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.

Twitter | Website | Instagram 

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Daughter of the Siren Queen {blog tour-quote spotlight}

Today I'm so excited to be participating in the blog tour for 

~DAUGHTER OF THE SIREN QUEEN~

book two in the fantastic pirate series by Tricia Levenseller! 

My full review of this one will be up in just a few days, but for today I'll just

 entice you into this wonderful story with a 

few of my favorite quotes from the book!

Let's set sail!! ;)

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•ABOUT THE BOOK•

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 2

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.

•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.

Twitter  •  Website  •  Instagram 

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Glaser {review}

The Forgotten Book
by  Mechthild Gläser
♦publisher: Feiwel & Friends
♦release date: January 2, 2018
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review

Emma is used to things going her way. Her father is headmaster of her prestigious boarding school, her friends take her advice as gospel, and she's convinced that a relationship with her long-time crush is on the horizon.

As it turns out, Emma hasn't seen anything yet. When she finds an old book in an abandoned library, things really start going Emma's way: anything she writes in the book comes true.

But the power of the book is not without consequences, and Emma soon realizes that she isn't the only one who knows about it. Someone is determined to take it from her—and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

A new boy in school—the arrogant, aloof, and irritatingly handsome Darcy de Winter—becomes Emma's unlikely ally as secrets are revealed and danger creeps ever closer.  

~My Thoughts~

I'm happy to say I really enjoyed this one! I went in with a little bit of trepidation because of a few issues I had with the writing (or more the translation)  in The Book Jumper, but none of the few things that bothered me in her debut were present in The Forgotten Book.  The storytelling does still read a little young, but not to the point where the characters come across as immature.  I actually liked Emma immediately, she seemed kind of easy-going, a good friend, sharp head on her shoulders, and after going between a torturous summer with her mom and heading back to school with an overprotective dad as her headmaster, she's determined to take a little more control of her own life.

There are a few fun mysteries driving the plot along. After Emma finds the hidden book and realizes what it can do, it was amusing to see her cautiously work its magic in small ways and get bolder and bolder as she went along---until she discovers just how many dark consequences come with it.  I loved all the parallels to both Pride and Prejudice and Emma and a spin on the old adage of "be careful what you wish for". The fairy tale that is woven into the plot is enchanting and a little dark so we got some good creepy moments, too. As with any good mystery, the guilty finger points at each character in turn and keeps the reader guessing the outcome, and even when it seems the culprit has been revealed, it still manages to throw some great twists in. There is more than one instance of villainous monologuing (you can take that criticism with a grain of salt, though---its just a pet peeve of mine haha) but I'm willing to forgive that, as this was just such a light and entertaining read!

•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•

Mechthild Gläser was born in the summer of 1986 in Essen. Even today, she lives and works in the Ruhr area, where she devotes herself to her studies and now and then dances ballet badly - but only when no one is looking. She started writing early, and her laptop still stands on the pink desk under which her first stories arose. She finds inspiration everywhere, but best with a cup of peppermint tea.
(translated from Goodreads author info, originally in German)

WEBSITE   •   FACEBOOK

Purchase the book:   Indiebound   •   BookDepository   •   Amazon

WILD BEAUTY ~Love Grows Such Strange Things~ {quote spotlight}

Hello! Today I have the pleasure of participating in the blog tour for Anna-Marie McLemore's gorgeous new novel, WILD BEAUTY! The writing and prose in this story is absolutely beguiling, and so today I'll be giving you just a little taste of that through a few enticing quotes!

(this first one may be best viewed if you click on it for full size 😉  )

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What did I tell you? Seriously, like poetry. This one comes out tomorrow, folks---go forth and enjoy! ;)

•ABOUT THE BOOK•

WILD BEAUTY
by Anna-Marie McLemore

♦publisher: Fiewel & Friends (Macmillan)

♦release date: October 3rd, 2017

♦hardcover, 320 pages

♦intended audience: Young adult

Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•

Anna-Marie McLemore was born in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, raised in the same town as the world's largest wisteria vine, and taught by her family to hear la llorona in the Santa Ana winds. Her debut novel THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS was a Junior Library Guild Selection, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults book, and a finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award. Her second novel, WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS, was longlisted for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature, and was a 2017 Stonewall Honor Book. 

WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •   GOODREADS

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

The Forgotten Book

by Mechthild Gläser

hitting shelves January 2nd, 2018

from  Feiwel & Friends

Emma is used to things going her way. Her father is headmaster of her prestigious boarding school, her friends take her advice as gospel, and she's convinced that a relationship with her long-time crush is on the horizon. 

As it turns out, Emma hasn't seen anything yet. When she finds an old book in an abandoned library, things really start going Emma's way: anything she writes in the book comes true. 

But the power of the book is not without consequences, and Emma soon realizes that she isn't the only one who knows about it. Someone is determined to take it from her—and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

A new boy in school—the arrogant, aloof, and irritatingly handsome Darcy de Winter—becomes Emma's unlikely ally as secrets are revealed and danger creeps ever closer.

My thoughts:  A Jane Austen-inspired tale and even more magical books---I can't help but be excited for this one.  This is not a sequel to Book Jumper, but even though I had a few issues with that one, it was still a fun read, and I'm more than happy to jump into a second offering from this imaginative author. And I have to mention the cover---OMG so pretty. Maybe even prettier than Book Jumper's ! 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Daughter of the Siren Queen
by Tricia Levenseller

hitting shelves Feb 27th, 2018

from  Feiwel & Friends

My thoughts:  So, there's no synopsis just yet for this one, but OH am I super excited for this sequel!! Daughter of the Pirate King was so fun and so adventurous and I can't wait to find out more about Alosa's siren heritage!! If you want to check out my review for book one, lookie here! :)

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller {review}

Daughter of the Pirate King 
by Tricia Levenseller
♦publisher: Feiwel & Friends
♦release date: February 28th, 2017
♦hardcover, 320 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: Daughter of the Pirate King, book 1
♦source: from publisher for honest review

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Review: This book!  I ended up liking this one more than I thought I would.  I honestly struggle to find fault with it, it's just too much fun. With a fast paced plot, great unexpected characters, and a very cool surprise twist, Daughter of the Pirate King was a fantastic read from beginning to end. 

The setting and characters definitely have a very Hollywood-ized pirate feel, so if you're a big fan of Pirates of the Carribean and not a stickler for a historical portrayal, you'll really be able to enjoy this.  There's much swashbuckling and carousing, sword-fighting and heavy trigger fingers abound, and a few stereotypical piratey types roaming around these pages, but it all adds to the entertainment. 

Alosa is so fierce, I loved her. She just exudes confidence (sometimes overly so!) and knows she's a great pirate, but you really get a sense of who she is as she reflects on the torturous and cruel "lessons" put on her by her father, the pirate king, whom she still stretches herself to please. So her faults are definitely there. I loved how she was so tough and clever (though sometimes she thought herself more clever than she actually was), but still had so much love and respect for her almost all-woman crew. Plus I loved that in the dirty world of pirating, she insisted on, even reveled in, her femininity.  Doesn't take any crap from anyone, but still loves a nice dress. :)

Riden was interesting---a bit more kind and brooding that you would expect to find on the high seas---his brother was jerk enough for the both of them, I guess. He's a bit foolish at times, but in a heroic sort of way, so it was okay.  And he put a great importance on family, even being brought up in cruelty and knowing his brother is awful. He was a perfect sparing partner for Alosa and I loved their bantering and the hate-to-respect-to-love development between them. 

There was one big twist that I didn't see coming and it made this even more the type of story that I love. I don't remember ever feeling a let down in pace--this was a fast and fun read! I truly can't wait to get my hands on the second book so I can see what adventure is next for these characters! 

•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.

Twitter | Website | Instagram 

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Wild Beauty

by Anna-Marie McLemore

hitting shelves September 26th, 2017

from Feiwel & Friends

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family. 

My thoughts:  Though I've somehow never gotten around to reading a book by this author, all of her books sound like something that I would absolutely love: magic and atmosphere and just a little on the bizarre side.  This one is no exception---it sounds so amazing! And that cover...wow. I'm in love with the title font and all the color.  

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

HEARTLESS BOOK BIRTHDAY WEEK: My Review, Cover Showcase & Giveaway!!

This is it, my final post for HEARTLESS BOOK BIRTHDAY WEEK! :D I hope you've enjoyed the posts so far!  Today I'm sharing my thoughts on the book, showcasing the amazing different covers of Heartless and giving away a copy to someone, anywhere in the world! :D So let's get to it!

Heartless 

by Marissa Meyer

♦publisher: Feiwel & Friends

♦release date: November 8th, 2016

♦hardcover, 464 pages

♦intended audience: Young adult

♦stand-alone

♦source: trade show

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Review:  This book...will tear your ever-loving heart out. But you knew that. You know who the Queen of Hearts is. She's cruel. She's mad. She's...well, she's heartless. This is the story of how she got that way, so you know going in that it's not going to be pretty. But OH was it magical, whimsical, kooky, twisted, very creepy at times---much like Alice in Wonderland. In fact, I adored the wonderful nods to the original stories and characters. It was like seeing new sides to characters I've known my whole life. I'm sure I've said a dozen or so times on this blog, but I was very literally raised on Alice in Wonderland. :) My mother collects all things Alice, read me the stories, and I grew up watching several different movie and tv show versions. So having one of my favorite authors take on this story and give me a whole new perspective on a character I've always known just to be unwaveringly villainous was absolutely amazing. And while I loved this so much and I guarantee that my personal connection to the original stories made this a whole different experience than, say, someone who doesn't love Alice in Wonderland, I still proclaim that the storytelling was fantastic, full of whimsy, romance, madness, hope, and heartbreak. 

I loved Cath's character. She was so determined and hopeful to see her dream come true and so willing to work hard for it, despite having to go against her parent's expectations, and everyone's really. She sees them slipping farther and farther away as the realization hits that the king truly has plans to court her and everyone pressures her to accept. The romance was just right---not a case of her throwing everything away for a guy, but more figuring out how he might fit into the dream she's already striving for.  It breaks my heart as the story goes along and the people she hopes most might believe her and back her up let her down. Especially her father---their last conversation before the end had me absolutely sobbing. 

Meyer successfully pulls in so many of the original characters from Wonderland and gives them a place in this Queen of Hearts origin story. I loved how it gave the whole story a feeling of familiarity and you see how each one might have scattered across Wonderland after she became queen to later become part of Alice's story. There are some genuinely creepy moments, especially with the Treacle sisters and their horrific prophecies. The story twists and turns and twists again and I thought the chaotic downward spiral and the iconic last line were absolutely perfect---as well as completely devastating.  Beautifully done. 

While I know this stands boldly on it's own, I would love to get another origin story about Jest and Hatta in the land of Chess. Just sayin' ;)

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Marissa Meyer is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles. She lives in Tacoma, Washington. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, any occasion that requires a costume), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. 

WEBSITE   •   TWITTER  •   PINTEREST
Purchase Winter:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

*International Cover Showcase*

GUYS, check out all the gorgeous covers for Heartless!!

US Hardcover                               Dutch Paperback

                  UK Paperback                            UK Paperback (Feb 2017)

Can you pick a favorite? I love them all, and while I adore our US hardcover, I think my favorite is the upcoming UK paperback! Not sure why they are reissuing it recovered in February 2017, but I love it and I  know I'll be preordering it!!

So here's YOUR chance to nab one!! Enter below to win a copy of Heartless. Winner can choose any cover they want*! :D
•Open internationally
•Ends 11/25/16

a Rafflecopter giveaway *chosen edition must be available through either BookDepository.com or Fishpond.com. Please note that the illustrated UK paperback does not release until 2/2017 so prize will be for a pre-order. Winner will be contacted if chosen edition is not available through either site within 3 months of winning.

HEARTLESS BOOK BIRTHDAY WEEK: Cath's Rose Macarons

In Marissa Meyer's Heartless, young Cath dreams of someday opening a bakery and becoming famous throughout the land, not for being the Marquess' daughter but for her delicious sweet creations. By her mother's order, she bakes a decadent batch of Rose Macarons to give to the King, but she ends up bringing them instead to the wild tea party where she first meets the hatter.
Today I want to share a small excerpt from that scene---it not only gives you a good idea of the recipe that follows below, but encompasses everything I love about baking. ♥

"The macaron was sweet and decadent and smooth, with just a tiny crunch from the meringue, and a subtle floral moment from the distilled rose water, all melting together into one perfect bite. 

She listened to the gasps, the moans, the crinkle of parchment paper as someone scooped up the buttercream that had gotten missed.

This was why she enjoyed baking. A good dessert could make her feel like she'd created joy at the tips of her fingers. Suddenly, the people around the table were no longer strangers. They were friends and confidantes, and she was sharing with them her magic."

---page 168 from the Heartless ARC edition 

After reading that,  I knew I had to make these. Plus it's been so long since I've made anything with rosewater :). I did add in my own little touch and filled them also with raspberry preserves--because rose and raspberry compliment each other so perfectly. :)  So here they are:

Cath's Rose Macarons

So this recipe is a little different from the one I featured a few weeks ago with Glitter. This is actually the Italian method for making macarons, as opposed to the French. I love this one so much better, to be honest. They are a little more complicated to make, but much more stable---plus the resulting texture is perfectly crisp on the outside, a little flatter but definitely much more gooey and rich.  YUM.   A kitchen scale comes in hand if you want to measure everything out in grams (I've include the cup measurements as well), but you will need a candy thermometer. 

For the Macaron shells:

original recipe from Bouchon 

1¾ cups + 2½ tablespoons (212 grams) almond flour
1¾ cups + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (212 grams) powdered sugar
3 (82 grams) egg whites
3 (90 grams) egg whites
1 cup + 3 tablespoons (236 grams) granulated sugar, plus a pinch for the egg whites
⅔ cup (158 grams) water

Preheat over to 350○

Into a large bowl, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar, making sure to leave out any larger chunks of almond. Make a small well in the dry ingredients and add the 3 egg whites. Mix these together until it forms a thick almond paste. Set aside. 

In a small saucepan with a candy thermometer clipped to the side, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring slowly to boil over medium heat, slowly increasing if needed. Meanwhile, place your next three egg whites in a stand mixer. Beat until soft peaks form. Add in a pinch of sugar.  When the sugar/water syrup reaches 248 degrees, immediately remove from heat.  With the mixer running, pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl of egg whites. Beat on high until stiff peaks form.  

Gently fold egg whites into almond mixture. Mix this just until it reaches a lava-like consistency. Do not overmix!! To test, spoon out a small amount onto a plate. If the ridges disappear in about 30 seconds, its ready. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can mark the underside of the paper with circles to get the cookies as uniform as possible. Since they are shell cookies, they have to all be similar in size. Pipe circles of batter onto parchment, about an inch apart. These cookies will spread a little when cooking! Rap the pan firmly on your countertop to release as many air bubbles as possible. 

Into the oven they go (no need to let them sit out with this method! Yay!). Turn the heat down to 325○  and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let them cool on the pan for 5-10 mintues. Between each batch, let the oven reheat to 350○, turning it back down to 325○ as each batch goes in. 

When cooled, pair up the shells two by two on a parchment sheet to prepare them to be filled. 

Rose Buttercream:

•1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temp
•3-4 tablespoons milk
•1 tsp vanilla
•3 cups confectioners sugar
•1 tsp rosewater

In a medium bowl, mix butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth.  Add in confectioners sugar a cup at a time until creamy. Mix in rosewater 1/2 tsp at a time, testing for your taste preference after each. 

Spoon buttercream and raspberry preserves (I use Smuckers) into separate pastry bags fitted with round 1/2 tips. Pipe buttercream around the edge of each macaron half shell, then fill in with the raspberry preserves. Place the second half of each macaron on top and gently press down (very gently! You don't want to crack the pretty smooth shell!)

To decorate these with hearts, I just made a heart template cut out of a clean sheet of cardstock. I took a little sugar water and brushed inside each heart to give the sprinkles something to stick to, then shook the red sprinkles on. All done! 

I hope you enjoy these! 

Until next time...