Book Review | A Breath of Frost | Alyxandra Harvey

Feb 17

book cover A Breath of Frost Alyxandra HarveyTitle: A Breath of Frost
Author: Alyxandra Harvey (web | twitter)
Series: The Lovegrove Legacy #1
Genre: Historical Fiction YA, Paranormal YA, witches
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Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release date: January 7, 2014
Source: ARC from the publisher via NetGalley (Thanks, Walker Childrens!)

In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. 

Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies. 

Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?

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Book Review | Going Rogue | Robin Benway

Feb 10

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

Book Review | Going Rogue | Robin BenwayGoing Rogue by Robin Benway
Series: Also Known As #2
Published by Bloomsbury on January 14, 2014
Genres: Contemporary YA, Spies, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Also in this series: Also Known As
Also by this author: Also Known As, Emmy & Oliver
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
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five-stars

Being permanently based in a local New York City high school as an undercover operative has its moments, good and bad, for 16-year-old safecracker Maggie Silver. Pros: More quality time with her former mark-turned-boyfriend Jesse Oliver and insanely cool best friend, Roux. Getting to spend quality time with her semi-retired and international spy honorary uncle, Angelo. Cons: High school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. But when Maggie’s parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins, Maggie uses her safecracking skills to try and clear their names. Too bad it only serves to put her and everyone she loves in danger. Maggie and her “new team” flee to Paris where they must come up with a plan to defeat their former allies.

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Book Review | Cress | Marissa Meyer

Feb 5
Book Review | Cress | Marissa MeyerCress by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 4, 2014
Genres: Dystopian YA, Science Fiction
Pages: 560
Format: ARC
Also in this series: Cinder, Scarlet, Cinder, Fairest
Also by this author: Cinder, Scarlet, Cinder, Fairest
Source: a fellow blogger (thanks for sharing!)
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
five-stars

 Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

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Book Review | These Broken Stars | Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner

Jan 6

Book cover These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman Megan SpoonerTitle: These Broken Stars
Authors: Amie Kaufman (web | twitter) & Megan Spooner (web | twitter)
Series: Starbound #1
Genre: Science Fiction YA
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Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release date: December 10, 2013
Source: ARC from the publisher via NetGalley (Thanks, Disney Hyperion!)

Summary: It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

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Book Review | Champion | Marie Lu

Nov 27

Book cover for Champion by Marie LuTitle: Champion
Author: Marie Lu (web | twitter)
Series: Legend #3
Genre: Dystopian YA
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Publisher: Putnam
Release date: November 5, 2013
Source: Bought it

Summary: The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

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Book Review | Just One Year | Gayle Forman

Nov 18

Book cover for Just One year by Gayle FormanTitle: Just One Year
Author: Gayle Forman (web | twitter)
Series: Just One Day #2
Genre: Contemporary YA
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Publisher: Dutton Children’s
Release date: October 10, 2013
Source: Own it

Summary: Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began….

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.

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Top Ten Tuesday (100): Sequels

Nov 5

Top Ten TuesdayTop Ten Sequels I’m Looking Forward To

I feel like I’ve said before how much I LOVE SERIES books, friends, but my love of them is so huge that it bears repeating: I LOVE SERIES. So that’s twice in one sentence now. But one thing that comes with loving series books the way I do is the waiting. The perpetual state of “WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK COMING???!!” This list is the upcoming series books I’m most looking forward to, including a few that don’t have covers yet. I’m SQUEEING with excitement for these books!!

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Waiting on Wednesday (36): The Winner’s Curse

Oct 30

Waiting on Wednesday

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Book cover for The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse

THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski has been on my radar since some lucky ducks got SUPER early copies at BEA. It immediately set off a bunch of my “OOOOH! THIS SOUNDS EXCELLENT” bells because it’s a fantasy, and we all know how much I’m all over those. Any time I hear about a new fantasy series starting I get the happy fidgets; I just want to read them all.

But when I read the synopsis, a few bonus things jumped out at me: First, right off the bat, Kristin Cashore’s name flashed like a huge neon sign in front of my face. KRISTIN CASHORE. Done. I’m in. (Cassandra Clare, too, but if I’m being honest, Kristin Cashore is more of a draw for me.) But then there’s also this music angle, and war and slavery. This sounds like some legit drama, friends. Can’t wait to get my mitts on it!

THE WINNER’S CURSE comes out March 4, 2014 from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The Winner's Curse

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Book Review | Under the Empyrean Sky | Chuck Wendig

Oct 7

Book cover for Under the Empyrean Sky by Chuck WendigTitle: Under the Empyrean Sky
Author: Chuck Wendig (web | twitter)
Series: The Heartland Trilogy #1
Genre: Dystopian YA
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Publisher: Amazon Children’s Publishing
Release date: July 30, 2013
Source: ARC from BEA

Summary: Corn is king in the Heartland, and Cael McAvoy has had enough of it. It’s the only crop the Empyrean government allows the people of the Heartland to grow ? and the genetically modified strain is so aggressive that it takes everything the Heartlanders have just to control it. As captain of the Big Sky Scavengers, Cael and his crew sail their rickety ship over the corn day after day, scavenging for valuables, trying to earn much-needed ace notes for their families. But Cael’s tired of surviving life on the ground while the Empyrean elite drift by above in their extravagant sky flotillas. He’s sick of the mayor’s son besting Cael’s crew in the scavenging game. And he’s worried about losing Gwennie ? his first mate and the love of his life ? forever when their government-chosen spouses are revealed. But most of all, Cael is angry ? angry that their lot in life will never get better and that his father doesn’t seem upset about any of it. Cael’s ready to make his own luck . . . even if it means bringing down the wrath of the Empyrean elite and changing life in the Heartland forever.

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Book Review | Rose Under Fire | Elizabeth Wein

Sep 27

Book cover for Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth WeinTitle: Rose Under Fire
Author: Elizabeth Wein (web | twitter)
Series: Code Name Verity #2
Genre: Historical Fiction YA
Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Publisher: Hyperion
Release date: September 10, 2013
Source: ARC from BEA

Summary: While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women’s concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that’s in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.

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