Review: The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Series: Ravenspire #1
Publication Date: February 16th, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis:  Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

My Rating

3/5 stars

My Review

I've always loved retellings, and I haven't read one about Snow White before. The Shadow Queen had so much potential, but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.

Lorelai Diederich had everything taken from him. Queen Irina stole her father, her people and her kingdom. Lorelai and her brother are forced to hide out until Lorelai gains enough strength and learns to control her magic so she can kill Queen Irina once and for all. In the land of dragons, Prince Kol becomes King after the tragic death of his parents and older brother. The only way he can protect his kingdom from the invading ogres is to align with Queen Irina so she can use her magic against the ogres, but Queen Irina forces Kol to track down Lorelai and bring her her heart.

Magic, dragons, and a princess going on a mission to defend her kingdom. Doesn't that just sound wonderful? Well it really would have been if it wasn't for the boring plot, lame characters and a romance that was okay, but you'd never ship.

Lorelai definitely had potential of being a good main character, she's determined and kind. Unfortunately I grew really tired of dialogue and actions very fast. She's not the brightest and continues to repeat her mistakes. After a while, her story just became very boring. I didn't want to read from her perspective because I knew exactly what she was going to say and do. There was no excitement and nothing that made me want to keep reading.
Kol was actually a really good main character. I loved reading about him in his dragon form and how he's trying his best to lead his kingdom even though he didn't have a clue how to do it. I really admired him in the beginning, it wasn't until his romance with Lorelai started developing where he became very predictable and downright boring. 

I listened to the audiobook, and there was a point in the story where I actually fell asleep and missed a good half hour, I didn't even go back to re-listen, I just continued because I knew it was going to be a boring part anyways and I'd rather just do my best to finish this book.

While this book had a very cute ending, it left me with a bunch of questions at the end and a feeling of "this is highly unlikely to work out."

I really wanted to like this book more than I did, maybe my expectations were too high. I would only recommend this book if you're a huge fan of retellings and you don't mind predictability and boring plot. I hope you guys like this one more than I did.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Definitions of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor

Publication Date: April 4th, 2017
Publisher: HMH Books For Young Readers
Genre: YA, Contemporary 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis:  This heartbreaking, humorous novel is about three teens whose lives intersect in ways they never expected. 

Reggie Mason is all too familiar with "the Three Stages of Depression." She believes she’s unlocked the secret to keeping herself safe: Nobody can hurt you if you never let them in. 

Reggie encounters an unexpected challenge to her misanthropy: a Twizzler-chomping, indie film-making narcissist named Snake. Snake’s presence, while reassuring, is not exactly stable—especially since his ex-girlfriend is seven months pregnant. As Reggie falls for Snake, she must decide whether it’s time to rewrite the rules that have defined her.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Definitions of Indefinable Things was such a beautiful novel. It's sarcastic, funny, deep and emotional. I loved it from beginning to end.

Reggie is depressed, she is moody, sassy, and will tell you exactly why she doesn't like you. The last thing Reggie expected, was to meet a boy at the pharmacy. Snake has to start a part time job, and when he runs into his new co-worker Reggie, he can't stop himself about asking her out. The only problem is that Snake is having a baby with Reggie's old co-worker Carla. Even though Reggie and Snake are getting better in dealing with their depression together, Reggie knows that they can't end up together, not with a baby on the way.

Honestly, I was completely surprised about how much I liked this book. I'm usually not a huge fan of this type of contemporary books, but I read an excerpt and the writing instantly had me hooked. 

Reggie was a fantastic main character, it was great to read in her point of view and see exactly how she deals with her situation. While putting up a tough girl front on the outside, we also get to see the sad and lonely girl on the inside. There were so many moment where Reggie's story really hit me in the feels. I could definitely sympathize with her, and understand why she was acting the way she was. Her character development throughout the book was absolutely great.

The other characters in the story were all very unique and I enjoyed most of them. Snake wasn't my favourite character ever, but I really enjoyed reading about him and Reggie together, just to see how much they helped each other and how happy it made them. I really did love Carla's story, I haven't read a book about teen pregnancy, but I was so happy with the way her character development went, her story really impressed me. The one character I wish we got to see more of was Polka, he was hilarious and probably my favourite character in this book, I would have loved to read more about him.

The plot of the story was fairly good. While there wasn't too much action in the beginning of the book, the book had a fantastic climax, and I could not put the book down once I got about half way in. The author did such an amazing job making the story interesting, and keeping the reader entertained.

There wasn't a lot of world building, especially since we mostly see the main characters at school, work or at their houses. The descriptions were a bit bland, and I definitely couldn't picture myself in the story.

Overall, it was still a wonderful story, and I definitely recommend it to any contemporary lover. This book will definitely hit you in the feels and you'll probably stay up all night reading it.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Scala Audiobook by Christina Bauer

Series: Angelbound Origins #2
Audiobook Publication Date: June 26th 2017
Publisher: Monster House Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Audible ~ Goodreads ~ iTunes

Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Myla Lewis has transformed into Great Scala, the only being with the power to move souls out of Purgatory and into Heaven or Hell. Trouble is, a magical object called Lucifer’s Orb is limiting Myla’s abilities. If she tries to move a soul, the Orb’s forcing her to send that spirit straight to Hell. 

So, what’s a girl to do? Send innocents to the fiery down-under?

No way. Myla’s gone on a supernatural strike. No souls go anywhere until the Orb’s history. It’s the right thing to do, but Purgatory’s Soul Storage buildings are turning into time bombs. No spirits are moving out, while millions keep coming in. Myla’s determined to find the Orb and send the innocent to Heaven, but she’s running out of time. Soon, the containment fields will burst, releasing a mob of homicidal ghosts.

With Soul Storage ready to explode, Myla’s got enough on her plate without her old enemy, Lady Adair, causing problems. Adair is launching an ingenious campaign to take away everything that Myla holds dear, including Myla’s Angelbound love, Prince Lincoln. 

Between their clever ideas and toe-curling kisses, Myla and Lincoln are fighting back. But will they beat the clock or lose everything to Adair’s devious schemes?

My Rating

4/5 stars

Book Review

“When it comes to battle, take the offensive and never let go.” 

It felt so wonderful to dive back into the world of Angelbound. I loved the first book and I loved this book just as much. I can't wait to continue reading this series.

Being named the Great Scala comes with some new responsibilities, like moving all the souls to either heaven or hell. Yet with Lucifer's orb hidden somewhere in Purgatory, Myla doesn't have any choice where to send the souls. Just when they think they found the secret location of the orb, Adair comes back to claim her rightful title as the Great Scala and steal Lincoln back, normally she wouldn't stand a chance, but with new powers at her side, Adair is able to steal some of Myla's powers. Can Myla get her powers back, and find the orb before Purgatory is overrun by ghosts?

I cannot tell you how much I've missed Myla, she will forever be one of my favourite characters. I love how mischievous she is, but also how kindhearted and smart she tends to be. She never ceases to amaze me. 

I've definitely missed the world too! I talked about this a lot in my review of Angelbound (if you haven't read that one yet, go read it first), but I loved the world Christina created. The whole area of Purgatory with quasi, ghouls and thrax is all so clever and wonderful. But my favourite aspect of the story is when Myla's demon personalities take over, or how her tail has control of itself. Let me tell you, that if you loved those aspects too then you will definitely be not disappointed in the sequel.

What I loved most of all about this book, is the romance. One thing I hate, that's usually a pattern in YA books, is that in the second book usually the main characters get into a huge fight and rethink their whole relationship, blah blah blah, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Yet with this book, Myla and Lincoln always have each other's backs and their love only gets stronger. I was so happy to see that, it makes my ship for them even stronger!

I wish I could have given this book 5 stars, but I felt like the plot of the story was a little rushed. It seemed like something major was happening in every chapter, and before you know it you're at the end.

Overall, I still loved this story and will continue to be a huge fan of this series. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, but definitely start with the first book in the series. 
Now I'm off to read the next book, because I can't wait to get more of Myla and Lincoln.

Audiobook Review

This usually doesn't happen often, but I actually loved the audiobook much more than reading the book myself.

Christina did an absolutely amazing job reading this book. I'm so happy that she is narrating this book as well, one of the things I hate the most is when narrators switch half way through a series. It was wonderful that the voices Christina created in the first audiobook stuck around and were the same, although her voice of Myla's mother still makes me crack up.

What I loved most about the audiobook, was the pacing. Listening to Christina narrater her own story, just made it seem like it was going at the perfect pace. When I originally read the book, I thought it was going a little too fast and I couldn't enjoy it as much, but the audiobook slowed it down a bit and made Scala go at the perfect pace.


Monster House Books is celebrating the launch of the audiobook version of the best seller Angelbound Scala, both on iTunes& Audible! As a result, the eBook version of Scala is on sale for .99! 

Angelbound Book Trailer:

About the Author
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. It is now available as an audiobook on Audible and iTunes.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. Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter 

Stalk Christina on Social Media – She Loves It!
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ LinkedIn ~ Web site

GIVEAWAY

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 this past week.

From Netgalley

Fix me by Lisa M. Cronkhite 
Penelope Wryter's life has been a mess ever since her sister committed suicide a year ago. Now Pen's hooked on Fix, an illegal drug that makes her feel, think, and see differently. The hallucinations are intense, but there's one vision that keeps Pen coming back for more--Nate. He's the only person who cares about her. Too bad he's just a side effect of the drug. Pen knows she's going nowhere fast. She's desperate to change. But when she tries to say goodbye to Nate, he professes his love for her making her more confused than ever. Then, when a girl from school goes missing during a bad Fix trip, Pen realizes she may be in a lot more danger than she ever imagined. Unless Pen straightens up and faces reality quick, she might be the next missing girl on the list.

From Scholastic

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
Here is a thing everyone wants:
A miracle.

Here is a thing everyone fears:
What it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

Maggie Stiefvater has been called “a master storyteller” by USA Today and “wildly imaginative” by Entertainment Weekly. Now, with All the Crooked Saints, she gives us the extraordinary story of an extraordinary family, a masterful tale of love, fear, darkness, and redemption.

From HarperCollins

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli 
In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be dark—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up hearing in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her. 

What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.

Book Tour & Giveaway: Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Rise of the Sea Witch
Stacey Rourke
Publication date: June 19th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis: Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege.
Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people.
When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, dark family secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point.
Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips–Triton.

Excerpt

Flipping the end of that braid over my shoulder, I once again focused my attention on Triton. “Now, we don’t have time for you to change into fitting attire, but if we hurry we can still make it before the curtains to the Summit Room are drawn back.”
Popping up next to a nursing manatee, Triton rested his elbows on her back and cradled his chin in one palm. “You know, I hear other girls in the town square talking about which member of the Royal Guard they find to be the dreamiest. Are you capable of such musings?”
“Neleus’s name is mentioned often,” Alastor’s muffled voice came from behind the bull, who appeared to be smiling victoriously. “They say his eyes are as bright as freshly sprouted sea grass.”
I couldn’t have fought off that eye-roll if I tried to—which I didn’t bother. “Most girls aren’t contenders to the throne. Who I apprentice with is a crucial undertaking. If not directly with the Royal Guard, I need someone who can help me form solid relationships with Atlantica’s dignitaries. Triton, if you have any desire to be king, you’ll strive for the same.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken, dear sister!” Triton’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I have no desire to rule today, tomorrow, or ever! By all means, give my regards to Father and his Council.”
Patience waning, I slapped my tail against the water. “Triton!”
If I showed up without my brother, I would be the brunt of Father’s fury. I would sooner fish-hook Triton’s cheek and drag him back to the palace flailing and kicking than to allow that to happen.
A grunt, a shove, and Alastor squirted out from behind the manatee. Tawny hair stabbed off his head in disheveled spikes, his amber eyes bulging. “What did I miss?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I twisted my lips to the side in wry smirk. “Oh, nothing much, just Triton relinquishing all rights to the throne.”
“We haven’t even had breakfast,” Alastor mused, his lips pressed together in a thin line. “That seems like a big proclamation to make on an empty stomach.”
“Oh, but it’s true!” Throwing his arms out wide, Triton swan dived backwards. Calves scurried out of the way to avoid being clobbered by his back flip. “Vanessa can be Queen of Atlantica! I’ll be King of the Mana-minis!”
Finding himself face to snout with a calf, Triton caught it in his arms. Cradling its face in his hands, he puffed his cheeks and mimicked its expression. The mother of the calf scowled her disapproval and whacked Triton with her tailfin. Erupting in a fresh fit of giggles, he rolled away from the herd.
“Your subjects seem less than enthusiastic about this prospect,” Alastor pointed out to my slow-witted brother and playfully bumped my elbow with his.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013
Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015
Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Reel Romance Series. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Publication Date: April 4th, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury 
Genre: YA, Contemporary 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis:  Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Letters to the lost gave me some serious feels. It was absolutely beautiful and very emotional. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book.

Working long hours at the cemetery for his mandatory community service, Declan finds a letter on a grave. After reading it, he decides to write back. Furious about someone reading her letter to her dead mother, Juliet writes another letter addressing the anonymous writer. Soon the two start talking anonymously and opening up to each other about the difficulties they're facing, slowly helping one another face the challenges and work through their problems. The only problem is that they know each other in person, and they're not exactly a fan of one another. 

Oh my goodness, the characters, the storyline, everything was just perfect. I can't get over how good this book turned out. At first I was a bit iffy about the characters, they were both great characters but they did little things that made me mad, like how Juliet was very judgemental of Declan and how he couldn't understand that his step-father and mother were trying to help him (even though it wasn't in the best way). But their character development was mind blowing, they went from okay characters to these strong and intelligent characters that you end up falling in love with. These two really help each other be better people, even though they can't see it at first.

The story was really captivating. I started this book with a plan to read it slowly over a week, and I ended up reading it in two days. After I hit about 30% in, I could not put the book down. I don't know what it was exactly, but I just could not get myself to stop reading. I was so engrossed in it, that I had to finish the rest before I went to bed. There was lots of action, and some really great twists that even I didn't see coming.

After reading this book, I feel like I have to read more from this author. I highly recommend this book, even if you aren't a huge fan of contemporary. It will definitely hit you in the feels, and have you reading all night.

Happy Reading, 
Aneta 

Book Blast & $100 Giveaway: Indigo Bay Sweet Romance Series

Escape to Indigo Bay…

Six authors. Six Sweet Romances. One small South Carolina beach town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Dreams by Stacy Claflin Ever since her twin became a singing sensation, Sky Hampton has struggled to be appreciated for who she is—apart from her sister. She wards off Aspen’s fans, who beg for autographs and selfies everywhere Sky goes. She can’t even find a guy who likes her for her. Sky flees to the small coastal town of Indigo Bay in hopes of blending in and building her blossoming career. Jace Fisher is the textbook definition of the strong silent type—nobody can break through his tough exterior. He has suffered more than his fair share of tragedies, and to protect his shattered heart, he pushes everyone away. Jace spends his days fixing the Indigo Bay cottages, and his nights… nobody really knows. He keeps to himself. When Jace shows up to fix Sky’s AC, he barely notices her and she’s distracted with settling in. It takes an emergency situation to get them talking, and when they do, the two find they have more in common than first appeared. As their attraction grows, defenses soar. Will they be able to risk love when they’ve both been burned in the past?

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Matchmaker by Jean Oram Ginger McGinty hates liars. And she just married a spy. Bridal shop owner Ginger McGinty excels at matchmaking unless it’s for herself. That is, until she meets the dreamy Aussie who helps her get into an event meant for engaged couples. Logan Stone is sweet, caring, thoughtful and fun—everything she desires in a man. But it turns out, her new fake fiancé could use a bit more than just a pretend engagement to get him into parties—he needs a quick marriage keep him in the country so he can be with his adopted special needs daughter. With a marriage of convenience pro-con list longer than the average wedding veil, Ginger puts her faith in romance and offers Logan her hand in return for one thing—no lies. But little does she know, almost everything she knows about her new husband is based on a lie. Everything except his kisses and the way he accidentally spills his soul whenever they meet. And that’s quickly becoming a problem for Logan Stone who depends on distance and deceit to keep civilians such as Ginger safe from his enemy’s clutches. Will the two find love in their marriage of convenience, or will everything break apart when the truth rises to the surface, shattering everything, including their trust?

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Sunrise by Kay Correll Sometimes life has a way of teaching lessons whether you’re ready to learn them or not… The last place on earth Will Layton wants to be is Indigo Bay, but his younger sister needs him and he’s never been able to say no to her. But she left out a few details… like their father staying with her and the girl who dumped him years ago is living right next door. The last person Dr. Ashley Harden thought she’d see in Indigo Bay is Will Layton, but he’s back in town and just as irresistible as when they were young. Seeing Will again is a complication that isn’t on her carefully mapped out life plan. In spite of Ashley’s best intentions, she starts falling for Will again, but nothing has changed. She’s still focused on getting the townspeople to accept her and see her as more than the girl from the wrong side of town, while Will is determined to guard his heart at any cost. Not the easiest road to true love… especially when secrets from the past are revealed and history threatens to repeat itself.

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Illusions by Jeanette Lewis Eva Malone was very young when her mother forced the family to join a violent doomsday cult, but she remembers a little about how normal life used to be. As a young woman, she escapes the cult and relocates to Indigo Bay, South Carolina to pursue her dream of peaceful anonymity. After several tumultuous years as a policeman in Atlanta, Ben Andrews has had enough. He returns home to Indigo Bay and joins the Indigo Bay PD, where the most exciting part of the job is getting a kitten out of a tree or rescuing tourists who lose their keys at the beach. Eva and Ben are immediately drawn to each other. But as the prophesied date of the apocalypse draws near and the cult steps up its efforts to find her, Eva realizes she can’t maintain her sweet illusion forever.

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Regrets by Jennifer Peel Melanie Dixon never thought she would find herself divorced, pregnant, and living back with her parents in Indigo Bay. Not one to let misfortune get the best of her, she picks up the broken pieces of her life and bit by bit puts them back together. She’s determined to go it alone, but her loving and equally determined family and friends have another idea. Enter Declan Shaw, the boy next door from long ago. The boy she wasn’t quite ready to commit forever to at eighteen. Back in Indigo Bay due to a recent job promotion, Declan sees this as a second chance to reunite with the girl who has owned his heart since the day they met in their junior year of high school. But Melanie is a tougher sell on the idea than he thought she would be. Now it’s up to him to prove to Melanie that she can trust him with her heart and that he’s the man she and her baby deserve. Will the regret and hurt of the past win out? Or will love prevail?

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Rendezvous by Danielle Stewart On her last tank of gas Elaine Mathews drives South. Spontaneity had never been her strength, but there was something about being publicly fired that had a way of changing things. An empty bank account, broken heart, and enough humiliation to last a life time was all Elaine could claim as her own. Her car choked to a stop in the quiet beach town of Indigo Bay and all she could do was sit on the curb and wait for the sun to set on her misery. Davis Mills has a routine. Wake. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. It hadn’t always been that way. He’d left indigo bay once and returned a broken man. Now he kept his dreams small and his schedule tight. If there was no room in his life for anything new then he’d never repeat his mistakes. When fate has them, quite literally colliding Elaine and Davis are faced with an important question. Can you live a full life if you never take a risk? Or is life made up of every mistake, miracle and chance that comes with being in love?

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway 

 Ends 7/17/17 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic

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

Series: Hibiscus Daughter #1
Publication Date: August 15th, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Book Depository 

Synopsis: All the women in Iris and Malina’s family have the unique magical ability or “gleam” to manipulate beauty. Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glasswork, while Malina interprets moods as music. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret, even in their secluded sea-side town. Iris and Malina are not allowed to share their magic with anyone, and above all, they are forbidden from falling in love. 

But when their mother is mysteriously attacked, the sisters will have to unearth the truth behind the quiet lives their mother has built for them. They will discover a wicked curse that haunts their family line—but will they find that the very magic that bonds them together is destined to tear them apart forever?

Review: Red Winter by Annette Marie

Series: Red Winter Trilogy #1
Publication Date: October 21st, 2016
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis:  In a few short months, Emi's mortal life will end when she becomes the human host of an immortal goddess. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body, and soul to unite with the goddess—and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.

Shiro is a spirit of the earth and an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can’t match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command—whether she wants him or not.

On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate—but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope … and hope is all she has left.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

“Actions change our course, influence our futures, but intentions define us, empower us. Without intent, we are nothing.” 

Red Winter is an outstanding novel. Even though it had a rough beginning, the book ended up being absolutely amazing. Definitely worth it.

Emi is a kamigakari, soon Amaterasu will descend to Earth where Emi and Amaterasu will become one, sharing her body and helping heal the planet, at least thats what Emi has always believed. When Emi comes upon a book, telling her that when Amaterasu descends, she will destroy Emi's mind and soul, taking Emi's body for herself. 

The first time I started reading this book I ended up putting it down and forgetting about it. I didn't get very far, but I was already bored with the story and the characters. Emi was one of the worst main characters ever. She was selfish, annoying and extremely weak. She basically has no backbone, and lets everyone else talk her down and decide her future for her, its almost like she doesn't even think for herself. The part that really broke my heart was the fact that she became so obsessed with becoming the kamigakari that she completely ignored her parents, and didn't even realize that her mother was dying of cancer until it was too late. 

While the beginning of this story was lame, as soon as you meet Shiro, the kitsune the whole book basically changes. Shiro is one sexy fox. You instantly fall in love with him and his personality, he makes the story so much more interesting. The moment he enters the story theres action, theres adventure and the story takes off and becomes AMAZING.

The plot past this point gets really intense. Tons of action, new characters and you really get to see the rest of the world that Annette created, its captivating and absolutely beautiful. I want to take a moment to recognize how much work Annette Marie did for this book. She must have spent hours researching and planning, usually when authors write stories about other cultures they tend to mess it up, but Annette got the Japanese culture down perfectly, the history, the characters, it was all amazing. Annette did a fantastic job with this book.

Near the end of the story, I started warming up to Emi. I still don't really like her, but she's finally learning to take action into her own hands and she's fighting for her future. Her character development has gone very far already, but I'm hoping to see more in the future books.

Overall, I'm really impressed with Annette's writing style, and how much work she puts into her books. This would have been a 5 star book for me if it wasn't for the main character. I still highly recommend this book, especially if you love fantasy and/or Japanese culture. I can't wait to start book two.

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 this past week.

From Netgalley

Starborn (Worldmaker #1) by Lucy Houndsom
Death and destruction will bar her way. . .

Kyndra's fate holds betrayal and salvation, but the journey starts in her small village. On the day she comes of age, she accidentally disrupts an ancient ceremony, ending centuries of tradition. So when an unnatural storm targets her superstitious community, Kyndra is blamed. She fears for her life until two strangers save her, by wielding powers not seen for an age - powers fuelled by the sun and the moon.

Together, they flee to the hidden citadel of Naris. And here, Kyndra experiences disturbing visions of the past, showing war and one man's terrifying response. She'll learn more in the city's subterranean chambers, amongst fanatics and rebels. But first Kyndra will be brutally tested in a bid to unlock her own magic.

If she survives the ordeal, she'll discover a force greater than she could ever have imagined. But could it create as well as destroy? And can she control it, to right an ancient wrong?

From Raincoast 

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
An unlikely teenager starts a feminist revolution at a small-town Texan high school in the new novel from Jennifer Matheiu, author of The Truth About Alice.

MOXIE GIRLS FIGHT BACK!

Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with a school administration at her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.

Viv's mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

Moxie is a book about high school life that will make you wanna riot!

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family. 

Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock
A new spin on the classic smart-girl-and-bad-boy setup, this witty contemporary romance shows how easily a friendship – even one built on an elaborate lie – can become so much more.

Jenny meets Chance for the very first time when she is assigned as his partner in their Junior Oral Communications class. But after they rescue a doomed assignment with one clever lie, the whole school is suddenly convinced that Little-Miss-Really-Likes-Having-A’s and the most scandalous heartbreaker in school have been best friends forever. It’s amazing how quickly a lie can grow―especially when you really, really want it to be the truth.

With Jenny, Chance can live the normal life he’s always kind of wanted. And with Chance, Jenny can have the exciting teen experiences that TV shows and movies have always promised. Through it all, they hold on to the fact that they are “just friends.” But that might be the biggest lie of all.

Debut author Tiffany Pitcock delivers a spot-on depiction of first love and the high school rumor mill in Just Friends, chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads.

Traded with Erry

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Bought

My Beautiful Struggle by Jordan Bone
One day everything changed for Jordan in a car accident. This is the inspiring true story of how a girl got her life back.

Aged 15, Jordan Bone got into a car with friends. She would never walk again. Paralysed from the chest down, her life was changed forever. Becoming depressed and feeling like life wasn't worth living, these weren't the teenage years that Jordan had envisaged.

However, slowly but surely, she began to get herself out of the darkness. With a little help from the internet, Jordan started to embrace positive thinking and embarked on a personal journey to get her confidence - and her life - back. Eleven years on from the accident, Jordan creates her own beauty tutorials on YouTube and has a range of successful brand partnerships. She has reclaimed her life and her independence and now wants to share her inspirational story with others and is telling it through different aspects of beauty. This isn't a book about looking good on the surface, this is a story of inner strength, believing in yourself and finding motivation when you feel like all hope is gone.

This last one is actually a gift for my mom, but lets be honest... I'm going to read it anyways :)
What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.