Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1)

                Hello happy readers!  First don’t forget to head over and check out my GIVEAWAY for a SIGNED copy of Blacksouls (Blackhearts #2) by Nicole Castroman here.  It’s open for a few more days!  This weekend was super busy and only mildly productive.  Spent Friday doing yard work on my new place, and I reminded again how much I hate yard work.  So after taking down two huge overgrown bushes each about 12ft tall and some other trimmings I was rather sore which gave me a perfect excuse to chill the rest of the weekend and marathon the new season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix and finish finally catching up on The 100.  Now I’m waiting for more on both with everyone else! 

                Today though, I’m so excited to share with you a review of a book I read a little while back but have been eagerly anticipating the sequel, Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake.  Now I received a copy for review from No BS Reviews and the original review/post can be found over at No BS along with tons of other reviews.  But as I have been mentioning the sequel in my anticipated releases I wanted to share my review on here as well. 

Rating:  4 Stars

               

                I was excited to get my hands on this one.  It was a new series with a cool concept.  Yes, pun intended.  I also love the fantasy aspect of this where the MC is forced to hide themselves and what they are.  Some aspects reminded me of different parts of other series I enjoyed and while some may see this as a negative I didn’t.  I mean I clearly liked the other series and as long as it has it’s own story and isn’t completely like another and keeps me entertained I’m good.  I mean if you read enough of a specific genre you’re going to see something that reminds you of another book somewhere.  So I was ready to dive into it. 

                Ruby is a Fireblood and can control heat/flame.  Control might be a bit of a leap as she hasn’t learned control and mostly just has accidents.  When the king and people are hunting down all the Firebloods to be killed this is a very dangerous thing to not be able to control.  After being imprisoned and tortured, which made me cringe despite not being as brutal as other items I’ve read but the way it was written hit me.  Also being a fireblood, cold is not her friend and I may have been a bit cold while reading and agreeing with her here.  Ruby is offered a chance of escape, from frostbloods, Arcus and Brother Thistle, with the catch of helping them.  Their plans to take down the king are in line with her own goals of revenge and it is a chance of escape and thus she agrees.  Ruby is always thinking her options through, she doesn’t always make the best choice but she does put some thought into many of them which I liked.  So of her arguments with herself are ones I could see myself having. 

                She was a great vessel to tell the story from with all her swirling and conflicting emotions throughout.  From prisoner to alley to prisoner.  When trying to do the right thing means doing something wrong.  When fighting to survive means giving up a piece of your soul.  Finding reasons to keep moving forward when one thing after another is taken away from you.  What truly makes you a monster so many believe you to be?  I really liked Ruby.

                The abbey where she is taken and the brothers and sisters she meets while there show a full assortment of perspectives.  Being a fireblood she is feared by many but seeing some accept her for whom she is not what she is while showing contrast between those who dislike or fear her for what she was born versus those who fear what having an enemy of the king near them could bring down on them, I liked the variations.  Favorites were of course Brother Thistle and his kick ass self and healing Brother Gamut.  I would have liked to get to know more of the brothers and sisters and hope to go back over time.

Sequel cover is out!

                Then you have Arcus.  He is rude, abrupt, and threatening but still gentle.  He’s secretive and moody for sure but he also has this quality of something more.  I grew to like him and enjoyed getting to know more and more of him.  I wanted him to thaw to Ruby.  He also has a bit of a funny side.

                The world has lots of stories, tales of how people came into their powers gifts of the Gods.  I like the balance aspect of it as the tales were revealed.  Fire and Ice being the main focus but then discovering more about Eurus and the Minax, which were creepy as can be.  I can’t wait to see how we dive more into that in the sequel.  You have enough here for a complete story, one journey ends but there is clearly more story to tell.  This did more than bring you into the world it told a story.  I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more.  Would recommend for fans of fantasy and good vs. evil stories.

                Again don’t forget to head over and enter the giveaway!

                Until next time…

The Carver: Review & Blog Tour!

                Hello happy readers!    So today I am participating in a fun blog tour for a book I was super excited to dive into.  I received an early copy to read for an honest review today so here goes.  The #roadtripwithpeterpan has begun!  THECARVER is a young adult fairy tale retelling that takes you on a road trip with an adult Peter Pan and the children of some of your favorite fairy tale characters.  Together, they must find out what happened to their missing family members as secrets of the old world and the new are revealed, with only Pinocchio’s carvings to guide the way.  You can get your copy of THE CARVER by Jacob Devlin on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Book:

THE GIRL IN THE RED HOOD has been looking for her mother for six months, searching from the depths of New York’s subways to the heights of its skyscrapers…

THE PRINCE looks like he’s from another time entirely, or maybe he’s just too good at his job at Ye Old Renaissance Faire…

THE ACTRESS is lighting up Hollywood Boulevard with her spellbinding and strikingly convincing portrayal of a famous fairy.  Her name may be big, but her secrets barely fit in one world…

Fifteen-year-old Crescenzo never would have believed his father’s carvings were anything more than “stupid toys.”  All he knows is a boring life in an ordinary Virginia suburb, from which his mother and best friend have been missing for years.  When his father disappears next, all Crescenzo has left is his goofy neighbor, Pietro, who believes he’s really Peter Pan and that Crescenzo is the son of Pinocchio.  What’s more:  Pietro insists that they can find their loves ones by looking to the strange collection of wood figurines Crescenzo’s father left behind.

With Pietro’s help, Crescenzo sets off on an adventure to unite the real life counterparts to his figurines.  It’s enough of a shock that they’re actually real, but the night he meets the Girl in the Red Hood, dark truths burst from the past.  Suddenly, Crescenzo is tangled in a nightmare where magic mirrors and evil queens rule, and where everyone he loves is running out of time.

About the Author:

When Jacob Devlin was four years old, he would lounge about in Batman pajamas and make semi-autobiographical picture books about an adventurous python names Jake the Snake.  Eventually, he traded his favorite blue crayon for a black pen, and he never put it down.  When not reading or writing, Jacob loves practicing his Italian, watching stand-up comedy, going deaf at rock concerts, and geeking out at comic book conventions.  He does most of these things in southern Arizona.

Website – Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads - YouTube

Review:

 Rating: 4.5 Stars

                This book was calling to be I LOVE Once Upon a Time and the whole fairytale retellings and reimagineings and such but the combo of interacting different stories together is a favorite.  So to see some like Pinocchio who I don’t know much about was intriguing but to follow children of characters we know it creates a whole new level.  Plus I’ve kind of really been digging Peter Pan lately. 

                The POV shifts as we follow along Peter Pan, Enzo, and Rosana for the majority of the story but also with our villain of sorts and several others to really give you a feel for the story and the world.  The story also is told in different times, we see things in the present in both worlds, three years prior and even twenty five years prior.  Everything is weaved together nicely and really keeps you wondering and wanting to turn the page for what’s more.  What happened then that would lead to what you know of the present? So much fun.

                Enzo, the Carvers son, Pinocchio’s kid.  All your life is simple and normal then all of a sudden it’s one hit after another until you are left with the most insane possibility of them all.  Fairy tales are real and you’re on a road trip with a grown up Peter Pan to save everyone you love.  Why not?  Peter was also rather interesting in the story, seeing the way he is both grown up but also still the same character I remember from my childhood a true and literal version of a man child in many ways.  He has the heart of a child but he’s also an adult with a child of his own and a job and adulting happening.  We got a bit of backstory on most and with it shifting to their perspective at different points we “knew” how they felt and who they are.

                The overall story with the quests and missions to accomplish all while uncovering the facts.  It was a fun tale that had both light and dark moments mixed in.  I had a lot of fun reading this story and I look forward to more.  I don’t really want to give too much away because figuring out who people are at times is half the fun!  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! 

                Until next time…

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                Get ready to give up your time to THE SURRENDERED by Case Maynard—a young adult dystopian sure to suck you in further with ever page!  Want to be a part of this new release?  You can sign up for the Facebook parties, blog tours, or to review.  The #taxonkids is coming!

Giveaway:

And for extra fun...a Giveaway!

Supremacy (Supremacy #1)

                Hello happy readers!  I’m a bit behind on my reading and reviewing but I’m working to catch up so I can keep the reviews coming.  Yesterday I finished a debut book, Supremacy (Supremacy #1) by Christin Lee.  I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

                We follow Kate, a senior and top of her class and swim team in Texas.  She has her two best friends and her family who are a bit crazy at times.  She also has her herd of rescue animals, because that’s what she does she connects with animals and can’t leave a wounded or lost one behind.  On one of these outings to find a lost animal she meets a mysterious and sexy guy named Lucas.  With his accent and looks she’s instantly drawn in but she can tell there is more to him than a foreign exchange student.

                So first thing going into this I would warn there is a slight insta-love feel but I urge you to still give it a try.  I went in kind of expecting a bit of it based on the summary and was okay with it.  I know some are horribly against it but for the most part it’s kind of cute.  I also feel it’s more of an insta-connection which is different and more realistic.  I think we’ve all ran into or saw someone and thought WOW they are so swoon-worthy and thought about them more and more after that moment hoping to run into them again.  Now things get real deep real fast but I could overlook it as I was enjoying the story and more I’ll mention later. 

                Kate is a really likeable character.  I just adored her affection for animals and wanting to save them all because I’m personally the one who can’t go near shelter sponsored events because I will get in trouble and want to adopt them all even knowing I’m not able to in my apartment.  I learned this when I used to volunteer and my favorite bebe I was going to adopt the landlord (different place and person but same rules) said no and I lost them.  I haven’t been able to volunteer since because I get too attached.  So I understood her in that way.  She also has a very interesting family and while I understood the brother sometimes driving her crazy aspect the overprotective parents, specifically the dad, were something of an enigma to me.  At times it was hard to stomach but I have also known people with parents like that and it seemed just as strange then.  Still Kate is down to earth and smart, which is always a good trait in a female lead.

                Our mysterious Lucas was rather interesting.  He reminded me of some other supernatural characters here and there but overall I found him charming if a bit messed up.  Though don’t we love our brooding bad boys with a tragic past?  His accent and speaking Spanish to her and treating her like she is what’s important were key for sure.  Still there was a bit of an alpha male aspect and secrecy that could detract at times.  Whereas Stephen’s Alpha male act just royally pissed me off.  He took to trying to rule her and control her which is never acceptable.  I think Lucas handled Stephen well for the most part in the moment but it was after that he was a bit intense. 

                 Romantically I think things happened a bit fast in the feelings department but as an overall story I think it plays out well.  Not a lot of answers are given and as things come to light it becomes clear.  The speed for which things happened didn’t set a foundation for a solid healthy relationship but first crushes/lust/feelings can be powerful and throw caution to the wind type of recklessness.  So that is why I don’t think the concept of insta-love wouldn’t describe it as a whole so if you give it time it kind of works into the story in a way.  Though for all the controlling men in her life I think Kate handles things pretty well.   

                The world of the Hallows was what really captured this story for me.  I loved the whole idea and how intricate it was.  We didn’t get to know too much as it was something discovered in this book but I can only assume there will be much more knowledge of this world experienced in book two.  So far though I am really enjoying some of the characters like Lis and Jenna for sure even Nic was interesting as a contrast to Lucas.  I loved the whole concept of the other world the idea has fascinated me in general since watching an episode of Bones years ago with  “mole people” so interesting.    I look forward to seeing more of the supernatural elements play out as the story continues and what happens after we left off. 

                Overall I really enjoyed this debut book.  There were a few instances where a few lines were a bit repetitive and I would have liked a bit more showing rather than telling in some parts but overall a great debut and a great story that pulled me along so quickly I could easily overlook any minor issues.  I’d love to hear what you all think about this book or the storyline in general in the comments below.

                Until next time…

The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1)

                Hello happy readers!  Another exciting day hopefully full of reading and other goodies.  Today I’m sharing a review for a debut book that was originally posted at No BS Book Reviews, here.  This debut book is one I was anticipating hard and even more excited when it was in my hands and that is The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye!

Rating:  5 Stars

                This has been one of my most anticipated books of 2016 after I heard about it and having read it the sequel is my most anticipated book whenever it comes out!  OMG AMAZING!  I was completely blown away by this story and everything in it.  Enchanters and magic, secret games, murder plots, a beautiful and amazing world, political intrigue, strong characters and lots of feels galore.  It had everything.

                We follow several characters but the primaries are Vika and Nikolai our tow enchanters and Pasha, Nikolai's best friend and heir to the throne.  Vika has grown up away from everything only training to one day be the Imperial Enchanter, never knowing that she would have to battle it out for the position.  Nikolai however has known he would have to play a game for the roll but even he didn't know how series the stakes were.  Death for one.  These are serious stakes.  More so when overtime all three form a connection of sorts.  It's not easy to kill someone you don't know but to kill someone you care for seems impossible.  As a reader it was difficult knowing one was meant to die, trying to figure out as I read who I liked more so I wouldn't get too attached to the wrong one but it was hopeless as I didn't want either to die! 

                I really enjoyed getting to know all the different characters and how they have different quirks about themselves.  From the mains to the supporting characters who played just as big of a part.  From their mentors or servants and bakers to the Tsar and royal family themselves each one plays a part and they are introduced for a reason but I never felt like they were only there to move the story along each one felt natural and purposeful.  The friendships and relationships between the different characters both good and bad were deep.  My favorite being the friendship between Nikolai and Pasha!  Those two were so on point and just a ying and yang of one another in the perfectly balance way.

                The world is so beautiful and while I have never been to Russia I felt like I have seen a piece of it.  A piece of history wrapped up in magic and wonder.  The scenes described where so real, my favorite parts involved benches.  Vivid and miraculous to say the least.  The magic of the world was explained in a way that I understood but I see room for more to be explained through the series as we discovered new information, from nymphs and healers and more.

                The Crown's Game had a bit of everything in it and I highly recommend it because I need people to talk to about it!  Everything tied in nicely from the romance to the political aspects to the game itself.  The game was not what I originally expected a battle between the two in the traditional sense but a competition which I liked a bit better having finished it, with the tasks which pulled you into each page imagining each one as they played out.  The book is impossible to put down and quick to fly through IMHO! 

                There's nothing else I can say without giving away some spoilers which I just can't bring myself to do because uncovering it all is half the fun.  I do recommend this and would love to hear what everyone thinks of this.  I know I'm ready for book two already! I’d love to hear your thoughts and feels in the comments below!

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Reader

                “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 Reader (Sea of Ink & Gold #1)by Traci Chee

Out: 9/13

From Goodreads:

                Sefia knows what it means to survive.  After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal.  But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive.  The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society.  With the help of this book, and the air of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and fine out really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

Why I’m Waiting:

                Not going to lie the title got my attention first.  I’m a reader after all.  The idea of a society where people don’t know what a book is horrifies me.  Really because where would I be?  The world has me interested to know more and it just shows that a book can solve most things ;)

                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!

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Marked Girl

                “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 Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele

Out: 6/21

From Goodreads:

                Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Los Angeles)…

                When Cedric, crowned prince of Caelum, and his fellow royal friends (including his betrothed, Kat) find themselves stranded in modern-day L.A. via a magical portal and an evil traitor named Malquin, all they want is to do is get home to Caelum—soon.  Then they meet Liv, a filmmaker foster girl who just want to get out of the system and on with her life.  As she and Cedric bond, they’ll discover that she’s more connected to his world than they ever could’ve imagined…and that finding home is no easy task…

                Worlds collide in The Marked Girl, an exciting fantasy tale turned upside down.

Why I’m Waiting:

                The cover caught my eye at first and then as I read about it I was intrigued.  It sounded like something right my up alley.  First book in a new series so it sounds like it could have promise.  World displacement stories always seem to be fun as I enjoy watching the characters try to figure out the new world and I’d like to think I’d be the person who if I found said person I’d be open minded and help them, especially if they were super hot just saying. 

                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!

My Kind of Crazy

                Hello happy readers.  I hope you all had a great weekend, I know mine was a little busy.  Today I have a review of a debut novel that I was highly anticipating this year, My Kind of Crazy by Robin Reul.  I received an eARC of this title from No BS Reviews and the original review is posted here.  I also had my wish granted at NetGalley at the same time so double score. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                So adorable! 

                I went into this now knowing much but the mishap with the prom invite kind of made me laugh and think it would be pretty fun.  It was a fun ride and one I completed easily in one sitting but it was also kind of dark at times.  Reul nicely balance the line of humorous and serious well.  I mean trying to ask out a girl you like in sparklers and then setting things on fire is kind of a great epic fail but to then meet a strange loaner who thinks you are a pyromaniac is a pretty interesting turn of events.  While his crush begins a search for the one who started the fire we see the quirky friendship that develops between these characters. 

                Hank was a pretty typical and average teen guy going through some things not so typical but having a rather hilarious outlook on life despite it.  Still he was captured in a very real way and I felt like he could have been any number of the guys I went to school with.  Authentic.  Peyton on the other hand is an enigma and we keep trying to peel back the layers and get to the real and solid her.  She has her secrets and her life is pretty messed up, that much is clear, and watching as her and Hank connect and bond is fun.  What starts out as fear of being turned in, turns into a unique type of friendship that was fun to watch develop.

                My Kind of Crazy manages to be so many things and while being humorous to the point of almost dropping ones kindle unable to hold it in a fit of giggles, it has a much deeper subject matter from alcoholism, self-harm, neglect, and grief without being bogged down.  It was fast paced and as the title states a bit crazy.  But then who isn’t a little crazy these days! 

                That’s all I can say.  Discovering who these characters are and their mishaps and adventures is the fun part.  Start it and you won’t be able to put it down.  

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Crown's Game

                “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 Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

Out: 5/17

From Goodreads:

                Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold.  Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air.  They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

                And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know.  The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser.  The defeated is sentenced to death. 

                Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg.  But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

                For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime.  But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

                And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

                As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear…the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Why I’m Waiting:

                Come on it sounds AMAZING!  Competing for a spot where one lives and one dies already had me hooked but to have a connection with the other and know no matter what it ends badly just has so many levels of awesome!

                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!

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Don't Get Caught

                “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:

Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan

Out: 4/1

From Goodreads:

                10:00 tonight at the water tower.  Tell no one. – Chaos Club

                When Max receives a mysterious invite from the untraceable, epic prank-pulling Chaos Club, he has to ask:  why him?  After all, he’s Mr. 2.5 GPA, Mr. No Social Life.  He’s Just Max.  And his favorite heist movies have taught him this situation calls for Rule #4:  Be suspicious.  But it’s also his one shot to leave Just Max in the dust…

                Yeah, not so much.  Max and four fellow students-who also received invites-are standing on the newly defaced water tower when campus security “catches” them.  Definitely a setup.  And this time, Max has had enough.  It’s time for Rule #7:  Always get payback.

                Let the prank war begin.

Why I’m Waiting:

                 I admit I have an ARC of this title and I am so excited to dive into it soon because it just sounds fun.  And who doesn’t need fun.  I thought this prank filled book could be a good break between some fantasy reads I have lined up.  So pranks and revenge.  Love it.  Plus the whole time I was looking at it I was imagining Ferris Bueller and those random prank videos that fill Facebook on occasion that are hilarious.  I’m ready for a good laugh and I hope this one provides it. 

                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!

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Burning Glass

                “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:

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

Out: 3/1

From Goodreads:

                Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years.  After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

                Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor.  One mistake, one small failure, will cost her own life and the lives of the few people left in the world who still trust her.

                But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, her feelings easily usurped, and she sometimes can’t decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin.  In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

                As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince.  But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.

                BURNING GLASS is debut author Kathryn Purdie’s stunning tale of dangerous magic, heart-rending romance, and the hard-won courage it takes to let go.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                 Burning Glass has been on my list since last year when I started to hear of new upcoming debut novels.  This cover drew me in first and then that summary sounds right up my alley.  I can’t wait to take a look.  I love the whole idea of being able to sense others feelings.  It just sounds interesting and has a lot of possibilities and it adds in how one can get confused about yourself.  When you always know how others feel do you ever have your own feelings or do they blur?  Already I’m debating this in my head.  Plus it promises royal intrigue and romance and a clash of brothers!  Count me in! 

                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!

Blackhearts

                It’s Friday!  I have to admit I am so ready for my weekend.  I’m about ready to call it a day/night here soon but first some errands to run and most important and what you’re really interested in…my full thoughts and feels on Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, her debut novel.  I received an early ARC in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss.  Thank you!

Rating:  5 Stars!

                I’m typing this review having only finished last night.  I am completely in shock still and just reeling for more of this beautiful and amazing story.  Seriously, I spent the hour after finishing on the internet asking every search engine, book site, and everything I could think of for more.  I wasn’t ready for it to be over.  I’m still not.  If it’s not clear I LOVE this book!

                For those of you who are not familiar with the title it comes out this month, February 9^th, and follows the legend of Blackbeard the pirate before he was Blackbeard.  When he was just a man named Edward “Teach” Drummond and wanted to leave his life as a merchants son to chase adventure on a ship and escape the duty of his life.  We also follow Anne, left penniless and in a bad way after her parents deaths she is put to work in the kitchen of Master Drummond.  In the life of a maid, one she never expected, she longs for escape, to sail away from England to the islands where her mother grew up.  When Teach and Anne meet things are anything but friendly but they both have much in common despite society and circumstances trying to keep them at odds.  Dreams and hearts are dangerous things.

                Warning to anyone who is expecting a pirate story.  This is not it in the classic sense.  This is before the swashbuckling days, what made Blackbeard.  Blackhearts takes place on land.  I went in thinking I would see some pirate-like things myself, and while it didn’t have what I expected, it had so much of everything else I didn’t think to expect that I didn’t even miss them.  Just so you know what you’re going into.  Oh and the feels.  I have some serious feels. 

                Let’s start with Anne.  She is such a great character to introduce us to the story.  She is a new maid in the house of a cranky older man and her fellow servants don’t even like her.  Hard life.  But as she is learning this new world, being thrust into it for only a short time and learning the hard way, she is inspiring.  Anne is different, her mother was a former slave and her father a well-respected businessmen and merchant who loved her, still given the time it was not known to many.    While he lived she was his daughter and while not out in society was still educated, opinionated, and strong willed.  To go from that life of a quite happiness to a maid working day in and out would be a hard adjustment.  Everything she has gone through to the point of our story begins has made her such a diverse character I really enjoyed reading. She is very self-aware of her flaws and disadvantages and tries to compensate for them when possible.  She thinks!  She is for the most part rational.

                Then we have Teach.  Okay the name does get some getting used to but I after a while it grows on you.  He is abrupt and not very likeable in the start but as the reader gets to know him and see what’s in his head and the reasons behind his actions then his actions are seen in another light.  He is trapped just as much as Anne though in the opposite way of Anne.  While she has no money, his father is very well off, both ends of the spectrum are a leash.  Society demands a lot from the affluent, particularly his father who wishes to rise higher and cares little for his sons’ wish of freedom and adventure.  What better way than an advantageous marriage, to Miss Patience, guaranteeing he will never go back on a ship.

                The plot of the story and how these two stories intertwined was amazing and the connection between the two was a slow and natural build as they grew to know one another and not hate each other.  They are of different statuses and that impacts their views and interactions.  Blackhearts also deals with the issues of race, class, and standing instead of pushing them aside.  My only real concern for the book is that I went in thinking it was a stand-alone story but the ending…well there are open endings and then there are way too open for me and might take away half a star but as I have no confirmation either way and I'm still basking in the glow and hoping for the best.

                I'd love to hear your thoughts on the book in the comments below.  Have you already had the chance to read it?  Can't wait for Tuesday?  What part drew you in?  Please share I'm bursting with feels and opinions!  Stay tuned tomorrow for my Stacking Shelves to see what books I've collected this past month!

                Until next time…

~Top Ten Tuesday~ 2016 Debut Novels I'm Looking Forward To

                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: Top Ten 2016 Debut Novels I’m Looking Forward To

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker

Assassin’s Heart by Sarah Ahiers

After the Woods by Kim Savage

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

Don’t Get Caught by Kurt Dinan

My Kind of Crazy by Robin Reul

The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

Nirvana by J.R. Stewart A debut novel about virtual reality and what it's capable of

                Another start to another week.  And with it more book reviews because I am pleased with myself for finishing three books this weekend and putting a good dent in another.  One of those books I was pleased to read was an ARC I received from NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers which I had featured in my Waiting on Wednesday post a couple weeks ago, Nirvana by J.R. Stewart.  Well the wait is over for me, for you to tomorrow when it comes out.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

                Punk rocker, animal activist, and Nirvana operator Kenders is our main character in the dystopian world where the world has pretty much died and the virtual reality is how you deal cope.  Her fiancé, Andrew, head designer and programmer at Hexagon is the world to her, her soulmate, her everything.  One day after a discovery at work that has him on edge Kenders is told he was killed in an accident but given no details on his work.  Heartbroken and confused she is prescribed time in Nirvana as time to heal.  Anything is possible in Nirvana, even visits from Andrew.  She knows it’s fake, virtual reality, still there is something about it that seems real.  Andrew even asks for her help, all cloak and dagger like.  She already didn’t trust Hexagon but now with Andrew asking for her help in Nirvana to find his files she starts to believe he might still be alive.    Working to stay safe and uncover the files while your every move is monitored and hard enough figuring out who is friend and foe. Factor in that you’re not 100% sure if any of this is real or your virtual self, trying to process the grief of losing the one you love. 

                I enjoyed the story and the concept.  I liked Kenders and what she stood for fighting for the right reasons.  I also enjoyed the struggle in her.  She can see the truth in the virtual reality but as much as she wants it to be real she knows she could be losing her mind and self to virtual reality.  Watching that struggle and how it mingled with her actions was interesting.  I read this pretty quickly, just wanting to know what's going to happen next.  I liked the different characters and how you are never sure if they are friend or foe no matter how they act and also how everyone has a double way of talking, saying and doing one thing for the constant surveillance but having a double meaning to them.  I would be in trouble in this world I would have forgotten everything!

                The love Kenders and Andrew shared is sweet.  At first in the present we don't see much and he's withdrawn due to work but reliving some of their greatest hits in Nirvana and seeing how they came to be who they are just made my heart ache for her.  Andrew is seriously one who understands beautiful moments and gestures!  Also as someone who is simply happy if my family and friends remember my birthday at all, Andrew is the Birthday Wizard! 

                 I did have a couple problems of things I wished were explained more but overall while they left me with questions I still enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one.  The first is that they mention the red door in the prologue and again throughout the story as something bad, something that Andrew fights against but exactly what it is we don't find out.  Which makes the prologue seem a bit weird for me and had me thinking something else through the whole book but I was way off.  The other is just the ages, as Paloma is old enough to be Kenders mom but she dated Andrew for five years before Kenders that ended five years ago from the present and I just assumed Andrew and Kenders were close to the same age even though she got into University before him but factoring all that together I wasn't sure if Andrew was older than I imagined or if he just dated a older woman?  Again didn't detract from the characteristics of the story for me, just things that lingered and I wish I had more explanation on. 

                Overall I think some things could be improved on but as a debut novel I am pleased and I look forward to finding out more.  There has to be more with that ending right!  I look forward to the next installment.  I'd love to hear your thoughts below.  What do you think of virtual reality?  Would you spend your time in it? Would it make it easier to move on or make it more difficult?  I've gone back and forth while reading the book myself.  Let's discuss.

                Until next time…

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Debut Authors

                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: Top Ten Debut Authors...who have me looking forward to their sophomore novel. 

These are in no particular order and authors only currently have 1 book currently published (that I know about not counting novellas).

Becky Albertalli with Simon vs the Homo SapiensAgenda

Snowa Fox with Crown of Smoke (review)

Victoria Aveyard with Red Queen (review)

Colette Ballard with Running on Empty (review) (Interview)

Sabaa Tahir with An Ember in the Ashes (review)

Melissa Parkin with Divine Vices (review)

Sarah Negovetich with Rite of Rejection (review) (Interview)

Currently Reading:

Elise Kova with Air Awakens

Emma Mills with First & Then

Haven't Started but...

Renee Ahdieh with The Wrath and the Dawn- I plan to read it ASAP I even have a the physical and audio book copy to go back and forth with and from what I know I'm going to love it.  I'm already anticipating the next book and I haven't read anything but the summary (and I needed a #10)

                That's my Top Ten. I realize I'm a bit behind.  Share your Top Ten Debut Authors with me so I can check them out.