Book Tour & Review + Book Trailer: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Hi everyone, and welcome to my stop on The Wicked Deep Blog Tour. I am so happy to share with you the beautiful book trailer for The Wicked Deep, as well as my own review of the book.

Publication Date: March 6th 2018

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genre: YA, Fantasty, Paranormal

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. 

Book Trailer

My Rating

4.5/5 stars

My Review

Another summer spent in Sparrow means that another three girls will be possessed by three sisters that were murdered 200 years ago, and with the reawakening of the sisters comes a lot of teenage boys that mysteriously drown. Penny wants nothing to do with the whole legend, but it isn’t something she can truly control. When Bo arrives to town, Penny takes him to her island home to save him from sleeping on the beach, with a mutual agreement that he can stay as long as he provides work on the lighthouse. As the summer begins, the mysteries of the Swan sisters unfold as one of them is caught. Penny must decide if she’s willing to lose the boy she has just started falling in love with over finding out the truth about the three sisters that haunt her summers.

I really enjoyed Penny as a main character. Right from the beginning you can tell she’s not like everyone else in the town. She is very responsible and thoughtful, she would love to go away for college but needs to take care of her mother and I love how she takes this into account. She’s very selfless and smart. Honestly she’s just a very realistic character, one that I can relate to a lot. 

I really enjoyed the romance in this book. Bo and Penny didn’t necessarily get off to a good start, as she denies him the job at the lighthouse. Bo ends up saving her later that evening and the two start of as just friends. Later on when events that happen in the book bring them together only do their feelings for one another show. It is a really well written slow burning romance that I absolutely loved.

The pacing of this story was a little slow at first, and while there was not a lot of action, we did get a lot of backstory about the Swan sisters and what happens to the town during this period. It’s not until about half way through the book when action starts to pick up, and it’s in the last quarter of the novel when the action is so great that you can’t put the book down. So if you’re really into action novels, this one might not be for you, but if you enjoy a bit of history and a really good back story then I would definitely give this one a try.

Overall, I loved the characters, I loved the fantasy aspect and I loved the romance. The pacing was good, but it could have been a bit improved. The ending of this book was what truly got me and made me love this book. I highly recommend this one to all YA and/or Fantasy fans, especially fans of Hocus Pocus and Halloween.

About the Author

Shea Ernshaw is an Oregon native and YA author. She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes. She drinks loads of tea and believes sunrises are where unicorns hide.

She lives with her two cats, a dog, a husband, and a stack of books beside her bed she still needs to read.

Her debut THE WICKED DEEP will be published by Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse in 2018.

You can connect with her here:
www.sheaernshaw.com.
www.twitter.com/SheaErnshaw
www.instagram.com/sheaernshaw/

Thank you for checking out my stop on this wonderful tour organized by Simon and Schuster. For more reviews and information about this book check out the other tour stops, and don't forget that The Wicked Deep comes out tomorrow (March 6th, 2018).

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten.

From Raincoast

The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco
In The Bone Witch, Tea mastered resurrection―now she's after revenge...

No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life...and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva. With the help of these terrifying beasts, she can finally enact revenge against the royals who wronged her―and took the life of her one true love.

But there are those who plot against her, those who would use Tea's dark power for their own nefarious ends. Because you can't kill someone who can never die...

War is brewing among the kingdoms, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.

The Traitor's Ruin (The Traitor's Circle #2) by Erin Beaty
After proving her worth in book one as a deft spy and strategic matchmaker, Sage Fowler is now comfortably positioned in high society as the royal tutor. When she’s called upon to teach his majesty’s soldiers how to read and write, she jumps at the chance to serve her kingdom of Demora—and to be reunited with her fiancé, Captain Alex Quinn. 

During a skirmish, Sage and Alex are separated. She watches him die before he can deliver important military intel—or so she thinks. She escapes from the enemy and makes an unlikely alliance with a mysterious soldier from a third nation. As Sage tries to rally their support against a common foe, the important political alliance is plagued by secrets and betrayal. 

Can Sage complete Alex’s mission and save her kingdom once more?

Won 

Heather Ezell was kind enough to host a giveaway for an ARC of her book Nothing Left to Burn. I am so thankful to have won a copy of the book, and Heather was kind enough to personalize it to me. Thank you so much Heather, I can't wait to start reading!

Bought

I've finally picked up a Tarot set. Look at how pretty these cards are!

I'm so excited to start practicing with these cards, they are all so beautiful and I can't wait to see it in action.

That's all for this week. What did you guys get?

Cover Reveal: Wings of Flesh and Bones by Cathrina Constantine

Wings of Flesh and Bones
Cathrina Constantine
Publication date: April 13th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis: An Angel. A Witch. A Demon. And A Choice.
Creatures from outer realms suck, as any gatekeeper worth their salt will tell you. Welcome to Rogan’s life, an orphaned seventeen-year-old who lives and trains with other misfits under her uncle’s roof, keeping Earth safe from non-human realm jumpers. Rogan’s biggest issue concerns her uncle’s short leash with her freedom—that is of course, until she’s taken by a notorious witch, and her life begins to unravel. Soon, the supernatural beauty discovers there’s a reason her uncle kept such a tight lock on her whereabouts, and that she has more than angel blood running through her veins.
Eighteen-year-old Max is an angel, and Rogan’s mentor and guardian. He’s well aware of her tenacious inability to obey orders, though he also knows she’s a fierce fighter. When he’s involved in a scheme that ultimately gets Rogan kidnapped, he must battle his way back to her in an attempt to save her from the darkness threatening to possess her.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
Cathrina Constantine is the Best Selling author of Don't Forget To Breathe. Her book won Readers' Favorite International Book Award for 2015. New Apple Medalist for 2016. Literary Classics Gold Award. Literary Classics Seal of Approval. Her Paranormal Fantasy, Wickedly They Come has been awarded the 5 Star Seal from Reader's Favorite. Tallas from her dystopian series received Literary Classics Silver Award and Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Cathrina resides in Western New York. I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.
I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I'm devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.
I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Series: The Queen of the Tearling #1
Publication Date: July 8th, 2014
Publisher: Harper
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."

Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

“The future was only disasters of the past, waiting to happen anew.” 

Why is it that I've only read this book now? I feel like I should have read it a long time ago.

The Queen of the Tearling was fantastic. I was very skeptical at first, I almost gave up a few chapters in, but I'm so glad I kept going because I have a feeling that this will be one of my favourite series.

Kelsea was a very good main character. I loved how strong she was even though she had no idea what she was getting herself into as a Queen. She's not pretty, and she's definitely not skinny. Yet that doesn't stop her from doing the best she can to rule her country. She trains hard, studies hard, and she never gives up. I really loved that about her.

Surprisingly, even though I really liked Kelsea, I absolutely loved Mace. He was by far my favourite character. I just thought he was so funny, and smart. The scenes with him were just the best, and when he wasn't in the scene, I was waiting till he came back. I was a bit surprised that there was no romance between the characters (nothing really with The Fetch either). On one hand it was really good because we get to focus on Kelsea a lot more as a strong woman (and I get Mace to myself), but I felt like a little romance could have added a bit of a spark to this book.

I thought the plot of this book was very slow, especially in the beginning before Kelsea is crowned. There was a lot of unnecessary description, and what made me mad the most was the author including parts in the story about other characters like Javel. Maybe like a little half chapter about what was going on would have been okay, but his part, as well as some others were just way too long, I was desperate to get back to the main story and ended up skimming over those parts.

Honestly, even though I loved the characters, I was going to rate this book 3 stars until I read the ending. The ending of this book definitely made up for the slow beginning. It was action packed, and absolutely perfect. It definitely makes me desperate to read more.

Overall, I would recommend this to fans of Game of Thrones, so kind of the Medieval fantasy type with lots of long and boring descriptions, and to the type of readers that love strong female characters. I hope you enjoy this one.

Happy Reading,
Aneta (

Cover Reveal: The Rules of Rebellion by Amity Hope

The Rules of Rebellion
Amity Hope
Published by: Entangled Crush
Publication date: April 2nd 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

The Rules of Rebellion
1. Skinny dip (her idea)
2. Stargaze (his idea)
3. Prank someone (her idea)
4. Go on a date (his idea)
Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so when he discovers the girl with a flair for candy making has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than himself to show her the ropes of letting loose?
Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “a first date” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts…suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true.
But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler.
She has a degree in elementary education and worked in that field for ten years before deciding to self-publish.
Her first self-published novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. It hit Amazon's Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance Best Sellers List in several countries. Truths and Dares held the #1 position on Amazon's Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks in the UK.
If she's not writing, or spending time with her boys, she's most likely reading.

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday: Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA, Science Fiction 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Stella Ainsley wants just one thing: to go somewhere—anywhere—else. Her home is a floundering spaceship that offers few prospects, having been orbiting an ice-encased Earth for two hundred years. When a private ship hires her as a governess, Stella jumps at the chance. The captain of the Rochester, nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, is notorious throughout the fleet for being a moody recluse and a drunk. But with Stella he’s kind.

But the Rochester harbors secrets: Stella is certain someone is trying to kill Hugo, and the more she discovers, the more questions she has about his role in a conspiracy threatening the fleet. 

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Duty Bound by Christina Bauer

Duty Bound
Christina Bauer
Series: Angelbound Origins 0.5
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: February 27th 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Synopsis: An Angelbound Prequel Novella by Christina Bauer
As the High Prince of the demon-fighting thrax, Lincoln knows he must marry for political gain. Not that he minds. For all of his eighteen years, Lincoln’s been bound to his duty. Fighting demons is his life, and he’s never given romance a second thought. Instead, the High Prince lives for the days when he leaves his hidden realm to fight demons on Earth.
Then, everything changes.
Lincoln and his nobles become forced to visit Purgatory, the home of quasi-demons (who are mostly human with a bit of demonic DNA). Here Lincoln spies Myla Lewis, a lady warrior who enflames his heart, ignites his interest, and inspires his respect. Trouble is, Myla’s also a quasi. By thrax law, Lincoln must kill anything demonic—not date them. For the first time in his life, Lincoln wonders if he’ll follow his duty…or heed the demands of his heart.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Grab Angelbound – Book 1 – for FREE:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

READ CHAPTER 1:

I am Lincoln Vidar Osric Aquilus, High Prince of the Thrax. My people are renowned as the greatest demon hunters across Heaven, Hell, Earth, Purgatory, and the Dark Lands. At eighteen years old, I’ve killed precisely one thousand four hundred and thirty-seven demons in hand-to-hand combat, more than any other thrax in history. All of which leads to a single inescapable conclusion.
I can make it through this breakfast with my mother.
At least, I think I can.
“You haven’t touched your eggs, my son.” Mother spears a strawberry off her plate. After many years of maternal encounters, I’ve learned to keep my mouth closed in situations like this one. Mother will bring up her true concerns when she’s good and ready.
In reply, I merely maintain her stare. We’ve an odd relationship, but a close one. We’re both natural schemers, so neither wants to pass up a test of intelligence and charm.
“Perhaps you dislike formal breakfasts,” says Mother as she gestures to my tunic.
“I’m fine with wearing royal garb to meals. Rest assured, all my Batman costumes are safely packed away.” As a child, I fought hard to dress as a human superhero. Unlike demon killing, that was one battle I ultimately lost.
“So you say.” A small smile rounds Mother’s mouth. “Those tunics hide quite a lot.”
“True. I’ve a Bohemian Rhapsody T-shirt on under this thing.”
“I have no idea what that is, but I’m pleased to see you turned out so well.”
This morning, I’m dressed in a velvet tunic, leather pants, and tall boots. Meanwhile, Mother looks regal and lethal in her black velvet gown. She has porcelain skin, delicate features, and an all-knowing glare that reduces hardened warriors to mush.
Needless to say, I’m pleased that her glare has softened. I must remember to work Batman into our conversations more often.
For a few minutes, Mother and I continue our breakfast in silence. It would be pleasant, except for the setting. Our new feasting hall is located in Purgatory.
Yes, Purgatory.
This place combines the worst of a rundown human suburb with the best of a rotting Dumpster. The sky is constantly cloudy with two types of weather: rainy and about to rain. It’s part of the magic of this realm that the weather is always dreary. Plus, the sky never reveals the sun or moon, and even if it did, those celestial bodies follow different patterns than they do in other realms.
Closing my eyes, I let my thoughts return to the glittering caverns of my homeland. As a rule, thrax live underground on Earth in the realm of Antrum. For some reason, the oracle angel, Verus, has demanded the royal family—and our noble entourage—move to Purgatory for a short period of time. This wasn’t a popular idea, but the oracle’s word is law, so we arrived here three months ago. Until Verus sets us loose, our days will be spent in tents and wooden halls like this one.
I scan the empty benches around me and sigh. It’s hard being separated from the bulk of my people. Quiet breakfasts like this only make things worse. Usually our feasting hall is packed with thrax sharing breakfast at communal tables. However, today Mother insisted on having a family-only morning meal, which in this case translates into me, Mother, and a half-dozen terrified workers. Father should get here any minute now. I can only hope he arrives before Mother’s temper returns.
As if in reply to my thoughts, Mother spears another wilted strawberry with a vengeance. Looks like her temper will resurface before Father does. Bugger.
“You never answered my question,” says Mother. “You haven’t touched your food.” She spears a grape with such force the entire table wobbles.
“Careful there,” I say. “You’ll bring down the roof down.”
“One perk of being queen. I can bring down roofs and no one says a thing.”
At those words, the half-dozen servants in the room visibly shiver.
There’s no question about the general topic of Mother’s angst, either. It’s always the same issue: the House of Acca. That tribe is the largest and most troublesome of all thrax.
At this point, problems with Acca could fall into one of two categories.
One, Mother might be worried about my impending marriage contract with Acca’s most eligible noblewoman, Lady Adair. If Mother thinks there are problems on that front, she would be sorely mistaken. It’s a business arrangement, nothing more. I’d regret that, but I’m a prince. I always knew I’d never marry for love.
Two—and far more worrisome—would be if Mother discovered my ongoing scheme against Aldred, the dreaded Earl of Acca himself. I’ve many issues with the Earl, but my largest is how Aldred keeps leading his warriors into ill-planned demon attacks on the Earth’s surface. Thanks to the Earl of Acca, hundreds of good thrax meet bad ends every week. I meet with the families of the fallen, trying to provide comfort as their worlds fall apart. So many tears and ruined lives…and all so the Earl can prove his so-called prowess in battle.
It’s outrageous.
Even worse, my parents have forbidden me from doing anything to stop Aldred’s bloodshed. Per some ancient treaty, if I interfere with Aldred’s rights to lead his troops, then the Earl has the unmitigated right to execute me on the spot.
And as every royal knows, execution threats and breakfast do not mix well.

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson

Series: Untitled Duology #1
Publication Date: May 30th 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price. 

My Rating

3.5/5

My Review

I had very high expectations for this book, mostly because I've read Sara's other series. While I loved the book, there was nothing about it that really stood out to me and made the book amazing. I was going to rate it three stars but I've decided to go with 3.5 because I really enjoyed the ending of this book.

King Bain wants to take over Eadrolan, in order to do so he must first kill the Queen, and her daughter Evelayn. When King Bain succeeds in killing the Queen, but fails to kill Evelayn, it is up to her to become the new queen and face the villain who has killed both of her parents. Killing King Bain wont be so easy, especially since Evelayn is only 18 years old and has only just come in to her full power, while she is the only one who can deal the winning blow to kill the king, she must find a way to stop him for long enough for her to gather her powers.

I really liked Evelayn, she was a really well written character and I found myself falling in love with her right from the beginning. We get to see the childish side to her in the beginning, and then how she deals with her mother's death and her process of becoming queen. Her character development is fantastic, she has really impressed me in this book.
The other character that I absolutely loved was Evelayn's best friend Sarin (I hope thats how you spell her name). She was absolutely adorable, and just the most loyal and kindest best friend ever. I would love to have a best friend like Sarin any day!

I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. First of all, its insta love. The characters fall in love right after meeting one another, this is just so over done that I wasn't impressed with the romance right from the start. While I ended up liking the romance a bit, I still couldn't get myself to fully ship them though, there were moments where I was like "Ugh, why are these characters making me cringe so badly, maybe lets just skip over some of the boring romance sections."

I found to storyline to be a bit boring in the beginning, it definitely takes a bit to actually get into the story. Once I was about half way though the book actually ended up picking up a bit more. And like I mentioned before, the ending was a pleasant surprise, although I will warn you that its a bit of a cliffhanger. 
The book itself is very predictable, basically everything you think will happen in the book eventually does. There were a few minor things that surprised me, but not enough to shock me.. if that makes sense. 

Overall, I still enjoyed this book and I do plan on continuing the series. The main character is great, but the insta-romance isn't the best. I'd recommend this one if you don't mind a slow beginning, insta love and predictable plot.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten.

From Edelweiss

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play. 

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights. 

That's all for this week. What did you guys get?

Review: To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Publication Date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

To Kill a Kingdom was absolutely fantastic! This book is supposed to be a story-retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it honestly didn't feel like that at all. There was so much creativity and action in this book, I couldn't help but love it from beginning to end.

Princess Lira has a reputation to uphold. Known as the Prince's Bane, Lira must hunt and rip the heart out of a prince every year on her birthday. When Lira makes the mistake of killing a prince before her birthday, she is punished and given the task to kill the prince that hunts their kind, but she must make the kill as a human. If Lira can't succeed, it will be her heart that will be ripped out.

To be completely honest with you guys, I hate The Little Mermaid. Now I'm talking about the Disney version, I actually really like the original written by Hans Christian Andersen, because it was a lot more dark, but so much more beautiful. Needless to say, I started reading this book with my fingers crossed that it didn't resemble the Disney version too much, and thankfully it didn't. With the amount of amazing twists Alexandra Christo made to the story, I honestly thought it was a completely different story that barely had a Little Mermaid feel to it at all, and if anything it resembled the original story much more than the Disney version.

Lira is a fantastic main character. I honestly can't tell you guys how much I loved her. She is tough and sassy, but she also has a good heart, and even though her whole life she was basically abused by her mother, she always chooses the right thing to do and is a good and kind person on the inside. I admire how strong she is, and just how much she was able to change and become the person she was meant to be. You guys, she is literally goals.

I surprisingly also really enjoyed the romance. Immediately after starting the book you just know that Lira and Elian will fall in love, and you can just guess what is going to happen. But the way it was written was really well done. While it wasn't an instalove connection, the two definitely had a spark between them right from the beginning, but they chose to be really careful and take time to get to know each other before even admitting to their feelings. It made the romance so much more realistic and definitely more enjoyable to the reader.

The plot of the story was fantastic as well. There was lots of action, especially since the main character is a siren who hunts humans, and the other main character is a prince/pirate that hunts sirens. There really wasn't a single moment where I was bored. The story was written really well.

The only thing I didn't like about this novel, was that there was a lot of descriptions in this book that I found to be a little bit unnecessary, which eventually I ended up skipping over a little bit just to get to more dialogue or there more interesting parts. But other than that, there really isn't anything I can find to complain about.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all YA and fantasy fans. If you're like me and you don't like The Little Mermaid, I'd still give it a try because this story is so unique you will probably forget that this is supposedly a retelling. I can't wait to read more books from this author in the future.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Waiting on Wednesday: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: April 24th 2018
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Eelyn’s world is war. Raised to fight alongside her Aska clansmen in a generations-old blood feud against the Riki, her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago. 

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki if she wants to make it back to the fjord after the thaw. But when she begins to see herself in the people she's been taught to hate, the world Eelyn once knew begins to crumble. And after the village is raided by a ruthless clan many believe to be a myth, Eelyn is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend who has tried more than once to kill her. Together, they must end the blood feud between their clans or watch their people be slaughtered.

A lush, Viking-age inspired fantasy about loyalty, forgiveness, and the definition of family. 

Review: The Broken Ones by Danielle L. Jensen

Series: The Malediction Trilogy #0.6
Publication Date: June 6th 2017
Publisher: Angry Robot
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: A prequel to the USA Today bestseller and Goodreads Choice finalist Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy).

Below Forsaken Mountain, a plot is being hatched to overthrow the tyrant king of Trollus, and Marc is the right-hand man of its leader. His involvement is information more than one troll would kill to possess, which is why he must keep it a secret from everyone, even the girl he loves.

After accidentally ruining her sister’s chance to become queen, Pénélope is given one last opportunity by her father, the Duke d’Angoulême, to make herself useful: she must find proof that the boy she’s in love with is conspiring against the crown. If she fails, her life will be forfeit.

Marc and Pénélope must navigate the complex politics of Trollus, where powers on all sides are intent on using them as pawns, forcing them to risk everything for a chance at a life together.

Except being together may turn out to be the greatest risk of all.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

The Broken Ones was a beautiful and captivating prequel. I completely forgot how good this series is until now. I can't wait to finish reading the whole trilogy.

This prequel takes place two years before the first book, Stolen Songbird. It is the story of Marc and Penelope, their love, and how their actions truly affected the world that we see in the trilogy. I never realized how important of a role they had in the world before Cecile came, it really made me appreciate the characters a lot more.

So I didn't do my research before I started this book, it was only after that I saw the author recommends you read the first two books of the trilogy before starting this one (I've only read the first, so far). It wasn't too confusing for me, since I've read book one and knew the world. There were a few things I was a tad confused about, but I figured it out in the end. The other mistake I made was not reviewing what happened in Stolen Songbird, since I've read it 3 years ago (I think), I've forgotten some of the things that happen and just who some of the characters were, it took me a while to remember who everyone was.

I absolutely loved Penelope and reading from her point of view. She was such a kind soul. I never realized how much I needed this story until I read it. Her story is beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

The world building in this book was fantastic as always. Danielle does a great job creating a setting and explains the world she created, she definitely doesn't let you down in the prequel. I was mesmerized at some of the settings, it was as if I could step into them myself. But I think the best part of the world, was seeing what it was like before Cecile arrived and being able to kind of compare and contrast.

Overall, I would definitely recommend reading the prequel if you loved the trilogy. If you're like me and still haven't read book two, or if you haven't started the series all together, make sure you read book 1 and 2 before you read this prequel. 

Happy Reading,
Aneta