I just happened across The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic but am I glad I did. I loved everything about this one. It is dark and mysterious and therI just happened across The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic but am I glad I did. I loved everything about this one. It is dark and mysterious and there are weird happenings and deaths occurring...all right up my alley.
Merrick Darling is the daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex and unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fox that covered England generations earlier. Because of that, she will never become a Phantom, a creature that stalks her province's borders, as long as the fires burn to hold them back. Unfortunately for Merrick, the one thing she was hoping for, will never come to pass, she will never inherit her family's manor...it will all go to her sister Essie which means she needs to marry well. Having come to face that fact, Merrick left the manor and threw herself into society life.
Because of the way she left, there were hard feelings between Merrick and Essie, but when Merrick's father suddenly dies, Merrick has to come home and what she finds isn't what she expected. Essie isn't the strong and capable person she used to be, instead, she is withdrawn and frightened. There have been a number of attacks along the borders and the fog is closing in, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable. Not only because the Phantoms are out there but also because the other Manor Lords are looking for a weakness.
When Essie goes missing, Merrick doesn't know who to trust and she knows that there's something she's missing...she just has to keep digging. The question is, should she trust her family, the guard, or the boy who says he wants to marry her? Or none of them at all?
I thought Gregovic did a great job of tying this story together. Admittedly, I didn't truly figure out what was up until later on as things were being revealed although on the love interest front I wasn't fooled. That said, I thought the fog and phantom aspect of this along with the whole immunity plot line was interesting and brought it all together. With the way this book ended, there is absolutely an opportunity to lead into another book - I'm just saying - so if there's a continuation of what happens next for these characters, I'm here for it.
If you're looking for a new YA Fantasy to pick up, consider grabbing this one, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review....more
Silence and Shadow is the second book in the Blood and Moonlight series by Erin Beaty and if you haven't read that one, go now and pick it up. Not onlSilence and Shadow is the second book in the Blood and Moonlight series by Erin Beaty and if you haven't read that one, go now and pick it up. Not only is the cover AMAZING on this book (and book 1 too) but the story itself is very well done and I enjoyed it!
This book picks up where book one left off. Cat and Simon are posing as a married couple in the city of Londunium after fleeing Cat's home. While they don't expect to keep this up for long, they need to do it initially so they can stay together at the Selanae university.
As they integrate into their new roles, they realize there is a bigger issue in Londunium and there is a killer on the loose. To add to that, the university happens to be run by a council of leaders who ultimately threaten to erase Simon's memories to protect their secrets and Cat is desperate to keep him safe. As Simon is recruited to profile the killer, Cat is pulled back into a dangerous world and it is hard to know who to trust.
What I loved in this book was the fact that Cat and Simon's relationship. I'm not going to lie, Beaty had me worried about the memory wipe thing and she had me guessing on the killer front pretty much the whole time. I honestly wouldn't have trusted anyone at all if I were in here shoes and there were definite front runners as to who I suspected but I was waiting for the twist.
In the end, this book was exactly what I was hoping it would be. I loved it and highly recommend checking out this series if you missed it when book one was released. I can't wait to see what is next with this author as she has quickly become a favorite.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
I really enjoyed this book! Having read the book, I have to say that the cover is amazing and I think it is perfect for it.
The main character is VeriI really enjoyed this book! Having read the book, I have to say that the cover is amazing and I think it is perfect for it.
The main character is Verity Pruitt and immediately we find out that she and her little sister, Lilah, are orphans. With their mother dead and their father going mad, they have been sent on a train to Arkansas with the hopes that they will be adopted. While this is their situation right now, Verity has plans. Her goal is for them to get adopted together and stay there just until she is old enough to take her sister back to New York so she can go to school.
As you can guess, that isn't what happens. Lilah is quickly adopted and that's when Verity realizes that this was always the plan. What she also realizes is that if she wants to stay near her sister, she will have to indenture herself as a farm hand...which she does. I honestly liked the family she was with more and even though she had to work day in and day out, I think she ended up with the better option.
As the story progresses, it is clear that there is something weird about the town they now live in. The woods have strange things happening in them, some of the people act a little off, and over a short period of time, Lilah begins to change. As Verity tries to figure out what is happening and why she and her sister are involved in the weirdness, she and those she loves are put in danger.
I thought Goodman did a great job with building out the characters in this story and pulling me into their world. From the second they got off the train, I couldn't stop feeling like something was going to go wrong and I wanted things to be ok for Verity. I thought the way her relationship developed with Abel was done well and when the twist happens, my heart hurt for her.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and if you're looking for a historical YA with a bit of a gothic feel, you should check this one out. I'll be looking for more books by Sarah Goodman in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review....more
I loved this book! There is plenty of action, some twists that will keep you guessing, a few swoons, and Greek gods...I flew through this one just to I loved this book! There is plenty of action, some twists that will keep you guessing, a few swoons, and Greek gods...I flew through this one just to see what was going to happen.
Every seven years, the Agon begins. This is the time where nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals and are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines. If someone does, they seize the god's power and immortality.
Enter Lore. She has hidden herself from this world when a rival line murdered her family but now that the hunt is in New York City, she is being contacted by Castor, a childhood friend, and Athena, one of the last original gods. When Lore agrees to an alliance with Athena things become tricky.
As Lore falls back into her old world, she comes to realize she doesn't know who she can trust and believe me when I tell you, the entire time I was reading this book, I was second guessing everyone who was involved right alongside of her.
I enjoyed the flashbacks that Bracken included to not only provide context of Lore's background but it was great to better understand her relationship with Castor as well.
This was a great story and I love that it was a standalone too! If you're looking for a book with plenty of action, well developed characters, and an interesting story...grab this one up!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review....more
I loved Adrienne Young’s first book Sky in the Deep so when I heard she was writing a new book and it was going to be a in the same world, I was excitI loved Adrienne Young’s first book Sky in the Deep so when I heard she was writing a new book and it was going to be a in the same world, I was excited! The Girl the Sea Gave Back is one I couldn’t wait to open up and dive into and I wasn’t disappointed.
This story introduces us to Tova who, as a child is found floating on the shore, and taken in by the Svell only because of the things they think she can do for them. Unfortunately for Tova, she is led to believe that her family didn’t want her, and she figures out a way to survive among the Svell even though they fear and hate her.
The chieftain of the Svell is not interested in war but when his brother goes against his wishes and attacks, they end up face to face with the leaders of the Nadhir, including the man who will take over leadership if/when something happens, Halvard. If you recall, the name, that is because Halvard is the younger brother to Fiske. Ten years later he has grown into someone the Nadhir have nominated to lead them and now that war imminent, he has some difficult decisions to make.
As Tova is tasked with finding Halvard or facing her own death, she has to make some decisions. When she and Halvard eventually come face to face, she chooses to another path. I thought the interactions between the two were interesting, but I didn’t really feel a connection between or with them.
Young writes this story beautifully but it was a bit slow in the beginning. If you haven’t read Sky in the Deep, you don’t really have to in order to enjoy this book. In the end, I do think I enjoyed the first book more as I was more connected to Eelyn and Fiske. With that said, I did love that we got a glimpse of what the future held for them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for a story that has some mystery, plenty of action, and beautiful writing, consider picking this one up. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a final copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review....more
Shatter is book two in the Glitter series by Aprilynne Pike and I think I liked this one better than the first book. I was successfully pulled back inShatter is book two in the Glitter series by Aprilynne Pike and I think I liked this one better than the first book. I was successfully pulled back into this world of deception, blackmail, and intrigue and I found myself unable to stop reading.
If you recall from book one, Danica was looking for a way out of the world she was trapped in. As her escape from the Palace of Versailles was thwarted, Danica finds herself back with the King (Justin) and trapped in a world where she doesn’t feel she belongs. Add to that the fact that Saber has been locked up, and Danica has no choice but to dive into her role as Queen.
Danica’s relationship with Justin is interesting. It is clear she is using him and that she will do whatever she needs to in order to get what she wants but I have to say, I was kind of surprised she went as far as she did. While throughout the story it was clear she was looking for a way out for her and Saber, I actually kind of liked her better when she wasn’t so manipulative. However, in her role as Queen, she had to establish herself otherwise people would continue to walk all over her and I get why she did what she did.
In addition, despite her disagreement with Saber about it, Danica continues to sell glitter and it gives her the money and cushion she needs if she ever hopes to get away. It also created some challenges but in the end, it was what she needed to help herself.
I think the issue I had here is that Danica was willing to do whatever she could to get Saber out of slavery (including put herself in danger with Reginald) but he took this fatalistic view and discouraged her from doing anything at every opportunity. I suppose I get it, he didn’t want to hope, and I can’t blame him for that, but I wanted him to be more than just the guy who is by her side no matter what. He just didn’t seem to be as critical to the story as he used to be.
As the story moves forward, Danica becomes almost ruthless. She bargains with the King, she takes on Reginald, and she takes down her nemesis in court. She goes toe to toe with Justin and comes out in pretty good shape. I was curious to see how she was going to wrap this up and thought Pike did a good job of bringing everything together at the end. If you liked Glitter, consider checking this book out – there was a good mix of action and character development to keep the story moving along. I’m glad I picked it up to see how things turned out for Danica.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy....more
You guys! The second I saw the cover for Nevernight by Jay Kristoff I knew I had to have this book in my hands. I can’t even tell you how excited I amYou guys! The second I saw the cover for Nevernight by Jay Kristoff I knew I had to have this book in my hands. I can’t even tell you how excited I am to get a finished copy of this on my shelves. In the meantime, I will tell you…this book did not disappoint. There was so much I loved about it that I am sure my review will be a rambling mess but please bear with me. I promise no spoilers though.
Mia Corvere is the daughter of an accused traitor and when he is executed and her mother and brother are imprisoned, she barely escapes with her life. On her own for the first time in her life, Mia has no idea how to survive on the streets and lucky for her, she meets Mercurio and he becomes her mentor and her guide to get her the vengeance she is desperately seeking against those that destroyed her life. One other thing about Mia is she can control shadows which gives her an advantage in some cases, also causes her to wonder what she really is and what it means. Her cat, who she calls Mr. Kindly, is made of shadows and guides her through the dangers of the life she has chosen.
As the story picks up, Mia is on her way to join the Red Church so she can train to become a blade. She, along with a number of other acolytes, are headed to the fight for their place in the Church and holy cow do they have a fight ahead of them. There are no holds barred and if you don’t like violence or gory situations, I don’t know what to tell you. Admittedly that stuff doesn’t bother me at all and I thought it added to the grittiness of the story. The trials all of the acolytes face aren’t at all easy and in fact, a good number of the acolytes are expected to die along the way…and they do. This helps whittle down the group size and eventually the top acolyte in each hall will be crowned the victor and be inducted as a blade.
I thought Kristoff did a fantastic job of building out this story. First, the world building was ridiculously good. From the governmental structure to the description of the surroundings, to how they travel. Second, the characters and how they all interacted with each other had me rooting for some and cursing others. Of course, you will quickly find out who Mia allies herself with and then who becomes her nemesis but in this type of world there is always the question of who can you really trust…
As for characters, there are too many of them for me to talk about all of them but the ones she gets the closest to are Tric and Ashlinn. Their friendship is one of the things that helps Mia get through the trials she faces every single day. Mia gets especially close to Tric and I liked that the relationship (if you want to call it that) makes Mia appear less hardened than she normally comes off. Don’t get me wrong, she is tough, strategic, and has hardened herself against all the things that could hurt her but I loved that she let Tric in a little bit. One thing to note here…some of these scenes are explicit. Again, not something that bothers me but something that definitely the reader should be aware of.
Ashlinn and Mia hit it off almost immediately and I think it is because they are both motivated to be at the top of the list due to their situations. I won’t go into any detail here but Ashlinn is someone that Mia relies on and trusts.
It quickly becomes apparent that there is a killer living amongst the assassins….obviously, but not the kind of killer they want. This one is killing off the acolytes and while the group is in danger everyday due to the trials they are facing, this isn’t something anyone was expecting and creates some challenges for the acolytes.
As the book wraps up I admit I wanted to learn more about why Mia was marked by the Night and able to call the dark. I am hopeful that we will get more information on what Mr. Kindly really is. I will admit I found the footnotes a bit distracting and in most cases unnecessary to follow the story. After a while I just made the decision not to pay attention to them and then eventually went back to read them.
I don’t know what else I can tell you here as I don’t want to ruin this for you at all. Nevernight is one of my favorite fantasy books this year and while it started a bit slow for me, as the story built, I found it more and more difficult to put it down. If you love the fantasy genre and aren’t afraid of a little violence, definitely check this one out. It has a fantastic story and a main character I couldn’t help but like…despite her flaws.
Thank you to Thomas Dunne Books for the review copy!...more
From the moment I saw the cover of The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine, I knew I was going to love this book. Plus, I loved Redwine’s Defiance s3.5 stars
From the moment I saw the cover of The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine, I knew I was going to love this book. Plus, I loved Redwine’s Defiance series so I knew I had to check this one out. I know there are mixed reviews on this one but I don’t even care - I love a good retelling and this one gave me what I wanted when I picked it up.
Lorelai Diederich is the crown princess and the currently hiding from her step-mother, the woman who stole the Ravenspire throne and destroyed her family. As Lorelai tries to figure out how she can protect her people, save her kingdom, and get rid of the evil queen, she experiences love and great loss as well as learns more about who she is and what she is destined to become.
This story has quite a bit of action and I loved when Prince Kol came into the story. He has his own issues and they revolve around the war his kingdom is fighting. Having recently lost his parents and older brother, Kol realizes he needs the help of the Ravenspire throne and magic to save his kingdom. Because of this, he enters into a contract that puts him up against Lorelai even though he doesn’t want to be. There’s also something about Kol that I won’t tell you that makes him a pretty formidable opponent for Lorelai.
Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in the series. If you are looking for a bit of fantasy and some swoony bits all within a fairytale retelling, consider checking this one out. I look forward to more from Redwine can’t wait to see the cover on the finished book.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!...more
It is safe to say that Alexandra Bracken could publish her grocery list and I would love every bit of it. When I learned that she was going to be writIt is safe to say that Alexandra Bracken could publish her grocery list and I would love every bit of it. When I learned that she was going to be writing another series I immediately added it to my TBR list and then I found out what it was about and I knew I was going to need this in my hands…as soon as possible.
As soon as I started this book, I was hooked. Bracken immediately pulled me into this world right alongside Etta. I loved that we were learning everything at the same time Etta was as it made the story that much more suspenseful in regard to how things were happening and then too, what was going to happen next.
This book has so much in it I don’t even know where to start…really. There is the time travel…which is fantastic and one of my favorite things about this book. But that’s not all. There is also history, romance, amazing characters, and a story that will have you turning the pages to know what will happen next. I can’t say enough about the way Bracken builds this story and honestly, I can’t say much about the actual story without giving much away.
What you need to know is that Etta starts her day off thinking she will be playing her violin for an audience and then finds herself on a ship in the year 1776. From there Etta is tossed into an unfamiliar world with people she doesn’t know and doesn’t trust. The one bright spot is Nicholas and although he has his own secrets and tasks, he is also willing to do whatever he needs to in order to protect Etta.
While working together to complete their mission, Etta and Nicholas come to trust one another but there's no question, they are also keeping secrets from one another. Despite that, they find themselves drawn to each other and even though they are from very different times, they develop a connection. One of the things I loved about the relationship between these two was that they went into it knowing that they were both trying to get back to their own time but even with that on their minds, they still jumped right into each other’s arms.
I can’t say much more about the story as I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone - sorry, not sorry. Just know that this should be on your TBR list (if for some odd reason it isn’t already) and you should read this as soon as you possibly can. I can’t even tell you how much I can’t wait to get my hands on book two because I died a little after turning the last page of this book.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! ...more
Gah!!!! That ending...where is the next one...seriously...I am going to need it soon.
Deviation by Heather Hildenbrand is book two in the Clone ChronicGah!!!! That ending...where is the next one...seriously...I am going to need it soon.
Deviation by Heather Hildenbrand is book two in the Clone Chronicles series and I have to admit – I went into this series with no idea what I was going to get but was pleasantly surprised. This book picks up shortly after book one (Imitation) ends and brought me right back into Ven’s world.
As I previously mentioned, Ven is a great character. She is loyal, caring, and smart. All things I appreciate in a good heroine. She was always willing to face danger in order to make an impact on the greater good. In this case, the danger is Raven Rogan’s father, Titus. He is absolutely soulless and only cares about what is good for him.
The thing that I found missing in book one was a real explanation of where Raven Rogan, Ven’s authentic, really was. I finally got my answer but not until the end of the book. With that said, there is some definite story progression from book one to book two. We find out more around what Ven and the group have planned to save the clones and who they are going to lean on for help.
Relationships also change more in this book. Not only that of Ven and Linc but also the relationships that Ven has with the people around her – Daniel, Josephine, Melanie, Obadiah. They all have critical roles in this book and I can’t say much without giving things away – what I can say is that they all change along with Ven throughout this story.
I do admit that the book ends on a pretty big cliffhanger and if you know anything about me, you know that I find that to be so painful. I don’t know what is going to happen next for Ven and her group of rebels but I am definitely interested to see where things go. If you have an aversion to cliffhangers, you may want to wait on this series but if not, definitely consider checking this one out. I found myself unable to put this one down and when it finally did come to an end, I wanted to know more.
Thank you to Netgalley and Alloy Entertainment for the review copy!...more
Sea of Stars is book two of the Kricket books by Amy Bartol and I have to say, I continue to enjoy this series. There are solid characters, an interesSea of Stars is book two of the Kricket books by Amy Bartol and I have to say, I continue to enjoy this series. There are solid characters, an interesting story, plenty of action, and some swoony bits…all of my favorite things. Plus, the covers on these books are absolutely stunning and I love them.
Kricket is one of those characters that has what I consider the perfect level of snarkiness. Add to this the fact that she is willing to stand up for herself and she is also willing to do whatever she needs to in order to protect those she loves and I think she and I could be friends…if she were real.
Trey, Wayra, and Jax are still very protective of Kricket and they all get the opportunity to do so but in this book, Kricket also gets the chance to save them and I think there is a great balance and friendship that was developed in book one between all of them that only continues into this book. Add to this the relationship that has developed and definitely progresses between Trey and Kricket.
Kyon is definitely crazy and the lengths that he is willing to go to in order to get Kricket back create a very dangerous situation for anyone who is with her. Kricket realizes this but isn’t necessarily willing to give everyone up. Plus, she would never convince Trey that the right thing to do would be for her to get away from them all. With the addition of the other priestesses and where Kricket ultimately ends up in the last chapter of this book, I believe that things will get even more interesting for Kricket.
There are some additional characters that have been added to the story but I can’t say too much about them as they would give away some twists that come up. I can say that Griffin was an interesting addition and his purpose, while a bit of a surprise, should add another layer to this story that I wasn’t really expecting.
Outside of the hunt that Kyon has underway for Kricket, there is now officially a war going on that is impacting everyone. Alameeda is looking to wipe out the Rafe house and as Kricket begins to get a handle on her ability to see the future, she is able to see how certain things are going to turn out for her and those around her.
I have to admit, once I picked up this book, I wasn’t able to put it down. It is fast-paced and all of the action had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to see what happens next for these characters and with the twists that Bartol introduced in this book; I don’t know how I am going to be able to wait for the next book. Someone needs to take pity on my (please, please, please) and get me a copy of the next book as soon as possible. Definitely consider diving into this series if you enjoy a good paranormal fantasy with some interesting characters and an action-packed story.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy....more
I was immediately interested in reading Blood, Ink, & Fire when I read the summary because I found this idea of a dystopian world where readi2.5 stars
I was immediately interested in reading Blood, Ink, & Fire when I read the summary because I found this idea of a dystopian world where reading is something forbidden, interesting. Also, I absolutely love the cover on this book - It is absolutely stunning! No spoilers below and I will be writing this one a bit differently to make sure I don’t give anything away.
Noelle has always seen words and regardless of what the government allows, she is always trying to figure out what they mean. As a member of the Vale (Valer) she is supposed to be immersed in the feed that Verity controls and as her birthday nears and her immersion right around the corner, Noelle is continually questioning her fit within Vale.
What I liked about this book: • I thought Mansour did a great job of building up the world Noelle lived in and she even provided a lot of information on how things ended up the way they did. • The idea behind this story – the idea that there is a world where reading isn’t allowed and books are destroyed makes my heart hurt but I loved the premise. • Noelle’s friendship with John and her relationship with her grandfather.
What I struggled with: • Ledger – perhaps I am super dense but I spent a good portion of the book not really understanding who/what he was and how he was linked to things • Tied to Ledger – I thought the relationship would have been more believable had John been linked to the story somehow. • The pacing of the story felt off. There were parts that felt really (unnecessarily) drawn out and others that moved so quickly I had to flip to make sure I didn’t miss something. • The “bad” guy – I needed more information and that’s all I can say about this.
Overall this book has a great message and while there were pieces that I struggled with, I thought this was a solid story. If you love books and the dystopian genre, consider checking this one out when you can. ...more
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