Blog Tour: Cinderlla Necromancer

Cinderella, Necromancer by F.M. Boughan

Pub. Date: September 5, 2017
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Pages: 324
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Find it: Amazon, B&N,  iBooks, TBD, Goodreads


Summary:

CINDERELLA,NECROMANCER is CHIME meets ANNA, DRESSED IN BLOOD and was inspired by a real medieval grimoire of necromancy from 15th-century Germany.

Ellison lost her mother at an early age. But since then, her father has found love again. He’s happy and doesn’t quite notice that Ellison does not get along with his new wife or her mean daughters.

When Ellison discovers a necromantic tome while traveling the secret passages of her father’s mansion, she wonders if it could be the key to her freedom.

Until then, she must master her dark new power, even as her stepmother makes her a servant in her own home. And when her younger brother falls incurably ill, Ellison will do anything to ease his pain, including falling prey to her stepmother and stepsisters’ every whim and fancy.

Stumbling into a chance meeting of Prince William during a secret visit to her mother’s grave feels like a trick of fate when her stepmother refuses to allow Ellison to attend a palace festival.

But what if Ellison could see the kind and handsome prince once more? What if she could attend the festival? What if she could have everything she ever wanted and deserved by conjuring spirits to take revenge on her cruel stepmother?

As Ellison’s power grows, she loses control over the evil spirits meant to do her bidding. And as they begin to exert their own power over Ellison, she will have to decide whether it is she or her stepmother who is the true monster. 


About F.M. Boughan: 
F.M. Boughan is a bibliophile, a writer, and an unabashed parrot enthusiast. She can often be found writing in local coffee shops, namely because it’s hard to concentrate with a cat lying on the keyboard and a small, colorful parrot screaming into her ear. Her work is somewhat dark, somewhat violent, somewhat hopeful, and always contains a hint of magic.

You can follow Faith on Twitter (@FaithBoughan) for plenty of flailing about food (she likes to cook!), TV shows (she watches too many), and world dance (did you know she's been performing & instructing in Bollywood-style dance for over 8 years?).

Or catch her on Facebook where she just might post pictures of her adorable cat & bird... among other things.

F.M. Boughan is represented by Bill Contardi of Brandt & Hochman. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads 

Review:
I read this book in a single day. Seriously. A single day. It was sooooo good! I loved that this book took a beautiful and traditional fairy tale and turned it into a darker and far more interestingly feminist version of itself (I mean, she had no one help her defeat evil except a book and her own wits). I'm someone who loves dark and twisty stories to begin with, so this was right up my ally. It was so interesting to read Ella discover her Necromancer abilities, and it was really cool how Boughan tied it directly in with the original story. Ella was such a 3-D character, and I rooted for her every step of the way, and I got so upset during the scenes with the evil Stepmother. She was no helpless princess, but stood up for herself against her tormentors, (which were especially dark and evil in this story!) her Stepmother and Stepstisters. 
What was also especially interesting was her relationship with Prince William, who harbours some secrets of his own. The fact that she keeps her identity a secret from him is always my favourite part of the Cinderella story, and this version didn't disappoint. It always makes me smile when he realises who she actually is.
I can honestly say that I want this book to become a movie directed by Guillermo del Toro with all my heart and soul. The demons, magic, fashion and scenery was amazingly rich, and all I wanted to do was become Ella. And she had a pretty hard go of it so that's saying something. The world building was that good. All in all, I loved this book, and wish there was a sequel coming (one can hope, but who knows, the story has kinda ended...).

Favourite Quote:
" “Good night … ” His voice trailed off, expectant.
I knew what he waited for, and I supposed I owed him that much.
But first, I turned to leave and walked several paces toward the
house before allowing a final glace over my shoulder.

“Ellison,” I said, “but you may call me Ella.” "

- F.M Boughan

Rating: 10/10

Recommended for people who enjoy: Cinderella, the original Grimms Fairy Tales (not the kiddie ones), magic, fantasy

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of CINDERELLA NECROMANCER & a signed bookplate, International. (Wherever The Book Depository Ships)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you liked this stop, be sure to check out the rest of the tour!

Week One:
8/21/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
8/21/2017- Book Briefs- Review

8/22/2017- Nadaness In Motion - Excerpt
8/22/2017- Darque Dreamer Reads- Review

8/23/2017- rabid readers book blog- Excerpt
8/23/2017- The Desert Bibliophile- Review

8/24/2017- Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog- Guest Post
8/24/2017- Books, Boys, and Blogs- Review

8/25/2017- Tara's Book Addiction- Spotlight
8/25/2017- Bibliobibuli YA- Review

Week Two:
8/28/2017- BookHounds YA- Guest Post
8/28/2017- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

8/29/2017- Wandering Bark Books- Guest Post
8/29/2017- Portrait of a Book- Review

8/30/2017- Morbid Romantic- Excerpt
8/30/2017- A Weebish Book Blog- Review

8/31/2017- Arvenig.it- Interview
8/31/2017- Pandora's Books- Review

9/1/2017- Rainy Day Reviews- Guest Post

Well that's it! Let me know what you think!
Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Frostblood

Frostblood by Elly Blake

Released: January 10, 2017

Read: August 2017

Publisher: Little Brown

Format: ARC, 371 pages

Series: Frostblood Saga #1

Description on Goodreads:

    The frost king will burn.

    Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

    Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Review:

    Frostblood by Elly Blake was quite interesting. I loved how the characters all seemed to have their own passions and motivations that drove them to take action and stop the Frostking. Arcus seemed the most mysterious of all the characters, considering how unwilling he was to talk about his past. Despite this and his icy, hostile exterior, there was still something about him that made him lovable and respectable. Ruby on the other hand, was a complete open-book. Everyone always knew what she was feeling, and usually her intentions too. She was admirable and fierce, but kind of annoying at times because of how she constantly underestimated herself and believed things were her fault. But with all that, I still think she's a great main character to read a perspective from.

    The entire world Elly Blake created kind of amazes me. Even though the plot line she makes is really straight forward, the land is not. It felt like every country and chunk of land had its own opinions of the Frost King and his court. They also had their own beliefs. In general, they all believed in Neb and the goddess' four children, Cirrus, Eurus, Sud and Fors, but the myths about each alter depending on who tells the story. It reminds me of our actually history, where no one knows exactly what happened in certain events because the teller was usually biased.

    The ending was pretty great with all the action and twists, and I really hope the sequel holds up!

Favourite Quote:

• "Stillness was a kind of violence in the hands of people who played at handing out pain."

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: elemental magic, overthrowing the government, dystopian, lightly comedic novels, romance

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: Caraval

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Released: January 31st, 2017
Read: February 2017
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Format: Hardcover, 407 pages
Series: Caraval 1

Description from Goodreads:

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.


Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Review:

Holy crap this book knocked my socks off. Big time. The world that Garber painted was so real and so vivid, you could literally taste the magic in the air. I loved this book from start to finish, and it really didn't have that "boring" intro part that plagues so many YA novels today. From the beginning, I could sense that this a book, singular in it's brilliance. I thought that it was so intriguing, and I loved the characters! All of the characters felt so round, and were fully developed, it seemed that there was no line where the characters began, and their stories ended. It was seamless to say the least. Plus the plot was one of the best I've read in a good long while. It kept me guessing, and the twists and turns that it took were really hard to follow (but in a really great way!). I was kept on my toes, and I loved that there was so much to soak up. I couldn't put this book down, and I'm pretty sure I read it in a manner of two days. Plus the romance in the novel was so adorable! I really thought that it was a nice touch to the plot. In all honesty, I simply cannot wait for the sequel to drop! 

Favourite Quote:

"She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out.” 

― Stephanie Garber, Caraval

Rating:

9.5/10 Stars

Reccomended for people who enjoy: mystery, romance, magic, fantasy, mind games, the carnival

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Blitz: House of Chaos

Book Review: The Graces

The Graces by Laure Eve

Released: September 6, 2016

Read: August 2016

Publisher: Amulet Books

Format: ARC, 352 pages

Series: The Graces #1

Description on Goodreads:

    In The Graces, the first rule of witchcraft states that if you want something badly enough, you can get it . . . no matter who has to pay.

     Everyone loves the Graces. Fenrin, Thalia, and Summer Grace are captivating, wealthy, and glamorous. They’ve managed to cast a spell over not just their high school but also their entire town—and they’re rumored to have powerful connections all over the world. If you’re not in love with one of them, you want to be them. Especially River: the loner, new girl at school. She’s different from her peers, who both revere and fear the Grace family. She wants to be a Grace more than anything. And what the Graces don’t know is that River’s presence in town is no accident.

     This fabulously addictive fantasy combines sophisticated and haunting prose with a gut-punching twist that readers will be dying to discuss. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars as well as nostalgic classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the 1996 movie The Craft, The Graces marks the beginning of a new wave of teen witches.

Review:

   How do I even begin to explain my opinion? Well, I guess, for starters, River is just like the others. She's head-over-heels in love with the Graces and can't help but stalk them. She thinks she's different, that she's special, but she does what all the others do: follow the Graces around, believe they walk on air, and go along with what they say. She pretends to be a dissimilar person when she's with them, and even renamed herself River. ( River's not her real official first name!)
    River has a mysterious and fascinating back story. She avoids talking about herself and prefers to act like a mirror, deflecting all personal questions and asking questions of her own instead. She doesn't want to talk about, or even think about, the past that haunts her, and is dead-set on fixing her mistakes. It's not until the end that we find out just how huge her mistakes are.
    What a plot twist, though. It came totally out of nowhere, okay, not entirely. But after it was revealed, I couldn't help but notice all the little clues I should have seen earlier. Random scenes that didn't really make sense to the plot at the time, but completely tied in later. These little details, no matter how seemingly innocent, gave insight to what was to come, and I wish, WISH, I paid more attention before. It seems careless now that I didn't.
    Are the Graces witches? That's the real question. And after finishing the novel, I am still left pondering the answer. What do you think? Read the book and comment your answer.

P.S. I didn't notice until Ola pointed it out, but the oldest daughter is named Thalia Grace, as in Percy Jackson's Thalia Grace. The Daughter of Zeus Thalia has more in common with Summer though.

Favourite Quotes:

• " See, real witches would be tuned in to the rhythm of the universe. They wouldn't mathematically weigh and counterweigh every possible option because creatures of magic don't do that. They weren't afraid of surrendering themselves. They had the courage to be different, and they never cared what people thought. It just wasn't important to them."
• " Just because it sounded unbelievable didn't mean it couldn't also be true."
• " You love the library, all the brooding quiet and rustling paper. You hear the call of the books, like the far-off howling of wolves."
• " Books are knowledge. Knowledge is power."
• " So never mind being invited, I'm the goddamn host."
• " Sometimes it's okay. Like now. We're drunk. We feel good. But tomorrow... life crowds in again. And then you find another way to block out the truth, just so you can get through the day. If we let ourselves see too much truth, it scares us. You have to block it out, or you'd never get anything done. You'd just wander around being perpetually depressed or amazed. That doesn't mean we shouldn't want to see the truth. It's just that maybe we have to see it in stages to be able to understand it."
• " My fury was coming, and with it the fear that was always swept along in its wake, drowning in its tidal wave."

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: magic, witchcraft, high school drama, curses, fantasy, reading about very close and very distant families

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 5th 2015
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Series: A Court of Thornes and Roses #1

Description from Goodreads:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Review:

I first heard of this book from the ever so lovely Ohana Reads about a year ago when it first came out. From her I heard positive things about the book, that it was AMAZING and so forth. However, I had a TBR list about a mile and a half long so I (can't believe!) pushed it out of my mind. When I stumbled across it in the local library, it suddenly came back to me. I decided to check it out and read it, because why not? I am so glad I did! This book was an amazing blend of high fantasy and romance. Not to mention the incredible setting and character development. I had to read a little while, until it really grabbed me, but boy did it ever grab me. I found the mysterious plot intriguing, and it was one of those books that kept my attention until the very end. I'll admit, I did very little homework the few days that I had it. It was so good. I really fell in love with the characters, and it was a joy to read about them. I simply loved everything about the novel. Plus the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin really grew and developed as the book moved forward, but not in a pushy or rushed way. However I would have liked to find out more about the other courts in the realm, because I think it would have given a certain depth to the story. But still amazing!

Favorite Quote:

“Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him.

"Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all.” 

― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Rating: 8.5/10 Stars

Reccomended for people who enjoy: romance, fantasy, cool heroines, magic

Happy Reading,

Mari

P.S. Keep a look out for my review of the sequel, "A Court of Mist and Fury"!

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: Down with the Shine

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

Released: April 26, 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen 

Format: ARC, 368 pages

Series: Stand-alone

Description on Goodreads:

    Lennie always thought her uncles’ “important family legacy” was good old-fashioned bootlegging. Then she takes some of her uncles’ moonshine to Michaela Gordon’s annual house party, and finds out just how wrong she was.
    At the party, Lennie has everyone make a wish before drinking the shine—it’s tradition. She toasts to wishes for bat wings, for balls of steel, for the party to go on forever. Lennie even makes a wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was murdered six months ago.
    The next morning gives Lennie a whole new understanding of the phrase be careful what you wish for—or in her case, be careful what wishes you grant. Because all those wishes Lennie raised a jar of shine to last night? They came true. Most of them came out bad. And once granted, a wish can’t be unmade… 

Review: 
    To start things off, this book was predictable up until the plot twist that caught me totally off guard. I was just following the chase, and then BOOM. I had to ask myself what happened. But I loved the ending anyway.
    The way the characters were written was slightly odd, especially the three uncles. It was like they spoke in unison, and were all basically the same person. But how could you not love them? They were hilarious, supportive, brave and caring at the best of times.
    Then there was Smith. Sigh. I love the way he was connected to each character. He's Lennie's ex-Friend, Dylan's brother, and knows everyone from school. He's a great side character for the novel and could really have a novella made all about him. Also, I was fond of the idea that Smith would never apologize.
    All together, Down with the Shine was a wonderful read.

Favourite Quotes:

• " I think about how right my uncles were - the stars in the sky are not to be reached for, but to remind us how small we truly are."
• " You don't pull the teeth of a trained dog. No, sir. You take the teeth of a dog you're afraid might still bite."
• " You know, people say hate is a strong word. But it's not, not really. I've seen lots of people hate and it always looks the same. Now, love, on the other hand, oooh boy, that's another story. If somebody loves you, or you love somebody, you never know how it's gonna come out. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: magic, genie, romance, fantasy, fairytales, the story of King Midas. 

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

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: A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Released: February 24th, 2015

Read: March 2016

Publisher: Tor Books

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Series: Shades of Magic #1

Description from GoodReads: Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.
   Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

Review: Reading this probably took me longer than it should have, which isn't a bad thing, but it lost some of the details or emotional attachment for me. Altogether though, it was a really great book!
   The main characters (Lila and Kell) are loveable and complicated with flaws that make them human and realistic in a world of fantasy. Lila, with her tomboy (I hate that word, but what else can I use?) personality and cutthroat attitude was a lovely balance to the consistently frightened, forever on the run Kell. They had some really nice, deep conversations that showed their differences and how they got along better because of them.
   Along with that, the world-building was amazing. It really made me want to visit Red London, even after being shown the underbelly of such a wonderful city.
   The plot was different from what I was expecting but also not at all what I was expecting. Books that don't really tell you at least what the basic plot is in the description, are a little annoying and usually disappointing. Thankfully this was not that disappointing of a book.

Quotable Quotes:
"I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still."
"Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive. Simple as that."
"A life worth having is a life worth taking."

Rating: 8/10

Read if You Liked: Harry Potter, Carry On, anything adventurous or magical basically

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: the Shadow Queen

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine 

Released: February 23, 2016

Read: February 2016

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Format: ARC, 400 pages
Series: Book #1 in the Defiance series

Description on Goodreads:

    Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

    In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

    But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

Review: 
    When I first saw the cover of the Shadow Queen, I knew I was going to love it. I always get swept away in fairy tale remakes, but this one was different from the others. In other remakes I've read, like Dark Shimmer and A Kiss In Time, the main plot was largely unlike the original plot of the fairy tale. The Shadow Queen's plot was almost bang on, other than the dwarfs and the minor factor of the dragons.
    I felt that having more than one kingdom in the story was very realistic. Of course there wouldn't be just one kingdom! It would be foolish to think otherwise. The ties between Ravenspire and Eldr were perfectly crafted. Eldr was desperate and needed help with the Ogre War, and Ravenspire was going through a depression thanks to the 'flawless' queen. The connecting piece between both problems was Queen Irina, who needed a huntsman to take care of her Lorelai issue. And with that, a deal was struck between the King of Eldr and Queen Irina, setting the stage for the rest of the story.
    Lorelai and Leo, also known as the Royal Rogues, were written exceptionally to fit their role as siblings. They seldom fought, which I guess is normal for them, and teased each other mercilessly. There was certainly a balance between them; Lorelai was way more strict and always serious, while Leo was outgoing and dramatic. He had flair while she wished she did. Although their personalities were the polar opposite of each other, they looked exactly alike. With their pale complexions, bold brown eyes and ebony hair, they could pass as twins if Leo was older. They are easily the most interesting and fun siblings I've ever read about.
    Now on to the scaly side of things. If Kol wasn't fictional and went to a normal, non-dragon high school, he'd be the prankster/jock type. He'd be the one flirting with all the girls but never having a girlfriend, and the one pissing off all the teachers. Being a prince, he could get away with all of it, but not as a king. At the beginning of the novel, he was forced to accept the weight of the crumbling Eldr and to bear the loss of his family. For the young prankster that he has always been, that's a lot of responsibility. This weight he bore showed in all of his decisions and every action he made. When he flew to Irina and offered to help Ravenspire's people, his motives were clear. And when he tried sneaking off and leaving his friends behind where it was safe, you could see where his loyalties lied. Kol didn't really think about what risks he put himself in, he just did what needed to be done to help those he loved.
    Overall, the Shadow Queen is a very compelling read that leads you on a journey where magic strives, ogres conquer, and dragons are nicer than you would think. I am definitely going to read the next book in the Defiance series when it releases.

Favourite Quotes:

• "You don't go into battle because you're sure of victory. You go into battle because it's the right thing to do." 
• "We could just head to the capital now and yell, 'Surprise, you slimy coward! We're not dead, but you're about to be!' and then you can turn her into a pile of fungus."
• "You two display such a staggering lack of imagination, it's a wonder I survive."
• "The only people who aren't prey are those smart enough and strong enough to become the predator."
• "A warrior doesn't focus on the odds stacked against her. She focuses on her heart, on her will to face the evil in her world and defeat it, and then she finds a way to do it."
• "I believe in you, and I've fought for you, because in a world full of people who crumble before an evil too terrifying to comprehend, you put up your fists and fight."

Rating: 9/10

Recommended if you like: Fairy tales, Snow White, books about overthrowing a king/queen, revenge/vengeance, Alex Flinn novels, adventure, romance, fierce female leads

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

What About Wednesday: Magic Edition

Hello fellow readers! Ola is back for our latest What About Wednesday. Our theme today, are books with magical communities featured!

Ola:
1. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
2. Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve
3. The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani 

Lauren:
1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
2.  The Killing Jar by Jennifer Bosworth
3.  Born at Midnight  by C.C. Hunter
Mari:
1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
2. Magyk by Angie Sage
3.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Have a magical week,
The Autumn Bookshelf

Book Review: The Girl from Everywhere

The Girl From Everywhere, by Heidi Heilig

Released: February 16, 2016
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format: ARC, 464 pages

Description from Goodreads:
    Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
    Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.
    In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance. 

Review: 
   Filled with action and devilishly handsome characters,  the Girl from Everywhere takes place literally everywhere and at every time. Aboard the Temptation, Nixie has a troubling role to play. She tries to help her father bring back his dead wife, even though there's a chance she might not exist if her mother lives.
   The novel took me by surprise. I honestly didn't know what to expect at first; the description on the back of the ARC was extremely vague. All I knew was that it involved a time-travelling ship and was from the perspective of the captains daughter, but the novel turned out to be about much, much more.
   Only having Rotgut, Bee and Kashmir as friends, Nixie lives a seemingly lonely life. All she wants is to learn how to navigate (travel through time), and run away. She doesn't care if her mother comes back to life, or about finding a map to get to her. She's a strong character and has a personality that is her own. She has opinions, an attitude and makes witty remarks. Nixie is well developed and is someone people can compare themselves with.
   Kashmir and Blake are my favourite to read about. Their perspectives of life are mesmerizing and the way they act is cute and funny. Kashmir is romantic without trying to be, even if he is just giving gifts he stole from other people. He is graceful for a pirate, and reminds me a lot of Puck from the Iron King. He has a sort of mysterious air about him. Well, whatever it is, I'm glad he has it.
   And then there's Blake. Siggggghhhhh. He is definitely unlike the other characters; he has self confidence, and wants to stay in one place instead of travel the world. He is balanced and knows what he wants to do with his life. He's the guy you wait your whole life to meet, because everything is more fun when you're with them.
   Anyways, both Blake and Kashmir have unique personalities that leave you dying to meet them.
   Overall, the Girl from Everywhere teaches you a lot about history and how far people will go to change the past.


Favourite Quote:

• "I don't need help looking good. All you're doing is making it seem like I keep unfashionable company." -Kashmir, (Heidi Heilig) 

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: time-travel, learning about history, witty banter, strong female leads, reading about family issues, love stories

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book review: The House

The House, by Christina Lauren

Release date: October 27, 2015

Read: November 11, 2015
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books
Format: ARC, 400 pages.

Description from Good Reads:

Gavin tells Delilah he's hers-completely-but whatever lives inside that house with him disagrees, After seven years tucked away at an East coast boarding school. Delilah Blue returns to her small Kansas hometown to find that not much has changed, Her parents are still uptight and disinterested, her bedroom is exactly the way she left it, and the outcast Gavin Timothy still looks like he's crawled out of one of her dark, twisted drawings. Delilah is instantly smitten. Gavin has always lived in the strange house: an odd building isolated in a stand of trees where the town gives in to mild wilderness. The house is an irresistible lure for Delilah, but the tall fence surrounding it exists for good reason, and Gavin urges Delilah to be careful. Whatever lives with him there isn't human, and isn't afraid of hurting her to keep her away.

Review: The first impression I had of Delilah, was that she was a stalker. Really, what kind of girl, whether boy-crazed or not, follows a guy to his house? And it doesn't end there, she also had to have a peek inside through his front window. But it was a nice change to read a book with a courageous female lead (however impulsive) and an anti-social boy, instead of the other way around, which most books are. And the house! The moment this odd looking house came into play, I knew something paranormal was going on there. My guess was that there was some sort of soul-sucking demon living inside who was keeping Gavin captive, not that something was wrong with the actual house. Kudos to Christina Lauren for pulling that one off, and not writing what was expected.

Favourite Quotes: 
" What a pair they must make standing beside each other. Her fire so huge it spilled out of her and onto the pavement. His entire world so small she couldn't even see it with him looming over her." -Christina Lauren

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: Monster House (the movie), Thrillers, any books/movies that just creep you out in general.

A recipe for disaster,


Lauren

Book Review: Nimona

       Nimona by Noelle Stevenson


Release Date: May 12th, 2015
Read: September 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 272 pages

Description from Gingerhaze:
    Lord Ballister Blackheart has a point to make, and his point is that the good guys aren't as good as they seem. He makes a comfortable living as a supervillain, but never really seems to accomplish much - until he takes on a new sidekick, Nimona, a shapeshifter with her own ideas of how things should be done. Unfortunately, most of those ideas involve blowing things up. Now Ballister must teach his young protégé some restraint and try to keep her from destroying everything, while simultaneously attempting to expose the dark dealings of those who claim to be the protectors of the kingdom - including his former best friend turned nemesis, Ambrosius Goldenloin.

Review: This isn't the first time I've read Nimona, but I'm so glad I get to review and own it as a physical copy. It is amazing. Gorgeous art, beautiful plot lines, adorable characters.
   My favourite part of this book is the sweet father-daughter relationship that develops between Lord Blackheart and Nimona, because it gives a sort of warmth and coziness to the story that just piques the perfection. And don't get me started on the humour, because you will snort with laughter at least twice.
   I've convinced most of my friends to read this book, and they loved it. Even if they didn't normally read graphic novels, or fantasy. I guarantee you will like this.

Quotable Quotes:
"I'm not a kid. I'm a SHARK." - Nimona

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Read if you liked: Fangirl, Harry Potter, Carry On, the Lumberjanes, Anya's Ghost

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Forgive my Fins

Forgive my Fins, by Tera Lynn Childs 

Release date: January 1, 2010

Read: September 2015
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Format: Hardcover, 291 pages

Description on GoodReads: Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Review: Forgive my Fins is the epitome of a stereotypical mermaid romance novel.  From the moment the book started, cough cough page six, I already knew who Lily ended up with. It was expected, but still cute to see, or I guess read, how they slowly fell in love with each other. Tera Lynn Childs did a fantastic job of describing life under the sea, with all the specific plant types, colours and even going as far as describing the swift movement of the current. I just wish the fish slang had stayed underwater with the rest of the mermaids.

Favourite quote:
"Some people find beauty in chaos."
-Tera Lynn Childs

Rating: 7/10

Recommended if you like: mermaids, fantasy, romance, a light/playful/childish read

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book Review: Carry On

      Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Release Date: October 6th, 2015
Read: October, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Hardcover, 522 pages

Description from GoodReads:    Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.
   Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.
   Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

Review: I have loved Simon and Baz since they were just fictional characters in Fangirl. When I found out they were getting their own novel, I was over the moon. And rightly so! This book met my expectations so easily and was so real (not like, realistic fantasy, but more like, this could be a fanfic). 

   It is very Harry Potter, although any book about a  teenage wizard school is very Harry Potter. Especially if it's a "chosen one" story. This book though, was surprisingly un-Harry Potter as well. The ending especially, but also the fact that everything does have very real dates, and pop culture references that are relevant, but not too relevant. Like Pokémon, and Starbucks.

   The only thing I have to sort of argue is that of course, this book takes place in the UK. And although I'm not from the UK, all of the british slang seemed really pushed.

Quotable Quotes:

"It's the good things that hurt when you're missing them." -Simon Snow

"'You're-you're wearing jeans.' 'And you're wearing half of the countryside.'"- Simon and Baz
"It's good to have a life that passes the Bechdel test." - Mitali Bunce

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Read if you like: Harry Potter, Fangirl, Wizards, Vampires, A+ Characters

Optimistically yours, Ola <3