Tag: book

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Dance of Thieves Book Review

Megan Nicole

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Overall: ****

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: *****

Pages: 505

Purchase on Amazon here

These last two months I joined my very first read along. It started with The Remnant Chronicles and end with the Dance of Thieves Duology.

I was actually a little hesitant when starting this series as I was a little meh about the ending of The Remnant Chronicles which this is a spin off of.  I was pleasantly surprised to be immediately sucked into the action with this book. It occurs several years after the end of the original trilogy but since there was already so much back story on the world there was not a lot of building needed.

I also really enjoyed seeing more of the side characters from the first series and learning more about new people and places in the world. I also liked that this story was less “royal” and you got to learn about the Rahtan and smaller regions of the continent.

The story is based on Kazi who is a member of the new and improved Rahtan of Queen Lia from the original trilogy. She ventures to one of the smaller kingdoms to investigate “treaty violations” and hunt for long lost traitors.

  • I felt the main characters were actually quite unlikable, but grew on me over time. As with the first series as well I really enjoyed the side characters and the world/culture building the Pearson does.
  • I would recommend this story over The Remnant Chronicles but I fear you would not understand a large portion of the story line and character arcs without having read the original trilogy first. It is classified as a spin off but is really more a continuation of the story.
  • Because the point of views switch from Jase and Kazi you know so much of each side of the story. Which for me causes frustration in knowing that a lot of the problems and barriers are from each side keeping secrets instead of being honest. I am hoping to see some of this resolved in the second book now that a lot of new character and relationship building has occurred in the first.

AND THAT ENDING! All I have to say is make sure you have Vow of Thieves ready to start reading right after you finish! I devoured the first book in 3 “work” days so that shows you how sucked in I was and I will be diving right into the second book asap.

Also guys let’s not ignore how completely gorgeous this book is! The naked hardback is also gorgeous and has beautiful maps as the end pages.

Synopsis:

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen’s premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives―and their hearts.

Have you read this duology? If so, tell me what you think below in the comments!

Publisher: Henry Holt

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The Memory Thief Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy

Overall rating :***

Reading rate: *****

Romance: ***

Pages: 368

Release date: October 1, 2019

Order on Amazon here

Etta is a former Memory Thief hiding in plain sight as an ungifted to try and protect her mother and escape her past. When she is double crossed by the corrupt ruler Madame she is forced to return to the Shadows she betrayed to try and save her family and possibly so much more…

The author had some great and unique ideas in this story and even threw a few greats twist and shockers at me. I love the idea of the memory trade and how it can be used for good or bad. I really think this book could have been taken from Ok, to good or really good by being broken out into more books or even just a duology. There was so much action packed into this one book that it made scenes and relationships feel rushed. There were several points where the book could have paused nicely (or left a cliff hanger) and went into a second book.

I was also really enjoying the characters and world, as well as the unique settings that were trekked through. Again I just wish more time had been taken to build out the characters and places, it left me with less attachment to the main characters than I would typically have. There was also some great opportunity for side characters that just got a little lost in the hustle.

Overall the story was still worth the read, the story was action packed and never slowed down. I finished the book in about 2 days…and let’s not forget to mention the absolutely gorgeous cover! I would recommend to someone who enjoys YA Fantasy and prefers a quick standalone to a long detailed series.

Synopsis:

In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.

Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.

To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world.

Thank you to Blink YA books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Air Awakens Series Book Review

Megan Nicole

Air Awakens by Elise Kova Book ReviewAir Awakens series by Elise Kova

Overall: ****

Reading rate:*****

Romance:****

Pages: Over 1700 across 5 books

I binged this entire series on eBook in 5 days! and its a 5 book series. I seriously could not get enough of Prince Aldrik and HAD to know what happened next.

I actually skipped over this book on Kindle several times because of the cover art…. do not mean to be cliche but was totally hit by the “Don’t just a book by its cover”.

What I liked:

  • Romance all the way through & Prince Aldrik
  • The books suck you into Vhalla’s world and do not let go. You just keep adventuring from the library, to the Tower of Sorcerers, to a cross continent trek to fight a war and being on the run on the way back!
  • I loved the side characters!! There were so many funny and wonderful additions to the story along the way that really built it out.
  • I enjoyed the differences in the regions that were built out as well as the magic in those regions. The author really built out openings for spin off after spin off.

What I didn’t like:

  • All the “love triangles” that were thrown in throughout the books, I do not like my one true pairing to be questioned lol
  • While I loved Prince Aldrik and the other side characters I never 100% warmed up to Vhalla the female MC. She was a bit all over the place with her feelings and actions.
  • I also feel like there were problems that arose that I saw coming a mile away but the characters were just oblivious too.
  • I felt like the magic system and the crystal still needed a bit more explaining in the end. The author is also writing a spin off series based after Air Awakens that maybe fills in more of those gaps.

If you liked Throne of Glass I feel you will like this series (although no Fae and less smut) the overall story line was still quite similar.

There are 5 books in this series:

  1. Air Awakens
  2. Fire Falling
  3. Earth’s End
  4. Water’s Wrath
  5. Crystal Crowned

Air Awakens Synopsis:

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond…

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all–the Crown Prince Aldrik–she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Have you read Air Awakens? Tell me what you think about it below in the comments?

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The Storm Crow Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson

Overall Rating: **

Reading Rate: **

Romance: **

Release Date: July 9, 2019

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

I received an ARC of The Storm Crow in a Fairyloot box and was very excited to read it. I was really sad when I had a very hard time getting through this book. It took me several weeks of picking up and putting back down to finish, which is very unusual for me. The book kicks off with the Illucian Empire invading and easily destroying all of Rhodaire’s rookeries and crows.

To start I just felt the situation that the book was based on should never have happened and after it was hard for me to keep going with the story line. In response to the tragedy instead of stepping up to help her country the Princess goes into a depression. I think too many books are based on women that start out weak and broken, and while I understand that they are trying to convey what people really go through the trope has just been overdone for me, and it didn’t add to this book in my opinion.

The book started to pick up towards the middle. Thia’s personality begins to develop when she finds the Storm Crow egg and begins great banter with the Illucian prince. I was getting excited for the how to book would develop and end when they introduced another guy into the mix…and we all know how I feel about Triangles at this point (tear laugh face).

What I liked:

  • What is not to love about magical crows that you can ride!!
  • I like the way the author set up the world and the differences and strained relationships between the nations. I enjoyed learning about the different cultures she built out and was eager to learn more as the story developed.

What I didn’t like:

  • There were some holes in the concept of the magical crows and the fact that only one country had them and needed them to survive.
  • The “major events” that  occurred in the book only occurred because lack of caution and preparation, this was very hard for me to get over.
  • I have a hard time with characters that are constantly down on themselves and continually take strong side characters for granted. This is just my personal preference but it did make the book harder to get through for me.
  • I think the romance story line was on a great track with an enemies to lovers with the Illucian prince but then took a U-Turn with the introduction of the inventor.

I originally I had this book at three stars, but when I came back to it and started thinking about all of the elements I took issue with I had to lower it to two. The way the book ended means there will be more to this series. While I didn’t feel the usual urge of needing to know what happens next I will most likely give the second book a try to see if the series picks up any before deciding to DNF. I cant say I would recommend anyone to run out and buy this book, more of a wait and see what happens with the series first.

Synopsis:

Eragon meets And I Darken in this thrilling new fantasy debut that follows a fallen princess as she ignites a rebellion to bring back the magical elemental crows that were taken from her people.

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life…until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything.

That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother’s death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost.

But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them. 

Have you read The Storm Crow? Tell me what you thought in the comments below!

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The Bargainer Series Book Review

Megan Nicole

The Bargainer Series by Laura Thalassa Book Review

Overall Rating: ****

Romance: *****

Reading Rate: *****

I blew through this entire series in about 3.5-4 days and then immediately started searching for anything else by Laura Thalassa  that I could get my hands on.

To start this is definitely an adult book with quite a bit of smut and language. The main character “Calli” is a Siren, and I love how dark her character is. I feel a lot of stories start with this pure broken female lead and while she certainly had her demons, she was also a bit of one herself. I cant even with the Bargainer… just “sigh”… he is terrible and I love it!

The first book toggles back and forth from Calli’s present day interactions with Des the Bargainer and her teenage interactions with him. I was a little concerned with the age dynamic early on in the books thinking it was about to go down a road I was not comfortable with, but stick with it and I feel things were pretty quickly cleared up.

There are three books and a novella in the series:

  1. Rhapsodic (The Bargainer) (Volume 1) 
  2. A Strange Hymn
  3. Dark Harmony 
  4. Emperor of the Evening Starts (2.5/Novella)

I really wanted to give this series 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much, but it is not a story for everyone and does have the cliche romance element. If you were a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, I think you would really enjoy this series as well.

Rhapsodic Synopsis:

Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear. Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects. But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more. For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken. If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

Have you read this series? Tell me what you think in the comments below.

– Megan

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Book Review: Sorcery of Thorns

Megan Nicole

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Overall: *****Sorcery of Thorns Book Review Margaret Rogerson Charlie Bowater

Romance: **

Reading Rate: *****

Pages: 456

Published: June 4th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

I cannot express how excited I was for this book to release. I read Rogerson’s Enchantment of Ravens earlier this year and really enjoyed it! Plus, my goodness the level of cover gorgeousness is just crazy!!!

This book is very different from EOR, so if you were not a fan I would still give Sorcery of Thorns a try. I will say as a fan of both I feel Sorcery of Thorns far surpassed EOR for quality, and I enjoyed the writing style used more in SOT. Even though this book was over 400 pages I blew through it in 2 days, I just could not put it down and had to find out what happened next.

What I liked:

  • Guys the library and “living” books, could there be more of a dream world for a Book worm?
  • Rogerson did a great job of building out a complex world, characters, and storyline for only having one book to do so. Can I pretty please get more books in this universe!?
  • It felt a little like a story line from the show Supernatural and I loved it!!!

What I didn’t like:

  • I never really got attached to Nathaniel the way I normally would for the Male lead in a story, I felt Silas his demon servant overshadowed him.
  • I would have like a little more steam in the love interest. I didn’t take anything away from the book for this however, this book is firmly YA and kept it PG-13, steam is just my personal preference. Also, if you lean more towards the Adult/NA end this may not be for you.

I was really worried this book was going to be a victim of the hype but I really think it delivered. If this is the only book in the universe I would be so so sad… I already have two editions of this book and would rush to buy anything and everything Rogerson put out about this world. While there are demons and fighting and a hint of romance I still feel this is a book I would recommend for a teen to read, but also enough of a story that adults can still enjoy as well.

Synopsis:

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined. 

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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Book Review

Megan Nicole

Overall Rating: ****

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: ***

A Discovery of Witches is one of those books that I kept hearing rave reviews for,  plus it is now a TV series so I wanted to read before I started watching. I started out loving the this book and I wanted to love it so so much, for me it just started to get a little off and slow towards the end but overall was a good read.

Discovery of Witches- All Souls- Harkness

What I liked:

  • I like the magical world set up with Witches, Daemons and Vampires all living alongside the human population.
  • I am a huge inta love fan so I love the immediate steam between Matt and Diana
  • I loved all of the nerdy elements to the story. Matt being a scientist and Diane a historian. A book that is largely about books is usually pretty wonderful.

What I didn’t like:

  • At times conversations seemed to go down the rabbit hole of history or science to the point I found it hard to get through.
  • I feel like the main characters were very reasonable throughout the book and seemed to start losing their grip on their feelings towards the end. I know this happens after certain experiences, I just felt like they were suddenly almost different characters then the people I had grown to enjoy.
  • There is a lot of typical stereotyping between humans and types of creatures. It bugs me when the main cause of an issue is being with endless experience and knowledge just being narrow minded.

This is actually the first book in Harkness’s All Souls trilogy. I started reading the second book right away as the ending of this one left me needing to know what happens next. About 150 pages in I lost interest and have placed the book in my Did Not Finish pile for the time being. I still plan to come back around and finish the whole series at some point… might try to use audio book to help me make it through.

Synopsis:

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Have you read the series? Does it get better and worth reading through to the end? Let me know in the comments below.

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Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan Book Review

Megan Nicole

Overall Rating: ****

Romance: ***

Reading Rate: ****

Wicked Saints was so hyped I was nervous to read it as I thought there was no way it could live up to everything being said about it, but it did! Not to mention the gorgeous covers that were available! I am always a sucker for a pretty book. Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan Book Review

I loved how dark this whole book was from the characters to the countries. I thought the author did a great job of raising a lot of religious and moral questions without being pushy in either direction. It was more of “In a world where all everyone knows is war are anyone’s hands really clean”? It was serious Shadow and Bone vibes,  Malachiasz and The Darkling may have to battle for my dark little heart…

What I liked:

  • I found myself really enjoying all of the characters, but at the same time not knowing if I should trust any of them (which I also loved)
  • Because of the morally grey and mysterious nature of the characters I think readers could choose different sides or a variety of ships. I think this book would be great for a book club discussion.
  • I think the author did a great job of giving just enough information about the world and characters to allow you to understand the story, but left you wanting more and forming so many more questions.

What I didn’t like:

  • It was not very original. While I did feel that it elevated elements of other series it also made a lot of things predicable. This is why I left it a 4 stars instead of 5. Had this been a series I read before the Grishaverse books or Sarah J Maas I would have rated 5 stars. I am really hoping to see some deviation from the inspired story line into something more original and surprising in future installments.

This is the first book in the Something Dark and Holy series by Duncan so I am so sad I have to wait until next year to read the sequel!! If you are a fan of the Grishaverse or Throne of Glass I would highly recommend giving a read.

Official Synopsis:

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy…

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release Date: April 2, 2019

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Finale by Stephanie Garber Book Review

Megan Nicole

Overall rating: ****

Romance: **

Reading Pace:***

The Caraval series is one of the few times I have read a series as they released. I actually did not know that it was a series until I got to the end of the first book.

I was so so so excited for Finale and to see how the story ended and completely thought that I would breeze through this book in about a day as I did with the others, but it actually took me right at a week to get through. There was a lot more complexity to this book than the previous two. There was a real dive into the characters and how they are felt and tied together versus the hustle and bustle of the Game that you encountered in the first two. As a standalone book I did not like it as much as the first two, but I think it did a great job of bringing everything together to wrap up the story. I think that is a bit of the curse of final books a lot of the time and of course no one is happy to see a series that they love stop, even if they really wanted that ending!

Finale Caraval Book Review

What I liked:

  • Deeper dives into the main characters feelings… and all the great Tella and Legend moments
  • Finally having all of the secrets revealed!!!
  • The author left some amazing opportunities for Spin-offs series or novellas of the Fates… please of please give me some more Jacks!

What I didn’t like:

  • I honestly missed the game in this book, I wish it had been closer to sequences of Caraval and Legendary.
  • This points of view flipped back and forth between Tella and Scarlett, so it was a little harder to get invested in the characters connection for me.
  • There were a lot of people and characters- I really think the dealing with the fates alone could have been split into another two books.

I know people have a lot of strong opinions about this series and it seems to be in extremes. Yes, while I agree that the series is not a work in literary art. They are fun, suck you in stories that leave you wanting more and wondering what on earth is going to happen next. Also, if you happen to follow author Stephanie Garber on social media, she is super sweet, always going out of her way to keep fans informed and thanking them. Honestly just on person alone I would read her work.

Official Synopsis:

Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Release Date: May 7, 2019

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May 2019 Top Book Releases

Megan Nicole

So May 7th has turned into the release day of the year apparently! There are so many amazing books with extras that I cannot wait to come out.

May 7th

Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle #1) by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman

After listening to Illuminae (which I reviewed earlier this month, check it out here) anything done by Amie and Jay will be an automatic buy for me! Not to mention the early reviews for this book have been phenomenal.

Synopsis:

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their Aurora Rising Bookfirst missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm

A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates

A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder

An alien warrior with anger management issues

A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

AND OH MY GOODNESS THE PRE ORDER OFFER FOR THIS BOOK:

Memento (The Illuminae Files 0.1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay KristoffMemento Illuminae Novella

December, 2574. Forty-three days before the BeiTech attack on Kerenza IV.

This is the story of my first friendship.

This is the tale of my first murder?

Some monsters are born.

But I?

< ERROR >

I was made. 

Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber

Finale Caraval BookThis is one of very few series that I have read as they release and I cannot wait for this book!!!!! I am not a huge person for having multiple editions but I have ordered both the Fairyloot Special Edition box and the OwlCrate Special Edition box… and most likely going to have to get the Barnes & Noble Exclusive for the extra chapter from Legend’s perspective. If you haven’t already I highly recommend reading this series, they are a super fast paced and fun read!

Synopsis:

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win…and those who will lose everything. . .

Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11) by Patricia Briggs

Storm Cursed- Mercy Thompson BookI read the first several books in this series and enjoyed them. I just started to get a bit behind and have not had a chance to catch up. I will probably do a full reread and knock the whole series out once complete since I have lost track of a lot of the details.

Synopsis:

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter . . . And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn’t stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word. We will die to keep it.

Romanov by Nadine Brandes

Romanov BookSynopsis:

The history books say I died.

They don’t know the half of it.

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them . . . and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of survival are to either release the spell, and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya’s never dabbled in magic before, but it doesn’t frighten her as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her . . .

That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.

 

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne

Synopsis:

Set in a Latinx-inspired world, a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed.

To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her…and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks.

As a talented faceshifter, it’s been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that’s exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she’s forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan’s royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.

After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can’t help but feel that he will never live up to his brother’s legacy. Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

But when Finn and Alfie’s fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power—which, if not contained, will devour the world. And with Castallan’s fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.

Broken Throne (Red Queen #4.5) by Victoria Aveyard

Broken Throne: A Red Queen Collection BookWhile I was not a big fan of how this series ended I was a fan of the first few books so am really interested so see some extra content from this world. I have pre-ordered a singed Barnes & Noble exclusive version .

Synopsis:

Return once more to the deadly and dazzling world of Red Queen in Broken Throne, a beautifully designed, must-have companion to the chart-topping series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard.

The perfect addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen series, this gorgeously designed package features three brand-new novellas, two previously published novellas, Steel Scars and Queen Song, and never-before-seen maps, flags, bonus scenes, journal entries, and much more exclusive content.

Fans will be delighted to catch up with beloved characters after the drama of War Storm and be excited to hear from brand-new voices as well. This stunning collection is not to be missed!

 

Dark Shores (Dark Shores #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

Dark Shores Book ReviewI got a chance to read an advanced eGalley of this book and I really enjoyed it, you can read my full review here.

Synopsis:

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.

 

May 14th

We Hunt the Flame BookWe Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya #1) by Hafsah Faizal

I am super excited for this book, and I have an educated guess that it will be in the May OwlCrate which means special edition!!!

Synopsis:

People lived because she killed.

People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the king. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways.

Both are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the king on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

May 21st

Kingsbane- Empirium Trilogy BookKingsbane (Empirium #2) by Claire Legrand

I have not yet read Furyborn but it is on my TBR for May before the release of Kingsbane, all of the early hype for this book has been amazing!

Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. To repair it, Rielle must collect the seven hidden castings of the saints. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist.

Centuries later, Eliana Ferracora grapples with her new reality: She is the Sun Queen, humanity’s long-awaited savior. But fear of corruption—fear of becoming another Rielle—keeps Eliana’s power dangerous and unpredictable. Hunted by all, racing against time to save her dying friend Navi, Eliana must decide how to wear a crown she never wanted—by embracing her mother’s power, or rejecting it forever.