Blog Tour: Faithfull

Hello Readers! We are stoked to be apart of the Faithful bog tour, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Check out the book, and let us know what you think in the comments!

About the Book:

Title: FAITHFUL

Author: Michelle Hauck

Pub. Date: November 15, 2016

Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse

Pages: 384

Formats: eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Following Grudging--and with a mix of Terry Goodkind and Bernard Cornwall--religion, witchcraft, and chivalry war in Faithful, the exciting next chapter in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints series!

A world of Fear and death…and those trying to save it.

Colina Hermosa has burned to the ground. The Northern invaders continue their assault on the ciudades-estados. Terror has taken hold, and those that should be allies betray each other in hopes of their own survival. As the realities of this devastating and unprovoked war settles in, what can they do to fight back?

On a mission of hope, an unlikely group sets out to find a teacher for Claire, and a new weapon to use against the Northerners and their swelling army.

What they find instead is an old woman.

But she’s not a random crone—she’s Claire’s grandmother. She’s also a Woman of the Song, and her music is both strong and horrible. And while Claire has already seen the power of her own Song, she is scared of her inability to control it, having seen how her magic has brought evil to the world, killing without reason or remorse. To preserve a life of honor and light, Ramiro and Claire will need to convince the old woman to teach them a way so that the power of the Song can be used for good. Otherwise, they’ll just be destroyers themselves, no better than the Northerners and their false god, Dal. With the annihilation their enemy has planned, though, they may not have a choice.

A tale of fear and tragedy, hope and redemption, Faithful is the harrowing second entry in the Birth of Saints trilogy.

Forgot about book one? Well here it is!

About the Book:

Title: GRUDGING

Author: Michelle Hauck

Release Date: November 17, 2015

Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse

Formats:  eBook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything.

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power. And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.

About Michelle:

Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of northern Indiana with her hubby and two teenagers. Two papillons help balance out the teenage drama. Besides working with special needs children by day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.

She is a co-host of the yearly contests Query Kombat and Nightmare on Query Street, and Sun versus Snow.

Her epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, is published by Divertir Publishing. Her short story, Frost and Fog, is published by The Elephant's Bookshelf Press in their anthology, Summer's Double Edge. She's repped by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary.

Website | Twitter |Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive signed paperbacks of book 1, Grudging, US Only.

Did you check out the past days of the tour? Check them out now!

Tour Schedule:

 Week One:

11/7/2016- Books,Dreams,Life- Interview

11/8/2016- Bibliobibuli YA- Review

11/9/2016- Book in the Bag- Interview

11/10/2016- History from a Woman's Perspective- Review

11/11/2016- Marty Mayberry- Guest Post

Week Two:

11/14/2016- Book for Thought- Review

11/15/2016- Curling Up With A Good Book- Guest Post

11/16/2016- Always Me- Review

11/17/2016- Dazzled by Books- Interview

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The Autumn Bookshelf

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 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

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Taken from Amazon.com

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Release Date: December 2. 2010
Read: November 2015
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Format: Paperback, 372 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review: 
This book is just so cute! From the very first chapter I couldn't get enough. The way Perkins writes is so light and breezy it's a treat to read. Anna is portrayed realistically, as any student would be if they moved to Paris. She is a great protagonist, and the year she spends in Paris is great to follow. A great bonus is that her love interest is the guy that everyone wishes was in their lives. He's so romantic and swoon-worthy! I just wish that Anna would have "discovered" more of Paris, and that she would've seen more of the city. I felt like it was an opportunity wasted, that Perkins had a chance to write an epic "city tour" and didn't take it. However that is really my one complaint. This was simply a solid read through and through. I can't wait until I can get my hands on the next one, and I'm intrigued at how Perkins binds all three books together!

Favorite Quotes: “I mean, really. Who sends their kid to boarding school? It's so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn't have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons.” 
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

“I wish for the thing that is best for me.” 

― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: Sarah Dessen, romance, YA fiction, travel, funny heroines

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: All The Bright Places

Taken from Goodreads

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Release Date: January 6th 2015
Read: November 2015
Publisher: Knopf Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 388 pages


Description from Goodreads:
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

Review: 
I had heard a lot about this book in the blog-verse, so when I saw it in my school library I had to check it out. It started a little cliche, and felt slow to begin with, with development (which had to happen). I had to second guess myself on whether or not to continue reading. I'm glad I did. Once I got past page 50, it found itself.  The writing style (while slow to start) is great, and easy to follow. It felt as if Niven knew exactly what to say. Suicide and depression are hard topics to add to a romantic YA novel, but it works. Somehow this gives depth to both characters. Just thinking about Finch and how he struggles to keep his head above the water brings tears to my eyes. Violet and Finch are a beautifully broken couple, but they discover that together they make each other better. One of the hardest things to read is how Violet tries to help Finch, but somehow she can't reach him. Niven approaches these passages with poise, and it's beautifully written. I'm sure from the review so far, that it's clear that I finished this book crying- which I did. When I reached the ending I hated it, but the more I thought of it, the more I realized why it ended the way it did. But you decide your thoughts on the ending yourself. However, this is one of my favorite reads of 2015 (so far!).

Favorite Quotes:
 “We do not remember days, we remember moments.” 
“You have been in every way all that anyone could be.… If anybody could have saved me it would have been you.” 
“I learned that there is good in this world, if you look hard enough for it. I learned that not everyone is disappointing, including me, and that a 1,257 bump in the ground can feel higher than a bell tower if you’re standing next to the right person.”
-Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places
(Sorry for so many, I just loved them all)

Rating: 5/5 Stars (very rare!)

Recommended for people who enjoy: YA lit, John Green, romance, sad books, bittersweet endings

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Rules For 50/50 Chances

Taken from Goodreads

Rules for 50/50 Chances by Kate McGovern

Release Date: November 2015
Read: October 2015 (I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this novel)
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Format: Paperback ARC, 342 pages

Description from Goodreads
A heartrending but ultimately uplifting debut novel about learning to accept life's uncertainties; a perfect fit for the current trend in contemporary realistic novels that confront issues about life, death, and love.
Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she’s going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that will tell her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother. With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family’s genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she’ll live to be a healthy adult—including going to ballet school and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool, and gets an audition for a dance scholarship in California, Rose begins to question her carefully-laid rules.

Review: 
This book was a great number of things. At times it's light and at others it hits a little deeper. Rose (our main character) has tough decision to make - whether or not to find out if she will get her mothers Huntington's disease. It's a touchy and hard subject, but McGovern approaches it with a gentle touch, really showing all the sides to this disease. She tries and shows the good in it, and through Rose we see that the illness is not all there is to life. With Rose we see her flourish during the bad times, whether being with Caleb (her potential boyfriend) or dancing ballet. It's hard for Rose to see her mother deteriorating, but for such a (at times) sad subject, McGovern really shines a light on it. 

Favorite Quotes: "... the music starts, and then I give in to it, and nothing else matters. And then I'm soaring." -Page 262

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: Sarah Dessen, romance, YA, fiction, contemporary literature

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Dark Shimmer

Dark Shimmer, by Donna Jo Napoli

Release date: September 8, 2015

Read: September 2015

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Format: ARC, 368 pages

Description from Goodreads: 
Dolce is a monster. A giant, a freak.
Dolce is a princess. She walks like royalty—until dark shimmers make her fall.
Dolce is a mamma. She has found her true family.
Dolce is beautiful. But beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dolce is the Wicked One.

   In this haunting and irresistible story, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and how love can transform us.

Review: Starting dull but ending in a bang, Dark Shimmer has many things: round characters, lovable creatures, a history, but it does not have a good beginning. It is slow, quite uninteresting and not too exciting. It doesn't make you want to read more. Then the plot began to roll and, by the time I realized it was based on a fairy tale, I was intrigued.

Favourite Quote: "I didn't lose my temper today. I lost myself." -Dolce

Rating:  2.5/5

Recommended if you like: crime novels, Don't look back by Jennifer L. Armentrout, semi-mystery

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren