Lisa's Looking Forward To - January 8th New Books

For many years I've participated in the Waiting on Wednesday meme, as well as more recently the Can't Wait Wednesday post.  After a while I got to where I wasn't always joining in, due to tours and other things.  However a year or so ago, I started keeping track of the new releases I found on Netgalley and Edelweiss that I wanted to read, and whether I downloaded them or requested them, and when I had to get them read and reviewed by.  I had to do that because I would forget because I was requesting too many.  Now I still keep track of them, have a whole page in my blog planner for each month where I separate these week by week.

I also used to always participate in the Sunday Wrap-Up Post, or the Stacking My Shelves Post each week.  But again, blog tours, and working at the bookstore, and then downloading so many free ebooks over the past two or three years, kept me from being faithful to always doing that.  However, no matter what, I still seem to be faithful to keeping track in my planner of the new books coming out that I see on NG and EW.

Mostly I look up YA books it seems, so you'll see a theme in these posts that way.  But I decided something easier to do, than a wrap-up post each week, or a WOW post in the middle of the week, was to just do one of these each week.   You see, I don't always get to these books, even if I really wanted to. And now I don't request them all, or download them all, trying to work on getting that Netgalley percentage up where it should be.  But this way I can look back at the ones I thought I might try to read.  I'll share if I've read them and either a link to the review or let you know when to look for the review.  If I haven't read them, and you have, I'd love to hear what you thought!

These are the books on my list that will be published on January 8th, 2019:

This was one I had to have a physical copy of, which I was lucky enough to finally find someone to trade with me on Twitter for.  Yay!!!  I read it and loved it, and my review was yesterday.  Now, I need to find out how to get on the list for an ARC of the next book in the series.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…

But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

This is one that the synopsis definitely sounded like it could be a tear-jerker.  A contemporary type of story, one that I rarely request from publishers, but thought if someone had sent me a copy, I would probably have read it. Might be one I'd get for my school library for my students.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Last month, Elin tried to kill herself.

She knows she's lucky that her parents found her in time. Lucky to be going to prom with her three best friends, like any other teen. Like it never happened. And if she has anything to say about it, no one but her best friends will ever know it did.

Jenna, Rosie, and Ket will do anything to keep Elin's secret—and to make sure it never happens again. That's why they're determined to make prom the perfect night. The night that convinces Elin that life is worth living.

Except, at prom, Elin goes missing.

Now it's up to her friends to find her. But each of the girls has her own demons to face. Ket is being blackmailed by an ex. Rosie is falling in love for the first time. And Jenna . . .

Jenna is falling apart.

And no one, not even her best friends, knows why.

Heart-wrenching and utterly impossible to put down, When the Truth Unravels follows four friends as they confront their greatest hopes and darkest secrets in one life-changing night.

I was lucky enough to receive, I think through Goodreads giveaways, ARCs of the first two in this series.  I reached out to the publisher for a copy of this last one, and I think one is on the way, but I know I won't get it read in time for this pub date.  However I'm interested to see where the story goes, and how it all will end.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingaleand The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.


Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

Advance praise for The Winter of the Witch

“Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy isn’t just good—it’s hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favorites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better. The Winter of the Witch plunges us back to fourteenth-century Moscow, where old gods and new vie for the soul of Russia and fate rests on a witch girl’s slender shoulders. Prepare to have your heart ripped out, loaned back to you full of snow and magic, and ripped out some more.”—Laini Taylor 


Those are the three main ones on my blog calendar for this week. One I've read, one I'm going to read, and one that was at least interesting enough to note in my planner.  Have you read any of them?  Will you be adding any of them to your TBR? 

Can't Wait Wednesday #32 - Bobby Sky: Boy Band or Die by Joe Shine

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.  Okay, this week is a book I just happened to stumble across on Edelweiss and the title grabbed me.  I started reading the synopsis, and at first wasn't sure, but the last part totally sold me.  This is one that seems like such a unique story that I can't wait!  If only I was on the Soho Teen ARC list and could get a copy of it, but for now I'll just wait until it gets closer to the time of release and maybe download it from Edelweiss.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

At fourteen, Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson is out of luck. His charm and singing voice—and penchant for bursting into song at all the wrong times—can’t keep him out of trouble anymore. When he’s arrested (again): he’s given a choice: die in juvie or become a Shadow: the fearless, unstoppable, and top-secret guardian of a Future Important Person, or FIP. 

With nothing to lose, Hutch accepts. After two grueling years at the Future Affairs Training and Education (FATE) Center, Hutch can barely remember the boy he once was. His entire existence has been erased. Ready for anything, he expects to be plunged into a battle zone. 

Instead he learns that his FIP is someone named Ryo Enomoto. Yes, the Ryo Enomoto: front-man of world-famous boy band International. Worse, Hutch has to put his old talents to use. He must join the band and change his name to Bobby Sky. Is this for real? Has he really turned himself into a lethal killing machine . . . only to become a teen pop sensation?  

Does that not sound like a really fun and unique story?  What book are you eagerly awaiting this week?

And while you're here, make sure you stop by and enter at my stop on the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

Can't Wait Wednesday #31: When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.  My pick this week is one that I found on Edelweiss last week that just sounds like a really fun read!  I mean, just look at the title!  Here is the synopsis from Edelweiss:

In this smart and funny YA novel, Shelby Black tries to juggle school, love, and exorcism.

Shelby Black has spent the past six months training to be an exorcist. Her great-uncle Roy—a Catholic priest—has put her through exorcist boot camp hell, hoping to develop her talent, but ohmygod, he still doesn’t trust her to do an exorcism on her own. 

High school is hard enough without having to explain that you fight demons for a living, so Shelby keeps her extracurricular activity to herself. The last thing she wants is for her crush, Spencer, to find out what she does in her off time. 

But Shelby knows how to keep a secret—even a big one. Like the fact that her mom left under mysterious circumstances and it’s all her fault. Shelby is hellbent on finding her mom, no matter what it costs her—even if what it ends up costing her is her soul AND a relationship with Spencer.

Sounds like fun, don't you think?  Does this sound like one you'd add to your TBR?  What book are you eagerly awaiting this week?

Blog Tour Review With Giveaway: The Keep of Ages (The Vault of Dreamers Trilogy #3) by Caragh M. O'Brien

Book info:

Title:  The Keep of Ages
Author:  Caragh M. O'Brien
Series:  The Vault of Dreamers Trilogy #3
Genre:  YA Science Fiction
Release Date:  August 29th, 2017
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Source:  E-galley from Edelweiss for honest review
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:
In the fast-paced, high-stakes conclusion to Caragh M. O'Brien's Vault of Dreamers trilogy, Rosie travels to a derelict theme park to shut down dream mining once and for all.

Driven by fear when Dean Berg kidnaps her family, Rosie Sinclair strikes out across the country to rescue them. When an elusive trail leads her to Grisly Valley, the contaminated ruin of a horror theme park, Rosie has to consider that Berg may once again be manipulating her every move to make her fearful, priming her for a final, lethal dream mining procedure. As Rosie struggles to outmaneuver Berg, she unearths the ultimate vault of dreamers and the hint of a consciousness more powerful and dangerous than any she's imagined before. Faced with unspeakable suffering and otherworldly beauty, Rosie must discover how to trust her mind, her friends, and reality itself.

Propulsive and deeply speculative, The Keep of Ages concludes the Vault of Dreamers trilogy with stirring possibilities for what it means to be alive.

My Review:
This final book in the series definitely closed the story out satisfactorily.  All three books in the series have earned 4 star ratings from me.  You can read my reviews of the first two books here, The Vault of Dreamers and The Rule of Mirrors.    Obviously if you haven't read the first two, I can't promise no spoilers for them in my review. Sorry.  You should stop reading this and skip on down to the giveaway below or click on the links earlier in this paragraph for my reviews of the first two books.

If you remember, Linus and Rosie had the issue of there being a camera put in Linus's eye by Berg.  Rosie's family is gone, and Berg says he has them.  She is trying to get them back as well as to find a way to live safely, and not let Berg capture her and mine her dreams anymore. Berg needs her dreams, as he thinks it may be the way to save himself from the disease he is dying from.  

Rosie is afraid to go to Linus, knowing that just about anything she does could lead Berg right to her.  So she turns to Burnham, meaning that she ends up having to tell him about Thea, and who Thea really is.  Thea's parents want to seed her again, since her headaches are coming back.  Rosie is led to the idea that her family might be held captive in a vault in California that she has heard of.  Her sister Dubbs left her a clue, a place to go find them, and there she finds a woman who is from the past of the whole project.  A woman who has her own reasons for wanting the vault of dreamers to be found, and hopefully that will make her help something Rosie can depend on. This vault of dreamers is located underneath an amusement park, which you'll find is where the title of this book comes from.  

There's a lot of suspense and on the edge of your seat moments in this one.  It ends satisfactorily as I said, although I could totally read more of the story if there was more.

Praise for THE VAULT OF DREAMERS Series

“A sharp novel about the ways in which everyone can be manipulated, either through editing or one's own desire to go the easiest path.” ―BCCB

“Like O'Briens Birthmarked trilogy, this dystopian, sci-fi, psychological-thriller hybrid raises ethical and moral questions about science. This might have been a difficult story to pull off, given the environment, but with a likable narrator who is thoroughly unimpressed with herself, it works . . . this should have wide appeal.” ―Booklist

“Fans looking for a science fiction novel that is not heavy on the science fiction or who want something vaguely dystopian will enjoy this title.” ―VOYA

“A mixture of science fiction and contemporary fiction, this novel is an interesting addition to both genres.” ―School Library Journal

“A fast, satisfying psychological thriller . . . The sudden cliffhanger will polarize readers.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Like viewers of The Forge Show, readers will want to keep watching Rosie.” ―Publishers Weekly 

About the Author:

Caragh M. O’Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS series, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O’Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA in the Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University. Her young adult science fiction has been honored by the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, the Amelia Bloomer Award, the Junior Library Guild, and numerous state reading lists. A former high school English teacher, she now writes young adult novels full time from her home in rural Connecticut.

Photo Credit: Tomy O’Brien 2014

WEBSITE: http://www.caraghobrien.com/
TWITTER: @CaraghMOBrien
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3036304.Caragh_M_O_Brien
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caragh-M-OBrien-Writer/311588922533

FACEBOOK: https://www.instagram.com/caraghmobrien/

Giveaway:

- 10 Winners will receive a Copy of THE KEEP OF AGES by Caragh M. O'Brien

   
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of the tour HERE.

Can't Wait Wednesday #27: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.  My pick this week is one I found on the Edelweiss website as an egalley.  The cover and synopsis both grabbed my attention, and now I am very eager to get my hands on it.  Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:  

A story of the undead like you’ve never read before, Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation is a fresh, stunning, and powerful meditation on race in America wrapped in an alternate-history adventure where Confederate and Union soldiers rise from the dead at the end of the Civil War.

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

At once provocative, terrifying, and darkly subversive, Dread Nation is Justina Ireland’s stunning vision of an America both foreign and familiar—a country on the brink, at the explosive crossroads where race, humanity, and survival meet.

What do you think?  Does it sound good to you?  I haven't read a lot of alternate history stories, but the ones I have read have been good!

If you're looking for a great challenge for September, click on the button above to join my September Sequel Challenge and maybe win a book of your choice! 

And only a few more days to help me celebrate my 8th blogoversary with a giveaway HERE. 

ARC Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Book info:
Title:  Geekerella
Author:  Ashley Poston
Genre:  YA Contemporary, Fairy Tale retelling
Published:  April 4th, 2017
Source:  Edelweiss e-galley from publisher, Quirk Books
My rating:  5 stars

So, if you are a long-time follower, you know that I'm not a huge YA contemporary reader.  But, when I saw there was a dachshund in this one, and that it was a fairy tale retelling, AND had to do with a comic-con type of event, I was instantly intrigued.  As you can tell by my 5 star rating, I also was not disappointed!

This is a Cinderella story/retelling, so it reminded me a bit of my 2015 NaNoWriMo project, which was also a Cinderella retelling, modern YA contemporary style, and like mine, this one even included a country club.  However, this book did such a great job at really hitting all the little story details that fit in with the fairy tale.  And we got both sides of the story, both our Cinderella - Elle, and our Prince Charming - actor Darien Freeman who plays Prince Carmidor in the new movie based on Elle's favorite sci-fi series.  That makes the story unique in itself, although my project also did both sides.  Again, not quite as good as this one though!  Elle's father died a few years ago, but not before remarrying a woman who is the perfect evil stepmother, and not only that, she has twin step-sisters who are definitely also evil, for the most part, one of them might actually have some redeeming qualities.  

The big convention for the space show, Starfield, was actually started years ago by Elle's father and mother.  But she hasn't been without her father.  This year she wants to go, after all kinds of things make her interested.  She has made a new friend, the girl that works with her in the food truck called "the Magic Pumpkin", more Cinderella details.  The friend is kind of a fairy godmother too in that she is able to help Elle get her "outfit" ready for the comic-con.  There is also the little dachshund, the one that lives next door, that Elle rescues from being chained outside and neglected.  You gotta love him.  

And then of course there is Darien, who not only has to fill in one of the biggest roles ever, he doesn't want to mess it up, because he is also a big fan of the show.  And due to his "teen hunk" status, many people, especially bloggers, are sure he will fail, and are posting it all over the internet.  Darien's life isn't as sweet as you'd think.  He has to deal with his rabid fans, a dad that has become more into making his son a successful movie star, but not worried about his son's happiness, and friends from the past, who were only out to sell stories about him.  

Darien and Elle will meet at the convention, Elle not really impressed with him, as she is one of those bloggers predicting his failure.  Yet Darien will be intrigued with her right away, until he finds out she is one of those bloggers.  The two of them will have lots to overcome, including a moment of being separated, and Prince Charming, excuse me, Prince Carmidor, searching for Cinderella, I mean Elle.

A funny, sweet story, one I'm glad I got the opportunity to read, and highly recommend! 

 

ARC Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Book info:

Title:  Daughter of the Pirate King
Author:  Tricia Levenseller
Series:   Daughter of the Pirate King #1
Genre:  YA Historical Fantasy, Pirates
Published:  February 28th, 2017
Source:  E-galley from Edelweiss
My rating:  5 stars

Okay, I just realized that I never actually posted a review for this book that I loved so much!  It is one of my staff recommendations at the bookstore where I work currently, so I did a tiny blurb to recommend it, but I  never posted one on my blog.  Well, I can tell you this, it was such a good book!  While it was mainly about pirates, which makes it seem kind of historical, it was really a lot of fantasy, as there are actual Sirens in it, and the main character has some of those abilities, she can sing to get men to do what she wants.  

But she's not just part Siren, her dad is king of the pirates, or so he calls himself.  It seems there are some other pirates who want to claim that title for themselves.  So Alosa, his daughter, sets out to get herself kidnapped, so that she can spy on these other pirates, find a map, and also hopefully lead them way off track of finding her father.  Of course, Alosa is also a very good pirate in her own right, and so there is a lot she must do in order to seem like someone that would be an actual prisoner.  She uses her skills to sneak out of the cell where they're keeping her on the enemy's ship, and then she is able to sneak around and see if she can find what she's looking for.  Only, one of the pirate brothers that is in charge of the ship that has taken her hostage seems to see past her fake plans.  Not only that, the two of them clash, and are definitely attracted to each other.  

In the end there is even one more traitor that will cause everyone to have to figure out who they can and can't trust, as well as changing plans to help her father get what he wants.  But the feelings that may come between Alosa and Riden, (the pirate brother), can only serve to cause them so much turmoil in their end game plans.  It is such a fun ride though, just reminded me so much of the first Pirate of the Caribbean movies.  And the ending, well it ends in a way that you're left on the edge of your seat, so excited for the sequel.  As I mentioned, I highly recommend this one!

 

ARC Review: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Book info:
Title:  Long May She Reign
Author:  Rhiannon Thomas
Genre:  YA fantasy
Published:  February 21st, 2017
Source: E-galley from Harper Teen off of Edelweiss
My rating:  4.5 stars

I have been a fan of this author since her first book, A Wicked Thing.  While this book isn't part of that series, I really enjoyed it, and it is great as a standalone.  

The main character of this story is Freya.  Freya doesn't enjoy  her family's connection and standing in the Court, instead she loves science and experiments.  And that hobby of hers is what basically saves her life when almost the entire Court dies at the King's birthday party from a poisoned cake.  It turns out that the very next in line for the throne is Freya herself.  Something Freya never dreamed of, and definitely never wanted.  Now she is hurried off to the old castle fort to try to protect her from whoever did the poisoning.  Of course there are those who do not trust her or want her as queen.  There is even suspicion that maybe she is the one who poisoned the King, especially with her scientific knowledge and experiments.  

Freya decides that she must find out who it was that actually was the poisoner, and there are many suspects.  First is the King's illegitimate son Fitzroy.  When he first sees Freya after the deaths, he comes across as very threatening, telling her that she does not belong there.  Soon he becomes her friend, maybe more, when he shows up in her lab and wants to help her figure out the poison, or a way to determine if food is poisoned besides having to endanger the life of a royal taster.  Then there are the nobles that all have reasons they may have wanted the King dead.  There is an underground organization that also seems to have reasons to overthrow the King and change the world to the way they want it.  And of course, Freya is also considered a suspect, even though she knows she didn't do it.  

As queen she first finds that her father and the other advisors try to hide things and keep them running without really telling her what is going on. When she says that she wants to have a funeral for everyone that died, and not just the royals, they decide to pay for it by charging the people a funeral tax.  When families are unable to pay it, they throw them in jail.  As Freya finds these things out, she decides that she must become a queen herself.  She must do what she feels is right and fair for the kingdom that she is now Queen of.  Freya is lucky in that her best friend was not poisoned because she was with Freya at the time of the deaths, and Freya also soon makes a new best friend, the person who I believe might have been after her in line for the throne.  Which of course will also make that girl a suspect as well.

What I loved about this book even more, is that while I thought I had it figured out, while I assumed that maybe the characters just weren't seeing something that I was, I was wrong.  And I love that!  I love a good storyline that can still keep me surprised.  

I will continue to look forward to books from Rhiannon Thomas, and definitely suggest this one!

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.   (Do you like my new button above?  Can't decide if maybe it is too busy?)  

This week I've picked a book that I found on Edelweiss and besides the hilarious title, the book itself just sounds really good.  I'm excited to give it a try.  Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

For fans of John Dies at the End and Welcome to Night Vale comes a tour de force of horror, humor, and H.P. Lovecraft. The surviving members of a forgotten teenage detective club (and their dog) must reunite as broken adults to finally solve the terrifying case that ruined them all and sent the wrong man to prison. Scooby Doo and the gang never had to do this!
1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in the Zoinx River Valley in Oregon) are all grown up and haven t seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977. Andy, the tomboy, is twenty-five and on the run, wanted in at least two states. Keri, one-time kid genius and budding biologist, is bartending in New York, working on a serious drinking problem. At least she s got Sean, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team. Nate, the horror nerd, has spent the last thirteen years in and out of mental health institutions, and currently resides in an asylum in Arhkam, Massachusetts. The only friend he still sees is Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star. The problem is, Peter s been dead for years.
The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began in 1977. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting.
With raucous humor and brilliantly orchestrated mayhem, Edgar Cantero's Meddling Kids taps into our shared nostalgia for the books and cartoons we grew up with, and delivers an exuberant, eclectic, and highly entertaining celebration of horror, life, friendship, and many-tentacled, inter-dimensional demon spawn.

So, have you heard of this one before?  Were you a Scooby Doo fan like I was as a kid?  This sounds funny, love all the little side jokes.  What book are you eagerly waiting for this week?

Review and Giveaway: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Book info:
Title:  Of Fire and Stars
Author:  Audrey Coulthurst
Genre:  YA fantasy LGBTQ
Published:  November 22nd, 2016
Source:  E-galley from Edelweiss and Irish Banana Tours

Synopsis:
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there’s more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other

LINKS: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

My Review:
I haven't quite finished the book, but I can say that I am really enjoying it!  I like the characters a lot. And the plot is really detailed and keeps me wondering where the story will go next.  I like how the characters find out that they may be interested in each other, even though Denna is actually betrothed to the prince, Mare's sister.  The book is told in alternating chapters between Denna and Mare.  And while you can get the difference and know exactly who each chapter is told by, you can also see all the differences in them, and how they deal with the feelings they come to discover about each other.  I am really looking forward as I mentioned above, to see where their relationship will go, as well as how it will affect the marriage and alliance between the two kingdoms.  I hope to find out that the magic will become accepted, and the people will find who is causing all the violence. There is a woman who is causing issues with the kingdom, and I am interested to see if she is really behind it all, especially since she is really hard to like so far.  I like the LGBTQ aspect, and how it seems so seamlessly to fit in.  It's not just out there, to be in your face, like some books do.  It seems just like normal life should be between people and a romance.  

This is a book I will definitely recommend, and also purchase for the school library where I work.  I hope to read more books like this in the future, as well as more from this author.

About Author:  

Audrey Coulthurst writes YA books that tend to involve magic, horses, and kissing the wrong people. Her debut novel, Of Fire and Stars, will be published on November 22, 2016 by Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins. When she’s not dreaming up new stories, she can usually be found painting, singing, or on the back of a horse.

Audrey has a Master’s in Writing from Portland State University, is a member of SCBWI, and studied with Malinda Lo as a 2013 Lambda Literary Foundation Fellow. She lives in Santa Monica, California.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram



 

Giveaway:

• 3 Finished Copies of OF FIRE AND STARS (US Only) 

 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
11/14: What Sarah Read - Review
11/15: A Backwards Story - Mood Board
11/16: Addicted 2 Novels - Review
11/17: Caught Read Handed - Guest Post
11/18: Lisa Loves Literature - Review  YOU ARE HERE!!!

Week 2:
11/21: The Irish Banana Review - Fast 5
11/22: IN WONDERLAND - Review
11/23: No BS Book Reviews - Q&A
11/24: Don't Fold the Page - Review
11/25: Arctic Books - Top 5