Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Breaks The Dawn

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

DARK BREAKS THE DAWN

Sara B. Larson

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases May 2017 from Scholastic

From Goodreads:

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

I really enjoyed Sara's Defy series, so this one can't release soon enough for me. The heroine of the Defy series was as strong as they come, and it sounds like Evelayn with her magic and her ability to shapeshift is going to be badass in her own right, something that always makes me happy. I'm wondering if she's a swan shifter based on that crown, and if she is, that's not a shifter I've read about before so consider me intrigued. It's possible the swan is more symbolic than literal though, and while now I can't stop hoping for a swan shifter, I'm still counting the days until this book makes its way into my grabby hands!

Goodreads

Cathy Reviews: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

My mother in law Cathy is back today to share her latest review from the Shadowhunter world!

TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTER ACADEMY
Anthology
Young Adult/Paranormal/Fantasy
672 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available November 15th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling collection of short stories chronicling the adventures of Simon Lewis as he trains to become a Shadowhunter is now available in print for the first time with ten brand-new comic illustrations!

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy is a collaborative effort by Cassandra Clare and several other authors. At first glance, it looks like a book of not-so-short stories. This is a big book, 600 plus pages, but I was nicely surprised that the stories were not disjointed but instead told a continuous story of Simon Lewis's time at the Academy learning to be a Shadowhunter. Simon's story is the thread that holds all the stories together.
 
For the Mortal Instrument series fan, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. Each story gives us a look at characters from all the different series. It gives some historical background on how some of our favorite characters evolved in this world. And you get visits from some of the most beloved characters, such as Jace, Clary, Jem, and Magnus.
 
For those who have not read any of the series, never fear, this might be a good introduction. We get to follow Simon's growth as part of this Shadowhunter world and all his insecurities. Ms. Clare gives us enough background information so that we are not floundering. When we meet these old friends, they might stir up enough interest in the Mortal Instrument series that they will all be added to your stack of books to read.
 
Don't be daunted by the size of this book because it is broken up into many smaller stories and moves quickly. We not only feel Simon's angst and pain while he is learning his trade, we are introduced to several new friends that we become very attached to and want to learn their fate as well. The book is very well rounded even though it is a divided into many parts. Unlike many short story books, these stories need to be read in order to keep a continuous flow in the plotline.

Find Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy:

Amazon • B&N • IndieBound • Goodreads 

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my, or in this case Cathy's, honest opinion.

Review: A Promise of Fire

A PROMISE OF FIRE
The Kingmaker Chronicles #1
Amanda Bouchet
Fantasy Romance
448 pages
Sourcebooks
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Catalia "Cat" Fisa is a powerful clairvoyant known as the Kingmaker. This smart-mouthed soothsayer has no interest in her powers and would much rather fly under the radar, far from the clutches of her homicidal mother. But when an ambitious warlord captures her, she may not have a choice…

Griffin is intent on bringing peace to his newly conquered realm in the magic-deprived south. When he discovers Cat is the Kingmaker, he abducts her. But Cat will do everything in her power to avoid her dangerous destiny and battle her captor at every turn. Although up for the battle, Griffin would prefer for Cat to help his people willingly, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to coax her…even if that means falling in love with her.

MY THOUGHTS
A Promise of Fire is a fun start to this series, a romance lighter in tone beautifuly paired with a dire prophecy and impending battle with a villain of seemingly epic proportions.

Cat is a little tricky in the beginning, letting Griffin and his team know frequently and sometimes violently how she feels about being kidnapped, and while her situation is clearly not one that should cause her to jump for joy (and it's easy to appreciate her unwillingness to passively accept her circumstances), her constant insults and well-timed barbs start to get a bit tedious after a while. Just shy of the halfway mark though she starts to change her tune, and the banter between her and Griffin thankfully loses its edge, becoming significantly more genuine while still making us laugh. After her shift in attitude, her sense of humor becomes a highlight rather than a source of frustration, and the bond between her and Griffin–as well as that between her and his men–has us glancing at the clock late at night and saying "just one more hour".


We get a few glimpses of Cat's past, enough to be able to hazard a guess as to who she really is despite not getting confirmation in this first installment, and it's clear that behind the snark and the badassery are shadows and blood, lying in wait make her a victim once again. She shows a great deal of growth over the course of this first book, from hiding at the circus with impenetrable emotional armor in place in the beginning to standing tall and unleashing hell in order to protect those she's come to love by the end. She will undoubtedly continue to grow as her story unfolds, and it should be nothing short of a delight to bear witness to the woman she will become.

The final death-defying moments are a touch anti-climatic given the epic dragon battle midway through and the impressively brutal fight leading up to the last few chapters, leaving us just a tiny bit underwhelmed when our final "battle" is with someone of so little importance to the overall story. That very minor complaint aside though, A Promise of Fire is an outstanding read overall, and January cannot come soon enough to reunite me with Cat, Griffin, and his immensely lovable family.

Rating: 4/5

Find Amanda:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Stealing Snow Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I'm so pleased to welcome author Danielle Paige back to the blog as part of the promotional tour of her newest release, Stealing Snow. You guys know already how much I love a good fairytale retelling, so I couldn't be more excited about this book. A huge thank you to Danielle for taking the time to answer my questions, I hope you guys enjoy!

To introduce us to the fantasy world of Algid, what are three things we should know before we follow Snow on her journey there?

Algid is ruled by a prophesy that foretells Snow’s rise to power
Her father is an evil King who may just want to kill her
There is snow and magic everywhere and a lot of cute boys.

If you could write yourself into any one fairytale/ folktale, which one would you most like “visit” and what role would you play?

I want to be Maleficent for a day! Before Danerys (from Game of Thrones) was Mother of Dragons, Maleficent actually could turn into one. The power...the horns...loved!

But also the fairy godmother in Cinderella—I really want to know her story. Who the heck is she? And why is she sprinkling fairy dust on the world? In my mind there may be a less Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo-version of how she got to Cinderella.

If the Disney version of the Snow Queen were to meet your version, what do you think her initial reaction would be?

I am assuming she would attempt a “Let It Go” duet. I think Elsa would understand Snow! Snow is Elsa without the sisterly intervention. Disney’s Elsa grows up knowing about her power and fearing it. But Snow has grown up in the dark about her identity and her power. For Elsa, it is a journey of acceptance. For Snow, it is both acceptance and self-knowledge. And since Snow is a little bit older than Elsa, she also gets to deal with some more grown up complications, like romance!

Before making her escape, Snow is confined to a high security mental hospital, a situation that just happens to be one of my recurring nightmares. *shudders* If you were to find yourself in The Whittaker Institute alongside Snow, would you try to reason with the doctors to prove your sanity, or would you immediately start planning your escape route?

I am definitely much more of a mental strategist than an escape artist. I would have to try and outwit Dr. Harris.

Looking forward to this series as a whole, what warning or piece of advice might the Snow of the later installments give to the Snow in this first book?

Without being too spoiler-y, I would have to say be prepared for a pretty epic ending with a lot of twists and turns! The first book ends very, very far from happily ever after.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

STEALING SNOW

Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent her life locked in Whittaker Psychiatric—but she isn’t crazy. And that’s not the worst of it. Her very first kiss proves anything but innocent…when Bale, her only love, turns violent.

Despite Snow knowing that Bale would never truly hurt her, he is taken away—dashing her last hope for any sort of future in the mental ward she calls home. With nowhere else to turn, Snow finds herself drawn to a strange new orderly who whispers secrets in the night about a mysterious past and a kingdom that’s hers for the taking—if only she can find her way past the iron gates to the Tree that has been haunting her dreams.

Beyond the Tree lies Algid, a land far away from the real world, frozen by a ruthless king. And there too await the River Witch, a village boy named Kai, the charming thief Jagger, and a prophecy that Snow will save them all.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

DANIELLE PAIGE

Danielle Paige is the New York Times bestselling author of the Dorothy Must Die series, and the upcoming  Stealing Snow series (Bloomsbury, 2016). In addition to writing young adult books, she works in the television industry, where she's received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently lives in New York City.

Website • Tumblr • Twitter  

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Review: The Bird and the Sword

THE BIRD AND THE SWORD
Amy Harmon
New Adult/Fantasy
352 pages
Self-published
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

MY THOUGHTS
The Bird and the Sword is immensely satisfying from beginning to end, giving us a heroine robbed of words on a beautifully-told journey to find them again amidst the backdrop of a sweeping fantasy epic.

Lark is a Teller, gifted with words that create a call to action when spoken, bringing to life inanimate objects, controlling animals, and healing when needed. After her mother's dying rhyme rips away her ability to speak, she's assumed to be deaf and dumb in addition to being mute, but we're treated to her innermost thoughts and feelings and therefore know she's as smart and strong as they come. She quickly finds herself a pawn in a game of politics, taken from her father and held as insurance to make sure he provides promised assistance to the young king in his war against the monstrous Volgar (vulture-like birdmen). She could have easily spent her days wallowing in self-pity for the position in which she finds herself – in a strange place and forced to be a weapon in the service of her king – but instead she does as she is asked with a quiet pride and a lick of defiance, one that brings a smile to our faces every time she wields it. 

Her romance with King Tiras is of the slow burn variety, one with a start rooted in antagonism as she resents being made into the tip of a spear and hurled at the Vulgar with little care for anything other than her usefulness. Her feelings for Tiras seemingly develop quicker than his for her (though it takes her plenty of time to begin to see him in a romantic light), and she keeps those feelings close to her vest because she knows he's unlikely to return her affection. She is a means to an end for him, an ace up his sleeve in the war against an impossible enemy, and she protects her heart as best she can by defying him in the most perfect of ways when he proves to be too presumptuous.

Their story has my highest recommendation for all those who love apparent underdogs with unparalleled strength, love interests who challenge at every turn, and grand romances that share the spotlight with well-executed paranormal and political wars.

Rating: 5/5

Find Amy:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Review + Giveaway: James and the Giant Peach

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I have a very special review of James and the Giant Peach, my very favorite book by Roald Dahl. 2016 marks one hundred years since Roald Dahl's birth, so to celebrate Penguin has put together an epic blog tour full of reviews, excerpts, trivia and more, so be sure and check the bottom of the post for the full schedule!

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
Roal Dahl
Middle Grade/Fantasy/Adventure
146 pages
Puffin Books
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends--the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts' house, James finally found a place where he belongs. With a snip of the stem, the peach household starts rolling away--and the adventure begins!

Roald Dahl's first and most widely celebrated book for young people continues to thrill readers around the world.

MY THOUGHTS
James and the Giant Peach is the first book I can remember reading on my own. I'm sure I read shorter children's books on my own and I know my parents read to me all the time, but this is the first book I can remember choosing for myself and then settling into the corner of our couch to read. It doesn't take a huge mental leap to attribute my love for all things paranormal and fantastical when it comes to fiction to James and his group of extraordinary friends.

It had been a solid twenty years since I'd read this book, and I'd quite honestly forgot how brutal it was. James is orphaned in the first few pages thanks to a freak rhinoceros accident, and subsequently moves in with an abusive pair of aunts who treat him like nothing more than dirt beneath their feet for years. Thankfully fate–and magic–intervenes in the form of small green crystals that cause a peach to grow to enormous size, break free from its branch, and carry young James and his human-sized insect friends off on an overseas adventure. Oh, and his aunts are squished dead by the peach as it rolls down a hill. Brutal indeed.

James is a resilient young man, enduring the verbal abuse and threats of physical violence from his aunts with a strength no person should have to develop at so young an age. Once free from his life of labor under his aunts' watchful eyes, he proves himself to be a problem solver under pressure, helping his newfound friends survive the journey to New York in terms of food as well as keeping their mode of transportation safe from those beasts, real and paranormal, that try to bring them down or impede their progress.

In addition to an over-the-top fun adventure, Mr. Dahl also works in some tidbits and facts about each of the insects aboard the peach, letting all those who read walk way with just a little extra knowledge than they had when they cracked the spine. Overall, James and the Giant Peach remains an outstanding read no matter the age of the reader, and it will forever be one of my very favorites.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

ROALD DAHL

 

Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and beloved storytellers. He was born in Wales of Norwegian parents and spent much of his childhood in England. After establishing himself as a writer for adults with short story collections such as Kiss Kiss and Tales of the Unexpected, Roald Dahl began writing children's stories in 1960 while living with his family in both the U.S. and in England. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.

Roald Dahl’s first children’s story, The Gremlins, was a story about little creatures that were responsible for the various mechanical failures on airplanes. The Gremlins came to the attention of both First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who loved to read the story to her grandchildren, and Walt Disney, with whom Roald Dahl had discussions about the production of a movie.

Roald Dahl was inspired by American culture and by many of the most quintessential American landmarks to write some of his most memorable passages, such as the thrilling final scenes in James and the Giant Peach - when the peach lands on the Empire State Building! Upon the publication of James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl began work on the story that would later be published as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and today, Roald Dahl’s stories are available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate, have sold more than 200 million copies.

Roald Dahl also enjoyed great success for the screenplays he wrote for both the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967 and for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released one year later, which went on to become a beloved family film.  Roald Dahl’s popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

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GIVEAWAY

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September 5 - Peace Loves Books - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Excerpt

September 5 - The Compulsive Reader - Danny, The Champion of the World Review 

September 5 - The Starry Eyed Revue - James and The Giant Peach Review

September 6 - Ex Libris Kate - The Witches Review

September 6 - Cracking The Cover - The Magic Finger Feature - Short Review and History 

September 6 - Lost In Lit - The Witches Feature - Revisiting The Witches as an adult 

September 7 - Cozy Reading Corner - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator Excerpt 

September 7 - The Plot Bunny - The Magic Finger Review 

September 7 - Lilli's Reflections - The Twits Excerpt 

September 8 - The Irish Banana - Matilda Review 

September 8 - Ticket To Anywhere - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt

September 8 - Cuddlebuggery - Quentin Blake's Illustrations of Roald Dahl's Books Feature

September 8 - Beth Fish Reads - Going Solo Review 

September 9 -  Ravenous Reader - The BFG Excerpt 

September 9 - Paper Cuts - The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me Excerpt 

September 9 - The Lovely Books - The Witches Excerpt 

September 9 - A Glass of Wine - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt

September 10 - Novel Novice - George's Marvelous Medicine Excerpt 

September 10 - YA Bibliophile - Fantastic Mr. Fox Review

September 10 - Watercolor Moods - The Magic Finger Feature - Collage

September 11- Jessabella Reads - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Review 

September 11- Who R U Blog - Charlie and the Glass Elevator Feature - Trivia

September 12 - Belle of the Library - The Twits Review 

September 12 - Book Mania Life - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 12 - The Book Swarm - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt 

September 12 - Book Belles - James and the Giant Peach Feature - Book to Movie

September 13- Roald's birthday! - Brittany's Book Rambles - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Mundie Kids - The BFG Review

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Read Now Sleep Later - Boy Excerpt

September 13 - Roald's birthday - Consumed By Books - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday - I Am A Reader - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt 

September 13 - The Novel Life - Lessons that Roald Dahl has taught me feature

September 13 - The Book Rat - Esio Trot Excerpt

September 14 - Belle's Bash - The BFG Excerpt

September 14 - WinterHaven Books - Esio Trot Excerpt 

September 14 - A Book and A Latte - The Magic Finger Excerpt

September 14 - Hello Chelly - Matilda Feature - BookBags

September 14 - Loving Dem Books - Youtube Feature

September 15 - Writing My Own Fairy-Tale - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 15 - The Book Bandit -The Giraffe, and the Pelly and Me Review

September 15 - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Esio Trot Review

September 15 - Coffee, Books and Me - Top Ten Reasons You Should Read Roald Dahl's Books

September 16 - Undeniably Book Nerdy - Boy Review 

September 16 - Supernatural Snark - James and the Giant Peach Review 

September 16 - My Friend Amy - Going Solo Excerpt 

September 16 - The Quiet Concert - Danny, the Champion of the World Review 

September 17 - Book Briefs - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator 

September 17 - Andi's ABCs - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Feature - ABCs

September 17 - Just Another Rabid Reader - The Magic Finger Review 

September 17 - Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia - Roald Dahl Feature - Food Feature

September 18 - Bumbles and Fairy-Tales - Matilda Feature - Reading With Dad

September 18 - Addicted 2 Novels - Esio Trot Review 

September 18 - Pure Imagination - Fantastic Mr. Fox Excerpt 

September 18 - Green Bean Teen Queen - What Roald Dahl Means To Me Feature

September 19 - Bookiemoji - The Witches Excerpt 

September 19 - Shooting Stars Blog - Roald Dahl Feature - Etsy Products

September 19 -  Alexa Loves Books - Matilda Feature - Style Files

September 19 - Nightly Reading - Matilda Review

Waiting on Wednesday: The Beast Is An Animal

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL

Peternelle van Arsdale

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases March 2017 from Margaret K. McElderry Books

From Goodreads:

Alys was seven when the soul eaters came to her village.

These soul eaters, twin sisters who were abandoned by their father and slowly morphed into something not quite human, devour human souls. Alys, and all the other children, were spared—and they were sent to live in a neighboring village. There the devout people created a strict world where good and evil are as fundamental as the nursery rhymes children sing. Fear of the soul eaters—and of the Beast they believe guides them—rule village life. But the Beast is not what they think it is. And neither is Alys.

Inside, Alys feels connected to the soul eaters, and maybe even to the Beast itself. As she grows from a child to a teenager, she longs for the freedom of the forest. And she has a gift she can tell no one, for fear they will call her a witch. When disaster strikes, Alys finds herself on a journey to heal herself and her world. A journey that will take her through the darkest parts of the forest, where danger threatens her from the outside—and from within her own heart and soul.

This feels a little bit like the movie The Village, and that in and of itself makes it intriguing. Any society that has strict rules like this fascinates me because I want nothing more than to ask why those rules are in place find out what happens if one of them is broken. Curiosity killed the cat and all that ;-) It sounds like Alys might buck the rigid system of her village a bit, and I know I'll be right there with her trying to figure out what's going on with the soul eaters and the Beast. Also, the title has me asking a rather obvious question: Is the Beast an animal? Or something else? I NEED TO KNOW!

*shakes fist at March for being so far away*

Goodreads • Amazon

Waiting on Thursday: The Book Jumper

I'm changing things up a bit this week since my scheduled reviews are part of tours and just happen to be on my normal off-review days. You guys know how much I love the Waiting on Wednesday meme, so I didn't want to miss it!

THE BOOK JUMPER

Mechthild Glaser

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases January 2017 from Feiwel & Friends

From Goodreads:

Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay.

Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. It turns out that Amy is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger: someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts—at whatever cost.

I don't think there's an avid reader out there whose greatest fantasy isn't to be able to literally jump into the world of their favorite books (OH HI BONES AND BARRONS! AND CURRAN!), so there's no way this book wouldn't be on my must-have list. Also, Scotland. Anything set in Scotland or Ireland just makes me happy, so I'm looking forward to living vicariously through Amy as she journeys to Scotland and jumps her way from one piece of fiction to the next.

Goodreads • Amazon

Review: A Shadow Bright and Burning

A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING
Kingdom on Fire #1
Jessica Cluess
Young Adult/Fantasy
416 pages
Random House
Available September 20th
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
I am Henrietta Howel.
The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years.
The prophesied one.
Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves?

MY THOUGHTS
A Shadow Bright and Burning is a deeply satisfying start to this series, giving us a world full of monstrous beings and a rag tag group of young people doing everything in their power–magical and otherwise–to defeat them.

Henrietta's story is a triumphant rags to riches one in the beginning, her time at a miserable and abusive home for girls coming to an end in a literal blaze of glory before she's whisked off to train among the elite in sorcery as the Chosen One. It's not long however before we learn she's not in fact the Chosen One (though of course if you read the synopsis you'd know that already), but is instead something that could see her head removed from her shoulders on the Queen's orders. While the fact that she keeps the secret of who and what she is from those around her is a source of stress, as all life-changing secrets tend to be, it's more than understandable as to why she does so.

Though the synopsis suggests the existence of a love triangle or possibly even a square, no such romantic geometrical shape truly exists, and the fact that she's surrounded by young men is not due to her sparkling personality or good looks (though she does have a sharp wit and a highly enjoyable sense of humor) but rather to the fact that sorcerers are almost always men. There are two strong candidates for a relationship, but the romance overall is a background element (and Henrietta is not the type of girl to spend her days tripping all over herself in the presence of cute boys), Henrietta's training, the increasing attacks of the Ancients, and a dark conspiracy within the ranks of the sorcerers themselves all taking precedence.

The world itself is an intriguing one, enough background on the Ancients and how they came to be provided so that we can easily orient ourselves, but it's also a vast enough tapestry that we've clearly only scratched the surface in this first installment. We're left with a solid conclusion and no cliffhanger, an epic battle waged and won but a greater war on the horizon as we look forward to book two.

Rating: 4/5

Find Jessica:

Website • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

The Reader Campaign + Giveaway

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I'm part of a promotional campaign for The Reader, the first book in the Sea of Ink and Gold series by Traci Chee. In this world society as a whole is illiterate and there are no books to be had – GASP!–, so as part of the campaign I've been asked to list for you a few of the books that I just couldn't survive or imagine life without.

As I'm sure is the case for so many of you, that list is a long one, but I've managed to narrow it down to three. If you don't count the fact that some are series, which I don't. Series = one book using Jenny Logic.

THE FEVER SERIES

I am a huge fan of antihero characters, and Jericho Barrons might just be the antihero to end all antiheroes (to me anyway). He's absolutely infuriating, a complete a-hole, and a sadist, but damn if he's not attractive as all get out too. I've never loved, hated, and then loved a character again as much as I did Barrons throughout this series, and even just mentioning his name brings a smile to my face. Though this series went off the rails a bit for me after Iced and Mac in general could be trying at times, the first five books will forever have a special place in my heart. A place that likes to be tortured by enigmatic bastards named Barrons ;-)

THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES

Like Twilight, this series tends to have a pretty polarizing effect - readers either love it or loathe it. This was one of the first series I read when I started really getting back into reading after a long, long break during which I only read class-required books, and it truly made me see how much fun reading could be. It's not going to find its way onto the classics shelf anytime soon, but it's a series that changed my life as it, along with Twilight, was the catalyst for me starting this blog.

THE THRONE OF GLASS SERIES

I remember the exact moment Throne of Glass hit my radar: BEA 2013. I added it to my "if I have time" list knowing very little about the author or series, and when the Moms and I showed up to stand in line about an hour ahead of time – we thought we'd be first – we found ourselves a solid hundred plus people back. We actually ended up being the last three people who were allowed to get our books signed as Sarah's signing hour was up, and seeing that reaction had me absurdly excited to dive in as soon as I got home.

To say I was underwhelmed by this book would be putting it politely. I had expected magic. A captivating world. A heroine made of wit and badassery. What I found instead was a young woman who did a lot of talking about how epic an assassin she was, but did very little to back it up. It wasn't until Bloomsbury published all five prequels in a single installment (which I devoured) that I truly fell in love with this series, and it's been a source of joy and tears for me ever since.

So there you have it, the books that have made a huge impact on me in one way or another, and those select few that find themselves with spines nearly worn through from re-reading:)

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THE READER

Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

With overlapping stories of swashbuckling pirates and merciless assassins, The Reader is a brilliantly told adventure from an extraordinary new talent.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

You can read the first two chapters HERE!

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TRACI CHEE

Traci Chee is an author of speculative fiction for teens. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at piano playing, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog. The Reader is her YA debut. 

Website • Facebook • Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

In partnership with Penguin Random House, I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today! One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Reader as well as a snazzy branded "I Am The Reader" tote bag. Win. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only, and all prizing is provided by Penguin Random House.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Hunted

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

HUNTED

Meagan Spooner

Young Adult/Fantasy/Retelling

Releases March 2017 from HarperTeen

From Goodreads:

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite fairy tale, so whenever a retelling pops up it takes absolutely no convincing to get me to add it to my must-have list. I'm also a huge fan of Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman's Starbound trilogy, so I'm hoping this one blows me away in much the same way. Curses, ruined castles, and a beauty vs. beast plotline? YES PLEASE!

Goodreads • Amazon