Sunday, May 31, 2015

Review: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

I've been so excited about reading this book for ages. Because it sounds and looks amazing. And because I adore Carrie Ryan. Though I have only read her middle grade book, The Map to Everywhere. But I loved it to pieces. So I could not wait for this one. Had to start this gorgeous the moment it finally arrived :D

And I'm so happy to say that this book did not disappoint. I loved it. I had a few small issues, which is why I'm giving it four stars, but I also loved this book. I found the writing to be great. I loved the characters. And the story was pretty amazing too. I'm just really glad that I ended up enjoying this book so much.

I'm not sure how to talk about this book though. Because there is so much to mention. And so much not to talk about. And I'm not sure how I wish to say it all. Ugh. But I will say that I enjoyed it so much. Frances is a great character to read about. Well, she did some things that I didn't approve of at all, but I still loved her. And I still understood her so well. I loved how the book begins when she is fourteen, when her family is killed. And so many others. And her new friend, Libby too. And then she takes over her life. It was a bit weird, how it happened, how she became Libby, but I also ended up liking it a whole lot. It was great to read about.

One thing that bothered me is how it seemed like Frances and Libby were best friends, before she ended up dead. But that wasn't fully true. They had met just about a week ago. On the cruise ship. They hadn't spent that much time together at all. And Frances met Grey at the same boat, falling in love with him in just about a week too. It was a bit weird and fast to me. But I also loved it to pieces. And I enjoyed reading about it so much. Wishing that the attack hadn't happened, though. Sigh. But it did. Sad face.

I'm not going to talk about the plot, or you know, mention all the things that the summary tells you. But I will say that I found the story to be exciting. And I wanted more. And I loved it. Then there were all the characters. The past Libby. I liked reading about who she had been, who she should have been. But mostly I loved reading about how Frances is dealing with being her. And not dealing with things at all. It hurt my heart, because she's not truly doing okay. And I just want her to be happy. And have revenge.

My favorite character, though, was Grey. The boy. The love interest. But there wasn't much romance in this book at all. Ugh. But there is a little bit. And while I loved those kisses, I felt like they were all based on a lie. Which they were. Grey didn't know the truth. And it hurt my heart so much. Sigh. He deserved better. Because Grey is suffering. His girlfriend, Frances, died on the ship four years ago. Except she didn't. Except he doesn't know that. I'm not happy with her, lol. But I understood her too.

But yes. I loved the characters in this book. I loved getting to know them all. The bad ones too. Mostly I just wanted to read about Frances and Grey. But I enjoyed reading about everything. It was awesome. I'm not sure what else to say about my feelings for this book. A bit more below, but not much about the story. Just that I loved it. And I loved how Frances wanted revenge. Though I felt like more than just two people were behind it all. Huh. Which is why I want a sequel too. Pretty please :D I very much need one.

Overall I ended up enjoying Daughter of Deep Silence a whole lot. It is exciting and a bit scary. It has some cute romance moments. And a bunch of sad moments too. It is a gorgeous revenge story. I wish it had been a bit more, but I did love this one. Some things didn't make all that much sense to me, but I didn't mind at all. Because Daughter of Deep Silence was exciting. It was thrilling at times. It was a book I didn't mind getting lost in, and I did. I ended up loving this one. And I could not be happier about it.

But even though I loved this one. I still had some issues, sadly. I wish it had been a bit more dark. I wish there had been a whole lot more romance. I wish the ending had been at least another a hundred pages, because it isn't wrapped up at all. It is a mean ending. And I need more. Oh, how I need more. I need to know how Grey feels about Frances lying to him for four goddamn years. Well, not to him personally, not really, but even so. She didn't tell him. And I can't stand that. She must make up for it. She just must.

I know, such small problems to have. But it bothered me a bit. It hurt my heart. Frances hurt him. Badly. And I didn't see her make up for it for one second even. It bothers me so much. Which is why I'm dying for a sequel. I need more. I need for her to make it okay with Grey. He deserves so much more. And I need to know more about her too. And everything. And Shepherd too. And yeah. I very much want another book. There doesn't need to be one, but I need one. Evil ending, yet not that evil, not really.

I didn't truly have any other issues with this one. I wish it had been darker, like I said, and a bit longer, and more romance. But other than that I loved it. I found it to be exciting and fast to read and just pretty amazing. This book was awesome. And I'm glad I finally got to read it. I get the feeling I need to read other books by Carrie too. Since she's awesome, hih. Anyway. I would say that you should all read Daughter of Deep Silence. Because it is an amazing book. So, yes. Go buy it already. And then read it.


Saturday, May 30, 2015

In My Mailbox #187

I only read one book this week. I haven't read much lately at all. Which sucks, ugh. But I have been watching Supernatural, and I have loved doing that :) Though it is slow going these days, as I have to wait for my sister, and she only has time for a few episodes a day :p Ugh. But she's going on vacation next week, so then I will get to finish the last five seasons alone :) Which is sort of sad. But I will not wait two weeks for her, ack. Anyway. Despite not reading much this week, I did feel like I had a good week. Well. I'm still sick, and it bothers me. I haven't posted that much this week either, but still some gorgeous things :) I'll try to read more. I want to, but I also don't know what I want to read. Ugh. But I shall try. This week I posted another Cress Tuesday. <3 I read Uprooted. Disappointing. I'm waiting on Slasher Girls & Monster Boys this week. <3 And I shared the beautiful cover for The Mirror King :D I also didn't get that much this week, and I will be getting less each week, probably, as my book space is much limited. But I'm still pre-ordering :D Anyway. I am happy with what I got. <3 Also a bit heartbroken about all of you lovely people that got to be at BEA :) Hope you had the best time. What did you get this week?

The Girl at Midnight. Hardcover. Two winners. US/Canada. Ends 06/01.


Big Hero 6. Gorgeous magazine that I just had to buy :D The Baymax eraser is gorgeous. <3 I love it.
Kitty Mirror. See that gorgeous cat face? I had to buy this mirror. I just had to. It is all kinds of cute :D
Disney Infinity 2.0. Oh, fine. I need to play these games soon. But I had to get it. I wanted it. Needed :)
Nooks & Crannies. This book looks all kinds of cute. I cannot wait to read it :D Hope I will love it. <3
Daughter of Deep Silence. Reading this one next :D I'm oh so excited and nervous. I cannot wait. <3
Ruin and Rising. Yay for new UK paperback :D Glad I got two. Because these are goddamn stunning.
Vicious. My last copy arrived damaged. Asked for refund. Got refund and new book. Ack! It is gorgeous.


More Instagram photos here. <3

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Cover Reveal: The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows

Oh my gosh. This cover is gorgeous. I love the colors so much. I love Wil so much. I love the boy so much. And the background. And everything. And I am in love with this cover. It is peeerfection. Sigh. Love it. So excited for The Mirror King :D As I loved book one, The Orphan Queen, a whole damn lot. It was amazing. <3 Oh so good. This one will be better, I'm sure. The summary is awesome. Sigh. Love it. Also, the author, Jodi, is one of the most amazing people I've ever known. She's so kind. And awesome. And yeah, you should all go read her books right away. Especially The Orphan Queen :D You won't regret it. Promise. Well. Hah. That ending is the devil. Yet I loved it to pieces.You need to check out the official reveal post here, to enter the most amazing giveaway. Sigh. If only I could enter it. <3 I would sell my soul for an ARC of The Mirror King. Seriously. I want this book so badly. It is going to be aaamazing :D And waiting for April 5th will be torture. Ugh. But worth it, I'm sure. I simply cannot wait for this book. It shall be so good. And oh my gosh. With this perfect cover, it will look so stunning as a finished copy :D I cannot wait to see it in person, months from now. Aw. I wish I could have it right away. But yeah. This book is going to be epic. And I cannot wait. So excited to read more about Wil. And the Black Knife. And everyone and everything and just, ugh. So excited for this one. <3 The Mirror King is going to be perfect. Just, waiting will be awful. Will do it, though :D What do you think of the cover?


Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right.

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

 


Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #189

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

SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS

Goodreads Description:

For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan, and Daphne Du Maurier comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best writers of YA thrillers and horror

A host of the smartest young adult authors come together in this collection of scary stories and psychological thrillers curated by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’s April Genevieve Tucholke.

Each story draws from a classic tale or two—sometimes of the horror genre, sometimes not—to inspire something new and fresh and terrifying. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From bloody horror to supernatural creatures to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for any reader looking for a thrill.

Fans of TV’s The Walking Dead, True Blood, and American Horror Story will tear through tales by these talented authors:

Stefan Bachmann - Leigh Bardugo - Kendare Blake - A. G. Howard - Jay Kristoff 

Marie Lu - Jonathan Maberry - Danielle Paige - Carrie Ryan - Megan Shepherd 
Nova Ren Suma - McCormick Templeman - April Genevieve Tucholke - Cat Winters

Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: August 18th 2015 by Dial Books
Pre-Order here and here.

This collection of short stories is going to be amazing. And I cannot wait for it to come out in August. It sounds so good. And I cannot wait to read the short stories by so many authors that I love :D And I love horror too, so yeah. This one shall be awesome, I hope. I adore Leigh. And Kendare. And Jay. And Marie. And Carrie. And Nova. And Cat. And the other authors sounds amazing too :D I simply can't wait for it.
What are you waiting for on this horrific Wednesday? 

Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I don't know where to begin with this book. I did not like it. I wanted to, so badly. But two stars for me. Ugh. But oh, it is gorgeous. And I'm forever thankful to Mel for hosting the amazing giveaway that I won. <3 Thank you sweet girl. My hardcover is precious, despite me not loving the inside of it :)

I'm not sure how to describe this book at all, though. I have heard so many say they loved it. And I wanted to love it too. Because it sounded amazing. And it looks so gorgeous. But goddamn it. This book annoyed me greatly. And I have so many thoughts about it. Ugh. Shall try to explain all of them. Sniffs.

At first I thought I would like this book a whole lot. It seemed interesting. But then I got bored. And it took me three days to read this book. Which is not a good thing. I wanted to DNF it so many times, but I decided not to, because I'm not really one to DNF that often. Hmph. I regret not doing so. Well, I'm not saying that this book was bad. It wasn't awful. I didn't hate it. I truly didn't. But I did not like it either. I was so bored. This book is so goddamn long. And hard to read. And I never seemed close to finishing it. Plus, the writing is awful. Goddamn awful. The girl is telling a story, it seems like. Not much talking at all. She isn't even good at telling this story. And it bothered me so much. I just felt nothing for this book. Nothing at all.

Well, okay, I'm giving this a two star. Which means I liked some parts. Like how I thought it was good in the beginning, before I got bored. How I liked that one smut scene. Which then was ruined for me a second later. Ugh. I found some scenes to be all kinds of exciting, and I wanted to know what would happen next. But then it went back to being boring and long and never ending and ugh. I couldn't with this book. I wish I had loved it. But I don't see how I ever could. Which is making me oh so depressed.

I might also be holding a grudge against this book. My feelings about it might be silly, but near the beginning. The girl is almost raped. By a prince. He suddenly kiss her, and she's thinking that if he had asked her instead, she would have slept with him. What the hell. She didn't know this prince. Had never met him before. I did not like this girl. Ugh. She wasn't raped. But she did not want it anymore when he tried to rip her clothes off. So yeah. That scene was disturbing. And it annoyed me so goddamn much.

I just don't know how to talk about this one. The book is told from the point of view of seventeen year old Agnieszka. Whom has the weirdest name. It isn't used often. As this is just her thinking and telling and ugh it bothered me. Anyway. Main girl. I didn't like her much. She gets chosen by the Dragon. To live with him for ten years in his tower. First I was all, yay! But it was so silly. I didn't like this plot line at all. I wanted to. Also, the Dragon seemed like an interesting man. But not that interesting at all. Not really.

And Agnieszka is sort of acting like an idiot a lot of times. I didn't find her strong or brave or scared or amazing or anything. I just felt nothing for her. Not a good sign. And then, of course, she turned out to be a witch. And could do magic. I didn't get it. Not at all. She struggles a lot with it. She can only do a few things. And then suddenly she can turn mud into an animal? What the hell? I must have missed something. Yet I didn't. The magic in this one was weird. I wanted to love it a lot. But I didn't at all.

Another moment that I hated with a passion: girl passed out from doing too much magic. Was told by a healer she couldn't do any more magic for a week; that her body was all out of it. Yet the very same day she's walking through walls. She's making mud into animals. FOR DAYS. What the actual fuck. This book made no sense at all. And how the hell did she know how to do all of those spells? I didn't understand it at all. This book sucked at explaining things. Because it didn't really explain anything at all. Frustrating.

Now what to say about this book.. I don't know. The plot was weird. I was curious about the Wood, but even that was turned silly. Especially the last fifty pages. Gosh, they were awful. I'm pretty sure I read most of it not paying attention at all. It was so bad and boring and I did not like it. Sad face. Characters were pretty awful too. I sort of liked her best friend. Probably. For a short moment. The royal family were stupid. Too much time spent there doing nothing. Too much time spent doing nothing all over.

Then I should mention the romance. The girl and the Dragon spend a lot of time fighting in the beginning. Over things that made no sense to me. Ugh. Then just suddenly they seem to be in love. Their first and almost only kiss almost ends up with them naked. A bit weird. Came out of nowhere. And then the smut part, later on. I liked that a little, not in a lot of YA books. But then the girl ruined the moment for me the very next page, by thinking about silly things. I just. I didn't care for the romance.

I'm not sure what else to say. I could talk for ages about the things I didn't like about this one. But I don't want to. I just did not like it. It wasn't worth it to me. And that is oh so depressing. I'm sorry for not liking this book at all. But yeah. I wouldn't recommend it. Some will love it, sure, but I did not. And also, the epilogue sort of thing at the end. Gosh damn it was silly. I wouldn't say it ended good either. Not in my eyes. It was annoying to me. And silly. And yeah. I regret spending so much time with this book.


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Cress Tuesday #83

I adore sharing these Cress Tuesday teasers every Tuesday. I love finding new teasers to share. It's all kinds of fun. I shall be sharing these until November, when Winter comes out, most likely :) As you know, I adore Marissa Meyer. She is all kinds of amazing. She's so kind and sweet. And she writes such perfect books. I have loved all her books and short stories so far. I'm dying to read Winter. <3 See the very gorgeous cover reveal for it here. I'm also dying to read her upcoming book, Heartless, which will be out next February. Oh. I cannot wait. I haven't been brave enough to re-read Cinder, Scarlet & Cress just yet, but I shall be doing so soon. As I love these books oh so much. They are the bestest. I hope you have all read these books by now. And if not, you really should. I hope you are all enjoying these small and awesome teasers from Cress :) See all the previous Cress Tuesdays here. <3 Have you read it yet?


~
 
A stranger, a girl, was sitting cross-legged in her cage, so close Scarlet could have touched her.
 Scarlet tried to push herself away, but the action sent pain rippling through her bandaged hand. 
She hissed and fell back onto the ground. 
 
Her hand was the worst of it--the hatchet had taken her left pinky finger to the second knuckle. She had not passed out, though she wished she would have. A Lunar doctor had been waiting to bandage the wound, and he had done it with such precision, Scarlet suspected it was a very common procedure. 
 
But then there were also the scratches on her face and stomach from her time spent in the 
company of Master Charleson, and countless aches from sleeping on hard floors for--well, 
she'd lost count of how many nights.

~

  
Just, Scarlet, my love. She was so hurt in this book.
I need her to get a lot of love in Winter. <3


Huge thank you to Marissa Meyer and Macmillan Kids for letting me share these gorgeous Cress Tuesday teasers with you all. <3 They are the bestest. Thank you so much. I hope you are all loving the teasers :D I know that I am loving finding them and sharing them with you all. If you haven’t yet read Cress, I hope these teasers are making you more excited about it. <3 I’m sharing all these teasers from my stunning hardcover of Cress. Well, from one of my copies. I might be owning a whole bunch of them :D

Saturday, May 23, 2015

In My Mailbox #186

I haven't read a single book this week. Well, okay, I started and finished Illuminae last Saturday, but that is a whole week ago. Instead I have been watching Supernatural every day :) I'm almost done with season 4. So much love. I shall be reading soonish, probably. I'm good with taking a little break. Because watching Supernatural is the best :D Not that many blog posts this week. But still some gorgeous ones. <3 I posted my long review of Illuminae. I loved it oh so much. Then posted another Cress Tuesday :D This week I'm waiting on Velvet Undercover :) Then I shared the gorgeous cover for Riders. <3 And posted another Have You Seen This ... post :D I didn't get all that much this week, but so happy with what did arrive. <3 I started having a cold a week ago. It's still not gone. I'm not feeling all that bad, but it is very annoying. Hoping to feel better soon :) Hoping to read soon too. What did you get this week?
Oh! And also. I watched Mad Max: Fury Road this week. I loved it. I want to see it again. Now, please.

The Girl at Midnight. Hardcover. Two winners. US/Canada. Ends 06/01.



Big Hero 6. A couple of gorgeous books :D They are awesome. I'm getting more, just slowly, hih. Love.
How To Train Your Dragon. Yay for more dragon books :D I love them all oh so much. Just, the gorgeous.
An Ember in the Ashes. This UK version is stunning. But I'm wondering if I will love or hate the book.
The Cage. I had to buy this one, because it is stunning. <3 Just.. I'm worried I'll hate it. Sigh. Hope not.
Uprooted. Eeek! Thank you so much to Mel @ The Daily Prophecy for this one :D And the publisher, Pan Macmillan UK. <3 But mostly Mel, whom hosted this awesome giveaway. Reading it soon :) I'm excited.
Supernatural 9. Now I own them all :D Well, not season 10 yet, but yeah. Love this show so much. <3
Reign. Well. I wasn't going to buy this. But I had to. Sort of watching it. Hate it. Like it sometimes. Ugh.
The Winner's Crime. Eeeek! My collection is complete :D Love it! New collection picture sometime soon.
The Golden Compass. I saw these gorgeous cards on ebay, and I had to buy them. They are awesome :)
Hidden Huntress swag. Yay :D Thank you so much Danielle. <3 This swag is stunning. I love it a lot. <3



More Instagram photos here. <3

Friday, May 22, 2015

Have You Seen This ...

Hi. <3 I'm re-posting this, to share about the books I'm wishing to trade for :D You can see my first post here. Where I also shared the books I have traded for already. <3 Huge thank you to Andi and Brittany for coming up with this amazing feature :D More details about it below. <3 Looking for a lot of ARCs :)

Andi’s ABCs and The Book Addict’s Guide have joined together to give you “Have You Seen This…”! Have You Seen This will be a way for bloggers to hunt down those hard-to-find books for their collections (think an international version or old ARC)! Both Andi and Brittany will have a specific page set up for this feature where bloggers can post which books they’re looking for and those with rare copies can check to see if anyone needs them.

The print ARCs I'm looking for. <3

Winterspell by Claire Legrand.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. 
All the Rage by Courtney Summers. 
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.  
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater.   
Shiver + Linger + Forever + Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater.
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand.
The Year of Shadows by Claire Legrand. 
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake.
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake.
Antigoddess by Kendare Blake. 
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows.  
The Thickety: The Whispering Trees by J. A. White.

Okay, my list might be kind of long, hih. <3 But yeah. I really, really want these ARCs. Wishing for unread ones the most. I also have a wishlist page which lists all the other ARCs I'm looking for; newer ones. <3 I would be willing to trade for these, though I don't have that many newish ARCs to offer, but I do have some, and please see my ARCs for trading here. I would also be willing to buy new books for you in exchange for the ARC. <3 And I would, of course, pay for the shipping costs to Norway. Hoping you might be able to help me :D Keeping my fingers crossed. <3 Are there any ARCs that you are looking for?

You can contact me via my Twitter or my email: carina-olsen@hotmail.com

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Cover Reveal: Riders by Veronica Rossi

Oh! This cover is all kinds of gorgeous. And it sounds so good too. Sigh. I cannot wait to read Riders :D It shall be perfect. <3 Because I adore Veronica Rossi. So much. She's amazing. So kind and sweet. I loved her Under the Never Sky trilogy oh so much. And I simply can't wait to read more by her :D And just, gosh damn. This book sounds epic. The summary is so amazing. I cannot wait to get to meet Gideon :D And everyone. And ugh, this plot sounds amazing. I want this book so badly. February 2nd cannot arrive fast enough. I will love this book. And I can't wait to get to read it :D What do you think?


For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.
Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.
Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen—Conquest, Famine and Death—are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.
They fail.
Now—bound, bloodied, and drugged—Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for—not to mention all of humankind—he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.
But will anyone believe him?


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #188

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

VELVET UNDERCOVER BY TERI BROWN

Goodreads Description:

Samantha Donaldson’s family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a Girl Guide and messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, high-level mathematics, and complex puzzles and codes, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women’s spy group La Dame Blanche she’s torn—this could be the adventure she’s dreamed of, but how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband to the war? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes there’s no way she can refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known to the members of LDB only as Velvet. Deep undercover within the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Samantha must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she finds herself forming a forbidden attraction to the enemy-a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Samantha discover the truth and find Velvet before it’s too late…for them both?

From author Teri Brown comes the thrilling story of one girl’s journey into a deadly world of spycraft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences.


Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Pre-Order here and here.

I adore Teri Brown. And I love reading books from this time period. And ugh. This cover is gorgeous. And oh, this summary. I am dying for October. Because Velvet Undercover sounds all kinds of amazing. And I'm oh so excited to read it :D And forbidden romance? Yes please. I very much hope that this romance is going to be amazing. Because it sounds like it could be epic. And I want that so much. Fingers crossed. Either way, though, I think I'll love this book. Because it seems all kinds of perfect.
What are you waiting for on this historical Wednesday? 

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Cress Tuesday #82

I adore sharing these Cress Tuesday teasers every Tuesday. I love finding new teasers to share. It's all kinds of fun. I shall be sharing these until November, when Winter comes out, most likely :) As you know, I adore Marissa Meyer. She is all kinds of amazing. She's so kind and sweet. And she writes such perfect books. I have loved all her books and short stories so far. I'm dying to read Winter. <3 See the very gorgeous cover reveal for it here. I'm also dying to read her upcoming book, Heartless, which will be out next February. Oh. I cannot wait. I haven't been brave enough to re-read Cinder, Scarlet & Cress just yet, but I shall be doing so soon. As I love these books oh so much. They are the bestest. I hope you have all read these books by now. And if not, you really should. I hope you are all enjoying these small and awesome teasers from Cress :) See all the previous Cress Tuesdays here. <3 Have you read it yet?


~

With a quick twist to her heart, Cress's fear of him began to subside. She'd been right back at the boutique. He was like the hero of a romance story, and he was trying to rescue his beloved. His alpha.
 
Cress had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her imagination from skittering away with her. This wasn't some silly story. Scarlet Benoit was a prisoner on Luna. It was very likely that she was already dead. It was a thought that settled heavy is Cress's gut as the hover pulled in front of the palace gates.

~

  
Aw. My poor Wolf. I love how Cress got closer to him.

Huge thank you to Marissa Meyer and Macmillan Kids for letting me share these gorgeous Cress Tuesday teasers with you all. <3 They are the bestest. Thank you so much. I hope you are all loving the teasers :D I know that I am loving finding them and sharing them with you all. If you haven’t yet read Cress, I hope these teasers are making you more excited about it. <3 I’m sharing all these teasers from my stunning hardcover of Cress. Well, from one of my copies. I might be owning a whole bunch of them :D

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Review: Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

I was not going to read all of this huge book today. But once I started it, I could not stop. Not for a moment. I had to finish it. I had to know what happened next. Made me dizzy to read it so fast, but it was worth it. Every second of it. Illuminae was perfection. Just like I knew it would be. I loved it the most.

I have been dying to read this book for ages. Ever since it was first announced. Because I adore Jay Kristoff. His Stormdancer trilogy is goddamn amazing. And I will read anything he writes. I also really adore Amie, and love her writing too. So this book. I needed it so much. I have been trying my very best to get it.

And then yesterday, it arrived in the mail. Which was such a huge surprise. It was the most precious gift I have gotten. Huge thank you to Becky at Stories & Sweeties for gifting me with this stunning print ARC, with the cover-not-final cover. It means the world to me. I wanted this edition and this book so much. And just. It was the best gift. I adore you Becky. I had to read this book right away. I knew I would love it. But I was nervous too, as the way it is written is so special and different, and not done before, so it worried me a little bit. But it shouldn't have. Because this book was so beautiful. The way it is written is perfection. The pages are so gorgeous. The writing is amazing. The story is all kinds of creepy and awful and so good.

I have no idea what to say about this book. Or where to begin. And what to not say about it. And just. I want to express all the thoughts I have inside my head right now. But there is so much. There is so much I loved about this book. There is so much happening at all times. And I don't know how to put it all into words. But I will try. Because I loved it so. And I want you to love it too. I need you all to give this book a chance. You won't regret it. Not once. Well, okay, something awful happens before the end. But loved it.

I adore all the characters in this book. Well. Some of them. Mostly I only loved Ezra and Kady. But there are so many people in this book. So many to get to know. And I adored so many of them. And then most of them died. And ugh. I'm not such a forgiving person, lol. But yeah. I loved reading about every character in this book. Though it did give me a lot of heartbreak. I even grew to like the very awful AIDAN. Seriously. The sort of robot. Which I'm not saying anything about. But yeah. It was awesome.

If I were to say that this book is about one person, I would say it is about Kady. Because most of this book focus around her. And Ezra too, a lot of the time. Yet not enough for me, hmph. But Kady. Damn. She is an amazing character. Such a strong girl. She managed to do so much, while being so broken, and ugh. I loved her so. I loved getting to know her, slowly. I loved seeing how much she cared about people. Reading about all the things she had to do. It was awful and heartbreaking and I loved every moment.

This book isn't told in the normal way. Not once is it told from the point of view of Kady. Well. Okay. We get to read a few short journal entries from her, but those don't count. This book is told from the viewpoint of cameras. Of reports. Of chat messages. And other things like that. And gosh, it was so different. Yet I loved it to pieces. It was so special. I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I wish it had been told in the regular way, but in the end I truly loved the way this book was written. It was special. Amazing.

I can't begin talking about the plot in this book. I just. It is so much. So much happens. All over the place. And it was the best. It was written so well. It was so interesting and exciting to read about. I wanted to know more at all times. Yet at the same time I didn't. Because damn. There is a lot of death in this book. Hurts my heart. Yet so lovely to read about too. This book wasn't afraid of killing people. It wasn't afraid of anything. And I loved that. Oh so much. Illuminae is special to me. So glad I loved it.

As you already know, Kady just broke up with her boyfriend, Ezra. And then the same day their planet is invaded. And.. wow. It was done so well. Ugh, how I loved it. Some of the people from this planet manage to escape, into three different spaceships. Heartbreakingly, Kady and Ezra are in different ships. Which bothered me a little. But I loved it too. Another ship is following them, wanting to murder them all. It is all so damn exciting. And scary. Because so much awful happens. All the time. I loved it.

I could talk forever about all the spaceships. How amazing they were written. How huge they were. But I shall not talk about it all. I will say that I loved reading about them all. How this book was set in space all the time. I loved it. So damn amazing. But oh. There is a virus in this book. And oh my gosh. It was awful. It was so depressing. So heartbreaking to read about. I didn't expect all of that to happen. But damn, I was happy it did. It was so awful. And oh how I enjoyed reading about it all, lol. It was the best.

I wish to share so much about the plot. But I'm done talking about it now, I think. I wish for you all to read this book without knowing all the details, like I did. Because it was amazing. And oh so surprising. Truly the greatest. So yes. The story in this book is the best. It is exciting all the time. It surprised me so much. And it was just so good to read about. I loved every moment. And I want more. I need more. The ending was spectacular. Evil. Yet so perfect. Oh, how I loved it. Sigh. I need much more, though.

I must mention the romance. Kady and Ezra. My god, how I ship them. They spent just about all of this book being apart from each other. Which broke my heart. But they talk through messages. And I loved it. They are so damn cute. I loved their small fights. I loved the way they typed to each other. It was oh so cute. Their reason for breaking up was stupid, though. Hmph. But it isn't talked about that much. I'm good with it. Loved reading about them sort of slowly getting back to each other. It was simply stunning.

Ezra is a huge favorite character of mine now. I felt like I didn't get to see him enough in this book, which was a bit heartbreaking. Hmph. But I loved it even so. And I loved reading about him. Getting to know him. His past with his mom. I hope there will be more about that in book two. I'm all kinds of curious. Yet so sad. Sigh. There is so much to know about Ezra. And I want to know it all. I just. I love how romantic he is, sort of. He is just so sweet. I love how much he loves Kady. Sigh. I adored him.

Okay. I could talk about this book forever. I won't. But do know that I loved it. That I loved Kady and Ezra so much. That I loved how goddamn brutal this book is. Shudders. It's perfect. I'm really, truly dying for the sequel. I cannot begin to tell you how much I need more from this world. From this story. But oh my gosh. The sequel. It will be a true sequel, won't it? Not a companion book? Oh, now I'm getting a bit nervous, lol. But I think it will be a regular sequel. Probably. Either way, I am dying for it. I need more.

Illuminae is special. It is so different. And I couldn't have loved it more. This book is heartbreaking and so brutal. Every moment was exciting. Every moment was worth the heartbreak. The characters were amazing to read about. I loved everything about this book. Thank you so, so much Becky. <3 And thank you Jay and Amie for writing this precious book. I will now be hunting for every edition of this book. The hardcover ARC. I need it. And the Australian ARC. Need them. <3 Go pre-order this book right now :)


Special cover reveal for Illuminae.

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

In My Mailbox #185

This week. I got the most amazing gift in the mail. So much love. <3 Bad part, I'm starting to get sick. It ain't fun. But I'm having a good week. I just finished watching season 1 of Supernatural today :D Took me less than three days. <3 It was awesome. Watching the rest too, but first reading Illuminae. Starting it today. So excited. I haven't read anything since I finished Illusionarium last Sunday. It was a one star. And ever since I haven't felt like reading :p How mean. But now I got the best book. And I shall start it today. And I cannot wait :D Anyway. Health still sucks, waiting for my Bascoms operation on June 17th. It shall be painful after, but I cannot wait to get this hole gone with. Wish for time to go faster. This week I posted some things, but a few days with nothing :) I read Illusionarium. Not the best at all. I was a part of the amazing The Girl at Midnight blog tour. <3 I shared another precious Cress Tuesday teaser :) I posted the goorgeous cover for The Winner's Kiss. <3 This week I'm waiting on The Last Ever After :D And then I shared the UK cover for The Winner's Kiss :D So precious. Anyway. So happy with the things I got this week. <3 Sucks to be sick, though. Ugh. Hoping it will pass fast. What did you get this week?

The Girl at Midnight. Hardcover. Two winners. US/Canada. Ends 06/01. 
LAST HOURS! Swag Pack Giveaway. International. Ends 05/17.


Illusionarium. Yes. I hated this book. But my copy had already shipped by the time I read it :( So pretty.
The Last Good Day of the Year. What. This is out already? I was to read my eARC. Ack! Soon. I hope.
Lion Heart. Oh, this book is gorgeous. Soon I shall re-read book one and finish this trilogy :) Excited.
Vicious. Yay for finally buying this precious book :D I must read it soon. I adore the author oh so much.
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. I had to buy this one. I had to. I really hope I will love it. Excited.
The Wrath & The Dawn. Soon I shall read this precious. Just so damn nervous. Sigh. I want to love it.
Fangirl. Ah, this special edition is gorgeous. I love it. So pretty and precious. I adored this book a lot.
A School for Unusual Girls. Ack! Thank you so much Alexis at Tor Teen for this gorgeous finished copy :D I commented once that I was curious about this one, and they sent it to me, total surprise :D So much love. Sigh. Tor is one of the best publishers. <3 Love them. I'm really curious about this book. Gorgeous.
Illuminae. EEEEK! Thank you so so so much Becky at Stories & Sweeties :D YOU ARE THE VERY BEST. Oh my god. Thank you. This was a total surprise. And the best gift ever. Sniffs. Thank you sweetie. <3 I wanted this one so badly. Sigh. I shall read it very, very shortly. Starting it today. I cannot wait :D



Frozen. This big thing I just had to get. Mostly just for the cubes, lol :D But the rest is so pretty too.
How to Train Your Dragon. I had to buy this book from bookdepo. <3 It is oh so gorgeous. I love it lots.
Game of Thrones. Needed this season :D A bit expensive, but I wanted tiny Joffrey, lol. He looks great.
The Hobbit 3. Ah, finally buying my copies of this amazing movie. <3 Must re-watch all three soon :D
Fury. I had to buy this movie too. Saw it a few months ago. I liked it a lot. Think I would re-watch it, lol.
Taken 3. Soon I shall watch this one. Just hoping that it will be good. I did like the first one very much.
Frozen. Some gorgeous books :D And the cards. Oh, the cards are stunning. I must buy more someday.
Dragons. Yay for more dragons :D I didn't own these ones yet. <3 I very nearly have all of them. Eeek.
Kitty. This tiny gold looking cat is all kinds of gorgeous. I had to buy it. I need it. It is oh so pretty. <3 


Daughter of Dusk. Yay! Thank you so much Disney-Hyperion for accepting my request to read this one. <3 I'm excited for it. Yet nervous too. I.. have forgotten much about book one. Ack. Must look into it.
Serafina and the Black Cloak. Thank you Disney-Hyperion for accepting my request to read this gorgeous looking book :D Crossing all my fingers that I will love it. I really want to. It looks all kinds of awesome.



My Sherry Thomas collection. <3 Love love love.


More Instagram photos here. <3

Thursday, May 14, 2015

UK Cover Reveal: The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Two days ago I shared the US cover reveal for The Winner's Kiss. <3 Which is all kinds of gorgeous. See that one here. Today I'm sharing the UK paperback cover reveal :D Which is also all kinds of gorgeous. Ugh. These books are SO PRETTY. I love owning them all. I love how precious they are. I just love how amazing Arin and Kestrel is. Sigh. These books are the bestest. And Marie is amazing. This stunning UK paperback is coming out on March 10th 2016. And I simply cannot wait to own copies of this beautiful book. Sigh. Just wishing I could read it right away, lol :) As I am dying to know what happens next. <3 The Winner's Kiss is going to be perfect. I just know it. I cannot wait. What do you think of the cover?


War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it, with the East as his ally and the empire as his enemy. He’s finally managed to dismiss the memory of Kestrel, even if he can’t quite forget her. Kestrel turned into someone he could no longer recognize: someone who cared more for the empire than for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she cared for him. At least, that’s what he thinks.

But far north lies a work camp where Kestrel is a prisoner. Can she manage to escape before she loses herself? As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover unexpected roles in battle, terrible secrets, and a fragile hope. The world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and Kestrel and Arin are caught between. In a game like this, can anybody really win?


 
My gorgeous Marie Rutkoski collection. <3 I now also have the The Winner's Crime ARC. +
The Winner's Curse audio book :D Only missing The Winner's Crime audio. <3 Getting it shortly.