Book Review | Sinner | Maggie Stiefvater

Sep 15

Book cover Sinner Maggie StiefvaterTitle: Sinner
Author: Maggie Stiefvater (web | twitter)
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4
Genre: Paranormal YA
Amazon | Goodreads | B&N
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: July 1, 2014
Source: ARC from BEA

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole’s story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole’s darkest secret — his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel’s life. Can this sinner be saved?

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Book Review | Heir of Fire | Sarah J. Maas

Sep 12

I received this book for free from BookExpo in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Heir of Fire | Sarah J. MaasHeir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Published by Bloomsbury on September 2, 2014
Genres: Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 562
Format: ARC
Also in this series: Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, The Queen of Shadows
Also by this author: Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, The Queen of Shadows
Source: BookExpo
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
five-stars

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

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On the Same Page | Unspoken | Sarah Rees Brennan

Jul 31

on the same page Unspoken • Sarah Rees Brennan

This is one of those times when there’s a book that’s been out for a while that none of us have read yet, which makes On the Same Page PERFECT! Because now we get to read things together! UNSPOKEN by Sarah Rees Brennan is one of those books, so we were all really looking forward to reading this one. There are some great visuals from this book, so I’ve created another Pinterest board. This one was a little harder for me than my previous Pinterest board, but still lots of fun! I’m going to highlight a few of my pins below and then send you off to my board (which I will continue to update) to see the rest. Huzzah!

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Excuse Me While I Fangirl | The Kingkiller Chronicle

Jul 8

fangirl The Kingkiller ChronicleThe Kingkiller Chronicle

Patrick Rothfuss

The Kingkiller ChronicleWORD. THESE BOOKS. So, quick recap of the background: I am relatively new to the bandwagon for Patrick Rothfuss’ AMAZING fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle. I read them both via audio for the first time last year. However, I’ve owned a copy of THE NAME OF THE WIND–book 1–since it first came out. Once I read it last year, I was so mad at myself for not reading it sooner. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER. Book 2, THE WISE MAN’S FEAR, was also excellent. Basically, I’m dying for book 3, THE DOORS OF STONE, which will hopefully come out before I become old and gray. But the worldbuilding and the characters and the mythology are all outstanding, and since I’m relistening to these books as we speak, I thought it was high time that I shouted my love from the rooftops of Tarbean using some beyond excellent fanart.

Kingkiller Chronicle map

© xxtayce

So, for some context: We don’t know the actual name of this world inhabited by Kvothe and Denna and the University (even thought it looks like we do based on this map), but this is a colored version of what it looks like. Book 1 takes place largely at the University and the town across the river, Imrae, but Kvothe (OMG I’m getting to him), also spends a great deal of time in Tarbean after a tragedy strikes his family’s caravan. I can’t tell you all how happy I am that we have a map of this world. It’s very helpful as things progress in Book 2.

Kvothe Kingkiller Chronicle

© fattylumpkin50

Ahh, here he is. KVOTHE. Quite possibly my very favorite ginger in the land, excepting maybe Jamie Fraser. I’ve seen this picture of him around the interwebs before and I’m always amazed at how perfect it seems. The wind blowing and the lute and the red hair and confident look. That’s our Kvothe. Enormously intelligent, too clever for his own good, determined, strong-willed, loyal, but also very impulsive, a little reckless, and more than obsessed with Denna (meh. Getting to her in a sec). His family was Edema Ruh, this world’s equivalent of gypsies, and he has a great deal of that freedom of mind and need to wander in him. Kvothe is a cocky SOB I’d say 80% of the time (that’s generous), but that’s why I love him. I LOVE HIM.

Kvothe Kingkiller Chronicle

© emmgoyer7

A sketch of Kvothe approaching what I’ve seen named as a number of different cities: Tarbean, Vintas, Imrae, The University. I wish I could find the final version of this sketch without a watermark because it’s PERFECT. It’s important to note the presence of Kvothe’s lute. Music is just as important to Kvothe as his studies at The University. When he is without his instrument, he’s depressed and feeling tetherless. He’s as skilled a musician as anything else, and Kvothe excels at LOTS of things. I wish so much that the Eoilian–the tavern in Imrae where Kvothe often plays–was real and I could go there and hear him play. YES, this series makes me crazy wishing that ALL THE THINGS WERE REAL.

(UPDATE! I found one! Isn’t it gorgeous?)

Kvothe Kingkiller Chronicle

© rynisyou

More Kvothe. Just because. He does spend a good deal of THE WISE MAN’S FEAR tromping around the woods, so I like this one.

So, The Kingkiller Chronicle is structured in such a way that the majority of the story is told in flashbacks as Kvothe recounts his extraordinary young life to the Chronicler. Over the course of his life, Kvothe somehow met Bast. He’s Faen, which is exactly what it sounds like and explains his hooves. I’m not sure how Kvothe met him yet, but present-time Kvothe has lost some of his youthful luster, and Bast wants to help him get it back. He’s feisty and mischievous and dangerous underneath all of his charm, but very loyal to Kvothe.

Kvothe Denna Kingkiller Chronicle

© Arbetta

This image shows Kvothe on the left, but the image that I want to talk about is on the right. This is Denna, The Girl in The Kingkiller Chronicle. Her expression in this is perfect. Kvothe is enamored of her the first time he meets her, and she preoccupies his mind like virtually no other thing for the majority of the story. Personally, I feel a little meh about Denna. She’s mysterious and beautiful and confident, but she’s also a little capricious, unreliable, and inconsiderate. To Kvothe, though, she is perfect….nauseatingly so, and that’s mostly why I don’t love her. As a reader, you can see that she sometimes is the worst, but Kvothe is content to be strung along. MEH.

Ambrose Jakis Kingkiller Chronicle

© Corade

As much as I love Kvothe, he has some pretty hateful enemies, none of whom make me and Kvothe ragier than one Ambrose Jakis. Look at this tool. I mean… . He meets Kvothe at the University and they immediately get off on the worst possible foot. Things spiral dangerously downward thereafter. Ambrose is wealthy, titled, ENtitled, and mean. He’s also devious and prideful, which leads to many of his clashes with Kvothe. Theirs is no mere prank war; these two guys are out for blood most of the time and wind up doing pretty awful things to each other. Big difference? Ambrose totally deserves it and Kvothe is awesome (no bias, I swear). (Ok, fine, Kvothe maybe deserves some if it, but not the worst of it.)

Auri Kingkiller Chronicle

© AmyWinterbreeze

Even though Denna is The Girl in Kvothe’s life, there are other girls in this story that make it extra wonderful. One of the most touching relationships Kvothe has with anyone is his brother-sister relationship with Auri, a former University student who now lives underneath the city. She isn’t quite right in the head anymore, and she’s skittish around strangers, but Kvothe visits her often to bring her food and clothes. He worries about her when it’s cold and brings her salt because it’s got minerals in it that he’s worried she doesn’t get in whatever food she finds for herself. Auri is also completely precious. There’s a scene between the two of them in THE NAME OF THE WIND that just KILLS ME, it’s so sweet.

Fela Kingkiller Chronicle

© AmyWinterbreeze

Fela is one of the female students that Kvothe meets and befriends. She’s bright and thoughtful and maybe, for a little while, carries a torch for Kvothe. But I like them as friends, even though I dislike Denna as a love interest. I always love it when guys and girls can be friends and even if Fela and Kvothe start out their friendship with possibly a bit of a crush on Fela’s end, I like where they are now.

Chandrian Kingkiller Chronicle

© Sir-Heartsalot

So. Basically the backbone of these books is Kvothe’s search for the mythical group of baddies known as the Chandrian. Most people in this world believe that they’re just folktales, but Kvothe thinks differently, and it’s his greatest mission to find them. His personal motivations are deep. The problem is that the Chandrian are alleged to guard their identities so thoroughly that anyone who discovers even the slightest hint of them anywhere somehow winds up dead. His quest to learn about them drives him completely.

I’m HEARTBROKEN that I couldn’t find good pictures of Wilem and Simmon, Kvothe’s best friends at the University, but they are amazing. Best besties ever. Honestly. They are such excellent friends and they make me laugh a lot and get a little weepy, too.

Friends, I can’t express my love for this series enough. It’s all-encompassing and completely realized. The characters are real and complex. The writing is on point. If you love fantasy but haven’t read these books yet, this is me urging you in the strongest yet friendliest way possible to CHECK YOURSELF.

Filed Under: Fangirl Tagged With: , , , , ,

Waiting on Wednesday (56) | The Slow Regard of Silent Things

Jun 25

Waiting on Wednesday

The Slow Regard of Silent Things: The Kingkiller Chronicle #2.5 • Patrick Rothfuss

Book cover The Slow Regard of Silent Things Patrick Rothfuss

Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place.
Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri’s life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri’s eyes. And it gives the reader a chance to learn things that only Auri knows….

In this book, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle’s most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world.

GUYSSSSSS. I am deep into a Kingkiller Chronicle fanzone right now. I’m in the middle of re-listening to THE WISE MAN’S FEAR after just finishing a re-listen of THE NAME OF THE WIND, and I am loving all up on these books anew. When I found out that Patrick Rothfuss was writing a short story about one of my favorite secondary characters at The University, Auri, I was so excited. I mean, I can’t lie, I was hoping against hope that his big announcement would be something related to book 3, THE DOORS OF STONE, but Auri is going to be an excellent diversion, I think.

Auri is, as the synopsis states, “a broken girl.” Not everyone who attends The University is mentally strong enough to handle the pressure, and Auri is one of those former students. She’s simple, but not in the way of a disability. More in the way of no longer encumbered by the strictures of society. She speaks with whimsy and is skittish around strangers. But she has a very loyal, very sweet brother-sister relationship with Kvothe, and I just adore them. The idea of seeing more of Auri and where she lives is enormously intriguing to me. I AM STOKED.

THE SLOW REGARD OF SILENT THINGS comes out October 28, 2014 from DAW

The Slow Regard of Silent Things

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Book Review | The Falconer | Elizabeth May

Jun 16

book cover The Falconer Elizabeth May
Title: The Falconer
Author: Elizbeth May (web | twitter)
Series: The Falconer #1
Genre: Fantasy YA, Historical Fiction YA, faeries
Amazon | Goodreads | B&N
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release date: May 6, 2014
Source: egalley from the publisher via Edelweiss (Thanks, Chronicle!)

Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844

Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.

Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.

But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?

I sometimes have a hard time really getting into books with super heavy faerie elements, guys. I don’t know what it is, but that particular sub-genre is very hit-or-miss for me. I’ve read faerie books and LOOOOVED THEM, but I’ve also read—or not even finished—others. For whatever reason, I approached Elizabeth May’s THE FALCONER with very little trepidation. I think that had something to do with being set in a historical period, specifically in Scotland, a setting that is Amy-nip. Whatever the reasons for my excitement to read THE FALCONER, it lived up to all of the great things I was hearing from other bloggers as well as my super excitement to read a historical fantasy. BEST.

THE FALCONER is the story of Lady Aileana Kameron, a young Scottish lady who is living not just on the brink of womanhood and marriage, but also under the terrible grief of the brutal death of her mother at the hands of a vicious faery. Juggling her social responsibilities as the daughter of a Marquess and her secret life as a faery assassin is not easy for Aileana. So she helps her own self out by manufacturing her own weapons, specially designed to take out all the faeries. Of course, she is not alone in her quest  for revenge against the faery who killed her mother. Aileana has been training with a mysterious and beautiful faery named Kiaran, who is harboring his own secrets about the faeries in Edinburgh, and Lady Aileana will play a much larger role in their story than she ever realized.

First of all, I know I’ve mentioned before how much I endlessly heart books set in Scotland. THE FALCONER was no exception. Historical fiction Scotland is one of my favorite places, and Elizabeth May brings all of that city’s great atmosphere to bear on Alieana’s story. The mists and the city and the dark nights all make THE FALCONER extra special.

But of course, Alieana is the centerpiece of THE FALCONER, and I was constantly blown away by her badassery. She lives to avenge her mother’s death, tracking the faery who killed her–in front of Alieana, taunting her all the while–across Scotland, making her own weapons to kill any faery she finds in the meantime. Alieana is fearless most of the time, and even when she is afraid–of the faeries, of her feelings for Kiaran, of her future, of things about herself that she is only just learning–she doesn’t shy away from it. Plus she’s got a quick wit and a sharp tongue. Big fan of her.

Since faeries are the backbone of THE FALCONER, it stands to reason that the most important relationship is between Alieana and her faery teacher, Kiaran. Kiaran is a powerful fae himself who has been teaching Alieana how to slaughter his own kind for reasons that he keeps to himself. They have a powerful connection that sometimes appears to go beyond a student-teacher relationship. Whatever their relationship is, it’s complicated to start and only becomes more so when the truth about Aileana’s gifts for killing faeries comes to light, and again when the events at the end of THE FALCONER make things incredibly complicated for everyone. Obviously I’m really DYING to know what happens with them. There’s another guy as well, but I’m not getting super strong triangle vibes from that end, which is good. But he’s an excellent character himself.

Another thing that I enjoyed a great deal in THE FALCONER was the steampunk element. Aileana has all kinds of gadgets in her room, and she’s incredibly adept and manufacturing them. She often longs to sit at her worktable tinkering with her weapons. I LOVED THIS. I loved her affinity for engineering, which isn’t something often encountered in YA, and I loved that Aileana had not only an aptitude but a fondness for it because she’d always done it with her mother.

There’s a ton of action in THE FALCONER and I thought it was wonderful. The end was very fast and had a lot of things going on that sometimes got muddled in my brain, but the big picture is pretty intense. Relationships are made more difficult, lives are in danger, and Aileana and Kiaran have not yet seen the worst of what’s to come. But the end was SUPER abrupt.

I enjoyed the CRAP out of THE FALCONER, friends, despite my love-hate relationship with faeries. Elizabeth May’s debut was fun and dramatic and dangerous and all the good things. Can’t wait for book 2!

Check out some other reviews of The Falconer by Elizabeth May!

Anya @ On Starships and Dragonwings: “While The Falconer stumbled a bit at the end, it is an addictive read and I’m dying a bit for the sequel.”

Kelly @ The Belle of the Literati: “…I just want ALL the info about the history of the fae, what really happened to them, A BIOGRAPHY OF KIARAN’S LIFE! I need so much more! When is 2015?”

Filed Under: Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Waiting on Wednesday (54) | The Accidental Highwayman

Jun 11

Waiting on Wednesday

The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides by Ben Tripp

Book Cover The Accidental Highwayman Ben Tripp

The Accidental Highwayman is the first swashbuckling adventure for young adults by talented author and illustrator, Ben Tripp. This thrilling tale of dark magic and true love is the perfect story for fans of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride.

In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher “Kit” Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man’s riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.

Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master’s quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, goblin attacks, and a magical map that portends his destiny: as a hanged man upon the gallows….

Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies such as Stardust by Neil Gaiman and will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America’s most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp (Amelia Bedelia). Following in his father’s footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.

I LOVE ALL THE THINGS about THE ACCIDENTAL HIGHWAYMAN. Look at it! A magical highwayman! Redcoats! Fairy princesses named Morgana! MAGICAL MAPS! And I can’t even with how much this reminds me of the Dread Pirate Roberts, with the way Kit dons his former master’s cloak and unwittingly becomes Whistling Jack. YES PLEASE.

Also, this cover is amazing. I love the red so much. I’m very much ecstatic about the illustrations as well. You don’t encounter many YA books with artwork inside, but the few I know of all feature outstanding images (I’m thinking right now of the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld and illustrated by Keith Thompson). But Ben Tripp illustrated this one himself and that just sounds perfect.

I’ll never, ever turn down a historical fantasy, friends. NEVER. I’m certainly not going to start with THE ACCIDENTAL HIGHWAYMAN.

THE ACCIDENTAL HIGHWAYMAN comes out October 14, 2014 from Tor Teen.

The Accidental Highwayman

Filed Under: Waiting on Wednesday Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Book Review | Deep Blue | Jennifer Donnelly

Jun 9

Book cover Deep Blue Jennifer DonnellyTitle: Deep Blue
Author: Jennifer Donnelly (web | twitter)
Series: Waterfire Saga #1
Genre: Fantasy YA, Paranormal YA, mermaids
Amazon | Goodreads | B&N
Publisher: Disney Press
Release date: May 6, 2014
Source: ARC from the Publisher (thanks, Disney!)

The first in a series of four epic tales set in the depths of the ocean, where six mermaids seek to protect and save their hidden world.

Deep in the ocean, in a world not so different from our own, live the merpeople. Their communities are spread throughout the oceans, seas, and freshwaters all over the globe.

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin’s arrow poisons Sera’s mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin’s master and prevent a war between the Mer nations. Led only by her shadowy dreams, Sera searches for five other mermaid heroines who are scattered across the six seas. Together, they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood and uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world’s very existence.

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Series Love | Leviathan | Scott Westerfeld

Jun 6

leviathan scott westerfeldFriends, I have been trying to review this awesome series by Scott Westerfeld since I finished listening to the audiobooks in quick succession last summer, but I’ve never been able to get the right words out for how much I loved them all. Maybe it was something to do with Alan Cumming’s narration (it was amazing). Maybe it was something to do with Deryn Sharp (one of the legit best characters EVER). Maybe it was the alternate history or the friendship between Alek and Deryn. All of those things together and more made this one of the best series I never thought I’d read but am so incredibly glad I did.

series love Leviathan Scott WesterfeldSeries Name: Leviathan

Author: Scott Westerfeld (web | twitter)

Publisher: Simon Pulse (print), Simon & Schuster Audio (audio)

Number of Books: 3

Titles: LEVIATHAN | BEHEMOTH | GOLIATH

series love Leviathan Scott WesterfeldScott Westerfeld’s series is a steampunk/alternate history retelling of World War I. Deryn Sharp is a young Scottish girl who wants to enlist in the Air Service, but has to pretend to be a boy to do so. Alek is Prince Aleksander of Austria-Hungary. He’s on the run from the Germans and he winds up crossing paths with Deryn. They travel the world together in an effort to stop the war and amazing things happen!

Also, important world-building note: the Germans are known as Clankers because they have engineered a vast and varied array of machines to help them win the war against the British, aka Darwinists, who rely on some pretty extraordinary natural evolution in their war effort (animals!). This AMAAAAZINGGG illustration by Keith Thompson helps:

Leviathan map Keith Thompson

Series love Leviathan Scott WesterfeldSo, quick little background: I don’t usually read steampunk. Couldn’t really tell you why, except that I’m not usually that into gears and cogs and machines etc., so I always put it off. One year at BEA, however, Scott Westerfeld was signing GOLIATH ARCs and my friend loved the series so I got one as well with the intention of starting the whole series. The alternate history angle appealed to me greatly, and my friend’s recommendation was enough for me. Fast forward to last summer. I still hadn’t gotten to this series like I’d planned. When I saw the audiobooks on Audible and noticed that Alan Cumming narrated them, I immediately used up some credits and got down to listening to them. BEST. DECISION.

Listening to an excellent audiobook of a great story is like getting an extra dose of awesomeness. There’s so much to love about this series. I’ll be honest: There were times when the mechanical things didn’t quite get me super excited, but I just really loved the story and the characters and the narration.

Deryn Sharp is amazing. I know I mentioned it already, but it’s really the truth. She’s smart and plucky and has some serious lady stones. She wants to join the Air Service, so she does, despite the danger she could be in if anyone discovered that she was a she. Deryn works her way into important roles on her airships through sheer determination and confidence. I love her beyond words.

Her friendship with Alek is also outstanding. They support each other and look out for one another and are loyal. Their relationship really is a wonderful friendship for most of this series, and even when it changes, it does so really organically and with a really strong foundation. Big fan of them.

Despite all of these awesome things, I have to give lots of credit for my enjoyment of these books to the narration. Alan Cumming is an outstanding narrator. He does amazing accents and voices, his delivery is perfect, and he really brought this outstandingly clever and interesting world to life. I want to listen to him read ALL THE THINGS.

Scott Westerfeld really knocked one out of the part with the Leviathan series, for me. The way he created this world that we kind of know but not was so impressive. I’m always impressed by alternate histories because, for me anyway, I’m always really wary of an author changing something willy nilly just because they can. And I guess authors can do that anyway. But even then, sometimes those things still ring false even in the context of the new history the author created. That never happens here. I really can’t recommend these books–and the audio in particular–enough. Three cheers for reading outside your comfort zone!

Filed Under: Series Love Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Book Review + Giveaway | Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend | Katie Finn

May 19

Book cover Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend Katie FinnTitle: Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend
Author: Katie Finn (web | twitter)
Series: Broken Hearts & Revenge #1
Genre: Contemporary YA
Amazon | Goodreads | B&N
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Release date: May 13, 2014
Source: ARC from the publisher (Thanks, Feiwel and Friends!)

Summer, boys, and friendships gone sour. This new series has everything that perfect beach reads are made of!

Gemma just got dumped and is devastated. She finds herself back in the Hamptons for the summer—which puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend that she wronged five years earlier. Do people hold grudges that long? 

When a small case of mistaken identity causes everyone, including Hallie and her dreamy brother Josh, to think she’s someone else, Gemma decides to go along with it.

Gemma’s plan is working (she’s finding it hard to resist Josh), but she’s finding herself in embarrassing situations (how could a bathing suit fall apart like that!?). Is it coincidence or is someone trying to expose her true identity? And how will Josh react if he finds out who she is? 

Katie Finn hits all the right notes in this perfect beginning to a new summer series: A Broken Hearts & Revenge novel.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Giveaway, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , ,
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