fencer (yes! fencing!) and she doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. She's strong, independent, and she can easily take care of herself and the people around her. Fenn is the perfect match for her; equally strong and protective, but doesn't see Mason as an inferior female. He is incredibly protective of her, but he respects her and teaches her how she can take care of herself, treating her like his equal. Although I haven't seen the movie yet, Fenn really reminded me of Thor (maybe just the looks?). All of the side characters are equally as exciting, whether they're good, evil, or just watching from the sidelines. Mason is incredibly easy to relate to even if she is being thrust into such a fantastic world.
Livingston's writing style is gorgeous and elegant, filled with intricate metaphors and similes. The way she builds things up is just amazing, leading to spine-tingling moments of realization. Even though Norse, Greek, Roman, and other types of mythology are all mentioned, it is explained how they're all connected which I really appreciated because it's a huge pet peeve of mine when several types of mythology are just thrown together without any explanation. The one problem that I did have was Fenn's language. He's supposed to come from some magical other world, although I suppose he's been living in our world, but his language constantly fluctuates between the modern and formal which drove me nuts. I honestly think that a more formal language style would have suited him better.
Overall, I absolutely loved Starling and everything about it was just so new and refreshing. Starling is definitely spawning a new love for Norse mythology and I can't wait to see what's coming next. I definitely recommend this one to fans of fantasy, adventure, and mythology. I remember comparing this story to that of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Chronicles of Narnia and I definitely stick by that. If you're looking for something new and exciting you definitely need to pick up Starling!
Lesley Livingston's Starling is an epic adventure filled with Norse mythology and fantastical elements. I've always been a fan of mythology, but Norse mythology is a rarity in YA fiction. Livingston did a wonderful job uniting the fantastical with reality. Sometimes mystical creatures are hidden right in plain sight! There was little that I didn't like about Starling. It's an epic adventure filled with strong characters and intriguing new ideas. Norse mythology based stories are definitely a new favorite of mine, and I can see them rising in the ranks of YA fiction. I am so incredibly excited to read the next one and find out what's going to happen with Mason and Fenn!
Mason Starling is such a strong female protagonist. She's an amazing fencer (yes! fencing!) and she doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. She's strong, independent, and she can easily take care of herself and the people around her. Fenn is the perfect match for her; equally strong and protective, but doesn't see Mason as an inferior female. He is incredibly protective of her, but he respects her and teaches her how she can take care of herself, treating her like his equal. Although I haven't seen the movie yet, Fenn really reminded me of Thor (maybe just the looks?). All of the side characters are equally as exciting, whether they're good, evil, or just watching from the sidelines. Mason is incredibly easy to relate to even if she is being thrust into such a fantastic world.
Livingston's writing style is gorgeous and elegant, filled with intricate metaphors and similes. The way she builds things up is just amazing, leading to spine-tingling moments of realization. Even though Norse, Greek, Roman, and other types of mythology are all mentioned, it is explained how they're all connected which I really appreciated because it's a huge pet peeve of mine when several types of mythology are just thrown together without any explanation. The one problem that I did have was Fenn's language. He's supposed to come from some magical other world, although I suppose he's been living in our world, but his language constantly fluctuates between the modern and formal which drove me nuts. I honestly think that a more formal language style would have suited him better.
Overall, I absolutely loved Starling and everything about it was just so new and refreshing. Starling is definitely spawning a new love for Norse mythology and I can't wait to see what's coming next. I definitely recommend this one to fans of fantasy, adventure, and mythology. I remember comparing this story to that of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Chronicles of Narnia and I definitely stick by that. If you're looking for something new and exciting you definitely need to pick up Starling!
December 18, 2012
I greatly enjoyed WONDROUS STRANGE the year it came out. But that was also long enough ago that my reading taste has evolved drastically. I don't know if Livingston’s writing has always been this way and I liked it more when I was younger, or if this book just missed the mark that WONDROUS STRANGE was able to hit. Either way, I think I went in expecting too much and was, unfortunately, disappointed.
While the opening sequence of this book is awesome in the sense that it is packed full of action, that’s the only positive thing I can say about it. Once I stepped away to actually consider what was going on, I was struck with how random and convoluted it all seemed because the kids—completely out of nowhere--were suddenly killing these evil creatures that they never knew existed with lead pipes and the help of a naked boy with mad sword-wielding skills. Sounds rather interesting though slightly strange, don’t you think? If such a scene was executed with more explanation and less unknown, I think I would have enjoyed it much more. Instances like this that are strange, unexpected, and unexplainable more than anything else pretty much set the tone with this one and can be found throughout.
But what really caused this story to drag for me was the concept of “show don’t tell” when writing. I love detail, I love being shown the unraveling of new mysteries, being dropped hints to figure things out myself as a reader, but I almost felt as if Livingston was telling me everything. We would get a huge little piece of potential speculation dropped on us only to have a character flat out explain everything a page later and tell us what we need to know instead of giving us the chance to infer anything. This frustrated me more and more as I read and I felt like it could have really helped further the plot if it was the other way around. I, unfortunately, can’t share an example of this with you because I don’t want to spoil anything.
Despite all of this, other plot points were truly fascinating to me. The Norse mythology is plentiful, though slightly confusing in the very beginning. Unfortunately, the revelations evolving around the Norse mythology, especially in Rory’s case, are told to us instead of shown. With all of that being said though, I think that most people will enjoy this one. This is one of those cases that most people I have talked to that have read this book loved it. It seems that I am more or less an outlier by disliking it and finding it unsatisfying.
So do I recommend it to anyone? It’s really hard to say. While I am in no rush to read the sequel and may not make an effort to do so, I think that it’s worth giving this book a chance because it seems to be widely adored by many and disliked by very few (me being one of the few).
While the opening sequence of this book is awesome in the sense that it is packed full of action, that’s the only positive thing I can say about it. Once I stepped away to actually consider what was going on, I was struck with how random and convoluted it all seemed because the kids—completely out of nowhere--were suddenly killing these evil creatures that they never knew existed with lead pipes and the help of a naked boy with mad sword-wielding skills. Sounds rather interesting though slightly strange, don’t you think? If such a scene was executed with more explanation and less unknown, I think I would have enjoyed it much more. Instances like this that are strange, unexpected, and unexplainable more than anything else pretty much set the tone with this one and can be found throughout.
But what really caused this story to drag for me was the concept of “show don’t tell” when writing. I love detail, I love being shown the unraveling of new mysteries, being dropped hints to figure things out myself as a reader, but I almost felt as if Livingston was telling me everything. We would get a huge little piece of potential speculation dropped on us only to have a character flat out explain everything a page later and tell us what we need to know instead of giving us the chance to infer anything. This frustrated me more and more as I read and I felt like it could have really helped further the plot if it was the other way around. I, unfortunately, can’t share an example of this with you because I don’t want to spoil anything.
Despite all of this, other plot points were truly fascinating to me. The Norse mythology is plentiful, though slightly confusing in the very beginning. Unfortunately, the revelations evolving around the Norse mythology, especially in Rory’s case, are told to us instead of shown. With all of that being said though, I think that most people will enjoy this one. This is one of those cases that most people I have talked to that have read this book loved it. It seems that I am more or less an outlier by disliking it and finding it unsatisfying.
So do I recommend it to anyone? It’s really hard to say. While I am in no rush to read the sequel and may not make an effort to do so, I think that it’s worth giving this book a chance because it seems to be widely adored by many and disliked by very few (me being one of the few).
September 18, 2012
This book wasn't exactly up to my expectations. I was expecting a fast paced novel that would rock my socks off with all its mythology and action, but what I got was just a mythological novel that fell flat to me.
Mason Starling is a girl who is a master in fencing. She can take over any competition and win against anyone. One night while practicing, a storm come and almost wipes out her entire school, Gosforth Academy. With the storm comes a mysterious stranger whom makes all the difference in Mason's world.
Cross posted here and at my blog: Take Me Away...
As I said this book sort of fell flat from what I was expecting. So here's what I really enjoyed. I LOVED the mythology aspect of the story. It was a really interesting read. I'm not that familiar with Norse mythology (although its like all other legends where they are all basically the same gods and goddess and they all do the same things, just with different names) so everything I read in this book was basically a learning experience. I learned a lot from this book and was able to take a lesson away from it.
The only bad thing about this lesson, was the fact that the plot was moving so slow. It seemed like after the amazinf first chapter, nothing "exciting" happened until the middle of the book. That quarter in between just seemed like an information dump. Then at the second part it of the book it was the same way. The first quarter was like another information dump (like she was setting up for the climax) and then there was the amazing ending. It was literally like this /\_____/\____/\
Then there was the writing itself. I LOVED its descriptiveness. Its what saved the story for me. I wanted to continue reading her writing versus wanted to finish reading the story. Its what kept me pulled into the story.
But along with that comes the insta-love. The romance was pretty weird. Like at first, it was they didn't like/know each other and then as soon as they were able to spend more time together, after the first time they were in love. I can't stand that instalove scenario anymore. Be original, make them fight for each other, make their love forbidden or something.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book. i really enjoyed the writing and the mythology. The plot and insta-love not so much... But with an ending like that I will definitely be completing the series.
Mason Starling is a girl who is a master in fencing. She can take over any competition and win against anyone. One night while practicing, a storm come and almost wipes out her entire school, Gosforth Academy. With the storm comes a mysterious stranger whom makes all the difference in Mason's world.
Cross posted here and at my blog: Take Me Away...
As I said this book sort of fell flat from what I was expecting. So here's what I really enjoyed. I LOVED the mythology aspect of the story. It was a really interesting read. I'm not that familiar with Norse mythology (although its like all other legends where they are all basically the same gods and goddess and they all do the same things, just with different names) so everything I read in this book was basically a learning experience. I learned a lot from this book and was able to take a lesson away from it.
The only bad thing about this lesson, was the fact that the plot was moving so slow. It seemed like after the amazinf first chapter, nothing "exciting" happened until the middle of the book. That quarter in between just seemed like an information dump. Then at the second part it of the book it was the same way. The first quarter was like another information dump (like she was setting up for the climax) and then there was the amazing ending. It was literally like this /\_____/\____/\
Then there was the writing itself. I LOVED its descriptiveness. Its what saved the story for me. I wanted to continue reading her writing versus wanted to finish reading the story. Its what kept me pulled into the story.
But along with that comes the insta-love. The romance was pretty weird. Like at first, it was they didn't like/know each other and then as soon as they were able to spend more time together, after the first time they were in love. I can't stand that instalove scenario anymore. Be original, make them fight for each other, make their love forbidden or something.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book. i really enjoyed the writing and the mythology. The plot and insta-love not so much... But with an ending like that I will definitely be completing the series.
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