Waiting on Wednesday (#86)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

 Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

I loved Snow Like Ashes, so obviously this is going to be awesome.



What're you waiting on?

Review: The Orphan Queen (!!!!!!!!!!)

The Orphan Queen
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publication Date: March 10th 2015 (US) April 9th 2015 (UK)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

Holy crap. Holy crap. Holy crap. That was pretty much me through the last half of The Orphan Queen. I know, I know, I'm being amazingly subtle at how amazing The Orphan Queen is. I will try to resemble my thoughts into something coherent, but you know how it goes with books you love, you never know how to review it. So here's four words to accurately describe The Orphan Queen.

Damn, Jodi Meadows, damn.

Review: Liars, Inc.

Liars, Inc.
Author: Paula Stokes
Publication Date: March 24th 2015        
Publisher:  HarperTeen
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

For fans of Gone Girl, I Hunt Killers, and TV's How to Get Away with Murder.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? In a story that Kirkus Reviews called "Captivating to the very end," Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters

Liars, Inc. You really surprised me, in all ways, characters, the plot, the holyshitwhatjusthappened parts. You know I like those parts. It's my kind of book, and if you know me, you know what that means. Some psycho twisted shit just went down and I loved every minute of it, and the best thing of all? I didn't see any of that coming at all, okay, I had my suspicions but I didn't guess the whole story behind it, and holy crap. So. Much. Fun. It was so addictive, I read it in three hours, the writings just so easy to get into and as things start happening, you need to know what the hell is going on. I won't say much about the plot in case of giving anything away, but I will say, aha! I didn't even pick up on the hints along the way, so bravo, and whatever you think might happen or who it is, just sit back and enjoy the read, there's a good chance you won't get it right anyway, and if you do, kudo's to you.

Review: The Glory

The Glory
Author: Lauren St. John
Publication Date: March 5th 2015        
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

From the bestselling author of The One Dollar Horse trilogy, a sensational, stand-alone equestrian thriller about a gruelling 1,200 mile race, a girl on the run from the law and a boy on a mission to save a life.

A Girl on the Run from the Law

Alexandra Blakewood has everything any teenager could wish for, apart from the horse she'd love, but she won't stop getting into trouble. Sent to a US boot camp, she dreams of escaping. It seems impossible until she's told about a gruelling 1,200 mile horse race across the American West...

A Boy on a Mission to Save a Life

Will Greyton was the star student at his Tennessee high school until his father was laid off. Now Will works at a burger joint. When his dad falls ill, it seems things can't get any worse. An operation will save him, but there's no way to pay for it. Then Will hears about The Glory, a deadly endurance race with a $250,000 purse, open to any rider daring enough to attempt it...

If The Glory would have stuck more to the Race and the Equestrian side of the story, I would've liked it a lot more than I did. Unfortunately, that's probably the only side of the book I did like. From the sub-plots, third person narrative, no connection and somewhat unlikeable characters and a insta-lust and insta-love romance, you could say I have a few issues with the book.

Waiting on Wednesday (#85)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.

 Soundless by Richelle Mead

Expected publication: November 17th 2015 by Razorbill

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever

Richelle Mead. Enough said.

What're you waiting on? 

Flesh and Blood Blog Tour: Review & Guest Post

Flesh and Blood
Author: Simon Cheshire
Publication Date: March 2nd 2015
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

I must record the facts that have led me to where I am now. So that, when someone reads this, they understand. Sam Hunter's neighbours are pillars of the community, the most influential people in town. But they're liars too. The Greenhills are hiding something and Sam's determined to find out what it is. As his investigation unfolds, he realizes the lies reach further than he ever imagined - is there anyone he can trust? Uncovering the horror is one thing ...escaping is another. A chilling new story in the Red Eye series

Flesh and Blood is not a mild horror book. It's not the horror you expect, or even the Gothic you expect. It's underrated, because it is subtle, and although it is questionable, it's also could be terrifyingly real. It's also not one to skimp on details. Or the gory details. Or the I-think-I'm-going-to-be-sick details and the dear-god-save-me details. Depending on how well your stomach can keep food in it, you might not want to eat whilst reading it.