{Promo} THE GLITTERING COURT Release Day Blitz

I am so excited that THE GLITTERING COURT by Richelle Mead releases today and that I get to share the news, along with a special giveaway! I haven't read it yet but the buzz has me yearning to get a copy as soon as I possibly can!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by author Richelle Mead, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed copy of the book and a $25 Sephora Gift Card courtesy of Richelle, Penguin Teen, and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About the book:

Title: The Glittering Court

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes& Noble | iBooks

The Selection meets Reign in this dazzling trilogy of interwoven novels about three girls on a quest for freedom and true love from #1 internationally bestselling author Richelle Mead.

"Brilliant and original, Mead’s new series starts off with a bang and will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end." —School Library Journal

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him.

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else's property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

About the author:

Richelle Mead has written over twenty-five novels for teens and adults. She is the author of the international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series and its spinoff series, Bloodlines. Her recent standalone novel, Soundless, draws upon Chinese mythology and history, and her forthcoming series, The Glittering Court, follows the adventures of girls destined for arranged marriages in a fantasy world inspired by colonial America. A lifelong reader, Richelle has always had a particular fascination with mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses to wear on tour. She is a self-professed coffee addict, works in her pajamas, and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Find Richelle:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a hardcover of THE GLITTERING COURT & a $25 Sephora Gift Card. US Only.

Ends on April 15th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Labels: book blitz, excerpts, fantasy, giveaways, penguin, promotions, richelle mead, rockstar book tours, the glittering court

Waiting on Wednesday: Soundless & The Boy Most Likely To

"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 selections are...








's Pick:

Title: Soundless
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: standalone
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: November 15th, 2015

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever..

I need this in my life. For real. I'm about 90 minutes of listening, away from finishing the Bloodlines series, and I'm so freaking sad about that. I've been thinking for the past few days.. what books am I looking forward too? Then I saw a post on FB about Soundless. FATE. :) There aren't too many books I immediately purchase these days, but Richelle Mead's stuff. Automatic one click.





's Pick:



Title: The Boy Most Likely To
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Series: companion to My Life Next Door
Publisher: Penguin-Dial for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2015

Surprises abound and sparks ignite in the highly anticipated, utterly romantic companion to My Life Next Door.

Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To:
- find the liquor cabinet blindfolded
- need a liver transplant
- drive his car into a house

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To:
- well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.

Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.

And Alice is caught in the middle.

Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this return to the world of My Life Next Door is a story about failing first, trying again, and having to decide whether to risk it all once more.

Eeek!!! I absolutely LOVED My Life Next Door, and Tim just might have been one of my favorite characters...aside from little Georgie, of course. ;) Tim was a genuinely good guy, even if he didn't always make the best decisions, and I am ecstatic to get more of his story...and Alice's. Huntley Fitzpatrick's third novel is shaping up to maybe be my new favorite of hers. One can only hope, right? =)


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

Read More

Labels: contemporary, grabby hands, huntley fitzpatrick, my life next door, penguin, richelle mead, soundless, the boy most likely to, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Audiobook} Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Title: Silver Shadows
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #5
Narrator: Emily Shaffer, Alden Ford
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: July 29th, 2014
Source: Purchased Audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

So I was in a bit of a reading slump. I'm slowly clawing my way out of it. I was listening to a book that just was not pulling me in, so I put it down and loaded Silver Shadows on my phone. So glad I did, because it was just what I needed. 

When you leave off in The Fiery Heart, Sydney has been captured by the Alchemists. So I was DYING to know what would happen. I have to say, so far this may have been my least favorite of the group. It still deserved a 5 start in my opinion, but being that Sydney is holed up somewhere, there is much of the book where she doesn't even have contact with Adrian, and that was rough. 

The Alchemists... are crazy fuckers. There I said it. It needed to be said. Holy cow those people are messed up. I loved that we get to see what they are up to in those secret facilities they always hinted at in previous books. 

Sydney is as strong as ever, but you get to see some weakness from her too. She's always been so calm and collected. I feel like I got to see a whole different side of her in Silver Shadows. And Adrian, well, he has his demons too, and there were some times I got really pissed at him. But he redeems himself. 

The last quarter of this book was insane. Like none stop, and I could not put it down. I was finding every easy task I could at work, so that I could listen to bits throughout the day. My co worker joked that she thought I was hiding a man in the file room with me when she walked by and heard voices. HOLY CRAP ending. I kinda saw that coming though, with all that was going on. I need to know what happens. Hurry up February!  

I cannot stress enough how much I love these books. I will be starting The Ruby Circle the minute it comes out. I cannot wait. I'm so freaking excited! 

About the author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Find Richelle:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: audiobooks, bloodlines, reviews, richelle mead, silver shadows, vampire academy

Waiting on Wednesday: The Ruby Circle & The Conspiracy of Us

"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 selections are...








's Pick:

Title: The Ruby Circle
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines # 6
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 10th, 2015

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

So I just finished listening to Silver Shadows. I loved it. As sad as I will be to see this series end, I still cannot wait to get my hands/ears on it. I'm so glad I took a chance on these this year. I have to say though, these covers blow. So did the VA book covers.





's Pick:



Title: The Conspiracy of Us
Author: Maggie Hall
Series: n/a
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: January 13, 2015

To fight her destiny as the missing heir to a powerful and dangerous secret society, sixteen-year-old Avery West must solve an ancient puzzle in a deadly race across Europe. Forbidden love and code-breaking, masked balls and explosions, destiny and dark secrets collide in this romantic thriller, in the vein of a YA DaVinci Code.

Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada at the Champs-Elysees when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war.

They are part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle of Twelve, and Avery is their missing heir. If they discover who she is, some of them will want to use her as a pawn. Some will want her dead.

To thwart their plans, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the landmarks of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul and through a web of ancient legends and lies. And unless she can stay one step ahead of beautiful, volatile Stellan, who knows she’s more than she seems, and can decide whether to trust mysterious, magnetic Jack, she may be doomed after all.

Oooohhh...a secret society! Forbidden love! Code-breaking! All things I love! =) I also love how fast-paced and intense this book sounds. That cover is pretty spectacular, too. So many points in favor of me reading this novel...hope it's as intriguing as I've been led to believe!

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

Read More

Labels: beautiful covers, bloodlines, maggie hall, penguin, richelle mead, the conspiracy of us, The Ruby Circle, thriller, ugly covers, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Audiobook} Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #3
Narrator: Emily Shaffer
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: Feb 12th, 2013
Source: Purchased Audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives." In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Oh my goodness, so far the Indigo Spell has been my favorite. Perhaps the next will trump my feelings on this one, we will see.

Golden Lily leaves us off with some serious tension between Sydney and Adrian. When I say tension, I mean all tension, especially sexual tension. Their chemistry is unbelievable, and I cannot get enough of it.

Adrian is as always, a dream come true. His devotion it Sydney is something I want to package up and deliver to every girl in the world. He’s just… *sigh*. Not perfect, by all means, but he’s perfect for Sydney that’s for sure. Lots of “romance” in this one and that made me oh so happy.

There is a lot of magic going on in this installment. Also, a lot of laughs. All I’m going to say is “The bunny room” That shit was funny. And the plot thickens. The alchemists are possibly up to no good, and I loved all the info that is revealed about all of that.

The ending, oh the ending, I loved it so much. But then… OH no… Something happens, and it’s going to make the following book very interesting! I would have downloaded and started it already, but I’m listening to an audiobook from my library and deadlines.. ya know? If I download it there will be no way I can hold off listening to it.

I am really loving these books. Fans of VA who haven’t read these yet need to get on them! Now! I'm blowing through them

About the author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Find Richelle:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: Audiobook, awesome, bloodlines, richelle mead, the indigo spell, vampire academy, vampires

{Audiobook} Review: Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Title: The Golden Lily
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #2
Narrator: Emily Shaffer
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: June 12th, 2012
Source: Purchased Audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

I have become obsessed with these books. Much like the Vampire Academy ones, I waited until the first 5 came out, now I will blow through them, and then have to wait for the last. Why! oh why! do I do this to myself? I should I have just waited, but I can’t stop the train now.

I finished Bloodlines and then immediately started Golden Lily. I remember, because I stopped putting always laundry just so I could download it to my phone. Once I was up and ready, I finished my chores. lol

The Golden Lily was so good. My favorite thing by far is her budding relationship with Adrian. *sigh*. I could talk about that all day long. She puts up resistance but he’s a hard one to stay away from.

There is a lot that goes on and it’s full of action. I loved the new elements to the story. Not only does Sydney have to struggle with her growing feelings for Adrian, there are other personal things she needs to come to terms with that completely goes against all she’s ever believed in.

Series books are so hard to review because there is only so much you can say. I will say this, I’ve listened to this one and the following already and they keep getting better!

About the author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Find Richelle:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: Audiobook, awesome, bloodlines, reviews, richelle mead, the golden lily, vampire academy, vampires

{Audiobook} Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Title: Bloodlines
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #1
Narrator: Emily Shaffer
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: August 23rd, 2011
Source: Purchased Audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Well, I've certainly put this series on hold for long enough! I loved The Vampire Academy books. They are forever favorites of mine. I think for all this time, I've just been scared. I couldn't imagine any spin off could live up to my beloved VA books. I was wrong. Oh how very wrong I was. 

If you haven't read the Vampire Academy books yet, then shame on you and you probably should skip reading this review, because obviously there will be a bit of spoilers from the original series. Bloodlines follows Sydney. I forget what book you meet her in, but her character has always fascinated me. The whole Alchemist thing was interesting to me then, and still is. You get a front row seat to that world and you see all the inner workings. Which was so cool, because the VA books only touched on what Sydney does. 

Ahh, and then there is Adrian. We are only given Sydney's point of view, but Adrian is a prominent character. I liked him in VA, but I didn't love him. I always viewed him as a barrier between Rose being with Dimitri. Not that they didn't have other stuff in their way, but Adrian was just another obstacle. In the end, Adrian doesn't end up with Rose, thank goodness. He just wasn't right for her. 

I enjoyed all the characters in Bloodlines but Adrian by far is my favorite. There is so much more to him than I ever new. I'm currently about to finish the 3rd installment of Bloodlines as I am writing this and I can assure you that my love grows for him with every page. He's quite literally amazing. And funny! Like hysterical. Some of the things out of his mouth are hilarious. A lot of laugh loud moments for sure. 

I think that most Vampire Academy fans will enjoy this spin off. I wish I had taken a chance on it sooner. My only complaint is that book 1 lacks in the romance department, but rest assured, things heat up as the series continues!

As for the Narrator. She is awesome. I have to listen to the rest, because she really brings these characters to life. I was nervous because I saw an audible review complaining about her voice for Adrian being annoying, but I loved it. 

If you have been on the fence about trying these out, don't be!! get on it! :) 

Bravo!

About the author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Find Richelle:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: alchemist, bloodlines, reviews, richelle mead, spin off, vampire academy