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!

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Beauty of the Beast

                Hello happy readers!  So I am posting this from ApollyCon!  With it happening during several posts I had to get them ready in advance and be ahead of the game for once so score me!  I will share thoughts and feels about the event as I return and can type them up!  But for today I wanted to extend the Beauty and the Beast theme of things and share my thoughts about a retelling of sorts with you, Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter.  I reviewed her other title A Kindled Winter (review) so when she told me about her Beauty and the Beast retelling type book I was excited to receive a copy for my honest review.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                So I should start out advising this isn't a Disney version of the story and it has some serious adult items in it of a mature nature.  So be warned.  This is a story of Adam a Prince, hidden from the world in seclusion after his families massacre and his disfigurement.  No real contact with the world and having given up on hope.  Isabella is a beauty trying to find a way out of a very bad situation, an engagement to a monster she doesn't want but agreed to trying to save her ailing father.  Seeking shelter from the storm Isabella and her father end up at Adam's door and things don't go smoothly by any means.  Still through pain and mutual haunting dark thoughts they find kindred sprits in one another.  Can they both find happiness despite the past or will the past come back to rip it away?

                Normally I'm not one for historical stories.  I just never seem to connect fully with them but the whole Beauty and the Beast retelling had me overlooking that.  I'm so glad I did too because the story was so good.  As a retelling the majority of the major points were known, but some things just caught you off guard.  I hadn't expected so many things.  It was also much darker in times that I had been expecting which fit perfectly to the story itself but it was enough to make me give a warning to those sensitive to things like animal cruelty and sexual assault. 

                The POVs swap between Adam and Isabella and really let us see how things are developing.  We get to see how the other feels about one another from the ill fated meeting through getting to know one another and developing feelings.  Adam was harsh and bitter about the world but given his life and what he has been through it's understandable and we love him anyways hoping he will work to be better and repent for his past actions.  Isabella is strong and loyal.  She loves her father and is willing to sacrifice herself to save him, that much love and devotion is inspiring.  She acted before she thought from time to time which I can see everyone does it especially when excited about something.  Isabella was also a nice balance of optimistic willing to see the good in everyone but also not a total push over.  Her step-sisters were wretched to her but she still wanted them taken care of. 

                After they meet, at first I didn’t know how they could ever get close.  But then as the story continued and things progressed it just seemed so natural.  Again the dual perspective really helped.  I liked the story and how it played out, it all seemed to happen at a natural pace and didn't rush into things.  I think there is something for everyone to enjoy.  I loved it as a story on its own but also as a retelling of my favorite Disney movie growing up.  

Unhooked

                Happy Thursday everyone!  This week is kind of sad because last year I was at UtopiaCon but this year given the accident and the expense it created I wasn’t able to attend this year so to all my friends there have fun for me and I hope to see you next year.  Bright side is the new Orange is the New Black season is on Netflix and I didn’t marathon it in a day, though it was mostly because the day I found out it was up Netflix was down for most of the day and after that I had work so some sleep was required.  I have three or four episodes left though!  Anywho that said update there are still a few days left in my current giveaway for a SIGNED copy of The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoki along with the Fierce Reads tote so don’t forget to enter here.  Last week I read a re-imagining type book that was also a standalone and I wanted to discuss it, Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell.

Rating:  4 Stars

                Unhooked is about a girl named Gwen who has been moving around all her life because he mom is a bit strange and always running from “monsters” hunting them.  This has all taken a toll on her over the years and when they move to London, she finds herself wanting to break free of it and have something real and lasting.  Taken by shadowy creatures and dragged from her world, Gwen realizes her mom wasn’t so crazy after all.  She is now in Neverland, not the storybook place she read or watched as a child but something much darker.  Her memories of who she is and her world slip through her fingers and she struggles to hold onto herself as she tries to figure out just who to trust along the way, the charming flying Pan who says all the right things or the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.  Filled with Fey, shadow creatures, flesh-eating hags and more this is not the Neverland you know. 

                So I went into this not knowing much other than it was a re-imagining of Peter Pan and as I love me some Disney so I was on board.  Plus I also adore Once Upon A Time and one of my favorite characters since they went to Neverland has been Hook, AKA Killian Jones so yep roguish pirate….I was imagining Killian.  Maybe that influenced me when reading?  Either way I was interested to see a different take on it.  Having said that it wasn’t completely as original to me as it could have been. 

Yummy right!

                Still I liked the take on Neverland with the Fey and the shadow creatures and most importantly the idea that Neverland takes your memories.  The struggle to remember who you are, to try and make decisions based on facts and truths and not allowing yourself to be pulled into something was real.  Also there was a certain allure that she struggled against.  Gwen was interesting to read from given the memory issues but even without the full depth of all of her memories we still were able to keep her sense of who she was.  She was struggling with so many emotions fear, revulsion, anger, betrayal, attraction, confusion and more and it played into how she reacted and how she moved forward.  Same note Captain was even a bit more developed than even our Gwen.  Spoilers abound there but I enjoyed learning about him as he wasn’t some grand hero he has a dark side. 

                There is a bit of everything happening from supernatural, action, suspense/mystery, and even some romance happening.  Overall it was a quick and interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes retellings/re-imaginings.  I think from the synopsis I was expecting Olivia and her to be battling through things together but she wasn’t in it as much as I thought and she wasn’t as fully developed as I wanted her to be.  Though I did like the contrast between her and Gwen.  The only other thing was while the ending had some serious edge of my seat moments the very end I still had a few questions.  I could have seen easily adding a bit more length to the book but even as is I wasn’t unhappy with it and if anything it just made me want more.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and if you were hooked on Unhooked, I couldn't help myself, in the comments below. 

                Until next time…

The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath & the Dawn #2)

                Hello everyone!  So first things my giveaway for a signed copy of the Last Star by Rick Yancey (here) closes later today and I look forward to announcing the winner tomorrow with my Top Ten Tuesday post!  So get your last minute entries in!  That said yesterday I finished a book I had been highly anticipating since January of this year when I finished the first book, The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (review).  I was so enthralled when I finished that book that I was dying to get my hands on the sequel in the duology, The Rose and theDagger.  When it came out I was in a bit of a slump/behind on some reading and couldn't dive right in, that and I was planning to read it with a friend.  But now that I have finished it I can't wait to discuss it and share all my feels.  If you haven't yet read the first book I highly suggest you do before continuing reading this review or you will be spoiled.

Rating:  5 Stars

                All the feels!  OMG I am in love!  All the things I loved about the first book with the beautiful writing, complex characters, and enticing storyline all continued into the sequel but this time they were upped another notch even I didn't think was possible.  This book will rip out your heart and punch you in the feels hard several times.  I remember reading and feeling my heart literally pounding in my chest.  I also read most of this while at work so I would have to read something that made me want to cry and have to suck it up, no crying at work.  I had read the novellas released up to this point which only amped up my desire to read more. 

                Shazi and Khalid.  They are…epic.  I love them so much.  They went through so much to get where they were and now they are seperated and neither wants it but both are looking after the people of Khorasan and the curse set on them.  Khalid misses her terribly and he hates what has happened to his people.  Shazi is a captive almost in the camp of her first love, the man trying to bring down her husband and true love for the wrongs he has done that she can't explain.  She has her family, her father and sister back but still she wants to find a way to break the curse and save the people before more destruction happens, but most find a way back to the man she loves. 

                Shazi is pretty much a  badass because not only is she faced with so many obstacles she also has her internal ones as well, ie her temper.  But she doesn't let anything stop her.  Khalid you just fall more in love unsure how you could ever have thought anything less of him.  The love he has for her is so rare and true it's impossible to not see and feel.  Still as he loves Shazi he also loves his people and wishes to do anything he can to help them or let those he is close to think he is a monster, OMG his fight with one person in particular wrecked me.

The novellas

                The magic in the first book is small but builds along with the magical tales she weaves and with this one they grow.  Shazi understands she has power and looks to learn more to the purpose of breaking the curse.  We get more about Khalids old tutor and his magic carpet, I'm in the mood to put in my Aladdin DVD as I type this.  Yep solves it I' watching that tonight!  We make even more friends along the way and discover more about old ones as well. I really liked getting to know her sister some more in all of this.  Her first love, Tariq, literally built an army to save her but even he can see he wasn't saving her in the end but that she loved the monster boy-king and having to stay in the same camp, to interact knowing that was as tense and awkward as you would imagine.

                So much is happening in this book.  There is something for everyone and it will make your heart race, break, soar, and more.  It was a never ending thrill ride and I was sad to have reached the end because while I am beyond satisfied with the story it has played out in my heart and mind I don't want it to be over.  I want more of this beautiful world and writing. But this was a duology and it was perfect.  I couldn't ask for anything more.

                 That's it for this one.  PLEASE share your thoughts and feels in the comments below because I am dying to discuss this book.  What did you think of the ending?

                Until next time…

Queen of Hearts (Queen of Hearts Saga #1)

                Hello happy readers.  Today I’d like to discuss with you a book I got for review and the original post is at No BS Book Reviews here, and that book is Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                Queen of Hearts follows the Princess of Wonderland and future Queen of Hearts, Dinah, who spends her days trying to keep it together through the vicious humiliations and threats of the King of Hearts, her father.  Her one place of happiness is visiting her childhood friend, and love of her life, Wardley, the future Knave of Hearts.  The pretty horrid pattern of her life is upset as a stranger comes to the palace and her life and everything she’d been looking forward to starts to slip away.  Dinah is left to figure out the truth to the mysteries that lurk within the palace before she loses everything, including her head.  Its part fantasy and party fairy tale in the first book of a series that looks at familiar and new characters we remember.

                 Okay so I’m a little confused on this.  Maybe I should first say I really enjoyed it.  It’s the publication that confuses me a little but from what I gathered it is not a “new” book as it was originally published a couple years back along with book two in the series but that this ARC “new release” is the re-release with a new and larger publisher.  That’s awesome and I love the new cover!  Plus hopefully since I’ve seen the reviews for the original sequel on Goodreads that means we won’t have to wait as long to get our hands on it.  Here’s hoping anyways. 

                Back to the really enjoying it part.  I have always been a fan of fairy tales and all the retellings that have been happening and becoming more prevalent the last few years have been so much fun for me.  Seeing something classic that I love and seeing a new side of it.  The Queen of Hearts has always been this vicious and evil figure but seeing before that to when she was merely a princess is rather interesting.  I’m a firm believer that everyone has a backstory and the best stories always flush one out, especially villains. 

                Dinah isn’t perfect she is a bit spoiled and while intelligent she isn’t quick to look for answers; still she is feisty and has a big heart.  There are small hints of the Queen I know from different tales, a bit of a temper and snark.  Her adoration to her mad hat maker brother transposed from what we see of her and her father is what really pulls you into her corner.  Other characters of interest for me, her brother Charles, Cheshire the advisor (and not a cat), and Wardley.  The King is rather complex and intriguing like the world and the towers but because they are dark and evil yet still make you want to know more. 

                Throughout we start to see what Dinah has been dealing with and how the addition of a new guest starts to ring in a change for her, and not in a good way.   The mystery begins to unravel as the closer they come to her coronation, where Dinah is to rule beside her father until she weds and rules with her husband, and Dinah must start to make sense of it all before she loses more than her crown but her head.  There is also a very light touch of romance in the story.  She is in love with her best friend but while she dreams of more with everything going on Wardley is much more focused on keeping her safe.  Not much time for romance, their friendship managed to come across as true and solid having memories of playing together from a young age to their own little codes.  I hope to see more of their friendship and possibly more in the sequel. 

                 The world building is much what I expected of a Wonderland tale.  Full of lavish and out of the box fashions and scenes.  Still while it could be both vibrant and beautiful on one side the duality of the world is that it holds some dark secrets as well.  I enjoyed the ride and getting to dive into this unique world. 

                My only issue with it was that many things uncovered hint at something larger and while I think I have it figured out (early on too) it was never confirmed.  I understand it may be flushed out further in the next book of the saga but with some of the hints being dropped early on I was hoping to have at least one of my suspicions confirmed.  With the book not being very long it could have easily added more to this particular aspect instead of making me feel it was stretched into another book.  I’m still going to read the next book, I’d read it now if I could find it, and would recommend Queen of Hearts to anyone who enjoys a good retelling or just a “before they became what we know” type of story. 

                I’d love to hear your thoughts and fells in the comments below.

                Until next time…

Top Ten Tuesday: Retellings Everyone Should Read!

                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 every fan of retellings/reimagining's should read

The ShadowQueen by C.J. Redwine (review)- Snow White

A Court ofThorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (review)- Beauty & the Beast

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (reviews: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, & Winter)- Cinderella, Red Ridding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White

Dorothy MustDie by Danielle Paige- Dorothy

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (review)- Beauty & the Beast

The Wrath &the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (review)- 1,001 Arabian Nights

Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes- Alice in Wonderland

Asleep by Krystal Wade (review)- Sleeping Beauty

Thorn by Intisar Khanani (review)- Goose Girl

The Goddess andthe Rose by P.C. Cast- Beauty & the Beast

  

                 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!

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I worked this one but I did get some sleep and some OTC stuff and my sinuses are back to their normal irritating levels.  I also had a chance to finish some great books and one I’d like to discuss today is The ShadowQueen by C.J. Redwine the first book in the Ravenspire series.  I previously reviewed the Defiance series (Defiance, Deception, Deliverance) if you'd like to check them out.  Clearly I went in a fan of her writing and ready to see what new fantasy was coming to life. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                For those who don’t know The Shadow Queen is a Snow White retelling of sorts with the evil queen and the innocent princess and rightful heir wanting to take back her crown and save her people.  Lorelai, the princess and fugitive, has one mission:  killing her step mother and evil queen Irina before she completely destroys their land.  They have one thing in common, magic.  Irina has been using her magic for longer than Lorelai has been alive and is known as the most dangerous sorceress any has ever known.  So when a neighboring kingdom Eldr, a land of dragon shifters how cool, find the war in their land with invading ogres has taken a turn they are not equipped to take on, their leader Kol will make a deal with the queen to save his land.  Bring the queen Lorelai’s heart and the ogres will be stopped; the only problem is Lorelai is on her own mission to save her people and not a damsel in distress. 

                First side note that adds to the book love, how pretty it is.  The cover is simple and perfect, even more so as you read, but the naked book…those end pages in the bright red map!  OH I was so excited for them. 

               Now moving on to what is important, what’s inside the lovely book ends.  I was in LOVE with this book from the start.  The Shadow Queen starts off with a bang for sure and in the first 50 pages I was entranced and didn’t want to put it down.  First Irina is evil incarnate and pretty badass, I can admit when someone is a good villain, while I never rooted for her I respected her power and her level of crazy.  Lorelai was just endearing from the start in her Robin Hood type moves to try and help her people and build herself up.  Plus her interactions with Leo and Gabril cemented the familial bond and I just adored them.  And while I’m not personally a fan of feathered creatures in real life, hey fears run deep, still I loved Sasha and the conversations about "gifts" brought me up every time.  Kol was very similar in several ways.  I found him charming in the best of ways not only because of the obvious charm but for his humor and his strength of conviction to what is right and to his people.  No matter how flippant he may seem in the beginning as soon as things get serious he steps up.  And while he may do anything to save his people he still struggles with his decisions and find a way to continue to be honorable. 

               

                The world we are thrown into is one of magic both good and evil and so much more.  I felt like I understood the world, though I still have much more to learn.  This is after all the first book in a new series and the map has lots of other places on it….just saying.  Plus we spent pretty much the whole time in Ravenspire and I look forward to seeing more of Eldr and the other lands.  Some of the magic has yet to be expanded upon but again more books.  The story moved along very quickly and there was a ton of action from chases to fights both normal and magical with never a dull moment.  When you're a fugitive you can't sit still too long!  We also have some romance happening and while this is a surprisingly short book it didn't feel rushed to me, it felt natural given the pacing and events in the book.  Blending foes and friends and finding the right path.

                Basically I loved it and think you should pick it up if you're in the mood for a face paced magical retelling that will keep you hooked from the start.  I can't wait to see where Redwine takes the series next.  I know throughout the book I was constantly trying to figure out what would happen and while some aspects I pegged others came about in such a different want than I expected.  I'd love to hear your thoughts below on the new series in the comments below. 

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ A Court of Mist and Fury

                “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:

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Out: 5/3

From Goodreads:

                Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost.  Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

                Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.  As Feyre navigates it’s dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it.  But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

                With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Why I’m Waiting:

                 I have been dying for this book since I finished A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR).  I was completely in love with the first book and I can’t wait to read more and after everything that happened in the book and especially at the end, you just NEED more.  We will also it seems get to explore more courts in the world which while I’m perfectly happy with Tam in Spring Court, I would like to see the others if only to see how different they are and explore the world.  Oh and I want to see more of Lucien.  Plus while I don’t want to spoil anything for you I will say I have already figured out a way out of the cleaved in two part.  LOOPHOLE!  That’s all I’ll say and for those of you who read ACOTAR you know!  Plus this cover is blue and that’s my favorite color so even better!  Oh and from the buzz it's supposed to be somewhat based on the Hades/Persephone aspect.

                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!

Asleep: Chapter Reading and Review!

               To celebrate the release of the spine-chilling YA psychological thriller ASLEEP by Krystal Wade, we have a full blog tour and exciting giveaways ahead! ASLEEP is the debut novel from Blaze Publishing, and answers the question of what happens when Sleeping Beauty meets Freddy Krueger. If you want to see more of ASLEEP, you can still find the Ten Weeks of Teasers and other great content on the Blaze Publishing blog. Order your copy now!

Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Kobo   Signed Copy of Asleep   Goodreads

                "To cure fear, you must use fear."

                Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He's understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they'll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.

REVIEW:

Rating:  5 Stars

                This book was one I have been anticipating for a while.  I received a digital ARC for review but I also had this book on pre-order for a while so since it came out Tuesday the 16^th I’ve had my own copy and I feel I need it in physical form to hold in my hands and add to my shelf!  Described as Sleeping Beauty meets Freddy Kruger, I was so in.  Also things involving mental asylums or institutions just fascinate me because of the history and just how easy it seems it could be for someone there to be put there and labeled crazy when they are sane.  You hear old stories about it being a place to just get rid of people and it seems perfect because who believes a ‘crazy person’ saying they aren’t crazy.  Super creepy and horrifying.  Asleep definitely delivered on the creepy and terrifying aspect of the story.  It balanced the line of doubt throughout the book so beautifully and had me on the edge of my seat.  I read the book in one sitting.  I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what would happen next. 

                Asleep manages to pack an amazing and thrilling story with real issues of family dynamics, mental illness and physical/psychological abuse.  Rose is really put through the ringer and you instantly feel connected to her.  I know I was caught back and forth questioning things I was reading.  One minute I was sure of my answer the next I was somewhat unsure.  It flows so wonderfully sometimes I didn’t even realize I was questioning what was real or not.  Watching as Rose and Phillip struggle through the ordeal and try to differentiate truth from illness was so darn good.  I could go on for days about it but I don’t want to give much away because that would spoil all the fun.    So go pick up your copy and give it a read and then we can discuss all the goodness in detail!

Follow the Blog Tour!

Tuesday 2/16	Wednesday 2/17	Thursday 2/18
Vicki Leigh: First Chapter Reading	Jordan Elizabeth: First Chapter Reading	Eve Langell: First Chapter Reading
Case Maynard: Promo Post	What A Nerd Girl Says: Interview	A Thousand Books: Teaser One
Friday 2/19	Saturday 2/20	Sunday 2/21
OriginiquEquanimity: Promo Post	Janelle Howard: Teaser Two	Archaeolibrarian: Teaser Three
Ryan Hill: Interview		Nerd Girl Official: Promo Post
		Tesairie's Book Reads: Promo Post

Giveaway!

               We're giving away some awesome prizes to celebrate the release of ASLEEP, including this stylish cuff! Enter with the Rafflecopter below and tell your friends!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

               Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers-who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas-sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read. How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?

                Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to.  They keep her sane.

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The Wrath and the Dawn

                So if you saw my Waiting on Wednesday post yesterday then you know what to expect today.  That's right, my thoughts and feels on The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh.  First just a note you can still check out my open giveaway here for a signed copy of The Rose Society by Marie Lu.  Now onto the review.

Rating: 5 Tales

                This is a re-telling inspired by A Thousand and One Nights.  I admit to never knowing the full original story but I am fascinated by it.  Basically the land is ruled by a boy-king who takes a new bride each day as she never survives the dawn.  After her best friend is killed Shahrzad volunteers to be his wife vowing revenge.  She is determined to stay alive and put an end to this pain and madness.  Shahrzad manages to stay alive each dawn weaving stories that enchant the king as she had planned.  However, that's the only thing that went according to plan.  Khalid is nothing like she expected and instead she finds herself having feelings both for him and of her own betrayal to her friend.  She is determined to uncover the secret that has claimed so many lives no matter the cost. 

                So I have to say I listened to the audiobook.  I won a CD copy in a giveaway and it seemed perfect to listen to when I went up to visit a friend at the start of the year.  I figured 7-8 hours in the car overall would put a huge dent in the story and it did.  I was so captivated by the story, though I will admit like with fantasy this is full of names I have no idea how to spell/pronounce normally but as I listened I can say them but when I looked up some of the names to write this I was like…."yep never would have got that" so that's fun. I highly recommend the audiobook though. 

                This story was intriguing to me from the start.  I loved the internal conflict within the characters of Shahrzad and Khalid.  This isn't a simple love story.  There is so much happening from the secrets kept guarded, the stories, the characters and everything as a whole.  I really enjoyed the tales and how they played a part in the story, I'd heard some of them before of course but seeing them and how parts could relate to this story just enhanced it.  Shahrzad has a hatred for this man who took her best friend and yet as she is near him he looks tormented.  He isn't the monster she envisioned, heartless and uncaring.  Her opinions of him waver through the story which I enjoyed she appreciated his attractiveness near the start but there was no insta-love.  Definitly not that.  Still as she learns more about him she begins to know there has to be more, a deeper meaning.  On her mission to find that she develops feelings for the man she should hate which causes some serious conflict within her.  Then with Khalid you know this is hard for him, he isn't sure of himself with her which despite everything else he rules is kind of cute.  I also love that he appreciates her honesty and her attitude that most would condemn her for. 

                Okay where getting the book for spelling came into play, I really enjoyed some of the other characters as well for both good and bad reasons.  Jalal and Despina both had me laughing my behind off at some of their lines, normally in reference to Shahrzad.  Despina isn't taking anything from her and is kind of like a snarky best girl friend.  I even had to love the Rajput and his stoic silence.  The Sultan of Parthia and his daughter Yasmine were both interesting and added depth to the story and wow did I love some of the verbal smack-downs that happen though out the book.  Seriously, Shahrzad is like a smack down champ!  We didn't just focus on Shahrzad and Khalid but we also got bit from her father Jahandar and her childhood and first love Tariq and his best friend Rahim, who is like a brother to Shahrzad.  I'm not sold on the motivations of all the characters yet, some are still questionable to me but each element built a larger story. 

                That's all I can really say on this accept enjoy the world and the journey.  How do I want it to be May so I can have the sequel in my hands.  Seriously I didn't think I would be this in need of it but here I am.  I'm also in the middle of an internal debate about the sequel and if I want to pre-order the hardcopy or since I loved the audiobook so much do I want to listen to The Rose and the Dagger as well.  Conflicted.  Apparently I have a few months ahead of me to make the decision.  I'd love to hear your thoughts down below on the book, characters, and well thoughts on my internal struggle as well.

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Rose and the Dagger

                “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 Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Out:  5/3

From Goodreads:

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert.  A guest, in a prison of sand and sun.  My family is here.  And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan.  She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever.  Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy.  But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid’s empire.  Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves.  But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn’t yet understand Shahrzad tried to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her.  With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                I just finished The Wrath and the Dawn and I was completely blown away.  So much so that as I didn’t finish it before the end of the trip I couldn’t wait to listen in the car for the one chapter a day I got, if that, seriously I like 2.5 miles from work.  I pulled the disk out at the start of a new track and put it in the computer, I needed to finish it!  I did that just this weekend and wow did it amaze me.  Now I find that the other half of the duology is out in May not March like I first thought!  SO LONG! I’ve been lucky enough to be able to chat with my good friend Bogdana The Booknerd since she read it a while back and now I understand her suffering.  Basically this one left you hanging at the end with so much that you need the other half.  I’m planning to finish my review today and post it tomorrow which I’ll link here once it’s up. 

  

                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!