January 2017 TBR

January TBR

Didn’t really follow through with my December TBR, so I’m not going to do a wrap-up for you, but I’ll start fresh with the new year and give you a January 2017 TBR. . . even if it is a few days late. Did anyone else have a crazy December and beginning of January? Where did the time go? But I am looking forward to the new year with new books.

So, here they are:

**Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Why I Want to Read It?

I’m still finishing this one up from last month because I was a bit of a slacker over winter break and decided to focus more on bingeing TV and wedding planning than reading, but, oh well, it is what it is.

**The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.

Why I Want to Read It?

For those of you who read this regularly, you know I am a huge Elise Kova fan. This is the first book in her first non-YA series, and I am so excited about it. I cannot wait for this book to come out on January 10th, and hope to have a reiew out for you before it’s release date.

**The Crown’s Dog by Elise Kova

The first in an Air Awakens prequel trilogy.

A coastal summer is turned upside down by a violent murder, and a quest for lost pirate treasure turns into a hunt for the killer.

Jax Wendyll is the crown’s dog. As punishment for the unspeakable crimes that torment him to this day, his life has been conscripted to the Empire Solaris. However, in an Empire afflicted by peace, his duties are relegated to unquestioningly aiding the antics of the youngest prince, Baldair.

Erion Le’Dan, a nobleman’s son, expects a quiet summer visit to the Imperial Palace, his only agenda to visit with his unlikely friends. But Jax’s discovery the legendary pirate Adela Lagmir’s old workroom inspires a hunt for her long lost treasure.

The pursuit of Adela’s truth takes the three men to the Imperial summer manor, built along the old pirate mainstays. When Adela’s trident is branded into a murdered servant, Prince Baldair’s summer amusement of treasure-hunting becomes a hunt to find the killer. But, as mysteries compound, the ghosts of Jax’s past may not be the only things haunting them.

Why I Want to Read It?

Yes, there are two Elise Kova books on this list. This, however, is the first book in a trilogy that is based off the Air Awakens trilogy. I’m pretty excited about this one as well. I can’t wait to jump into the early stories of the characters that I have learned to love.

**Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

Why I Want to Read It?

YAASSS! The follow up to Six of Crows!! I know this book has been out for awhile, but it has been sitting on my shelf, staring at me, waiting for me to read it. I can’t wait to jump back into the story of Kaz and the rest of his crew in the Grishaverse.

**Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.

Why I Want to Read It?

Just continuing this series because, from what I understand, they only get better. And my sister has been giving me a hard time about finishing this series for months.

**Lyddie by Katherine Paterson

When ten-year-old Lyddie and her younger brother are hired out as servants to help pay off their family farm’s debts, Lyddie is determined to find a way to reunite her family. Hearing about all the money a girl can make working in the textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts, she makes her way there, only to find that her dreams of returning home may never come true.

Why I Want to Read It?

This is another book I’m reading for work. I start teaching my 7th graders this book pretty soon.

Happy Reading!
Erin

December TBR

December TBR

I haven’t done a monthly TBR in several months, nor have I been able to keep up with any kind of reading, but now that I’m back and starting to find a little more balance in my life, I am getting back to reading.

So, here they are:

**Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Why I Want to Read It?

My sister got me started on this series, and I loved the first book after it finally picked up, so why would I not want to continue the series??

**The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.

Why I Want to Read It?

For those of you who read this regularly, you know I am a huge Elise Kova fan. This is the first book in her first non-YA series, and I am so excited about it.

**The Crown’s Dog by Elise Kova

The first in an Air Awakens prequel trilogy.

A coastal summer is turned upside down by a violent murder, and a quest for lost pirate treasure turns into a hunt for the killer.

Jax Wendyll is the crown’s dog. As punishment for the unspeakable crimes that tourment him to this day, his life has been conscripted to the Empire Solaris. However, in an Empire afflicted by peace, his duties are relegated to unquestioningly aiding the antics of the youngest prince, Baldair.

Erion Le’Dan, a nobleman’s son, expects a quiet summer visit to the Imperial Palace, his only agenda to visit with his unlikely friends. But Jax’s discovery the legendary pirate Adela Lagmir’s old workroom inspires a hunt for her long lost treasure.

The pursuit of Adela’s truth takes the three men to the Imperial summer manor, built along the old pirate mainstays. When Adela’s trident is branded into a murdered servant, Prince Baldair’s summer amusement of treasure-hunting becomes a hunt to find the killer. But, as mysteries compound, the ghosts of Jax’s past may not be the only things haunting them.

Why I Want to Read It?

Yes, there are two Elise Kova books on this list. This, however, is the first book in a trilogy that is based off the Air Awakens trilogy. I’m pretty excited about this one as well. I can’t wait to jump into the early stories of the characters that I have learned to love.

**Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

Why I Want to Read It?

YAASSS! The follow up to Six of Crows!! I know this book has been out for awhile, but it has been sitting on my shelf, staring at me, waiting for me to read it. I can’t wait to jump back into the story of Kaz and the rest of his crew in the Grishaverse.

**Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.

Why I Want to Read It?

Just continuing this series because, from what I understand, they only get better. And my sister has been giving me a hard time about finishing this series for months.

**Lyddie by Katherine Paterson

When ten-year-old Lyddie and her younger brother are hired out as servants to help pay off their family farm’s debts, Lyddie is determined to find a way to reunite her family. Hearing about all the money a girl can make working in the textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts, she makes her way there, only to find that her dreams of returning home may never come true.

Why I Want to Read It?

This is another book I’m reading for work. I start teaching my 7th graders this book pretty soon.

Happy Reading!

Erin

WWW Wednesday 11/30/16

WWW Wednesday 11/30/16

This is my weekly WWW Wednesday post in which I answer three simple questions.  It is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. Go check her out, her blog is great!  Each week I will answer the following three questions about what is happening in my book world.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

So, here we go.

What are you currently reading?

**The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

 

**Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

 

 

**Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

 

 

What did you recently finish reading?

I read both of these books for work and taught them to my 7th and 8th graders

**Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

 

**Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

(All synopses are from Goodreads)

**The Crown’s Dog by Elise Kova

The first in an Air Awakens prequel trilogy.

A coastal summer is turned upside down by a violent murder, and a quest for lost pirate treasure turns into a hunt for the killer.

Jax Wendyll is the crown’s dog. As punishment for the unspeakable crimes that tourment him to this day, his life has been conscripted to the Empire Solaris. However, in an Empire afflicted by peace, his duties are relegated to unquestioningly aiding the antics of the youngest prince, Baldair.

Erion Le’Dan, a nobleman’s son, expects a quiet summer visit to the Imperial Palace, his only agenda to visit with his unlikely friends. But Jax’s discovery the legendary pirate Adela Lagmir’s old workroom inspires a hunt for her long lost treasure.

The pursuit of Adela’s truth takes the three men to the Imperial summer manor, built along the old pirate mainstays. When Adela’s trident is branded into a murdered servant, Prince Baldair’s summer amusement of treasure-hunting becomes a hunt to find the killer. But, as mysteries compound, the ghosts of Jax’s past may not be the only things haunting them.

**Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

I can’t wait to hear what all of you are reading!  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

Erin

It’s Been Forever. . .

Hi all!!

So I knew it had been a long time since I’d written, but almost 4 months!?!? I hadn’t realized it had been THAT long!!

So you must be wondering. . .

What in the world has she been doing to keep her from blogging all this time??

Well, honestly, it hasn’t been anything super special. I mean, I did get a new job two days before the new school year started. My first actual teaching job!! Instead of being an assistant in a variety of classes, I am now actually using the certifications that I got in and after my undergrad. I am teaching English as a Second Language, or ESL, to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. I honestly never thought I would be teaching middle school students, but here I am, doing it. Teaching has kept me super busy, with all the lesson planning and grading and having to read the books that I need to teach. All of this doesn’t leave much time to read the books that I want to read as well as write about them. But as you can see, I am doing the best I can to get back into it.

But work isn’t the only thing I’ve been busy with. I have also been doing a lot of traveling back and forth on the weekends from my house to my boyfriend’s house, who is an hour and a half away. I’m a little surprised I haven’t gotten more into audio books with all the driving I have done over the past eleven months, but I’ve never been a huge fan of them.

Now that I have figured out how to balance my life a little better, I am back to blogging. I am looking forward to interacting with all of you by letting you know what I’m reading, giving you my thoughts on what I read, and hearing about what you are reading. Please feel free to leave comments and questions. I’ll be starting up again with a WWW Wednesday post this week as well as a December TBR post, and I hope to have a book review out next week for a book that I’m really excited about that comes out in January.  Talk to you all soon, but in the mean time. . .

Happy Reading!!

Erin

Goodbye and Hello: July Wrap-Up/August TBR

Goodbye and Hello: July Wrap-Up/August TBR

July Books:

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

I’m so glad I reread this before reading The Rose and the Dagger. It reminded of everything I loved about the story and was a good reminder of everything that happened before jumping into the second book.

The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

I really enjoyed the second book of this duology. Check out my full review here!

Wrecked by Maria Padian

I picked this one on NetGalley because the topic was really relevant. It’s about an alleged rape on a college campus, and the crazy that ensues afterwards. It seems to address several topics of situations like this very realistically, and the book definitely addressed college campus rape culture. This one comes out in early October, so my full review will be out at the end of September. I definitely recommend it!

The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I picked this one up for fun, while I was wading my way through the beginning of A Clash of Kings. It was a quick and easy read, but I got super annoyed with it at times. You can check out my mini review of it  in my WWW Wednesday post from last week.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I’m about halfway through this one, but I’m on a retreat with a bunch of high school students this weekend that I am super excited about, so I don’t think I’ll be getting much reading done, but a review will be coming for this one as soon as I finish it.

August Books:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Why I want to read this series?

I love everything that Sarah J. Maas writes. And I’ve heard nothing but good things about this series.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead…victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and wartime. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel…and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment;a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

Why I want to read this series?

I love the TV show, and really enjoyed the first book, so I thought I would continue with the series.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Why I want to read it?

This one has been on my TBR for awhile. I had a student recommend it to me last school year. This upcoming school year, which starts in just under a month, I am leading a discussion group on this book as part of the summer reading program.

Jack by A.M. Homes

In Jack, A. M. Homes gives us a teenager who wants nothing more than to be normal—even if being normal means having divorced parents and a rather strange best friend. But when Jack’s father takes him out in a rowboat on Lake Watchmayoyo and tells his son he’s gay, nothing will ever be normal again. Out of Jack’s struggle to redefine what “family” means, A. M. Homes crafts a novel of enormous humor, charm, and resonance, the most convincing, funny, and insightful novel about adolescence since The Catcher in the Rye.

Why I want to read it?

This one is another book I’m reading in preparation for the school year. I’m working with sophomores in addition to working with freshmen this year, and this is the first book we are reading this year.

Tears of Time by Joel Lawrence

Cal State freshman Eden Ellis feels like a stranger in time, and her dreams are growing more dangerous each night. Is she really the reincarnation of a Bronze Age princess, or is that just the medication talking?

Dreams and reality start weaving together, and Eden and her friends begin to develop extraordinary powers and find themselves confronted with ancient secrets, government experiments, and the return of the same demonic force that nearly shattered the world 3,500 years ago.

Eden’s dreams hold the key to saving the future—if she can embrace her duel identity and defeat the reincarnation of the man she used to love.

Why I want to read it?

I was sent this book as an ARC in return for an honest review, so that’s what I’ll be doing. It, of course, sounded super entertaining too!

What are you guys reading during the month of August??

Happy Reading!

Erin

 

WWW Wednesday 7/27/16

WWW Wednesday 7/26/16

This is my weekly WWW Wednesday post in which I answer three simple questions.  It is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. Go check her out, her blog is great!  Each week I will answer the following three questions about what is happening in my book world.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

So, here we go.

What are you currently reading?

 

**A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

This one is moving a little slow for me, but I’m really going to try to stick with it. I guess we’ll see what happens.

 

**Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This series has been sitting on my bookshelf for 9 months, and people, in particular, my awesome sister, have been bugging me for years to read it, so I finally am. I’m super excited to have finally started it.

**Devour by Shelly Crane

This one I started only because I wasn’t home, and it was one of the few times I left the house without a book that I had already started, and all I had was my Kindle.

What did you recently finish reading?

**The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I picked this one up as a bit of a break from A Clash of Kings. It’s NA Romance. I’m getting into these more because they are entertaining and easy reads. This one drove me crazy! The main character was weak and gave into the guys she was seeing. She seemed to have no backbone The male characters were misogynistic and controlling. I felt like I was cringing and yelling at the characters every couple of pages, but I stuck with it because it was easy and entertaining. I almost got to the point where I DNF’d it, but not quite.

What do you think you’ll read next?

(All synopses are from Goodreads)

**Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

**Heir of Fire

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.

I can’t wait to hear what all of you are reading!  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

Erin

ARC Review: Children of Icarus

ARC Review: Children of Icarus

Author: Caighlan Smith

Release Date: August 1, 2016

Pages: 313

Rating/Grade: B

 

Synopsis

It is Clara who is desperate to enter the labyrinth and it is Clara who is bright, strong, and fearless enough to take on any challenge. It is no surprise when she is chosen. But so is the girl who has always lived in her shadow. Together they enter. Within minutes, they are torn apart forever. Now the girl who has never left the city walls must fight to survive in a living nightmare, where one false turn with who to trust means a certain dead end.”

Characters

Clara –  Clara is a daredevil. She has always wanted to go into the labyrinth and become an Icarii.  It is part of who she has always wanted to be.

Narrator – She is nameless. She is quiet. She is nothing like Clara who is her best friend. However, when she makes into the labyrinth and survives her first day. She takes on Clara’s name unintentionally.

Elle – I feel so bad for her. She is broken and the labyrinth has done terrible things to her. It has taken from her, and because of this she is not who she was when she came into the labyrinth.

Collin – The actual Clara’s older brother. He is a the leader of a group within the labyrinth. The Labyrinth has changed him as well, he has become heartless and cruel. He is willing to punish people in the group in the worst of ways.

Review

Children of Icarus was a refreshing dystopian YA novel.  While the YA dystopian genre is definitely not a new thing, the concept of this book was definitely different than any other dystopian novel that I’ve read. One of the things that I think this book does well is it addresses the fact that a lot of the characters are really screwed up due to this dystopian world, which I’ve found isn’t necessarily true of other dystopian YA novels.

However, the fact that the narrator of the book never has a name drove me nuts. Even after I realized why Smith doesn’t give her name, it still bugged the crap out of me. It was especially frustrating because the story is told completely through her eyes, so there was very little actual dialogue. I read an ARC, so I would be really interested to see the print version of the book to see if it is drastically different.

Reason For Rating

Like I said, this book is like no other dystopian YA novel I’ve read, which was super refreshing. It was also fast-paced and pulled me in immediately. These things are probably what salvaged its rating. My annoyance with the main character not having a name and everything being filtered through her is what brought it down. While I understand why Caighlan Smith did the things she did in regards to the main character it, unfortunately, doesn’t make it any less annoying to read. I give Children of Icarus a B, but if you think you can get past the fact that the main character doesn’t have a name throughout the entire book, and just enjoy the story for what it is then I would definitely recommend it.

Happy Reading!

Erin

WWW Wednesday 7/20/16

WWW Wednesday 7/20/16

This is my weekly WWW Wednesday post in which I answer three simple questions.  It is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. Go check her out, her blog is great!  Each week I will answer the following three questions about what is happening in my book world.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

So, here we go.

What are you currently reading?

**A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

I’m excited to jump back into this series now that I’m having some Game of Thrones withdrawal with the latest season of it having ended a few weeks ago.

 

**The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I decided to pick up an NA romance to balance out all the heaviness of A Clash of Kings, so we’ll see how I like it. I don’t typically read a lot of NA, but I thought I’d try.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

**The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

I ended up really liking this book in the end. I still didn’t like it as much as the first one. The Wrath and the Dawn pulled you in so quickly. Check out what I thought about it in my review.

 

**Wrecked by Maria Padian

I could not put this one down. While it is about some heavy content, a rape case on a college campus, it was very good. This one comes out Oct. 4, so my review for it will be up just before it’s release date. Keep on the lookout for it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

(All synopses are from Goodreads)

**Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

**Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

I can’t wait to hear what all of you are reading!  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

Erin

Book Review: The Rose and the Dagger

 

Book Review: The Rose and the Dagger

Author: Renee Ahdieh

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Pages: 416

Rating/Grade: B+

 

 

Synopsis

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

Characters

Shahrzad –  Shazi starts the book in the Badawi camp that Tariq was in at the end of The Wrath and the Dawn. If I thought Shazi was a sassy badass in the first book, man, her true colors, sassiness, and badassery really shine through in this book. It takes a while for those things to come out, but eventually they do, and they come in full force.

Khalid – Khalid is weak and seems very lost, especially at the beginning of The Rose and the Dagger. It seems as though he is trying to figure out who he is, or at least who he wants to be, now that Shazi is gone.

Tariq – Tariq simply doesn’t know what to do anymore. He has gotten himself into a situation in which he is in over his head. He enacted this plan of saving Shazi with emotion rather than thinking it through,and it is in The Rose and the Dagger he must now deal with the fallout. Tariq grows up a lot in this book. He faces feelings and circumstances that doesn’t want to face and he learns to work with someone he doesn’t necessarily like.

Irsa – Irsa’s role in this book grows immensely compared to what we saw of her in The Wrath and the Dawn. We spend a lot of time with Irsa as she is learning who to be without Shazi. It’s a lot of fun to watch her become her own person. Irsa then becomes Shazi’s right hand woman, in a sense. The two of them really grow to be best friends in this book.

Review

The Rose and the Dagger seemed to start a lot slower than The Wrath and the Dawn did, so I had a hard time really getting into it. I was excited about it and knew I wasn’t going to DNF it, but it wasn’t one of those books that I wanted to spend all my time with, at least for the first 100 pages or so. Then, all of sudden, the story got super intense, the action kicked in, the romance became super passionate.

There were also some great quotes later in the book. Irsa gets sassy when she meets and talks with Khalid. “Really? Irsa blinked, astounded.”Goodness, but you’re odd? Has anyone ever told you that?” I love it. Irsa is this meek, quiet character at the beginning of the book, but by the time Khalid shows up in the encampment, she is this little firecracker talking back to the caliph of Khorasan. It is also a testament to Khalid’s growth in the story that he is does not fire back at her in anger.

There is also a really beautiful line between Rahim, Tariq’s servant and friend, and Rahim’s love interest where Rahim says, “Because when I kiss you, I want yours to be the first. . . and last lips I ever kiss.” I just swooned when he said this. Lines like this are the reason we readers have book boyfriends, and often like characters in books better than real people.

The last 150 pages of The Rose and the Dagger were some of the most fast-paced pages I have read this summer. They were also full of so much emotion that I cried multiple times. Renee Ahdieh did a beautiful job wrapping up this story. I wasn’t left wanting more or feeling as though something was missing. It was beautifully ended.

Reason For Rating
So, The Rose and the Dagger is getting a B+ simply because the beginning was hard to get into. The last two-thirds of the book drastically made up for that, which is why it isn’t getting a B or a C. And it was so beautifully ended that I was more than pleased with the book overall.

I’d love to hear what you thought of The Rose and the Dagger, if you’ve read it.

Happy Reading!

Erin

WWW Wednesday 7/13/16

WWW Wednesday 7/13/16

This is my weekly WWW Wednesday post in which I answer three simple questions.  It is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. Go check her out, her blog is great!  Each week I will answer the following three questions about what is happening in my book world.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you are going to read next?

So, here we go.

What are you currently reading?

**The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

I’m really liking this book. I’m not sure if I like it as much as I enjoyed  The Wrath and the Dawn, but it is good, nonetheless. I’m still holding out in hopes that it will be as good as the first one.

 

**Wrecked by Maria Padian

I’m still pretty early on in this book, so I don’t really have a lot to say about it quite yet.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

**The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

I loved this book the second time around as much as the first. It’s a beautiful and tortured love story with broken and imperfect characters.

What do you think you’ll read next?

(All synopses are from Goodreads)

**A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead…victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and wartime. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel…and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment; a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

**Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I can’t wait to hear what all of you are reading!  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

Erin