Monday, March 26, 2018

Book Birthdays! {March18, week 4}


It's Book Birthday time!!

In this weekly post, I talk about a few of the books I'm excited to read that are hitting shelves this week.  Are you with me on any of these? Are there books coming out you're running to the store or stalking your mailman for that I haven't mentioned here?  Hey, feel free to comment and sell me on them! :D
And don't forget to enter down below for a chance to win ANY March YA book your little heart desires! 🎁

 


Not if I Save You First
by Ally Carter
I seriously need to get back to reading more of Ally Carter's books! Long ago, I read her Heist Society series and love her fun entertaining writing style!
{Scholastic Press}






Reflection
by Elizabeth Lim
I ♥ Mulan. So my excitement for this one was a given LOL.    
{Disney Press}






The Place Between Breaths
by An Na
This looks like a touching story about a girl and her  scientist father trying to find a cure to the schizophrenia that took her mother from them.
{Simon & Schuster}
Amazon   •   Book Depository





 

Risen
by Cole Gibsen
I love this gorgeous cover. That aside--I'm also ready for a new twist on vampire mythology that so many reviews claim this has! It's been a long time since I've picked up a vampire book, but I'm ready!  
{Entangled Teen}

 


The Beloved Wild
by Melissa Ostrom 
Historical family-centered tale of a girl having disguise herself as a boy---stories like this always intrigue me! I hope this one is good.  
{Feiwel & Friends}
Amazon   •   Book Depository


 

Nothing but Sky

by Amy Trueblood
I've never come across a story about the post-war Wing Walkers, so I hope this one is amazing! I can't wait to read about the daredevil aerial tricks and old Hollywood.   
{Flux}


 



So, what are you looking forward to this week?



*       *       *       *       *  

Enter to win any YA book published in March 2018!

(note: this is the same giveaway entry form in all book birthday posts for the month.)
One winner will win a YA March 2018 release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends March 31st
, 2018 at 11:59 PM
• Must be 13 or older.
• Open internationally. *International winners will be required to choose a book that is available through BookDepository.com or Fishpond.com up to $20 value.
•Extra entries can be earned by commenting on 
any BOOK BIRTHDAY POSTS or  REVIEWS, and can be done once per post. Come back throughout March whenever you comment on our reviews and get your extra points!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, March 25, 2018

New Shelf Goodies {201}

For New Shelf Goodies, I'll be showing you what lovely books I acquired this week, whether from publishers, or the library, or from whatever half-crazed book-buying binge I happened to go on. :D (Inspired by Tynga's Stacking the Shelves) .  My Sunday post is also where I'll share a little recap of my week, the books I've currently got my nose in and such. ;)


My recent mailbox goodies!
{coming June 5th from Bloomsbury}
I've ended up with a double of this one! Looks good though! :D

{out now from Candlewick Press}
Featured this one recently as a book birthday that I was excited for, so I'm happy to have a copy in my hands!

{coming August 7th from Freeform}
Hearing great things about this one---not sure if it will be for me, but we'll see!

{coming June 5th from Entangled Teen}
Aaaah, this one looks so good. May be just what I need to get me out of this fantasy slump. 


Was feeling a bit run over (LOL, that's one step below "run down" in my book) healthwise this week, so I've been slacking in all facets of life. I'm behind on reviews, but I did finish Ink, Iron, and Glass and Cadaver & Queen so I'm hoping to get reviews of those up soon.  I've just started Ozland, excited about that, and eager to see how this series continues!  Other than that I've been working, trying to stay away from all these flu germs going around (a tough thing to do when you work at the public library uuuugh), enjoying the lovely rain we've been having, and binge watching the first season of Timeless before starting season 2. Anyone else watch the show? Plus Greatest Showman came out on digital this week so it's been on near-constant replay in my craft room LOL. 

Have a great week and happy reading! :D

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. A spin-off of the meme called "Can't Wait Wednesday" is now hosted at Wishful Endings. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

by Nova Ren Suma

hitting shelves September 4th, 2018  
from Algonquin Young Readers
Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...  

My thoughts:  Since the moment I turned the last page of The Walls Around Us, I've been craving more of Nova Ren Suma's bold and stunning writing style. You can bet I'll be counting the days until I have this in my hands. 


What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Monday, March 19, 2018

Book Birthdays {Mar18, week 3}


It's Book Birthday time!!

In this weekly post, I talk about a few of the books I'm excited to read that are hitting shelves this week.  Are you with me on any of these? Are there books coming out you're running to the store or stalking your mailman for that I haven't mentioned here?  Hey, feel free to comment and sell me on them! :D
And don't forget to enter down below for a chance to win ANY March YA book your little heart desires! 🎁

 
I'm hoping to be immersed into the magical realism and rich culture and folklore of Taiwan that this gorgeous looking story promises! It sounds like a tear-jerker as well. My tissues are ready!
{Little, Brown BYR}






Heart Forger
by Rin Chupeco
This looks like such a good series and I've heard some great things about it so I can't wait to catch up! About a witch who can wake the dead seeking revenge on the royals who wronged her.   
{Sourcebooks Fire}






Tyler Johnson was Here
by Jay Coles
This looks like a timely and important tear jerker about a young man facing the realities of police brutality and racism after his brother is shot.
{Little, Brown BYR}
Amazon   •   Book Depository





 

Losing Leah
by Tiffany King
Another heartwrenching looking story---why does everything looks so sad this week! Twin stories always intrigue me and this is about the connection between two sister who were separated at 6 when one  of them was kidnapped.  
{Feiwel & Friends}


 




So, what are you looking forward to this week?


*       *       *       *       *  

Enter to win any YA book published in March 2018!

(note: this is the same giveaway entry form in all book birthday posts for the month.)
One winner will win a YA March 2018 release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends March 31st
, 2018 at 11:59 PM
• Must be 13 or older.
• Open internationally. *International winners will be required to choose a book that is available through BookDepository.com or Fishpond.com up to $20 value.
•Extra entries can be earned by commenting on 
any BOOK BIRTHDAY POSTS or  REVIEWS, and can be done once per post. Come back throughout March whenever you comment on our reviews and get your extra points!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller {review}


Daughter of the Siren Queen
by Tricia Levenseller
♦publisher: Feiwel & Friends
♦release date: February 27th, 2018
♦hardcover, 352 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: Daughter of the Pirate King, book 1
♦source: from publisher for honest review
Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.


{My Thoughts}

Although I easily could have jumped aboard for two or three more adventures with Alosa, Ridden, and the entire crew, Daughter of the Siren Queen wraps up this duology with a bang as loud as canon fire. Both books in this series are so much fun to read, although with this second installment, I definitely found the drama and emotional stakes to be higher.  

The romance this time around not my favorite. Though they did finally get to a good place with it, and I recognized that Alosa was going through many tough emotional things, I didn't care for how on-again, off-again and sometimes cruel she was toward Ridden. Lots of misplaced anger toward him, only to turn that around the next moment when she needed him. Slight spoiler here:  I did eventually love where it led, with him giving (and her finally accepting) the support and love he was offering her all along. (end spoiler).

Once again this series delivers so much adventure and really great battle scenes. The dangerous chase across the ocean, never knowing when their pursuers would catch them added so much intensity to the plot. 

I love how much Alosa eventually comes into her own though this story. Her character really makes strides from lashing out to taking charge of her own fate. Loved how so many of the relationships among the crew were really spotlighted and we got to know more about many of them. Also, please let there be a spin-off series featuring little Rosalyn when she grows up!! She is a firecracker and I know she would find some amazing adventure to get herself into! 


•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•

Initially from a small town in Oregon, Tricia now lives next to the Rocky Mountains with her bossy dog, Rosy. She received her degree in English Language and editing and is thrilled that she never has to read a textbook again. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing volleyball, and watching shows while eating extra-buttered popcorn.



Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon


Friday, March 16, 2018

Wicked Charm by Amber Hart {review}


Wicked Charm
by Amber Hart
♦publisher: Entangled Teen
♦release date: January 30th, 2018
♦hardcover, 304 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

{Amy's Thoughts}
Romance, murder and the swamp all tie together to make Okefenokee swamp heat up more than the sweltering Georgia heat.  Wicked Charm, takes you right into the heart of the swamplands, creating an atmosphere that is so thick it’s hard to catch your breath. Amber Hart, takes you into sweet tea afternoons with mosquitos buzzing, and  sinking mud, and alligators sunning themselves along the  thicket of trees that line the swamp.

Told in two perspectives, you are given insight on both sides of the story, weaving in and out of the two main character’s minds.This book is a fast read with plenty of dialogue, as well as a backstory that could be it’s own book, giving depth to characters that wouldn’t really be noticed otherwise. Not sure if you could desire a thriller as charming and sweet, but the main characters are written with such ease and genuineness that you can’t help but want to sit alongside them with a tall glass of sweet tea.

 The perfect introductory read for anyone who wants to try a thriller, but might be a little apprehensive. This story has the elements without being scary, or over descriptive with gore. Faster than an alligator’s jaws, the truth swipes at you with one quick bite, leaving readers shocked in the end.



•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•



Amber Hart resides on the Florida coastline
with family and a plethora of animals she
affectionately refers to as her urban farm.
When unable to find a book, she can be found
writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the
sand. She's the author of several novels for
teens and adults, including
Wicked Charm, the Before & After series, and the Untamed
series.



WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •   INSTAGRAM
Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. A spin-off of the meme called "Can't Wait Wednesday" is now hosted at Wishful Endings. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

by Sarah Beth Durst

hitting shelves December 4th, 2018  
from Crown Books for Young Readers
In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone--even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It's a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you're a wyvern--a human capable of turning into a dragon.

Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community.

With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society--a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.
  

My thoughts: Sarah Beth Durst has held her place among my favorite authors for a long, long time. Such creative stories and always so unique. So, obviously when I heard she was writing this story about a girl from a crime-family of were-dragons embarking on her first treasure heist---OMG the anticipation may kill me. Is it December yet??

 
What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Book Birthdays! {March18, week 2}


It's Book Birthday time!!

In this weekly post, I talk about a few of the books I'm excited to read that are hitting shelves this week.  Are you with me on any of these? Are there books coming out you're running to the store or stalking your mailman for that I haven't mentioned here?  Hey, feel free to comment and sell me on them! :D
And don't forget to enter down below for a chance to win ANY March YA book your little heart desires! 🎁

 


Obsidio
by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
This is one of those series that I hear so much amazing stuff about, is by two authors I love, and for some reason I just haven't gotten around to starting! LOL But now that the 3rd and final installment is here--it may be my time! xD
{Knopf BYR}





In Sight of Stars
by Gae Polisner
This looks like a really heartfelt and thoughful look at a young man working his way back after a mental break. I'm curious to see how the art and magical stories his father told him play a part in that, too.  
{Wednesday Books}






The Price Guide to the Occult
by Leslye Walton
This give me very strong Practical Magic vibes so my interest is definitely peaked! Witchcraft, curses, mysterious books, and whirlwind affairs. ..all of which Blackburn witch descendant, Nor, wants nothing to do with.  I'm gonna bet she gets sucked back in, though! ;)
{Candlewick}



 

806
by Cynthia Weil
Three very different siblings hit the road together to track down the one thing they have in common: their biological father, Donor 806. 
{Tanglewood Press}


 




The Radical Element
Anthology edited by Jessica Spotswood
A collection of tales about daring and dauntless ladies showing their amazingness and moxie! Featuring some of my favorite names in YA, including Anna Marie-Mclemore, Mackenzi Lee, Stacey Lee, and more!
{Candlewick Press}






So, will any of these have you be bee-lining it to your nearest bookseller today?


*       *       *       *       *  

Enter to win any YA book published in March 2018!

(note: this is the same giveaway entry form in all book birthday posts for the month.)
One winner will win a YA March 2018 release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends March 31st
, 2018 at 11:59 PM
• Must be 13 or older.
• Open internationally. *International winners will be required to choose a book that is available through BookDepository.com or Fishpond.com up to $20 value.
•Extra entries can be earned by commenting on 
any BOOK BIRTHDAY POSTS or  REVIEWS, and can be done once per post. Come back throughout March whenever you comment on our reviews and get your extra points!
a Rafflecopter giveaway