Tag Archives: The King Slayer
Treat Yo Shelf & Giveaway: June Monthly Recap
Treat Yo Shelf:
June Monthly Recap
Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I fangirl over the books I read this month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received in the month of June.
What did I read?
It was another slow reading month for me. Sorry, guys.
What books did I buy?
I was on a “Book Buying Ban” this month, but I did purchase one book, Autofocus, because I wanted the awesome swag that came with the pre-order.
What books did I receive from Publishers/Authors to review?
- Autofocus by Lauren Gibaldi from HarperCollins/HarperTeen (Hardcover & e-ARC)
- We Own the Night by Ashley Poston from Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books (e-ARC)
What books did I receive from friends/fellow bloggers?
- The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker (ARC)
- The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh (signed Hardcopy)
June’s Uppercase Box
GiftLit Box
June’s BOOM!BOX from Espionage Cosmetics
Bookish Swag I bought or received from Authors/Publishers/Bookstores/Bloggers

I bought NovellyYours’ Unbirthday candle and it smells freakin’ amazing!!! NovellyYours is an Etsy account created by Brittany at The Book Addicts Guide, and her book inspired soy candles are fantastic.
June Favorites
- Being part of my niece’s wedding and reading a Neil Gaiman poem during the ceremony.
- Bringing back my favorite Summer drink: Starbuck’s Green Tea Frappuccino
- Participating in the Irish Banana’s blog tour for Autofocus. I had so much fun taking pictures themed around my review for the book. Plus, I adored the book.
Have you heard? Bookish News
- My book buying ban wasn’t too successful, since I bought one book. But hey, it’s the little steps, right? HAHAHA!
- Sarah J. Maas and Emery Lord are coming to Joseph Beth Booksellers on September 15, 2016 in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. Check out the event details HERE!
- Decatur Book Festival author line-up is now live! Check out their site HERE
- YallFest author line-up is live! Check out the list HERE!
- I have three bookish giveaways posted on my Twitter account. See information and rules below:
BOOKISH GIVEAWAYS
Retweet and Follow to win (US only). Click on the picture to link to each Twitter post giveaway:
SUMMER GIVEAWAY #1 (ends July 8, 2016 at midnight):
SUMMER GIVEAWAY #2 (ends July 8, 2016 at midnight):
GIVEAWAY #3 (ends July 8, 2016 at midnight):
This contest is supposed to end July 1, but I will be extending the contest for my blog followers. Enter to win PRESS BACK tattoos inspired by Kristen Simmons’ Metaltown.
How did you treat your shelves in June? What books did you buy? What books did you read and would highly recommend?
Thank you for stopping by. Happy Reading!
Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year
TOP TEN TUESDAY
HOSTED by The Broke and the Bookish
This week’s topic is…
Top Ten Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year
(Click the book cover to link to the book’s Goodreads’ page)
ARC Review: The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker

Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: June 14, 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
About The King Slayer:
An action-packed and suspenseful sequel to The Witch Hunter, perfect for fans of Graceling and the Grisha Trilogy.
“I think, in time, you’ll either be my greatest mistake or my greatest victory.”
Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He’s readying for a war against those who would resist his rule–namely Elizabeth and the witches and wizards she now calls her allies.
Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth’s strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she’ll go to save those she loves.
“[Filled] with everything a good fantasy book needs: swords, poison, black magic, and betrayal.”–April Tucholke, author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, on The Witch Hunter
MY RANTS AND RAVES OF THE KING SLAYER
Last year, NOVL introduced me to The Witch Hunter, the prequel to The King Slayer, and I automatically fell in love with this fantasy series. This duology is deeply rooted in a magical and historical atmosphere with well-developed characters, including a strong heroine named Elizabeth Grey. As a former witch hunter and now stigma-less, I noticed that Elizabeth is more watchful of her surroundings in The King Slayer, and luckily she can still hold her own ground in a good fight.
Even though Elizabeth has lost many friends, including her family, I like that she gains a strong support system throughout the series with new friends and allies: John, Peter, Fifer, and Schuyler. I love the different types of relationships and strong connections she has with each of these characters, and it is hard for me to pick out which friendship I love the most, hahahaha. But if I had to choose, I would definitely gush about the friendship between Elizabeth and Schulyer to any reader. Not only do they have a great bond, they are also so witty and humorous together. And overall, they always have each other’s backs.
Additionally, I greatly appreciated how Boecker depicted the romantic relationship between Elizabeth and John. Their kisses are swoony and captivating, and let’s just say some of their steamy scenes are often left up to the reader’s imagination *fans self.* I love that this couple is not always in that “honeymoon” stage where nothing goes wrong. Instead, their relationship is constantly tested. More importantly they test each other’s boundaries, patience, and loyalties. I appreciate that they completely understand that with love comes upsets, sacrifice, loss, and heartache. Elizabeth and John are definitely one of my favorite fantasy book couples, because they are honest, stubborn, and they wholeheartedly love each other.
In regards to some people from Elizabeth’s past, ones that she thought were long gone, they show up in the most surprising twists in The King Slayer, which leaves Elizabeth vulnerable and cautious. Blackwell is still as evil as ever, continuing to selfishly mistreat magic. In my opinion, Elizabeth does not always make the most rational choices when it comes to fighting Blackwell, but I appreciate that her actions and words show that she respects magic and its consequences.
Overall, I liked that The King Slayer is steady-paced, allowing each chapter to slowly tick like a clock to the next prominent scene. Every chapter of this book is usefully articulated to enhance an adventurous plot, build suspense, and develop some of the most memorable and caring characters. I love that the book focuses on friendships, and lightheartedly showcases friendships between witches, pirates, soldiers, revenants, and common folk. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The King Slayer, and this series overall. I look forward to reading anything and everything Virginia Boecker writes in the future.

4 out of 5 stars
W…W…W…Wednesday: 06/15/2016
W…W…W…Wednesday
W…W…W…Wednesday is hosted by Taking on a World of Words and includes Three Ws:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

There is a lot of hype around this book, which usually puts my standards way too high and then I don’t end up loving the book. I’m praying that this doesn’t happen to me, again. So far I am enjoying it, but I can’t stop comparing it to The Night Circus.
WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

The Witch Hunter was one of my favorite fantasy/witch reads from last year, so I was so glad to get my hands on The King Slayer. In this series, I love that Boecker focuses more on the characters’ development versus overly building the world/setting. I really enjoyed this book, and I hope to have my review up by Friday.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

The Graces is definitely one of my highly anticipated books of the year. If you know me, you know that I love me a good witch story. I can’t wait to dive into this one soon.
♥ What does your own W…W…W…Wednesday look like? ♥
Waiting on Wednesday: The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker
WAITING ON WEDNESDAY:
The King Slayer
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my most anticipated read is…The King Slayer (The Witch Hunter, #2) by Virginia Boecker
In all its glory, here is the book cover and a brief summary provided by Goodreads:
Title: The King Slayer
Author: Virginia Boecker
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Find it at: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
An action-packed and suspenseful sequel to The Witch Hunter, perfect for fans of Graceling and the Grisha Trilogy.
“I think, in time, you’ll either be my greatest mistake or my greatest victory.”
Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He’s readying for a war against those who would resist his rule–namely Elizabeth and the witches and wizards she now calls her allies.
Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth’s strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she’ll go to save those she loves.
“[Filled] with everything a good fantasy book needs: swords, poison, black magic, and betrayal.”–April Tucholke, author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, on The Witch Hunter
Waiting on Wednesday: Reasons why I need this book in my life…
- ♥ I read the first book of the series, The Witch Hunter, and LOVED it!!! REVIEW HERE! ♥
- ♥ FANTASY, WITCHES, and MAGIC…need I say more?! ♥
- ♥ Elizabeth is a strong and feisty main character. I cannot wait to see how she deals with her enemies and the much anticipated twists that I know will be in this book. ♥
- ♥ The last book had pirates in it…I NEED MORE PIRATES! ♥
- ♥ I am looking forward to reading more scenes with the swoon-worthy healer, John Raleigh. ♥