Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 209

Covet by Micalea Smeltzer #CoverReveal

Covet
Micalea Smeltzer
(Enchanted #2)
Publication date: TBA
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

On the run from the Iniquitous, Mara feels lost and helpless. Without Theo by her side she’s left bare and vulnerable, but she’s a fighter and, with blood boiling in her veins, she vows to avenge him.
The Iniquitous have already taken so much from her, and she refuses to sit back and let them take anything else. She trains harder, preparing herself physically and mentally to take them on. As her magic grows stronger, so does the voice speaking to her from beyond the grave.
She wants to believe it’s real, to give in to what feels right, but if she does, her mind might be lost forever.

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Author Bio:
Hi. I’m Micalea. Ma-call-e-uh. Weird name, I know. My mom must’ve known I was going to be odd even in the womb. I’ve written a lot of books. Like a lot. Don’t ask me how many, I don’t remember at this point. I have an unhealthy addiction to Diet Coke but I can’t seem to break the habit. I listen to way too much music and hedgehogs have taken over my life. Crazy is the word that best sums up my life, but it’s the good kind of crazy and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
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Sacrifice to Become Queen | Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Title: Ash PrincessBy: Laura SebastianGenre: FantasyPages: 432Release Date: April 24th, 2018Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Summary from Goodreads: Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Queen of Flame and Fury, was murdered before her eyes. Ten years later, Theo has learned to survive under the relentless abuse of the Kaiser and his court as the ridiculed “Ash Princess.” Pretending to be empty-headed and naive when she's not enduring brutal whippings, she pushes down all other thoughts but one: Keep the Kaiser happy and he will keep you safe.
When the Kaiser forces her to execute her last hope of rescue, Theo can't keep her feelings and memories pushed down any longer. She vows revenge, throwing herself into a plot to seduce and murder the Kaiser's warrior son with the help of a group of magically gifted and volatile rebels. But Theo doesn't expect to develop feelings for the Prinz. Or for her rebel allies to challenge her friendship with the one person who's been kind to her throughout the last hopeless decade: her heart's sister, Cress.

Cornered into impossible choices and unable to trust even those who are on her side, Theo will have to decide how far she's willing to go to save her people and how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to become queen.
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Review: There have been a whole slew of princess stories lately and a book really needs to be unique to stand out. This book has a one of a kind story where the poor princess lives with the people who killed her family. Princess Theo has to pretend to be meek and submissive to her captors in order to survive, all while attempting to overthrow the bad guys without getting caught.
At times, I felt like the love triangle thing going on was a little daunting and produced an eye roll from me once or twice. I suppose it needed to be in the story to give you hope that Theo would someday find love, but it wasn't my kind of romance. I guess that was the only thing that stopped me from giving this book five stars.
I really loved how Theo had to sneak around. There was always suspense and a thrill when you think she was going to get caught. I can't wait for this book to come out in hard copy so I can buy one for my bookshelf.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Cajun is the Bomb | #WeeklyMenu Week #232

Monday, Monday. Its that day again. The day where I spend all day taking care of my house and kids. Yes, that day. Its been a long week leading up to this day. The cutthroat book club is intense. I've read over 20 books in the last two weeks. Four of them were yesterday. Had to finish strong!
My writing started off rocky when I wrote nearly 750 words on my manuscript and then didn't save it. Lost all of the work I had done that day. I was so upset, I didn't write Thursday, but Friday I crushed it with over 1100 words. That's how you come back with a vengeance.
I'm hoping this week will be awesome. The boy have today off for MLK day, but we will get through it like we always do. Happy Monday! 
Monday- Baked Pesto Chicken
Tuesday- Pizza
Wednesday- Pesto Alfredo Tortellini 
Thursday- Broccoli Cheese Soup
Friday- Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Saturday- Chicken Cob Salad
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

7 Book to Screen Adaptations I'm Dying to See

 
We all wait for our favorite books to be turned into a major motion picture. It happens a lot these days. It seems like there isn't an original movie that wasn't a book first. I love it, I know you love it, but sometimes the movie can totally tank, or the movie made the book way better than it originally was. I always root for the book, but the movie is a way for my husband and I to enjoy something together, something that I really love.

There are a lot of book to movie adaptations coming out in 2018. Here are the one's that I am excited to see.


IMDBGoodreads
12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.

IMDBGoodreads
Crime reporter, John Moore, meets with psychologist, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, to investigate a serial killer in New York during the late 19th century.

IMDBGoodreads
Young hero Thomas embarks on a mission to find a cure for a deadly disease known as the "Flare".

IMDBGoodreads
The third installment of the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' trilogy.

IMDBGoodreads
Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to 'Sparrow School' a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

IMDBGoodreads
After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.

IMDBGoodreads
When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds the first clue and starts a race for the Egg.

GIFs vs Memes | There is a Difference

I think I started something at work.... In my emails, it is common for me to put a meme in the body of the email... Just because what email isn't better conveyed with the emotions of a well placed meme.

Now, if you are not familiar with a meme, I will show you what I am talking about....

This is a meme. A funny picture with a phrase attached to it. There are so many kinds of memes for so many different situations, how can you not find one for what you are about to say. Sometimes, all I do is respond in a meme. It conveys the most pure form of what I wan't to say.

Now, at work, some of my coworkers were are giggling because they were memeing each other all morning. What! They were memeing without me? When I was shown the meme chain, the only thing I saw were GIFs. People, there is a difference!

GIF Example...

GIF: A soundless short video, sometimes with words on it, sometimes not. If I could use GIFs in my emails at work I would, but unfortunately, they don't uploaded to the body of the email like a good old meme does.

So, there you have it, peeps. Memes and GIFs. There is a difference. Don't tell me that you are having a meme war when you are having a GIF war, and certainly don't leave me out of the fun!

Mischief managed... 

Romeo and Juliet | Playlist

With the first book read this year, I thought I would do the first playlist of the year to match. Romeo and Juliet has been done in many different forms. Books, movies and my favorite, the ballet. It is only fitting that this beautifully tragic love story, gets its own playlist. Enjoy!

1. Ed Sheeran - Perfect
2. Adele - Hello
3. Anna Kendrick - When I'm Gone
4. Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life
5. Imagine Dragons - Not Today
6. OneRepublic - I lived

Gangsters, Blackmail and the Library | The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman

Title: The Lost PlotBy: Genevieve CogmanGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 367Release Date: January 9th, 2018Publisher: Ace Books
Summary from Goodreads: After being commissioned to find a rare book, Librarian Irene and her assistant, Kai, head to Prohibition-era New York and are thrust into the middle of a political fight with dragons, mobsters, and Fae. 
In a 1920s-esque New York, Prohibition is in force; fedoras, flapper dresses, and tommy guns are in fashion: and intrigue is afoot. Intrepid Librarians Irene and Kai find themselves caught in the middle of a dragon political contest. It seems a young Librarian has become tangled in this conflict, and if they can't extricate him, there could be serious repercussions for the mysterious Library. And, as the balance of power across mighty factions hangs in the balance, this could even trigger war. 

Irene and Kai are locked in a race against time (and dragons) to procure a rare book. They'll face gangsters, blackmail, and the Library's own Internal Affairs department. And if it doesn't end well, it could have dire consequences on Irene's job. And, incidentally, on her life...
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Review: There aren't many books about books that I enjoy. Most stories that include libraries or librarians are mostly redundant to me, and I find them lacking any kind of originality. Its been done before, many times, but not with this book. In fact, I wouldn't have even picked it up if it wasn't for the email I received from the publisher asking me to review. 
This story blew my socks off! I was deeply involved with the story and the characters. Every little detail was so exciting and wonderful. There were Dragons and Fae. Multiple worlds where librarians could jump through doors to get to another place. 
The Fae and Dragon politics were so in depth that at times I wasn't even able to comprehend. I don't know if that's a good thing, but its impressive. 
This books story was exciting and I'm glad I took the time to read it. I know you will love it too!

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Leave it to a girl | Breaking the Ice by Julie Cross

Breaking the Ice (Juniper Falls #2)by Julie CrossPublication Date:  December 26, 2017Publisher:  Entangled Teen 
Link to Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34921587-breaking-the-ice   
Purchase Links:
The second book in the Juniper Falls series from NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Julie Cross, perfect for fans of Miranda Kenneally and Abbi Glines.Haley Stevenson seems like she’s got it all together: cheer captain, “Princess” of Juniper Falls, and voted Most Likely to Get Things Done. But below the surface, she’s struggling with a less-than-stellar GPA and still reeling from the loss of her first love. Repeating her Civics class during summer school is her chance to Get Things Done, not angst over boys. In fact, she’s sworn them off completely until college.Fletcher Scott is happy to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls. He’s always been the invisible guy, warming the bench on the hockey team and moonlighting at a job that would make his grandma blush. Suddenly, though, he’s finding he wants more: more time on the ice, and more time with his infuriatingly perfect summer-school study partner.But leave it to a girl who requires perfection to shake up a boy who’s ready to break all the rules.

AUTHOR INFO:

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, Chasing Truth, Off the Ice and many more to come! Julie Cross was a longtime resident of central Illinois but has recently moved her entire family across the country to continue her academic studies at Stanford University.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Will this be the end of the war | Shatter by Kaitlyn Davis

Title: ShatterBy: Kaitlyn DavisGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 300Release Date: January 2nd, 2018Publisher:
Summary from Goodreads: Fresh off her victory, Pandora thinks life is finally starting to look up. No one is trying to kill her. A few people actually consider her a close friend. The future is wide open with possibilities. And she’s in love with the boy next door. 
But when the titans come crashing into Sonnyville, adamant that the monster she destroyed still lives, Pandora can’t help but wonder if things could possibly be as perfect as they seem. A shocking death forces her to face the truth and understand that what she’d hoped would be the end of the war might really be just the beginning…

Shatter is the fourth and final book in the thrilling Midnight Ice series, a fantasy romance from bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis that twists vampire lore and ancient Greek mythology into an intense paranormal adventure!
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Review: Its always sad to me when a good series comes to an end. In this last book in the Midnight Ice series, Kaitlyn Davis brings us to an exciting end. There is everything you could ever want in a closer. Drama, excitement, romance, evil versus good. Its all packed into 300 page of nonstop action.
I wondered throughout the book about how Jax was going to be freed from his plight. It was nail biting in some spots and I have to admit that I don't have many nails left after reading this book, but true to form, Ms. Davis kicked butt in the end and left us with a good feeling in the end.
I loved this series and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good paranormal or urban fantasy.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

December Wrap Up | I Can't Believe It's 2018!

Wow, we are already into 2018 and my read pile has grown by 263 books. If you would like to see all of the books I read last year, click here. There were so many great reads and some not so goo. I watched a lot of great tv shows and saw same pretty cool movies. 2017 turned out to be a wonderful year full of adventure and I'm looking forward to seeing what this new year has to bring.

Here is Decembers wrap up. Make sure to check back on my blog feed to see reviews of the new releases. Remember that not all of them are reviewed, but most of them are. If you think you know of a book that I should read, please leave me a comment. I'm dying to hear from you.

On to the Books!




The rest...