Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Alchemist & an Amaretto Blitz & Giveaway

  

The Alchemist and an Amaretto
Annette Marie
(The Guild Codex: Spellbound #5)
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: October 11th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
As a guild bartender, I can handle pretty much anything—mages, sorcerers, witches, the occasional demon. But show me anything family-related and I’d rather run for the hills. It doesn’t even have to be my family.
So I have no idea why I thought spending the holidays with Aaron’s mom and pop was a good idea.
Meeting his famous parents is already terrifying enough, but I’ve got a bigger problem. Students of his family’s renowned mage academy are being attacked on the grounds—and somehow no one has seen a single assailant? Unexplained tracks litter the nearby woods, rumors of forbidden alchemy are circulating the campus…and Ezra has been acting strangely since we arrived.
Something deadly is brewing in the shadow of Sinclair Academy, and the longer we take to uncover it, the more dangerous it becomes. But no matter the risk, we’ll protect the students.
And Aaron’s parents too, I suppose. If we have to.
EXCERPT:
Ezra stopped, hands on his hips as he surveyed the lazy slope that swept up to the towering manor. “All right. Time for our final sprint.”
I snorted. “Yeah, uh-huh.”
“I’m serious. We always finish our workouts with something competitive.”
Like competitive pushups. I shivered at the reminder.
“This is the starting line. That tree is the finish. First one there wins.”
“What’s the prize?” I folded my arms, eyeing the distance. Not that far but not twenty yards either. “You, Aaron, and Kai always bet something.”
He rubbed the hint of shadow along his jaw. “Winner’s choice, I guess.”
Ooh, I liked the sound of that. Grinning, I got into a starting position. “You’re on.”
He took the same position. Clearing his throat, he deepened his voice to mimic a sports announcer. “On your mark. Get set. G—”
“What’s that?” I gasped, pointing behind him.
He snapped around to look—and I launched into a mad sprint, arms pumping. Ezra swore and took off after me, but I had a head start. I would reach the finish first and totally win this.
Right as I drew level with the target tree, hands caught my waist. Ezra swept me off the ground, still running—an impossible feat if not for his inhuman strength. He stopped just past the tree, laughing too hard to hold me up. My back slid down his chest and my feet landed in the grass.
“I can’t believe I fell for that,” he said breathlessly. “You’re such a cheater.”
Whirling to face him, I smirked. “I was manufacturing a combat advantage, not cheating. Kai’s been teaching me.”
“A race isn’t combat.”
“Maybe I was running for my life.”
“From me?” He arched a playful eyebrow. “Does that mean you don’t like being chased?” “Depends who’s doing the chasing,” I shot back teasingly.
“Oh? So is it the chase you prefer, or the catch?”
I tossed my hair with pretend haughtiness. “You think you could catch me?”
“Pretty sure I already did.”
My heart did a crazy tumble through my chest and a grin stretched my mouth. I couldn’t hold it back any more than I could stop the blush heating my cheeks.
“Well,” I began dramatically, spreading my arms as I stepped backward, “do I look—”
My heel caught on a tree root hidden in the grass. Squealing, I pitched over, arms wind-milling. My back hit the ground, the air punched from my chest, and I blinked dazedly at the overcast sky.
Damn it.
Ezra’s face appeared above mine. He crouched at my side, his expression drawn into grave concern. “Tori, are you still with me?”
I choked on a laugh and whispered, “Ezra? Is that you?”
“I’m here.” He took my hand and patted it gently. “Just hang in there.”
I fluttered my fingers. “Everything is growing dark.”
“Go toward the light, Tori.”
My eyebrows quirked. “Shouldn’t I go away from the light?”
“It doesn’t have the same ring,” he decided. “You’ll have to go toward the light.”
“Toward the light it is.” I waited a moment. “Now what?”
He took my hands and folded them on my chest in the classic body-in-casket pose—and I lost it. Cackling with laughter, I sat up and checked the grass stain on my elbow.
“Next time, I’ll make you laugh first,” I promised. He grinned as he stood. “You can try.”

Author Bio:
Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

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Monday, October 7, 2019

Crowfall (Raven's Mark #3) by Ed McDonald

Crowfall (Raven's Mark, #3)

Crowfall is a gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch, and Daniel Polansky.
'Dark, twisty and excellent...Grimdark with heart' Mark Lawrence.
A sorceress cataclysm has hit the Range, the final defensive line between the Republic and the immortal Deep Kings. 
Tormenting red rains sweep the land, new monstrosities feed on fear in the darkness, and the power of the Nameless, the gods who protect the Republic, lies broken. The Blackwing captains who serve them are being picked off one by one, and even immortals have learned what it means to die. Meanwhile, the Deep Kinds have only grown stronger and are poised to deliver a blow that will finally end the war. 
Ryhalt Galharrow stands apart from it all.
He has been deeper into the wasteland known as the Misery than ever before. It has grown within him - changed him - but all power comes with a price, and now the ghosts of his past, formerly confined to the Misery, walk with him everywhere.
They will even follow him, and the few surviving Blackwing captains, on one final mission into the darkness.

Review

First of all, if you have not read the first two book in this series, please check out my reviews for Blackwing (book #1) and Ravencry (book #2) first! I will try not to give away too many spoilers from the first 2 books in this review, but it may happen. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 

   Blackwing (Ravens' Mark #1)           Ravencry (Raven's Mark, #2)


Too many endings right now! First this one, then Broken Veil, the last book in the Harbinger series, by Jeff Wheeler. I definitely wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters in either series. 

The first books in this series were awesome, so I had very high expectations going into this book. I truthfully was a little worried that it might not live up to my expectations, especially after certain characters died in the last book. I won't give up any spoilers though, in case you haven't read the first two books, year. However, again, if you haven't read the first two books, please stop reading this and go do that now, or at least check out my review of the first book HERE. 

I was impressed with how well the author did the last book in the series. Everything is pretty well wrapped up but still had the same all-around weirdness, just like the rest of the series. There was actually some crazy, new weirdness in this book that was pretty awesome. I wasn't sure how Ed McDonald was going to out-do the last ones, but he definitely did it.

Although some old friends were gone during this book, some other old friends reappeared, which made me really happy. I won't talk about that, though. Definitely don't want to spoil that! You should probably just go read the book!

I love Ed McDonald's humor! While this book does have some dark moments, and some gory moments, and some (a lot) of weird moments, there is also humor sprinkled in there, as well. 

Thank you to the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Crowfall (Raven's Mark, #3)

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Broken Veil (Harbinger #5) by Jeff Wheeler

Broken Veil (Harbinger #5)
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler's epic Harbinger series comes to a breathtaking conclusion as two women are swept into a battle that could easily destroy two worlds. 
Rescued from a world of poverty, Cettie Pratt has avoided a bleak destiny - until now. Deceived and manipulated, she has been groomed for the ultimate betrayal: to destroy her best friend and stop peace from uniting two war-torn worlds. Her path leads her to a mysterious underworld where appearances can be deceiving. 
Sera Fitxempress knows the value she has to her enemies. As heir to the empire, she must keep her foes at bay and prevent them from unleashing a being of unspeakable evil upon the world, while fighting a brutal war. But her enemies are more cunning than Sera expects, and the key to their plans is none other than her best friend. 
Neither woman knows what to believe. Neither one knows if she can trust the other. Both Cettie and Sera have made decisions that have irrevocably changed them. But the decision they have yet to make will determine the fate of their world...

Review

Let me first apologize! Sorry I have not been posting often. I have also not been reading nearly as much as I normally do, which has been terrible.

I work full-time, and I am also doing my internship for my master's degree right now. So, right now, I am usually either at work, at my internship, or sleeping. I haven't had time for much else. I am counting down the days until I am able to read more again, though!

Now on to the book...

If you have not read the first 4 books in the Harbinger series, check out my reviews for them first here:

Click each book cover to read my review for that book.

Storm Glass (Harbinger #1) Mirror Gate
Iron Garland     Prism Cloud (Harbinger #4)

This was a great ending to the Harbinger series!

The first book had me hooked immediately, and Jeff Wheeler kept his hooks in me for all 4 books after that!

I was wondering how the author was going to try to wrap things up, considering how much happened in the third book. I was so happy with how he did it, although I kind of wish a couple of parts included a little more substance. I won't give away any spoilers, though.

However, overall, I am happy with how the series ended. The third book threw lots of twists and turns into the story, and this book ironed many of them out. This book wrapped everything up nicely.

I don't think there will be another book unless it follow a completely different plotline. However, I really hope the author decides to keep going with the characters from these books. I got attached to these characters and am not ready to let them go just yet.

Now that I have finished this series, I need to go back and read the Kingfountain and Legends of Muirwood books! Even if I can't read more about the same characters, at least I can read more stories set in the same world!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Tiny but Mighty by Hannah Shaw (aka Kitten Lady)

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From Kitten Lady, the professional kitten rescuer, humane educator, animal advocate, and owner of the popular Instagram @kittenxlady comes the definitive book on saving the most vulnerable--and adorable--feline population: newborn kittens.

Hannah Shaw, better known as Kitten Lady, has dedicated her life to saving the tiniest felines, but one doesn't have to be a professional kitten rescuer to change--and save--lives. In Tiny but Mighty, Hannah not only outlines the dangers newborn kittens face and how she combats them, but how you can help every step of the way, from fighting feline overpopulation on the streets to fostering unweaned kittens, from combating illness to combatting compassion fatifue, from finding a vet to finding the purrfect forever home. Filled with information on animal welfare, instructional guides, and personal rescue stories of kittens like Chloe, Tidbit, Hank, and Badger--not to mention hundreds of adorable kitten photos--Tiny but Mighty is the must-have kitten book for cat lovers, current-and-future rescuers, foster parents, activists, and advocates.

Review

Sorry, it's been a while! On top of my full-time job, I have been going to my internship site for 20 hours a week, plus class once a week, supervision once a week, homework, and way too much other stuff. Sounds exhausting, doesn't it? 

It is! Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to read. 😥😥😥

I just HAD to post a quick review about this book that comes out today, though! The author is one of the most inspiring people I can think of. 

So, this is quite a bit different from the other books that I usually review. Because cats.


I have been following the Kitten Lady on Instagram for a year or two now. Even though I don't foster kittens (yet), I have watched a bunch of her YouTube videos about taking care of kittens, because they are adorable (and educational). Even though I have always been a cat lover, she is a big part of why I started volunteering with a local rescue, and I have learned so much from her.

Although this book would be totally awesome if it only contained the adorable cat pictures that are in it, it also contains a ton of information about animal advocacy, taking care of tiny kittens, fostering, adoption, TNR, and tons of other topics related to kittens. There is even a section on self-care and compassion fatigue. My point, there is something for everyone... even if you don't li

I had already learned so much just by following the Kitten Lady's Instagram and watching her YouTube videos, so when I heard about this book, I knew I HAD to get a copy!

This book was everything I expected and more. It gives so much great information, as well as heartwarming stories of past foster babies, many of whom I follow on Instagram, and of course TONS of cute kitten pictures, many photographed by Hannah or her fiance, Andrew Marttila (aka @iamthecatphotographer).  

Whether you currently foster kittens, think you might like to try fostering at some point, current help with cat rescue in any way or are interested in learning more about it, or if you just like cats, this book is a must-read. I guarantee you will learn a lot and come away smiling (after laughing and crying a bunch).

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book!


About the Author

Hannah Shaw (aka Kitten Lady) is a kitten rescuer, humane educator, author, and unwavering animal advocate who has dedicated her life to finding innovative ways to protect animals. Her project, Kitten Lady, strives to create global change in a way we perceive and treat the tiniest and most vulnerable felines, orphan kittens.

Kitten Lady provides educational media, training resources, and instructional workshops and consulting services that help individuals and animal shelters learn how to save the lives of kittens-- in a fun and engaging format. 

Visit her website: http://www.kittenlady.org or the website for her and her fiance's non-profit dedicated to saving kittens: Orphan Kitten Club


I know you all want to see kitten pics, but how awesome is this artwork from IG done by @ArtByJuliet?




Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

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Strange the Dreamer Synopsis

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around - and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old, he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then, a stunning opportunity presents iself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever. 
What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help solving? 
The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries - including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How sis he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?
Welcome to Weep.

Review

This series was one of the best I've read in a long time! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!

I fell in love with Laini Taylor after reading the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. I actually re-read the series this year, which is something that I hardly ever do. I can count on one hand the number of series that I have read more than once. I know this series will soon be added to that list, though. I already want to re-read it, and I just finished it a couple of hours ago!

I listened to most of the series as audiobooks, and these were by far the best audiobooks I've ever listened to! The narrator, Steve West, did an AMAZING job of bringing the characters to life.

Also, I must point out - I love the way he pronounces "belly!" I know that sounds weird, but I guarantee you will agree if you listen!

The only complaint I have about these books is that there is not another one in the series! As far as I know, Laini Taylor intended this to be a duology. However, she did end Muse of Nightmares in a way that would allow her to add more to the story. Can we all please beg her to write a third book?

If you haven't read this series, you should totally do go read it right now!

I will leave you with some awesome artwork of characters from the book that I found online.

Also, you can click here to take a quiz that will determine which Gosspawn you are!

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Hey, did you ever take the #godspawn quiz? It's so fun! Find out which godspawn you are: Sarai, Minya, Feral, Ruby or Sparrow. I got Sparrow before but Feral this time. I'VE CHANGED, GUYS. Who are you? Report back! Go to strangethedreamer(.)com and scroll down! #strangethedreamer #museofnightmares This amazing art is by @lesyablackbird and I love it so much!! ❤❤❤)

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I 💓 little Minya! 
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Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic, #1)
Set in a Latinx-inspired world, a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed. 
To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her... and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks. 
As a talented faceshifter, it's been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that's exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she's forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan's royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.
After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can't help but feel that he will never live up to his brother's legacy.
Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.
But when Finn and Alfie's fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power-which, if not contained, will devour the world. And with Castallan's fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.

Review

I have been reading quite the multicultural mix lately. Over the past few months, I've read books inspired by Russian fairytales, books based on Russian history (Romanov), books based on African culture (Children and Smoke and Bone and Binti - review coming soon). Plus, Mirage was based on Moroccan culture (how cool is that?).

I've been thinking that reading books that are based on or incorporate aspects from different cultures would make for a fun reading challenge. What do you think?

Of course, reading all of these other books that incorporate aspects from different cultures, I was super excited when I heard about this book. I have never read a YA fantasy book that was based on Latin culture. There are some that incorporate small aspects, but none with main characters or the main plot focusing on Hispanic culture.

One thing that I wish was different about this book was how they portrayed Alfie's drinking problem. Not many YA Fantasy books give any indication about the realities of substance abuse and how hard quitting can be. This book portrayed it as sheer will power that allowed him to stop drinking. While this was fine for the story, I wish that more YA fantasy books would give a more realistic glance at how prevalent substance abuse issues are and how hard quitting is, and that it cannot often be done by will power alone and usually requires seeking help. Prism Cloud, by Jeff Wheeler, was one book that did a good job at giving a glimpse at how hard it can be to stop using drugs, and most importantly, the character did not do it alone.

Can you tell that I am doing my counseling internship at a substance abuse treatment facility?

However, I do feel that although books like this are complete fiction, portraying characters a little more realistically when it comes to things like substance abuse might help someone struggling with something similar. For example, if someone with a drinking problem reads this book and cannot quit drinking by just using their will power, they may see that as a failure, think they cannot do it, and not try again another way or reach out for help.

I will get off my soapbox now, and don't let my little rant take away from the fact that I loved this book! I loved the magic. I loved the cultural aspects, but most of all, I loved the characters!

I especially 💓💓💓 Finn!

This book did an excellent job of introducing us to the characters and made us start to love them. I hope the next book allows us to get to know them better, watch them grow, and love them even more!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. 

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Winging It (Destiny Rules #1) by Lisa Gail Green Book Blitz & $20 Amazon GiftCard Giveaway


Winging It
Lisa Gail Green
(Destiny Rules, #1)
Publication date: March 30th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Sixteen-year-old Zach discovers his mom is a fairy godmother. But what’s really freaking him out is the fact that he’s a fairy too. Now that his mom’s been injured, he must finish her assignments before the next full moon or they’re both grounded, meaning no wings, no wands, and no position in the Organization of Destiny Fulfillment (ODF). Sure it would suck to lose his newfound powers, but Zach quickly learns there’s far more at stake. Failure also means messing up the lives of the people he’s supposed to help.
Forever.
Between a fairy-trainee who happens to be the girl he’s been in love with since fifth grade, a boss he doesn’t trust, and a gremlin physics teacher that wants to eat him, Zach’s pretty sure even a magic wand can’t bail him out.
Winging It has been a featured book on WATTPAD and here are just a few of the comments from readers:
“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! BRAVO BRAVO! I sincerely, really loved this book. What was funny is I went out on a wing from werewolf and tried out fantasy and I love it. Your book inspires me to read more fantasy. Excellent story telling.”
“Amazing, absolutely amazing. What a beautiful ending.”
“I love this ending! It leaves just enough loose ends that imagination can fill in the gaps. Whatever happens next, I’m glad I somehow found this amazing book!”
“This was one of the best books I’ve ever read please make a sequel!!”
“I really enjoyed the book! And i spent like two whole days reading it.. i couldnt put it down at all XD
And like everyone else if like to read a sequel… soo….SEQUEL!!”
EXCERPT:
Slipping in a puddle under the broken water fountain should teach me to stop gawking at Jenna Macintyre, but I know it won’t. I fell for her when we were ten, and in the six years since, I’ve continued to fall. And stutter. And make an ass out of myself in general.
“Good one, Zachy,” she says, leaning down so that her golden hair swings in my face. She flicks my shoulder, sending shivers down all my nerve endings, straightens up, and heads off toward whatever her next class is. If I had any guts at all I’d call her on all the humiliating things she’s ever said to me, but I don’t. Instead, I wonder if she moves that way on purpose.
Her gaggle of wannabes follow in her wake, blocking the view. Their laughter bounces back down the hall even after I hear the door close behind them.
It’s only after the final bell rings that I realize I should probably breathe if I want to avoid passing out and drowning in an inch of water. So, I shake myself and stand up, leaning on Emmet. I almost forgot he was there. I groan when I feel the heavy material of my soaked jeans clinging to my legs. Nice.
“Loitering now I see, Mr. Slater.” My sixth period Physics teacher’s voice nearly makes me slip again.
“But-” I start.
“Save it for someone who cares. Get to your next class or I’ll be happy to send you to detention.” Mr. Crown slides his Coke bottle glasses up the bridge of his nose and curls his thin upper lip in distaste.
“I had an accident,” I say in a rush.
He raises his eyebrows, taking in my pants, and heat floods my face.
“Not that kind of accident. I slipped in the hall because of the broken fountain.” I ought to threaten to sue.
“That’s what happens when you run in the hallways.”
Is he serious? I draw my hands down over my face, trying to collect myself. “Fine. I’m going,” I say, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.
“Watch that attitude.” He slams the door to his room, and I flip him off before turning back to Emmet, the only other person left in the now deserted hall.
“Take good notes,” I say. “I’m out of here.”
“Thank God,” Emmet says. “I thought you were going to actually go to class like that for a minute.”


Author Bio:
Lisa Gail Green writes paranormal and fantasy because she loves to bring life to the stories in her head. WINGING IT, Book 1 of her new YA fantasy series, Destiny Rules, is NOW available. Sign up for her newsletter for more deals and info at LisaGailGreen.com. Oh -- and she would most definitely have a werewolf for a pet if she weren't allergic.

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Friday, May 10, 2019

The Rule of Many (The Rule of One #2) by Ashley & Leslie Saunders Blog Tour & Giveaway

The Rule of Many
Ashley & Leslie Saunders
(The Rule of One #2)
Published by: Skyscape
Publication date: May 7th 2019
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Born to a death sentence in a near-future America, rebellious sisters herald a revolution—if they can survive.
Twins Ava and Mira Goodwin defy the Rule of One simply by existing. The single-child law, ruthlessly enforced by Texas’s Governor Roth, has made the sisters famous fugitives and inspirations for the resurgent rebellion known as the Common.
But the relentless governor and his implacable Texas State Guard threaten that fragile hope, as Roth consolidates his power in a bid for ultimate authority.
As Ava and Mira relinquish the relative safety of their Canadian haven to stand against Roth, new allies arise: Owen, a gifted young programmer, impulsively abandons his comfortable life in a moment of compassion, while Zee, an abused labor camp escapee, finds new purpose in resistance.
The four will converge on Dallas for a reckoning with Roth, with nothing less than their destinies—and the promise of a future free from oppression—on the line.
Disobedience means death. But a life worth living demands rebellion.

Author Bio:
Hailing from the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders are award-winning filmmakers and twin sisters who honed their love of storytelling at The University of Texas at Austin. While researching The Rule of One, they fell in love with America’s national parks, traveling the path of Ava and Mira. The sisters can currently be found with their Boston terriers in sunny Los Angeles, exploring hiking trails and drinking entirely too much yerba mate.


Review

This book was AH-MAY-ZING! I LOVED it!!! 

I was planning to post about The Rule of One, but all I was worried about after finishing it was seeing what happened next, so instead of writing a review, I immediately started reading this book. 

These books were AWESOME! I would have read the first book in a day, if I didn't have to adult so much (ugh). I still zoomed through it in like 2 days. 

Until I read this book, I did not realize how long it has been since I last read a dystopian book. For a while, that's all I read, but lately, I've been reading mostly YA Fantasy. This was a great book to get back into the genre!

I didn't realize that this book was written by twins until after I got done reading both books and started writing this review. That makes it so much cooler! 

I don't have anything negative at all to say about this book! It was awesome, and you should go read it right now!

The only thing that I am upset about is that book #3 is not out yet, and I don't know how long I will have to wait for it. It is not listed on GoodReads or their website, so it will probably be a while. I will definitely be watching for it, though!

Thank you to the Saunders twins, the publishers, and Xpresso Blog Tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour!

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Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Romanov by Nadine Brandes

Romanov
The history books say I died. 
They don't know the half of it.
Anastasia "Nastya" Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family's only salvation.
But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them... and he's hunted Romanov before.
Nastya's only chances of survival are to either release the spell, and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn't act like the average Boleshevik. Nastya's never dabbled in magic before, but it doesn't frighten her as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She things he might even like her...
That is, until she's on one side of a firing squad... and he's on the other.

Review

I loved all the different books that have come out lately that are based on Russain folktales! This one is a "magical retelling" of Anastasia Romanov's story.

Also, this book is by the same author that wrote Fawkes, and I've been wanting to read that for a while now!

This book starts after Anastasia's father abdicated his throne and his family was exiled.

I had a really strong feeling of deja vu while reading this book, and I still have not been able to figure out why. I only had a little knowledge of Anastasia's story (much of which I learned from the Disney movie ðŸ˜€).

I liked this book, but I felt it could have been done better. Some of the reviews on GoodReads point to inaccuracies in some of the historical aspects, which did not bother me while reading the book because I did not know about most of them. However, if I had known more about the real history of the Romanov family, some of this probably would have irked me.

Since I didn't know much about the history of the Romanov family, I wish that a little more of the history had been included. At the beginning of the book, the family is already in exile. It doesn't explain why Anastasia's father abdicated his throne or why they were exiled.

The first half of the book is all about the family's experience in exile, how they were treated, and how they lived during that time, with little bits of fantasy and magic, and of course, fictitious romantic relationships. The second half could almost be a separate book with how different it is. It is full of fantasy and magic.

I love the morals and the lessons behind the story, and of course, I loved the magic!

If you are looking for a quick, fun read, I recommend this book. If you do not know anything at all about the Romanov family, you might want to do a quick Google search or read the Wikipedia article before reading this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence Blog Tour

One Word Kill (Impossible Times, #1)
Ready Player One meets Stranger Things in this new novel by the bestselling author who George RR Martin describes as "an excellent writer."
In January 1986, fifteen-year-old boy-genius Nick Hayes discovers he's dying. And it isn't even the strangest thing to happen to him that week. 
Nick and his Dungeons & Dragons-playing friends are used to living in their imaginations. But when a new girl, Mia, joins the group and reality becomes weirder than the fantasy world they visit in their weekly games, none of them are prepared for what comes next. A strange-yet curiously familiar-man is following Nick, with abilities that just shouldn't exist. And this man bears a cryptic message: Mia's in grave danger, though she doesn't know it yet. She needs Nick's help--now.
He finds himself in a race against time to unravel an impossible mystery and save the girl. And all that stands in his way is a probably terminal disease, a knife-weilding maniac and the laws of physics. 
Challenge accepted.

Review

I fell in love with Mark Lawrence's writing after reading Red Sister. The Book of the Ancestor series is one of my favorites! I can't wait to read Holy Sister, which was just released 2 weeks ago!

At first, I didn't think this book could be written by the same author as Red Sister. I was wondering why he would write a book about a kid getting cancer. 

It turned out AWESOME, though! Once come of the other aspects started to fall into place, I started to understand how the same author that wrote The Book of the Ancestor series could write this. 

The character development was amazing! I fell in love with Nick and his friends (esp Mia!)!

I have been reading way less than usual (not by choice), because I have been super busy with school and work and internship for school. This was the first book that I sped through in a while. I read it in like 2 days. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I was sick one day and stuck in bed with nothing else to do but read...

The next book, titled Limited Wish, comes out in a month! I 💓💓💓when authors do that!!! Instead of having to wait at least a year to read the sequel, we can read it on June 6! How awesome is that?!

For now, check out the rest of the blog tour for this book, then pick up your copy so that you can read it in time for Limited Wish to be released in June.


Mark Lawrence is married with four children and lives in Bristol with his family. Before becoming a writer, his day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. 
At one point, he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science... oh wait, it actually is.'
He is the author of the Broken Empire trilogy (Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns, and Emperor of Thorns) and the Red Queen's War trilogy (Prince of Fools, The Liar's Key, and The Wheel of Osheim) and the Book of the Ancestor series (Red Sister, Grey Sister, and Holy Sister). 

Thank you, Random Things Tours, for giving me a copy of this book and allowing me to be a part of this blog tour!  

Monday, April 15, 2019

Demon Magic & a Martini Book Blitz & Giveaway


Demon Magic and a Martini
Annette Marie
(The Guild Codex: Spellbound #4)
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: April 12th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy
When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn’t know a thing about magic. These days, I’m practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there’s one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.
Turns out they have a good reason for that. My guild is strictly hellion-free, because who wants to risk life and limb to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground?
Well, some people do, and now a demon has been loosed in the city. My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that’s not all. The monster they’re tracking—it’s not hiding. It’s not fleeing. It’s not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.
The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it’s searching for deadlier prey.
If we can’t unravel the demon’s sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets … and learning truths I never wanted to know.

Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn’t a reverse harem. It’s 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.

THE GUILD CODEX: SPELLBOUND
Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)
Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)
Demon Magic and a Martini (#4)
EXCERPT:
“Speaking of worry …” Sin’s eyes narrowed. “I heard all about how you went demon hunting with Aaron, Kai, and Ezra. I have to ask … what the hell were any of you thinking?”
“Um, well—”
“You aren’t combat trained, and demons are the fiercest, deadliest opponents out there! Why would Darius even approve it? You’re all idiots.”
I managed a bleak smile. “Thanks, Sin. Appreciate the vote of confidence.”
She sniffed angrily. “You know you aren’t ready for that, and I’d really prefer my friend not get herself killed.”
Couldn’t argue with her there. I’d also prefer not to get killed.
Lifting the tattered book off her lap, she smacked it down on the bar. “We need to look at options.”
“Uh … options for what?”
“Defensive alchemy.” She cast me a flinty stare. “Since you’re all for the dangerous jobs now, you need to be armed with more than a couple of artifacts. I heard you used a smoke screen. What else did you take?”
Bemusedly, I watched her flip the book open. “Just flash-bang potions. What is that thing?”
“My grimoire. All Arcana mythics have one—where we record all the spells or transmutations we’ve learned or invented.” She turned several spotted, liquid-stained pages covered in handwriting and diagrams. “I can make smoke bombs and flash-bangs easily enough, but you need something to stop an opponent. Personally, I don’t like sleep potions. It’s easy to get it on your own skin and then you’re asleep instead of them.”
“Yeah, that’d be bad.”
She skimmed a few more pages. “Enhanced strength is useful, but it doesn’t last long, and unless you’re in excessively good shape, you’ll crash hard
afterward. Let’s see … amnesia, no. Fasting potion, no. Enhanced speed, no.”
“What’s wrong with speed? I’d like to be faster.”
“It’s hopelessly impractical. Your body gets faster, but your reflexes don’t, so it’s difficult to control without training and practice. You’ll spend the potion’s duration tripping over your own feet and running into things.”
“Oh.” Too bad. “What’s a fasting potion?”
“Drink it and you won’t need food, water, or a bathroom for about forty-eight hours. Good for certain situations, but you pay for it afterward.” She perused more recipes. “Enhanced perception, air buffer, true sight, anti-emotionalizer, allure-fume—none of these are useful.”
“Allure-fume?” I repeated. “What’s that?”
She winced. “Uh, it’s a … um … perfume.”
I stared at her pointedly, waiting for an explanation, and her cheeks turned pink.
“A few drops on the skin will make the wearer especially alluring to the opposite sex. Like pheromones.”
“Why do you know a potion like that?”
“I tried it out when I was younger, okay?” she muttered defensively. “Lesson learned. You don’t have to lecture me.”
“What happened?”
“I wore it on a first date with this guy I really liked.” “Did it work?”
“It worked on him, plus every male who got within twenty feet of me. I spent our entire dinner date pushing random men out of our booth. I’ve never been hit on so many times in one evening. Most of the men were twice my age and married.”
Fighting back a snicker, I asked, “Did you go on a second date with your crush?”
“No.” She hung her head over the grimoire. “An early sign that my love life was doomed.”


Author Bio:
Annette Marie is the author of Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

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Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Through the White Wood by Jessica Leake

Through the White Wood
Katya's power to freeze anything she touches has made her an outcast in her isolated village. And when she loses control of her ability, accidentally killing several villagers, she is banished to the palace of the terrifying Prince Sasha in Kiev.
At the castle, though, she is surprised to find that Sasha is just like her- with his own strange talent, the ability to summon fire. Instead of punishment, Sasha offers Katya friendship, and the chance to embrace her power rather than fear it. 
But outside the walls of Kiev, Sasha's enemies have organized their own army of people who can control the very earth. Bent on taking over the entire world, they won't stop until they've destroyed everything.
Katya and Sasha are desperate to stop the encroaching army, and together, their powers are a fearsome weapon. But as their enemies draw nearer, leaving destruction in their wake, will fire and frost be enough to save the world? Or will they lose everything they hold dear? 

Review

I didn't know what to think about this book at first, but it turned out to be great!

I first found an interest in Russian fairy tales and folklore in The Bear and the Nightengale and the rest of the Winternight trilogy. So, it was a great surprise that this book was also based on Slavic fairytales and incorporated some of the same elements.

Lol, if I had read the excerpt from the author's website, I would have known that though. It likens this book to "The Bear and the Nightingale meets Frostblood."

The author did a good job at world building and character development. I love the way the main character progressed throughout the book. Although a couple of times I caught myself thinking that she was being a little redundant about something, it really made me think about how that is likely really how the character would think and feel in that situation.

I would love to read more of this story! I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, though. On GoodReads, the author answered a question from a reader, saying it is a standalone. However, the ending definitely leaves room for the author to continue the story. There are so many different ways she can go with it! I so hope she does!

When looking that up, I also just found out that the author wrote another book, called Beyond a Darkened Shore, which tells the story of a couple of the characters that make an appearance in this book, Ciara and Leif.

So, while I really hope that the author writes a sequel, I plan to read Beyond a Darkened Shore while I wait to see if she will. Check out a synopsis of it below!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Beyond a Darkened Shore
The ancient land of Eirinn is Mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Eirinn's kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores.
The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara's unearthly ability to control her enemies minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Eirinn, but the entire world.
Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara's enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he's something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara's strength in battle, the twy might have a chance to save their world.
With evil rising around them, they'll do what it takes to defend the land they love...even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.
I mean, how awesome does that sound?!?!? I'm going to try to get a copy now. You should do the same (after you get your copy of Through the White Wood, of course)!

Monday, April 1, 2019

Prism Cloud (Harbinger #4) by Jeff Wheeler

Prism Cloud (Harbinger #4)
Friendship is strained to its breaking point in Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler's fourth Harbinger novel. 
When the emperor is assassinated, Sera Fitzempress is the noble most eligible to inherit the empire. Her upcoming marriage to the prince would cement her position. And as a champion for peace, Sera is the only promise of hope for staving off war between the worlds of Kingfountain and Muirwood. But standing between her and her enemies is just one devastating secret.
Sera's best friend, Cettie, a girl born of a lower class, has made a shattering discovery: her entire existence has been a lie. Now, Cettie must give up the only life she's known and fought for and leave behind the man she loves to stop Sera's wedding. For this discovery could bring the whole Kingfountain to ruin.
As Cettie struggles to determine her true loyalties and loves, her allies fall to wicked plots, and she becomes increasingly alone on her journey to a destiny she never wanted- one that could ignite an unstoppable war.

Review

If you have not read the first books in this series, I recommend starting with my reviews of them. Here are the reviews to the first 3 books:


IKLKJLKHOLY BALLS!

I didn't see anything from this book coming!

I don't want to give anything away... I don't even know what to say right now that won't give away any spoilers...

I thought this book was going to be the last book in the series. I didn't realize there was going to be one more book after it, so this may have influenced my expectations. I expected things to end happily in this book, or a least happy-ish.

Everything in the series has been leading up to this book. During the first few books, the author did an excellent job of character development and world building. In this book, he switches everything up and lets us in on some huge secrets as to how everything fits together.

TBH, I loved Cettie in the first 3 books. I'm not really sure how I felt about her in this book... I know I didn't feel the same though (ugh! It's so hard to do this without giving away spoilers!) I have faith that she will redeem herself by the end though.

I do know how I felt about Sara in this book! In the first 3 books, I really liked her, but I feel like she finally blooms in this book.

I will try not to include too many spoilers to this book, besides what is alluded to in the synopsis above from GoodReads.

However, it's like everything turns upside down in this book!

In the last book, things have started settling down a bit for Cettie and Sera, and it seems that way at the beginning of this book, as well. It definitely doesn't stay that way though!

Look at this AWESOME artwork from Jeff Wheeler's website! This link will take you to the page that talks all about the world in this series. Check it out!


I absolutely can't wait for the next book in the series, Broken Veil, to be released. Jeff Wheeler's website says it will be released on June 11, 2019.

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I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.