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.

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.

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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

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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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GIVEAWAY

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Movie Tie-In Giveaway!

To help celebrate the release of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (which hits theaters on Friday!), I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today. And a little sneak peek at a few stills from the movie. Win.

I have to admit that I have yet to read this book (I'm saying that about WAY too many books lately), but I couldn't be more excited for this movie and have little doubt I'll rush to read the book just as soon as I'm out of the theater. I actually prefer to see the movie first, that way I don't spend my time fixating on what was changed or left out, and can enjoy it for what it is. Then I go and obsess over the book ;-)

For those of you who aren't familiar with the book or movie, check out the description, movie stills and trailer below, and be sure enter to win a Miss Peregrine's prize pack!

From visionary director Tim Burton, and based upon the best-selling novel, comes an unforgettable motion picture experience. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
 
Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O'Dowd, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, with Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson

Directed By: Tim Burton

Rated PG-13

 (click to enlarge)

Seek the Peculiar. Get tickets to see Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, in theaters Friday!

Official Site • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to a partnership with 20th Century Fox, I have an epic prize pack to give away today! One lucky winner will receive a $25 Visa gift card to see the film as well as a movie tie-in version of the book. Giveaway is open to US addresses only. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Giveaway: And the Trees Crept In & The Dead House

Happy Friday Everyone!

Yesterday I reviewed And The Trees Crept In, Dawn Kurtagich's newest YA horror/thriller novel, and to celebrate the release of that book I'm offering up a giveaway of both And the Trees Crept In and her previous novel, The Dead House. Dawn's writing style and the format of these books is super unusual and makes for quick reading, so I'm excited for more readers to give her a try!

Before we get to the giveaway though, the team at Little, Brown has put together a few teaser quotes from And the Trees Crept In so I wanted to share those to get you in the perfect creepy mood:) Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?

Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...

...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.

But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?

The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.

The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the team at NOVL/Little, Brown, I have a copy of The Dead House to give away to one lucky winner! I'll be adding a copy of And the Trees Crept In as well, so the winner will receive copies of both books. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.



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Review: And The Trees Crept In

AND THE TREES CREPT IN
Dawn Kurtagich
Paranormal Young Adult
352 pages
Little, Brown
Available September 6th
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?


Filled with just as many twists and turns as The Dead House, and with achingly beautiful, chilling language that delivers haunting scenes, AND THE TREES CREPT IN is the perfect follow-up novel for master horror writer Dawn Kurtagich.

MY THOUGHTS
And the Trees Crept In is organized chaos, a seeming jumble of formats from journal entries to narrative to flashbacks combining to purposely disorient us as we read so that we are every bit as on edge as Silla when her world starts to crumble. Though the way both the story and the book itself are structured may not be for everyone, the intriguing confusion and tension that stem from the unusual formatting shows a great deal of forethought on Ms. Kurtagich's part, and she leads us on a merry tale of terror until everything makes sense in the end.

Silla's story draws us in quickly, a brief flashback to a time when her mom and two sisters were young and invented a story about a Creeper Man preconditioning us to believe in the paranormal aspect of this tale, but as with The Dead House, Ms. Kurtagich excels at making us question whether we can trust anything our characters are showing us. Are we watching the actual physical deterioration of home, family and ultimately body thanks to supernatural happenings, or are we instead locked inside a fracturing mind believing what it needs to believe in order to cope?

Though we get easily swept up in the wrongness of the "blood manor" and the secrets of Aunt Cath's past, the middle section of this tale does drag just a bit – lots of wood creaking and trees creeping ever closer as Ms. Kurtagich prepares to step up her game in the final third. That being said however, the end is a blur of skimmed and flipped pages (not due to boredom, but rather our hurry to work our way through the final moves in the epic mind game Ms. Kurtagich is playing), until we reach the final chapters and get all the answers we've been craving.

Overall, And the Trees Crept In shows yet again what a unique storyteller Ms. Kurtagich is, preying on our curious minds as she ties her story into a gorgeous Gordion Knot and dares us to try and untie it.

Rating: 4/5

Find Dawn:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • 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.

Excerpt: Arcana Rising

Happy Monday Everyone!

Wait. No. Mondays are never fun, unless of course they're part of a holiday weekend and we don't have to work. Then they're definitely cause for celebration. Alas, today is not such a day, BUT I do have something fun for you guys to make it a little more bearable.

Arcana Rising, the 4th book in Kresley Cole's epic young adult series releases today, and I have the pleasure of bringing you an excerpt to get you guys excited for it. While I'm depressingly behind on this series (as is the case with so many series *shakes fist at work*), the opening chapter of the first book remains one of the most intriguing openings I've ever read, and I remember it clear as day even years later. A unique world definitely worth trying if you haven't had the chance!

For now though, enjoy a little sneak peak at book four, and then run and try book one if you haven't already!

1

Day 382 A.F.

Death kept taking me farther from Jack. I stretched my arms out, fingers splayed toward the heat. "He can't be dead." I sobbed. "Can't. NO, NO, NOOOO!"

    "You want to follow the mortal? Get your revenge first. The Emperor mocks your pain."

    I could hear that fiend in my head--laughing.

    The red witch exploded inside me, a force that could never be contained. I shrieked, "You will PAY!"

    As the Emperor laughed, Death murmured in my ear, "I have your grandmother, Sievā. That was the gift I spoke of. We'll teach you how to kill the Emperor. You'll avenge Deveaux."

    "Don't you understand? Jack's not DEAD!" I screamed that over and over. "He's alive!"

    With my mind teetering on the brink, I spied something in the skies above us. I gaped, disbelieving.

    Real? Unreal? Just before oblivion took me down, a mountain of water curled over our heads, racing toward that hell of flames. 

    Circe's towering wave. Taller than a skyscraper.

    -Quake before me!-

    -Terror from the abyss!-

    Richter and Circe's calls boomed in my mind, jolting me back from the blackness.

    "Come!" Aric snatched me into his arms and sprinted from the clash. "When they meet, the blast and then the flood..."

    I stopped fighting him; the need to turn Richter's laughter into screams clawed at me, which meant I had to survive.

    Aric gave a sharp whistle, and a horse's nickering answered. Thanatos. With me secure in his arms, Aric leapt into the saddle, and spurred the warhorse into a frenzied gallop.

    We all but dove down a slope, then charged up the next. 

    I gazed over Aric's shoulder as that tidal wave crested above Richter's lake of lava.

    Heaving breaths, riding faster than humanly possible, Aric kept Thanatos at a breakneck pace. Up another mountain face. Down its slope--

    Circle struck.

    A hiss like a giant beast's. A detonation like a nuclear bomb.

    The shock wave was so loud my ears bled. As loud as the roar preceding the Flash.

    The air grew hotter and hotter. The ground rocked as a blast of scalding steam chased us.

    BOOM! The force sheared the top off the mountain just behind us. Boulders crashed all around as we careened into yet another valley. Still we rode.

    Aric grated, "Surge comes next."

    The ground quaked from the weight of an ocean of water. I could hear the surge shooting toward us. "Aric!"

    He got as far as he dared, as high as he could. "Hold on." Clutching me tight, he dropped from Thanatos who kept running.

    Behind the cap of another mountain, Aric braced for impact. He wedged his metal gauntlet between boulders, wrapping his other arm around me.

    Gaze locked on mine, he yelled "I'll never let you go!" We each sucked in a breath.

    The searing water hit. The explosive impact ripped me from his chest, but he caught my arm, clenching his fingers above my elbow. 

    Death's grip. The ungodly force of the flood. My watery scream...

    Aric never did let me go--

    My arm...gave way.

    Separated.

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ARCANA RISING

Losses mount and deadly new threats converge in this next action-packed tale of the Arcana Chronicles by #1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole.

When the battle is done . . .
The Emperor unleashed hell and annihilated an army, jeopardizing the future of mankind--but Circe struck back. The epic clash between them devastates the Arcana world and nearly kills Evie, separating her from her allies.

And all hope is lost . . .
With Aric missing and no sign that Jack and Selena escaped Richter's reach, Evie turns more and more to the darkness lurking inside her. Two Arcana emerge as game changers: one who could be her salvation, the other her worst nightmare.

Vengeance becomes everything.
To take on Richter, Evie must reunite with Death and mend their broken bond. But as she learns more about her role in the future--and her chilling past--will she become a monster like the Emperor? Or can Evie and her allies rise up from Richter's ashes, stronger than ever before?

Amazon • iBooks • Kobo • Nook • Google Play

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KRESLEY COLE

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers Series, and five award-winning historical romances.

A master's grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.

Her books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.

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Cathy Reviews: The Nettle King

My mother in law Cathy is back today with her latest review! Thanks so much for being my co-blogger of late:)

THE NETTLE KING

Night and Nothing #3
Katherine Harbour
Fantasy
320 pages
Harper Voyager
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When her beloved Jack disappears, Finn vows to find him—even if it means a daring odyssey into the land of the dead. But saving Jack comes at a terrible price: a dangerous fissure has opened, giving the dead access to the true world.

The lines between worlds are more blurred than ever. Finn’s sister, Lily, recently returned from the Ghostlands, seems to bear no scars from her time there. But then their friend Moth returns from Sombrus, the magical house once owned by Seth Lot, bearing shocking news. Something evil—a fearsome creature bearing a striking resemblance to Jack—has escaped Sombrus and is now stalking Fair Hollow, killing everyone it encounters, transforming them into terrifying Jacks and Jills and recruiting the Unseelie.

It will not stop until it gets what it wants . . .

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
The Nettle King by Katherine Harbour brings the eagerly anticipated conclusion of the Night and Nothing trilogy. This was a series that caught my attention and imagination, so I was thrilled when this final book released and couldn't wait to read it.
 
At the end of The Briar Queen, Jack has gone to the underworld in exchange for the release of Finn's sister Lily. The story begins with Finn trying a number of ways to get to the underworld to bring Jack back. Finn has become so solitary in her efforts to find a way to save Jack that she is unaware of how secretive her friends have become. She also has a blind eye to what is occurring with Lily now that she is back home.
 
Ms. Harbour's depiction of Hell was so well done and creepy. It was like a movie flashing through my mind. The gates of Hell were in a warped and deserted funhouse. It just was so appropriate for the style of the books. Finn's efforts to navigate the underworld was nothing less than a roller coaster of emotions and action. The place was a house of horrors filled with danger and the unknown at every turn.
 
There is an evil loose in the world and a war is brewing. Finn feels responsible because of her efforts to save Lily and Jack. She has thrown off the balance and Ms. Harbour keeps us off balance as we try to gather enough information to answer all our questions. There are twists and turns and many unexpected endings. I don't want to spoil any of the surprises because there are plenty.
 
I could not turn the pages fast enough in my efforts to see what happens to Finn and Jack. I was not disappointed, only sorry the trilogy was complete.

Rating: 4/5 

Find Katherine:

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Waiting on Wednesday: Yesternight

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!

YESTERNIGHT

Cat Winters

Historical YA-ish/Paranormal

Coming October 2016 from William Morrow

From Goodreads:

In 1925, Alice Lind steps off a train in the rain-soaked coastal hamlet of Gordon Bay, Oregon. There, she expects to do nothing more difficult than administer IQ tests to a group of rural schoolchildren. A trained psychologist, Alice believes mysteries of the mind can be unlocked scientifically, but now her views are about to be challenged by one curious child.

Seven-year-old Janie O’Daire is a mathematical genius, which is surprising. But what is disturbing are the stories she tells: that her name was once Violet, she grew up in Kansas decades earlier, and she drowned at age nineteen. Alice delves into these stories, at first believing they’re no more than the product of the girl’s vast imagination.  But, slowly, Alice comes to the realization that Janie might indeed be telling a strange truth.

Alice knows the investigation may endanger her already shaky professional reputation, and as a woman in a field dominated by men she has no room for mistakes. But she is unprepared for the ways it will illuminate terrifying mysteries within her own past, and in the process, irrevocably change her life.

This cover makes me wish I could wander around in a gorgeous dress with parasol/fancy umbrella and not get the side-eye from all those I passed in the grocery store. *shakes fist at modern times* The pretty cover of course caught my eye and made me take a closer look at the synopsis, and once I did, I immediately added this to my list. I want to know what's going on with Janie/Violet. Is she an unreliable character? Or is she telling the truth? Or something in between? I NEED MORE INFORMATION! Also, I'm always rooting for a woman making her way in a male-dominated field. Show 'em what you're made of Alice!

Goodreads • Amazon 

Giveaway: Sea Spell Prize Pack!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I've been absent this week (obviously) which made me sad because I adore all of you and feel very out of the loop at the moment, but the good news is I got a lot of work done! I'm still swamped, but it's hard to be too upset about that because building my business makes me all warm and fuzzy inside:)

As promised, I'm popping in today to partner with Disney-Hyperion and bring you a very special giveaway for Sea Spell, the fourth and final book in Jennifer Donnelly's Waterfire Saga! Before we get to the giveaway though, below is a bit about the book so you know what you're getting yourself into:

Sea Spell releases June 14th from Disney-Hyperion

At the end of Dark Tide, Book 3 in the Waterfire Saga, Astrid leaves her mermaid friends to confront her ancestor, Orfeo, the evil force behind the rise of the monster Abbadon. Orfeo possesses one of the six talismans that the merls need in order to keep the monster locked up forever. But without the ability to songcast, how will Astrid be able to defeat the most powerful mage in history? 

Meanwhile, Serafina and her Black Fins train goblin troops for battle against her uncle Vallerio’s death riders. Will Sera ever see her beloved home—and her beloved Mahdi—again, or will the Volneros take over the mer realms while Orfeo takes on the gods themselves? Nothing less than the fate of the underwater world is at stake in this breathtaking finale. 

Amazon • B&N • Website

Read an excerpt here!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

JENNIFER DONNELLY

Jennifer Donnelly is an award-winning author of both adult and young adult books, including Deep Blue, Rogue Wave, and Dark Tide, the first three books in the Waterfire Saga. For adults she has written a trilogy of best-selling books that includes The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose. Her first young adult novel, A Northern Light, received many accolades, among them the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Carnegie Medal in the UK, and a Michael L. Printz Honor. Her second young adult novel, Revolution, was named a Best Book of 2010 by Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal, and the audiobook received a 2011 American Library Association Odyssey Honor. She lives in New York’s Hudson Valley. For more information, visit www.jenniferdonnelly.com.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

Thanks to my partnership with Disney-Hyperion, one lucky winner will receive a copy of Sea Spell as well as branded nail polish! Just in time for summer:) To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Bone Witch

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 BONE WITCH

The Bone Witch #1

Rin Chupeco

Young Adult/Fantasy-ish

Releases March 1, 2017 from Sourcebooks Fire

From Goodreads:

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

I'm going to be honest here: I didn't even read the synopsis of this book before I made it into my WoW post for this week. I saw that gorgeous cover and my body involuntary made grabby hands. It's. So. PRETTY. I could ramble on about all the things that work for me with this cover, but I won't bore you with those details. Just know I hate the designer who did this a tiny bit because I want their talent for my very own. *stares at cover dreamily*

I read Rin Chupeco's The Girl from the Well last year and really enjoyed it, so I'm excited to dive into this one as well. Necromancy is typically something I avoid in the world of paranormal fiction (zombies freak me out), but I like the sound of Tea and the combination of necromancy and elemental magic. Also, this releases on my birthday next year, so I feel like it's meant to be!

Amazon • Goodreads   

Waiting on Wednesday: A Shadow Bright and Burning

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!

A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING

Kingdom on Fire #1

Jessica Cluess

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases September 20th from Random House BFYR

From Goodreads:

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?

Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal.

Ever since my Buffy fandom days I've been a huge fan of any type of story about a heroine of myth and prophecy, destined to be a badass among badasses, so when I saw the words "chosen one" in the synopsis I started nodding right along, fully prepared to relive the Buffy glory days. Fast forward to a few short sentences later, and I find Ms. Henrietta is in fact NOT the chosen one, and I think that might make me love her even more.

As much as I love a "chosen" heroine, a young women who's full of strength, intelligence, and loyalty all on her own without the aid of prophecy to make her great is even more appealing to me, and I can't wait to discover what Henrietta is made of!

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Friday Flourish: When They Come Calling

Happy Friday Everyone!

This will be the last Flourish post for a couple weeks as I have a few things planned for the coming Fridays, but I still have 18 recent covers I've yet to share with all of you, so more Flourish posts will be forthcoming!

The past several cover designs have all been illustrated, so today I thought it would be fun to share one that was completely different style-wise from what you've seen from me of late. My very favorite thing about this job is the wide variety of projects I get to work on, and the unique challenges each one presents. Some push me to fine tune my skills with type, some force me to watch an online tutorial or five to learn a new special effect in Photoshop, and then others require me to put some time into dusting off my drawing skills and putting my pencil to paper. After each one is wrapped up I end up feeling like a better designer than when I started, and the cover I'm going to share below was no different.

While I love covers that are full of color and texture and showoff some fun special effects, there's definitely something to be said for the more understated covers as well, especially when we're talking about a ghost story. For me, there's something infinitely creepier about what I don't see than what's right in front of me, as what my mind conjures up in an attempt to fill in the blanks is likely far, far worse than the real thing.

With When They Come Calling I really wanted to play up the eeriness of suggestion, giving readers just a tease of what this story holds in store for them so they can then let their imaginations run wild when they take in the cover design and title together. I hope you guys love it!

Physician Anna Roberts runs a free health clinic in Kansas City where she spends her days taking care of the living and avoiding the spirits of the dead. A late night accident leaves Anna at the mercy of the strange man who saved her life, but Anna soon learns that meeting Jed was no coincidence.
As Anna is drawn into Jed's dangerous world and a feud three thousand years in the making, she must come to terms with her own secrets and decide what she will do, when they come calling.

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You can check out more of my cover design work at Seedlings Design Studio!  

Review: Firstlife

FIRSTLIFE
Everlife #1
Gena Showalter
Paranormal Young Adult
480 pages
Harlequin Teen
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
ONE CHOICE.
TWO REALMS.
NO SECOND CHANCE.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.

There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.

In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision…

MY THOUGHTS
Firstlife is a dark start to this new series, introducing us to Ten in the asylum of which she's a temporary resident, and we're quickly submerged in the horrors of her day to day life. Ms. Showalter doesn't pull many punches in the opening third of this tale, the physical and emotional torture (as her parents are the one ordering her "treatment") ensuring we grow attached to Ten quickly and easily if for no other reason than to be a silent support system and witness to her abuse. Ms. Showalter doesn't leave us in complete darkness however, her trademark sense of humor providing much needed moments of levity in the form of two new inmates to Prynne Asylum, and we grab hold of those fleeting moments with all our strength before Ten's capacity for pain endurance is tested once again.

The aforementioned inmates turn out to be two young men, one from Troika and one from Myriad, sent to convince Ten to sign her Everlife (or life after human death) over to their realm, and while the mention of two guys in Ten's life might send many a reader running for the hills, no love triangle forms. Archer, the representative from Troika, initially comes to Ten in the form of her female roommate in the asylum, and their bond, even when he returns to his naturally glorious male form, remains firmly in the friendship zone until it gradually deepens and becomes one that exists between family. Her romantic feelings are for Killian exclusively, though the romance between them remains in the background of the epic battle between Troika and Myriad to recruit Ten, and is deliciously slow in forming due to her understandable trust issues.

Firstlife is a thrill ride from beginning to end, the callousness with which one of the realms in particular treats a person's human life something that makes our blood boil and our loyalty shift to its enemy with far less deliberation than Ten undertakes. Her inability to pick a side is completely understandable within the context of her circumstances however, and before it becomes a source of frustration she makes it clear to us as readers who she favors, but she must continue to avoid a firm decision in order to play the political game she's unwillingly drawn into.

Overall, this first installment is a fast, enthralling read despite its length, Ten's story both brutal and uplifting as she's forced to learn what family and friendship truly mean in the most painful way possible.

Rating: 4/5

Find Gena:

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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.

 

Mercy Thompson Blog Tour + Giveaway: Bone Crossed

I'm absurdly excited today to be a part of a very special tour celebrating all things Mercy Thompson as we inch closer to the release of book 9, Fire Touched. Each participating blog is highlighting one book in the series, recapping juicy tidbits from each story and talking about why that particular story is our favorite.

I have the pleasure of chatting (or fangirl rambling, whichever) about Bone Crossed, book four in this series and the one that has the distinct honor of being re-read the most. Today just happens to be my birthday as well, and really, what better way to spend it than with Mercy and Adam?

Since this tour is re-read based, there are spoilers for book 3, Iron Kissed, below.

It's no secret that I love romance. Love. It. It's rare for me to pick up a book, adult or YA, that doesn't feature any kind of romantic relationship because I love to obsess over swoon-worthy couples. It's because of my love of romance that Bone Crossed tops my list of Mercy Thompson books, as it's where the relationship between Alpha werewolf Adam and coyote shifter Mercy really takes center stage.

We're left at the end of book three with a romantic cliffhanger, the last page a painful tease for romantics like myself as we find ourselves (finally!) approaching an intimate moment between Adam and Mercy. He's asked her to give him an answer to whether or not she'll be his mate, and these two little lines are what greet us on the very last page:

"Mercy?

In answer, I pulled the t-shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor.

WHAT? We finally get a glimpse of physical intimacy between Adam and Mercy and then it's cruelly yanked away from us! But. BUT. Bone Crossed picks up at the exact moment Iron Kissed leaves off, and we get the above truncated scene in full. *flails*

Mercy is brutally raped in Iron Kissed, so Bone Crossed gives us our beloved heroine at her most vulnerable, struggling with the aftermath of her attack:

My soul was a lot more battered than my body, but I couldn't see it in the mirror. Hopefully no one else could either. It was that invisible damage that left me afraid to leave the bathroom and face Adam, who waited in my bedroom.

Mercy has been skittish when it comes to Adam since book one, so fiercely independent that she fears the hold he'll have on her if she agrees to be his mate. This fear has kept the two of them dancing around one another for three books, but Mercy's rape grants her a kind of clarity when it comes to Adam, and the fact that he's quite possibly the most amazing man ever helps her get a handle on her fear of anyone else exerting control over her.

He grunted. "It won't help with the pack, not until it's for real. But with Samuel out of the way, I thought you'd be able to decide if you were interested or not. If you weren't interested, I could regroup. If you agreed to be mine, I can wait until Hell freezes over for you."

*Jenny dies*

Aside from being a pivotal book in terms of Adam and Mercy's relationship, it also gives us the event that acts as a catalyst for all kinds of inter-pack problems that grow with each subsequent book. In a moment of panic and desperation to keep Mercy's vampire friend Stefan from inadvertently taking control of her, Adam makes Mercy Pack, bonding her to not only him but also to all the members of his pack as well.

This creates an enormous ripple effect given a number of Adam's pack members view Mercy as less-than since she's a coyote shifter and not a werewolf, and marks the beginning of Mercy having to weigh the personal against what's best for the pack. Despite the challenges the two of them have to face concerning the pack as a result of Adam's split-second decision, we get to bask in the tender moments that result from the giant leaps forward in their relationship:

"Thank you, Adam," I told him. "Thank you for tearing Tim into small Tim bits. Thank you for forcing me to drink one last cup of fairy bug-juice so I could have use of both of my arms. Thank you for being there, for putting up with me." By that point I wasn't laughing anymore. "Thank you for keeping me from being another of Stefan's sheep–I'll take pack over that any day. Thank you for making the tough calls, for giving me time." I stood up and walked to him, leaning against him and pressing my face against his shoulder. "Thank you for loving me."

While Bone Crossed is perhaps more relationship-focused than the previous books, it's still Urban Fantasy at its finest and has Mercy darting off to help an old college friend with a pesky ghost problem. Of course one problem is never enough for our Mercy, so Bone Crossed also treats us to the escalation of tensions between Mercy and the local seethe of vampires. As a result of Mercy's actions in the previous book, Vampire Queen Marsilia seeks revenge on Mercy and isn't afraid to drag those closest to her into the mix.

Mercy is bitten by a number of different vampires, threatened by a ghost and a Vampire Queen, and generally disliked by Adam's disgruntled pack members, but through it all she's as strong as ever, even as she battles the demons her rape left behind.

Overall, Bone Crossed is a turning point both for Mercy and Adam personally as well as for the Columbia Basin Pack as a whole, and though this entire series has my highest recommendation, this particular installment will always be my all-time favorite.

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GIVEAWAY

Fire Touched releases in exactly one week, so I hope any of you who haven't had the chance to meet Mercy and Adam yet decide to binge read the first 8 books this week in time for book 9! Be sure and visit all the participating blogs (full list at the bottom of this post) for a chance to win a copy of each book.

Thanks to the team at Penguin, two lucky winners will each receive a copy of Bone Crossed (LUCKY YOU!!!). To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FIRE TOUCHED

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

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BLOG TOUR

Don't forget to follow the entire tour for more chances to win!

February 25    MOON CALLED  with The Book Swarm
February 26    BLOOD BOUND  with The Book Binge
February 29    IRON KISSED with Bea’s Book Nook
March 1         BONE CROSSED with Supernatural Snark
March 2          SILVER BORNE with Vampire Book Club
March 3          RIVER MARKED with Bibliosanctum
March 4          FROST BURNED with Fang-tastic Books
March 7          NIGHT BROKEN with Caffeinated Book Reviewer