Most Anticipated Reads of 2016

Welcome to the new year, guys!! And with a new year, comes more amazing books to read and review!! This week we wanted to list our most anticipated reads of 2016. Sadly, we don't know any of the books Ola's looking forward to because she's in Cuba and doesn't have wifi. Well here they are folks, we hope you take our advice and read the following!! (P.S. The books are just randomly numbered and in the brackets are the day each book is supposed to be published.)


Marianne's Picks:

1.The Siren by Kiera Cass  (rewritten)                               (Winter 2016)                                            
2.The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin                 (Sometime 2016?)
3.Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman (I think Ola will review this soon!) (February 9. 2016)
4.Stilleto by Daniel O'Malley                                             (June 14. 2016)
5.The Last Star by Rick Yancey                                         (May 24. 2016)
6. The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman                      ( January 26. 2016)

Lauren's Picks:

1. The Crown by Kiera Cass                                               (May 3, 2016)
2. The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye                                (May 17, 2016)
3. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer                                       (February 2, 2016)
4. Heartless by Marissa Meyer                                            (November 8, 2016)
5. Ruined by Amy Tintera                                                   (May 3, 2016)
6. The Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele                            (June 21, 2016)
7. Change Places with me by Lois Metzler                         (June 14, 2016)
8. True Letters from a Fictional Life by Kenneth Logan     (June 7, 2016)
9. Unplugged by Donna Freitas                                           (June 21, 2016)
10. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab                          (June 7, 2016)

-xoxo Gossip Girl
(I'm just kidding of course. -the three Puppet masters behind the Autumn Bookshelf)

Book Review: Sword and Verse

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Released: January 19, 2016
Read: Early December 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: ARC, 384 pages

Description from Goodreads:

   Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.
   Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

Review:

   Raisa ke Comun is caught in the midst of a storm. Her loyalties whisk between the Resistance and her beloved, Prince Mati, never fully committing to either.
   Her relationship with Mati begins as a mere crush, but quickly, too quickly, strings into a series of hook-ups and heart-to-heart conversations. While dating, you don't really get the feel of their relationship, and separate from one another, Raisa's personality is unknown to me. She seems brave at times, but is mostly shy given her past.
   The History of Qilara is well thoughtout. Slaves being the key to the functioning of the society, they play a major role in the book, as Raisa is one herself. I believe Kathy MacMillan has handled this subject well, accurately describing the feelings of the slaves, the relationship between slave and master, and how they were raised.
   The plot, however, was my favourite part to read about. In a world where Raisa is one of the four people allowed to read and understand the higher order symbols, she must decode a letter written by her deceased father while battling her emotions for Prince Mati, and secretly helping the Resistance. It's enough to keep your mind occupied and completely interested in the topic. I just couldn't put the book down.

Favourite Quote:

• "I was not foolish enough to think that the situation had changed... but I had changed. I knew how it felt for my heart to lie dormant, and now that it had been reawakened it would not go silent again." -Kathy MacMillan

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: fantasy, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, books set in other eras, slavery (if you like reading about it), forbidden love, overthrowing the government

A recipe for disaster, 

Lauren

Book Review: The Impostor Queen

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Release Date:January 5. 2016

Read: November 2015

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Format: Paperback ARC, 336

Description from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.
Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Review:

I was really excited for this book. I love high-fantasy, and after reading the synopsis, I got really pumped. The world building was amazing. Fine payed incredible attention to the details of this new world. You could picture the world in your mind as you read. I also really
loved the concept of the Valtia, and the magic she wields. The whole magic idea that surrounds the world they live in is perfectly thought out. What I had problems with was the main character. Elli's problems don't come across as heroic and tragic, but slightly whiny. While her story arc is an interesting one, she herself really isn't. Luckily it got better after the halfway point, because that's when the plot itself got really good! Another part that was interesting was the intrigue surrounding the Elders- and what they REALLY do in the Temple (very creepy). It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book long. Although it had a slow start to it, it was an interesting read, and I'll watch for the sequel.

Favorite Quotes:
"Our lives aren't ours, darling," she murmured. "We are only the caretakers of this magic. We don't use it to protect ourselves - we use it only to protect the Kupari. They call us queens, but what we really are is servants." The Impostor Queen

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, romance, adventure stories, magic

Happy Reading,

Mari