Waiting On Wednesday: Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Rosemarked
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publication date: November 7, 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis

A healer who cannot be healed . . .

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.

A soldier shattered by war . . .

Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.

Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.

This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes.

Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble

If It’s Not A Rant, It’s A Rave: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Title: An Enchantment of Ravens
Author: Margaret Rogerson
Publication date: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

About the Book:

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There’s only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.

Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel. 

LINKS:   Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  The Book Depository

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An Enchantment of Ravens is one of the most beautiful and whimsical debuts I have read in 2017. Written in first-person narrative, the story wraps you in a decor of words submerged in vivid and embellishing descriptions. Margaret Rogerson’s prose of faerie lore is as wistful and rich as the season of autumn. As some of you might know, Autumn is a magical season for me. When fall approaches, I find the aura of the season to be lively and energetic; for me, fall is filled with change, restoration, and reawakening. And subsequently, Rogerson’s debut novel encompasses this enlivenment.

In An Enchantment of Ravens, Rogerson provides a longing and detailed scope of the dangerous fairy folk and their world. Their rules and enforced traditions are tested by the skillful human, Isobel (the main character), who is a notable painter. Isobel is highly-praised for her portraits, which are adored and prized by the fairy court. Often Rogerson’s tome focuses on the seriousness of the fair ones, but she also provides Isobel, and other characters, the opportunity to sneakily assert derailed humor throughout the chapters. I loved that these hilarious quirks regularly begged for a crooked grin and a mischievous side-eye directed at the faeries and their strict rules. 

Additionally, in An Enchantment of Ravens, Rogerson has created two of the most vigorously spirited characters that I loved swooning over. When they first meet, Isobel and Rook have immediate chemistry, and not to give too much away, but this is not an instant-love story. Instead their relationship begins with a bewitching encounter that slowly burns and then ignites. Isobel is cautious but daring. She’s stubborn, fierce, and now one of my most beloved, confident heroines. Rook is adorable, serious, and cordial. But what I love most of all about Rook is that he is the epitome of autumn: warm, brooding, and comforting. I found the repartee and banter between these two characters to be intense and passionate. Even if a potential relationship between these two characters would break the Good Law among the fair folk, I was rooting for them the entire time.

In the end, An Enchantment of Ravens is a well-paced story that focuses on the importance of family and daring societal traditions. As previously stated, I loved Rogerson’s florid detailing that flows throughout the pages. She litters the pages with full and vibrant warm colors, earthy smells, and a hint of magic that consumes my autumn-loving soul. Fall is approaching, and if you are looking for the perfect book to read while you curl up in a cozy blanket and sip warm apple cider, I highly recommend that you also have An Enchantment of Ravens opened in your hands. 

My Rating:

NOTE: Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and Simon & Schuster/Simon Teen for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All statements and opinions are my own.

Please note that all graphics and photographs were created by me. All quotes are from the an advanced reader’s edition of the novel and are subject to change upon publication.

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Today I am aiming the spotlight on…

Our Dark Duet

Title: Our Dark Duet
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publication date: June 13, 2017
Publisher:  Greenwillow Books
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis

Kate Harker is a girl who isn’t afraid of the dark. She’s a girl who hunts monsters. And she’s good at it. August Flynn is a monster who can never be human, no matter how much he once yearned for it. He’s a monster with a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is terrifying reality. In Verity, August has become the leader he never wished to be, and in Prosperity, Kate has become the ruthless hunter she knew she could be. When a new monster emerges from the shadows—one who feeds on chaos and brings out its victim’s inner demons—it lures Kate home, where she finds more than she bargained for. She’ll face a monster she thought she killed, a boy she thought she knew, and a demon all her own.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |  The Book Depository

I can sum up my want for this book in one picture…

If It’s Not a Rant, It’s a Rave: ARC Review of Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

 

Title: Wintersong
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Publication date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retelling
Format: e-ARC from Netgalley

About the book:

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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Rants and Raves of Wintersong

Once again, another 2017 debut novel has bewitched me, and this time I have been enchanted by Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones. Set up as a retelling of Labyrinth, I interpreted Wintersong more as a mashup of Christina Rossetti’s cautious poem “Goblin Market,” the fierceness of “Beauty and the Beast,” with sparks of Jane Eyre‘s “plain-Jane-with-an-independent-will” shadowing the burning flames of Liesl and the Goblin King’s story. I don’t say this lightly, but after reading this novel, I just wanted to shout, “F!!!!CK, this book is so good!” 

First, I loved the storyline and pacing of Wintersong. After devouring 150 pages in one sitting, and noticing that the book was 448 pages long, I slowed my reading speed in order to savor the story a little longer. S. Jae-Jones writing is so beautiful and engaging. I really enjoyed how her writing illuminated such strong passion and raw affection on the page. I personally found her storytelling and characters leaving more than a story buzzing in my ear. In my case, Liesl and the Goblin King haunted my dreams, whispered in my thoughts, and begged that I finish their story whenever I put the book down.

Liesl and the Goblin King’s relationship is not set up as any typical young adult trope. Instead of instant-love, these two characters carried a flame for each other since their youth, where they laughed, danced, and played music in the Goblin Grove. And as they grow older, their infatuation for one another remained an ember slowly bursting into flames of desire. Their relationship is filled with anger, misunderstandings, tenderness, excitement, and such intense devotion. The chemistry between these two characters is breathtaking–it cracks, it sizzles, and it purrs. They are two independent beings, eager to please themselves and each other. 

In the end, I found Wintersong to be a vibrant story about caution, close family bonds, sacrifice, fiery passion, trust, and love. Although the ending is left open-ended, I would love to read a sequel. I’m being selfish here, because I want more Liesl and the Goblin King! (Sorry not sorry.) I cannot recommend this novel enough. If you enjoy the intense and complicated relationships portrayed in Victorian novels, a dash of German language, crossing the blurred lines between fantasy and reality, and the slow burn of two characters connecting in a novel, Wintersong is the perfect book before you. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

NOTE: Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Dunne for providing me an e-galley/e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All statements and opinions are my own.

If It’s Not a Rant, It’s a Rave: Review of Caraval by Stephanie Garber

 

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publication date: January 31, 2017
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Format: ARC, gifted from friend

About the book:

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.

When the sisters’ long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

A mesmerising, magical and stunningly imaginative debut novel for anyone who loved The Night Circus and Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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Rants and Raves of Caraval

Hello, my name is Cassie, and I am a Caraval addict…I mean fanatic. I have read Caraval by Stephanie Garber twice, and I’m utterly, unbelievably in love with the characters, the story, and the world–anything and everything Caraval. I honestly feel like I was bewitched by this book; Garber uniquely captivates her reader with gritty emotions, enchanting sentences, and the most vivid images of luster and love.

Caraval is a book that will charm you from the first page. Along with a collection of letters to and from a game-master named Legend, Scarlett and Tella’s story starts off as weary and cautious, but blooms into a world where darkness hides mischief, and magic awaits every corner. Throughout my reading experience, my mind was whirled with thoughts of endless enchantment and ominous whispers. There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I honestly did not see coming. If you are a fan of surprises and mystery, you will love this book.

From the well-paced storyline to the dynamic characters to the setting that I’m dying to visit, Caraval is a strange, bewitching, and fantastical read. Caraval is about magic, but more importantly, this book emanates and breathes magic while you’re reading it. Garber’s storytelling transfixed me in a carnival game filled with wishes and desires, and I personally dream to be a player in Legend’s carnival game depicted in this thrilling, haunting, and overall mesmerizing world.

I loved Caraval most of all because it’s a story with limitless possibilities. It is a story about sisters. A tale of escapism. A nose-dive adventure into forming new friendships, finding trust, and understanding love. And, it is a story about conquering dares, taking chances, and fully living. Overall, I cannot rave enough about how much I enjoyed Caraval. This book may end up being one of my favorite reads of 2017, and I very much look forward to revisiting this world in the sequel. 

NOTE:  I received this ARC from a friend. I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in an exchange for a review; I reviewed it at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine.

If It’s Not a Rant, It’s a Rave: A Review of The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

 

Title: The Crown’s Game
Author: Evelyn Skye
Publication date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Format: Signed, personalized copy I bought from Kepler’s Bookstore

About the Book:

Vika Andreyev can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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Rants and Raves of The Crown’s Game

First I like to note that this review is a flashback and flash forward response to my two readings of The Crown’s Game. 

When I first read The Crown’s Game in the Summer of 2016, I went into the book with such high hopes and the lingering, earful of praises of how amazing it is. At first the book started off really show for me, and I had such a hard time immersing myself into the story. The writing was beautiful but the characters and storyline just would not click with me. But of course the magic, fantasy, Russian setting, and alt-history elements were the main reasons I stuck to finishing the book. All of these elements were beautifully executed on the page, and in the end, I rated The Crown’s Game 2.5 stars out of 5.

I felt bad for not fully loving a book so reminiscent of one of my favorite novels, The Night Circus, but I guess I was just in a terrible reading funk. And as a side note, I am a mood reader, and 2016 set my record of 5 reading slumps–2016 was just a bad year all around. But as the months passed by, The Crown’s Game stuck with me. In my original review of the book, I stated on my Goodreads, “Evelyn Skye’s Russian tale upholds as an unforgettable story about power, betrayal, and friendship,” but I still felt like something was missing. And months after reading The Crown’s Game, it was in my mind, my heart, my soul, and constantly whispering to me for a reread.

Now flash forward to 2017, and my second reading of The Crown’s Game. HOLY MOLY, people, I’m so glad I was in the right reading mood for this book. In preparation for a The Tsar’s Guard Spotlight tour (visit my post HERE), I decided to reread The Crown’s Game to get a more in-depth look into the characters. This was probably the greatest decision I have made this year (yeah, I know it’s only January 20th, hahaha). I cannot believe I forgot how enchanting Skye’s writing is–her words glue you to the page, and with every turning of the page, I felt like I was mesmerized and wrapped in swirls of magic, with a dash of worry lingering over me like a rain cloud.  I was finally attached to these characters and their stories.

So as I’m submerging myself into the series, I found the characters to be so perfect, and gut-wrenching and so fully developed with dreams, strengths, flaws, and hopes. Vika is a firecracker! I love how she is portrayed as a female badass protagonist, an enchanter that is not only strong emotionally and physically, but mentally Vika is such a fierce heroine I wanted befriend her and also encourage her to win. And her competitor, Nikolai, a fellow enchanter, is portrayed as a jack-of-all-trades, plagued with worries and loneliness. After being raised by a hellish person, I could not believe how caring and admirable he is as a competitor and friend. And even though he is not my favorite character, Pasha has a whole kingdom on his shoulders, and I have so much faith in him to mature and mentally evolve in the The Crown’s Fate. Skye’s characters are so well-rounded and emotionally developed, that I’m kicking myself for not falling in love with them when I first read this book.

And as I previously loved in my first read of the novel, the elements of magic, fantasy, and the alt-history of Russia were once again cherished in my second reading. I could get lost in Nikolai’s tailoring and tinkering of mechanics and dreams, or in Vika’s ability to make one feel like fizzy champagne. The magic in this book is so beautifully written that it can be both alluring and terrifying at times. In a world that needs more beauty, hope, and aspiration, the enchanters bring their power to full force that is both emotionally gratifying and heart-pounding.

Overall, my second reading of The Crown’s Game came at a perfect time in my life. It came at a time where I needed a fantasy to captivate me in a world of magic and hope, while also serving as an imaginative inspiration to one of my blog posts. I’m so happy that I gave this book a second chance, and I CANNOT wait for the conclusion of this series. I am definitely on the verge to sell my soul to read The Crown’s Fate. 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

NOTE:  I bought this book with my own funds. I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in an exchange for a review; I reviewed it at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine.

Book Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception
By: Mary E. Pearson
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Pages: 489 (Hardcover)
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

About The Kiss of Deception

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor’s secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can’t abide. Like having to marry someone she’s never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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My Rants and Raves of The Kiss of Deception

I am on the fence on how to rate The Kiss of Deception. I keep going back and forth between a rating of 2.5 stars and 3.5 stars, but I think I’m going to settle for a 3-star rating right now. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Kiss of Deception, but there were parts of the book that rubbed me the wrong way. 

RANTS:  The Kiss of Deception contains many young adult literature tropes that I’m not too fond of: Instant-love, a love triangle, scattered multiple points of view, and pages of useless or dragged out scenes. Additionally, I had a love/hate relationship with the main character. 

I really had a hard time connecting and sympathizing with the MC heroine, Lia. Yes, she has very little say in her love life and future, but even when she is separated from her royal obligations, Lia was off-putting to me. It’s odd that she fails to see that her actions have consequences, and oftentimes, these consequences are shocking or oblivious to her. Lia was a hot and cold heroine for me to root for, but after reading the last few chapters, I am on board to see her progress into a more confident and courageous character. She has the yearning and potential to be a fierce heroine, and I look forward to hopefully seeing her develop in the series.

RAVES: I am a sucker for mysteries, royal characters, deception, deciphering dead languages, and discovering prophecies. So ideally this book was screaming my name. And in the end, these were the topics that kept me interested in the plot and finishing the book. This book ends in a twist and cliffhanger, and I look forward to uncovering more about Lia’s fate, the prophecies that surround her, and the mysteries that will unfold. Because The Kiss of Deception is  part of a series, yes, I have decided to adventure into the next book. 

My Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

NOTE:  I bought this book with my own funds. I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in an exchange for a review; I reviewed it at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine.