The Call Review

Title: The Call
Author: Peader O Guilin
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Pages: 320 (hardcover)
Format: paperback ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Except for these, because my roommate is reviewing it for me. :) Thanks Gil.

 

SUMMARY:

Imagine a world where you might disappear any minute, only to find yourself alone in a grey sickly land, with more horrors in it than you would ever wish to know about. And then you hear a horn and you know that whoever lives in this hell has got your scent and the hunt has already begun.

Could you survive the Call?

 NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

At first glance, The Call may not look like much; it is a relatively thin book with minimal designs on the cover, but one you’ve read the first chapter, you’ll be able to tell that this book is something special. Set in a desolate Ireland, teenagers are “called” to another world. They are transported into the beautiful and terrifying world of the Sidhe, where they must try to survive being hunted. In preparation for their calling, the teens attend a training school, where they condition their bodies and learn to evade the Sidhe that will hunt them. The story follows fifteen-year-old Nessa as she prepares for the day that she will be called to the world of the Sidhe.

 When I first began this book, I was excited to immerse myself into an entirely new world with an entirely new monster. The prologue and first chapter seemed very promising, and if I didn’t have any other responsibilities for that day, I would have devoured the book in one sitting. When I picked it back up later that evening, the next few chapters progressed very slowly. While the story was advancing, a lot of the details about the major points of the novel had yet to be revealed. Normally, I am perfectly fine with trying to figure out where the story will go, and I find puzzling over the characters and their possible motives to be fun. However, for this novel, I was completely lost. I felt like I was reading the second book in a series without having read the first. Maybe if I knew more about Irish mythology and the Sidhe, I wouldn’t have felt this way, but I don’t and so I was confused throughout most of it.

Once I stopped trying to go deeper into the background details and just trusted that O’Guilin knew what he was doing, I was able to enjoy the story more. The characters are well written, and I enjoyed concentrating on them and getting to know them. As I continued reading, more of the background was revealed, and the story became much more interesting and intense.

Cassidy presented this book to me to read and review because I thoroughly enjoy the horror genre. She told that many people thought this book was scary or unsettling, and that I should read it first and let her know if she could handle it or not. This book did not scare me at all, but it was a very thrilling read. I was never afraid of the Sidhe, but I was fascinated by them. When I put the book away at 3am, I would continue thinking about the characters and the Sidhe and I would try to figure out what was going to happen next. I couldn’t sleep because I was enthralled, not because I was afraid of being called by the Sidhe. My experience with this book is very typical for me, I am hardly ever frightened by things that are intended to scare, and so if you scare easily, proceed with caution.

RATING:

The Call 3.5/5 Stars

OVERALL:

Overall, it was a good read, but not my absolute favorite; I will definitely read a sequel (if there is one). The book loses some points for not revealing enough details early on; I like having enough information to work with and attempt to figure things out before the story is almost over. I am also taking some points away for the romance aspect O’Guilin put in the novel. I wish that he had left out the romance parts of the story and focused more on the Sidhe and survival parts; I don’t really care for romance, especially if there’s more interesting things happening, and the romance in this novel felt somewhat forced and unnatural. It’s not completely awful, especially if you keep in mind that the story is about a bunch of fifteen-year-olds, but it is still weird. While the book loses some points for these things, it gains some for being a completely unique idea; maybe I live in a very tiny world, but I have never heard of the Sidhe or encountered a book that puts such a new and dark twist on mythological creatures.

While it may seem like I have a lot of complaints, I did really enjoy the book. Although I felt the story was slow in some parts, I did not want to put it down because I wanted to find out what would happen next. It was a quick read for me, and I enjoyed almost every minute of it. So, if you have a little time to spend with a unique and fascinating book, go ahead and give The Call a try.

 
Subscribe and never miss a post! More reviews and exciting news to come soon. Let me know how you feel about The Call. 

A big thanks to Gill for reviewing this book for me. :)

Heartless Review

Title: Heartless
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date: November 8, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
Format: Paperback ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

SUMMARY:

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.


Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.
Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

Going into this book, I had super high expectations because I absolutely love the Lunar Chronicles. I should probably review those soon, but anyways I thoroughly enjoy the character development and world building from a "typical" Marissa Meyer novel. That being said, I also want everyone to know before continuing with my review, that I'm not a giant fan of Alice in Wonderland-esque books. I was really hoping that Heartless would change that for me because the Queen of Hearts is my favorite character in that particular world. 

I was expecting a lot out of this book, and part of me is still unsatisfied with it. I enjoy her writing, but Heartless seemed kind of slow to me compared with the Lunar Chronicles to me. I got about 300 pages in and still felt like not a lot had happened or really changed since the beginning of the story. Sure, there was a small progression in the side love story, but I feel like there needed to be more action to hold you over for the kissing that doesn't really begin until after halfway thru the book. After that, I did start to skim, which I feel bad about, but I'd rather skim than not finish it. 

All of that being said, I did like it. I'm in no way saying that it's a bad book. It's just a bit slow for me, and after Illuminae I need more fast paced reads. Also, I absolutely love Jest. He's by far the best thing in this book. Her writing of his character is amazing. His riddles in the book are very thought provoking and we finally get an answer to why is a raven like a writing desk! I feel like I would really enjoy this book more if I was more into books on Alice in Wonderland. Don't hate me, I liked it, but I didn't love it like I wanted to. 

RATING:

Heartless by Marissa Meyer 4/5 Hearts!

OVERALL:

If you really like Alice in Wonderland prequels/additions/retellings, then this is probably more suited for you! I'm not saying it's a bad book, just not for me. 

Subscribe to the blog so that you never miss a post! I have reviews for Nevernight and Gemina coming soon! 

Glass Sword Review

Title: Glass Sword
By: Victoria Aveyard
Release Date: February 9, 2016
Pages: 444
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardback
All thoughts and comments are my own.

SUMMARY:

If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. 

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. 

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. 

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

I know I've had Glass Sword forever (well, just last November), but I am finally getting around to reviewing it on here. I had super high expectations for the sequel because of how much I loved Red Queen. For the most part I think those expectations were met. It still had all of the action that I loved from the first book. I really enjoyed being able to explore more into the secrets behind the Newbloods. Though I still have plenty of questions about them! Also, I know I shouldn't love him, but I absolutely love King Maven. He's the perfect baddie with that frightened child underneath. 

Finally being able to see how extent of the Scarlet Guard gives me hope in Mare's rebellion. We get to see lots more of Farley and learn some more about her, and a brand new character in the Scarlet Guard. She's become one of my favorite side characters. My heart still goes out to Cal. Poor thing, watching him cope with all of the events from the end of Red Queen breaks my heart. He's like a lost puppy trying to figure out why his owner won't come get him. Mare's evolution has been astounding. By the end of Glass Sword, she is barely the Mare that she started out being. I'm really excited to see how she grows and changes and stays true to herself. 

The plot was just as fast paced and full of plot twists as the first. I did something bad, and read the last page, so I knew how it ended, but even in the last ten pages I had NO IDEA how we were going to end up there. I never saw it coming. You think everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows and then BLAM plot twist back into the fire again! (get it? Maven. fire.) 

Also, a moment of silence, for that one part where Victoria rips out your heart and leaves you damaged for the rest of the book. If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. If not, you will. 

RATING:

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard 4.5/5 Stars

(I know a lot of my reviews have gotten the same rating lately, but I've loved everything I've read, so I don't feel bad about it)

OVERALL:

I think I liked Red Queen a tiny bit more, but I still loved this sequel.  It hurt my feels, but I am so eager to get my hands on King's Cage to see more of Mare, Cal, and Maven! Rise, red as the dawn.

Subscribe to the blog in order to stay up to date on all the newest posts! Comment below with your reactions and opinion of Glass Sword! Also, just an FYI, I read my ARC of this instead of my hardback, so it's one of my books for ARC August!

ARC August

I am so happy to announce that I will be participating in this year's ARC August hosted by Read.Sleep.Repeat. The original sign-up can be found here. My list for ARC August will consist of both new ARCs and ARCs that I've had for some time now. I'm going to start with all of my newer ARCs and then just fill what's left of the month with my older ARCs. So Let's jump into my list!

New ARCs
1) Three Dark Crowns
2) Gilt Hollow
3) Unnatural Deeds
4) Labyrinth Lost
5) Iron Cast

Older ARCs
1) Julia Vanishes
2) Illuminae
3) Glass Sword
4) A Madness So Discrete
5) Heir to the Sky

I have quite a few more older ARCs that I could in theory add to this list, but 10 ARCs in August is going to be rather ambitious for me. If I have any more time, then I will surely let this list grow! Right now, my priorities are on the ARCs with the earliest release dates. Let me know if there are any ARCs that you're super excited for or think I should read first! I know I didn't list authors or goodreads links, but the reviews will have all the information you need!

*There is probably going to be some changes in what I actually read for ARC August since I've been doing a lot of trades recently! I'm so excited for new arcs!

Doon Series Review

Okay Everyone! Thanks for dealing with my extended absence recently. I had a state test that had to be passed (yay I got my CNA!) but I've also been dealing with some pretty bad health issues. I am so sorry for being gone, but I had to take care of me that way I can keep blogging at all!

For this post, it's going to be a bit different from a regular review. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly review Shades of Doon or Forever Doon individually, but I will! (Stay tuned!) but I'm honor of the amazing release day of Forever Doon the final book in the Doon series, I am going to give an overall series review! It won't have any spoilers, except maybe a few from the first book! And away we go!

My love letter to Doon:

Before I'd started the Doon series, I had just finishing watching Outlander and couldn't help wanting more Scottish YA. After awhile of strolling the interwebs I found Sasha's post about Doon. That being said, I had super high expectations of Doon going into it! I basically thought it was going to be the same story lines from Outlander, but I was wrong and not in a bad way. I liked how different the two stories are. Both have amazing swoony romance and hot Scottish men, but Outlander is not Doon. I felt like I wanted to actually be in Doon, whereas I'd prefer not to travel to the outlander world. Doon feels so homey to me and that's what has kept me coming back since book one. Being able to see the changes in the culture and people of Doon throughout the series has been wonderful. It's felt like I've changed and grown too. 

The characters from Doon are absolutely some of my favorites. Veronica and MacKenna are very different when it comes to their thinking and approaching a situation, but flatter each other greatly. I never felt forced to read either of their POVs, which is often a problem for me. I also really loved the new POVs in Forever Doon! I won't tell you who if you don't already know, but it's been a long time coming for their side of the story. The hardships that MacKenna and Duncan go through as a couple is so believable and hurt me to read. I was mended by the end of Destined for Doon. 

The plot never felt forced or like it dragged behind. The series is overall a very quick and fun read. It's full of romance, Scottish princes, adventure, brave female leads, and of course my favorite pop culture references! I might have to do a separate post with some of my favorite ones. I am very happy I picked this series up and am sad that it's finally coming to a close. 

I was worried that Forever Doon would not give me the satisfaction or closure I needed to be able to happily finish the series. I was surprised when it did just that. Lorie and Carey have given a wonderful ending to a story and world that I want to keep visiting. Doon will always have a special place in my heart. 

On that note, I am very happy for its release into the wild today! Everyone should go pick it up and cross the bridge one more time. I'm glad I did. 

Comment all of your thoughts on the Doon series. Did you love it as much as me? Dreading the final chapter? Subscribe and make sure you don't miss it when I review Shades of Doon and Forever Doon separately! 

Also I'm sorry for the lack of pictures and links! I'm currently writing this from the doctor's office. :) 

Hear The Wolves Cover Reveal

Alrighty guys! I am so excited to be sharing the cover of Hear The Wolves by Victoria Scott! I absolutely love being apart of the VMafia and getting to share this exciting news with all of you. I've been holding onto this cover for at least 24 hours and the excitement is killing me. So first, a little about the book. 

SUMMARY:

It's survival of the strongest in a contemporary, girl-versus-wild middle-grade debut from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott! 

Sloan is a hunter.

So she shouldn't be afraid of anything. But ever since her mom left the family and she lost hearing in one ear in a blizzard, it's been hard to talk to people, and near-impossible to go anywhere or do anything without her dad or big sister within eyesight -- it makes her too scared to be on her own.

When they leave her home alone for what should only be two nights, she's already panicked. Then the snow starts falling and doesn't stop. One of her neighbors is hurt in an accident. And the few people still left in Rusic need to make it to the river and the boat that's tied there -- their only way to get to a doctor from their isolated Alaska town.

But the woods are icy cold, and the wolves are hungry. Sloan and her group are running out of food, out of energy, and out of time. That's when the wolves start hunting them . . .

AND Finally, here we go with the cover real. (Also, just an FYI the entire cover is HAND-DRAWN!) 

DO YOU NOT LOVE IT?! I am so excited to get my hands on this wonderful book by Victoria Scott! There's not much about the exact release of this book other than sometime in April 2017. Until then, spend your time catching up on all of Victoria's amazing books, found HERE. (Hint, Hint: I recommend Titans) Tell me what you think about the cover in the comments below. Stay tuned for ANOTHER cover real (a tiny bit late) later this weekend! Subscribe and never miss a post.

Illuminae Book Review

Title: Illuminae
By: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Release Date: October 20, 2015 
Pages: 599
Publisher:Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardback
All thoughts and comments are my own.

SUMMARY:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

I bought this book at the very beginning of the summer, and has been on my original TBR for months now. I am so glad I actually got into it. I know it's a BIG book, 600 pages is very intimidating, but it took me two sittings to finish it! I never would have thought that I'd be able to read 400 pages in a day. I absolutely loved the format of this book. It's not 600 pages of just straight reading, it's an adventure. Being able to read all of the emails, IMs, files, and reports, and more is so mysterious. It definitely helped to move the story line along by making you feel like a sort of detective trying to figure out exactly what's happening on board the ships. 

I know a lot of people automatically go "eew, sci-fi", but it's so much more than that. There's a love story going on, a bit of horror, and so many plot twists. It's not only about the sci-fi aspects. Speaking of plot twists, at first it's about a planet being blown up (not a spoiler, you can read that on the first page), then changes again and again and again. I literally describe it based on the different plot twists, but will refrain from doing that now. I think the best way to go into this book is without any real idea of where the story should go! It's more of mystery and adventure that way. 

I got about halfway in and could not imagine how much more intense the book could get. Well, It did! It's a fast paced, roller coaster of a plot line. It will suck you in and never let you go. If you think you know what's going to happen next, YOU'RE WRONG. I thought I had everything figured out by the last 100 pages, then the plot changed on me again. I thought everything was going to be okay and wrapping up at about 10 pages from the end, then there was another plot twist that I should've seen coming, but didn't. It's hinted at in the book, but I honestly don't think anyone would catch unless doing a reread. 

Did I mention the characters are amazing? Kady and Ezra will steal your hearts from the very beginning. I'm kind of sad that the next book, Gemina, will not feature them as the leads, but am excited to meet new characters. Kady is the perfect sass queen and following her journey was so incredible.

RATING:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 5/5 Stars

OVERALL:

This is probably my favorite book ever. It was a whirlwind adventure and I cannot wait for Gemina. (Literally! If you have an arc you want to trade email me! Or just one I could borrow and send back.) I don't know how much more I can rant about this amazing book. It broke my heart and then mended me again by the ending. Go get it if you haven't!

Subscribe and never miss a post! Stay tuned for more reviews, TBRs, and some upcoming super exciting news! Trust me, you won't want to miss what's happening soon!

Destined For Doon Book Review

Title: Destined for Doon
By: Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Pages: 368
Publisher: Blink YA
Format: Hardback
All thoughts and comments are my own.

SUMMARY:

The second book in the popular new Doon YA series that takes on a classic story, Brigadoon, and spins it in a new way to give readers a fresh, modern experience.

In this sequel to Doon, Kenna Reid realizes she made a horrible mistake-choosing to follow her dreams of Broadway instead of staying in the enchanted land of Doon. Worse, she's received proof she and Duncan are meant to be, along with torturous visions of the prince she left behind. So when Duncan shows up and informs Kenna that Doon needs her, she doesn't need to think twice. But even if Kenna can save the enchanted kingdom, her happily ever after may still be in peril.

The Doon novels are a part of Blink, HarperCollins Christian Publishing's new YA imprint that delivers empowering and heartening literature while maintaining a tradition of imaginative and impactful storytelling.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

I really enjoyed being able to go back into Doon. After the events of the first book, I knew there was still some things to tie up with the witch (HA! cause she tied up Jamie) and also with MacKenna leaving Doon. Just letting you guys know, I was so disappointed in Kenna for deciding to leave Duncan on the bridge. I understand that she has dreams that she can't accomplish in Doon with the theatre, but no ma'am. We do not leave the people we are Called to. I was very frustrated with her starting this book. 

That being said, I wasn't expecting Jamie and Veronica's relationship to grow the way it does in this sequel. It was nice to see what's happening with them in addition to more of Kenna and Duncan. There was a good bit of the relationships in the story, but still focuses on the main problem in Doon, the Witch. I also really enjoyed how there was more of a backstory and presence of the Witch in this book. I wanted to know more about her and her family's history in the first book, and finally got that in this one. Guys, that witch's cottage is creepy! But I love all the detail they put into it. 

I feel very attached to the characters now, and felt like they should have ended the series at this book. It would have provided for a very safe, happy ending. However, it's not. There's still two more books that will probably break my heart. I'm not quite sure what is in store for our characters in Shades of Doon but I am so excited to find out. I'm still uncertain about one of the characters introduced in Destined for Doon, if you've read it, then you know EXACTLY who I'm talking about. My theory is that she's helping the witch. Maybe it's just because I prefer MacKenna with Duncan and I don't need a minor character breaking up my ship. 

OVERALL:

I was happy with this sequel. I think it stood up to the first book, which is normally hard to do in a series. I can't wait to go back in for another round of Scottish princes, Doonians, kilts, and evil witches. Also, I'm still very much okay with all of the pop culture references they make. I often find myself laughing out loud when I read them. It almost always makes me think of Castiel from Supernatural when he says that he doesn't get that reference. Another great work  by Carey and Lorie.

RATING:

Destined for Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon 4.5/5 Stars

Stay tuned for more on the Doon series. I have some super exciting reads for now until the end of the year, so subscribe and never miss a post! Also if you preorder the final book in the Doon series, Forever Doon, before it's release on August 2, 2016, then email a picture of your receipt to Doon@Harpercollins.com for exclusive Doon swag! Coloring Pages, Posters, and Even the first two chapters of Forever Doon!

July TBR + News

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to start out by saying I am so so sorry that I haven't been around for two weeks, but let me tell you why. Okay, so you have to first understand that I live in the middle of nowhere, which means that we get power outrages and things like that quite frequently. My wifi has been disconnected thanks to my neighbors for two weeks now! You guys don't know how lost I've been without wifi. No wifi = no blog posts. I'm sorry for this everyone. I hope you forgive me. Now, on to more fun things.

I've been trying to figure out my TBR for before I go back to college in August and just can't seem to nail done anything in particular since there's so many I want to read. Therefore I'm going to do something exciting, or well exciting to me because I'm overly excited about everything related to books. So anyways to the idea, for the first two weeks of August I am turning over my TBR to...*drum roll please* YOU! Towards the end of this month, I'll shamefully tell you what I haven't read yet and have you vote to see what books I read before I go back. The goal is to read 3-4 books during that time, depending on size.

For now though, I'm going to try and tackle a couple of Must-Reads this month! *These are listed in no particular order, and shows no real preference. I love them all equally*

Well, all equally except for this one.
1) Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard I haven't gotten around to the short stories yet, and it is killing me to go back to Norta. Please don't hate me, but I kind of love Maven. He's the YA equivalent of Goffrey and I love when the villains are written so perfectly hate-able, which makes me love how that character is written so thoughtfully. Though I'm not saying that I support his actions in the books and would probably enjoy having Mare send her lightning into him.  Also, I just really love how Victoria writes. I never feel like I'm forcing myself thru her books and I absolutely love that. I would honestly read anything she wrote--grocery list, King's Cage edits, a restraining order--literally anything.

2&3) Shades of Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon I am slowly, but surely working my way thru this series! I truly enjoy being transported back to Doon in each new book. I was originally planning on binging the series because my friend Elizabeth over at her blog, Literary Froggy so graciously sent me an ARC of Forever Doon. I just finished Destined for Doon a few days ago, so be on the look-out for a review THIS WEEKEND. Which brings me to book (3) on this list, Forever Doon. I want this series finished. I HAVE to know what happens with my two favorite Scottish princes and the kingdom.

Speaking of, if you preorder Forever Doon before it's release date on August 2, 2016, you can get SWAG! It's a swag pack of printable posters, coloring pages, AND the first two chapters of Forever Doon! All you have to do is preorder, snap a picture of your receipt, and email it to Doon@Harpercollins.com I'm actually about to go do that now and you should too!

(Yes, I'm blogging extra this week to make up for not having wifi recently. Did I mention my power was out for 7 and a half HOURS yesterday?)

4) The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye I've heard so many great things about this book and actually preordered it and became a member of the Tsar's Guard, but sadly haven't read it yet. I was signed up to do the read along with Brittany (Brittany's Book Rambles), but my copy came in late and did not have time to catch up over 20 chapters in a day. (I may have also experienced a reading slump).

These are the books that I absolutely want to get done by the end of the month. If I read more then, go me! I'm also going to start a new segment on my blog next week called, The First Time I Met...
It's going to be all of the embarrassing and occasionally amazing stories about the first time I met a particular author of that week. Stick around and subscribe to my blog, so that you never miss a post! Also, if there's something you think I need to read this month, then just leave a comment below. I love hearing from you all!

P.S. I've been working on here a lot today since I finally have wifi, so if you're on here way late at night or early in the morning and things start moving or going wonky. HI! that's me you're interacting with. Just making changes to the blog.

Empire of Dust ARC Review

Title: Legacy of Kings
By: Eleanor Herman
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Pages: 432
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC
All thoughts and comments are my own.
 I received this arc thru Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. 

SUMMARY:

In Macedon, war rises like smoke, forbidden romance blooms and ancient magic tempered with rage threatens to turn an empire to dust 

After winning his first battle, Prince Alexander fights to become the ruler his kingdom demands—but the line between leader and tyrant blurs with each new threat. 

Meanwhile, Hephaestion, cast aside by Alexander for killing the wrong man, must conceal the devastating secret of a divine prophecy from Katerina even as the two of them are thrust together on a dangerous mission to Egypt. 

The warrior, Jacob, determined to forget his first love, vows to eradicate the ancient Blood Magics and believes that royal prisoner Cynane holds the key to Macedon's undoing. 

And in chains, the Persian princess Zofia still longs to find the Spirit Eaters, but first must grapple with the secrets of her handsome—and deadly—captor. 

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy to reimagine the world's most brilliant ruler, Alexander the Great, in the second book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

Normally, I am very hesitant to start a sequel, even though I absolutely love series (hello Throne of Glass and Talon), just because I worry that the sequel will not live up to the hype or standards set in the first novel. Empire of Dust did not let me down at all. It was well written and still had all the amazing historical research that Eleanor is known for. I feel like the story was just as interesting as the beginning was in Legacy of Kings. The story has just as many cliffhangers and plot twists and a few moments where I was just mind blown by what happened, which you can find out when it is released next week! 

The first book had a lot of POVs, but I enjoyed most of them so it didn't bother me as much as it did in the sequel. I think there are way too many POVs. I did feel like some of them weren't that great and had to push forward with them in order to get back to the plot lines that I really enjoyed. I was really glad to see more of Cyn and Zofia just because I really like where their stories are going and how interesting they are as characters. There are also a ton of side plots that I didn't feel helped move the story along. Just keep reading for the amazing story goodness!

So I personally don't know much about this time period, but really love all of the true historical facts interwoven into the story. That being said, someone with more knowledge of the era could figure out some stuff that will happen/should happen, but everything for me is such a surprise and I absolutely love that. Also, the romance in this book is making my fangirl so very happy. Heph and Kat! I will go down with this ship. Seeing all of their tension and the slow building of their relationship after he saved her life at the end of Legacy of Kings has been so frustrating because I am ready for them to be a thing. I did not really see her being with Jacob even in the beginning of the first book when he like half proposed to her and honestly how are you supposed to explain that you stabbed your fiancé in battle? Bad move Jacob. 

OVERALL:

This sequel does live up to the hype of the series. I know there will be a third book, but if it's a trilogy or not is unknown to me. The ending was more subtle than the first book, but gives a good direction of where the story is going. Even though there are new questions that were not answered in this book, I am very excited to see what is going to happen next. I will be keeping up with this series, so stayed tuned for more as this series continues! Definitely pick this sequel up when it comes out if you want the blood, murder, romance, and betrayal to continue for these great characters! 

RATING:

Empire of Dust by Eleanor Herman 4/5 Stars

Also, if you feel so inclined as to preorder it before it comes out on June 28, 2016 Eleanor has a preorder game set up on her website, which you can find HERE. I already did. :) Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Legacy of Kings Book Review

Title: Legacy of Kings
By: Eleanor Herman
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Pages: 428
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Hardback
All thoughts and comments are my own.

SUMMARY:

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to a newcomer…

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But she doesn’t account for her first love…

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince.

And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series. 

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

Okay, honesty time. My roommate got me this book for my birthday, last September, because I thought the cover was pretty. It's been sitting on my shelf ever since. Well lucky for me, Harlequin Teen gifted me with an eARC of Empire of Dust recently. What better excuse to finally push this to the top of my TBR? The book for me, started off a bit slow. There were so many places and different POVs to establish in the beginning. After getting accustomed to all the characters, the book went by pretty quickly. I liked the third person narrative, but personally feel like there are too many POVs. I think there are about six, including two minor characters, that the reader gets a chance to follow. While this does offer a great wealth of knowledge on the situations happening at the same time, there were some POVs that I liked more than others. I really enjoyed Kat's and Cyn's chapters, even though there were more of Cyn's in the beginning than later on. I am strongly hoping to see more of her and her side plot in the sequel.  Also, we only see Zo for many three chapters, I feel like her ending chapter leaves much to be desired and was not a very well chosen place for her to be at the end of the book. I will riot if there is not more on her in the sequel. I feel like Zo could be a real star, but her story is extremely sad and distressing. It took a lot out of me to read what she has to endure. 

That being said, I went into Legacy of Kings having read the prequel, Voice of Gods. Let me just say that I HIGHLY recommend reading it before starting the series. It clears up a lot of possible confusion throughout the novel. Also, having read it, I knew some things that I thought were important to look after and I still did not see that ending coming. It went completely over my head. That twist was much needed in order to help the book and possibly the rest of the series continue with the same drama that propelled Legacy of Kings. I really enjoyed all of the research and history that is interwoven into the story. 

OVERALL:

I really enjoyed Legacy of Kings more than I thought I was going to. The prequel novella left much to be desired, and the writing did improve in this series debut. I felt transported back into a world full of war, mystical creatures, and treachery. Oh and did I mention Magic? There's so much more magic in this book than I was expecting and loved that aspect of it. Blood, Romance, Betrayal, Magic, what's not to love?

RATING:

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman 4/5 Stars

Be on the lookout for a review of the highly anticipated sequel, Empire of Dust. Also, if you feel so inclined as to preorder it before it comes out on June 28, 2016 Eleanor has a preorder game set up on her website, which you can find HERE. I already did. :) Share your thoughts on Legacy of Kings in the comments below!

June TBR

Hi Everyone!

I don't know about you, but I get more done when I set goals. Today I am going to set my goals for the month of June to help me get done with everything. So here we go!

1. I'm slightly behind with this series, but I did finish the prequel, Voice of Gods, and am currently diving into Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman. All I know is that is has something to do with Alexander the Great, and I am all over that. 

2. I was lucky enough to be approved by Harlequin Teen on Net Galley to receive an eARC of Empire of Dust. It is released on June 28th, so look for my review soon after I finish Legacy of Kings! Also if you haven't already, then you need to check out Eleanor's Website! She has an amazing preorder offer going on for Empire of Dust here 

3. As much as I love the Doon series, so far I haven't been able to really get into Destined for Doon. I plan on finishing at least this one, if not the whole series, by the end of June.

I'm taking a few classes that last until the end of June, which is why I've been so slow getting through everything. Stay Tuned though because July is going to be a great month for reviews and ARC reviews! Subscribe to the blog to stay up to date on reviews and other news. Comment if you've read anything good this month or what your TBR pile looks like for June!