“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.

“Slayer” by Kiersten White

It’s no secret to many who know me — I absolutely *adore* Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’ve watched it several times (PSA: It’s on Hulu!) and it never ceases to make me laugh, cry, laugh again, and cry some more. (I’m looking at you, “The Body”.)

So when I heard there was a Slayer book coming out, I knew there was no options. I was going to buy it, and I was going to buy it immediately. The stakes were high (pun intended) — would it hold up? Would it make me furious, another adaptation of my faves gone wrong?

Turns out, I LOVED IT.

Slayer starts out after the last season of the show ends, where Buffy rids the world of magic. Or something. But here’s where it’s different from the show, and a wholly awesome new perspective into the Slayer world. The story is told from the

 perspective of Nina, a teen girl who has grown up in the Watcher’s Academy and has spent her life learning how to become a healer. Her twin sister, Artemis, is also there, and she is more of the violent Watcher “type”, always feeling Nina like she is a bit of an outsider.

But then everything changes. Because (and the synopsis says it better than I can) “Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.”

Talk about pressure.

So you’ve got a Slayer, Watchers, teens and adults, demons, romantic interests, the works! And most importantly, the “who is the bad guy” trope. Is it him? Is it her? It’s her! No wait, is it him? I love this type of storyline so much — it keeps you guessing from beginning to end.

Anyway — If you loved Buffy Summers, you’ll love Nina and Artemis and all of their friends (and foes). There is supposedly more of this story to come, and I can’t wait for them to SLAY me like this one did. 😉

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy your copy here!

[Bonus: I listened to the audiobook of this book, and it’s killer!]

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

“Beneath the Citadel” by Destiny Soria

This book is INCREDIBLE. The world-building is masterful — it grabs you from page one. Follow this motley crew as they use their strengths to overcome the strange corruption happening in the Citadel. There’s magic! Psychic powers! Prison breaks! Snarky attitudes! Ever-shifting suspected sources of evil! Treason! Transformations! Diversity! And so much more! Pick it up today — I guarantee you won’t regret it!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (if there were more stars, I’d give them!)

Buy your copy 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.

Blog Tour: “White Stag” by Kara Barbieri

New release Tuesday!

I’m so excited to ring in the new year by participating in the blog tour for White Stag!

Janneke has spent 100 years as a thrall (basically a human slave) to the young goblin lord Soren. Previously, she “belonged” to Lydian, Soren’s cruel and sadistic uncle, and before that, lived in her family’s village before Lydian burned it down. When the goblin king dies, the hunt begins to have a new power on the throne, and Janneke is determined not to let Lydian become the new Erlking. The first to find the mystical white stag and kill it to claim the throne wins.

White Stag is a YA fantasy that takes a new spin on Goblins and changelings and adds a quest or hunt-like feel similar to Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and also feels like a better-written cousin of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas — a young human woman coming into her own and discovering that she is just as powerful as the magical beings around her.

(Also, I do want to note a few quick content warnings: Physical and emotional abuse, several graphic rape scenes/memory sequences, gore, mutilation. This list is not comprehensive and I urge caution if this content may negatively affect your well-being.)

Purchase the book here.

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

“Only Human” by Sylvain Neuvel

New Release Tuesday!

Only Human is the stellar conclusion to the Themis Files Trilogy. (Book one was Sleeping Giants, book two was Waking Gods.) And WHOOO BOY. What a roller coaster of emotions!

If you haven’t started the trilogy, read my review of Sleeping Giants here. Basically, without spoiling too much, a young girl stumbles upon a giant metal hand, and this sparks a world of scientists to figure out what it is. The book is told in letters, transcripts, interviews, diary entries, etc., much like the Illuminae series I so adore.

Spoilers for the first two books lurk below!

Only Human is told in past and present pieces. Rose, Vincent, and Eva were whisked to another planet inside the alien robot they had just successfully disabled. The humans have to navigate a world full of aliens, class systems, and rebellion for many years, until one day they finally find a way to escape back to Earth. Upon landing on Earth, they are immediately taken captive by the Russian Government, who take ownership of the robot and interrogate the travelers for details of the foreign planet. These two separate timelines are interwoven, showing the humans on both Earth and their temporary home.

This is an incredibly complex, out-of-this-world story, from the very beginning of the trilogy. I finished the book on the train home, and I’m pretty sure my seatmate thought I was a lunatic with the range of emotions I experienced as I finished the series. So bittersweet, to finally finish a series you’ve been reading for 3 years. I can’t wait to see what Sylvain Neuvel comes up with next.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy Sleeping Giants here.
Buy Waking Gods here.
Buy Only Human 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.

“Sky in the Deep” by Adrienne Young

New Release Tuesday! Eelyn is a Viking warrior from the Aska tribe. Their mortal enemies, as decreed by the gods, are the Riki. Every five years the two clans must meet each other in battle to honor their gods.

Five years ago in battle, Eelyn saw her brother Iri fall in battle, rolling down an unreachable ravine. So when she sees her brother fighting with the Riki five years later, she assumes she’s seeing his spirit. The battle rages on, and Eelyn is shot through the he shoulder and taken hostage—by her brother and his new Riki family. There’s Fiske’s curious little brother, Inge, the village healer, and Fiske. The rude, bull-headed young man who shot Eelyn.

Eelyn must learn to survive while she waits out her escape once winter ends. Along the way, she makes new friends, new enemies, and realizes the Riki are much more alike the Aska than they are different. What follows is a great political and savage story where it seems like it may be hopeless—where everyone Eelyn knows might perish.

Another great thing about this story is that it is a standalone story. Everything is wrapped up at the end and you don’t have to wait tortuously for the sequel. If you like badass warrior women, Viking fierceness, and a fast-paced story, Sky in the Deep is definitely for you.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy 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.

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.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (Arc of a Scythe, Book 2)

I read an ARC of Scythe by Neal Shusterman last year, and it absolutely blew my mind. It is on my list of top favorites of all time. Check out my gushy ramblings about book 1 here. Obviously if you haven’t read Scythe, you will not understand all the spoilers for book 1 below. Come back after you’ve read Scythe and you’ll thank me!

Just as a refresher, when we left off last time, Citra had just been named the newest Scythe in Mid-Merica. Her first task was to glean Rowan, but due to her brilliance, he got away.

Enter Thunderhead, the second book in the trilogy. The Thunderhead is the all-knowing being that controls and regulates everything on earth, with one exception—anything dealing with the Scythedom. The main theme through the entirety of the book is whether it’s right or wrong for the Thunderhead to police the Scythedom, especially with the rise of the New Order Scythes. They love to cause pain, fear, and revel in their celebrity and immortality.

Citra has continued her fellowship with Scythe Curie, now as her new identity: the Honorable Scythe Anastasia. They continue to glean as they are required, and always ensure they perform the grim duty with dignity and humility. When there’s a shake-up at the Mid-Merican conference, they are both thrown into deep political drama.

Rowan, meanwhile, is cavorting around as Scythe Lucifer, all dressed in black like the grim reaper. He has taken on the task of hunting down, gleaning, and burning the bodies of the Scythes who have gone bad. He makes one mistake, and definitely suffers the consequences.

The rest of the plot will just absolutely blow your mind. It is literally unreal and haunting. I sat catatonic for quite an embarrassing amount of time when I finished reading.

So anyway, this series is incredible and you are missing out so hard if you haven’t picked it up yet. It has amazing characters, enchanting world building, puzzling moral questions, and twist after twist after twist.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy the book here.
Buy Scythe (Book 1) 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.

“Artemis” by Andy Weir

I read this book a few weeks ago and still can’t properly put into words how addicting it was! I read it over a few days because I had real life responsibilities (ugh *eye roll*), but every free minute I had was spent with my nose in my kindle.

First off, you have to go into Artemis knowing that it is not and will never be The Martian. It’s set in space, and that’s about the only similarity. This one has a female narrator. She’s a criminal. She also has human interaction all over the book. So it’s different. And I absolutely loved that!

Jazz is a smuggler, paying to bring contraband to the moon to wealthy inhabitants. The contraband really isn’t all that bad, when you think about it — cigars, lighters, etc. But one day, one of her regular customers pulls her into a large conspiracy to take out a rival corporation. This is the point where everything starts to go haywire in Jazz’s life.

This book is equal parts space-y and science-y as The Martian, but it’s as if you gave it a city, a female protagonist, and an Ocean’s Eleven level heist. I have heard that the audiobook is narrated by Rosario Dawson, and I can’t imagine the level of awesomeness that brings to the story.

★★★★

Purchase Artemis here. And if you haven’t read it, purchase The Martian 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.