Book Reviews, Products I love!!

Finale by Stephanie Garber Book Review

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

Book Boxes, Bookish Merch, Products I love!!

OwlCrate World Of Caraval Special Edition Unboxing

Just a Final 🙂 Warning- LOTS of spoilers below

Overall Rating: ****

Value: ****

Uniqueness:****

I am so so so excited for the release of Finale!!!! I want to set aside all of the other books in my TBR list to start reading right away! These books always leave me needing to know what happens next! I am forcing myself to finish off the two books I am currently reading before I can dive in…. so probably will be my weekend treat!!!

Now without further ado! The unboxing of the World of Caraval Special Edition box from OwlCrate.

What was all included in the box:

  • LeeLoo’s Bath Steamer-I could smell this thing outside of the box and it was wonderful!!
  • Enamel Pin by Alchemy and Ink. There were actually three different version of this pin inspired by the book covers that you could have received.
  • Book Tin from Stella Bookish Art that features quotes from all three books.
  • Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle by Rose and Adder
  • Throw Pillow Case designed by Catarina Book Designs
  • Tote Bag designed by Evie Bookish
  • Art Prints depicting scenes fro Caraval and Finale
  • Deck of Playing Cards inspired by the Deck of Destiny… this might be my favorite item in the box, after the book of course.
  • Finale with Exclusive OwlCrate Alternate cover!!! I love this alternate cover so much, especially since I am not a purple fan!!

I believe there are still some unsigned books or boxes with unsigned books available on OwlCrate’s website.

I did give this box 4 starts instead of 5 as I didn’t feel the items really warranted the higher cost, I might be spoiled with how many items are usually in the monthly OwlCrate boxes, but I didn’t feel I received a whole lot of extra. Also aside from the cover art the book doesn’t have any exclusive content so I will still need to purchase a Barnes & Noble Exclusive version of the book if I want the extra chapter from Legends perspective. I don’t enjoy having multiple copies of the same book, so I will wait and see how much I love the book before deciding if I really really need the extra content.

How do you feel about the series??? Let me know in the comments below, and of course Spoiler warnings please!!!

Bookish Merch, Products I love!!

May 2019 Top Book Releases

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.

Book Reviews

My Top 5 Books of 2018

I feel live overall this year I had a bit of a reading slump, I read quite a few books there were just not a large number of them that really stuck with me especially in the new release department. I still wanted to share a few of my favorites for the year. Some old, some new and in no particular order.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (series) by Sarah J. Maas

While I was super late to the bandwagon on this series I really got sucked into it and enjoyed it. Rhys for sure goes on the list of all time book boyfriends and I loved the smut in this book. I would say I would put this more as a New Adult book and would not recommend for “teens”. 

A Court of Mist and Fury Chapter 55

2. Legendary by Stephanie Garber 

I heard a lot of negative feedback on these books but I have to say they are quick enjoyable reads that suck you in and keep you wondering what on earth they are going to do next…this was the second book in the Caraval Trilogy that will be complete early in 2019.A Court of Mist and Fury Chapter 55

3. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This book was not a fast-paced suck you in book but it was very neat and such a fun concept. I really enjoy the Grishaverse world Leigh has created and I will be reading the sequel to this duology Crooked Kingdom soon! See my post Six of Crows- Book Review for a more detailed summary. 

Yoda with Six Of Crows Book

 

4. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

So I read a good bit of SJM this year with discovering ACOTAR and completing the Throne of Glass series… While I did enjoy all of the TOG books this is one of my all-time favorite and one I saved to read for the first time right before Kingdom of Ash released. I am so glad I save it because this was the ultimate in “Maas Destruction”. I also found out after the fact that there is a guide to reading Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn at the same time since the timelines are concurrent. I totally wish I had done this and will for sure try this out the next time I reread. Oh and Tower of Dawn was actually really good as well… just didn’t make the final 5 cut 😉

5. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis- Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be

I used my free trial of Audible to purchase and listen to this book and it was really great. I went into it with no expectations and didn’t think I had anything to gain from it and was so surprised. Listening to the book was such as great choice for this as Rachel narrates it herself and had me laughing and crying along with her as she told her story and the lessons she learned.

Girl Wash Your Face Audible