Book Review: A Darkly Beating Heart

A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith

Released: October 25th, 2016
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Format: ARC, 272 pages
Read: September/October 2016

Description from GoodReads: A time-travel story that alternates between modern day and 19th century Japan as one girl confronts the darkness lurking in her soul.
   No one knows what to do with Reiko. She is full of hatred. All she can think about is how to best hurt herself and the people closest to her. After a failed suicide attempt, Reiko’s parents send her from their Seattle home to spend the summer with family in Japan to learn to control her emotions. But while visiting Kuramagi, a historic village preserved to reflect the nineteenth-century Edo period, Reiko finds herself slipping back in time into the life of Miyu, a young woman even more bent on revenge than Reiko herself. Reiko loves being Miyu, until she discovers the secret of Kuramagi village, and must face down Miyu’s demons as well as her own.

Review: Time travelling thriller about bitter teenagers in Japan? Sign me right up! This book was exactly what I'd hoped it would be, without me knowing what was about to happen at every twist and turn.
   Miyu is a wonderfully deep character who contrasts well with Reiko, who seems to only want revenge. Along with this, I found Reikos subtle "Hi I'm bi" attitude refreshing. There was no "Wow maybe I'm not straight" moment that seems to accompany her romance with Jiro.
   The way we discover important plot points in the book is a work of art. There is no foreseeable plot twists here (or maybe I'm just oblivious!) and they all clicked wonderfully. There were parts that creeped and grossed me out in a good way. They were tasteful, if that's possible, and all added to the plot.
   However, this novel is just under 300 pages. About 250 pages (not literally) build the plot and characters up beautifully, making me care, and interested me in what would happen to these dark darlings. The last 50 pages was left to make a complete ending. I was pretty sure that no author could wrap up a book in a neat bow in a mere 50 pages. And oh boy... was I right. The ending didn't fit the novel. You would find this kind of ending in a book aimed at 12 year olds. (Is that too mean?)
   But I did love the book. I adored it! Give me more, Lindsay Smith! I would like a follow-up!

Quotable Quotes:

• "I have mastered the path of hatred, and I know now where it ends. It ends with my revenge."
• "I'm tired of walking around with these memories in me, throbbing like a knife I never bothered to pull from my back."
• "Your mindset creates your reality, no matter what you believe."
• "We are all defined by our past, our choices and circumstances have made us who we are. It's all there, carved into us indelibly. But... it is not our present. Or our future. That's what we control. It's what we choose to do with the past that is entirely up to us."

Rating: 8/10

Read if You Liked: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, confusing but generally ok time travel, Ink by Amanda Sun, Japan?

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Blog Tour: Lord Of Shadow Rises

Hello all! We are excited to be apart of this super cool blog tour, for this cool new fantasy book! Here it is and let us know what you think in the comments below!

The Lord of Shadow Rises
by James Terzian 
Genre: Epic Fantasy, YA

It has been 200 years since the Lord of Shadows was sealed in a horrific battle with the Order of White Rose. Now the year is 1998, a boy with murdered parent's must gather allies to stop the once powerful Lord of Shadows from regaining his full power and breaking the seal. Learning from the Order of the White Rose guardians he must fight or his parents death would be in vain.

From Norway to United States of America from China to Korea he must join with the other students and fight.

Goodreads * Amazon

​In the city of Moscow, a young teenager approached the entrance of the Greater Moscow Bank. On his shoulder he carried a bulging duffle bag. The bank’s security guard moved across the entrance as the boy approached.

“Do you need help, young man?” asked the guard.
“The only thing I need you to do,” said the teen, “is die!”
Pulling a semi-automatic from the bag on his shoulder he fired on the guard, his body sliding down the entrance door to the bank as bullets continued to ricochet against the glass. Shoving his body to the side, the boy strode through the doors and into the bank. Continuing to fire his weapon, he calmly stalked through the bank’s interior killing tellers and innocents as he came across them. With bodies littering the floor, the shooter turned and waved to three more teens that were now stationed at the entrance. The group walked over to the shooter and together they approached the vault. Grabbing the manager from his position, cowering under his office desk, they forced him to open the vault before ruthlessly shooting him when his usefulness had gone. The three teens removed duffel bags from their shoulders and began to fill them with cash. On the arm of one teen was a red hammer tattoo, and on another a sickle.
“Look for any survivors and take them out,” said the original shooter to his team. “I want no witnesses.”
Hearing sirens, the group quickly exited the building, firing as they went. Running to the end of the block, they turned left and jumped into a waiting vehicle.
“Get driving, the police are after us!” screamed the shooter. The driver, without delay, jumped on the accelerator and headed down the street and away from the bank. Turning right and gunning the gas the quartet of young bank robbers screamed in unison as a black portal opened up before them, swallowing the car.
The chasing police car stopped at the same street corner. Having been right behind them just a moment before, they were now faced with an empty street. “Chief, we’ve lost the suspects,” said the officer over the radio.
“They’ve just disappeared.”
“What do you mean?” said the voice of the Chief.
“They’ve just vanished,” said the officer.
“Report back to the station,” ordered the voice.
“Yes, sir,” confirmed the officer.
​

James Terzian is a upcoming Author with learning Disability in writing. Writing a novel to prove to others that having a Disability does not hinder you in anyway.   Born in Ukraine and came to America in 1992 at the age of five, Found his love for writing after graduation and is hoping to share his journey. Graduated with honor roll in High school despite his Disability, he strives to do what he loves, writing. He started to write fanfiction based on his childhood shows. Works for a local grocery store Safeway in Maryland.

Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you enjoy the book!

Your Friends at

The Autumn Bookshelf

Christmas Wednesdays: 12 Days of Dash and Lily

12 Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Released: October 18th, 2016

Read: November 2016

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Format: ARC, 215 pages

Series: Dash & Lily #2

Description from Goodreads: Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.
  With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December.

Review: This book was more depressing than I thought it would be, especially considering how sweet and simple the first book was. Although it did have some funny parts, it was mostly sadness and coming to terms with change.
   I am glad that Dash finally ditched his fedora, but it worried me a little that there was a noticeable change in times between the last book and this one. For instance Trump was mentioned more than once, which is way too many times for a YA novel of any kind.
   Also, out of the two, Lily definitely changed the most between books and during this one. She went from cute teenage shut-in to over serious young-adult, but still makes mistakes and risks that don't particularly fit this new stage of her life. The end brings back most of her cheerfulness but she's still different, which is good. Because she can't remain the same forever, but it also seems like too drastic of a change in one short year. I mean, she's barely seventeen.
   Altogether, a weird and slightly disappointing sequel, but a realistic disappointment... if that makes sense.

Quotable Quotes:
- "What an idiot Santa is for flying around alone. Because who would want to travel the world without another person's heartbeat beside him?"
- "The minute she left the apartment, I missed having her there. But as with all loves, I supposed, the consolation was in the fact that she'd be back."

Rating: 6/10

Read if You Liked: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, adventures, romance, i'm not sure

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Paper Girls

 Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson

Released: April 5th, 2016

Read: October 2016

Publisher: Image Comics

Format: Paperback, 144 pages
Series: Paper Girls (#1-5)

Description from GoodReads: In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

Review: I had just gotten off a Stranger Things high when we hit up a bookstore and I found this beautiful gem. So imagine my surprise when the book is pretty much Stranger Things with an all-girl cast.
   Of course, the story is different. It's clever and weird and feels like something out of a dark episode of Doctor Who. Needless to say, I loved it. It's hard to love characters from comics unless the comic is 400-500 pages long, but this book successfully had me hoping these rough-and-tumble girls would save the day. Not to mention these girls are the coolest 12 year olds ever. (Except the smoking. Smoking doesn't make you cool.)
   It's even harder to make a group of tween girls the main characters in a YA/adult comic. Again, this book succeeded while still keeping a sense of youth and not just adults in tiny child bodies. That was a weird image. I'm sorry.

Quotable Quotes:
“I'm not going to stand here and be eaten by some bitch's dinosaur. I am finally doing something with my life.”

 “I hated being twelve. Back in '65, I just wanted to grow up fast so everything would finally be good, you know? But truth is, life was actually way better back then. Turns out, the older you get... the more everything just turns to shit.”

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Stranger Things, Doctor Who, (a grown up sorta version of) Babysitters Club, I don't think I've read another book like this

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: I Am Princess X

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
(with art by Kali Ciesemier)

Released: May 26th, 2015

Read: August 2016

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Format: Hardcover, 232 pages

Series: n/a

Description from GoodReads: Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.
   Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.
   Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.
   Princess X?
   When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon - her best friend, Libby, who lives.

Review: This book was so good! Oh man I could talk about this book for ages! I mean, a book told partially through comics? A YA novel without romance? Girl power off the charts? This book has it all!
   It's pretty short, but honestly it could've been pulled out a little longer. I wouldn't have minded another hundred pages or so. The clues to unraveling the mystery were very well written and it kept me interested until the very end.
   May, while being pretty generic, is still a nice character. She can handle herself, and is constantly helpful and faithful to Libby throughout the book. Not to mention, she has relatable issues like forgetting to charge her laptop in crucial moments, and over-analysing things.
   Libby, who we only really see in the last few chapters is wonderfully clever, and seems to be a nice match for May.
   Oh and I forgot to mention, the art is amazing.

Quotable Quotes:
"Which meant he had about eight weeks to pull something amazing out of his butt. His butt was not being terribly helpful."
"I’d eat some pizza, if anybody decided to order one. You know. Hypothetically."
"She was a decent storyteller, but a crap liar, for all the sense that made."

Rating: 11/10

Read if You Liked: the Mysterious Benedict Society, Pretty Little Liars, Wildwood

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

What about Wednesday: Supernatural Books

What About Wednesday: Books about supernatural beings

Today we thought that we would put a spin on our normal wednesday posts. Since we couldn't agree on just one creature, we decided to each choose one and base our reccomendations from that! Here they are:

Ola- Legends
1. Riders by Veronica Rossi
2. Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
3. Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire


Lauren- Mermaids
1. The Siren by Kiera Cass
2. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
3. Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs



Mari- Witches
1. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
2. The Initiation by L.J.Smith
3. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradely

That's all for today!
-Your friends at the Autumn Bookshelf

Welcome to Potter Week!

Hey everyone!

   As we all know, the Cursed Child comes out this July 31st, so we decided to host a little Potter Week in anticipation of it. We've got reviews of our top HP books, along with recipes, and other fun stuff. Our local bookstore, McNally Robinson is hosting a midnight release party, and we'll tell you all about what happens there.
   Also this week, our blog birthday! That's right, this Friday is our one year anniversary of starting the Autumn Bookshelf! We're so excited that we'll be doing something special this Friday. Check our twitter later this week for more updates.
   Alright that's about it for this intro, so we'll see you tomorrow!

Love, The Autumn Bookshelf

Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 3rd, 2016
Read: June 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Format: Hardcover, 640 pages
Seiries: A Court of Thorns and Roses #2

Description from Goodreads:
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Review:
I was lucky enough to be able to read this book right after the first one, and not have to wait a year as many other readers had to do. Can I just say that I am so glad I did? Reading the stories back to back really made you believe in the world. I'm sorry to say, but this book made me hate some of the characters I previously had loved. Like a LOT. No spoilers, but I did scream a little whenever they were mentioned... Unlike most sequels, this one managed to build on what the first created. It also managed to introduce new characters without it feeling forced. Among the new characters that I loved was Rhysand. Although he has a role towards the end of the end of the first novel, we really get to know him in this one. I'm really upset that I said no spoilers before, because I'd really like to spoil right now! But I'll restrain myself. Let's just say that Rhys is one of my favourite characters now, and probably will be yours too... Oh, and Feyre really develops into a heroine who doesn't need any men to conquer the world. I really love how she acts in the Night Court! Way different from the Spring Court. If you read my review for the first book, you'll recall that I wanted more exposure to the other courts. Well I got my wish in this book. From the courts that are visited (Spring, Night and Summer) we got to find out about the 'special powers' were for each court, as well as their fashions and palaces. This book kept twisting and winding, all I could do was keep reading. I really could not put this book down. That twist in the end was AMAZING! Completely took me by surprise. I was screaming out loud in class, and everyone was looking at me strangely! You would not believe the book-hangover I had after this one. Unbelievable. But I was so impressed with this one that I decided to start on Maass' other series, Throne of Glass. I thought this book was simply amazing, and I can't wait until book three!

Favourite Quote:
“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.” 

― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

Rating:
9/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: high fantasy, romance, strong female leads, adventure

Note: This novel really is for MATURE readers only. Some scenes are inappropriate for young readers. So be careful who you recommend this to.

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: The Raven King

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Released: April 26, 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Format: Hardcover, 439 pages

Series: The Raven Cycle #4

Description from GoodReads: Nothing living is safe. Nothing dead is to be trusted.
   For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey… and is certain she is destined to kill him.
   Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.

Review: I normally dislike books that get dark and ruined until the last half of the book, but this one did it so well that I loved it. Almost everyone gets their stories wrapped up nicely enough to make me happy, but loosely enough to keep it realistic and open.
   It was also treated as not only an ending, but as just another book in the series, although things were getting progressively worse (not like bad-worse, but like plot-thickening-worse). New characters were introduced, old characters were built upon, the story continued.
   The ending was so good, I just can't get over it! Oh man I don't want to spoil anything, but it wasn't as welsh-kingy as I expected! Problems weren't solved with a flick of a wrist or a snap of a finger, it was real! It was personal and touching, more than I thought it would be. I felt like I was intruding on something deep and dark that I wasn't supposed to see. Whoo boy am I going on a rant.
   All in all, I adored this series, and this, the final book was just as good.

Quotable Quotes:
"His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a damn place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match."

"What a strange constellation they all were."

"It wasn't that Henry was less of himself in English. He was less of himself out loud. His native language was thought."

"Richard Gansey III had forgotten how many times he had been told he was destined for greatness."

Rating: 10/10

Read if You Liked: the deeper aspects of Harry Potter, teenagers finding themselves, (screaming)

Optimistically yours, Ola <3
(now off to read the other novel titled the Raven King)

Book Review: The Glittering Court

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Released: April 5th. 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Borrowed, hardcover, 416 pages

Description from Goodreads:

Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.
Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.
When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.
But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Review:
This book was certainly not what I expected. It started in one spot, and ended in another. Staring it, it was almost like a historical version of the Selection, with the main character very similar to America Singer. Both were headstrong and independent, wanting a better life for themselves. So Elizabeth (later Adelaide) decides to take her maids place in a finishing school, and is TOTALLY prepared to be sold of like an object. Hmm. That doesn't sound like America to me. I had many issues with this novel, among them the patriarchal (almost sexist) undertone to the plot and the school she attends. Also, it started as this "princess" story and ended up in the wild west. Yes, the wild west. She ends up panning for gold in the "New World". Not even kidding. The plot felt forced, and rushed. Starting it, I would never have guessed that it would end up there.. Another is the love interest, Cedric. He was a two-dimensional at best. Mead tried to make him less so, by revealing his "dark secret". I won't spoil, but it was not juicy in the least. It's kinda boring, and really didn't make him a better character. Lastly, I'd like to point out that this is billed as "fantasy". THERE IS NO FANTASY! Part of the appeal for me was this supposed fantastical element, but there was literally none! I have no idea who labeled this book, but they did wrong. Not sure how someone could make a mistake like that. All in all, this book had high expectations, and sadly it didn't meet them.

Favorite Quote:
“Do you think my being someone else's wife will change anything? Don't you know that I'd lie with you in the groves, under the light of the moon? That I'd defy the laws of gods and men for you?”
― Richelle Mead

Rating: 5/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: romance, frontier lands, "The Selection"

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: The Crown



The Crown by Kiera Cass

Released: May 3rd, 2016

Read: May 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen

Format: Paperback, 279 pages

Series: #5 of the Selection

Description from GoodReads: When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.


Review:
   I read the Selection series a few months before the One was released. I waited religiously for it's release. Then waited again for the Heir and now again for the Crown. Oh boy, was it worth the wait!
   This was a beautiful conclusion to a wonderful tale that I will miss dearly. But it was sort of weird watching America "grow up" and then watching her daughter "grow up". The fact that America was a little more distant in this series and book in particular was sad, because I really wanted to get to know grown-up America. It did really give us a different perspective into Maxon, though, which was nice.
   The boys, now that all the grossness was eliminated in the last book, are all nice people, and the reasons that they're let go in this book are valid (and at some points a little sad, or sweet). I'm a little disappointed with who Eadlyn ended up with, as he was not the one I liked best. But she did end up with someone who complimented her.


Quotable Quotes:

"Maybe it's not the first kisses that are supposed to be special. Maybe it's the last ones."

"Some see a weed; some see a flower. Perspective."
"Your impression of everyone is probably wrong in some way."


Rating: 9.5/10


Read if You Liked: the Glittering Court, Entwined, good relationship building, gal pals


Optimistically yours, Ola

Book Review: Seconds

Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Release date: July 14th, 2014

Read: January 2016

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Hardcover, 323 pages

Series: stand-alone

Source: owned

Description from GoodReads: Katie’s got it pretty good. She’s a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie’s life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all—but they don’t come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over:

1. Write your mistake
2. Ingest one mushroom
3. Go to sleep
4. Wake anew

Review: First things first, the art in this book is gorgeous in all its details and expressions. Not to mention Hazel's outfits are to die for.

   The plot, while generally done before, had many interesting plot twists that made it a unique and surprising story. It's characters were flawed and realistic, if a little annoying at times. Just like actual humans. Katie was definitely a little off-kilter, but that's what made the story possible.

   Altogether it was a great read, and way worth the purchase.

Quotable Quotes:

"Adult life is terrible, Hazel. Never grow up."

"There are somethings we can't change, and we just have to accept that. And maybe that's some sort of grace."

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Eleanor & Park, All Our Yesterdays, quirks

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

What about... Wednesday: Prettiest Covers

Hello readers!

   Today is a bit more of an "artistic" edition of our "What About Wednesday" sieries- prettiest book covers! Without further ado, here are everyone's picks!

Ola:

1. Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

2. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

3. The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

             

Mari:

1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

2. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

3. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 

Lauren: 

1. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

2. Rooms by Lauren Oliver

3. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

 

Your friends here at the Autumn Bookshelf

Book Review: Tell the Wind and Fire

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

Released: April 5th 2016
Read: April 2016
Publisher: Clarion Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 368 pages

Description from Goodreads:
In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets. 
Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own—one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised.
Lucie alone knows of the deadly connection the young men share, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth.
Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy—or herself?

Review: 
What I liked about “Tell the Wind and Fire”, was that it was a unique retelling of a particularly famous novel. It seems that most retellings are simply told in the modern day, or well into the future. This book tried to tell “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens in an alternate reality where magic is the law of the land. It was interesting to say the least, the idea extremely clever. Who wouldn’t  want to read about Light and Dark magicians battling it out in two halves of New York, both needing the other because the Dark use the blood of the Light for magic, and the Light need the Dark to do so because they may overuse their magic and die? But the Dark are kept in their own faction and are ostracized by the Light, while the Light live in luxury. And the Dark can make doppelgängers that are made to save someone from death, but only when they are almost dead, and those creatures are forced to wear hoods and to stay away from their real counterparts. Are you a little confused? Because I certainly was. The novel was built on a fantastic idea, and it kept carrying it to halfway through the book. However, then the world building and history came into play and it got confusing. It didn’t help that it seemed as if the world building went on and on for chapters. Yes, whole chapters at the very beginning devoted to building the world. Brennan tried to explain this in easy terms, but it came across as weird and forced. Had it been explained over time as the story progressed, it would have been more organic than stuffy and forced. And I have to say that the main character had very little emotional range, as when she was speaking of the time she saved her dad it sounded very insincere. Almost like a narrator telling the story, not a girl who had to risk her life to save her loved one. This book was really great to start off with, and it just unfortunately didn’t pan out. 

Favorite Quote: 
“I wasn’t showing what I really felt. Real grief is ugly and uncomfortable. People look away from grief the same way they look away from severed limbs or gaping wounds. What they want is pain like death on a stage: beautiful, bloodless, presented for their entertainment” 
- Sarah Rees Brennan

Rating: 4.5/10 Stars

Reccommended for people who enjoy: romance, magic, paranormal

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Stonefield

Taken from Goodreads
(how pretty is this cover??)

Stonefield by Christy Lenzi

Released: March 29th, 2016
Read: February 2016
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Format: Paperback ARC, 320 pages
Series: N/A
Source: McNally Robinson Two Thumbs Up Program

Description from Goodreads:
In a small town on the brink of the Civil War, Catrina finds a man making strange patterns in her family’s sorghum crop. He’s mad with fever, naked, and strikingly beautiful. He has no memory of who he is or what he’s done before Catrina found him in Stone Field. But that doesn’t bother Catrina because she doesn’t like thinking about the things she’s done before either.
Catrina and Stonefield fall passionately, dangerously, in love. All they want is to live with each other, in harmony with the land and away from Cat’s protective brother, the new fanatical preacher, and the neighbors who are scandalized by their relationship. But Stonefield can’t escape the truth about who he is, and the conflict tearing apart the country demands that everyone take a side before the bloodbath reaches their doorstep.

Review:

I chose this book because I absolutely love retellings of classic novels. This one is a retelling of Wuthering Heights, but not in the here and now (as most retellings are), but during the Civil War. I was excited, and so eager to read the result. But I was disappointed. Although the plot was sort of already written, it felt mish-mashed, and a little overwhelming. You could tell that the author was trying to emulate the writing style of Bronte, but it came across as forced, and almost sarcastic. It was a struggle trying to interpret what was actually being said. Another thing, was that the characters had very little development, (especially the main character)  so you never really connected with Cat. I wasn’t rooting for her to be happy in the end. I also had a problem with the romance in it. I love reading books where the main characters fall slowly in love. But SLOWLY! They literally were totally in love by page 50. Not even kidding. It was so fast! It was way too quick, and then Bible verses were added to make it sound as if it was less promiscuous. It was weird.  I also didn’t like the fact that they were able to somehow speak telepathically. That was never really explained. It was a weird book, all in all and unfortunately, not my favorite.  

Rating: 4.5/10

Reccomended for people who enjoy: retellings, romance, lots of descriptive language

Happy Reading,

Mari

Book Review: Blackhearts

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Release date: February 9, 2016

Read: December, 2015

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Format: ARC, 384 pages

Description from GoodReads: Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.
   Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.
   Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?
   From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

Review: This book was not the swash-buckling tale I had expected, and I am perfectly happy it wasn't. Instead it had a "Downton Abbey"-esque feel to it, with the whole upper class vs. lower class struggles.
   Oddly enough, the beginning was slow in a good way, because it didn't introduce characters so quickly that we forgot about them, like other books do. Instead it took its time and made sure we cared just the right amount about everyone. The plot sped up and unraveled at the right pace throughout the book and became high-paced at the end, which astounds me. How do you manage that tempo?
   One of my favourite things was Anne's character development. At first she was snarky and cold, but after falling in love with the handsome Edward, she grew more attuned to her emotions and was willing to let him in. Their entire love story was amazing, especially how flustered Anne could get by realizing they were alone at times.
   The bad guys were believable, the plot was amazing, and I cannot wait for the release! I sincerely hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Quotable Quotes:

"You've just spent a year at sea, encountering untold dangers, and you find me interesting? I've never been anywhere. I've never seen anything."

Rating: 8/10

Read if you liked: A Madman's Daughter, This Dark Endeavour, romance, Downton Abbey

Optimistically yours, Ola

Book Review: The Dark Days Club

The Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman

Released: January 26th, 2016
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Format: Paperback ARC, 496 Pages

Description from Goodreads:
London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

Review:
Where do I begin? Being a historical fiction and fantasy fan, this book grabbed my right from the start. I love Lady Helen herself. She is a strong woman in a time when being unladylike was frowned upon. Although there is a slow start to the main plot point (just under a hundred pages in) it's well worth it. The way Goodman writes about how Helen gets/realizes her powers is interesting- not at all cheesy. You end up urging her to realize her full potential, rather than roll your eyes. But my favorite character was Lord Carlston. He's dark, handsome and the epitome of every fictional love interest. In the synopsis, it says something along the lines "... his bad reputation." Boy does he ever have one! This makes the tension between the two of them even better! My one critique was that some of the lines sounded sort of fake- like the line didn't fit with the character. It was odd, but this book has the perfect blend of the supernatural with historical fiction that it was still a great read!

Favorite Quotes:
"You have far more courage than you think you do." - The Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman

Rating: 8.5/10

Recommended for people who like: paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, historical fiction, romance

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Front Lines

Front Lines by Michael Grant

Released: January 26th 2016
Read: December/January 2015/16
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 576 pages


Description from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Code Name Verity, New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant unleashes an epic, genre-bending, and transformative new series that reimagines World War II with girl soldiers fighting on the front lines.
World War II, 1942. A court decision makes women subject to the draft and eligible for service. The unproven American army is going up against the greatest fighting force ever assembled, the armed forces of Nazi Germany.
Three girls sign up to fight. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman are average girls, girls with dreams and aspirations, at the start of their lives, at the start of their loves. Each has her own reasons for volunteering: Rio fights to honor her sister; Frangie needs money for her family; Rainy wants to kill Germans. For the first time they leave behind their homes and families—to go to war.
These three daring young women will play their parts in the war to defeat evil and save the human race. As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, they will discover the roles that define them on the front lines. They will fight the greatest war the world has ever known.

Review:
This book is quite simply amazing. Grant’s writing style is wonderful- it’s easy to follow, it’s vivid and it shines even through the sad parts. The storyline itself is also terrific. Being a historical fan as well as a fiction fan, it is the perfect blend. This alternate re-telling of the Second World War is brimming with strong female characters that are fiercely independent. They come from different places, and have different backgrounds, but they are all united in the Allied cause. They really keep you rooting for the whole way through. The way Grant weaves all their stories together keeps you on your toes, and keeps the plot moving forwards. While reading, I never really felt as if there was a “slow part” or a part devoted to set and character development. I loved how every woman wins their fight to be apart of the war. The sexism and misogyny is depicted quite well, unflinching and honest. There was (quite frankly) never a dull moment. I would recommend it to people who love stories from the 1940’s, and who like the espionage, and underdog stories. 

Favorite Quotes:
"She's fighting for her country." (This is actually the tagline, but I love how epic it sounds!)

Rating: 8/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: adventure, strong female characters, military stories, WW2, hints of romance

Happy Reading,
Mari

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)

What About Wednesday: 2015 Round-Up

Hey everyone! Seeing as 2015 is coming to an end, we wanted to share our favourite books that came out this year. It was very difficult to pick just 3, let alone order them, so these are numbered randomly. Hope you agree, and if you don't, tell us why!

Mari's Picks:
1. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
2. Illuminae by Amie Kauffman, Jay Kristoff
3. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

Ola's Picks:
1. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
2. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
3. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Lauren's Picks:
1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
2. The Heir by Kiera Cass
3. The House by Christina Lauren

Along with this, the Autumn Bookshelf wants to wish you a happy and healthy new year! So all the best for 2016!

- Your Friends at the Autumn Bookshelf