E-galley Review: The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White

Book info:

Title:  The Guinevere Deception
Author:  Kiersten White
Series:  Camelot Rising #1
Genre: YA fantasy retelling
Release Date:  November 5th, 2019

Publisher:  Delacorte Press
Source: E-galley from Netgalley which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis: 
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot. 

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution--send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name--and her true identity--is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. 

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old--including Arthur's own family--demand things continue as they have been, and the new--those drawn by the dream of Camelot--fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?


My Review:
 I definitely get the lure of the Arthurian legends, and do enjoy a good story set in that world.  Overall, this was one that I did really enjoy.  I'm not as well-versed in this world as other people are, so there were some things I was definitely learning about the legends and people as I read, and others that I wasn't quite sure of the characters and had to go do some research outside of the book to make sure I realized who each of them were in the stories.  The world White has built in this book is once again so deep and vivid and haunting in some parts.  The characters are well-fleshed out, and used to keep you either on your toes to decipher story arcs, or else they fill in the story in such a way that it helps you figure things out with plenty of "ah-ha" moments.  I loved how Guinevere made one of her best friends with a person that normally you would read in a story as someone who caused problems for her.  To have that person really be someone who just needed to be given the chance to be a good person, even with all her shortcomings and gossip/social climbing traits that were expected of women in those times.  I'll be intrigued to see how the story will carry on with Merlin in the predicament he ends up in, and the Lady of the Lake as well as the Dark Queen all playing their roles in this game of a plot.  It is hard to decide if I can fall in love with Arthur, because of his many absences from his queen, but then there is Mordred, and what happens with him, can we trust him, is he really on a bad path, or maybe he has the right way of thought?  So many twists and turns and things to keep you thinking and wondering and waiting for the next book.

While this was good, it did not blow me away the way The Conqueror's Saga and the first book in the Slayer series did.  I'm still excited enough to be awaiting the next book though, but I'll be patiently waiting for the year or so that it takes. 

Late Review: Hungry Hearts Anthology

Book info:

Title:  Hungry Hearts
Author:   Elsie Chaptman - Editor
Genre:  YA anthology
Release Date:  June 18th, 2019
Publisher:  Simon Pulse
Source: E-galley from Netgalley/Publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:
From some of your favorite bestselling and critically acclaimed authors—including Sandhya Menon, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Rin Chupeco—comes a collection of interconnected short stories that explore the intersection of family, culture, and food in the lives of thirteen teens.

A shy teenager attempts to express how she really feels through the confections she makes at her family’s pasteleria. A tourist from Montenegro desperately seeks a magic soup dumpling that could cure his fear of death. An aspiring chef realizes that butter and soul are the key ingredients to win a cooking competition that could win him the money to save his mother’s life.

Welcome to Hungry Hearts Row, where the answers to most of life’s hard questions are kneaded, rolled, baked. Where a typical greeting is, “Have you had anything to eat?” Where magic and food and love are sometimes one and the same.

Told in interconnected short stories, Hungry Hearts explores the many meanings food can take on beyond mere nourishment. It can symbolize love and despair, family and culture, belonging and home.

My Review:
So, I haven't completely read all the stories in this book, but I know that I'll probably not get back to it. So I'm going to count it as finished, and go ahead and post a review.  I have to say that I really enjoyed this a lot, and will definitely recommend for teens to read it. Basically from what I read, the first story was short and sweet. I also decided after reading it that I had to actually Google some of the different food types to get an idea what they were. The second story was really dark, but in a good way! The third story was a bit predictable, but still very sweet and enjoyable. The fourth story was dark again, but this time the food wasn't anything I thought I'd want to try, but it fit perfectly into the story. Add Alsaid's story was really good, and made me wish that the setting in the book was real, because I wanted to go to that place! The Slender One story made me do a lot of googling to find out more about food, that one about some Asian foods. One story talked about deep fried foods, like I've always wanted to try deep fried butter ever since a story on the summer fairs that had that kind of thing. That story made me really want again to try it, and try it dipped in both chocolate sauce and melted peanut butter. Yummy! There was a story about fried chicken, as well as a story about a recipe needing more heart. All the stories I got through were great, and I hope to have time some day to go back and finish. But I doubt there is anything that is disappointing in this wonderful anthology, just more stories to make your mouth water!  

E-galley Review: Storm and Fury (The Harbinger #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book info:

Title:   Storm and Fury
Author:  Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series:  The Harbinger #1
Genre:  YA/NA Paranormal Romance
Release Date:  June 11th, 2019
Publisher:  Inkyard Press
Source:  E-galley from Netgalley which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…


My Review:
Well, I think Roth was my first JLA book boyfriend, the original series that we met Zayne in.  So I was definitely glad when Roth did show up again.  As always, once I picked this up to read, all I wanted to do was sit and read to the very last page and do nothing else.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do that, and it took me several days to finish.  Darn work and sleeping, etc.  It was so much fun to be back in the world of gargoyles and demons.  While I'd never been Team Zayne, because I was Team Roth all the way, that was with Layla.  Here, for Trinity, I became Team Zayne in no time.  What I love about Armentrout's heroines is that they are all so sarcastic and so much like I see myself and my friends.  And I love the banter and relationships between the characters in her worlds as well. The references to the tv show Supernatural, which is one of my all time favorites, other than this past year I guess, are so much fun.  The fact that Zayne has a car like Dean, totally made me laugh.  It was also fun that Trinity could talk to ghosts, that was a fun new aspect to this story.  There were so many times I thought maybe I was seeing something going on, but this author totally knows how to keep me on my toes, thinking one thing, but then the next thing that happened would send my mind down another path of what might be going on.

Loved this new story, and while it definitely was left open for another book, I mean who is this Harbinger and what are they after, it had a definite ending, so that I wasn't cursing the author for leaving me waiting till the  next book.  My only issue with the book is a slightly technical one.  When Trinity says she wanted to be an archeologist after the movie Jurassic Park, the science teacher/wannabe paleontologist in me must point out that she means paleontologist, an archeologist might be after the movie The Mummy.   

While I read an e-galley of this, I will definitely be buying a finished copy, debating if I can afford to do one of the pre-order deals, but don't think I can, so I'll just buy it when I get the chance.  I will however be sure to purchase it for my high school library with my budget money next year.   
 

Blog Tour Review: Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1) by Emily A. Duncan

Book info:

Title:  Wicked Saints
Author:  Emily A. Duncan
Series:  Something Dark and Holy #1
Genre:  YA Fantasy
Release Date:  April 2nd, 2019
Publisher:  Wednesday Books
Source:  E-galley from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4  stars

Synopsis:

“Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen
A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.
A prince in danger must decide who to trust.
A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 
Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.
In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.
“This book destroyed me and I adored it.”- Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

BUY LINK:

https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/wicked-saints/

My Review:

So, it took me a few chapters to really get into this.  But once I did, I was very intrigued by this world, and their use of magic, and their gods.  This story was so complex and there was so much to follow and learn about as I read.  It took me a little longer to read because of that, but then a fantasy story like this always does as you get the world-building going.  Of course we know that Nadya is our good side, the one we are rooting for, but it is also easy to wonder if her fighting for her gods is something that maybe she does need to take a step back from. Her travels and tenuous truce with Malachiasz to work together towards their supposedly common goal were full of so many twists, and especially once they reached the capital city in Grazyk, it almost gave me whiplash, like watching a tennis match, wondering who was really the bad guy.  Who could Nadya really trust, who was really on her side, were the feelings she was developing for an assumed enemy ones that could be trusted, or was she being tricked? 

The monsters that we were worried about at the beginning became allies.  And those that Nadya thinks are allies may be the true monsters, more than she even realizes until it is too late.  But I could see a bit of redemption or want of redemption even in our monster at the end, and I look forward to another book for this story, to see just what is real and what is not.  That's a warning for you, that while this isn't a cliffhanger really, it doesn't end in a way that things are all wrapped up.  We must have more.  Hopefully when the next one comes out, I'll be lucky enough to get a copy to read and have plenty of time to read it.

When you start, just know that this image below of the pronunciation guide will be very helpful.  It definitely helped me as I was reading.

Other Reviews:

“Prepare for a snow frosted, blood drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare. Utterly absorbing.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen

"Full of blood and monsters and magic—this book destroyed me and I adored it. Emily is a wicked storyteller, she’s not afraid to hurt her characters or her readers. If you’ve ever fallen in love with a villain you will fall hard for this book." - Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

"This is the novel of dark theology and eldritch blood-magic that I’ve been waiting for all my life. It’s got a world at once brutal and beautiful, filled with characters who are wounded, lovable, and ferocious enough to break your heart. A shattering, utterly satisfying read." - Rosamund Hodge, author of Cruel Beauty and Bright Smoke, Cold Fire

“Wicked Saints is a lush, brutal, compelling fantasy that is dark, deep, and bloody—absolutely riveting! With a boy who is both man and monster, mysterious saints with uncertain motives, and a girl filled with holy magic who is just beginning to understand the full reaches of her power, this gothic jewel of a story will sink its visceral iron claws into you, never letting go until you’ve turned the last page. And truthfully, not even then -the explosive ending will haunt you for days! ” - Robin LaFevers, New York Times bestselling author of the His Fair Assassin trilogy

“Dark, bloody, and monstrously romantic. This is the villain love interest that we've all been waiting for.” - Margaret Rogerson, New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens 

"Seductively dark and enchanting, Wicked Saints is a trance you won’t want to wake from. Duncan has skillfully erected a world like no other, complete with provocative magic, sinister creatures, and a plot that keeps you guessing. This spellbinding YA fantasy will bewitch readers to the very last page." - Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep 

 

About the Author:

EMILY A. DUNCAN works as a youth services librarian. She received a Master’s degree in library science from Kent State University, which mostly taught her how to find obscure Slavic folklore texts through interlibrary loan systems. When not reading or writing, she enjoys playing copious amounts of video games and dungeons and dragons. Wicked Saints is her first book. She lives in Ohio.

 

Website: https://eaduncan.com/
Twitter: @glitzandshadows
Instagram: @glitzandshadows
Tumblr: http://glitzandshadows.tumblr.com/

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? 

Blog Tour Review with Giveaway: Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson

Book info:

Title:  Paper Girl
Author:  Cindy R. Wilson
Genre:  YA Contemporary
Release Date:  December 4th, 2018
Publisher:  Entangled Teen
Source:  E-galley from Netgalley provided by YA Bound Book Tours for review, did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:

I haven’t left my house in over a year. My doctor says it’s social anxiety, but I know the only things that are safe are made of paper. My room is paper. My world is paper. Everything outside is fire. All it would take is one spark for me to burst into flames. So I stay inside. Where nothing can touch me.

Then my mom hires a tutor. Jackson. This boy I had a crush on before the world became too terrifying to live in. Jackson’s life is the complete opposite of mine, and I can tell he’s got secrets of his own. But he makes me feel things. Makes me want to try again. Makes me want to be brave. I can almost taste the outside world. But so many things could go wrong, and all it takes is one spark for everything I love to disappear...

Add to Goodreads

My Review:

This book was a real page-turner.  Both of the characters were really developed in a way that you felt all of their pain and anxiousness.  I know that I was rooting for both to figure out that the other was actually their anonymous chess partner online, but until they did, it was very interested to see just how much they'd share.  Reading the descriptions of Zoe's paper galaxy made me want to actually see pictures of it.  I did my best to picture them in my head, but I'm sure I had nothing anywhere close to what it actually should have been.  Jackson's life was a hard one.  It was very sad to read about him living in his car.  But I guess even sadder is that there are actually kids probably doing that all the time.  I was glad to see what happened with his dad went the way it did.  Once in a while it is nice for there to be happy endings all around if possible.  I loved Zoe's mother, she was such a fun character.  Her sister Mae, definitely made me mad at times, but that was because she was so realistic, just like a real sister probably would be.  I feel like this book did a great job with showcasing so many different types of issues that teens today might deal with, and it kept me reading and wishing and hoping for the HEA.  This is one I will definitely put on my list of books to order for my library with budget money in the future.

About the Author:

Cindy lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and loves using Colorado towns and cities as inspiration for settings in her stories. She's the mother of three girls, who provide plenty of fodder for her YA novels. Cindy writes speculative fiction and YA fiction, filled with a healthy dose of romance. You'll often find her hiking or listening to any number of playlists while she comes up with her next story idea.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Giveaway :

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

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Two Young Adult ARC Mini-Reviews

As I mentioned on Sunday, I am behind again.  I actually just saw on Goodreads that I'm behind by 18 books on my goal for the year as well!  Gah!  But, once I do these two reviews, I'll be on track for the month.  These are two advanced reader copies I got, but I wasn't part of a tour for them so they didn't get scheduled. 

Shatter (Glitter #2) by Aprilynne Pike:

Genre:  YA Science Fiction/Dystopian?
Published:  February 13th, 2018
Source:  E-galley from Netgalley
My rating:  4 stars

I liked the first book, Glitter, a lot.  I loved this futuristic world where this rich population tried to live like the historical era of Marie Antionette, yet had the latest technology despite that.  This second book was a good conclusion to the story, although it didn't quite have the little extra for me that the first book did.  For awhile in this one I thought that the main character, Danica, might actually turn out to go down a different path to finish the story. In the end though, she went where she should have gone.  And the way that she was able to outsmart her enemies was a little bit of a surprise, I didn't quite see it coming in some ways.  And I like that in a book.  Still a great series, and there were even more historical bits spiced throughout this one as well as the first one.  A duology I've purchased for my school library, as I think my students will enjoy it.  And, as with the first book, a beautiful cover!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Danica planned to use beauty, blackmail, and a glittering drug to control her own fate. Her escape from the twisted world of the Palace of Versailles was perfectly orchestrated and paid for. Or so she thought. 

Betrayed by the man who had promised her freedom, Dani is now married to the murderous King. It's a terrifying position to be in...and yet it's oddly intoxicating. Power may be an even stronger drug than Glitter--a drug Dani can't resist, in the form of secrets, manipulation, and sabotage.

In her new position at the head of the court, Dani must ask herself who she really is. Can she use her newfound power to secure her real love, Saber's freedom and a chance at a life together outside the palace? Or is being Queen too addictive to give up?

Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy:

Genre:  YA contemporary romance
Published:  April 3rd, 2018
Source:  ARC from publisher
My rating:  5 stars 

Once again I've proved my belief that I don't like YA contemporary romance books wrong because I LOVED this story!  Yeah, yeah, it could be because it took place in Ireland, a place I am so obsessed with getting to visit some day.  But, that's not all. This story made me laugh, cry, and I couldn't put it down!  I was a little unsure at first, because even though it sounded like one I'd enjoy, I'd had another book by the author that I'd had to DNF when I couldn't get into it.  By page 26, though, I was hooked.  Something that I realized when reading this is how much I connect with sullen, snarky teens these days. Which is weird, because that is not at all what I was like as a teenager myself.  I was the cheerful, sweet, naive girl.  There was one kissing scene with Julian, the movie star,  that was the funniest thing, but the best thing.  I won't say which kiss, or who it was with, but I loved that scene.  This book just made me smile so much!  I'll definitely be purchasing it for my school library.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Fandom and first love collide for Iris on the film set for her grandmother’s famous high-fantasy trilogy—perfect for readers of Fangirl!

Unlike the rest of the world, Iris doesn't care about the famous high-fantasy Elementia books written by M. E. Thorne. So it's just a little annoying that M. E. Thorne is her grandmother—and that Iris has to deal with the trilogy's crazy fans.

When Iris gets dropped in Ireland for the movie adaptation, she sees her opportunity: if she can shut down production, the Elementia craze won't grow any bigger, and she can finally have a normal life. Not even the rascally-cute actor Eamon O'Brien can get in her way.

But the crew's passion is contagious, and as Iris begins to find herself in the very world she has avoided her whole life, she realizes that this movie might just be amazing…