Review: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on January 26, 2016
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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three-half-stars

For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace.

I’ve been excited for this book since I first heard about it. The title and synopsis were really intriguing and the cover was gorgeous! I loved the world, the characters and Kali Wallace’s writing. Though some parts left me feeling a bit confused and the ending lacked closure, this book was a fast, interesting read.

I really liked Breezy. She always seemed to be right on the edge of everything (feelings, attitudes, etc). She was confident and fierce, but she had moments where she realized she needed answers and sought help. She was fine being on her own, but she also realized how much she missed human companionship. She could hold her own, though, and I loved that. I loved how unapologetic she was. I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t see more about her life before death. In the beginning, the flashbacks/backstory were a bit confusing because they happened with little warning and I couldn’t always tell if Breezy was describing the past or present. But as I read more and got used to the writing style, it became easier to tell these things apart.

Rain was an epic character – one of my favorites! I loved how blunt and in-your-face she was. I would seriously love to see a companion novel with Rain. I loved what little backstory we learned for her and I’d love to delve more into her past and “what” she is. Another character I loved was Zeke. He was hilarious, sarcastic and a great friend (though that may be the wrong word) to Breezy. I wanted to like Violet, but I’m still on the fence with her and which side she was on. I really think it could have gone either way, honestly. And don’t even get me started on Mr. Willow..

Roughly 75% into the book, things got a bit.. odd. The tone of the book changed and the direction it was going seemed to shift drastically. I was a bit disappointed with one of the resolutions that occurred around this part of the book. The ending definitely brought me down, as well. There were a lot of unanswered questions. I just wanted more – more explanations, more closure. I was also a bit confused with some of the things that happened during this part of the book. I feel like I need to re-read the whole book and, after a second time, it will make more sense.

Overall, this was a really fun, creepy, intriguing book. I really liked the plot and the characters, but I really wanted more backstory and explanations that were slightly less confusing! I would recommend this book to those who love creepy/intriguing reads.

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Jan5

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 5, 2016
Pages: 292
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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four-stars

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

This book was haunting, chilling, riveting and realistic. It absolutely gutted me. My heart hurts for these characters, for the fact that this happens all the time in our world now. It feels really weird to say that this book was amazing, fantastic and epic because of the subject matter. But.. Nijkamp just did such an amazing job. Her writing – and the format of the book – really pulled the reader in, setting the tone and pace very early on. This is a book that will definitely stay with me for a long, long time.

Usually, I write about the characters of a book in great detail, because I’m an incredibly character driven reader. But it’s hard to talk about these characters in detail without spoilers. And it’s difficult to put into words how I felt about them – who I liked and didn’t like, who I sympathized with, who I feared for – because, really, I tried not to get too close to the characters. Logically, going into this book, you know you shouldn’t become too attached to them because you don’t know who will and won’t survive. But it’s really difficult to remain indifferent while reading a story such as this. You have to uncaringly care – which, I know, that’s the biggest contradiction ever. But… Just read the book, you’ll see what I mean…

That being said, I really found myself riveted by Sylv and Autumn. Their stories – the things they went through in this book – were the stories I wanted to see/hear/experience the most. For reasons. But.. spoilers.. So… Moving on…

There wasn’t a single moment in this book where my heart wasn’t pounding, where I didn’t feel tense and anxious, desperate to see how things would end, who would survive, who wouldn’t. And the fact that they were locked in the auditorium, with nowhere to run or hide, truly added to the urgency and horror. But the ending was, by far, the most intense part of this book. And that’s saying a lot, because every single part of this book was intense. But the ending took things to another level. My hands were actually shaking as I held my iPad, as I swiped to the next page and the next. I was blinking back tears, screaming in protest, begging the characters to stay safe. I was mentally and emotionally drained after finishing it.

I think the thing about this book that really hit home, though, was the social media aspect. It was incredibly heartbreaking and chilling. It was also very realistic, something we’ve actually seen happen during real life tragedies. Especially the news outlet aspect (I don’t want to describe this in detail, but it’ll make more sense if/when you read the book).

This was not an easy book to read. I imagine it wasn’t easy for Nijkamp to write, either. I absolutely recommend this book – I think it’s very important and relevant for today’s audience. But I also beg you to read with caution. Some scenes are vivid and graphic, some may be emotionally traumatizing. I would definitely say there are several trigger warnings that need to be tagged on to this book – obviously, the school shooting and violence/death aspect trigger warning. Sadly, I can’t go into detail on some of the other trigger warnings because they’re actually pretty spoilerish. But know that they are there and prepare yourself for them. I’ll vaguely tell you that bullying, rape and abuse are mentioned, as is loss of a parent (both via sickness and via death).

There are so many more things I could say about this book, but I think I’ll leave it be. You’ll either read this book and discover them for yourself, in which case, I don’t want to spoil you too much. Or you’ll find you’re not able to read the book and, in that case, probablely don’t want to hear further details about it.

Needless to say, this book was… Whoa.

Review: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons

Jan4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons

Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons
Published by Cerulean Books on December 15, 2015
Pages: 335
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five-stars

Fans of The Royal We will not want to miss this epic love story!

Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms.

Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what's best for her country, she isn't about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn't hesitate to tell him there's no way she's marrying him.

Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can't fall for her, because royal or not, they're not meant for each other.

Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.

This is my tenth Heather Lyons book and I don’t even know what to say anymore. She’s epic, her books are epic, read her books!!! *Drops mic. Walks away.*

…

Oh, you actually want to know more about this book? Oh.. I thought the above covered it? No? Okay…

Royal Marriage Market was epic and amazing. Every time I read one of Heather’s books, I swoon and flail and call it my favorite. But then she writes another book and I swoon and flail all over again. Really, I don’t think I could pick a favorite Heather Lyons book because they’re all amazing. However, Royal Marriage Market is DEFINITELY up there near the top! I loved the characters, the plot, the resolution and the ending! So.. everything. I loved everything about this book!

I adored Elsa! She was incredibly spunky and fierce, torn between loving her people and wanting love for herself. She knew how to pick her battles – when to speak her mind versus when to stay silent and let the chips fall where they may. She actually reminded me a lot of Alice from The Collectors’ Society, another Heathery Lyons book!

Christian was an awesome character. He, like Elsa, understood his duty to his throne and his people, but he also wanted to live his life as he wished. He knew how to be a gentlemen, but he was also stubborn and a bit outspoken – as was Elsa. Their banter was hilariously epic! I shipped them pretty much right from the beginning! They were just absolutely perfect for each other! For almost the entire book, I was either cackling in amusement or doing a *head desk* at the things they said and did. They also had some super hot, steamy scenes… *Fans self!!!*

I adored the secondary characters in this book, as well. Heather really knows how to write amazing characters! I loved Charlotte and Parker – their relationships with Elsa and Christian (respectively), their loyalty, the integral roles they played near the end – they were just epic. Christian’s brother, Lukas, was the consummate playboy, but the friendship and understanding between him and Christian was epic. They were able to commiserate together, but they were also willing to “sacrifice” (in a completely comical way) each other if it meant escaping the clutches of their evil, heinous mother. Lukas spoke his mind, without any care as to who heard or what others thought. I would LOVE to see a spin-off with him! As for Elsa’s sister, Isabelle, I didn’t really have an opinion of her until the end. Then I adored her and how much she truly loved her sister. Without her – and the things she did to ensure they both had a happily ever after – things would not have ended the way they did.

There are a ton of other characters I should probably talk about, but that’ll take forever. So, to make a long story short, these characters are EPIC! Okay? Okay!

Basically, in my mind, this book is The Swan Princess meets Romeo & Juliet meets The Royal We (though, I must confess, I haven’t read The Royal We, but from what I’ve heard, the comparison fits!). The only reason I mention The Swan Princess is because, for a good chunk of the beginning of the book, the song “This Is My Idea” was stuck in my head! In fact, I’m listening to it now as I review.. ^_^

But yeah.. Just the way Elsa and Christian were so dead-set against the Summit and what it meant and the way they clashed in the beginning – it all seriously reminded me of The Swan Princess!

Plus, the way they fought against their parents – and their parents’ desire to marry them off to strangers for political gain, rather than love.

And then that ending!!!! The ending was incredibly complex, twisted and epic. Seeing all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place? Perfection. It was a little open-ended, but in a completely satisfying way. It felt realistic and I’m REALLY hoping for a sequel with Elsa and Christian or – as I mentioned above – a spin-off with Lukas!

So, as usual, I HIGHLY recommend this book, plus every book Heather Lyons has ever written! If you love books about royalty, hate-to-love relationships and open-ended, semi-HEA’s, you’ll LOVE this book!!!

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Dec29

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on January 5, 2016
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Quick head’s up: This review may include some minor spoilers. They were included because I felt they were important, mostly because they were things I loved about the book (things about some of the relationships between characters, etc) and contributed to my overall rating.

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Holy wow, this book was epic! I loved everything about this book – the writing, the world, the plot, the characters – I have very few issues/complaints! I was really, really excited to read it and it absolutely exceeded my expectations!

I really liked Elli. She’s not a born fighter – in fact, she was pampered for pretty much her entire life. Yet she doesn’t sit back and just accept things as they are. She asks questions, demands answers and when things get tough, she fights. She pushes herself to do what she has to without complaint. Her loyalty to the Valtia and her compassion for others, coupled with her fierceness and inner strength, make her one of my favorite MC’s of 2015! I especially loved the plot twist concerning her and her “destiny/fate.” It was different and unique from other YA novels in many ways, though most are spoilery, so I can’t share in detail! Sorry!

Oskar was epic! In the beginning, he was moody, distant and sarcastic – Okay, okay, I know! You’re all probably like, “Wait, how do those things make him epic?!?!” But the thing is, later on in the book, once he warms up to Elli, he becomes really epic! The plot twist concerning him didn’t completely shock me, but it was still awesome! I also had MAJOR SHIP FEELS for him and Elli!

I loved Oskar’s strained friendship with Sig. It felt so raw and relatable. We all have (or have had) that friend who we love, but whose toxic nature makes us wary of their friendship. I loved the dynamics between Elli, Oskar and Zig, as well!

I think one of my favorite things about The Imposter Queen was the relationship between the Valtia and the Saadella. The mother-daughter-like bond is very heartwarming. I also loved Mim and how protective and loyal she was to Elli. Aside from the main character’s, she was one of my absolute favorites.

The characters in this book – both main characters and secondary characters (even some tertiary characters!) – were incredible! There are too many of them for me to discuss them individually, but they felt incredibly real and every single one of them had an important role to play. Fine did a wonderful job with character development, even with characters that didn’t seem to play a huge part in the story.

The ending – especially the last 65 pages (give or take) – was incredibly intense! The action never let up. The revelations and plot twists will keep you flipping pages, demanding more. My only issue with this book was that the pacing slowed down a bit roughly 70% in; however, the page numbers in the PDF eARC I had were off, so I don’t know where that is in the actual book. When I have a chance, I’ll find it in the bookstore and check, then update this part of my review!

Overall – if you couldn’t tell from my review – I HIGHLY recommend this book! I’m not really sure why, but this book gave me major Kiss of Deception feels and major Grisha feels. So if you loved those two trilogies, you’ll likely love The Imposter Queen! So far, there’s no series/trilogy name for this book and I have no idea if there’s going to be a sequel. But I REALLY hope there is! This was my first Sarah Fine book and I’m definitely eager to read more from her!

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

A Midsummer Night #nofilter by Brett Wright, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if the fairies and star-crossed lovers of the forest had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Four lovers who can’t decide who they have a crush on.
One mischievous fairy with a love potion.
Total chaos in the fairy world, the human world, and everywhere in between!

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. A Midsummer Night’s Dream happens to be one Shakespeare play that I DIDN’T read in school. And I never got to it on my own, though I own it! But I’ve read and watched adaptions, retellings, etc and I know the basic premise – which made me SUPER excited to read this book!

I found myself reading A Midsummer Night #nofilter more carefully than the other three books in the OMG Shakespeare series – again, because I haven’t read the actual play and was more intrigued and curious for this one than the others. I was also able to follow who the characters were in this one, better than I was with the other three, because I’ve read so many adaptions and retellings – Also, because I LOVE faeries, so I had no issues remembering who Titania, Oberon and Puck were, especially! Knowing who the characters were went a long way in keeping any confusion at bay!

I also found the hashtags in A Midsummer Night #nofilter to be completely hilarious. I mean, all of the OMG Shakespeare books have been hilarious – how could they not be?!?! – but the hashtags were ESPECIALLY funny in this one!

Overall, this was definitely my favorite of the OMG Shakespeare books – for so many reasons! Between being the most excited for this play and better following who the characters were, I was able to pay more attention to the story itself. That made it incredibly enjoyable! And, honestly, it’s kind of inspired me to read the actual play now!!!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Macbeth #killingit by Courtney Carbone, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Macbeth, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if that tragic couple, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

A prophecy from three witches.
A social-climbing couple committing a murder most foul.
A cover-up that spins way out of control.

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. Macbeth was also one of my least favorite plays when we read it in High School and, to be honest, I had forgotten pretty much everything about it – the plot, the characters, everything! So when I first started reading, I found myself really confused, trying to remember who was who! Let’s just say I was really thankful for the character index!!

Confusion aside, Macbeth #killingit was hilarious and entertaining. Once again, the OMG Shakespeare books took a play that should have been serious and boring (sorry, Shakespeare fans! This one was boring for me when I read it in school!) and made it hilarious and entertaining. By breaking down the complex language into modern phone/internet speak (via text messages, group chats, status updates, emojis, etc), I was actually able to grasp what the play was about and follow along!

Overall, Macbeth #killingit was just as LOL as srsly Hamlet was! Though I definitely struggled with the characters, the content itself was easy to grasp and follow and I really ended up enjoying it – YES, I ended up enjoying one of my LEAST FAVORITE Shakespeare plays thanks to this epic OMG Shakespeare interpretation!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Dec21

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
Series: Becoming Jinn #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on April 21, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

I loved Becoming Jinn! I finished it in TWO days because I couldn’t put it down! I’m so sorry I didn’t read it sooner! The world of the Jinn, the magic and the rules – the way there are serious consequences to wish granting – are all intriguing. The characters are awesome and the life lessons are relatable. Lori Goldstein is a great writer and she really sucked me into her story. I had some minor issues with it, but overall, it was a wonderful read!

Azra is a bit tough to like in the beginning. Though I loved having an MC who refusec to sit back and accept their “destiny” (Because, really, not EVERYONE wants to be a vampire slayer, a chosen one, or the only one who can save the world); however, at times her attitude was awful and she could be really mean and dismissive to those who were close to her (her mom, her Zar “aunts” and her Zar “sisters”). I was really torn between feeling bad for her, for this destiny that was forced on her, this destiny that she doesn’t want and really just hating her attitude. I definitely think she grows a LOT by the end of the book. I was incredibly intrigued by the revelations about her and her family and I can’t wait to see what it means for her in the sequel.

I really couldn’t stand Yasmin for the majority of the book. She was so terrible to Azra – but then again, Azra wasn’t exactly nice to her or the other Zar sisters, either. But the more I read, the more I felt for Yasmin and her situation, especially by the very end. I understood where she was coming from and why she did the things she did. I really liked Laila, though, from beginning to end. She was one of my favorite characters! I felt very bad for her at one point and I hope she and Azra can reconcile!

As for the other three Zar sisters, – Hana, Mina and Farrah – well, they kind of faded into the background. I couldn’t really tell them apart from each other and I don’t really have much to say about them. The same can be said for the mothers: While I have many thoughts on Kalyssa, Samara and Raina (the mothers of Azra, Laila and Yasmin, in that order), I don’t really have much to say about the other three. They sort of faded into the background and weren’t as integral to the story. As for Kalyssa, Samara and Raina, they were so frustrating! I hated how cryptic and secretive they were. If they’d just TOLD their daughters the truth, maybe things would have turned out differently.

I really liked both Henry and Nate. Henry definitely had some odd moments, though, where he seemed a bit immature. I definitely felt for him and his family situation though. I definitely got the friend vibe from him and I hope he and Azra remain friends because I really enjoyed their friendship (And YA could use more female/male friendships). I liked Nate and Azra together, though, and I really hope things can work out for them! Poor Nate dealt with a LOT in this book and I’m (morbidly) curious to see what happens next for him.

Also, I really can’t stand the Afrit. Like, not at all! And we haven’t even officially met them. but they make me REALLY angry!!!! :(

Something really interesting about this book: Though it was about Jinn, it had a major contemporary feel to it. I really, really liked that because it made it more relatable. It’s not a book about a Jinn who also happens to be a teenage girl – it’s about a teenage girl who also happens to be a Jinn. It’s Azra trying to live her normal life while dealing with this huge family obligation – something many teens can relate to.

The ending was really crazy, with a ton of revelations and intriguing things. It was also sad and heartbreaking. But it sets things up nicely for the next book – which I just read the synopsis for and it’s also the conclusion!!! For some reason, I thought this was a trilogy and it’s actually a duology and that makes me sad panda :( But that also means the next book will be epic and intense and I can’t wait!!!

Overall, this book was really an amazing read. Though I had some minor issues with certain characters, as well as some pacing issues near the end, I really enjoyed the majority of it. I’m really happy with the character development and growth and, as I mentioned, the world and the Jinn magic and rules were really epic! If you love stories about Jinn, Genies and magic, I definitely recommend this one! And if you aren’t a huge fan of Jinn/Genie stories (which I wasn’t, really), then I also definitely recommend this book because, as I said, it really has a contemporary feel to it and the lessons learned are really relatable! Lori Goldstein is a great writer and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Review: Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard

Dec16

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard
Series: The Cruentus Curse series #2
Published by RAH Media LLC on December 15, 2015
Pages: 380
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

All magic has its price, and no one knows that better than Victoria Warrick. Gifted with a centuries-old blood curse, Tori has finally learned to master her blood’s demands and has emerged triumphant with Christian Devereux, a vampire overlord, at her side.

But the worst is yet to come …

In the infamous City of Lights, home to both the Witch Clans and the Vampire Council, Tori enrolls at the exclusive Belles Fontaines school in Paris, where she is faced with a devastating choice: choose Christian and be an outcast, or choose the coven and secure her place with the witches.

When the fate of the supernatural world is targeted by a sinister new threat, Christian and Victoria must unite their two warring species to defeat it. Their bond will be tested, twisted, and sorely weakened, and Tori will find herself in uncharted territory—a dangerous place to be when her blood’s magic has its own dark agenda.

But to save them all, she may have no choice but to invoke its deadly power.

*NOTE: Bloodcraft is Upper YA / New Adult (for mature content–violence, sensuality & language)

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Amazon | Kobo | B&N

Hi guys! Welcome to my stop on the Bloodcraft blog tour! Today, I was supposed to share with you my review. However, an unexpected and devastating death in the family caused me to fall behind in my reading and I haven’t finished Bloodcraft yet. The wonderful and understanding tour host has given me permission to share a review of what I’ve read so far, so that’s what you’ll find below! Once I’ve finished the book, I’ll update my review to a full review! Enjoy!

Also, be sure to click here to view the Release Week Blitz post, which has an excerpt, an epic giveaway and links to Bloodspell’s (The Cruentus Curse series, book one), $0.99 sale!

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Review Updated On December 21, 2015!

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Bloodcraft blew me away! Amalie’s gorgeous writing + an epic world + an intriguing plot + epic characters = another incredible book by Amalie Howard!

First of all, Amalie is a gorgeous writer. She creates these amazing worlds that just pull you in and refuse to let you go. I especially love the Bloodspell/Bloodcraft world. The magic, the rules, the history, it’s just all completely fascinating! And it makes sense, since I LOVE vampires and witches and always have! Amalie is also incredible at creating characters you love and characters you love to hate.

Tori had SO MUCH character growth from the beginning of book one to the end of book two. She really came into herself and her powers. I wasn’t sold on her and Christian’s relationship in Bloodspell, but I totally shipped them in Bloodcraft. And I really liked Christian a lot more in this book (as opposed to Bloodspell)! He, like Tori, had a lot of character growth and really came into his own and his powers. I liked the revelations with him a lot!

Lucian was totally evil in Bloodspell, yet I couldn’t help but feel for him. And in Bloodcraft, he became… Well, he wasn’t nicer or less evil, but something changed in him. I think, of all the characters that experienced character growth in Bloodcraft, he experienced the most! I was incredibly heartbroken by the way his story ended though :(

I never trusted Lena, not in either book. She kind of reminded me of Victoria from Twilight. Cunning, calculating and – when it really comes down to it – looking out for herself and no one else, even despite her feelings for Lucian. Yet, she was really growing on me in this book! And, like with Lucian, I was shocked and saddened by the way her story ended.

I really liked Leto and Aliya, but I was really weary of them and I really didn’t trust either of them. I had a feeling they were hiding things… And, by the end of the book, I was partially right about one of them and wrong about the other! I also really loved Pan and I’m so disappointed with the way his story ended! It made me so sad panda!!!

The plot for Bloodcraft really was incredibly intriguing! Don’t get me wrong, Bloodspell had an interesting plot, too. But Bloodcraft really had me turning pages as fast as I could! The plot twists and revelations (which I briefly mentioned above) were intense and epic. The ending of the book was non-stop action, one thing after another! It was emotionally draining and exhausting, but in a good way! I was so invested in these characters and the things that happened to them at the end… It was just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overall, I really loved this book. I didn’t enjoy Bloodspell as much as I’d hoped to, but Bloodcraft really made up for that with epic characters who experienced a ton of character growth, an intriguing plot, non-stop action, plus tons of revelations and plot twists! I HIGHLY recommend this book if you’re an Amalie fan, especially if you were meh on Bloodspell, because Bloodcraft was EPIC and will blow your mind!

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And now for the giveaway! Here’s what’s up for grabs:

-Kindle Fire giveaway is open to US residents due to shipping restrictions.
-Paperback copies of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT are open to US and INT readers.
-This giveaway is sponsored by Amalie Howard.
-Leading up to the release of BLOODCRAFT, more entries/options will be added to the rafflecopter to double your chances!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Amalie:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

agold-authorShe is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and is a member of SCBWI.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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December 7th
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Pixie Vixen Book Reviews | Review
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Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Dec14

Bloodspell by Amalie Howard
Series: The Cruentus Curse series #1
Published by Langdon Street Press on June 1, 2011
Pages: 394
Format: Paperback
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

The spell was simple...

Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)

But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

It literally hurts my heart to have to write this review. Amalie is one of my favorite authors and favorite people. I’ve read all her currently published books ((Waterfell [The Aquarathi #1], Oceanborn [The Aquarathi #2], The Almost Girl, Alpha Goddess)) and I loved them all so much! Sadly, Bloodspell (Amalie’s first book and the one I was most excited for, given my love of vampires and witches) left me wanting more. And that made me Sad Panda :(

First, let me discuss some of the things I liked! I loved the world that Amalie created. The magic and the rules and the way everything worked was truly fascinating. The plot itself was something I haven’t really read before – yes, I’ve read a LOT of vampire and witch books over the years – they’e two of my favorite supernatural creates to read about! – but the idea of Le Sang Noir and the Cruentus Curse were pretty original (to me, anyway) and I loved the whole vampires versus witches theme (I’ve always loved stories where they are enemies, I don’t know why..)

Now.. Unfortunately, it was very obvious that this was Amalie’s first book. And it’s very much a book of its time. Meaning, from roughly 2005/7-2011, Young Adult books had a very different tone to them. They had a certain structure and certain things happened. This was especially true with supernatural/paranormal books of this time period. At the time, these structures and plot devices were new, so they were awesome and fascinating. Now, they’re considered cliche. On the one hand, these plot devices/tropes brought me back to that time in my life, when reading was simple and fun, before blogging and critically analyzing everything I read took over. On the other hand, I’ve outgrown many of these plot devices/tropes and I couldn’t help but cringe at some of the things that went down.

There was a lot of telling (as opposed to showing) and it made me feel a bit disconnected from the story and the characters, especially in the beginning. Some of the characters were a bit cliche, as were some of their actions. It was a little hard to grasp how quickly Tori came into her magic and how she knew all these spells and things without even trying. I know she practiced with Leto, but it still felt like it happened super quick. Christian was very cliche vampire. I found myself comparing him and Lucian to Stefan and Damon. Charla was way too perky for my liking (I don’t know why perky female characters always end up being untrustworthy in YA, but they just are for some reason…) and I didn’t trust Gabe from the moment we met him. I really liked Holly and Angie, though. And Enhard.. Ugh, the way his story ended? Crushed me!

I constantly felt like I had missed something with this book. Something would happen and I’d be like, “Wait, when did ____ do _____?” And the pacing was all over the place. Sometimes I sped through several chapters, finding myself (finally) pulled in to the story. Other times, I had to push incredibly hard just to read one chapter. Now, I will say that I had some things going on in my personal life while reading this. My family suffered a terrible, unexpected loss. And it was very difficult for me to even find the energy to read. So that might be part of the reason this book was so meh for me.

To be brutally honest, if it weren’t for the fact that it’s Amalie, I would have DNF’d. But I adore Amalie and I know from reading her other books that she’s an AMAZING writer. I always love her books/plots, her characters and the worlds she creates. She always has a unique take on things and I love that! So I pushed through. The last 80 pages actually really picked up and, though the ending was a bit cliche, it was also really intriguing and I’m very excited to read the sequel, Bloodcraft. My thinking is, Amalie has grown SO MUCH as a writer over the years and Bloodspell had so much potential, it’s the perfect equation for an epic, wonderful, brilliant sequel!

If you haven’t read any of Amalie’s books, I suggest starting with a different one. Amalie’s amazing and her books are amazing. Bloodspell started off weak and she had some growing pains, but her other books are wonderful! If you’ve read Amalie’s other books and you’re uncertain about this one, I urge you to read it with an open mind and remember how fabulous her other books are!

Review: Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty

Dec5

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty
Series: Lock & Mori #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 15, 2015
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

This book was really frustrating for me. I wanted to love it, but I only liked it. I had some major issues with the characters, but the criminology aspect of it was really intriguing and I loved the guessing game involved with the investigation. I just wanted more from this book than I got.

The characters were probably the most frustrating part of this book. They were pretty flat and I had a hard time connecting to them because of that. Sometimes, they had these amazing moments where I really liked them and thought things were looking up. And then something would happen and I couldn’t stand them again. I loved the tension and banter between Lock and Mori; however, sometimes Lock was incredibly cold and cruel towards Mori. And Mori was stubborn in not asking Lock for help. They liked each other, but they were super awkward around each other. I didn’t ship it. I liked them as friends and maybe over time, I could see them as more. But after this first book? Nope. No ship feels.

Obviously, I couldn’t stand Mori’s father. He was horrible and cruel and his character almost made me DNF. But it all made sense by the end. And it was actually pretty intriguing, the way it all went down. We were also introduced to Watson, but briefly. I wanted more Watson! Mycroft, Lock’s brother, was pretty cool, but (like with Watson) I wanted to see more of him.

I really liked Sadie. Her friendship with Mori was excellent and a great example of what we need more of in YA. They were friends who drifted, yet they didn’t become mortal enemies. They didn’t bully each other or become cruel. In fact, over time, they drifted back together and became friends again – picking up almost as if nothing had ever happened. I don’t like how their story ended, though. That was super, super frustrating and made me really sad panda.

Now, my next issue with this book is.. weird. This book is set in London, England. For some reason, I found myself reading the prose in an American accent and the dialogue in a British accent, which made reading this super awkward and slow. I tried not to do it, but I couldn’t help it. My brain just couldn’t focus on the story as much while it was trying to do this. It’s especially weird because, when reading, I NEVER read with the intended accents. In my head, it’s always an American accent – my default, since I’m from the US. So I don’t know why that happened with this book. But it was really… Weird…

The pacing of this book was really weird, too. It had big sections that were epic and big sections that were meh. Sometimes, it felt like things were picking up; other times, it slowed down to an almost unbearable crawl. It took me a week to read it, which is a bit slow for me. Sometimes, all I could do was read one or two chapters before putting it down.

Yet, despite all my character and pacing issues, this book was still a fun read. The last 60 pages really picked up and the big reveal was – though not too shocking – pretty epic and intense. There wasn’t a lot of build-up to the second book, though, so I’m not really excited for it yet. Maybe once the cover and synopsis are revealed, I’ll get more into it. We’ll see!

I definitely recommend this book for fans of Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, I haven’t read the original classic novel, so maybe that’s where some of my issues stem from – I couldn’t pick up on any hidden easter eggs from the classic because I’ve never read it. Maybe, for those who HAVE read the original book, it will be more intriguing! And if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries, then this book is also a good read for you!

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Review: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Review: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Review: Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard

Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Review: Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty