Saturday, April 28, 2018

In My Mailbox #338

Gosh, time is moving fast these days. I barely have time to do anything, haha. My health is the very very worst, and nothing helps. Hospital on Monday, though, so fingers crossed. But despite my bad health, I'm doing good. Read such a good book this week. Eee. AND! My spa bath is up! AHHH! I am SO happy :D Have taken a two hour + bath every day, and it is so good. <3 The heat is perfect. So happy that I could take it out so early this week. Sigh. Also got some gorgeous mail this week, and so happy about that too. <3 Just wishing my health would get better. I'm doing better at catching up, but still behind. But I'm getting there. Slowly. Also blogged some this week. I took part in the blog tour for Ash Princess :) This week I'm waiting on Vengeful. <3 Posted my review of Sawkill Girls :D Then I took part in the blog tour for Sky in the Deep. <3 Week was good. Bath is good. Health sucks. But I'm dealing with it. How are you all doing?



Furyborn. Oh. Arrived way too early. One of my pre-orders. <3 But gosh, how this hardcover is stunning.
Sky in the Deep. Eee, first hardcover has arrived :D It is SO gorgeous. Loved this book so so very much.
Flame in the Mist. Finally have this first book; so now I can read both of them :D Eee. Very very shortly.
Inferno. Ack, final book :D I must start the first one soon. I adore Julie. Cannot wait to read this series too.
Given to the Sea. Won this signed awesome book from Mindee :D Thank you lovely. <3 It looks so good.
Furyborn Swag. Thank you so much Page158Books for this most gorgeous pre-order swag :D Love it so.
Sky in the Deep Swag. EEE! Thank you Adrienne for this amazing pre-order swag :D I am so happy. <3




Sawkill Girls. Eee! Yesss! This precious thing finally showed up on Edelweiss, eee :D And I downloaded it right away, lol. <3 And have read it too. And loved it so much. Sigh. Most precious. Need the print ARC to complete my collection though. <3 Just, such a good book. You are all going to love it too. So much.


More Instagram photos here. <3

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Sky in the Deep Blog Tour: Q&A

I'm beyond thrilled to be able to take part in the official blog tour for Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young today :D I read this book a few months ago, and I loved it beyond words. <3 It was so incredible. And I cannot wait to read it again. Eee. And oh, how I want more books by Adrienne. She is so amazing. Huge thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for letting me take part in this blog tour. Today I'm sharing a Q&A with Adrienne :D One personal question for my blog, eee, and nine other questions that should be on other blogs as well :D Thank you so much Adrienne. <3 You are amazing. And I love these answers so much. See my five star review of the book here. If you have not read this book yet, you really must go buy it right away. It is so good. The book came out this week, so you should be able to find it all over :D




Q&A with Adrienne Young.

My question: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why?

There are tons of places I would love to live! But somewhere near a beautiful beach and warm ocean would be top of my list.


General Q&A.  

1. What inspired SKY IN THE DEEP? How did the idea and Eelyn come to you? Do you have any favorite Viking stories? 


The sibling betrayal was definitely the first inspiration for this story. I was driving in the pouring rain on this country road and that first scene just hit me - Eelyn, seeing her brother on the battlefield after thinking that he was dead for five years. I pulled over on the side of the road and scribbled a million notes on an old envelope. I was immediately hooked to the idea and I wanted to know what had happened. I started writing that first chapter and I just never stopped.

2. What type of research did you do for your characters and world-building? What languages did you study to implement the languages that the Aska and the Riki speak? What was the strangest thing you had to research for this book?

I did a ton of research for this story. I actually really love to research things so it was a lot of fun. A lot of it was stuff like clothing, landscape, weapons, food, etc. But I did a lot of research into Norse mythology as well to build a foundation for this world. The language used is Old Norse, but it’s a dead language so studying it was really difficult. There is a lot of controversy about it among scholars and there’s no real way to fully understand it, so I just did my best based on my own investigation. I’m definitely not an expert! The weirdest thing I had to research was how to tear out someone’s eyeball. Yuck.

3. What was your writing process like for SKY IN THE DEEP?

Complete and utter obsession. When I draft, I get really buried in the world and I don’t really come up for air until I get to the end. I write as much as I can and limit my intake of other influencers that could mess with my mindset. I don’t watch TV or movies or listen to music that’s not on my playlist, and I kind of don’t have a social life until it’s done.

4. What was your hardest scene to write? What was the easiest?

I really didn’t struggle to get this story on the page the way I have with other books so I really don’t know what the hardest scene to write was. But the easiest was the first chapter. I wrote it so fast and it just clicked in so perfectly.

5. Which of your characters are you the most like? Who was your favorite to write?

Eelyn! We have so much in common and she really inspires me. But I think Halvard was the most fun to write. I really, really love him.

6. Do you have a soundtrack for SKY IN THE DEEP? Can you share a couple songs? What would Eelyn’s favorite song be?

Yes! Music plays a HUGE role in my writing process and I have a playlist for every project. The ones I probably listened to the most while drafting SKY are To the Hills by Laurel, Bare by Wildes, and Rise Up – Reprise by Foxes. But a link to the whole playlist is on my site!

7. What books have inspired you to write? What books are you looking forward to reading this year?

The ones that inspired me to write are nothing like my books. One of the most influential ones for me was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, because the human element is so beautiful and the author explores so many things in that book that really took my breath away. I wanted to write stories that went deep like that, but I love fantasy so I try to it within that realm. 

8. Any advice on querying? Or writing advice for aspiring writers?

Querying – do not just sign with any agent who will take you. Make a dream agent list of qualified agents who have good reputations and make consistent sales. Query them. If they don’t bite, then write another book that they might want. Believe me when I say it is worth waiting for the right agent! 

9. Any details about the companion novel?

I can’t say anything about the companion novel yet! But I’m hoping that we can start talking about it soon because I am really excited about it!

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.






Adrienne Young is a born and bred Texan turned California girl. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, scouring antique fairs for old books, sipping wine over long dinners, or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings beneath the West Coast sun.

Where to find Adrienne Young:



Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Review: Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

This book was all kinds of amazing. Which I knew it would be, as I have yet to not love a book by Claire with all of my heart. I have read them all, and her books means the most to me. I am thrilled to say the same about Sawkill Girls. It was such a stunning read. Beautiful and fierce girls. The most horrible monster. And magic.

There was so much that I loved about this book. I do not know where to start. The writing was beautiful, of course. I love how Claire writes her books. She is the most awesome person and such an incredible author. I cannot wait to read more and more books by her. Eee. This newest one was so good. And so evil.

This book tells the story of Zoey and Marion and Val. It is set in the present time, and the world is a normal one. Or so they think. The island of Sawkill Rock is not like any other place. Girls have gone missing for so many years now, never to be found. And no one is doing anything about it. And oh, this story was all kinds of amazing. I'm not going to share all the details of it, but will share a little. It begins with Marion arriving on the island with her sister and mother, after their father just died. On her first day there, she manages to fall of a horse. Ever since that happens she starts having issues with her head. She does not know what is wrong, only that it hurts. And that is just the beginning of her story. So much happens to this poor girl. Ack. My heart hurts for her.

I pretty much adored getting to know Marion. She was such an amazing person. Not perfect, but so good. She has been taking care of her mother and sister for some time now, and she is pretty much exhausted. Her older sister, Charlotte, was pretty interesting to get to know. I loved their relationship. They were such awesome sisters. Well, most of the time. Some stuff happens with that, and it just broke my heart. I wish it had not happened. My poor heart. But gosh, how it was written well and how exciting it was to read it.

Then there was Zoey. I have to admit that this girl was my favorite of the three. Getting to know her was the very best thing. She was fierce and awesome and loving and I adored her tons. Her friendship with Grayson was my very favorite. Eee. Zoey is grieving the loss of her friend, a girl that went missing less than a year ago. She wants to know what happened to her. And I very much loved that about Zoey. She was a fierce friend. And just such an amazing girl. I could not help but love her point of views the most.

And then there was Val. I am still not sure what I feel about this girl. She did some completely awful and unforgivable things. Yet she was pretty much a victim for most of the book too. Hmm. Yet I am not sure I can forgive all the things that she did. But at the same time, I could not help but love her and feel sorry for her and want to know more about her. How rude. She was such a well written character, and I loved that. Getting to know her was pretty amazing, though. There is much to know. Some good, but most of it bad.

These three girls are not friends. Val and Zoey are pretty much enemies. And Marion just moved there, to clean for Val's family. But they end up spending more time together, all of them, because of the monster on this island. They must learn to become friends. And reading about these three girls together was pretty epic. They fight a bit. They care for each other a bit. And they were just the best to read about. And this story was so good and I shall not mention much of it, because it was surprising and awesome. I loved it.

Time to mention the romances a little. Zoey and Grayson were together for some time. Until they had sex and she broke up with him. Yet they are the best of friends, even so. And they love each other so fiercely. Their break up had a lot of reasons for happening, most of them silly, to be honest, haha. And I loved how Zoey still very much loved him. And how he adored her. It was so sweet to read about. I wanted them as more than friends so badly. They were the cutest couple. Ack. And I loved their friendship so very much.

Then there was Marion and Val. I shall not mention their romance that much, because it had so so many complications, but gosh, I very much liked them together. They just met, and it takes a little time, but they get closer and the romance happens so sudden. It was awesome. They were pretty cute together, and I did ship them. Despite my complicated feelings about Val. Ahh. So much happens with them in this book. Yet I think I still want them together. Probably. Maybe. The romance was sweet, though. Short, but good.

This book is filled with magic. Okay, maybe not that much magic, but a little bit. And it was all so lovely to read about. I'm not going to share what this magic is, or who has it, but it was so good to read about and pretty special too. And a bit dangerous. Then there was the monster. There is a creature in these woods that feeds on girls. And reading about it was all kinds of horrible. I loved every moment, haha. This book is about the girls learning about the monster, and trying their best to get rid of it, before they end up dead.

I am not going to say much more about this book. Just that I loved it beyond words. Adored the girls so much. And I loved reading about their life. The ending was good, yet so evil, and I wish there would be more books. More of Zoey and Grayson. As those two were so precious to me. Eee. But they all were. Reading about these girls and this island was pretty incredible. I'm so happy with how much I loved this story. I wish there had been a little bit more romance, haha, but there also did not need to be more of it.

This is a book that I think everyone is going to love. The girls are amazing and flawed and just completely perfect. There are two stunning romances. Boy and girl. Girl and girl. Both were written so well. There is a monster. And it was the most horrible one. There is some stunning magic, and I loved every moment of that. There is girl power. Girls slowly becoming friends. There are some arguments, though those were needed, and they were written so well. I just loved all of it so much. And these girls. They were the best.

Huge thank you to the publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, for the auto-approval on Edelweiss, so that I could download and read this book right away. Eee. I'm so happy that I had the chance to read this most precious book so early. Now just looking for the print ARC to complete my very huge collection of books by Claire. Sawkill Girls was everything I wanted it to be and more. Full of amazing girls fighting for their right to live and love. Beautiful friendships. And just such an incredible story too. You are going to love it.


Waiting on Wednesday #341

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

VENGEFUL (The Villains #2) BY V. E. SCHWAB

Goodreads Description:

Eli Ever and Victor Vale were only medical students when their mutual discovery that near-death experiences can, under the right conditions, manifest extraordinary abilities.

They were best friends, and rivals, and then enemies. They were dead, then alive, and then---Eli killed Victor, once and for all.

Or so he thought---but Sydney Clarke felt otherwise, and used her own superpower to tip the scales. Now, a trio hides in the shadows, while another takes advantages of post-death life to take over the city of Merit.

If there can be life after death—will there be calm after vengeance, or will chaos rule?
 

 
Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: September 25th 2018 by Tor Books
Pre-Order here and here

This book is going to be so awesome and I cannot wait to read it. I liked Vicious a lot, and I am so excited about this second book :D Eee. It takes place 5 years after, though, aaack. But I am SO excited for it :D Especially after having seen all the work that Victoria has put into writing this book. She is amazing. And I think Vengeful is going to end up being so good. Crossing my fingers that I will love it lots and lots. <3
What are you waiting for on this super Wednesday?

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Ash Princess Blog Tour: Spotlight

Today I am taking part in the official blog tour for Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian :D Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Books, for letting me take part in this tour. For my post, I will be sharing a spotlight about the book, and a few pictures that I have taken of my gorgeous ARC copy of it. See my review of the book here. This book has one of the most gorgeous covers. I'm so in love with how pretty it is. Eee. The book was not for me, but I am sure that so many of you are going to love it. Let me know your thoughts :D




Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.




Laura Sebastian was born and raised in South Florida (the Redlands and Key Largo) and has always loved telling stories–many apologies to her little brother who often got in trouble because of them. No copies of her first book, a Cinderella retelling about angels circa 2nd grade, remain. Thankfully.

After getting her BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design, she moved to New York City thinking that she would stay for a couple of years before going somewhere better suited for a small-town, sun-loving girl. Five years later, she’s still here and madly in love with it.

When Laura isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, baking cookies or cupcakes, buying more clothes than her overstuffed closet can fit, or forcing her lazy dog Neville to take a walk.

Her debut ASH PRINCESS, the start of a YA fantasy trilogy, will be out April  24th, 2018 from Delacorte (Random House).

Where to find Laura Sebastian:



Saturday, April 21, 2018

In My Mailbox #337

Tine is moving so fast lately. I barely have time for anything. How rude. But gosh, it's almost May. I turn 25 on the 3rd. Eee. And I shall be getting up my outdoor spa bath shortly, I hope, and oh my gosh, I'm so excited. This winter has lasted forever and my body need the hot water so badly. Anyway. This week I read two books, YAY :D Feeling happy about that. But haha. First was a one star. First one star in a long time. But second book was a five, so I'm happy about that. I also got so much stunning mail this week, and I love it all so so so much. <3 It's so stunning. My current reading list is the very best, eee :D But I'm also not feeling very well lately. My energy level is about zero. Medicine still not working. Stomach feels like it is killing me. I'm trying to stay positive, but it is hard, because of the pain all the time. It sucks. And also. I'm feeling a little sad. Am getting so so few comments on my blog lately. There was zero comments on my IMM post from last week. Breaks my heart a little. Please please comment if you are visiting. <3 Comments means the world to me. Thank you. Blogged a bunch this week, so yay for that :D I shared my review of Seafire. <3 I shared the cover for Sherwood :D Then posted my review of Ash Princess. Hmph. This week I'm waiting on Bright We Burn :) Then posted my review of Sadie. <3 So yeah. My health is all kinds of shitty. But I'm doing good, despite that. A bit behind on catching up and such, but shall get to it soonish, I hope :) Just need to feel a bit better to be able to get it all done. Love all my mail this week :D



The Fates Divide. I simply had to have the gorgeous UK paperback of this book too :D Looks stunning.
Beyond a Darkened Shore. Finally got my stunning hardcover of this book :D Adored this one so much.
Bright We Burn + Spinning Silver. LOVE! Thank you so much PRH International for these two stunning ARCs :D I am so, so excited to read both of them. Ahh. Crossing my fingers they will be amazing. <3
Queens of Fennbirn. Eee, the stunning UK paperback version :D I must read this short story book soon.
Furyborn Swag. Ahh! Thank you Foggy Pine Books :D So in love with this pre-order swag. Perfection.
LIFEL1K3 Sampler. Eee, thank you so much Whitney for getting me this gorgeous sampler :D Love it so.
Pop Figures. Eee, more Jurassic Park pops :D They are just so stunning and awesome. Love all of these.




Sadie. I was so so very lucky to get approved for this by St. Martin's Press on Netgalley, eee :D I read it right away. <3 And I loved it so much. Sigh. My poor heart, though. It was so rude. But so good. Now in even more of a desperate need to own the print ARC, though :) You must all read this book. Right away.


More Instagram photos here. <3

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

I knew that this book would be heartbreaking. I did not know how much it would break me. Sadie was such an incredible book. But all kinds of painful too. Real and honest and gutting. Five stars to this stunning book. Though I am not sure my heart will survive it. I shall try my best to share the reasons for why I loved this book.

First I will start by saying that I adore Courtney. She is all kinds of sweet, and her books are so good. I had hoped I would love Sadie, and I am so happy that I did so. I felt that her All the Rage book was so important. I think that Sadie is even more so. These two books are heartbreaking. And evil. But so very important too.

I very much loved the writing in this book. So happy about that. It is told in two ways. First from the point of view of Sadie. And as a radio show, mostly told by a man named West. I have not read a book like this before, written in that way, and it was awesome to do so. It was written well. And I was so caught up in this story. I loved reading from Sadie. But I loved reading about the radio show too. Sadie's part of the story is her journey, searching for the person who killed her little sister. Sadie is nineteen, her sister, Mattie, was thirteen. Her death was brutal. And that breaks my heart so much. It was not described, which was good. But oh, my poor heart. This book tells the story about Sadie. It shows her past and her present, how she is searching for a killer.

There is so much that I loved about this book. Though I should say that I mostly feel ruined right now, after having finished this book. It was brutal. Not graphic, but real. And it was pretty bad to read about. Yet important. And I loved every moment of it. Despite this weird feeling in my stomach right now. Ahh. Because this book killed me a little. And I am not sure I will ever forget about it. Getting to know Sadie ruined me. But I loved it too. She was the most amazing girl. Brave and loving and just so very strong.

I'm not going to say that much about what happens in this book. But I will mention a little of it. Sadie has been taking care of her little sister ever since she was born. They have lived with their mother, until she ran away when Mattie was ten. Their mother was a drug addict. And she did not care about Sadie at all. Which broke my heart. Because Sadie was the sweetest child. Sniffs. So Sadie was taking care of Mattie, from when she herself was just six years old. She was her mother. Sadie loved her more than anything.

But then Mattie died, age thirteen. In such an awful way. And the killer was not found. Sadie was broken after that. There are some scenes sharing those moments, and it hurt my heart a lot. This poor girl. Ahh. I loved how Sadie had always taken care of Mattie. They argued sometimes, sure, but they were the best sisters and I just loved reading about them. This book is about Sadie leaving home to find Mattie's killer. Because she is very sure that she knows who he is. Ahh. But the search for him is not going to be easy.

This book takes place in a few different towns, and I liked reading about all the different places Sadie went to. All the things that she learned. It was so painful. But so good too, kind of. And learning of her past broke me so much. I just loved Sadie. And want the very best for her. The other point of view of this book is the radio show, taking place a few months after Sadie left home, as she is missing, and people are trying to find her, and figure out her story. It was all just so amazing to read about. But so so painful.

This book has no romance. While I always want romance in my books, and while I felt like there could have been a romance in this one too, I'm very much okay with there not being one. Because Sadie was such a short book, ack. So much happens. Yet I wanted more more more. I wish the ending had been a little longer, with a few more details. Ack. I cannot help but wish for a sequel. I know it will not happen, but I want one. So much. No romance in this book, but that was okay. Though I really wanted that for Sadie.

The pain in this book was personal to me, in a way. I was abused in the worst way by my father when I was a child. Not as bad as what happened in this book, but bad enough. I do not remember the details of it anymore, and I am glad for that. It took place for years, until my mom found out about it, and he got put in jail. But it ruined my life in so many ways. And reading Sadie made my heart hurt so much. Because of how personal it was. Because of how real these stories were. And Courtney wrote this book so very well.

There is so much that I could say about this book. But I'm trying not to write too much about it. I just wish it had been a little bit longer. But gosh, Sadie was an incredible book. And I cannot wait to read whatever Courtney is writing next. She is amazing. But oh, I do not want to let Sadie go. I need to know more about this precious girl. But yeah, my heart is a little broken over this book too. Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press for approving my request to read this book early via Netgalley. So glad I got the chance to read it.

Sadie ended up being such an amazing book for me. All kinds of heartbreaking. It gutted me. But I loved it so. Getting to know Sadie was the best, though I do not think my heart will ever stop hurting for her. The ending ruined me a little too. I need to know this one detail. And I need to know it so badly. Oh. Sadie was perfection, though. And you are all going to love this book. It is dark. But it is worth it. And it is a book that I think everyone should read. It's honest and dark and heartbreaking yet it has a few happy moments too.


Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday #340

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

BRIGHT WE BURN (The Conqueror's Saga #3) 
BY KIERSTEN WHITE

Goodreads Description:

Haunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . . . and would he even want it?

Lada's rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won't rest until everyone knows that her country's borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed's peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.

But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister's indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before--including her relationships--can Lada truly build the country she wants.

Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.


Hardcover, 416 pages
Expected publication: July 10th 2018 by Delacorte Press
Pre-Order here and here

I am so excited and nervous about this final book. Excited, because I loved book one. Nervous, because I did not love book two. Yet I am pretty much dying to know how everything ends. Ahh. I'm so so worried, haha :D And not even sure what I wish will happen. But either way, I'm hoping that it will be amazing :)
What are you waiting for on this burning Wednesday?

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Review: Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

I really thought that I would love this book. I had this thought that because it looks incredibly amazing, and because the summary was good, that I would love this story like crazy. That was not the case. Not at all. And I'm left feeling more than disappointed after finishing this book. I'm angry too, because I did not like it one bit.

I'm giving this book one star. Which is my first one this year. And it is very much deserving, sadly. I'm also going to start by giving a fair warning, this review will be very negative. And honest. And full of spoilers. I will not say anything about the author, as I don't know her. I'm sure she is a lovely person. But her book was not.

And I very much need to share all of my feelings about this book. Because, oh my gosh, how I hated Ash Princess. I hated it more than I have hated anything in such a long time. And while I have so many thoughts about this book, I'm not sure how I'm going to write them all down. Shall try my best. And shall try my very best to not share that much either. But it will be hard. As I really truly hated this book. And writing reviews for books I hate is the most fun, haha. I cannot help it. It's so easy sometimes, to share reasons of hate. But I shall also mention that I do not hate the author at all. She is not her book. And in this case, her book was unfortunately all kinds of horrible. But do know that others may love this book a lot. I was not one of those. Reading it was painful.

And not in a good way. I had heard that this book was dark and amazing and that the girl was awesome. None of those things were true. I knew from the very first pages of the book that I would not like this. The writing was weird, and there was way too much boring info dumped into those pages. There was no need for that in the first chapter. Not at all. It was too much, and not done well either. Sadly, the writing did not approve. I hated it from beginning to end. Ahh. Felt like I was reading someone's bad diary. Was so bad.

This book tells the story of sixteen year old Theodosia. When she was six years old, her home was taken over by someone else. Her mother, the queen, was killed in front of her. Thora has been a prisoner in her old home for the past ten years. And this could have been such a good story. But it was not. Everything about this book completely sucked and gosh, I do not know how I shall manage to write down all of my feelings about it. Because I have so many of them. And I want to share all of it. Hope I can manage that.

We learn some things about Thora in this book. She has been whipped a lot by the orders of the kaiser, the man who now rules her home. That is just about the only abuse she has had for the past ten years. She has her own rooms, she's fed all the time, and she has a best friend too, Cress. But then one day a rebel is brought before her, someone who turns out to be her own father. And she is forced to kill him. I felt nothing for this. Nothing at all. But it supposedly changed everything for Thora. Huge eye roll. Sigh.

Because the biggest issue that I had with this one was Thora. And her memories. She was six years old when everything happened. Yet the way she remembers things, you would think she was sixty. No one, I repeat, no one has that many memories from when they were six years and younger. Yet she remembers every single detail, years back. What a bunch of crap. I'm still so angry about it. That is not good writing. That is simply all kinds of annoying. And unreal. And I did not like reading about it one bit. It was so bad.

This book is about Thora suddenly realizing that she is not Thora, but Theodosia. That she is done being a prisoner. And yeah. That did not seem real at all, to be honest. She had no issues being a prisoner. Yet now she's suddenly planning all kinds of ways to rebel and things like that. Because, same day she killed the man, whom she remember every thing about from she was six, hahaha, a boy shows up as a servant. It's the one friend she had when she was little. Oh joy. Can you believe it. He's there to save her. Hahaha.

At the same time, the prinz came back home, the son of the kaiser. And he is suddenly all kinds of into her. He has been away for five years. She is the prized prisoner of his father. But sure, he cannot help but fall for her the moment he sees her. Hahaha. All of this book was so cliche. And not in a good way. I am not going to mention all of the plot. Just that it is about Thora trying to leave the palace, and it is taking a couple of months, and half the book at least being incredibly slow and boring. I barely survived reading it.

And she is always going on and on about how well she knows the boy from her past, whom is there to rescue her. How she can hear the doubt in the way he breathes, after having seen him for a couple of hours. Hahaha. Oh, how this book killed me with bad. And of course, there is a love triangle. Because of course this childhood boy is madly in love with this girl. And she couldn't help but fall in love with him. She even thinks that. What. They share a couple of kisses. It was so awkward. They do not know each other.

The other love interest was the prinz. Whom Thora is planning on seducing and then killing, so that she may escape. But oh, she spends a few hours with him, and now she's in love with him too. And they kiss a lot. And he is madly in love with her. And hahaha. This book was so not good. She is always going on about how he is the enemy, how he has killed so many, and ugh. This place was a place of war. Killing is what happens. She hates him, then she loves him, and hates him again. And it was incredibly annoying.

And Thora was not a good person at all. She plans to kill her only friend, Cress. Because this girl spoke something to her, and now she is all like, she was never my friend, and uuugh. So cliche. And childish. And I cannot get over how bad this book was. It was not dark. One whipping scene. Badly written. Not sad, not heartbreaking, I felt nothing. It was just bad. The whole book is about how Thora is thinking of her people, how she has to save them, have to be their queen. Yeah. No. This girl completely sucked.

And now I have written way more about this book than I was going to. But I could not stop myself. And I do not even want to stop now. But I will. Just thinking about this book makes me angry. I'm hoping so so much that I will forget about it shortly. But I doubt it. Bad books never leave. Ugh. There was so much bad about Ash Princess. I shared a lot of it. But that wasn't even all. I do not know how anyone could like this book. I am sorry to say so, but gosh, how I hated this one. It was not a good book. Not at all. Not for me.

I suppose I should feel bad about writing this very negative review. But I do not. I believe in being honest about your feelings about books. And I was being very honest. This book sucked. And I am so upset that I read it, haha. But I had to finish it, once I started, because of the gorgeous print ARC I had of it, from a trade. But I will never be reading this book again. And I do not recommend that anyone else does either. I suppose that a lot of people will love it. But you should not. I am sorry. But not that sorry. It was not good.

 

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Cover Reveal: Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

Oh my gosh, how I am dying to read this book :D Eee. I adore Meagan. And her latest fairytale retelling book, Hunted, was such a huge favorite of mine. Sherwood sounds all kinds of incredible and I am SO excited about this book. Eee. But gosh, March 2019. That is forever away. Ahh. I hope there will be ARCs of this precious thing. But also, gosh. I am a huge fan of the Disney version of Robin Hood, haha. But in this retelling, Robin is dead. And it tells the story of Marian after his death. Curious to know if there will be romance in this story, hih. I always want romance. But either way, I know that I am going to love this one. It seems so good, eee :D And I adore Meagan so so much. And oh gosh, this cover! What! It's beautiful :D So so gorgeous. I love it so much. And I cannot wait to own this beautiful book. It is going to be so awesome. And I simply cannot wait to read Sherwood. Eee. It's not possible to pre-order it yet, aw, but soon, hopefully. This book is just going to be so good. Want it now. What do you think of this cover? :D


Robin of Locksley is dead.

When news comes that he's fallen in battle at the King's side in the Holy Land, Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on. Betrothed to Robin, she was free to be herself, to flaunt the stifling rules of traditional society and share an equal voice with her beloved when it came to caring for the people of her land.

Now Marian is alone, with no voice of her own. The people of Locksley, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, are doomed to live in poverty or else face death by hanging. The dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sherriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley, and Marian’s fiancé. Society demands that she accept her fate, and watch helplessly as her people starve.

When Marian dons Robin's green cloak, and takes up his sword and bow, she never intended that anyone should mistake her for Robin, returned from the Holy Land as a vigilante. She never intended that the masked, cloaked figure she created should stand as a beacon of hope and justice to peasant and noble alike. She never intended to become a legend.

But all of Nottingham is crying out for a savior. So Marian must choose to make her own fate and become her own hero...

Robin Hood.


Saturday, April 14, 2018

Review: Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

I simply could not resist reading this gorgeous book when I had the chance to read and review it early. When I got it in the mail, I had to start it right away. And I'm glad I did so. Because Seafire was an amazing book. Not perfect, but so awesome. The ending is pretty rude, however. Very glad that this series will be a trilogy.

Yet how I'm going to manage waiting for the next two books I do not know. The ending isn't that bad, but oh, how I need to know what happens next. I found this book to be so good. Beginning was a little bit slow, and I ended up loving the last half the most. The writing, however, was excellent from the beginning to end.

This book tells the story about eighteen year old Caledonia. It begins by sharing what happened four years earlier, when she and her best friend, Pisces, went to a small island on a supply run. While there, their ship was attacked and their families were killed. They both lost everything that night. And it was pretty sad to read about. Yet written well and I loved it. That night changed Caledonia so much, as she feels blame for the deaths of them all. She has reason to feel blame, and she has not yet shared that with Pisces. They have spent the last years rebuilding the ship that was attacked, and gathering their own crew to run it. A crew of just over fifty girls. No boys on this ship. Getting to know these characters and their stories were all kinds of interesting.

And I couldn't help but adore them all. I feel pretty sure that this book takes place in the future. There is mentions of this world, and why almost everything is happening on the water. But the details were a bit too few, and I really wish there had been more about this world and why it was this way. I was so curious and want to know all of it. Because these ships are not like regular pirate ships. Most of them do not run on sails, but by other means. And that was pretty interesting to read about. I liked this world a whole lot.

Caledonia is the captain of her ship. Pisces is her best friend and second in command. They have a crew of more than fifty girls, girls that they have saved and girls that have joined them because they wanted to. They sail the sea looking for revenge. Their families were killed by the lord of the sea, Aric. And his army of Bullets. Men and boys fighting for him, addicted to some kind of flower drug. We do not get to see Aric in this book, but gosh, he seemed like such a horrible man. And the worst leader possible. A good villain.

Most of this book takes place on Caledonia's ship, and so we get to know some of her crew really well. I very much adored Caledonia. She was fierce and rude and pretty awesome too. I wish she had been a bit less brutal at first, towards a certain boy. But I did like her even so. Getting to know her was the best. Her best friend, Pisces, was amazing too. They are such great friends. Sisters. And I adored getting to know them both and learning more about them. They argued and stuck together and it was written really well.

We do not get to read about all of the crew, but a few of them are there a lot. Amina and Redtooth and Hime and Lace. Those four girls were so awesome and I very much liked reading about them. I loved how close they all were. How they fought together, and how they were all one big family. This book focus a lot on female friendships. And I liked that a lot. But, well, I love reading about girls and boys, and so I was missing boys a lot. I cannot help it, lol. Reading about all girls grew to be a little bit tiresome for me.

But there is one boy in this book. I'm not going to talk too much about the plot. I'm only mentioning that Caledonia and her crew is sailing the sea hunting down Bullets and ruining their ships. They are fighting and just being awesome. And while doing this at the beginning of the book, Pisces gets caught. But she is saved by a Bullet boy. Caledonia very much wants him dead. But he is saved, and is their prisoner for almost all of the book. It was heartbreaking to read about, to be honest. A little cruel too, if I may say so.

I very much liked reading about this boy. It takes some time, but he finally gets a name. Oran. And I very much loved him and adored getting to know him. Caledonia does not trust him one bit. And she is cruel towards him for so long. I did not approve. But near the end, she gets better, finally. And I started shipping them so much. And I am very sure that is the romance that will be in this trilogy. Because of feelings. And I very much approve, because they would be so very awesome together. Hope that it will happen for sure.

Will not share much more about this book. The plot is exciting, and there is a lot happening in this book. I'm giving it a four star because I felt that it could have been a little better at times. But it was also so good and I am very happy about this book. But I'm also feeling a bit conflicted, because this author has blocked me on twitter, and I do not know why. But I still chose to read her book. And I still enjoyed it. Authors are not their books. Anyway. I think that you would all enjoy Seafire a whole lot as well. Go order it right now.

I have to mention something. I saw a lot of people on goodreads wanting to read this book because they think it will be gay. And I have to let you all know that it is not gay. Not at all. Sure, it is a crew of over fifty girls. But not once is it mentioned if any of them are together. The main character is not gay. Just felt like I should mention this, in case anyone wanted to know, so that they do not get disappointed by this book, if they go into it hoping for romance that is not there. Personally just about only read boy-girl books, though.

There is so much I could have shared about this book, but my words have failed me. Seafire was such an incredible beginning to a trilogy. And I cannot wait to see how it all ends. Full of adventure and sisterhood and amazing characters. I am glad that I read this book. A little sad that I did not love it, but it was a great book. And I shall treasure it, always. Huge thank you to Penguin Random House International for sending me the free ARC copy of this book to read and review. Can't wait to own the stunning hardcover of it too.


In My Mailbox #336

I just spent another week not reading. Ahhh. Last week I started a book on Friday, finished on Saturday. And this week I have done the same. Ugh. And so I'm only halfway done with Seafire right now, but will finish it today, and have my review up tonight sometime. But oh, I have SO MANY books that need to be read. Hmph. I need to read more. I think it's because I only wish to read Sawkill Girls right now. And I'm dying waiting for it, waiting for Harper to upload the fall books to Edelweiss. Ack. Hope it happens shortly. But even so. I will read more this coming week. I will. But also not having read much because my health is not better at all. Ugh. The cold I had for ages is gone, at least. But the rest of me is so bad. Medicine still not working, and I'm tired of it. Sigh. But hoping it will get better. It has to. One day, probably. Anyway :D I got so so so much awesome mail this week, eee. And I'm waiting for more too, ack :D So happy. And I'm so excited. Blogged a little bit too. I shared my review of Grim Lovelies. <3 I took part in the Beyond a Darkened Shore launch day postings :D And this week I'm waiting on Aftermath :) This week has gone by so fast. Even though I have not been able to read, the week has been good. Health sucks, and I'm trying to deal with it, but I'm still happy, so yay for that. And ahh, so much mail :D So happy with all of it. <3 Yay.




The Fates Divide. Ahh, I cannot wait to read this second book :D But I will re-read Carve the Mark first.
Fragments of the Lost. This UK paperback edition is all kinds of gorgeous. I very much liked this book.
Queens of Fennbirn. Eee, paperback of two short stories :D I cannot wait to read this one. <3 Very soon.
Smoke in the Sun + Seafire. Oh! Thank you so much PRH International for these two amazing ARCs :D I am so, so happy to be able to read and review them. Reading Seafire right now, and it's awesome. Love.
Renegades. EEE! AUS ARC :D Thank you Hannah for trading with me. <3 Now only missing the UK one.
To Kill a Kingdom. Ahhh. My precious :D Thank you sososo much Stacee. <3 I am SO happy with this :D
Graceling + The Valiant + Hourglass + Timepiece + Swag. Eee, thank you for trading all of this with me Kelly :D I love them all so much. Ahh! GRACELING :D My precious! A bit damaged, sobs, but I still love it so, so much. This trade cost me a lot, ack, but in love with these gorgeous looking ARCs. So yay for that.
Renegades ARC Box. AHH! Thank you the very most Shannon :D I am SO happy with this box. <3 Love.
Rebel of the Sands Swag. Eee, thank you Alwyn :D I am SO happy with these pre-order cards. <3 Love.
Heart of Iron Swag. My gorgeous pre-order cards have arrived :D Soso precious. Thank you Ashley. <3
Funko Pops. Eee, my LotR collection is growing more and more :D Love all of these so so much. <3 Yay.


More Instagram photos here. <3

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday #339

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

AFTERMATH BY KELLEY ARMSTRONG

Goodreads Description:

Three years after losing her brother Luka in a school shooting, Skye Gilchrist is moving home. But there's no sympathy for Skye and her family because Luka wasn't a victim; he was a shooter.

Jesse Mandal knows all too well that the scars of the past don't heal easily. The shooting cost Jesse his brother and his best friend--Skye.

Ripped apart by tragedy, Jesse and Skye can't resist reopening the mysteries of their past. But old wounds hide darker secrets. And the closer Skye and Jesse get to the truth of what happened that day, the closer they get to a new killer.
 


 
 
Hardcover, 384 pages
Expected publication: May 22nd 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers
Pre-Order here and here

I have read and enjoyed some books by Kelley of the past years, and I cannot wait to read more by her. And oh gosh. Aftermath sounds so good. Completely heartbreaking, I think, and mysterious too. Hoping that I will end up loving this book a whole lot :D And hoping there might be little romance too. Can't wait.
What are you waiting for on this tragic Wednesday?

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake Launch Day Post + Giveaway

Today is the release day for Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake :D And I enjoyed this book so so so much. <3 Cannot wait to finally get my hardcover in the mail :D And cannot wait for the rest of you to read this lovely book too. And today I'm taking part in the Launch Day posting hosted by the awesome Good Choice Reading. <3 Sharing a little about the book, and sharing a giveaway too :D This book is all kinds of gorgeous and awesome and I hope you will all be buying and reading and loving it. My four star review can be found here. <3 I read it in September, which feels like forever ago, haha. I need a re-read soon :D Cannot wait to read more by Jessica. I'm also waiting on a personalized copy; so so excited :D


The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’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 Éirinn, 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 two 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.
 



Once upon a time, Jessica Leake was a psychotherapist, but even though she loved her clients, she couldn’t stop writing.

She wrote and wrote until she got her first book published, and then she wrote some more. In between all that writing she had four beautiful and hilarious children with her husband (best friend and man she’s known since high school; also hilarious), moved back to her adopted hometown of Greenville, SC, built a chicken coop, and got a bunch of chickens that poop breakfast every morning. She also has two dogs to keep the chickens in line. (The dogs made her write that last bit.)

Arcana and The Order of the Eternal Sun are available now, and Beyond a Darkened Shore, her YA debut from HarperTeen will be released in April 10, 2018.

Where to find Jessica Leake:

1 Winner will win a hardcover copy of BEYOND A DARKENED SHORE

OPEN TO U.S. & CANADA READERS ONLY
GIVEAWAYS ENDS SUNDAY, APRIL 15th.
MUST ENTER VIA THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW
THIS GIVEAWAY IS SPONSORED BY GOOD CHOICE READING
ALL ENTRIES WILL BE VERIFIED
MUST BE 16 OR OLDER TO ENTER

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Review: Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Feeling all kinds of thrilled that I got to be able to read this book early. When I saw that cover, I knew I had to read this one. And that summary. Gosh. It's incredible. I'm so happy to say that this book was all kinds of amazing. I enjoyed it so much, and I am so glad that I read it. The writing was gorgeous; loved that so much.

There is so much about this book that I wish to share. I shall try not to share too much, but oh, this book was beautiful. I'm giving it four stars, as I had a few smaller issues with the middle of the book. But that beginning. And that ending. Gosh. It was perfect. But also incredibly rude. I am not sure how I will survive waiting.

Especially since I am not sure if this is a series or not. But oh, how I hope there will be another book. Because that ending is fully open. And so much still needs to happen. Crossing all my fingers. It was such an awesome ending, though, despite how evil it was. First, the beginning. This book is told from the point of view of seventeen year old Anouk. She looks seventeen. But she has only been human for just over a year. She is a beastie. She used to be an animal, before a witch turned her into a girl. And oh my gosh how amazing this whole plot was. I loved this twist. I loved how it was written and how interesting and different it was. So beyond creepy at points too. And a little dark as well. I loved every moment of it. Most of this book was perfection.

I'm not going to describe too much about this world, just that it takes place in Paris. There are regular humans, whom are clueless about everything else. Then there are the Royals and the Witches and the Goblins. They sort of rule the world, in that order. And learning about all of them was so interesting and exciting too. I liked reading about the witches. I liked getting to know the goblins, as they were awesome. And just slowly learning about this world. All of it was so awesome. A little heartbreaking too, of course.

Anouk has lived her year inside of a house, never being allowed outside. She serves the witch that made her, Mada Vittora. Anouk is her little doll. Playing dress up with her. Anouk is also the maid of the house, always dusting and making food and doing everything else too. This is everything she has known though. And she loves her Mada. But even though she loves her, she do break the rules a little as well. Reading books she's not supposed to. And so learning about the outside world as well. And I loved that a bunch.

But gosh, how sad her life was. It broke my heart to read about. She is not alone, though. Mada Vittora made four other beasties as well. Anouk is the youngest. There is also Cricket, Luc, Beau and Hunter Black. The last person living in this house was Viggo, whom is human, and the person the witch uses to access blood for her spells. I did not like Viggo one bit at first. He was so cruel and he treated Cricket so awfully. I think I cared more for him by the end, maybe. Hunter Black was his protector, and an assassin.

But oh, all of these characters. I so adored reading about Anouk and getting to know her. Even with her conflicted feelings for the witch that keeps her captive. I simply loved Anouk. She was adorable. And so innocent in the beginning of the book, and completely dark and vicious by the end. I loved that so. She was still sweet, though. And I wish to get to know her even more. Something creepy about her is that she has only eight toes. Somewhat know what happened with her, and it makes me so angry. This poor girl.

I also adored Cricket and Luc. Cricket lives by herself in town somewhere, so Anouk does not see her often. And Luc was the older brother that they all adored and looked up to. He has been missing for a week now. I loved reading about them both, and getting to know them. And oh, Beau. He was adorable. Though he did make some wrong choices that made me angry. Hmph. He was very protective, good and bad. He was sweet too, though. And it made me so very happy, how he cared for Anouk. I so loved Beau.

There is so much happening in this book. And I haven't really shared anything about it, yet I have already written much more than I was going to. I could not help but share why I loved these precious characters. But yeah. Back to the plot. This book takes place over less than a week. In the beginning, we get to read a bit about Anouk's life. And I loved that beginning so much. It was awesome. But then Mada Vittora gets murdered. And everything changes. Anouk and Beau and Cricket are now on the run. Trying to stay alive.

And they only have three days left to live as humans, before they are turned back into an animal. None of them want that. They love being human. But when their witch died, her powers die too. And so they need a new witch to cast the spell to keep them human. But that is not an easy mission. So much goes wrong. Reading about it all was so much fun, though, and I loved it the very most. Anouk finally gets to leave the house. And those scenes were the best. But also sad, because she has missed out on so so much of life.

Okay. I must share the reason for why I did not love all of this book. There is a small romance between Anouk and Beau. First kisses. And it was beyond adorable. I ship them like crazy. But there was some drama too. With them both kissing someone else. It was not a big thing, and I think they are both over it by the end, but I wish it had not happened. It just made my heart hurt. There is the royal prince, Rennar. He wants to marry Anouk for her powers. This could turn into a triangle, but I do not think so. I hope not.

But anyway. Those were the reasons for why this is a four star, and not a five star. Because I had some issues with that romance drama. But everything else about this book was so good. And I adored Anouk and Beau so so much, and I want them together, always. This ending is a killer, though. I need a second book more than anything. Sigh. Grim Lovelies was such a stunning book. Full of magic and so incredible characters. This story was unique and all kinds of heartbreaking. I could not read this book fast enough.

Huge thank you to HMH Books for sending me this most precious ARC copy. I shall treasure it, always. Feeling so thankful that I got the chance to read and review this book early. And so so happy that I ended up mostly loving it all. Eee. I shall now be looking all over for news about a second book, and hoping I will find it. Because I am not nearly done enough with these characters or this world. If you love books about magic with amazing characters then you really must read Grim Lovelies. It was such an incredible story.