“Girl, Serpent, Thorn” by Melissa Bashardoust

Coming this Tuesday, July 7th!

Melissa Bashardoust wrote one of my favorite books of 2017, Girls Made of Snow and Glass (an awesome Snow White retelling), so when I saw Girl, Serpent, Thorn, I knew I had to pick it up. Plus I mean — LOOK AT THAT COVER.

Soraya has been cursed since she was a baby. Any living creature she touches dies almost instantly. Because of this, she has remained essentially a prisoner of her family’s palace, never interacting with people, only tending to her garden and reading to pass the time.

But when her family comes to stay for the season, they have brought along a demon they captured on their journey — and it happens to be the same kind of demon that could offer answers to Soraya about her curse — and if it’s possible to break free of it.

With the help of a new friend, Soraya has much to learn about who is telling the truth in her life, but more importantly, about what power she holds within herself. There’s so much to this story that I can’t even get into without spoiling it for you, so you’ll just have to read and see for yourself!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a super fun fantasy with twists and turns, secrets to unfold, and a love that Soraya thought she’d never have the chance to find. A deliciously poisonous read, you won’t be able to put it down without finding out what happens next!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Purchase the book here!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

Waiting on Wednesday: “The Girl the Sea Gave Back” by Adrienne Young

Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday! This post is where I can flail about books that aren’t out yet!

This week I’m waiting on The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young. If this name sounds familiar, it’s because it is! Adrienne also wrote one of my faves from last year: Sky in the Deep (click to view my review!) PLUS LOOK AT THAT COVER 😍😍😍😍😍

The Girl the Sea Gave Back is not quite a sequel to Sky in the Deep. Adrienne says Girl is “A new standalone in the Sky in the Deep world, following Halvard (a character from Sky) ten years later.”

Honestly, the world-building and girl power that Sky had is enough to have me read *anything* Adrienne Young writes. But if that’s not enough, here’s the synopsis!

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

The most exciting thing for me personally: Wednesday Books “granted my wish” on NetGalley today, so I can read the electronic ARC ahead of publication! HOORAY!

The Girl the Sea Gave Back releases September 3rd, 2019!

Pre-order your copy of The Girl the Sea Gave Back here!
Get caught up — order Sky in the Deep here!

Are you excited for The Girl the Sea Gave Back? What other books are you looking forward to reading in 2019? Let me know in the comments!

 

Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

“The Night Before” by Wendy Walker: An Official 2019 Pre-order Recommendation

This year, I’m going to be highlighting some 2019 titles available for pre-order that I’m completely nerding out over. Today’s post covers the first of these!

Wendy Walker slammed onto the thriller scene with All is Not Forgotten, and followed it up with the incredible Emma in the Night.

Now she’s gearing up for the release of her third, The Night Before. Here’s the description for the book:

A shocking, twisty novel that has the biggest names in the thriller community buzzing…

Rosie Ferro and Laura Heart are sisters, but as different as it is possible to be. One is lucky in love and has a conventional family: a husband, and a small son. The other has a troubled past she is still struggling to break free from.

When Laura disappears after going on a date with a stranger she met online, Rosie, her protector since they were young, springs into action to look for her. But as she slowely uncovers more about the situation, Rosie begins to fear that her sister might have been more of a danger than the man she went out with.

Told in duel timelines – the night of and the night before, Wendy Walker’s new novel is a riveting examination of family loyalty, obsession, and how just how far we will go for love.

I was provided an early copy of the book to provide my honest feedback, and boy oh boy. This book is just too easy to devour.

This baby bookling is so newborn that it doesn’t even have a cover yet! You’ll have to wait on the edge of your seat for my full review and the book itself, but here’s a little nibble of my thoughts!

“This book is a master class in the unreliable narrator, the alternating-time chapters, in leading you down the road only for you to find it wasn’t taking you where you thought.”

I gave The Night Before an unreserved four stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The book comes out in May 2019, but lucky you! You can pre-order the book on Amazon here!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

I HAD to have it…but why haven’t I read it yet?

If you’re anything like me, you have a lot of books you are anticipating the release date of, all the time. I am always excited for something big coming out, and most times I’ll have them pre-ordered to guarantee release date delivery and to take advantage of any pre-order incentives!

Yet, I find myself looking at my shelf, wondering why all of these highly-anticipated books remain unread! I have a feeling that it may be something of a worry that the book won’t live up to my hype-levels. Plus, there’s just so many AMAZING books coming out all of the time. LIKE SLOW DOWN Y’ALL, there are only so many hours in the day!

So here are the books that have been sitting neglected on my TBR pile, waiting to be read. If you’ve read any of them and liked them, please YELL at me in the comments to get on it!

1. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
2. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
3. City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
4. Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crosley
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
6. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
7. Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas
8. This Savage Song *and* Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab
9. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
10. Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu
11. A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess
12. Sourdough by Robin Sloan
13. Armada by Ernest Cline
14. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
15. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
16. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
17. Saga Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughan

Now having looked at these…many of them are sequels or in a series! I hate having to try to remember a year ago and what happened in a book to read the newest installation! Sometimes I’ll even wait for more than one to come out so I don’t have to do that!

So what do you think? Are you shunning me yet? Which of these do I NEED to read, and which should I just skip?

“Ace of Shades” by Amanda Foody

New release Tuesday! Take a card and stake your soul with Ace of Shades, book 1 in The Shadow Game series.

Enne (pronounced like the letter “N”) has no choice when her mom, Lourdes Alfero, doesn’t come back from her trip. She has to go to New Reynes to find her. With her handy tourist guidebook, she sets off to find Levi Glaisyer, the only name her mother left behind.

New Reynes is called the City of Sin for a reason. The South Side of the city is considered “safer” — this is where rich tourists go to vacation. The North Side, where Levi is the Lord of the gang called the Irons, is dangerous. There’s other gangs (the Scarhands and the Doves), plus notorious mafia casino families. Enne’s guidebook strongly advises not going to the North Side. But she must.

Ace of Shades switches from Enne’s and Levi’s perspectives. While Enne needs Levi to help her find Lourdes, Levi needs Enne to pay him for his help in order to pay off a large debt that if left unpaid, will cost him his life.

Told over the 10 days Levi has to pay back his debtor, we follow him and Enne through this magical, dangerous, Vegas-meets-carnival adventure. If you liked Caraval, and want more of the same, you have to pick this one up.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy Ace of Shades here.

I also highly recommend Foody’s debut, Daughter of the Burning City – click this link to buy!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.