No Mourners. No Funerals. Except for My Poor Heart.

Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publication Date: September 29th 2015
Publisher: Indigo
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Grisha Trilogy introduced readers to the irresistible fantasy world of the Grisha - and now Leigh Bardugo brings us a new sweeping epic.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy, Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first.

Leigh Bardugo's writing has captivated readers since SHADOW AND BONE was published in 2012. SIX OF CROWS will take Leigh's fans back into the world they know and love. As gripping, sweeping and memorable as The Grisha Trilogy, this is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Kristin Cashore and Game of Thrones.

Let it be noted that, I read Six of Crows straight after Queen of Shadows, and it was not the wisest decision I have ever made. All. The. Feels. For. Days. And days. And days.

So I have a confession to make…I only read the Grisha trilogy for the first time a book before Six of Crows, and feel free to shot at me for waiting so long (and if you’re yet to read it, READ IT. NOW. GO. GO. GO.) because holy damn, I fell in love. But, you know the problem that enlists with that now, don’t you? How is a companion or a spin off series in the same world, going to beat the original? 

Review: An Ember in the Ashes

An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publication Date: June 4th 2015
Publisher: Harper Voyager
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

What if you were the spark that could ignite a revolution?

For years Laia has lived in fear. Fear of the Empire, fear of the Martials, fear of truly living at all. Born as a Scholar, she’s never had much of a choice.

For Elias it’s the opposite. He has seen too much on his path to becoming a Mask, one of the Empire’s elite soldiers. With the Masks’ help the Empire has conquered a continent and enslaved thousands, all in the name of power.

When Laia’s brother is taken she must force herself to help the Resistance, the only people who have a chance of saving him. She must spy on the Commandant, ruthless overseer of Blackcliff Academy. Blackcliff is the training ground for Masks and the very place that Elias is planning to escape. If he succeeds, he will be named deserter. If found, the punishment will be death.

But once Laia and Elias meet, they will find that their destinies are intertwined and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

In the ashes of a broken world one person can make a difference. One voice in the dark can be heard. The price of freedom is always high and this time that price might demand everything, even life itself

If you've already read An Ember in the Ashes you'll know three things. If you haven't read An Ember in the Ashes, you should know these three things.

It really is brutal.

It's without a doubt cruel and immoral.

Its empowering. 

Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (THISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOK)

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda 
Author: Becky Albertalli
Publication Date: April 7th 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met

Right now my thoughts about Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda are along the lines of thisbookthisbookthisbook, it was when  I finished it, and it still is now, because THISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOK. I know what you're thinking, how do I explain things so well? *cough* It's a gift.*cough*  ;) It's just so freaking adorable and funny and cute, and so much more than just freaking adorable and funny and cute, and again, I know, I explain things so well.  So I'll put it this way, Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda shows how far society has evolved regarding anything LGBTQ, and how everything diverse has changed in YA, but also how it hasn't changed for anyone LGBTQ.

Review: We Were Liars (Yes, that one.)

We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart

Publication Date:  May 15th 2014        
Publisher: Hot Key Books

~A copy as provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

 

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A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

 

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So, I've been wanting to read We Were Liars for ages, but waited. The first time I read it was with the #liarsliveread on twitter, and reactions really are everything. And emotions are everything, and those hours were well spent. We had to post our reactions to certain pages.