The Girl in the Tower by Lisa Schroeder {review}

The Girl in the Tower
by Lisa Schroeder
♦publisher: Henry Holt & Co
♦release date: March 29th, 2016
♦hardcover, 256 pages
♦intended audience: juvenile/middle grade
♦stand-alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review

Ever since she can remember, ten-year-old Violet and her mother have been locked away in a tower by the evil Queen Bogdana, who has the kingdom under her spell. The queen has everything she wants except for one thing -- beauty. Violet possesses this beauty. She also has a secret: although she is very small, both her spirit and her heart are mighty.

When Violet is summoned by Bogdana to start training to become a real princess, it seems as if her life might be taking a turn for the better. But hope quickly fades when Violet's mother is banished from the castle, and she and Violet are forbidden to see each other ever again. With everyone's lives in the balance, it's up to Violet to break the spell and reunite her family. 

Review: The Girl in the Tower is a quick fun read that will lighten the hearts of any who read it.  It bears a lot in common with so many classic stories that we all know and love: a girl held captive in a tower who all the birds and butterflies are drawn to, an evil witch who desperately wants all the beauty and power, a secret garden. What it initially lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with a whimsical style that feels like the fairy tales of old, a cast of engaging characters, a few good surprise twists, lovely little illustrations, and lots of sweetness. 

I loved Violet for her imagination, her bravery, and her kindness. She proves herself incredibly self-reliant when it comes to standing her ground, but also willing to sacrifice for the happiness and safety of others. I thought the sides of good and evil were a little too black and white, Violet and everyone helping her were good, good, good, and the Queen was just plain evil, even despite showing a little twinge of wanting to be loved for a moment.  But still, it was simply charming. Wondering how Violet would triumph over the queen and be reunited with her family kept me eagerly turning pages.  I read this one in one sitting and, as a lover of fairy tales, this made for a delightful way to spend an afternoon. :)

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Lisa Schroeder is the author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens. Her latest young adult novel is ALL WE HAVE IS NOW, and the latest novel for 8-12 year olds is THE GIRL IN THE TOWER. She lives in Oregon where she spends her time reading, writing, baking yummy treats, and hiking with her family.

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Perfectly Posh: Beauty Spotlight & Giveaway with Jaime!

Something new and fun today at Stories & Sweeties!! I have a guest post by my fabulous friend, Jaime of Two Chicks on Books!! She is my new favorite skin care guru and I am proudly her new Perfectly Posh junkie :D  I am always looking for new skin care and makeup lines that are gunk-free (as in: no sulfates, parabens, petroleums, etc.---none of that gross stuff and that you DO NOT want anywhere near your skin) and cruelty-free (as in: leave those poor bunnies alone!!) and Perfectly Posh definitely fits that bill!  So Jaime is here to tell you more about this amazing line AND give you all a chance to score some gorgeous prize packs!! 

Welcome, Jaime!!

Have you heard about Perfectly Posh? I became an independent consultant in February because I love these products so darned much! I want to share with you what Perfectly Posh is and give away a pampering kit!

PERFECTLY POSH IS A PAMPERING BRAND 

If you love great products that are as fun as they are good for you then you’re going to love us. We were founded on some very simple principles:

We Simply Pamper 

Nothing complicated, tiresome, or mundane here. Come and be taken care of.

The best ingredients

We know if you want a product to feel great when you use it, it should be made of great things. We use the very best and most natural ingredients available so you can be proud to wear and share it.

Made in the USA

We love our country and those who make it work. At Perfectly Posh, it’s all about putting growth and goodness into our own communities. 

You deserve it

Yes, YOU. Life might never let you have a whole day off, but if you can take just a minute to take care of yourself you’ll be better able to do all the other things you need to. Take a little time to pamper YOU.

Perfectly Posh has tons of amazing products from face soaps and moisturizers, hand cremes, body soaps,  body lotions, face masks, and more!

They also offer a perks program (think rewards card). Every order you place you receive perks that you can use in a future purchase to get an item(s) FREE. The more you rack up, the more FREE stuff you get. Also you get 500 FREE perks on your birthday!

On top of all that awesomeness, they ALWAYS offer a buy 5 get 6th FREE special, and $5 shipping NO MATTER the amount of stuff ordered. How cool is that?

So, Are you ready to #GetPampered?

I would love to be your consultant! 

Website: https://posh_about_it.po.sh/front

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/136917986698421/

Join my Facebook page I send out FREE samples, do giveaways, and talk about all things Posh!

Join my Facebook group, comment where you heard about my group (whether a blog, twitter post, etc.) and I'll you’ll be entered to win a FREE lip balm! 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive one of the kits below (winner's choice), US Only.

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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.

Frozen Charlotte

by Alex Bell

hitting shelves November 29th, 2016

from Scholastic

An instantly gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with haunted dolls, creepy settings, and horrific twists.

When fifteen-year-old Sophie's best friend dies abruptly under mysterious circumstances, Sophie sets off to stay with her uncle and cousins on the remote Isle of Skye. It's been years since she last saw her cousins -- brooding Cameron with his scarred hand; Piper, who seems too perfect to be real; and peculiar little Lilias with her fear of bones.

Sophie knows that in her uncle's house, there are rules she must follow: Make no mention of Cameron's accident. Never leave the front gate unlocked. Above all, don't speak of the girl who's no longer there, the sister whose room lies empty of all but the strange antique dolls she left behind.

As Sophie begins to explore the old house, a former academy for girls shut down long ago, she discovers unsettling secrets that shed light on a dark and dangerous history. But there are some secrets Sophie never expected to uncover. Secrets about her own family. Secrets that suggest Sophie may be in more danger than she could have ever imagined.

My thoughts:  Dear book, you've pretty much guaranteed I'm going to read you with just that first creepy sentence. Then I read further and I can't wait to see what this bizarre band of characters has in store. Can't. Wait. 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

Winter by Marissa Meyer {audiobook review}

Winter
by Marissa Meyer
♦audiobook read by: Rebecca Soler
♦publisher: Macmillan Audio
♦release date: November 10th, 2015
♦series: The Lunar Chronicles, book 4
 reviews of previous books: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress
♦source: Audible.com

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Review:  What can I even say about this incredible end to one of my favorite series of all time. Wonderful. Heart-stopping. An undeniably satisfying finale.  So many amazing things happen that myself and I'm sure the rest of the fandom has been longing for--none of which I can mention without spoiling some of the best plot points! (sorry! :D) But, oh, people, with this final installment, Meyer really brought the GOODS.  

I honestly can say that there was not one moment to catch your breath, in all of 824 page (or 19 audiodiscs, in my case). With the absolute expert juggling of so many great characters (her royal villainousness included!), there was no downtime. I loved meeting Jacin and Winter, their history and love story is just the sweetest thing ever. It was also amazing getting to delve deeper into the lives of all the other characters, especially Wolf.  It was moment after moment of danger and chases and death and romance and defeats and triumphs and just excitement, excitement, excitement. 

Listening to the audio of this book took the experience to a whole other level.  The narrator, Rebecca Soler, delivered an absolutely perfect performance, with spot-on emotion brought to every scene.  Every character is completely distinct, I was never confused about whose voice I was hearing (except a few times with Cress and Iko). Her grasp of accents is stunning---she easily transitioned between American, French, Irish, Australian, and several others. My only regret on reading this book versus listening was that I wish I'd been able to build a mental image of Winter before hearing her "voice" because with the way she was read, I couldn't stop picturing her as Luna Lovegood with dark ringlets! :D 

I'm so sad to be done with this series. But I will say, audiobook was the perfect way to experience it. I only listened in the car so it forced me to pace myself and really get to savor every minute! I loved it so much! 

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Marissa Meyer is the USA Today- and New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter, and Fairest: Levana's Story. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband.

WEBSITE   •   TWITTER  •   PINTEREST
Add WINTER to Goodreads

Purchase Winter:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan {review & giveaway}

Shadow Magic
by Joshua Khan
♦publisher: Disney-Hyperion
♦release date: April 12th, 2016
♦hardcover, 336 pages
♦intended audience: Middle Grade
♦stand-alone 
♦source: ARC from publisher for honest review

Thorn, an outlaw's son, wasn't supposed to be a slave. He's been sold to Tyburn, an executioner, and they're headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land of undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire.
Lilith Shadow wasn't supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But following the murder of her family, young Lily became the last surviving member of House Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers. Her country is surrounded by enemies and the only way she can save it is by embracing her heritage and practicing the magic of the undead. But how can she when, as a girl, magic is forbidden to her?
Just when it looks like Lily will have to leave her home forever, Thorn arrives at Castle Gloom. A sudden death brings them together, inspires them to break the rules, and leads them to soar to new heights in this fantasy with all the sparkle and luster of a starry night sky.

Review: Shadow Magic's beautifully imagined world and it's turned-on-it's-head look at the war between darkness and light, along with clever and fun characters easily makes it a new favorite for me.  While this cover was initially what made me excited to get my hands on this book, the story quickly held me enchanted.

In this fast paced adventure there is danger, magic, wonder, and so many emotional battles. I immediately took to Thorn, his gutsiness and humor and determination to right his wrongs.  Lily was just as feisty but also struggled with proving herself to those around her and grieving for her family. A third to their trio was K'leef, a hostage of House Solar, was funny and a little jumpy from a sheltered royal life, but so sweet and a good friend. One of my favorite characters was Hades, an ancient and gigantic bat. The closeness that grew between Thorn and Hades was absolutely charming and heartwarming.  I loved that throughout the story, doubts get seeded about the loyalty and guilt of many of the characters; there's some great foreshadowing and hints, but the mystery unfolds with some fun twists and gasp-worthy surprises. 

The story is also brought to life with a few really dark and edgy illustrations by illustrator Ben Hibon.  Still, with the writing alone, the whole world comes alive with vivid imagery of a gloomy castle that is also the home Lily loves, a wildly colorful Halloween festival, a gleaming bright parade of snooty House Solar guards and royalty, and a gory run-in with some very dark creatures.  This is one of those books that I would love to see brought to life on the silver screen.  I've heard no word on whether or not there will be more adventures for Thorn, Lily, and K'leef, but I would absolutely LOVE to spend more time with these characters in this beautifully-penned world. 
*WAIT!! I just spotted sequel info on Goodreads!! Hurray! :D*

Joshua Khan was born in Britain. From very early on he filled his head with stories of heroes, kings, and queens, until there was hardly room for anything else. He can tell you who King Arthur fought on Baden Hill but can't tell you what he himself had for breakfast. So his head stuffed with legendary knights, wizards, and great and terrible monsters, it was inevitable Joshua would want to create some of his own.  Hence Shadow Magic.  Josh Lives in London with his family, but he'd rather live in a castle. It wouldn't have to be very big, just as long as it had battlements. 

(author bio from ARC edition)

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Purchase Shadow Magic:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

*GIVEAWAY*

I'm passing along my ARC of this wonderful book, because I adore it and need the hardcover to grace my "favorites" shelf! :)  Who wants it?? You DO. :D
•Open to US mailing address
•Ends 5/20/16

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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 Bone Witch

by Rin Chupeco

hitting shelves March 1, 2017

from Sourcebooks Fire

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

My thoughts:  Okay, so I know this one is super far from publication, but I just had to have this gorgeous thing on my blog. Loooook at that cover, all swirly and purpley and dreamy and creepy.  Plus the story sounds all kinds of awesome. Necromancy and elemental magic, dark forces and danger. Yep, my kind of book!  Also, you can check out an excerpt right here. 

What book are you eagerly anticipating this week?

What's New: May YA New Releases & Giveaway!

My goodness, May is here already!! For all you lucky ducks headed off to BEA next week, have a fabulous time! Know that I'll be stalking your book finds on twitter so don't disappoint me! :D  I want to seeee and drool over those lovely copies of Caraval (and others, of course lol)!!   I'm hoping to get more back into the groove of things this month--but of course, it is May, so just as the house stuff is getting finished up, I'll have my youngest getting out of school for the summer! Eeek lol. So, well, fingers crossed I can get this blog back into a more regular schedule. *sigh* Life just feels like it won't slow down for a second!!

So if you're new to Stories & Sweeties, here's a little run-down of this feature: at the start of each month, I do a little thing called the "What's New List & Giveaway" where you'll find a full list of the new releases in YA for the month, and entry to the international giveaway. At the end of each month, one lucky winner will get to choose any new release as their prize!

First things first! The winner of April's giveaway is Tanya G. ! Congrats!

May 2016 Releases:
Just like previous months, I've put a little l♥ve by those books that I am really anticipating!

{1}
Double Down by Gwenda Bond ♥
Hurricane Kiss by Deborah Blumenthal

{3}
Alice and the Fly by James Rice ♥
Anything You Want by Geoff Herbach
Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann
The Blood Between Us by Zac Brewer
The Crown by Kiera Cass
The Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas ♥
Dream On by Kerstin Gier 
Genius: The Game by Leopoldo Gout
The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry
Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
Invisible Fault Lines by Kristen-Paige Madonia
Invision by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Lost in Love by Susane Colasanti
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude ♥
Mother-Daughter Book Camp by Heather Vogel Frederick
Night Speed by Chris Howard
The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight
The Paladins by Julie Reece
Ruined by Amy Tintera ♥
Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes ♥
Shuffle, Repeat by Jen Klein
The Society by Jodie Andrefski
The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood ♥
Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider
Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers
A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison
Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman ♥
The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan ♥
True Born by L. E. Sterling
The Truth Game by Anna Staniszewski
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson ♥
Unforgivable by Amy Reed
A Walk in the Sun by Michelle Zink
Wandering Wild by Jessica Taylor
Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen
The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott
Whisper To Me by Nick Lake
Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood ♥

{10}
The Countdown by Kimberly Derting
The Disappearance of Ember Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Even if the Sky Falls by Mia Garcia
Everland by Wendy Spinale ♥
The Fall of Butterflies by Andrea Portes
Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross by Katie Finn
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley ♥
A Hundred Hours of Night by Anna Woltz & Laura Watkinson
The Inquisition by Taran Matharu
Jerkbait by Mia Siegert
The Last Remnant by Pam Brondos
The Last Time We Were Us by Leah Konen
Love Blind by C. Desire & Jolene Perry
The Mark of Cain by Lindsey Barraclough
The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse
Running for Water and Sky by Sandra Kring
The Season of You and Me by Robin Constantine
Summer of Supernovas by Darcy Woods
This is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer
Unrivaled by Alyson Noel

{17}
100 Days of Cake by Shari Goldhagen ♥
Breakfast with Neruda by Laura Moe
Circle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein
The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye ♥
Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black ♥
Draw the Line by Laurent Linn
Gena/Finn by Hannah Mostowitz & Kat Helgeson
Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes
It Wasn’t Always Like This by Joy Preble ♥
Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by  Kimberly Karalius ♥
Marked by Jenny martin
The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson
Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff ♥
The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rise by Jennifer Anne Davis
Silence is Goldfish by Annabel  Pitcher
Spark by Holly Schindler
Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins (anthology)
This is the Part Where You Laugh by Peter Brown Hoffmeister
Within Reach by Jessica Stevens

{24}
26 Kisses by Anna Michels
Breaker by Kat Ellis
Curse by Steven James
Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin ♥
The Hunt by Megan Shepard
Incriminated by M.G. Reyes
The Last Star by Rick Yancey
Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee ♥
Please Don’t Tell by Laura Tims
The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda
Shining Sea by Mimi Cross

{31}
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson
Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten
City of Spies by Nina Berry
Crow Mountain by Lucy Inglis
Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick
Frannie & Tru by Karen Hattrup
In the Shadow of the Dragon King by J. Keller Ford ♥
The Inside of Out by Jenn Marie Thorne ♥
The Language of Stars by Louise Hawes
Lies I Live By by Lauren Sabel
Meet Me Here by Bryan Bliss
Nil on Fire by Lynne Matson
Read Me Like A Book by Liz Kessler
Resurgence by Kerry Wilkinson
Savage by Thomas E. Sniegoski
Sing by Vivi Greene
The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury ♥
Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Without Annette by Jane B. Mason


(All links go to Goodreads)
Please feel free to email me if you notice any YA titles missing! :)

Giveaway Details: 
One winner will win a YA May release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends May 31st, 2016 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 April or May reviews, and can be done once per review. Come back throughout May whenever you comment on my reviews and get your extra points!    


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