Review: Luminaire by Ciye Cho

Name of book: Luminaire (Florence Waverley #2)
Author: Ciye Cho
Publication: December 1st 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Provided by the kind author...
Goodreads

Being the only human in a world of merfolk... isn't easy. Florence Waverley chose to stay in Niemela, but things have gone awry. Secrets have risen and the prince she cares about has pulled away. All the while, dark dreams warn her of a tragedy that only she can stop. But in order to save the merman she loves, Florence will have to enter the Life Path tournament: a brutal test of fear and madness.

The tournament is a rite of passage--a maze where young mermaids and mermen battle to find their purpose. It is also a place where Florence will face grave danger: mermaids with evil magic, tunnels filled with sea fire, and guardians who wish to use her as a pawn in their secret plans. But will Florence be strong enough to survive the tournament... or will she perish inside it?

Everything hangs in the balance: her life, her world, and her love.

-- My Rating --

5/5 You NEED to read this...

-- My Thoughts --

     Wow. I read the first book, Florence (find my review here) a few months ago. And I fell in love with Ciye Cho's amazing world building and character development. This book was even better.

     Florence is settling down in Neimelia, but without a life path, she feels useless. She cannot be a mermaid, and Rolan is slipping more and more away. So, when the tournament starts, she decides to join, too. But is choosing a life path that easy? Will she get out of the tournament alive? Will she figure out the conspiracy that is threatening to destroy everything she believes in? Find out more when you read Luminaire. Unique. Action-packed. And spell-binding. You will never get bored with this.

     I absolutely loved this book. First, Ciye Cho is one of the most amazing world-builders I have ever seen. His imagination is so vivid, I felt like I was there. Beneath the dark, scary waters, with Florence. His descriptions will never bore you, since he has a way of turning everything ordinary into extraordinary. Ciye Cho is a pro. I loved all the new characters he added into this round. Specially the wickedly lovely mermaids with their long, deadly braids. Second, his characters. They are so easy to relate to, to fall in love with. All of them are multi-layered with believable motivations and back-stories.

     I could go on and on about the amazing-ness of this book. I loved it as much as the fins in the waters. But you have to read it for yourself to find out. This is one of the best fantasy series out there! It's screaming "TURN ME INTO A MOVIE!".

Review: Florence by Ciye Cho

Name of book: Florence

Author: Ciye Cho

Publication: July 1st 2012

Genre: YA Paranormal

Source: Won

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

      Well, when I entered the giveaway for this book, I didn't know what to expect. Since the cover was incredible, don't you think so? Just look at the blend between the colors and how the face covers almost 3/4 of the cover. The cover is very unique, the girl is a resemblance of the main character and the cover is an illustration not a photograph. It's not just some girl with a fluffy dress and a tiara or some boy walking through a damaged pitch-black world, it's beautiful. The blurb is captivating but brief, so I couldn't help but start building HUGE expectations for this book.

     Florence Waverly lives with her uncle, she's not an outsider but she's not  popular either. Just your average normal girl. On a school trip, Florence dives down into the sea, trying to catch some moments with her camera. She wasn't prepared for some merman catching her and bringing her back to his world.

      Thrust into Niemela, she is treated with hostility but at the same time, she becomes Yooli's (the princess of Niemela) friend and guest, and gets to know Yooli's two brothers: the cold, arrogant Prince Rolan and the caring, gorgeous king-to-be, Prince Kiren. In a world that she knows nothing about, Florence must learn many things about Niemela and about herself. But not everyone in Niemela are as honest as they seem, even the two charming Princes are each hiding something, something from the past, and something that will change the future.

     What are the secrets of the two Princes? Will Florence ever be able to fit in? And who will she choose: Rolan or Kiren? Want to know? Why don't you read this breath-taking,, under-the-surface, romantic adventure, Florence...

     I loved this book! Let me tell you why. First, the world building was brilliant. This book had one of the most developed world-building I have ever seen in a YA book. Every detail was taken care of, nothing was too superficial or shallow. Ciye Cho created a magical world but still spread his own touch on the novel. I spent days thinking about Niemela even after I finished the book, it was so magical and captivating.

    Second, I loved the characters. Florence is very very easy to relate to, she reads books, takes photographs, she is so cool and put-together, I want to have a friend like her! Kiren was handsome, caring, and lovable even after what happened (I don't want to spoil anything) Rolan is very cold sometimes, but he has a reason and he holds Florence deep in his heart, I loved loved loved him! Yooli is a very good friend, she is very funny and adorable, a great company.

     But yet still, none of the characters, not even one of them are one-dimensional, every one of them have their motives, reasons, and background stories. Ciye Cho is a great writer. I also loved how the characters develop through the book, how Florence changes from being an insecure teenager to a mature, strong young woman.

     Although there are stories about mermaids and mermen, this book definitely stands out. This novel is original to the very core.  Florence is magical and mesmerizing, I will surely be waiting for a sequel to this, but I am not sure if there is one. Please, please, let there be a sequel. If you want an enjoyable, heart-wrenching read that is different from anything you have read before, then read Florence, you won't regret it...