Book Review: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer
By Laini Taylor
Series: Strange the Dreamer #1
Hardcover: 536 pages
Publication Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ( 5 out of 5 Stars )

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Related Reviews: | Daughter of Smoke & Bone |
Categories: Fantasy, Mythology, High Fantasy

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

Welcome to Weep.

Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen
By Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen #1
Hardcover: 383 pages
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Orion
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
4 out of 5 Stars

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Related Reviews: | An Ember In the Ashes | The Young Elites |
Categories: Dystopian, Fantasy, Magic

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

2014 End of the Year Book Survey

I have been seeing this post all throughout the blogosphere about the 'End of the Year Book Survey' and I knew I just had to do this one! I am ridiculously excited as I love looking back throughout the year, refreshing my memory of the books that I've read and the ones that I am destined to read in the new year! This survey was created by a fellow blogger friend over at The Perpetual Page Turner. It is for all of the books read in 2014, not just books that were published in that year. With no further ado.. here we go... (:

Number of Books Read: 133 (as of 12/24)
Number of Rereads: 4 or 5, can't quite remember.
Most Read Genre: Paranormal, dystopian, urban fantasy; it's a tie!

1. Best book you read?
Ouch, I see this is starting out with the hardest questions first.. I hope. How about I choose one from each of my favorite genres? That may be a bit easier.
Dystopian: The entire Legend Series by Marie Lu. Love!
Paranormal: The first two books in the Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole. Phenomenal!
Urban Fantasy: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. So looking forward to the next in the series!
Romance: Stay With Me by J. Lynn
Adventure: The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't?
Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. Although I didn't really care for her Hush, Hush series, I thought that her genre change into a thriller author would go well. It didn't. Ha..

3. Most surprising, good or bad, book read?
The Splintered Series by A.G. Howard. I am not a big fan of fairytale style retellings, but this series blew me away! It is so mad and twisted, I cannot freaking wait for the final book in this series releasing early 2015!

4. Book you recommended the most?
Probably The Raven Cycle books because they were my absolute favorite reads of the year!

5. Best Series You Started? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender?
Started: The Raven Cycle, again. Ha..
Sequel: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole - Arcana Chronicles 2.
Series Ender: Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout or City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare.

6. Favorite New Author?
I really enjoyed The Broken Ones series by Miss Jen Wylie. She is a wonderful writer and I found myself falling in love with her dystopian-style faerie world!

7. Favorite book from an 'out of your comfort zone' genre?
I rarely read a book that is solely romance, but J. Lynn's Wait For You series is phenomenally written. Her male characters are all perfect; swoon-worthy, pain in the ass, asshole men- my favorite kind! (:

8. Most unputdownable book?
Hmm. Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout. The final book in the Lux Series was perfect in every way! I couldn't wait to find out what happened on the next page. This was definitely a binge read for me!

9. Book most likely eligible for a re-read?
I rarely ever re-read a book. Maybe Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, right before Ice Like Fire releases.

10. Favorite Cover? It definitely has to be Unhinged by A.G. Howard. Look at that gorgeous cover! I'm kicking myself in the ass for buying the ebook version of this book because, just, wow! The first book in this series, Splintered has an equally badass cover.

11. Most memorable character?
I am going to have to say Daemon from the Lux Series. He is still my number one book boyfriend of all time. His sarcasm and snark is unforgettable for sure. Sigh.

12. Most beautifully written book?
The entire Daughter of Smoke & Bone series. Laini Taylor is a masterful writer. Her world building skills are magickal to say the least.

13. Most thought provoking / life changing book?
Hmm. Well, I can't say that any one book changed my life. Can I say all of them? Books in general have changed my life, from how I spend my spare time to my college major! That's really my only answer for this question... (:

14. Book you can't believe you waited to read?
The Raven Cycle! I cannot believe this sat on my freaking TBR shelf for over two years!

15. Favorite quote?
“Wooo!’ he said, slamming his shot glass down and coughing a bit. ‘That’s good stuff.’ I agreed heartily. ‘Shall we do another one?’ I asked. ‘Oh no,’ Jesus said quietly, his eyes growing round. ‘This is one of those situations where I have to stop and ask myself, what would I do?” -Kevin Hearne, Iron Druid Chronicles

16. Shortest and longest book?
I don't really pay attention to page numbers. I remember City of Heavenly Fire being exceptionally long though..

17. Book that shocked you the most?
Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series. A quote from my review: "Another vampire series? Julie Kagawa laughs in the face of Twilight with this wonderfully written story. Blood of Eden is one of the best written worlds that I have ever read." I remember reading the synopsis and finding out it was a vampire series. To say the least, Kagawa shocked me with the way she portrayed vampires; shiny lovable cuddle bugs? Ha...

18. OTP (one true pairing) of the year?
There are so many. Evie and Death from Arcana Chronicles stands out to me.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship?
Blue and Gansey.. although I really want it to be a romantic relationship, dammit!

20. Favorite book from a previously read author?
Jennifer Armentrout always blows me away. I fell in love with her Covenant Series, but Lux was wonderful as well. And then there's her Dark Elements series that is fantastic as well!

21. Best book you read on a recommendation?
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. Ghost stories are not my favorite, but this book was fantastic!

22. Latest fictional crush?
Gansey. Did I mention Gansey. Oh, and Gansey. (:

23. Best author debut?
I'm not really sure I read any debuts this year? None come to mind anyways..

24. Best world building?
World building is so important to me in a book. I love Maggie Stiefvater's world in The Raven Cycle. It is one of those worlds that when you pull yourself out of the story, you are disappointed to realize that you can't physically visit this world. It's almost heart breaking.

25. Book that made you smile?
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. This series is funny as hell!

26. Book that made you cry?
I'm not a big crier when it comes to books. I remember Divinity by Michelle Johnson did make me cry, because, come on.. if you read the book, you would understand why!

27. Hidden gem?
Dang, all of them! Am I copping out of this question? Absolutely.

28. Book that crushed your soul?
LOL I can't say that any book really crushed my soul. Blue Lily, Lily Blue came close though.

29. Most unique read?
I'm going with the Splintered series by A.G. Howard. Her world was just so damn twisted and mad.. it was beautiful!

30. Book that pissed you off the most?
Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer Armentrout. Come on, Zayne is a total douche canoe and having to read about his relationship with Layla when Roth is perfect for her just pissed me off to no end.

1. New favorite book blog?
This is my first year blogging, so all of them are new to me! Each blogger that I follow has their own unique way of writing reviews and posts, I enjoy reading every one of them!

2. Favorite review you wrote?
My review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue was my favorite. I put a lot of time and thought into that one because I loved the book so much. It was a review written straight from the depths of my soul. Ha..

3. Best discussion/non review post you wrote?
Probably my Liebster Award Nomination post. It was a lot of fun answering those questions.

4. Best event you participated in?
I don't do a lot of scheduled events because of classes. I never know when a professor will spring a research paper or test on us, so I don't like to schedule anything that needs to be posted at a certain time. I write posts when I have the time, so mostly it's just reviews or me rambling.. (:

5. Best moment of blogging life?
When I was nominated for the Liebster Award or the Sisterhood of the World Blogging Award!

6. Most popular post on your blog?
It was my 'Most Anticipated New Releases for 2015' post.

7. Post you wish got a little more love?
Hmm. I really don't have an answer to this one (:

8. Best bookish discovery?
Blogging!

9. Completed reading challenges?
I completed my goal of reading 100 books this year! Yay!

1. One Book You Didn't Get To in 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
The Percy Jackson series! I know, I know, I'm living under a rock!

2. Book you are most anticipating in 2015?

-The Raven Cycle 4 by Maggie Stiefvater (hell yes, I cannot wait for this one!!)
-Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole- the final book in the Arcana Chronicles.
-Snow Like Ashes 2 by Sara Raasch
-The Young Elites 2 by Marie Lu
-The Fae Chronicles 4 by Amelia Hutchins
-The Iron Fey 7 by Julie Kagawa

3. 2015 Debut you are most anticipating?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

4. Series ending / sequel you are most anticipating?
Question 2 answers this one (:

5. One thing you hope to accomplish with your blog this year?
Reaching 500 followers would be pretty badass (:

And that's all for today folks..! Wow, that was an incredibly long post. I look forward to reading everyone's surveys for 2014. *hint hint*

Release Day Blitz: Wicked by Jennifer Armentrout

We are over the moon excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's Wicked! Wicked is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the first book in Jennifer’s Wicked Trilogy!

Wicked
Jennifer Armentrout
A Wicked Saga #1
Kindle Edition: 371 pages
Expected publication: December 8th 2014
Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

*This book is recommended for 16+

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

He left me standing there as he disappeared into the bathroom, and I tried to make sense of what just happened. All I knew was that the punch-in-the-chest sadness that came whenever I thought of Shaun wasn’t there. And I didn’t know what to make of that.

Or anything. Taking a deep breath, I put my clothes on his dresser and all but dashed into the bed, and good Lord, the mattress was comfy! I scooted to the middle and froze, having no idea what side he slept on or if he had a side. I totally had a side—always the furthest away from closet doors because I was a dork. Straightening the shirt out so my undies weren’t saying hi to the world, I tugged the blanket up to my hips and lay flat on my back.

I so needed an adult to explain to me what the hell I was supposed to do from this point on.

There wasn’t much time to stress over it because Ren returned from the bathroom. His ever-present half grin spread as he saw me. I clutched the blanket, my breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded so fast that I wondered if I was going to have a heart attack, and God, wouldn’t that be embarrassing. I swallowed nervously and willed my heart to slow.

Turning off the lamp, shadows fell around Ren, but when he faced me, I could tell that he’d frozen. I couldn’t make out his expression as he bent, taking a hold of the covers on his side.

“Ivy?”

“Hmm?”

He slowly edged the covers back from his side and climbed in, and although I couldn’t make out his eyes, I knew he was watching me. “I’m happy that you’re here.”

My fingers eased off the blanket.

As he stretched out beside me, my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and I could see that he was smiling. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Wow, the warmth that flooded my chest could’ve turned me into a puddle of goo in that bed. I waited for him to make a move on me, but seconds ticked by. He seriously was behaving himself. I dared a quick peek at him, and found I could not look away.

Ren lifted his arm closest to me, and a heartbeat passed. I hesitated for a moment, and then, my heart pounding even more, I slid over until my leg brushed his. He curved his arm around my waist and drew me up against his side, guiding me down until I was nestled against his warm, bare chest. Another moment passed and then I lowered my cheek, and the simple pleasure of lying like this nearly broke me right open.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Finals Week and JLA's New Release - Wicked

My final week of the Fall Semester! I am ridiculously stressed out and cramming almost non-stop. So wouldn't you know, I just realized yesterday that Miss Jennifer Armentrout's new book came out today. Are you freaking kidding me?! My favorite author, finally writing about faeries- my hands down, favorite sub-genre in urban fantasy / paranormal books. My grandparents were Celtic pagans, and I always used to feel really weird telling people this- but they raised me to believe in the fae. Instead of hearing the stories of Hansel & Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood as a child, I was told stories of the Tuatha de Danann and their crazy, sometimes brutal escapades! It was an interesting childhood, to say the least. I was raised in a really small town. Not just any small town though, horses and buggies were a way of life where I was born and raised. I had a pet pig- an honestly massive pig that I trained to follow me around like a dog. Now that you all have a picture of the sort of back-country town that I was raised in, a pagan child in that sort of elementary school setting is an unsettling situation. I didn't understand why being considered pagan was wrong, and I constantly voiced my beliefs to my peers. Most of the students were accepting, but it was the teachers that gave me the most problems. To make a long, sad story short- I ended up moving to another town to finish school. My brain is fried so I could be rambling at this point, but it feels good to think and talk about something that isn't studying right now everyone! But anyways.. I didn't used to let people know that I was pagan right away. My childhood taught me that most people aren't as open minded as my family is. College has began to reverse that belief here and there. I meet a lot of really accepting people, and it gives me hope that most people are just misinformed about the practice of paganism. There isn't a completely, solid definition of the religion because it's vastly unorganized with no doctrine. The basic outline is: the practice of any nature-based religion, the worship of the earth and all living things. I don't make it a habit to dance under a full moon, although I have. Do I believe in the devil? Ha.. Satan is from your religion, not mine. There are so many misconceptions about paganism and its beliefs, but if any of you are interested, there are tons of decent sites out there that explains it better than I could! Anyways.. so yea, after totally derailing from the point of my post- JLA has a brand new book out today called Wicked! I only know this, because I apparently signed up to do a stop on her book tour a while back. The company emailed me yesterday to remind me, thankfully! I bought a copy of it after my final class today, and I've gotten about 50 pages into it. Sigh. JLA writes male characters better than any other author I have ever read. I have already hopelessly fallen in love with Ren, the lead sexy male in Wicked. I won't give any more away about this book until my post tomorrow! Thank you everyone, for reading my pointless ramblings (:
Muah!

In the After Light by Alexandra Bracken - The Darkest Minds #3

In the After Light
By Alexandra Bracken
The Darkest Minds #3
Hardcover: 535 pages
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯
3 out of 5 Stars
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    | Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |
Related Reviews: The Darkest Minds; Never Fade
Categories: Dystopian, YA, New Release

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Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

I have one word to describe this book; meh. It was just meh for me, and I was more than a bit disappointed. I'm not sure why exactly I never reconnected to the characters. They just felt shallow and.. I suppose obnoxious is a good word to describe them. I found Ruby, especially, really irritating in this book. She internally over analyzed every freaking thing, and had the whole 'I hate myself' mentality going the entire way through the story, and it got old really fast. I have a hard time enjoying that kind of character, and Ruby was no exception. It seemed she wouldn't accept Liam's love, and then she would, and then she wouldn't; over and over again. She changed her mind at the drop of a hat, and her actions and thoughts were so inconsistent, I didn't know how she really felt from chapter to chapter. It was so frustrating at times. Liam's character was different as well; he had a more jaded personality, like an edge to him that wasn't portrayed before. Don't get me wrong, I did like his character. It just seemed like years had passed and they had all changed, instead of a few weeks since Never Fade. We also find out some crazy things about Cole that I was not expecting at all. All in all, I was pretty disappointed with the overall characters in this last book.

The plot line was about the same as the last two books; run from people trying to kill them, release kids from camps. It was just a continuation of Never Fade. It was full of action and dramatic scenes, and we get to meet a lot more Psi kids throughout. The world building has mostly become established in the first two books in the series, and not much changes from the apocalyptic scenes described in them. Children are still either dead, or locked up in the camps to control their abilities. The only ones that aren't have to run for their lives, stay hidden from adults, and scavenge for everything that they have on a consistent basis. President Gray is still running the country, forcing citizens to believe that their children are safe and being treated for their 'illnesses.' It is a really sad world, yet something that I could envision happening. It is not so far fetched that the impossibility of something like this happening is scarce. We finally find out where IAAN comes from and who is responsible for it. There is talk of a cure, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

I was so disappointed with the ending to this series. I can't say enough how much I love puzzles, and unsolved ones drive me insane! It seems that we will have to live with this unsolved puzzle, because this was the last in the series. There are so many unanswered questions that I am baffled why Miss Bracken left off this way. What happened to the Reds? What will happen to the children? Ugh! If you have read it, you know exactly what questions I mean. The ending left a lot to be desired, and I hope that one day, Miss Bracken will answer the questions that I'm sure a lot of us are asking right now.

As for the romance, it was iffy at best. Liam and Ruby are constantly fighting, lying to each other, or feeling guilty about something they did. It's actually quite tiresome, and I was bored within the first hundred pages. Ruby couldn't make up her mind, and her moods and thoughts changed instantly. One minute, she was completely in love with Liam; the next, she would agree with Cole that Liam should leave the compound. I really just wanted to throw my Nook against the wall more than once. I can't stand a whiny ass protagonist, and Ruby filled that role completely. I don't remember the first two books being like this, and I wish I knew what changed that made me despise this book so much.

I hope I don't disappoint anyone, especially the fans of The Darkest Minds series, but this book was awful. The only reason that I finished it was my love of puzzles and my natural inane curiosity. I was hoping that the book titles together meant something- The Darkest Minds Never Fade in the After Light, but if it did, the meaning was never explained. All in all, I think I just expected so much more than Miss Bracken provided. I am disappointed, and just.. meh!

"It rained the day they brought us to Thurmond. And it rained the day I walked out.” -Ruby

"“Black is the color that is no color at all. Black is the color of a child's still, empty bedroom. The heaviest hour of night-the one that traps you in your bunk, suffocating in another nightmare. It is a uniform stretched over the broad shoulders of an angry young man. Black is the mud, the lidless eye watching your every breath, the low vibrations of the fence that stretches up to tear at the sky. It is a road. A forgotten night sky broken up by faded stars. It is the barrel of a new gun, leveled at your heart. The color of Chubs's hair, Liam's bruises, Zu's eyes. Black is a promise of tomorrow, bled dry from lies and hate. Betrayal. I see it in the face of a broken compass, feel it in the numbing grip of grief. I run, but it is my shadow. Chasing, devouring, polluting. It is the button that should never have been pushed, the door that shouldn't have opened, the dried blood that couldn't be washed away. It is the charred remains of buildings. The car hidden in the forest, waiting. It is the smoke. It is the fire. The spark. Black is the color of memory. It is our color. The only one they'll use to tell our story.”

"“Are you sure this isn't a nightmare?" he asked quietly. "And that we won't just wake up?" I stared ahead at the road, the way the dust blowing in from the desert covered it with a faint golden sheen even as gray clouds began to gather over us. "yes," i said after some time. Because dreamers always wake up and leave their monsters behind.” - Ruby & Liam

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Related Reviews
The Darkest Minds; Never Fade

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Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes
By Sara Raasch
Snow Like Ashes Series 1
Hardcover: 422 pages
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rated:
4.5 out of 5 Stars

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| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |
Related Reviews: The Darkest Minds
Categories: YA, Dystopian, Magick, New Release

____________________________________________

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

I am blown away by this debut novel from Miss Sara Raasch. It took me a while after finishing to fully collect my thoughts, and even when I did, I am still at a loss as to how to convey my complete and utter immersion into this world that the author creates. There are basically 8 territories in the world of Primoria; four seasons- summer, fall, winter, and spring, and four rhythms- Cordell, Paisly, Ventralli and Yakim. The eight kingdoms are ruled by either a Queen or a King, and each ruler has a magickal Conduit- basically an object that they receive their magick through. Certain kingdoms can only be ruled by a woman, and vice versa. The kingdom of winter, where our main character, Meira comes from, was destroyed by Spring before Meira was old enough to remember much about it. She was raised as an orphan with a band of outcasts, trained to fight with weapons at an early age. Her band of rebels has dwindled over the years and now consists of only eight people- the future king of Winter one of these rebels. Mather is an unwilling king, thrown into this life before he had a say in the matter. With most of the Winterians locked up in the land of Spring as slaves, a lot is resting on this young king's shoulders. He must fight to free his people with only his small group of rebels standing by his side. Without the magickal conduit that his mother possessed, he cannot ask for help from any of the other territories.

A quest for the pieces of the stolen conduit leads to Meira almost becoming captured as well, but she is able to bring back half of the necklace that holds her people's power. With this piece, they are able to request the help of a neighboring land, the kingdom of Cordell. But in exchange for their help, Meira must agree to marry their prince and bind herself to the kingdom for life. And the prince is actually a really great character- Theron is nothing like his father. But is the king really willing to help the land of Winter, or is this another game of power and lies?

The characters are wonderfully written- Meira is incredibly selfless and so strong. I connected with her immediately. Her personality leaked through the words and pages like a beacon of hope in a dark sky, and I knew that she would be something more than what the author hinted at in the beginning. No spoilers, I promise! I also connected with Mather's character; he was incredibly strong yet gentle, intelligent yet made the typical stupid male decisions! Sir was a character that I never really liked, yet in the end, his distance and discipline definitely made more sense. And Theron. I truly liked him, but at the same time, I felt that Meira and Mather were better matched. I guess we will see how the romance plays out in the future books in this wonderfully new series!

The world building was hands down, phenomenal. No other word to describe it! I could picture the lands in my mind; Miss Raasch did an amazing job with her descriptions of the different Kingdoms. I loved the idea of Kings and Queens, rulers with a magickal icon that controlled their power, and a land that helped to increase that magickal power. It was an original, creative idea, and the plot line flowed very well. The twists and turns definitely caught me by surprise, and I can't tell if the author just wrote it so well that it wasn't predictable, or if I was too immersed in the story to pay attention to the hints that she left? All in all, for a debut novel, I am again blown away and stunned by the awesomeness of this book! I would recommend this book to any fan of the dystopian genre; hell, any urban fantasy fan in general!

"I aim my chakram at the captain with his boots mucked up in sewer gunk. His eyes swim over me. "The Winterians are sending girls to do their dirty work now?" he sneers. "Why don't you put that thing down before someone gets hurt?" I push out my bottom lip and widen my eyes. "This?" I lower the chakram. It's now aimed at the captain's left thigh. "They gave it to me and said throw! I don't even know how it works-" The soldiers jeer, a deep-throated chuckling that says this is a fight they're sure they'll win. I let the chakram fly as the captain moves forward, my body bending into an arch. The chakram soars through the sewer, slices clean through the captain's leg, and continues its spin back to me in one elegant circle of purpose. He screams and drops into the sewage, grabbing his thigh like, well, like I just sliced through it. "Oh." I run one hand down the flat side of the blade. "That's how it works." -Meira

"Will this be enough? Will reuniting our conduit halves restore our magick, or will Winter forever be the only kingdom in Primoria without magick to make it whole? If so, how will we defeat Spring, a kingdom steeped in magickally induced strength, when all we have are eight refugees and a pretty necklace? Will another kingdom even ally with us once we have the locket whole again, if our only heir is unable to use it?"

""Just once, I'd like to see you leave a meeting with William like a lady, instead of a panting bull."" -Dendera

"My heart thwump-thwumps against my ribs and I don't look away from him, hating how with one glance he can crack me open. Anyone else I'd be able to ignore, to hide my fear from them behind a cocky smile, but Mather sees everything. I know he sees it, because for the briefest moment, he drops his expressionless mask and the look in his eyes shows me he feels the same way. A mirror of every part of myself I can't bear to face."

Related Reviews
The Darkest Minds; Blood of Eden

Connect with Sara Raasch
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Broken Promise by Jen Wylie - The Broken Ones 3

Broken Promise
By Jen Wylie
The Broken Ones Series 3
Ebook: 286 pages
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Untold Press
Rated:
4.5 out of 5 Stars
| Goodreads | Amazon | IndieBound |
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |
Related Reviews: Broken Aro; Broken Prince
Categories: YA, Urban Fantasy, Faerie, New Release

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After delivering the Elven prince to his homeland, they decide to ride out the winter in the city of Westport before starting their quest to heal the Fey. Like most things in Aro’s life, nothing goes according to plan.

As Kei struggles with the prophecy bound within him, his sanity begins to unravel. A prophecy and a promise are broken, and forgotten threats resurface with dire consequences. The Dragos is watching and the Were king is displeased with the disregard of Were law. Aro scrambles as yet another threat emerges. The Elves, displeased with their prince, exploit his only weakness…her.

Aro is forced to find a new ally, a cold-hearted, ruthless pirate named Roan. He is more than he seems and Aro must learn who she can trust, or it will cost more than just her life. She has grown stronger, but is it enough to save herself, her family, and the Elf she loves?

Ugh, Miss Wylie, that rotting elf! Why?! His character can be such a jackass, seriously. This story continues right after Broken Prince leaves off. They have just returned Prince to his home, after his long over-due, heart stopping kiss with Arowyn. She demanded that he not kiss her again until he knew that he loved her, and dammit if that jerk didn't kiss her before he left her for.. basically forever. The remainder of the pack travel on without Prince to the home of Rhee-En and his weres. There, Rhee-En informs her that the King of all the Weres has discovered that she created a pack using Were magic that he did not approve, especially because she is not a Were. The king is angry, and Aro doesn't know if he will kill her. Just another issue to add to Aro's ever-growing list of enemies.

The remaining members of Aro's 'pack' settle in the city of Westport for the winter, where they will hopefully be safe. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Through multiple kidnappings, murder attempts, and new friends that cannot be trusted- Aro wants nothing more than Prince at her side and to begin with the prophecy. Healing the Fae has become her top priority, and she will do it alone if she has to. Her bonded Fae- Kei really isn't in this book all that much, and I can't reveal the reason without giving away too many spoilers. I can say that his visions of the prophecy are becoming increasingly stronger, and it has begun to drive him insane. The words of the fated prophecy are all that he can see, night and day, and he becomes irate and distant. Aro's character continues to amaze me, with the amount of heartbreak and stress that she is under every day- the fact that she is able to remain strong and function is testimony to her strength of heart and mind! I fully respect and admire her character. Bo and Garen are also wonderfully written characters- both of them are always there whenever Aro needs them. They are loyal friends that are always there when needed, yet know when to stand down when Aro's strength can handle a situation.

With new characters being introduced throughout this novel, the reader really has no idea who to trust. Enemies sprout from the woodwork, so to speak, and friends turn to enemies in a heartbeat. The plot line is thick and twisted, well thought out and deliciously dark! I loved every minute of it. The only reason I cannot rightfully give it a full 5 stars is because of Prince. Damn him. I am really beginning to not like him, sadly, and I am beyond upset that he still hasn't pulled his elf head out of his ass yet! It is beyond frustrating Miss Wylie! And now, when the group is getting ready to go heal the Fae, he is still nowhere to be found. Hiding in his castle, afraid of his parents?! Are you kidding me?! Ugh! Ok, I'm done ranting this time, really! All in all, The Broken Ones series is increasingly becoming one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to everyone! Urban fantasy junkies, fae obsessed readers, and especially fans of dystopian novels- as this reminds me a lot of a dystopian style world; read this series! You will not be disappointed! (:

"He pulled her off to the side of the road and turned her to face him. Her fingers trembled in his hand and she pulled away. "I'm fine." "You're not." Closing her eyes, she took a slow breath. Too many men. Scruffy and dirty from a long day's work, they reminded her of other men, the ones who had cornered her and beat her and almost.... "Aro," Kei said softly. "I'm fine," she whispered hoarsely. She wanted to be. She tried to be. It hadn't been so bad the last city they'd been in, but then, she'd had Prince, Bo, and Cain with her, too. She didn't now, and that brought a different kind of pain. Kei took her face in his hands. "Look at me." She did and struggled to stay strong. "We will always protect you." "I know." He shushed her. "But you don't need it."" -Kei & Aro

"Staring up into her darkness, she sucked in a deep breath, trying to push away her growing fear for Kei. "Do you believe in them? The prophecies?" "There is always truth in prophecy. Yet often, you don't know what that truth is until afterward." -Garen & Aro

"One moment, Kei stood before her, the next, enormous talons encircled him. Wind sent her flying backward as Damon launched himself into the air. Kei was gone, jerked up into the sky as the dragon's powerful wing strokes buffeted her to the ground. "Kei!" She scrambled to her feet. Let him go! Damon's amused laugh filled her mind. Do you really want me to? You were warned, Arowyn. You did not listen, and now you face the consequences. You had your chance and wasted it. Now it is my turn. I will have the prophecy." -Damon & Aro

"Glancing down, every thought left her as she stared. Lips trembling, heart suddenly pounding in her chest, she raised her hands. A scream erupted out of her as she scrambled back until she smashed into the wall. Shaking fingers fumbled and slipped as she tried to push the bands of metal off her wrists. The chain between them rattled, but she barely heard it over her frantic screams. Her body shaking uncontrollably, no amount of pushing or pulling or tearing would remove the horrible things from her. This wasn't happening. She wasn't in chains. She wasn't! Not again. Not again." -Aro

Related Reviews
Broken Aro; Broken Prince

Connect with Jen Wylie
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Anticipated New Releases - October 2014

Hey there readers! I have been overwhelmed with my classes recently; research papers, exams, and text book chapter readings (ugh) have taken over all of my free time and I am not a happy camper about these developments..(: I should have a little time freeing up towards the middle of the month of October, and I plan to take full advantage of it! There are so many new releases that I am anticipating for the month of October, and even more that have been stuck on my TBR shelf forever. I found that making a post about it helps keep me focused on what I really want to read; it worked well last month and I do believe I ended up reading every book that I wanted to. With no further ado.. here are the books that I fully intend to read and review this month, in no particular order...(dun dun dun!)

1. In the After Light
By: Alexandra Bracken
The Darkest Minds #3
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Goodreads Link
Related reviews: The Darkest Minds book #1

This is the third and final installment in The Darkest Minds Series- an amazingly written dystopian fantasy. The first in the series was fantastic, and I plan to read book two- Never Fade, and the final in the series- In the After Light this month!

Short Synopsis

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

2. Redeemed
By: P.C. & Kristin Cast
House of Night #12
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Goodreads Link

Although I have neglected to post any reviews of this series, I did read all of them and for the most part, enjoyed the series. It was a little dull and repetitive at times, but after reading 11 books, it's hard to not want to read the final one in a series this long. I am looking forward to Neferet's demise by the hands of the teenage Zoey. I also hope and pray that Zoey will cease being a slut and finally pick a guy she wants to be with. The whole love triangle was quite irritating most of the time, and if the Cast team cannot figure it out in this book, I refuse to read another novel by them!

Short Synopsis

In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.

3. Talon
By: Julie Kagawa
Talon Series #1
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Goodreads Link

I have thus far loved everything that this woman has written. Dragons? Meh. I'm not so sure about the content, but if anyone can pull it off, it is Julie Kagawa. I must admit, I have never been a big fan of that sort of fantasy genre, but I am more than willing to give it a try. The Goodreads ratings make me nervous, as it has a rating of under 4 stars. It is still high up on my TBR list for the month, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with all of you lovely readers, as well as hearing the thoughts of my blogger cohorts!

Short Synopsis

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

4. Stone Cold Touch
By: Jennifer Armentrout
The Dark Elements #2
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Related Reviews: White Hot Kiss
Goodreads Link

I have no idea how Jennifer writes these deliciously wonderful books so fast, but she has another release coming out at the end of this month. I loved the first book in this series, White Hot Kiss, and cannot wait to find out what happens. The first book left off with an awful, pull-your-hair-out, wanna scream cliff hanger. Did I mention that I am team Roth all the way, absolutely cannot stand love triangles, and think Zayne is a total asshole? Please Miss Armentrout, don't make this harder than it is- the choice is blatantly apparent...(:

Short Synopsis

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

5. Broken Promise
By: Jen Wylie
The Broken Ones Series #3
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Related Reviews:
Broken Aro - The Broken Ones book #1
Broken Prince - The Broken Ones book #2
Goodreads Link

The first two books in this dystopian series were amazing and I cannot wait for the next installment. I remember reading each book in hours, being unable to put it down for nothing short of bathroom breaks. Sigh. I swear Miss Wylie, if that stubborn elf doesn't wake up and make a move before the end of this book, I refuse to be responsible for my actions in my review. I quite possibly could rant endlessly about him being an arrogant asshole! This is one of my most anticipated TBRs of the entire year, and if my readers haven't taken a look at this series, they totally should..(:

Short Synopsis

A year of turmoil takes its toll on Arowyn Mason and her companions. After delivering the Elven prince to his homeland, they decide to ride out the winter in the city of Westport before starting their quest to heal the Fey. Like most things in Aro’s life, nothing goes according to plan.

6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue
By: Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle #3
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Goodreads Link

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

7. Black Ice
By: Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Goodreads Link

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

8. Mortal Gods
By: Kendare Blake
The Goddess Wars #2
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Goodreads Link

Ares, God of War, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Which is just fine with Athena. She's ready to wage a war of her own, and she's never liked him anyway. If Athena is lucky, the winning gods will have their immortality restored. If not, at least she'll have killed the bloody lot of them, and she and Hermes can die in peace.

**I'm sure I'm still missing a few wonderful novels that are set to be released this month!

Tags: New releases, October, Jennifer Armentrout, Julie Kagawa, HON 12, Kendare Blake, Becca Fitzpatrick, Maggie Stiefvater.