Geekerella

                Hello happy readers!  Happy Halloween!  Normally I would do a Top Ten Tuesday but I am drawing a blank for the Halloween freebie and I have a review and giveaway to post and thought what better time than to add a treat on Halloween!  To get into the spirit I spent the weekend doing Halloween items like a haunted corn maze, a haunted trail, and a Saw movie marathon to prepare to see the new Jigsaw movie.  All and all it was a good weekend.  I also spent Friday with family celebrating my moms’ birthday and then stayed up much too late one night finishing up a super cute audiobook, Geekerella by Ashley Poston, which was totally worth the lack of sleep.  I have been excited to dive into this book since I went to the signing for it a few months back and heard how much of a fangirl the author was.  While I was at the signing I also snagged a second copy that I got signed to use as a giveaway!  The details will be at the bottom of the post, but first my thoughts on this book.

Rating:  5 Stars

                Geekerella is a the story of Elle and Darien.  Elle is a huge geek/fangirl for her beloved Starfield which was something her parents loved, to the point of creating a con, ExcelsiCon which holds a coseplay contest for it.  Now the odd man out living with her step mother and her twin girls and treated like the help and working at the vegan pumpkin food truck she is beyond excited for the revamp and interest her favorite show is getting with the new movie coming up.  Only down side…Darien Freeman, teen heart throb and not who a fan wants playing the lead role of Carmindor.  Darien is thrilled for this role as his favorite character on a show he loved.  Before becoming the teen heart throb he lived for conventions and getting to see all the splendor they hold, now he’s on the other side of the table.  But to keep his image he has to keep his geek status hidden, making him feel more like a fake than ever before until a wrong number turns into something more.

                This book is FILLED with fun references and Easter eggs from different fandoms.  I constantly found myself laughing at finding them.  The characters were fresh and fun.  I loved Elle and her story.  Her history with her father.  I felt for everything she has been and goes through.  She is someone you root for and instantly understand.  I wanted her to win at so many things in life and things to go well for her.  I wanted her as our Cinderella to have her dreams come true.  Then you add in Darien who is sweet and likeable being separated from life in a different way with people planning and marketing everything you do.  While I couldn’t relate to it personally, so few can, I felt for him.  I could see how your path in life could isolate you and how being anonymous could be the best release. 

                I also adore the idea of making a friend by accident of a wrong number.  It’s so random and fun.  As many of us make friends over the internet via blogs, forums, etc. it’s easy to see how you could start connecting with someone you’ve never seen before and just get along with them.  That is normal but the pure act of coincidence that you would get a wrong number and connect with them is special. Plus there is something to be said for the joy of having someone like you for only your wit and conversation having no idea what you look like. 

“I suck at being social.  I think one thing and my mouth says something completely different, like I’m possessed.  By a whole lot of stupid.”

                Overall the story has lots of cute moments, great characters, and life lessons all in a modern day retelling.  Yep this is a retelling and I love it.  It has elements but for most of the book I did forget that part.  This book flew by and the audiobook format was fantastic (score Audible daily deals) but the book itself has such pretty end pages full of fangirl stuff.  Among all the fan nods in the book I lost track but they will instantly bring a smile to any fans face when they find them peppered in the story.  I highly recommend this to any reader because you can enjoy it on every level!

                Now for the giveaway.  I had the pleasure of meeting the author at her event at Little Shop of Stories some months back.  I knew I would love this book after seeing the cover, title, and summary.  But hearing her talk about it I had to snag an extra copy to do a giveaway with because I wanted to spread the fangirl love!  So you can enter in the widget thingy below.  Open to anyone.  I will leave this open until November 14th/15th @12:00AM EST  Enjoy and fangirl on!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reading Challenge Wrap-Up: October

                Hello happy readers!  Here is where I stand for my monthly challenge update and wrap-up.  Here is my standing but please don't forget to share your progress as well! 

Goodreads Challenge:

Goal: 125

At: 59

2017 Debut Authors (#2017DebAuthC):

Goal: 12

At: 7

What I've Read:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

2017 Rock My TBR (#RockMyTBR):

Goal: As many as possible!

At: 23

What I've Read:

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard (review)

2017 Series Ender Challenge:

Goal: 15+

At: 7

What I’ve Read:

:(

2017 New Releases Challenge:

Goal: 31-60

At: 32 (YAY!!!!)

What I've Read:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast (review)

2017 Audiobook Challenge: (my best one)

Goal: 5-10

At: 26

What I've Listened:

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast

                I am thinking I won’t finish some of these this year it’s just been a slower reading year for me but I am keeping positive and going to try and finish strong at least!  Wish me luck!  I'd love to hear how you're doing so link back to your wrap up!

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Heart of Iron

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston 2/27

Out:  2/27

From Goodreads:

                Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature.  Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android call D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family.  But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

                Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers.  But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize.  He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

                When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run.  Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

                What they find in the lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets.  But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice:  does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?

Why I’m Waiting:

                I am getting some Firefly vibes and that is enough for me.  Really though space pirates had me sold to give it a go but add in trying to save your android, thievery, and romance…I’m game. 

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2)

                 Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I am way behind on some of my regular shows but I did get something new that I hope will work as intended and allow me to see more movies and let me start including new movie reviews in here as well.  More on that once I've tried it out.  Mostly this weekend I spent more time listening to my current audiobook to finish it, because it was hard to stop, than I did sleeping .  Today I'm going to discuss my thoughts and feels on the new release Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast which is the amazing sequel to Moon Chosen which I reviewed here.  I did receive an advanced digital ARC from NetGalley (thank you) but as I listened to book one and enjoyed the experience I waited to listen until I could get the audiobook on release day.  So this book picks up exactly where the first one left off so spoilers for book one ahead. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                Things pick up right where we left off.  Mari and Nik and their canines are fleeing in a boat from the angry Thaddeus and his followers who murdered Nik's father and blame Mari for that and the raging fire that fell down upon the tribe and is currently burning its way through the forest.  They freed the slaved Earth Walker women and now much fight to save more people.  The time for hiding is over, Mari is a moon woman, half companion, and fully herself.  She will do whatever she can to help her clan but she will not hide who and what she is anymore and wants to make something new and better.  Nik is right there with her in creating something new and while it won't be easy and they have many difficulties to face along the way as long as they believe in one another there is always hope. 

                First and foremost I loved the characters.  Each one was different and unique and I really enjoyed the different voices they had to offer the story.  We saw things from many different sides, creating a larger whole.  The Earth Walkers, the Tribe of the Trees, and the Skin Stealers.  Each group only has a small bit of knowledge of the other never fully understanding or knowing them.  They each have made assumptions on them with that limited knowledge and never bothered to learn more.  It's hard to change ingrained ways.  Its even harder to admit your ways were wrong.  I love how related everything is.  How coming together, like Mari and Nik, and sharing different experiences and information how similar they are.

                We get to spend time with way more companions as well which I adored because come on dogs and an amazing lynx what could go wrong there?  I admit freely to growling while listening at times when something happened and it was felt by one of the animals, maybe it's the audiobook or maybe I'm strange but yep I growled.  I'm going to go with being really into the story.  Bast may be my favorite new addition.  Getting to know the lynx was fun as her personality is very different than the pups we are used to but so is her dynamic with her companion.  I can't say enough how much I enjoyed getting to see the different types of people in this world as it continues to grow.  I'm especially excited to meet the next group that should be in the next book! 

                The story and plot both keep things moving along as there is always something happening.  I was invested in the characters both good and bad and seeing what would happen and how things would meet up or relate as it continued on.  I my feelings for some shifted through the book on both sides, characters I didn't care for I started to enjoy and root for while some I did like started to lose their affection.  I love how everything is fluid as with nature and personalities when confronted with new experiences.  It's not a constant action packed extravaganza but that isn't the type of story it needed to be.  There is a lot happening behind the scenes, plotting, planning, and emotional conflict, discoveries, and more to keep the story moving along as it grows.  Plus as with everything I have read by Cast I love her humor.  She finds a way to infuse some hilarious moments throughout.  I would randomly find myself bursting out with a fit of laughter at some parts and then having to go back because I couldn't hear the next part I was too loud.   

                "Hey, I'm muddling an enormous amount of poppy tea to drug a bunch of people.  Partially to alleviate their pain and partially to shut them up."

                I really enjoyed this book.  I even enjoyed it more than the first one as I was familiar with the world and I fell right back in.  My only problem with having finished it within a week is that I don't know when the next book will come out and I am beyond excited to learn more.  As with the first book we left off right at the end of a pretty HUGE thing that had us eager to find out what would happen next.  We again leave with so much anticipation for more it's almost painful to have to sit and wait for the next installment, but wait I shall because I am hooked!  As a  side note as much as I loved the audiobook I also enjoyed following along with the end of chapter sketches in the physical/digital book too!

                Until next time…

~Stacking the Shelves~

                Welcome to Stacking the Shelves was created by Tynga and the full details can be found on her page.  Basically you showcase the books you bought or received each week.  Little, or not so little, weekly book hauls.

Audiobooks:

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast

                That's if for this week.  Share a link below with what goodies you got this week. 

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2)

                Hello happy readers.  I hope all has been going well on your end.  The weather has taken a turn, finally, to not sweating just stepping foot outside and was actually cool for a couple of days. I'm excited though the 90 to 60 sudden drop wrecked havoc on my sinuses.  I also tried a new recipe, Caramel Apple Bread which seems to be a hit!  I have been able to finish a book from my TBR I’ve had for some time, Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard.  I reviewed book one back in March of 2015 here so it had been a while but when I started the audiobook of the sequel it all came back as I listened.  It picks up where Red Queen left off so spoilers.

Rating: 5 Stars

                So it has been some time since I read Red Queen.  I dove right in.  Mare and Cal are on the run with the Red Guard but being a silver, Cal is not treated with the best care.  Mare is a red with silver abilities, the lightning girl.  She thought she was an anomaly but finds there are others like her, new bloods.  The king is dead at Cal’s hand.  His hand forced by the Queen, using her ability against him to dispute him and put her traitors son Maven on the throne.  He is not the man either of them thought him to be, just a puppet playing the part that would make them both care for him.  Now Mare must fight but the cost is high and all of the treachery and betrayal have taken their toll and changed her.

               

                The action and intrigue of this series picks up at the first page and doesn't let you down.  There is so much happening from escaping without dying and oh yeah convincing the people you're with Cal isn't just an evil silver but an ally.  I loved throughout the book there is always more than one thing happening.  The constant struggle between the reds and silvers and now new bloods, never knowing where one stands as we are constantly reminded that anyone can betray you at any time.  Oh and the political issues of being on the run as Maven takes over as king.  It's one hit after another and we just keep rolling with the momentum never slowing down.

                The pacing of the book keeps it moving along for sure.  Still there is lots of character development with all out characters.  There is no clear right and wrong anymore everything seems to be shades of grey.  Mare, everyone really but her especially, has to deal with so much.  Blaming herself.  Wanting to save people like her, save everyone and fix the world into something better.  She wasn't trained to be a leader, she never wanted to be one but despite everything people keep looking to her to lead.  Watching her struggle with all of her issues throughout the book was grounding.  There was one part in which case I was so glad I was parked when it happened because I just stared at my car display in shock.  You go through the emotional ringer with these characters that's for sure.

"If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter."

                One of my favorite parts was getting to meet all the new characters.  Some good and some bad.  I especially enjoyed our new bloods and learning all their new powers as some were so much fun to imagine.  I enjoyed the difficult position each one was in and how real everything felt.  Not everyone is saved all the time.  This is a war and they are rebels and that means they are the underdog.  Farley was by far a favorite for me, the accent the narrator did for her was spot on as well, I loved how she could be surrounded by people with special abilities and be severely out matched but still hold her own with her tricks and skills.

                There is some small pieces between Mare and Cal but given everything that has happened it is very small and sedate.  They both are struggling with Maven.  Yes he is a monster.  He has done and continues to do horrible things to people.  Still that is not the Maven they knew and loved and even knowing that their Maven was "real" is still a hard thing to reconcile with the monster that is out to get you.  I love that they both are struggling with that and their places in this new war.  They both have beliefs and hard wired instincts they have to work on with everything flipped around.  I thought the reactions to it all was rather true to the characters and I enjoyed it. 

                Overall I really enjoyed this story and am glad I don't have to wait long to start the next book and then even less time for the final book to come out.  As much as I want to dive right in given that ending…and yes that ending hurt me…I also want to be fresh for the final book to come out.  And I have a few other books I have to get to this month!  I am caught up in this story and even waiting close to 2 years between reading without any catch up I fell right back into things with no problem because the author wrote such a unique and interesting world it was transfixed in my head! 

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Belles (The Belles #1)

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

The Belles (The Belles #1) by Dhonielle Clayton

Out:  2/20

From Goodreads:

                Camellia Beauregard is a Belle.  In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else.  In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. 

                But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle.  She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land.  But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be.  Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined.  And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces and impossible decision.

                With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Why I’m Waiting:

                This sounds like an interesting concept.  Being born gray and damned with some having special power and beauty being a power…huh.  I’ve seen many tales where beauty is used like a weapon or distraction but this is new.  Color me curious.

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

~Stacking the Shelves~

                Welcome to Stacking the Shelves was created by Tynga and the full details can be found on her page.  Basically you showcase the books you bought or received each week.  Little, or not so little, weekly book hauls.

Physical Books:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter Illustrated #3) by J.K. Rowling

Audiobooks:

Geekerella by Ashley Poston (snagged it on Audible Daily Deals)

                That's if for this week.  Share a link below with what goodies you got this week. 

Wolves & Roses Tour RSVP

RSVP for the WOLVES & ROSES Tour now…Get a T-Shirt Later

Hello happy readers!  I am beyond excited to share the news of this book and tour with you all.  As all of my followers will know I adore this author and all of her other books and this one has been on my anticipated reads list since I heard about it.  The sampler I got was amazing and I can't wait to get my copy.  I am excited to see a tour is happening though a bit jealous I live nowhere near any of the stops.  That said I am hoping the stops are much closer to you!

WOLVES AND ROSES is the new young adult shifter fairy tale by best-selling author Christina Bauer which “blends magical fantasy, swooning romance, and a bucketful of teenage sass” (Booklist) and is “a fun romp for Twilight fans” (School Library Journal).

And now they’re having a bookstore tour where you can get your copy of WOLVES AND ROSES signed, meet characters from the novel, and even take home a swag bag full of goodies…including a themed t-shirt!  Bottom line?  You don’t want to miss the WOLVES AND ROSES book launch tour.

Be sure to RSVP today and arrive early to the event (links down below) –there’s only a limited amount of swag bags given out on a first-come, first served basis to folks who purchase a new copy of WOLVES AND ROSES.

BOSTON, MA AREA

Barnes & Noble, Prudential Center, Boston, MA

Wednesday, November 1^st, 5:00 PM EST

REGISTER NOW

Barnes & Noble, Framingham, MA

Thursday, November 2^nd, 7:00 PM EST

REGISTER NOW

NEW YORK CITY, NY

Bluestockings, Manhattan

Friday, November 3^rd, 7:00 PM EST

REGISTER NOW

SAN FRANCISCO, CA AREA

Barnes & Noble, Corte Madera, CA

Saturday, November 4^th, 12:00 NOON PST

REGISTER NOW

COMING SOON:  San Jose, CA

CHICAGO, IL AREA

Barnes & Noble, Oakbrook IL

Wednesday, November 7^th, 7:00 PM

REGISTER NOW

The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL

Wednesday, November 8^th, 7:00 PM CST

REGISTER NOW

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Traitor Prince (Ravenspire #3)

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

The Traitor Prince (Ravenspire #3) by C.J. Redwine

Out:  2/13

From Goodreads:

                Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom.  But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious imposter takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince.

                After barely escaping the imposter’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison.  The only way to gain an audience with the king—and reveal Javan’s identity—is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament.  But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena, but also a band of prisoners allied against him, and even the warden herself.

                The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check.  Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive—but she has dangerous secrets.

               

                Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight the deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoners intent on killing Javan.  If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both.

Why I’m Waiting:

                I’m a love this authors other books and I have enjoyed the other books in the series thus far so this is a no brainer for me to buy!  Plus it has the whole gladiator type vibe which I’m digging while also reminding me of an old episode of Wishbone.

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall/Autumn Book Covers

                Hello everyone!  Top Ten Tuesday is just how it sounds, a topic is picked and we put our Top Ten for that in a post and share and check out everyone’s answers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

The top today is:  Books with Fall/Autumn Covers

Looking at my shelves both digitally and physically I had so many books I could have made twenty lists but I narrowed it down to the most yellow/orange/red type colors and even more ones I have actually finished!

Harry Potterand the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski (review)

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (review)

Season forFireflies by Rebecca Maizel (review)

End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee (review)

Lola and theBoy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2) by Stephanie Perkins (review) 

Crown ofMidnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas (review)

City ofFallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

The Pirate'sWish (The Assassin's Curse #2) by Cassandra Rose Clarke (review)

The Edge ofJuniper (Juniper #1) by Lora Richardson (review)

                 Tell me what you think of my list in the comments below.  Which would you recommend so I know which ones to get first?  Also please link back to your Top Ten as well so I can check out your list and see what I missed!

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  First I'd like to announce the winner of my latest giveaway that closed the other day (Epic Reads tote and signed ARC) and the winner is Meigan.  Congrats!  Today I'd also like to share my thoughts and feels about a relative new release from last month, Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) by Sarah J. Maas.  Now this is the 6th book in the series so there will be spoilers for the previous books so read on at your own peril. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                This book is all about Chaol's journey.  Well him and Nesryn.  I was totally team Chaol in the first three books before I finally moved on but I was happy to do so as the characters grew into different people.  That said I still loved my Chaol.  He has his faults but I adore him and was thrilled this would be his book.  Now timeline wise this book takes place after Queen of Shadows but during Empire of Storms.  Basically while Empire of Storms is happening with the rest of our characters this is what is happening on the other side of the world with Chaol.  I would recommend reading this after Empire of Storms though as parts of it are mentioned and it would ruin things.  So yes read it as book 6 as intended!

                Chaol was nearly killed but some hidden protection and some quick patch work saved his life just not his mobility.  Chaol, former Captain of the Guard, is stuck in a chair, one of the worst kinds of torture for an active man who is used to being able to take care of and defend others.  Dorian has made him part of his new court and his first order of business is to travel to the healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica and seek out help to heal his body.  While there he is also to work with Nesryn to try and convince the rulers in Antica to join their cause and fight with them.  However, as Chaol and Nesryn spend time in Antica they discover the place will change them both and may be more vital to saving Erilea than anyone ever dreamed.

                Chaol being injured and in this chair is hard.  He is such a vibrant, active, and yes proud man and to see him struggling to do basic tasks and need so much help is hard.  Though being in his mind we know its more than the body weighing on him its all that he has witnessed and all that has happened that he was unable to stop.  He feels he has let others down and it weighs on his soul.  He still wants to help his king though and that means keeping up as much as possible and trying to play the games of Antica.  Nesryn has family in town and is eager to see them and see this place she is from but doesn't know as well, but she has a mission.  She spends much time with one of the princes, Sartaq who also commands the Rukhin.  I adored learning all about the Rukhin as well the subsets and how they had their own set of politics was kind of great. 

"Nesryn supposed that was why she liked the queen:  there were plans so long in the making that for someone who let the world deem her unchecked and brash, Aelin showed a great deal of restraint in keeping it all hidden."

*****

"You would be surprised by how closely the healing of physical wounds is tied to the healing of emotional ones." 

                Antica has some very different and unique politics.  The system for heirs is very interesting , and very harsh.  The princes and princesses don't know who will be the next in line.  Some are favorited of course but you never know so everyone plays to keep in favor and power.  All of the siblings were pretty awesome though to read about be it that I wanted to strangle them or I enjoyed them.  Some both at once, it was never dull.  They are currently mourning the loss of one of the princesses who died, or as one of her brothers believes was murdered.  Chaol is asked to help uncover any hidden darkness in exchange for help backing his request for aid.  The search is slow, as is his healing with the spirited and angry healer assigned to help him, Yrene Towers.  Yep you guessed it another resurgence from the novellas.  Can I just take a moment to say how much I love all these novellas coming back into play?  I mean I love how full circle all of this has become. 

                Basically the rest would be spoiler material but lets just say there is lots happening.  Murder, mystery, theft/kidnapping, chases, fights, brewing romance, panic, political balancing act, internal character struggles, and so much more to keep the story going.  I loved the journey we were taken on.  I loved every moment of it.  I didn’t want to stop listening for a second.  We got to see a whole new side of this beautiful world of the South.  The new people both friends and foes and journeys we went on….it was a wild ride.  That isn't all though this book is important to the series in so many ways.  Not only does it tie in the novella again and work on handling Chaol and his healing as it is or just bring in a new force in the battle but the information that we learn is just epic.  Small little pieces throughout that come together and when tied into the larger story just blew me away.  I had to stop at one point to just think about some past books and the experiences within them and have my mind blown as it all came together when you have the right information. 

"What did Aelin promise you?"

 "A better world."

                It was amazing and now I need the next book so much.  Right now.  I have so many thoughts and theories about how things will go down.  I seriously had a dream about one part in particular and how it might play out, it was so vivid I can't wait to see how right I am.  It has to do with a certain meeting.  I am nervous about the coming war/battle because well things are not the best right now (end of Empire of Storms) for some but the coming together of all the different good guys I am beyond excited to see this play out.  Going to be crossing my fingers and listening clutching a pillow to mu chest I'm sure praying for my favorites to make it through.   I'd love to hear what everyone else thought.  None of my friends are currently caught up on this series and its killing me not to talk about it.

                Until next time…

~Stacking the Shelves~

                Welcome to Stacking the Shelves was created by Tynga and the full details can be found on her page.  Basically you showcase the books you bought or received each week.  Little, or not so little, weekly book hauls.  This will be from the last two weeks since last Saturday I had the escape room and birthday party and kind of forgot to prep my post.  Also today is the final day in my giveaway so check that out, only 15 hours left!  

Physical Books:

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

Audiobooks:

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

Bookish Stuff:

My fellow Ravenclaw and great friend got me my very own mug (since every time I visit I always claim it)

                That's if for this week.  Share a link below with what goodies you got this week.  

Girls Made of Snow and Glass

                Hello happy readers.  Don’t forget to check out my giveaway it is open until Saturday night.  I hope you all have fantastic plans this weekend.  I’m working so there is that, I’m also working day shift for the weekend which basically means I’ll be functioning on 99% caffeine and no sleep.  That said I hope to get some reading/reviewing done.  Today I’m excited to talk about a new release that I received an ARC of thanks to NetGalley, Girls Made of Snowand Glass by Melissa Bashardoust.  Originally I had planned to finish and review the week of Irma but it got pushed back but I am so happy to get to it now.  This is a stand-alone fantasy/retelling.

Rating:  5 Stars

                This is a story of two girls and how their lives are entwined.  Mina the beautiful daughter of the feared magician and a heart made of glass.  When she is moved to Whitespring Castle she meets the king and is eager to win his broken heart and finally know love from the king and the people as their queen.  This would also make her a step-mother to little Lynet the kings’ pride and joy and spitting image of the late queen.  That is by design as she was made by Mina’s father by order of the king.  Though she is supposed to be just like her dead mother she finds herself wanting to be more like Mina and when her father decides it is time for Lynet to take her place as queen.  They are destined to be rivals for the throne and as power starts to sway and secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested.  Who will rule and at what cost? 

                This was a version of Snow White that I had never thought of before.  It gave me some Once Upon A Time feels which I adored.  I loved that while there is a small amount of romantic love in the story the real focus is on the two leads and who they are and develop into through their journey.  Mina is told with her glass heart she is incapable of giving or receiving love, that’s a hard thing to grow up with.  With Mina seeing both her past and her present really showed depth into who she was and how she came to be.  I love a well-developed character, especially a flawed one.  Lynet is treated as such a fragile thing, always expected to be the perfect copy of a mother she never knew and never really allowed to experience life.  I loved seeing her grow up, as like Mina it gave the reader insight into who they became and the choices they will have to make.  I really understood them and their motives.

                This story takes on many different aspects but I really enjoyed the magic.  The magic is there and ever present in the story, a driving force really, and it’s done beautifully.  Still it all comes down to the characters and their motives and emotions.  I enjoyed how the magic was there to enhance the story and give it a unique flare but it wasn’t the main element.  I loved how Mina struggled with herself and her actions.  She didn’t want to be evil or do harm she was just a girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved and when that is denied to you it takes a toll on the soul.  Lynet is naïve and unsure but she grows to have faith in herself by making her own mistakes. 

                Bashardoust managed to create an entire world for the reader to fall into that felt both familiar and completely new.  I love the turn on the characters and how each character had depth and not intrinsically evil.  You want Mina and Lynet to each have their own happy ending even if you know that would be at odds with one another.  I enjoyed the dual POV and getting to know them both so well the good and the bad.  The only tiny thing I could think to mention is the magic and how I wish I knew more about how it worked and what the limits were.  Nothing negative I really grasped the world and it didn’t hinder my reading experience just that it was fascinating and I would love to learn more.  While this functions perfectly as a stand-alone I would be open to reading more in the world and what other magic is there.  I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more by the author.

                Until next time.