Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 148
June 5, 2017
{Book Review + Excerpt}: Roar by Cora Carmack
From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack comes her debut young adult fantasy, ROAR! Releasing June 13, 2017, ROAR takes readers on an adventure filled with charismatic characters in an enthralling world sure to keep them turning the pages. Order your copy today!
Roar (Stormheart #1) by Cora Carmack Blurb:
New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack's young adult debut: Roar.
In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2rvA6ag
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2qxlFoi
iBooks: http://apple.co/2rvx3im
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2q0MP2U
Book Depository: http://bit.ly/2qWjb3Q
Add to your Goodreads
My Review: Eighteen-year-old Aurora Pavan is the last living heir to the Pavan throne, but she's yet to show any hint of the magic she'll need to protect her kingdom from the violent storms that plague the land, so her mother has devised a plan. She will marry the second son of the king of Locke - an intimidating man named Cassius.
When Aurora first meets her betrothed, he charms her into thinking that this just might work. That is, until she catches him in an illegal marketplace and realizes Cassius is merely intending to marry her for some sinister purpose.
While in the market Aurora meets a group of Storm Hunters, including the alluring Locke - who was born without magic and now has the ability to face off against storms. At that moment Aurora begins to see a way out of her impending marriage and a way to finally gain some power and control over her future - if she has the courage to grasp the opportunity.
Life on the road as a storm hunter is anything but easy and Aurora - now calling herself Roar - must figure out where she fits in with her new life, all while trying to conceal her true identity even as she begins falling for Locke and making friends with the other hunters. When Roar has an unexpected reaction to a twister she, and the others, must ask if she is more of a danger to the others than she's worth. Or does her reaction hint at an unexplained ability? What would happen if Roar's new companions figure out her true identity? And what would happen if her former betrothed's soldiers catch up to her?
I fell in love with Roar's cover first. Then I fell in love with the story itself. For me, Roar was a slow read that I wanted to take time and savor every minute of. The idea of the storms having power and the Stormlings having to use magic to defend against them was truly unique. More so, I loved Locke and the other storm hunters.
They reminded me of real life storm chasers that follow twisters - crazy, brave people that get right in there with the storm. Locke's crew was well developed and I loved each of them - except maybe Sly. I only wish we could have seen more of them interacting with Roar individually, other than mainly Duke, Locke, and Jinx.
As for Cassius, I'm not sure that I saw him as a villain really. I almost kind of wished he would have been sincere and could have built a life with Roar, but it wasn't meant to be. It was great being able to see things in his perspective though, as well as in Novaya, Roar, and Locke's perspectives - and the mysterious Stormlord.
Overall, I loved Roar. This book is well rounded, with romance for the people like me that can't live without it and plenty of action, adventure, and magic to please all fantasy lovers. Our seemingly unmagical heroine, Aurora, reminded me of Anna in Rosalyn Eves's Blood Rose Rebellion and the savage Stormlord gives hint toward Sarah J. Maas's Erawan in the Throne of Glass series and I can't wait to watch this series continue to take shape, to see what challenges wait for Aurora upon her return to Pavan and how learning who she truly is will affect the way that the hunters see her.
My Rating:5 of 5 Stars
EXCERPT
You are lightning made flesh. Colder than falling snow. Unstoppable as the desert sands riding the wind. You are Stormling, Aurora Pavan. Believe it.
Believe it, and others will too.
It was a vow that her mother, Queen Aphra, made her swear on the day she reached twelve years. She had gripped her daughter’s shoulders tight, and Rora could still remember the pinch of pain, the furious beat of her heart as she saw how afraid her mother was and learned to be afraid too.
Today that fear had led Aurora Pavan to sign her life away before she ever had the chance to really live it.
As she was primped and prettied like some kind of sacrificial offering, her mind remained stuck on her morning spent in the throne room. She recalled the rasping sounds as the treaty was unrolled and the way her fingers suddenly felt too weak to hold a quill. Many days of her sheltered life had been spent writing out ideas and facts and figures for her tutors, yet in that moment, she had struggled to remember the letters of her name. Then she had met her mother’s eyes, and those familiar words came to her again.
Colder than falling snow.
That was what Rora had to become as her shaking hand sealed her fate with a scratchy, bleeding line of ink. And now hours later a stranger peered back at her from the looking glass, powdered white so that none of her flaws would show.
Rora’s white-blonde hair had been curled and bound up in an elaborate ceremonial headdress that was crowded with jewels, flowers, and four jagged crystals cut like bolts of lightning to mimic her mother’s skyfire crown. Headdresses honoring a family’s ancestors were an important part of Pavanian tradition for the upper echelons of nobility to the poor and working class. They were donned for birth and death and every major life event in between, including betrothals. But this headdress was larger than Rora had ever seen. It had to be anchored to the thick metal necklace she wore about her collar with embellished fastenings, and it weighed on her nearly as much as the events of the night still to come.
Her already pale skin had been covered in a shimmering white powder, which made her look like she’d just emerged from a blizzard. Her ribs were tightly bound in a corset that squeezed and squeezed until it felt like all her organs were in the wrong place. Over that was a heavy, beaded gown whose neckline dipped low, revealing far more cleavage than she had ever shown. The fabric clung to her frame until it fanned out at her knees into a long train, and the color of the dress changed from white to ash gray to glittering black.
Rora looked exactly as her mother had always told her to be—lightning made flesh: blinding white and bright against a dark sky, and the train that pooled around her was the ground, charred black by her impact.
It was stunning. Exquisite, really. Even, Rora, who hated dresses of all kinds, could tell that. It was also a lie. Every jewel, every bead painted a picture of someone that wasn’t her. But that was the goal for tonight’s betrothal celebration…to be someone else, to be the perfect Stormling princess. Because if she failed, everything could fall apart.
TRAILER https://youtu.be/3fIxbHRHnGc
GIVEAWAY a Rafflecopter giveaway http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c1a0373/?
Cora Carmack’s ROAR – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:June 5thAs The Book Ends – Review & ExcerptBookWorm221 – Review & ExcerptMilky Way of Books – Review & ExcerptOmg Books and More Books – Review & ExcerptReads All the Books – Review & ExcerptTaylor Fenner's Bookish World – Review & ExcerptJune 6thAC Suqared Book Blog – ExcerptHappily Ever After Book Reviews – ReviewLetshaveakya – ReviewMovies, Shows, & Books – ExcerptRead more sleep less – ReviewSmart & Savvy with Stephanie – Review & ExcerptJune 7thAli's Reviews and More – Review & ExcerptBecky on Books – Review & ExcerptBooks, Dreams, Life – ExcerptDazzled by Books – Review & ExcerptMiss Nicole The Librarian – ReviewQuite the Novel Idea – Review & ExcerptJune 8thAdventures in Writing – ExcerptBookCrushin – ReviewCrazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & ExcerptNovelKnight – ReviewThe Rest Is Still Unwritten – ReviewWhat Is That Book About – ExcerptJune 9thBooks Books Books – Review & ExcerptBookshelf Adventures – ReviewCrystal's Chaotic Confessions – ExcerptFeeling Fictional – Review & ExcerptGrownup Fangirl – ReviewThe Rest Is Still Unwritten – ExcerptJune 10thCeres Books World – Review & ExcerptMy Fangirl Chronicles – Review & ExcerptRed Hot + Blue Reads – Review & ExcerptTales of the Ravenous Reader – Review & ExcerptZili in the Sky – Review & ExcerptJune 11thBook Briefs – ReviewPBC – ExcerptRamblings From This Chick – ReviewVi3tbabe – Review & ExcerptWith Love for Books – ReviewJune 12thFeed Your Fiction Addiction – Review & ExcerptMrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & ExcerptReads & Reviews – Review & ExcerptSwoony Boys Podcast – Review & ExcerptTake Me Away To A Great Read – Review & ExcerptWhatever You Can Still Betray – ExcerptJune 13thBeneath The Covers Blog – Review & ExcerptChapter Break – Review & ExcerptI'm A Book Shark – ExcerptMoonlight Rendezvous – Review & ExcerptResch Reads and Reviews – ReviewTwo Chicks on Books – Review & ExcerptJune 14thBoundless Book Reviews – ReviewKindle and Me – Review & ExcerptLovely Reads Publishing – ExcerptMy Book Filled Life – Review & ExcerptStuck In Books – ExcerptThe Cover Contessa – Review & ExcerptBibliobibuli YA – Review & ExcerptJune 15thA Hopeless Romantic's Booklandia – Review & ExcerptBooks Need TLC – Review & ExcerptLit This & That – Review & ExcerptSeeing Double In Neverland – ReviewThe Book Hookup – Review & ExcerptThis Jabberwocky Eats Books – Review & ExcerptShelf Life-ReviewJune 16thBookish Things & More – ReviewCloset Geeks and Slow Mo – Review & ExcerptFishing for Books – ReviewLibrary of a Book Witch – Review & ExcerptThe Book Maven – Review & ExcerptUnder the Covers Book Blog – Review & ExcerptJune 17thBook Lovers Hangout – Review & ExcerptG & T's Indie Café – ExcerptLittle Red's Reviews – ExcerptSmokin' Hot Reads Book Blog – Review & ExcerptThe Ordinary Housewife Book Blog – Review & ExcerptYA Insider – Review
[image error]
About Cora Carmack:
Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Since she was a teenager, her favorite genre to read has been fantasy, and now she’s thrilled to bring her usual compelling characters and swoon-worthy romance into worlds of magic and intrigue with her debut YA fantasy, Roar. Her previous adult romance titles include the Losing It, Rusk University, and Muse series. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
June 4, 2017
Book Review: Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Sparrow (Writing as Wendy Laine)
Secrets of Skin and Stone
Wendy Laine (aka Wendy Sparrow)
YA Paranormal
June 5, 2017
Entangled Teen Blurb: Something is wrong in Hidden Creek. The sleepy Alabama town is more haunted than any place fiend hunter Grisham Caso has ever seen. Unearthed graves, curse bags, and spilled blood all point to an evil that could destroy his gargoyle birthright. The town isn’t safe for anyone, and everyone says fiery Piper Devon knows why.
Piper wants to leave Hidden Creek behind. She’s had enough of secrets—they hide in the shadows of her room and tell her terrible things are coming. Too-charming city boy Grisham might be her only chance to save herself.
To survive, Piper and Grisham have to shed their secrets and depend only on each other. But what lurks in Hidden Creek still might take everything away from them, including each other.
My Review: Grisham "Gris" Caso has been sent on his first solo fiend-hunting mission to the small town of Hidden Creek, Alabama, the home of his aunt, uncle, cousin, and his crazy former Watcher uncle, Critch. He figures it will be some easy task foisted upon him to test him. Until he reaches Hidden Creek and realizes this will not be a simple get-rid-of-the-fiends mission. There are way more fiends in this small town than Gris has seen, even in major cities and it's affecting the people in town, making them do crazy things. And then he meets Piper Devon. Strange, brilliant, beautiful Piper Devon who everyone seems to fear.
Piper Devon knows everyone in town thinks she's crazy or evil - or both. And she thinks they might be right on the evil front. She feels like there is a darkness inside her. She doesn't have the bright, organized OCD like her mother, she has to stick to patterns and she cuts her shoulder to try to absolve herself of the wrongs she thinks she does. And she definitely doesn't trust charming boys, so when she meets the handsome and probably charming Gris she knows better than to trust him. But when Piper's dog is mysteriously murdered and it might be connected to the other strange occurrences in town trusting Gris is exactly what she'll have to do.
To work together they'll have to tear down their emotional walls and reveal their secrets to each other if they have any chance of finding out who is stirring things up in Hidden Creek. But in working together will they also begin falling in love? And what will happen when a deranged soul realizes the duo are onto them? Will Piper and Gris end up in the crosshairs of a killer?
To be completely honest, I wasn't sure about this book at first. Piper's OCD is definitely extreme and some of the "Southernisms" were a bit laughable (although probably authentic to how people in the deep south actually talk. Ex: Don't profane) but I could look past that because I liked the idea of the book.
As I read further I really fell in love with the story. The author paints an excellent picture of the fiends and the Watchers (gargoyles) and I could easily see Gris fighting off the fiends while Piper slept on, oblivious at first. I thought that the characters blended well together and I kept guessing to see who was gathering the fiends in Hidden Creek.
This book had everything I look for and love in a good novel; romance, humor, and some seriously awesome supernatural creatures. I've read stories with gargoyle characters before but this one was definitely my favorite!
Overall, I can't enthuse enough about this book, it really hooked me and although it doesn't leave the reader in a cliff-hanger I can definitely see the author expanding on these characters and Hidden Creek. I know I would love to read more!
My Rating:4.75 of 5 Stars!
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine is out tomorrow, Monday, June 5, 2017 from Entangled Teen! Grab a copy here:Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Add to Goodreads
Secrets of Skin and StoneWendy Laine (aka Wendy Sparrow)
YA Paranormal
June 5, 2017
Entangled Teen Blurb: Something is wrong in Hidden Creek. The sleepy Alabama town is more haunted than any place fiend hunter Grisham Caso has ever seen. Unearthed graves, curse bags, and spilled blood all point to an evil that could destroy his gargoyle birthright. The town isn’t safe for anyone, and everyone says fiery Piper Devon knows why.
Piper wants to leave Hidden Creek behind. She’s had enough of secrets—they hide in the shadows of her room and tell her terrible things are coming. Too-charming city boy Grisham might be her only chance to save herself.
To survive, Piper and Grisham have to shed their secrets and depend only on each other. But what lurks in Hidden Creek still might take everything away from them, including each other.
My Review: Grisham "Gris" Caso has been sent on his first solo fiend-hunting mission to the small town of Hidden Creek, Alabama, the home of his aunt, uncle, cousin, and his crazy former Watcher uncle, Critch. He figures it will be some easy task foisted upon him to test him. Until he reaches Hidden Creek and realizes this will not be a simple get-rid-of-the-fiends mission. There are way more fiends in this small town than Gris has seen, even in major cities and it's affecting the people in town, making them do crazy things. And then he meets Piper Devon. Strange, brilliant, beautiful Piper Devon who everyone seems to fear.
Piper Devon knows everyone in town thinks she's crazy or evil - or both. And she thinks they might be right on the evil front. She feels like there is a darkness inside her. She doesn't have the bright, organized OCD like her mother, she has to stick to patterns and she cuts her shoulder to try to absolve herself of the wrongs she thinks she does. And she definitely doesn't trust charming boys, so when she meets the handsome and probably charming Gris she knows better than to trust him. But when Piper's dog is mysteriously murdered and it might be connected to the other strange occurrences in town trusting Gris is exactly what she'll have to do.
To work together they'll have to tear down their emotional walls and reveal their secrets to each other if they have any chance of finding out who is stirring things up in Hidden Creek. But in working together will they also begin falling in love? And what will happen when a deranged soul realizes the duo are onto them? Will Piper and Gris end up in the crosshairs of a killer?
To be completely honest, I wasn't sure about this book at first. Piper's OCD is definitely extreme and some of the "Southernisms" were a bit laughable (although probably authentic to how people in the deep south actually talk. Ex: Don't profane) but I could look past that because I liked the idea of the book.
As I read further I really fell in love with the story. The author paints an excellent picture of the fiends and the Watchers (gargoyles) and I could easily see Gris fighting off the fiends while Piper slept on, oblivious at first. I thought that the characters blended well together and I kept guessing to see who was gathering the fiends in Hidden Creek.
This book had everything I look for and love in a good novel; romance, humor, and some seriously awesome supernatural creatures. I've read stories with gargoyle characters before but this one was definitely my favorite!
Overall, I can't enthuse enough about this book, it really hooked me and although it doesn't leave the reader in a cliff-hanger I can definitely see the author expanding on these characters and Hidden Creek. I know I would love to read more!
My Rating:4.75 of 5 Stars!
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine is out tomorrow, Monday, June 5, 2017 from Entangled Teen! Grab a copy here:Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Add to Goodreads
June 3, 2017
Stuff Your Beach Bag! 17 Books to Devour this Summer!
It's the first weekend in June so grab your swimsuit, sunblock, and stuff your beach bag with these amazing upcoming summer reads that you won't want to miss!
Secrets of Skin and Stone
Wendy Sparrow writing as Wendy Laine
YA Paranormal Romance
June 5, 2017
Entangled Teen 1. Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine
Blurb: Something is wrong in Hidden Creek. The sleepy Alabama town is more haunted than any place fiend hunter Grisham Caso has ever seen. Unearthed graves, curse bags, and spilled blood all point to an evil that could destroy his gargoyle birthright. The town isn’t safe for anyone, and everyone says fiery Piper Devon knows why.
Piper wants to leave Hidden Creek behind. She’s had enough of secrets—they hide in the shadows of her room and tell her terrible things are coming. Too-charming city boy Grisham might be her only chance to save herself.
To survive, Piper and Grisham have to shed their secrets and depend only on each other. But what lurks in Hidden Creek still might take everything away from them, including each other.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: When a hot gargoyle comes to town to hunt down the fiends haunting Hidden Creek and meets strange, beautiful, OCD-ridden Piper the results will be epic! I devoured this book in a day and a half and it was unputdownable!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
2. Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren
Dating You / Hating You
Christina Lauren
Contemporary Romance
June 6, 2017
Gallery Books Blurb: All’s fair in love and work. The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.
Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.
But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?
Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.
Why I Want To Read This Book: Every once in a while I like to take a break from the fantasy novels and this one sounds really good. I love Christina Lauren's books and I'm really looking forward to this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
3. Song of The Current by Sarah Tolcser
Song of the Current
Song of The Current #1
Sarah Tolcser
YA Fantasy
June 6, 2017
Bloomsbury Blurb: Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations, her family has been called by the river god, who has guided their wherries on countless voyages throughout the Riverlands. At seventeen, Caro has spent years listening to the water, ready to meet her fate. But the river god hasn’t spoken her name yet—and if he hasn’t by now, there’s a chance he never will.
Caro decides to take her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate. By agreeing to deliver it in exchange for his release, Caro finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo—an arrogant courier with a secret—and without the river god to help her. With so much at stake, Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.
From debut author, Sarah Tolcser comes an immersive and romantic fantasy set along the waterways of a magical world with a headstrong heroine determined to make her mark.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I've heard great things about this book and the first line of the blurb is what has me hooked. The idea sounds unique and I can't wait to read it!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
4. Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau
Dividing Eden
Dividing Eden #1
Joelle Charbonneau
YA Fantasy
June 6, 2017
HarperTeen Blurb: From the author of the New York Times bestselling Testing trilogy comes a sweeping new fantasy series, perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sarah J. Maas.
Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.
But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.
As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.
With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal?
Why I Want To Read This Book: This book kind of reminds me of Three Dark Crowns meets the twins in the Royals (and that is probably a pretty bad comparison. Will the Trial of Succession turn these twins against each other? I'm dying to find out!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
5. Roar by Cora Carmack
Roar
Stormheart #1
Cora Carmack
YA Fantasy
June 13, 2017
Tor Teen Blurb: In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: Stormchasers chasing magical storms?!?! Do I need to say any more? Besides, look at that gorgeous cover!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
6. Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh
Obsidian and Stars
Ivory and Bone #2
Julie Eshbaugh
YA Fantasy
June 13, 2017
HarperTeen Blurb: In the sequel to Ivory and Bone—the prehistoric fantasy novel that New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman described as a “richly crafted world of life-and-death stakes”—the story shifts to Mya’s viewpoint as vengeful adversaries force her to flee the life she once knew.
After surviving the chaotic battle that erupted after Lo and the Bosha clan attacked, now Mya is looking ahead to her future with Kol. All the things that once felt so uncertain are finally falling into place. But the same night as Kol and Mya’s betrothal announcement, Mya’s brother Chev reveals his plan to marry his youngest sister Lees to his friend Morsk. The only way to avoid this terrible turn of events, Morsk informs Mya when he corners her later, is for Mya to take Lees’ place and marry him herself.
Refusing to marry anyone other than her beloved, and in an effort to protect her sister, Mya runs away to a secret island with Lees. And though it seems like the safest place to hide until things back home blow over, Mya soon realizes she’s been followed. Lurking deep in the recesses of this dangerous place are rivals from Mya’s past whose thirst for revenge exceeds all reason.
With the lives of her loved ones on the line, Mya must make a move before the enemies of her past become the undoing of her future.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I haven't read Ivory and Bone, but reading this blurb had me interested enough to in reading it that I recently preordered a copy of Obsidian and Stars and Ivory and Bone from Good Choice Reading's Virtual Signing. I'll start with Ivory and Bone then look forward to reading this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
7. Through the Fog by Taylor Fenner (me!)
Through the Fog
Eternals Trilogy #3
Taylor Fenner
YA Urban Fantasy
June 27, 2017
Taylor C. Fenner Publishing Blurb: Two Souls
After Thierry traps Luke in a coma-like slumber with the help of a powerful Voodoo priestess, Lizette, Sam, Keiran, Finn, and Wes must leave New Orleans and journey through the fog to the mythical Garden of Eden.
One Unbreakable Binding
There Claudette tells them they must harvest the blood of a rare animal native only to the Garden of Eden which contains the only antidote to Luke’s curse. They’ll have to hurry back to deliver the antidote before the binding that merges Luke and Lizette’s powers kills Lizette from being so far away from Luke.
If One Dies, So Does the Other
Where is the Garden of Eden? How can they be so sure that it even exists? Lizette will need the help of all of her friends as they travel through war-torn countries and battle mythical creatures that guard the Garden of Eden and the mysteries trapped within.
It’s More Than a Hunt for the Antidote; It is a Fight for Survival.
Will they get the antidote to Luke in time? Or have they come across the one curse strong enough to destroy an Eternal? Find out in the stunning conclusion to the Eternals Trilogy.
BONUS: INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE ETERNALS NOVELETTE "ETERNAL FIRE"
Two years before Out of Darkness, eighteen-year-old Finn Madigan is your average teenage guy. He has friends, cuts an obscene amount of class, and has hooked up with nearly every girl in the senior class. But Finn has a secret - he's an Elemental, a person capable of creating bursts of fire and spouts of water from thin air.
Finn just wants to bide his time in his hometown, Ishpeming, Michigan, until he graduates and can put as much distance between himself and the town, his parents, and his perfect brother as possible.
Then he meets a green-haired beauty named Arianthe and everything changes. Finally, Finn has someone who understands what he's going through and before he knows it he's falling in love.
But like William Shakespeare said, the course of true love never did run smooth. Can Finn hang on to Arianthe? Or will his brother Keiran steal her away?
Why You'll Want to Read This Book: If you've been following the Eternals Trilogy, you definitely won't want to miss out on Through the Fog. Through the Fog is definitely more magical realism and urban fantasy than the first two books, appealing to a broader audience than before! Plus don't miss out on the exclusive novelette, ETERNAL FIRE!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
8. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
Stillhouse Lake
Untitled Series #1
Rachel Caine
Psychological Thriller
July 1, 2017
Thomas & Mercer Blurb: Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.
With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.
But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I love Rachel Caine and I also love psychological thrillers. I'm eager to see Rachel's transition from her usual genres to psychological thriller. Plus, if you're a Amazon Prime Subscriber you can read this book right now for free through First Reads!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
9. Because of Lila by Abbi Glines
Because of Lila
Sea Breeze Meets Rosemary Beach #2
Abbi Glines
NA Contemporary Romance
July 11, 2017
Abbi Glines Blurb: Prim, proper, classic good girl, and her least favorite label - icy.
Lila Kate Carter has heard them all. The last one, being the newest. She is not icy. She just doesn’t care for Cruz Kerrington and his spoiled, selfish, careless ways. That doesn’t make her icy, that makes him a jerk!
Tired of being labeled and doing what is expected of her, Lila Kate leaves Rosemary Beach, Florida ready for an adventure. Wanting to recreate herself, find a new path, and become something more.
Eli Hardy is tired of women who always act the same, do the same thing and expect the same thing. He's ready to swear off women until he can get the rest of his life together.
Two weeks into his no-women-rule he meets Lila. She’s so damn sweet and polite. Like she walked right out of an etiquette book. But he’d already been drunk before she walked in so there was a good chance she might not be as stunning and perfect as he thinks. He’s just too drunk to worry about that.
The next morning, he swears he can still smell her on his skin. He just can’t remember why or what happened after that third dance.
Their worlds are about to collide, and so are the secrets and lies.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I love Abbi Glines's books and I'm so happy that she's continuing her Rosemary Beach Meets Sea Breeze Series!
Add to Goodreads
10. Trust by Kylie Scott
Trust
Kylie Scott
YA Contemporary Romance
July 18, 2017
Kylie Scott Blurb: Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.
After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers. While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.
An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.
Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.
Why You'll Want to Read This Book: Kylie Scott's indie YA debut is amazing, addicting, and all around perfect. If you're a fan of hers, or if you're just discovering her now, this is one book you will not want to miss!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
11. The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The Life She Was Given
Ellen Marie Wiseman
Historical Fiction
July 25, 2017
Kensington Blurb: From acclaimed author Ellen Marie Wiseman comes a vivid, daring novel about the devastating power of family secrets--beginning in the poignant, lurid world of a Depression-era traveling circus and coming full circle in the transformative 1950s.
On a summer evening in 1931, Lilly Blackwood glimpses circus lights from the grimy window of her attic bedroom. Lilly isn't allowed to explore the meadows around Blackwood Manor. She's never even ventured beyond her narrow room. Momma insists it's for Lilly's own protection, that people would be afraid if they saw her. But on this unforgettable night, Lilly is taken outside for the first time--and sold to the circus sideshow.
More than two decades later, nineteen-year-old Julia Blackwood has inherited her parents' estate and horse farm. For Julia, home was an unhappy place full of strict rules and forbidden rooms, and she hopes that returning might erase those painful memories. Instead, she becomes immersed in a mystery involving a hidden attic room and photos of circus scenes featuring a striking young girl.
At first, The Barlow Brothers' Circus is just another prison for Lilly. But in this rag-tag, sometimes brutal world, Lilly discovers strength, friendship, and a rare affinity for animals. Soon, thanks to elephants Pepper and JoJo and their handler, Cole, Lilly is no longer a sideshow spectacle but the circus's biggest attraction. . .until tragedy and cruelty collide. It will fall to Julia to learn the truth about Lilly's fate and her family's shocking betrayal, and find a way to make Blackwood Manor into a place of healing at last.
Moving between Julia and Lilly's stories, Ellen Marie Wiseman portrays two extraordinary, very different women in a novel that, while tender and heartbreaking, offers moments of joy and indomitable hope.
Why I Want to Read This Book: This book sounds really fantastic, bringing forth my love of carnivalesque books like The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, Freeks, and Caraval. Since I read the blurb, I'm so excited to read this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
12. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
See What I Have Done
Sarah Schmidt
Historical Crime Fiction
August 1, 2017
Atlantic Monthly Press Blurb: Lizzie Borden took an axAnd gave her mother forty whacks.When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.
Or did she?
In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.
On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell—of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.
As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I'll admit, I have a bit of a creepy fascination with the Lizzie Borden case ever since I read Sweet Madness by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie. I'm curious to see this author's take on the murders.
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
13. Reunited by Colleen Houck
Reunited
Reawakened Trilogy #3
Colleen Houck
YA Mythology Fantasy
August 8, 2017
Delacorte Press Blurb: After surviving her otherworldly adventure, Lily wakes up on her nana’s farm having forgotten everything. Her sun prince, her travels to Egypt, and her journey to the Afterlife are all distant memories.
But Lily is not the girl she once was. Her body is now part human, part lion, and part fairy. And if that isn’t bad enough, she must now harness this power of three and become Wasret: a goddess destined to defeat the evil god Seth once and for all.
With the help of her old friend Dr. Hassan, Lily departs on her final voyage through the cosmos and across the plains of Egypt. On the journey, she will transform into the being she is destined to become.
Reunited is the heart-pounding conclusion to the Reawakened series.
It is time for Lily to find her sunset.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I admit, I have to catch up on book two first, but I can't wait to read this book! This series is filled with adventure and romance, both things I love in books.
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
14. The Hummingbird Heart by A.G. Howard
The Hummingbird Heart
Haunted Hearts Legacy #2
A.G. Howard
New Adult Historical Romance
August 15, 2017
A.G. Howard Blurb: Set 19 years after The Architect of Song.
Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she's determined to escape finishing school along with everyone's efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?
As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can't allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family's resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.
A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I loved The Architect of Song and I'm eager to read the story of the next generation of Thorntons.
Add to Goodreads
15. After the Game by Abbi Glines
After the Game
Field Party #3
Abbi Glines
YA Contemporary Romance
August 22, 2017
Simon Pulse Blurb: The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.
Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.
Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.
When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.
But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: After hearing about Riley in Under the Lights I bet you're dying to see why the whole town hates Riley. But what if she was telling the truth?
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
16. Fallen Heir by Erin Watt
Fallen Heir
The Royals #4
Erin Watt
YA Contemporary Romance
August 28, 2017
Timeout LLC Blurb: Senior Easton Royal struggles with personal demons and the reappearance of someone he's been trying to forget for the past three years.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I fell in love with Easton in Paper Princess and I can't wait for him to get his own story (stories! eep!)
Add to Goodreads
17. The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
The Dazzling Heights
The Thousandth Floor #2
Katharine McGee
YA Sci-Fi
August 29, 2017
HarperCollins Blurb: New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden–even if it means trusting her enemy.
WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.
And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York, determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: Return to the dazzling, futuristic of the supertower from The Thousandth Floor. With someone watching in the shadows, will these characters' biggest secrets come out?
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
***
As always, what do you think of the upcoming season's books? Which ones are you looking forward to? Did I miss any?
Secrets of Skin and StoneWendy Sparrow writing as Wendy Laine
YA Paranormal Romance
June 5, 2017
Entangled Teen 1. Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine
Blurb: Something is wrong in Hidden Creek. The sleepy Alabama town is more haunted than any place fiend hunter Grisham Caso has ever seen. Unearthed graves, curse bags, and spilled blood all point to an evil that could destroy his gargoyle birthright. The town isn’t safe for anyone, and everyone says fiery Piper Devon knows why.
Piper wants to leave Hidden Creek behind. She’s had enough of secrets—they hide in the shadows of her room and tell her terrible things are coming. Too-charming city boy Grisham might be her only chance to save herself.
To survive, Piper and Grisham have to shed their secrets and depend only on each other. But what lurks in Hidden Creek still might take everything away from them, including each other.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: When a hot gargoyle comes to town to hunt down the fiends haunting Hidden Creek and meets strange, beautiful, OCD-ridden Piper the results will be epic! I devoured this book in a day and a half and it was unputdownable!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
2. Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren
Dating You / Hating YouChristina Lauren
Contemporary Romance
June 6, 2017
Gallery Books Blurb: All’s fair in love and work. The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.
Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.
But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?
Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.
Why I Want To Read This Book: Every once in a while I like to take a break from the fantasy novels and this one sounds really good. I love Christina Lauren's books and I'm really looking forward to this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
3. Song of The Current by Sarah Tolcser
Song of the CurrentSong of The Current #1
Sarah Tolcser
YA Fantasy
June 6, 2017
Bloomsbury Blurb: Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations, her family has been called by the river god, who has guided their wherries on countless voyages throughout the Riverlands. At seventeen, Caro has spent years listening to the water, ready to meet her fate. But the river god hasn’t spoken her name yet—and if he hasn’t by now, there’s a chance he never will.
Caro decides to take her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate. By agreeing to deliver it in exchange for his release, Caro finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo—an arrogant courier with a secret—and without the river god to help her. With so much at stake, Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.
From debut author, Sarah Tolcser comes an immersive and romantic fantasy set along the waterways of a magical world with a headstrong heroine determined to make her mark.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I've heard great things about this book and the first line of the blurb is what has me hooked. The idea sounds unique and I can't wait to read it!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
4. Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau
Dividing EdenDividing Eden #1
Joelle Charbonneau
YA Fantasy
June 6, 2017
HarperTeen Blurb: From the author of the New York Times bestselling Testing trilogy comes a sweeping new fantasy series, perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sarah J. Maas.
Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.
But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.
As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.
With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal?
Why I Want To Read This Book: This book kind of reminds me of Three Dark Crowns meets the twins in the Royals (and that is probably a pretty bad comparison. Will the Trial of Succession turn these twins against each other? I'm dying to find out!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
5. Roar by Cora Carmack
RoarStormheart #1
Cora Carmack
YA Fantasy
June 13, 2017
Tor Teen Blurb: In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: Stormchasers chasing magical storms?!?! Do I need to say any more? Besides, look at that gorgeous cover!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
6. Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh
Obsidian and StarsIvory and Bone #2
Julie Eshbaugh
YA Fantasy
June 13, 2017
HarperTeen Blurb: In the sequel to Ivory and Bone—the prehistoric fantasy novel that New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman described as a “richly crafted world of life-and-death stakes”—the story shifts to Mya’s viewpoint as vengeful adversaries force her to flee the life she once knew.
After surviving the chaotic battle that erupted after Lo and the Bosha clan attacked, now Mya is looking ahead to her future with Kol. All the things that once felt so uncertain are finally falling into place. But the same night as Kol and Mya’s betrothal announcement, Mya’s brother Chev reveals his plan to marry his youngest sister Lees to his friend Morsk. The only way to avoid this terrible turn of events, Morsk informs Mya when he corners her later, is for Mya to take Lees’ place and marry him herself.
Refusing to marry anyone other than her beloved, and in an effort to protect her sister, Mya runs away to a secret island with Lees. And though it seems like the safest place to hide until things back home blow over, Mya soon realizes she’s been followed. Lurking deep in the recesses of this dangerous place are rivals from Mya’s past whose thirst for revenge exceeds all reason.
With the lives of her loved ones on the line, Mya must make a move before the enemies of her past become the undoing of her future.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I haven't read Ivory and Bone, but reading this blurb had me interested enough to in reading it that I recently preordered a copy of Obsidian and Stars and Ivory and Bone from Good Choice Reading's Virtual Signing. I'll start with Ivory and Bone then look forward to reading this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
7. Through the Fog by Taylor Fenner (me!)
Through the FogEternals Trilogy #3
Taylor Fenner
YA Urban Fantasy
June 27, 2017
Taylor C. Fenner Publishing Blurb: Two Souls
After Thierry traps Luke in a coma-like slumber with the help of a powerful Voodoo priestess, Lizette, Sam, Keiran, Finn, and Wes must leave New Orleans and journey through the fog to the mythical Garden of Eden.
One Unbreakable Binding
There Claudette tells them they must harvest the blood of a rare animal native only to the Garden of Eden which contains the only antidote to Luke’s curse. They’ll have to hurry back to deliver the antidote before the binding that merges Luke and Lizette’s powers kills Lizette from being so far away from Luke.
If One Dies, So Does the Other
Where is the Garden of Eden? How can they be so sure that it even exists? Lizette will need the help of all of her friends as they travel through war-torn countries and battle mythical creatures that guard the Garden of Eden and the mysteries trapped within.
It’s More Than a Hunt for the Antidote; It is a Fight for Survival.
Will they get the antidote to Luke in time? Or have they come across the one curse strong enough to destroy an Eternal? Find out in the stunning conclusion to the Eternals Trilogy.
BONUS: INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE ETERNALS NOVELETTE "ETERNAL FIRE"
Two years before Out of Darkness, eighteen-year-old Finn Madigan is your average teenage guy. He has friends, cuts an obscene amount of class, and has hooked up with nearly every girl in the senior class. But Finn has a secret - he's an Elemental, a person capable of creating bursts of fire and spouts of water from thin air.
Finn just wants to bide his time in his hometown, Ishpeming, Michigan, until he graduates and can put as much distance between himself and the town, his parents, and his perfect brother as possible.
Then he meets a green-haired beauty named Arianthe and everything changes. Finally, Finn has someone who understands what he's going through and before he knows it he's falling in love.
But like William Shakespeare said, the course of true love never did run smooth. Can Finn hang on to Arianthe? Or will his brother Keiran steal her away?
Why You'll Want to Read This Book: If you've been following the Eternals Trilogy, you definitely won't want to miss out on Through the Fog. Through the Fog is definitely more magical realism and urban fantasy than the first two books, appealing to a broader audience than before! Plus don't miss out on the exclusive novelette, ETERNAL FIRE!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
8. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
Stillhouse LakeUntitled Series #1
Rachel Caine
Psychological Thriller
July 1, 2017
Thomas & Mercer Blurb: Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.
With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.
But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I love Rachel Caine and I also love psychological thrillers. I'm eager to see Rachel's transition from her usual genres to psychological thriller. Plus, if you're a Amazon Prime Subscriber you can read this book right now for free through First Reads!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
9. Because of Lila by Abbi Glines
Because of LilaSea Breeze Meets Rosemary Beach #2
Abbi Glines
NA Contemporary Romance
July 11, 2017
Abbi Glines Blurb: Prim, proper, classic good girl, and her least favorite label - icy.
Lila Kate Carter has heard them all. The last one, being the newest. She is not icy. She just doesn’t care for Cruz Kerrington and his spoiled, selfish, careless ways. That doesn’t make her icy, that makes him a jerk!
Tired of being labeled and doing what is expected of her, Lila Kate leaves Rosemary Beach, Florida ready for an adventure. Wanting to recreate herself, find a new path, and become something more.
Eli Hardy is tired of women who always act the same, do the same thing and expect the same thing. He's ready to swear off women until he can get the rest of his life together.
Two weeks into his no-women-rule he meets Lila. She’s so damn sweet and polite. Like she walked right out of an etiquette book. But he’d already been drunk before she walked in so there was a good chance she might not be as stunning and perfect as he thinks. He’s just too drunk to worry about that.
The next morning, he swears he can still smell her on his skin. He just can’t remember why or what happened after that third dance.
Their worlds are about to collide, and so are the secrets and lies.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I love Abbi Glines's books and I'm so happy that she's continuing her Rosemary Beach Meets Sea Breeze Series!
Add to Goodreads
10. Trust by Kylie Scott
TrustKylie Scott
YA Contemporary Romance
July 18, 2017
Kylie Scott Blurb: Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.
After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers. While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.
An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.
Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.
Why You'll Want to Read This Book: Kylie Scott's indie YA debut is amazing, addicting, and all around perfect. If you're a fan of hers, or if you're just discovering her now, this is one book you will not want to miss!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
11. The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The Life She Was GivenEllen Marie Wiseman
Historical Fiction
July 25, 2017
Kensington Blurb: From acclaimed author Ellen Marie Wiseman comes a vivid, daring novel about the devastating power of family secrets--beginning in the poignant, lurid world of a Depression-era traveling circus and coming full circle in the transformative 1950s.
On a summer evening in 1931, Lilly Blackwood glimpses circus lights from the grimy window of her attic bedroom. Lilly isn't allowed to explore the meadows around Blackwood Manor. She's never even ventured beyond her narrow room. Momma insists it's for Lilly's own protection, that people would be afraid if they saw her. But on this unforgettable night, Lilly is taken outside for the first time--and sold to the circus sideshow.
More than two decades later, nineteen-year-old Julia Blackwood has inherited her parents' estate and horse farm. For Julia, home was an unhappy place full of strict rules and forbidden rooms, and she hopes that returning might erase those painful memories. Instead, she becomes immersed in a mystery involving a hidden attic room and photos of circus scenes featuring a striking young girl.
At first, The Barlow Brothers' Circus is just another prison for Lilly. But in this rag-tag, sometimes brutal world, Lilly discovers strength, friendship, and a rare affinity for animals. Soon, thanks to elephants Pepper and JoJo and their handler, Cole, Lilly is no longer a sideshow spectacle but the circus's biggest attraction. . .until tragedy and cruelty collide. It will fall to Julia to learn the truth about Lilly's fate and her family's shocking betrayal, and find a way to make Blackwood Manor into a place of healing at last.
Moving between Julia and Lilly's stories, Ellen Marie Wiseman portrays two extraordinary, very different women in a novel that, while tender and heartbreaking, offers moments of joy and indomitable hope.
Why I Want to Read This Book: This book sounds really fantastic, bringing forth my love of carnivalesque books like The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, Freeks, and Caraval. Since I read the blurb, I'm so excited to read this one!
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
12. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
See What I Have DoneSarah Schmidt
Historical Crime Fiction
August 1, 2017
Atlantic Monthly Press Blurb: Lizzie Borden took an axAnd gave her mother forty whacks.When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.
Or did she?
In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.
On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell—of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.
As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I'll admit, I have a bit of a creepy fascination with the Lizzie Borden case ever since I read Sweet Madness by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie. I'm curious to see this author's take on the murders.
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
13. Reunited by Colleen Houck
ReunitedReawakened Trilogy #3
Colleen Houck
YA Mythology Fantasy
August 8, 2017
Delacorte Press Blurb: After surviving her otherworldly adventure, Lily wakes up on her nana’s farm having forgotten everything. Her sun prince, her travels to Egypt, and her journey to the Afterlife are all distant memories.
But Lily is not the girl she once was. Her body is now part human, part lion, and part fairy. And if that isn’t bad enough, she must now harness this power of three and become Wasret: a goddess destined to defeat the evil god Seth once and for all.
With the help of her old friend Dr. Hassan, Lily departs on her final voyage through the cosmos and across the plains of Egypt. On the journey, she will transform into the being she is destined to become.
Reunited is the heart-pounding conclusion to the Reawakened series.
It is time for Lily to find her sunset.
Why I Want To Read This Book: I admit, I have to catch up on book two first, but I can't wait to read this book! This series is filled with adventure and romance, both things I love in books.
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
14. The Hummingbird Heart by A.G. Howard
The Hummingbird HeartHaunted Hearts Legacy #2
A.G. Howard
New Adult Historical Romance
August 15, 2017
A.G. Howard Blurb: Set 19 years after The Architect of Song.
Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she's determined to escape finishing school along with everyone's efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?
As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can't allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family's resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.
A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I loved The Architect of Song and I'm eager to read the story of the next generation of Thorntons.
Add to Goodreads
15. After the Game by Abbi Glines
After the GameField Party #3
Abbi Glines
YA Contemporary Romance
August 22, 2017
Simon Pulse Blurb: The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.
Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.
Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.
When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.
But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: After hearing about Riley in Under the Lights I bet you're dying to see why the whole town hates Riley. But what if she was telling the truth?
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
16. Fallen Heir by Erin Watt
Fallen HeirThe Royals #4
Erin Watt
YA Contemporary Romance
August 28, 2017
Timeout LLC Blurb: Senior Easton Royal struggles with personal demons and the reappearance of someone he's been trying to forget for the past three years.
Why I Want to Read This Book: I fell in love with Easton in Paper Princess and I can't wait for him to get his own story (stories! eep!)
Add to Goodreads
17. The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
The Dazzling HeightsThe Thousandth Floor #2
Katharine McGee
YA Sci-Fi
August 29, 2017
HarperCollins Blurb: New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden–even if it means trusting her enemy.
WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.
And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York, determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
Why You'll Want To Read This Book: Return to the dazzling, futuristic of the supertower from The Thousandth Floor. With someone watching in the shadows, will these characters' biggest secrets come out?
Add to Goodreads | Amazon
***
As always, what do you think of the upcoming season's books? Which ones are you looking forward to? Did I miss any?
June 2, 2017
Cover Reveal: Just An Illusion: EP by D. Kelly
Fridays are awesome, but they're even better when there is pretty new cover artwork to share. This week I'm helping to reveal the cover art of JUST AN ILLUSION: EP by D. KELLY!!! TBH, this is my favorite cover of the series!!
Are you ready to check it out?**********
Just An Illusion: EP
The Illusions Series #3
D. Kelly
Cover Design: Regina Wamba / Maeidesign and Photography
Release Date: June 21, 2017
Synopsis
Lives are turned upside down …
Everything was perfect before life came to a screeching halt.When devastating loss flips Amelia’s world on its axis, she loses her spirit. Mel isn’t the only one hurting, though; the members of BAD are also struggling to find their way after that tragic night.
Life goes on …
Amelia’s friends move heaven and earth to help ease her sadness. Knowing she’s on a dangerous precipice, they fight through their own pain to bring her safely to the other side of her grief.
Love can conquer …
Amelia knows bottling up her feelings isn’t helping anything. With love at her fingertips, all she has to do is reach for it. Mel’s loved ones desperately hope she can once again find her way to happiness.
Can Amelia overcome her fears to let love in again, or will she let the weight of that night continue to drown her in sorrow?
Just an Illusion – EP is book three in The Illusion Series
Add to Goodreads | Preorder on iBooks
Giveaway
One of Five ARC's for Just an Illusion-EP
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d77/?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author D. Kelly, author of The Acceptance Series, The Illusion Series, and standalone companion novels Chasing Cassidy and Sharing Rylee, was born and raised in Southern California. She’s a wife, mom, dog lover, taxi, problem fixer, and extreme multi-tasker. She married her high school sweetheart and is her kids’ biggest fan.
Kelly has been writing since she was young and took joy in spinning stories to her childhood friends. Margaritas and sarcasm make her smile, she loves the beach but hates the sand, and she believes Starbucks makes any day better.
A contemporary romance writer, D. Kelly’s stories revolve around friendship and the bond it creates, strengthening the love of the people who share it. For all things D. Kelly, you can visit her website: http://www.dkellyauthor.com
Connect with D
Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2ngwyK4Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mCW4GkFacebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2lU7EzGGoodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mkiDPbTwitter: http://bit.ly/2nmHTVXInstagram: http://bit.ly/2nxf9ZIAmazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2n2aiTW
Are you ready to check it out?**********
Just An Illusion: EPThe Illusions Series #3
D. Kelly
Cover Design: Regina Wamba / Maeidesign and Photography
Release Date: June 21, 2017
Synopsis
Lives are turned upside down …
Everything was perfect before life came to a screeching halt.When devastating loss flips Amelia’s world on its axis, she loses her spirit. Mel isn’t the only one hurting, though; the members of BAD are also struggling to find their way after that tragic night.
Life goes on …
Amelia’s friends move heaven and earth to help ease her sadness. Knowing she’s on a dangerous precipice, they fight through their own pain to bring her safely to the other side of her grief.
Love can conquer …
Amelia knows bottling up her feelings isn’t helping anything. With love at her fingertips, all she has to do is reach for it. Mel’s loved ones desperately hope she can once again find her way to happiness.
Can Amelia overcome her fears to let love in again, or will she let the weight of that night continue to drown her in sorrow?
Just an Illusion – EP is book three in The Illusion Series
Add to Goodreads | Preorder on iBooks
Giveaway
One of Five ARC's for Just an Illusion-EP
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b1257f8d77/?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author D. Kelly, author of The Acceptance Series, The Illusion Series, and standalone companion novels Chasing Cassidy and Sharing Rylee, was born and raised in Southern California. She’s a wife, mom, dog lover, taxi, problem fixer, and extreme multi-tasker. She married her high school sweetheart and is her kids’ biggest fan.
Kelly has been writing since she was young and took joy in spinning stories to her childhood friends. Margaritas and sarcasm make her smile, she loves the beach but hates the sand, and she believes Starbucks makes any day better.
A contemporary romance writer, D. Kelly’s stories revolve around friendship and the bond it creates, strengthening the love of the people who share it. For all things D. Kelly, you can visit her website: http://www.dkellyauthor.com
Connect with D
Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2ngwyK4Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mCW4GkFacebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2lU7EzGGoodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2mkiDPbTwitter: http://bit.ly/2nmHTVXInstagram: http://bit.ly/2nxf9ZIAmazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2n2aiTW
June 1, 2017
#BookMail Thursday #23
As last week's post was posting I received a bargain books order from the Edward R. Hamilton Book Club where I had found some great buys, most under $5.00!
Bargain Books Order: Wicked by Joanne FlukeMidnight Crossing by Charlaine HarrisOne Week Girlfriend by Monica MurphyWicked Ways by Lisa Jackson and Nancy BushThe Mermaid Collector by Erika MarksThe Silver Witch by Paula BrackstonDeath by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson
I also was lucky enough to get an eARC of...
Trust by Kylie Scott
June (Still) Waiting On: Signed Copies of:- Roar by Cora Carmack- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
Bargain Books Order: Wicked by Joanne FlukeMidnight Crossing by Charlaine HarrisOne Week Girlfriend by Monica MurphyWicked Ways by Lisa Jackson and Nancy BushThe Mermaid Collector by Erika MarksThe Silver Witch by Paula BrackstonDeath by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson
I also was lucky enough to get an eARC of...
Trust by Kylie Scott
June (Still) Waiting On: Signed Copies of:- Roar by Cora Carmack- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
May 31, 2017
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #77
I'm finally to the end of my Summer 2017 ARCs and this "WIR"-Wednesday I'm finally getting to read the ARC that has been sitting on my TBR-pile taunting me since I received it...
The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) by Katharine McGee
Blurb:
The sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Thousandth Floor
New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.
WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.
And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York, determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
The sumptuous second book in the bestselling Thousandth Floor series has all the drama, romance and hidden secrets that landed the first book in this series at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So Far: I requested this book because The Thousandth Floor was my breakout favorite book of 2016. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Hell, I didn't expect to like it at all, but The Thousandth Floor, with its' city-like supertower and amazing futuristic technology, blew me away. I couldn't get enough so I knew I had to get my hands on The Dazzling Heights as soon as I could. Luckily for me, I got an ARC and I started reading it yesterday. With everything going on yesterday (it was a busy day), I only got to the fourth character (the book is divided into different characters instead of chapters) but so far it is as easy to get wrapped up in as The Thousandth Floor. I can't wait to see what is going to happen to the characters in this one!
The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) by Katharine McGee
Blurb:
The sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Thousandth FloorNew York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…
LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.
WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?
When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.
AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.
And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York, determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.
But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.
The sumptuous second book in the bestselling Thousandth Floor series has all the drama, romance and hidden secrets that landed the first book in this series at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So Far: I requested this book because The Thousandth Floor was my breakout favorite book of 2016. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Hell, I didn't expect to like it at all, but The Thousandth Floor, with its' city-like supertower and amazing futuristic technology, blew me away. I couldn't get enough so I knew I had to get my hands on The Dazzling Heights as soon as I could. Luckily for me, I got an ARC and I started reading it yesterday. With everything going on yesterday (it was a busy day), I only got to the fourth character (the book is divided into different characters instead of chapters) but so far it is as easy to get wrapped up in as The Thousandth Floor. I can't wait to see what is going to happen to the characters in this one!
May 30, 2017
Book Review: When It's Real by Erin Watt
When It's Real by Erin Watt
Blurb:
Under ordinary circumstances, Oakley Ford and Vaughn Bennett would never even cross paths.
There's nothing ordinary about Oakley. This bad-boy pop star's got Grammy Awards, millions of fangirls and a reputation as a restless, too-charming troublemaker. But with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley needs to show the world he's settling down—and who better to help him than Vaughn, a part-time waitress trying to help her family get by? The very definition of ordinary.
Posing as his girlfriend, Vaughn will overhaul Oakley's image from troublemaker to serious artist. In return for enough money to put her brothers through college, she can endure outlandish Hollywood parties and carefully orchestrated Twitter exchanges. She'll fool the paparazzi and the groupies. She might even start fooling herself a little.
Because when ordinary rules no longer apply, there's no telling what your heart will do…
My Review: 19-year-old Oakley Ford has a problem. He hasn't brought out a new album in two years and he's losing followers on social media by the thousands. He's dying to change his sound and work with his dream producer but all the producer sees is another pop star who isn't serious about music or life.
Insert Vaughn Bennett - a regular girl who's just trying to work hard to help support her family after her parents died two years earlier in a car wreck. Oakley's PR team have thought of the perfect solution - a made-for-publicity relationship with a "normal" girl so people will start thinking he's getting serious about life and music again. Vaughn is hesitant. She has a boyfriend, W, who she adores even if he is pressuring her to have sex with him. And okay, she can't stand the stupid Youtube videos W and his friends make. But they want her to pretend date Oakley Ford - the guy who cheated on his last "girlfriend?" Are these people crazy? But when Vaughn hears what Oakley's management team are willing to pay her she has no choice. Her family needs the money.
Everything has been carefully planned - from Vaughn's fake breakup with W to her meet-cute with Oakley on Twitter to the beginnings of an unbelievable-if-it-weren't-true romance - except for one thing: Vaughn and Oakley can't stand each other. Oakley can't believe he's stuck with the one girl in the world not falling at his feet and Vaughn thinks Oakley is an arrogant self-entitled jerk. This will never work. Or will it work too well?
When what starts out as a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt begins to turn into the real thing, will Vaughn and Oakley's relationship survive the Hollywood fishbowl of paparazzi, online haters, and fame whores looking to sully Vaughn's name to make one for themselves? Or will Oakley's fame tear them apart?
At first, I was afraid I wouldn't like When It's Real as much as I've loved Erin Watt's Royals series. I was afraid Oakley was being made out to be like a Justin Bieber-type, but as I allowed myself to dive deeper into Oakley and Vaughn's story I realized I couldn't be more wrong. I loved When It's Real, every single minute of it!
While Vaughn did slightly remind me of Ella from the Royals Series, I found her struggle to balance friends, work, relationships, and helping her sister Paisley care for their younger brothers to be genuine and relatable.
Oakley, meanwhile, transformed from a self-absorbed jerk into a decent guy as he began falling for Vaughn and I loved his friendship with Ty and the way he, with Vaughn's help, began to mend his rocky relationship with his mother. Erin Watt portrayed what we sometimes forget about celebrities: that they're just people too. People that make mistakes and deserve some sense of privacy. What they do for a living doesn't mean we have the right to invade every aspect of their life and the normal things we take for granted are things they rarely get to truly enjoy.
I easily fell for Vaughn and Oakley, enjoying the chemistry they tried to deny, hurting for Vaughn as she dealt with W - who was a total creep - and when the trolls on social media said horrible things about her and celebrating with both of them as they fell in love and learned from each other about what really mattered.
Overall, if you love hate-to-love romances with a dash of humor and characters that will ruin you (in a good way), When It's Real is a contemporary young adult novel that you'll definitely want to toss in your beach bags and take with you this summer because you won't want to put it down!
My Rating:4.5 of 5 Stars!
When It's Real is available today, May 30, 2017, from Harlequin Teen! Grab your copy now:Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Add to Goodreads
Blurb:
Under ordinary circumstances, Oakley Ford and Vaughn Bennett would never even cross paths. There's nothing ordinary about Oakley. This bad-boy pop star's got Grammy Awards, millions of fangirls and a reputation as a restless, too-charming troublemaker. But with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley needs to show the world he's settling down—and who better to help him than Vaughn, a part-time waitress trying to help her family get by? The very definition of ordinary.
Posing as his girlfriend, Vaughn will overhaul Oakley's image from troublemaker to serious artist. In return for enough money to put her brothers through college, she can endure outlandish Hollywood parties and carefully orchestrated Twitter exchanges. She'll fool the paparazzi and the groupies. She might even start fooling herself a little.
Because when ordinary rules no longer apply, there's no telling what your heart will do…
My Review: 19-year-old Oakley Ford has a problem. He hasn't brought out a new album in two years and he's losing followers on social media by the thousands. He's dying to change his sound and work with his dream producer but all the producer sees is another pop star who isn't serious about music or life.
Insert Vaughn Bennett - a regular girl who's just trying to work hard to help support her family after her parents died two years earlier in a car wreck. Oakley's PR team have thought of the perfect solution - a made-for-publicity relationship with a "normal" girl so people will start thinking he's getting serious about life and music again. Vaughn is hesitant. She has a boyfriend, W, who she adores even if he is pressuring her to have sex with him. And okay, she can't stand the stupid Youtube videos W and his friends make. But they want her to pretend date Oakley Ford - the guy who cheated on his last "girlfriend?" Are these people crazy? But when Vaughn hears what Oakley's management team are willing to pay her she has no choice. Her family needs the money.
Everything has been carefully planned - from Vaughn's fake breakup with W to her meet-cute with Oakley on Twitter to the beginnings of an unbelievable-if-it-weren't-true romance - except for one thing: Vaughn and Oakley can't stand each other. Oakley can't believe he's stuck with the one girl in the world not falling at his feet and Vaughn thinks Oakley is an arrogant self-entitled jerk. This will never work. Or will it work too well?
When what starts out as a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt begins to turn into the real thing, will Vaughn and Oakley's relationship survive the Hollywood fishbowl of paparazzi, online haters, and fame whores looking to sully Vaughn's name to make one for themselves? Or will Oakley's fame tear them apart?
At first, I was afraid I wouldn't like When It's Real as much as I've loved Erin Watt's Royals series. I was afraid Oakley was being made out to be like a Justin Bieber-type, but as I allowed myself to dive deeper into Oakley and Vaughn's story I realized I couldn't be more wrong. I loved When It's Real, every single minute of it!
While Vaughn did slightly remind me of Ella from the Royals Series, I found her struggle to balance friends, work, relationships, and helping her sister Paisley care for their younger brothers to be genuine and relatable.
Oakley, meanwhile, transformed from a self-absorbed jerk into a decent guy as he began falling for Vaughn and I loved his friendship with Ty and the way he, with Vaughn's help, began to mend his rocky relationship with his mother. Erin Watt portrayed what we sometimes forget about celebrities: that they're just people too. People that make mistakes and deserve some sense of privacy. What they do for a living doesn't mean we have the right to invade every aspect of their life and the normal things we take for granted are things they rarely get to truly enjoy.
I easily fell for Vaughn and Oakley, enjoying the chemistry they tried to deny, hurting for Vaughn as she dealt with W - who was a total creep - and when the trolls on social media said horrible things about her and celebrating with both of them as they fell in love and learned from each other about what really mattered.
Overall, if you love hate-to-love romances with a dash of humor and characters that will ruin you (in a good way), When It's Real is a contemporary young adult novel that you'll definitely want to toss in your beach bags and take with you this summer because you won't want to put it down!
My Rating:4.5 of 5 Stars!
When It's Real is available today, May 30, 2017, from Harlequin Teen! Grab your copy now:Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Add to Goodreads
May 26, 2017
Book Review: Divine by Leanne Rathbone
Divine (The Revelations Series Book 2) by Leanne Rathbone
Divine
The Revelations Series
Leanne Rathbone
May 20, 2017
YA Paranormal / Fantasy
eBook Blurb: What do you do when you discover that your entire life has been a lie, that you were living solely to serve the purpose of another?
Seventeen year old Grace Ayre is heartbroken. She's still reeling from the devastating loss of two people whom she loved and the realization that her life has never really been her own.
Lies and deceptions are all she's ever known but now the truth is out. The world she thought she knew is only half the story, and the more she hears from the other side, the more she realizes she is nothing more than a clueless little girl. She must reach her eighteenth birthday in order to fulfill a prophecy and end a war that has raged since the dawn of time. There's just one problem...the Guardians are standing in her way. As a band of despicable assassins without conscience, they will stop at nothing to end Grace's life and prevent the prophecy from being realized.
If she thought falling hard for a demon was her biggest problem then she was sadly mistaken.
Turning eighteen has never been so important. Join Grace as she continues her journey of discovery in Divine: Book Two of The Revelations Series.
My Review: I was really eager to read Divine after reading and loving Grace last year. Admittedly, it's been a long year filled with a lot of other books but the beginning of Divine confused me. The last I remembered Tyler was the only fatality of Grace's showdown with the Guardians at the church. And I didn't think she was with Dan. So when the story begins and Grace is living in a flat with Dan with bits and pieces of her memory gone I actually thought maybe I was losing things. So I reflected back and no, I'm not crazy - we left off with Grace very much in love with Nate.
As Grace's memories begin to resurface she struggles with the feeling that Dan isn't who she really wants - but it isn't until she runs into a stranger that seems crushed that she doesn't remember him that things finally start to unravel and the truth begins to shine through, clearing things up for me as a reader.
It was easy to get caught up in the story as Grace learns more about herself and the prophecy, as well as the truth of Lucifer, God, and the Guardians and the need to find out what's going to happen next keeps the reader engaged. Will the Guardian's strike again? Where is her mother, do they have her? Will Grace be able to control her power?
At the same time, although I understand that it was hard for Grace to come to terms with her future and people wanting her dead, her naivety kind of annoyed me at times. And the way the story was written, where the author uses "?!" quite a bit at the end of sentences sounded like the character was a bit ditsy. It also lost a little something with me that Grace got so wrapped up with sleeping with Nate once they'd started - it was like a kid with a shiny new toy.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story - it still reminds me of Lauren Kate's Fallen series which I read and loved as a teenager and I think the story overall is a cool idea which I know that readers will love. I just didn't quite love Divine as much as the first book.
Would I read the final book in the trilogy? Yes, because I want to know how it all wraps up.
To summarize, Things I liked about Divine:
- Hearing more about Dan and Nate's past and getting to see him in a different light because I admit, I didn't like Dan in Grace.
- Grace learning more about the prophecy and the roll she'll play in the battle between Lucifer and God.
- The action in the story.
Things I didn't like about Divine:
- Grace's naivete.
- The over-usage of exclamation points and "?!"
- (Slightly) the beginning of the book because it confused me from where it left off in book one.
My Rating:3.75 of 5 Stars!
DivineThe Revelations Series
Leanne Rathbone
May 20, 2017
YA Paranormal / Fantasy
eBook Blurb: What do you do when you discover that your entire life has been a lie, that you were living solely to serve the purpose of another?
Seventeen year old Grace Ayre is heartbroken. She's still reeling from the devastating loss of two people whom she loved and the realization that her life has never really been her own.
Lies and deceptions are all she's ever known but now the truth is out. The world she thought she knew is only half the story, and the more she hears from the other side, the more she realizes she is nothing more than a clueless little girl. She must reach her eighteenth birthday in order to fulfill a prophecy and end a war that has raged since the dawn of time. There's just one problem...the Guardians are standing in her way. As a band of despicable assassins without conscience, they will stop at nothing to end Grace's life and prevent the prophecy from being realized.
If she thought falling hard for a demon was her biggest problem then she was sadly mistaken.
Turning eighteen has never been so important. Join Grace as she continues her journey of discovery in Divine: Book Two of The Revelations Series.
My Review: I was really eager to read Divine after reading and loving Grace last year. Admittedly, it's been a long year filled with a lot of other books but the beginning of Divine confused me. The last I remembered Tyler was the only fatality of Grace's showdown with the Guardians at the church. And I didn't think she was with Dan. So when the story begins and Grace is living in a flat with Dan with bits and pieces of her memory gone I actually thought maybe I was losing things. So I reflected back and no, I'm not crazy - we left off with Grace very much in love with Nate.
As Grace's memories begin to resurface she struggles with the feeling that Dan isn't who she really wants - but it isn't until she runs into a stranger that seems crushed that she doesn't remember him that things finally start to unravel and the truth begins to shine through, clearing things up for me as a reader.
It was easy to get caught up in the story as Grace learns more about herself and the prophecy, as well as the truth of Lucifer, God, and the Guardians and the need to find out what's going to happen next keeps the reader engaged. Will the Guardian's strike again? Where is her mother, do they have her? Will Grace be able to control her power?
At the same time, although I understand that it was hard for Grace to come to terms with her future and people wanting her dead, her naivety kind of annoyed me at times. And the way the story was written, where the author uses "?!" quite a bit at the end of sentences sounded like the character was a bit ditsy. It also lost a little something with me that Grace got so wrapped up with sleeping with Nate once they'd started - it was like a kid with a shiny new toy.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story - it still reminds me of Lauren Kate's Fallen series which I read and loved as a teenager and I think the story overall is a cool idea which I know that readers will love. I just didn't quite love Divine as much as the first book.
Would I read the final book in the trilogy? Yes, because I want to know how it all wraps up.
To summarize, Things I liked about Divine:
- Hearing more about Dan and Nate's past and getting to see him in a different light because I admit, I didn't like Dan in Grace.
- Grace learning more about the prophecy and the roll she'll play in the battle between Lucifer and God.
- The action in the story.
Things I didn't like about Divine:
- Grace's naivete.
- The over-usage of exclamation points and "?!"
- (Slightly) the beginning of the book because it confused me from where it left off in book one.
My Rating:3.75 of 5 Stars!
May 25, 2017
#BookMail Thursday #22
Last week I was lucky enough to get a few different ARCs to review. One was a physical ARC and three were eARCs. I also picked up two freebie books by an author I love and an author I've been meaning to read. Here's what I found in my mailbox (or email inbox) this week...
Physical ARC: The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee (Harper, 08/2017)
eARCs: Divine by Leanne Rathbone (Self-published 5/20/2017)
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine (Entangled Teen 6/5/2017)
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty (Entangled Teen, 6/12/2017)
Freebie books: Sharing Rylee by D. Kelly
Mateguas Island by Linda Watkins
June Waiting On: Signed Copies of:- Roar by Cora Carmack- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
After this I'm forcing myself to cool it on book shopping. I'm not sure it's a good idea to do a Kickstarter for my upcoming fantasy novel, CurseBreaker so I'm going to try to save up to pay for the Kirkus Review and other extras I want for CB out of my own pocket.
Physical ARC: The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee (Harper, 08/2017)
eARCs: Divine by Leanne Rathbone (Self-published 5/20/2017)
Secrets of Skin and Stone by Wendy Laine (Entangled Teen 6/5/2017)
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty (Entangled Teen, 6/12/2017)
Freebie books: Sharing Rylee by D. Kelly
Mateguas Island by Linda Watkins
June Waiting On: Signed Copies of:- Roar by Cora Carmack- The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh- Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh-Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh-Sexy Stranger by Kendall Ryan
After this I'm forcing myself to cool it on book shopping. I'm not sure it's a good idea to do a Kickstarter for my upcoming fantasy novel, CurseBreaker so I'm going to try to save up to pay for the Kirkus Review and other extras I want for CB out of my own pocket.
May 24, 2017
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #76
I'm in the land of ARCs this week as I try to catch up on some of the review copies I've received. This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading...
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
Blurb:
Emmy Duivel believes in true love: heart-stopping kisses, candlelight dinners, and a connection that lasts forever. But not the kind of kisses that land your date in the hospital. Emmy always knew she was different, but not in the supernatural sense. Not in the succubus sense.
Paul Andinn had only one job: watch over Emmy and make sure she doesn’t expose the supernatural world. It should have been easy, but the moment he looked away, she kissed that boy, and everything changed.
He should be more upset. But he can’t. Not when he’s falling hard for her.
Why I Requested This Book: I've been intrigued by the idea of succubus in the YA Genre since writing about Arianthe in my Eternals Trilogy. The very idea of being a teenager and wanting to date and kiss boys but then being cursed with the ability to land your date in the hospital - or worse - is a perfect monkey-wrench to throw at a teenage girl so when I read about Kiss Me, Kill You I jumped at the opportunity to request an eARC. I just started reading last night and since it's an ARC I don't want to give away too much before my final review but I'm liking the story so far!
Kiss Me, Kill You by Larissa Hardesty
Blurb:
Emmy Duivel believes in true love: heart-stopping kisses, candlelight dinners, and a connection that lasts forever. But not the kind of kisses that land your date in the hospital. Emmy always knew she was different, but not in the supernatural sense. Not in the succubus sense.Paul Andinn had only one job: watch over Emmy and make sure she doesn’t expose the supernatural world. It should have been easy, but the moment he looked away, she kissed that boy, and everything changed.
He should be more upset. But he can’t. Not when he’s falling hard for her.
Why I Requested This Book: I've been intrigued by the idea of succubus in the YA Genre since writing about Arianthe in my Eternals Trilogy. The very idea of being a teenager and wanting to date and kiss boys but then being cursed with the ability to land your date in the hospital - or worse - is a perfect monkey-wrench to throw at a teenage girl so when I read about Kiss Me, Kill You I jumped at the opportunity to request an eARC. I just started reading last night and since it's an ARC I don't want to give away too much before my final review but I'm liking the story so far!
![[image error]](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dizOSyK0lPU/WTTpZzD6t_I/AAAAAAAABhY/UbrHCBRFBCQEMlphex7Jzk0kgk25z8CiwCLcB/s1600/17634802_10212700552776745_3973067807311139917_n.jpg){kind=link}