Thanks to Random House Kids for sending a copy of Wonder Woman: Warbringer and for providing a finished copy to give away! Here's more about the book:
Title: Wonder Woman: Warbringer Author: Leigh Bardugo Series: DC Icons, book #1 Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Publication Date: August 29, 2017 Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .
Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.
Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.
I just finished reading this last week, and I kind of love Leigh Bardugo's take on Diana's origin story. It's also got me very intrigued by the rest of the DC Icons' stories to come!
About the author:
Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the Six of Crows Duology and the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, as well as the upcoming Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Aug 2017) and The Language of Thorns (Sept 2017).
She was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. These days, she lives and writes in Hollywood where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band.
Title: Words in Deep Blue Author: Cath Crowley Series: stand-alone Publisher: Knopf BFYR Publication Date: June 6, 2017 Source: ARC received from publisher Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.
Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore.
As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.
I absolutely adore epistolary novels, but I've had exceptional luck with all of the pen-pal styled novels I've read so far this year. And that includes Words in Deep Blue. I mean, wow. I just might have loved this novel even more than Graffiti Moon, which is saying a lot because I love to re-read that one. I just didn't know a novel could break me and make me feel whole at the same time.
This story is beyond beautiful. Like a love letter to every book nerd out there, Words in Deep Blue pays homage to classics and contemporary favorites alike, all while taking place in a bookshop. And there's a secret sadness between the pages of some of the books in the Letter Library, one that left me open-mouthed and gasping for air, even knowing the end result. There is just so much to love between the pages of this book.
I loved the dual narrative and how Cath was able to capture each character's essence and make them feel completely genuine in their heartbreak. I loved the dynamic between Henry and Rachel, the second chance aspect...the will they or won't they? But most of all, I just loved that they got their friendship back on track, despite everything else. That's what this book felt like to me, more than anything else. Sure, it's about loss and love and growing up, too. But Henry and Rachel's relationship was the driving force of the book for me, and it was just so well-written.
I kind of ran the gamut of emotions while reading this one: sorrow, empathy, anger, jealousy, elation, and some more sorrow for good measure. But I've discovered that's kind of the way with a Cath Crowley novel. She makes you experience things on the same level as her characters and you'll be overjoyed to do so, even when they're in pain.
Re-reading has become a recent obsession, and I totally see myself diving back into this story again and again. That makes two Cath Crowley novels that are utterly re-readable. I haven't read A Little Wanting Song yet, but I imagine I won't be disappointed there either...
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Cath Crowley is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. Her novels include Words in Deep Blue, Graffiti Moon, Chasing Charlie Duskin (A Little Wanting Song) and the Gracie Faltrain trilogy. Cath is a freelance writer, manuscript assessor and teacher.
Title: The Dragon's Price Author: Bethany Wiggins Series: Transference, book #1 Publisher: Crown BFYR Publication Date: February 21, 2017 Source: galley received from publisher Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Fans of Julie Kagawa’s Talon and Renee Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn will devour this action-packed fantasy adventure about a girl who chooses to surrender herself to a deadly dragon rather than marry an enemy prince.
When two warring kingdoms unified against a deadly menace laying waste to both their lands, they had to make a choice: vow to marry their heirs to one another, or forfeit their lives to the dragon.
Centuries later, everyone expects the sheltered princess Sorrowlynn to choose the barbarian prince over the fire-breathing beast—everyone, that is, except Sorrow, who is determined to control her own destiny or die trying.
As she is lowered into the dragon’s chamber, she assumes her life is over until Golmarr, the young prince she just spurned, follows her with the hopes of being her hero and slaying the dragon. But the dragon has a different plan. . . .
If the dragon wins, it will be freed from the spell that has bound it to the cave for centuries. If Sorrow or Golmarr vanquish the dragon, the victor will gain its treasure and escape the cave beneath the mountain. But what exactly is the dragon hiding?
There are no safe havens for Sorrow or Golmarr—not even with each other—and the stakes couldn’t be higher as they risk everything to protect their kingdom.
Dragons. Warring kingdoms. And an arranged marriage that's about to go horribly, horribly wrong. What's not to love? I had some high expectations for this book, obviously, but some reviews had me a little wary, so I tried to temper my excitement. And while this book wasn't perfect, it was a lot of fun to read.
At first, I detested the damsel in distress who has to be taught everything, but that aspect is shifted on its head with a revelation later in the story, and so I can forgive the beginning. Especially amid other truths that come to light. Sorrowlynn's upbringing would have left her vulnerable to life outside of a castle, and so it's safe to assume she wouldn't have any survival knowledge, past who dresses her and brings her breakfast tray in the morning.
Despite Sorrow being a complete ninny in the beginning, I grew to love her character. And I was on board for the sweet romance that develops pretty much from the start. I loved that there was a lot of communication between the two leads. That rather than shy away from their complicated feelings, they discussed them. They embraced them, regardless of what others might think. And despite some cringe-worthy dialogue, the romance felt genuine and not overly saccharine. The romance was the perfect balance: endearing and enduring, just like Sorrow and Golmarr.
But I should mention: I hate bookish comparisons like those in the summary. And I hate when I see something on Twitter that, well...it didn't spoil the book for me, but it made me question how I was reacting to the book. And that's absurd because I was enjoying it up to that point. It's also pretty irrelevant since I don't watch the thing that was mentioned and therefore wouldn't see the similarities anyway. But I'm still upset that I saw it and let it have any bearing on my own enjoyment of the story, if only for a minute. I want to make those comparisons for myself, and if I don't see them for myself, I'm none the wiser.
But I digress. I was completely captivated by this story, sneaking in reading time whenever I could. The writing is really sketchy at times, and the juxtaposition of fantasy and modern speech was hard to bear, but it's the plot that kept me reading. A little more editing and this series could easily become a favorite. As it stands, I kind of love it in spite of its issues, and I'm dying for the next book after that ending.
GIF it to me straight:
About the authors:
Bethany Wiggins is the author of Stung and Shifting. She started writing on a dare and dove headfirst into the world of writerly madness. She lives in the desert with her husband, four quirky kids, and two very fluffy cats. Wiggins has always been an avid reader, but not an avid student. Seriously! She failed ninth grade English because she read novels instead of doing her homework. In high school, she sat alone at lunch and read massive hardback fantasy novels (Tad Williams and Robert Jordan anyone?). It wasn’t until the end of her senior year that the other students realized she was reading fiction. Since then she has penned SHIFTING (2011), STUNG (2013), and CURED (2014).
Title: The Sun is Also a Star Author: Nicola Yoon Series: stand-alone Publisher: Delacorte Press Publication Date: November 1, 2016 Source: ARC received from publisher Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.
Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.
The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?
This novel was 344 pages of beautiful, soul-crushing words, as lovely and unforgettable as the cover. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the book because the summary makes it sound so romance-centered, and though I liked the author's previous book, I didn't love it like so many others. But I did love how developed the characters were and how they played off each other in The Sun is Also a Star...the effect was just so stunning, even if it is more-or-less a romance.
I loved how opposite the characters were: the realist and the hopeless dreamer. And I love stories that take place in the span of one day or night, but I'm usually turned off by insta-love. But not in this case since one character's intense feelings weren't immediately returned by the other. A cynic and a romantic do not make for an easy entanglement, but it worked and I enjoyed it because over the course of my life, I've been on both ends of that spectrum and found it easy to identify with both characters.
This story does focus on some more serious subject matter, too, and I really appreciated what those dire circumstances and issues added to the story. This could have been just another contemporary romance, but there is so much more depth to this novel because of the ideas and issues the story delves into.
I enjoyed Nicola Yoon's sophomore novel more than her debut, and I'm looking forward to what she brings to the table next. But I think we can all agree that it will come with a most glorious cover. :)
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Nicola Yoon grew up in Jamaica (the island) and Brooklyn (part of Long Island). She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband and daughter, both of whom she loves beyond all reason. Everything, Everything is her first novel.
Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning Author: Jessica Cluess Series: Kingdom on Fire, book #1 Publisher: Random House BFYR Publication Date: September 20, 2016 Source: ARC received from publisher Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?
Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?
"I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?" I love that line from the summary because this book took the chosen one trope and turned it on its head and it was just so clever and unexpected...and fun. A Shadow Bright and Burning was a very strong start to what is sure to be a very fun and magical series. The MC is headstrong, tenacious, and more than a little impulsive. And the boys -- yes, plural -- are all so droolworthy...I'm going to wait until AT LEAST the next book before I pass judgment on them. :P Super intriguing baddies and I have THEORIES and the wait for book two is going to be painful.
The sheer volume of male companions in this book was a little daunting at first, but as the summary suggests, each has his place and a role to play and you can weed out who's going to be a potential love interest pretty early on and who is not. I'm still pulling for the Mr. Darcy-like character, though he honestly didn't give me as much to work with in this first book as I'd have liked. But that's not to say that Henrietta doesn't see her fair share of romance from other would-be suitors. *wink-wink*
I was captivated by this story from the first chapter, and that has nothing to do with Henrietta's romantic prospects, fun as they might be. No, I'm here for the magic. And, sure, Henrietta might not be the prophesied one, but she still has powers of her own. She finds someone to train her with these powers, and I've got to admit, that guy was the one who intrigued me the most. I love characters that can surprise me while challenging other characters in the story.
I think what I loved best about this book is how it challenges everything you think you know. Not just the Chosen One prophecy, but bad guys are good guys and good guys are bad guys and no one -- I mean, no one -- is who you think they are. I'm so very excited to see where the author takes this story from here.
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Clan Clarion 13. Rep'd by @byobrooks. My YA fantasy A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING is out 09/20/16 from @randomhousekids! Bring me all your Kylux fan art.
Title: How to Hang a Witch Author: Adriana Mather Narrator(s): Adriana Mather Series: How to Hang a Witch, book #1 Length: 10 hrs 41 mins Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, Listening Library Publication Date: July 26, 2016 Source: ARC received from publisher, audiobook received from publisher Purchase:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.
Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.
It's kind of funny to me how varied the reviews have been for this book. I guess you either like witchy books or you don't? But it probably goes deeper than that. How to Hang a Witch came highly recommended to me by a close friend, so I already had pretty high expectations for the novel. And then the publisher sent both the ARC and the audio for review, and it was rather an obvious decision. I switched between the two formats as I read, and I honestly don't know which version I prefer.
The author narrates her own book and I almost always love that because they know the inflections they intended, how long a pause should be and any accents or pronunciations that might not come through in the standard text version. However, I found the audio a little too...slow. I think all audiobooks are slow, though, which is why I usually speed up the playback to twice the normal speed. My husband thinks I'm listening to chipmunks or the Gilmore Girls, but it's what works best for me. Audiobooks available on the new Volumes app from Random House, however, don't have this feature, which kind of sucks because that's how review copies are sent out now. Bummer, but it's a doable bummer. It only changes the listening experience slightly, and it's no fault of the actual narration, which was actually good otherwise.
This novel was definitely different. I just love a good witch story, though...especially one so steeped in history. You've got the mean girls. The historical aspect. The ghost and practicing witches. And then you've got an author descended from Cotton Mather himself. I genuinely enjoyed the novel and found that the story as a whole came together in a very pleasing fashion: very The Craft meets Hocus Pocus with a bit of real-life history thrown in for good measure.
Here's the thing: I like a really atmospheric read. And this book was exactly that. I just wish I'd read it during the fall when I definitely will be rewatching Hocus Pocus, The Craft, and all of my other Halloween favorites. A gorgeous summer day just didn't cut it for me. So, maybe that has something to do with why some aren't loving this book. I think listening and reading put me in the right frame of mind for this story eventually, but obviously not everyone will have that opportunity bestowed upon them like I did.
This story also lends itself to a lot of theorizing. And some will find it easy to guess what's really going on -- like I did -- while others will find themselves led astray easily, guessing all manner of outcomes. I suppose part of your reading enjoyment will be derived from how you feel about guessing correctly and possibly early.
Also: how you feel about doomed romances and love triangles in general. Both are sort of present to some degree, but I honestly thought they took a backstage to everything else. The author uses key historical events to make events in the book more relevant - and creepy - and I found that aspect much more enjoyable.
The entire story was compelling and very readable, from the ostracized Mather in a town of witch descendants to the ghost stuck on this earthly plane to the curse that encompasses them all. I'll definitely be featuring How to Hang a Witch on my fall and Halloween favorites lists. And I'm pretty excited to see that there's going to be a sequel now. The ending was satisfying, but I can't help wanting more.
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Adriana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America, and as such her family has their fingers in many of its historical pies – the Mayflower, the Salem Witch Trials, the Titanic, the Revolutionary War, and the wearing of curly white wigs. Also, Adriana co-owns a production company, Zombot Pictures, in LA that has made three feature films in three years. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza and she has too many cats.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
's Pick:
Title: The Dragon's Price Author: Bethany Wiggins Series: Transference, book #1 Publisher: Crown BFYR Publication Date: February 21, 2017
Fans of Julie Kagawa’s Talon and Renee Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn will devour this action-packed fantasy adventure about a girl who chooses to surrender herself to a deadly dragon rather than marry an enemy prince.
When two warring kingdoms unified against a deadly menace laying waste to both their lands, they had to make a choice: vow to marry their heirs to one another, or forfeit their lives to the dragon.
Centuries later, everyone expects the sheltered princess Sorrowlynn to choose the barbarian prince over the fire-breathing beast—everyone, that is, except Sorrow, who is determined to control her own destiny or die trying.
As she is lowered into the dragon’s chamber, she assumes her life is over until Golmarr, the young prince she just spurned, follows her with the hopes of being her hero and slaying the dragon. But the dragon has a different plan. . . .
If the dragon wins, it will be freed from the spell that has bound it to the cave for centuries. If Sorrow or Golmarr vanquish the dragon, the victor will gain its treasure and escape the cave beneath the mountain. But what exactly is the dragon hiding?
There are no safe havens for Sorrow or Golmarr—not even with each other—and the stakes couldn’t be higher as they risk everything to protect their kingdom.
I'm always thinking to myself when I read fantasy, "MOAR DRAGONS, please!!!" And here is a book that's apparently been on my TBR for over a year, and it features a dragon with a treasure, a girl with a death wish, and a prince who just doesn't know when to quit...and it now has a cover. Or, at least, I only just discovered it has a cover. Either way, I am excite! I already have high hopes that the dragon and the princess fall in love. *insert all the heart eyes*
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
Monday, August 28, 2017
{Giveaway} WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: DC Icons, book #1
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 29, 2017
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
I just finished reading this last week, and I kind of love Leigh Bardugo's take on Diana's origin story. It's also got me very intrigued by the rest of the DC Icons' stories to come!
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Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Like a Love Letter to Every Book Nerd Out There: WORDS IN DEEP BLUE by Cath Crowley
Author: Cath Crowley
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Knopf BFYR
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
I absolutely adore epistolary novels, but I've had exceptional luck with all of the pen-pal styled novels I've read so far this year. And that includes Words in Deep Blue. I mean, wow. I just might have loved this novel even more than Graffiti Moon, which is saying a lot because I love to re-read that one. I just didn't know a novel could break me and make me feel whole at the same time.
This story is beyond beautiful. Like a love letter to every book nerd out there, Words in Deep Blue pays homage to classics and contemporary favorites alike, all while taking place in a bookshop. And there's a secret sadness between the pages of some of the books in the Letter Library, one that left me open-mouthed and gasping for air, even knowing the end result. There is just so much to love between the pages of this book.
I loved the dual narrative and how Cath was able to capture each character's essence and make them feel completely genuine in their heartbreak. I loved the dynamic between Henry and Rachel, the second chance aspect...the will they or won't they? But most of all, I just loved that they got their friendship back on track, despite everything else. That's what this book felt like to me, more than anything else. Sure, it's about loss and love and growing up, too. But Henry and Rachel's relationship was the driving force of the book for me, and it was just so well-written.
I kind of ran the gamut of emotions while reading this one: sorrow, empathy, anger, jealousy, elation, and some more sorrow for good measure. But I've discovered that's kind of the way with a Cath Crowley novel. She makes you experience things on the same level as her characters and you'll be overjoyed to do so, even when they're in pain.
Re-reading has become a recent obsession, and I totally see myself diving back into this story again and again. That makes two Cath Crowley novels that are utterly re-readable. I haven't read A Little Wanting Song yet, but I imagine I won't be disappointed there either...
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
My Greatest Sorrow is That I Don't Already Have the Next Book in Sorrowlynn's Story
Author: Bethany Wiggins
Series: Transference, book #1
Publisher: Crown BFYR
Publication Date: February 21, 2017
Source: galley received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Dragons. Warring kingdoms. And an arranged marriage that's about to go horribly, horribly wrong. What's not to love? I had some high expectations for this book, obviously, but some reviews had me a little wary, so I tried to temper my excitement. And while this book wasn't perfect, it was a lot of fun to read.
At first, I detested the damsel in distress who has to be taught everything, but that aspect is shifted on its head with a revelation later in the story, and so I can forgive the beginning. Especially amid other truths that come to light. Sorrowlynn's upbringing would have left her vulnerable to life outside of a castle, and so it's safe to assume she wouldn't have any survival knowledge, past who dresses her and brings her breakfast tray in the morning.
Despite Sorrow being a complete ninny in the beginning, I grew to love her character. And I was on board for the sweet romance that develops pretty much from the start. I loved that there was a lot of communication between the two leads. That rather than shy away from their complicated feelings, they discussed them. They embraced them, regardless of what others might think. And despite some cringe-worthy dialogue, the romance felt genuine and not overly saccharine. The romance was the perfect balance: endearing and enduring, just like Sorrow and Golmarr.
But I should mention: I hate bookish comparisons like those in the summary. And I hate when I see something on Twitter that, well...it didn't spoil the book for me, but it made me question how I was reacting to the book. And that's absurd because I was enjoying it up to that point. It's also pretty irrelevant since I don't watch the thing that was mentioned and therefore wouldn't see the similarities anyway. But I'm still upset that I saw it and let it have any bearing on my own enjoyment of the story, if only for a minute. I want to make those comparisons for myself, and if I don't see them for myself, I'm none the wiser.
But I digress. I was completely captivated by this story, sneaking in reading time whenever I could. The writing is really sketchy at times, and the juxtaposition of fantasy and modern speech was hard to bear, but it's the plot that kept me reading. A little more editing and this series could easily become a favorite. As it stands, I kind of love it in spite of its issues, and I'm dying for the next book after that ending.
Monday, October 3, 2016
THE ☀SUN☀ IS ALSO A ⭐STAR⭐ by Nicola Yoon
Author: Nicola Yoon
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
This novel was 344 pages of beautiful, soul-crushing words, as lovely and unforgettable as the cover. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the book because the summary makes it sound so romance-centered, and though I liked the author's previous book, I didn't love it like so many others. But I did love how developed the characters were and how they played off each other in The Sun is Also a Star...the effect was just so stunning, even if it is more-or-less a romance.
I loved how opposite the characters were: the realist and the hopeless dreamer. And I love stories that take place in the span of one day or night, but I'm usually turned off by insta-love. But not in this case since one character's intense feelings weren't immediately returned by the other. A cynic and a romantic do not make for an easy entanglement, but it worked and I enjoyed it because over the course of my life, I've been on both ends of that spectrum and found it easy to identify with both characters.
This story does focus on some more serious subject matter, too, and I really appreciated what those dire circumstances and issues added to the story. This could have been just another contemporary romance, but there is so much more depth to this novel because of the ideas and issues the story delves into.
I enjoyed Nicola Yoon's sophomore novel more than her debut, and I'm looking forward to what she brings to the table next. But I think we can all agree that it will come with a most glorious cover. :)
Friday, September 30, 2016
{Blog Tour} A Shadow Bright and Burning: Review & Giveaway
Author: Jessica Cluess
Series: Kingdom on Fire, book #1
Publisher: Random House BFYR
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
"I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?" I love that line from the summary because this book took the chosen one trope and turned it on its head and it was just so clever and unexpected...and fun.
A Shadow Bright and Burning was a very strong start to what is sure to be a very fun and magical series. The MC is headstrong, tenacious, and more than a little impulsive. And the boys -- yes, plural -- are all so droolworthy...I'm going to wait until AT LEAST the next book before I pass judgment on them. :P Super intriguing baddies and I have THEORIES and the wait for book two is going to be painful.
The sheer volume of male companions in this book was a little daunting at first, but as the summary suggests, each has his place and a role to play and you can weed out who's going to be a potential love interest pretty early on and who is not. I'm still pulling for the Mr. Darcy-like character, though he honestly didn't give me as much to work with in this first book as I'd have liked. But that's not to say that Henrietta doesn't see her fair share of romance from other would-be suitors. *wink-wink*
I was captivated by this story from the first chapter, and that has nothing to do with Henrietta's romantic prospects, fun as they might be. No, I'm here for the magic. And, sure, Henrietta might not be the prophesied one, but she still has powers of her own. She finds someone to train her with these powers, and I've got to admit, that guy was the one who intrigued me the most. I love characters that can surprise me while challenging other characters in the story.
I think what I loved best about this book is how it challenges everything you think you know. Not just the Chosen One prophecy, but bad guys are good guys and good guys are bad guys and no one -- I mean, no one -- is who you think they are. I'm so very excited to see where the author takes this story from here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Part The Craft, Part Hocus Pocus But ALL WITCHY
Author: Adriana Mather
Narrator(s): Adriana Mather
Series: How to Hang a Witch, book #1
Length: 10 hrs 41 mins
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, Listening Library
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher, audiobook received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
It's kind of funny to me how varied the reviews have been for this book. I guess you either like witchy books or you don't? But it probably goes deeper than that. How to Hang a Witch came highly recommended to me by a close friend, so I already had pretty high expectations for the novel. And then the publisher sent both the ARC and the audio for review, and it was rather an obvious decision. I switched between the two formats as I read, and I honestly don't know which version I prefer.
The author narrates her own book and I almost always love that because they know the inflections they intended, how long a pause should be and any accents or pronunciations that might not come through in the standard text version. However, I found the audio a little too...slow. I think all audiobooks are slow, though, which is why I usually speed up the playback to twice the normal speed. My husband thinks I'm listening to chipmunks or the Gilmore Girls, but it's what works best for me. Audiobooks available on the new Volumes app from Random House, however, don't have this feature, which kind of sucks because that's how review copies are sent out now. Bummer, but it's a doable bummer. It only changes the listening experience slightly, and it's no fault of the actual narration, which was actually good otherwise.
This novel was definitely different. I just love a good witch story, though...especially one so steeped in history. You've got the mean girls. The historical aspect. The ghost and practicing witches. And then you've got an author descended from Cotton Mather himself. I genuinely enjoyed the novel and found that the story as a whole came together in a very pleasing fashion: very The Craft meets Hocus Pocus with a bit of real-life history thrown in for good measure.
Here's the thing: I like a really atmospheric read. And this book was exactly that. I just wish I'd read it during the fall when I definitely will be rewatching Hocus Pocus, The Craft, and all of my other Halloween favorites. A gorgeous summer day just didn't cut it for me. So, maybe that has something to do with why some aren't loving this book. I think listening and reading put me in the right frame of mind for this story eventually, but obviously not everyone will have that opportunity bestowed upon them like I did.
This story also lends itself to a lot of theorizing. And some will find it easy to guess what's really going on -- like I did -- while others will find themselves led astray easily, guessing all manner of outcomes. I suppose part of your reading enjoyment will be derived from how you feel about guessing correctly and possibly early.
Also: how you feel about doomed romances and love triangles in general. Both are sort of present to some degree, but I honestly thought they took a backstage to everything else. The author uses key historical events to make events in the book more relevant - and creepy - and I found that aspect much more enjoyable.
The entire story was compelling and very readable, from the ostracized Mather in a town of witch descendants to the ghost stuck on this earthly plane to the curse that encompasses them all. I'll definitely be featuring How to Hang a Witch on my fall and Halloween favorites lists. And I'm pretty excited to see that there's going to be a sequel now. The ending was satisfying, but I can't help wanting more.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
{WOW} THE DRAGON'S PRICE by Bethany Wiggins
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
's Pick:
Author: Bethany Wiggins
Series: Transference, book #1
Publisher: Crown BFYR
Publication Date: February 21, 2017
I'm always thinking to myself when I read fantasy, "MOAR DRAGONS, please!!!" And here is a book that's apparently been on my TBR for over a year, and it features a dragon with a treasure, a girl with a death wish, and a prince who just doesn't know when to quit...and it now has a cover. Or, at least, I only just discovered it has a cover. Either way, I am excite! I already have high hopes that the dragon and the princess fall in love. *insert all the heart eyes*
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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