F.H. Faizal's Blog

 
Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo
368 pages
Publisher: Henry, Holt & Co
Release Date: June 5th, 2012
Source: ARC from ALA
Rating: LOVED

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart

   Dark and echanting, Shadow and Bone will undoubtedly thrill readers beyond expectations. With lush, descriptive writing and a strong voice, this debut is one that lives up to its hype.

   Leigh Bardugo weaves a story that will captivate and engross, page after page, word after word. From the very first pages, the enchanting, war-torn world of Ravka begins to surround you, building around you bit by bit with each passing word.

   Shadow and Bone is set in a fantasized version of Russia, in Ravka, where war ravishes its borders, and the darkness of the Shadow Fold forever looms in the horizon, home to horrific flesh-eating creatures and pure darkness. Hope is meek for the people of the once powerful nation. Their only hope is for the Shadow Fold to disappear.

   Alina Starkov is a mouthy character from the beginning. Scrawny, plain, and an orphan, Alina only wishes to be noticed. Before she knows it, she is thrown into the court of the king, under the care of the dark and enchanting Darkling.

   In Leigh Bardugo's world, the Grisha, headed by the mysterious, powerful Darkling, add to the splendor of the story as a dazzling community of rich keftas and dark beauty. As for the the Darkling - he'll be a character readers will be flipping the pages to catch as he creeps away. The scenes between him and Alina are charged with electricity that buzzes off the pages.

   Shadow and Bone is a powerful debut impossible to praise in one review. The characters will leap off the page. The plot will entrance you and seduce you. Shadow and Bone is an unputdownable must-read.

Add SHADOW AND BONE to Goodreads 

Welcome back to the sixth month of the first annual Standalone Reading Challenge!
If you're not familiar with the challenge I am co-hosting with Britta from I Like These Books, read the full introductory post here . Once you sign up, be sure to pick up one of ten buttons here .

The 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge is basically what its name stands for: during the year 2012 you must challenge yourself to read Standalone novels. 15 to be exact. And they must all be a part of the YA genre.

Today, we're back again with a prize pack! The winner of the May prize pack will be contacted soon. Thanks to all who linked to their reviews. We enjoy seeing what you think and how far along in the challenge you are! If you didn't link up last (or win) month, here's another chance!




(1) copy of DARK COMPANION by Marta Acosta
(1) copy of THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers

Other Goodies:
~ Don't Breathe a Word swag
~ Take a Bow bookmark
~ (Signed) Wonderlove bookmark
~ (Signed) Bookplate from Elizabeth Eulberg

Special thanks to the donators:
Holly Cupala
Elizabeth Eulberg
Kirsten Hubbard
St. Martin's Press
Tor Teen

So what are you waiting for? Read, Review, and Link up! {Book title & name please! Example: Wanderlove (Britta) or Harbinger (Icey Books)}. And if you still haven't signed up, do so HERE .

 
Enchanted
Alethea Kontis
305 pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release Date: May 8th, 2012
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: LOVED

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

   Sunday Woodcutter is doomed to a happy life. She loves escaping to the Woods and writing in her journal, her only comfort. One afternoon, Sunday escapes from her chores and sneaks out to her beloved woods where she meets Grumble, an enchanted frog, who becomes her best friend. With Grumble, Sunday can be herself. She can read her stories about her family (no one else would listen, I mean who would want to hear things all about themselves?), without him getting bored and he makes her happy. One day Sunday kisses him and leaves, not knowing that she has turned him back into Prince Rumbold, a man her family hates for former incidents. Will the two of them be together again? And live happily ever after?

   I absolutely love how Alethea Kontis put together a little bit of every classic fairy-tale. The Princess and the Frog, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, The Princess and the Pea - you'll see bits and pieces of the stories you knew growing up in Alethea Kontis's latest novel. It made a nice addition to the story, and made it more interesting. Once I started reading this book I just couldn’t put it down, it was super hard for me to tear my eyes away from the pages. I hope there’s more, like maybe each of the siblings could have their own stories, for they’re all really interesting people.

   Enchanted has made it to my very short list of favorite novels. It was undoubtedly enchanting, from the very first page. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next! So don’t just sit there! Go get yourself a copy now!

Add ENCHANTED to Goodreads 

I am so excited that the incredible cover of ENTICE by Jessica Shirvington is here and beyond thrilled to catch a glimpse at what lies ahead for Violet:

“Two tutors and three students from the Grigori training center in New York were arriving in two days and I couldn’t be happier. I was going to be able to learn from the experts and have people my own age to train with, something I really needed. I was sure with their help I would be able to get over whatever it was that had been holding me back.

Griffin had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the two senior Grigori –the intelligence, resources and backup they could provide was much needed. The Scripture that can decipher the identity of all Grigori, even those who have not yet embraced and are therefore defenseless, was at stake.

I would not stand by and watch it fall into the hands of exiles. If they found they key to destroying all Grigori and gained the upper hand, the slaughter would not stop until all the humans knelt before them, worshipping them as gods.”

Now for the gorgeous cover!
I absolutely loved EMBRACE and I'm super excited for ENTICE - I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next!

Here’s the scoop from Sourcebooks!

Seventeen-year-old Violet Eden is back! With a destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels it becomes clear that it won’t be easy as even her partner, Lincoln, is hiding something. And now she has to learn to live with her feelings for him while they work together to stay alive and stop the exiles from discovering the key to destroy all Grigori. It isn’t easy. Especially when the electricity between her and Phoenix ignites and she discovers his hold over her has become more dangerous than ever. Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme with a race halfway across the world to find the one artifact that could tilt the balance of power between Angels and Exiles. And the ultimate betrayal will be exposed.

Check out Jessica’s brand new video blog post where she sits down with a cup of coffee and invites us into her home. From her favorite chair to her love of befriending characters in a series, Jessica chats with us about her perfect setting for a good read!



Exciting News!! Jessica Shirvington will be traveling to the U.S for a two-week national book tour for ENTICE starting September 18. Keep an eye on www.embracetheseries.com for more details.

Hi everyone! This here's the first ever What's Next post. Click here to read more about the meme and be sure to link up your posts below. I just finished Leigh Bardugo's SHADOW AND BONE , which was incredible (more in my review to come), and I'm having a tough time picking up another book to rival it.

Nonetheless, here are a few I have to read soon! So. Which first?

ARCs releasing soon (links lead to Goodreads):     
Books I've been wanting to read before the sequels release:    



Link up your What's Next posts below. Use a direct link please. Be sure to return next week!

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If you're anything like me, you'll know its very hard to choose your next read - particularly when you have a review/reading pile as big as your bed... or head.

With that thought in mind, What's Next was born. What's Next will be a weekly feature here on IceyBooks, and you can participate!

Here's how it works (for those of you who want to participate):
-Every Thursday, starting tomorrow, select three-five books (not too many, not too little!) that you want to read but can't decide which one to read first.

-Post the cover, and if you want, the synopsis, the first line, or even a random line from the book, for each of your selections.

-At the end of your post, ask readers to vote on which one you should read next!

Even if you don't end up reading your readers' top choice, you'll know what the majority is excited for.
So who's up for it? Be sure to grab a button and link up your posts tomorrow! And leave me a comment telling me what you think!

As always, thanks for reading :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

 

A teen girl finds herself a would-be assassin, hunting down her former best friend, the princess of the realm, via the aid of an enchanted piglet.

POISON will be released March 2013 from DisneyHyperion.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Bestselling author Philippa Gregory bursts onto the YA scene with a medieval debut that's sure to captivate readers. Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of CHANGELING, out today from Simon & Schuster. Watch the trailer and read on for more.




Purchase your copy today
Read a sneak-peak of the book here.
Learn more about the series.
Register for a live chat with Philippa Gregory on May 30th, 8 AM EST. Sign up here!

Hitting Shelves Today is basically what it's name calls for - a post featuring books that hit shelves that day. It will be a sporadic post, so don't expect it every release day :) 





No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz
May 29th, 2012
Goodreads -- Amazon -- BN 







Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
May 29th, 2012Goodreads -- Amazon -- BN 





Changeling by Philippa Gregory
May 29th, 2012Goodreads -- Amazon -- BN 


   



Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London
May 29th, 2012
Goodreads -- Amazon -- BN


  



Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep
May 29th, 2012Goodreads -- Amazon -- BN 






So, what are you excited for?
What did I miss?

 
Graceling
Kristin Cashore
472 pages
Publisher: Harcourt
Release Date: October 1st, 2008
Source: Gifted
Rating: LOVED

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

   Graceling was one of the very first young-adult novels I read. Up until then, I pretty much had no idea there was an age-group between childrens fiction and adult fiction. Long story short, a reread of Graceling was long overdue. I plowed through the pages, reading whenever I had a spare moment.

   Kristin Cashore is a master storyteller. Her prose is nothing short of pure elegance, and the world is nothing short of clarity. The world she weaves with twenty-six letters is phenomenal. The characters live in a medieval-esque fantasy world where Graces define who you are... and who you aren't. Being born with a Grace can mean disgrace is some kingdoms, and nothing at all in another.

   Katsa, the main character, is Graced with killing. She knows countless ways to kill a man, armed or not. Seeing Katsa's journey to humanity, for lack of a better word, was yet another aspect Cashore excelled at. The story was more than an action-filled adventure, it was a journey we experienced through Katsa's mind and heart as well.

   There isn't much to say about Graceling. It was good. Unbelievably good. I rarely reread novels. In fact, Graceling was the only novel I reread. And something tells me, I might read it again. The beautiful words, dynamic characters, and unpredictable plot will captivate you no matter how many times you read it.

Add GRACELING to Goodreads