~Review & Giveaway~ A Crown of Wishes

                Hello happy readers!  Another day late post, sorry but I didn’t have the pictures I needed on my flash drive and wanted to wait until I got home and had them.  Since I am after all hosting a much deserved giveaway for a signed copy of the book I’m reviewing!  All the details will be at the bottom.  The book in question is A Crown of Wishes (The Star Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi.  Now this isn’t a traditional sequel more of a companion book featuring another character, the little sister of our MC in the previous book.  Now there are some spoilers to the first book in here so I would still suggest reading in order but that may be my OCD talking.  I reviewed the first book here.  I received a digital ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Rating:  4 Rubies

                First can we just take a moment to really appreciate the beautiful cover?  It is beautiful.  And so is the writing in the world full of magic.  We follow Gauri princess of Bharata and Vikram prince of Ujijain a neighboring land.  Both want to lead their people but have their own road blocks.  Gauri starts out a prisoner of Ujijain and Vikram is to kill her but he has been invited to join the Tournament of Wishes and needs a partner.  Gauri doesn’t trust magic but she has no choice as things unfold.  The competition will last a month in the mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.  The tournament is anything but easy and will push them toward all sorts of dangers and trials testing both body and mind.

                I loved the whole idea of the story.  The tournament itself was amazing full of twists and turns always keeping you and the characters on their toes.  The author has a beautiful way of describing the world that just draws you in and makes you feel like this magical place could be real.  I think this would have been an even better in an audiobook because I had no idea how to pronounce many things but could imagine them none the less but having someone read it to me would have been even better.  Roshani read a small snippet at the launce and it was so beautiful. I have a video but it won't upload here I'll try adding it to social media though :( 

                Gauri and Vikram were so much fun.  They were so different in many ways like how Gauri is a weapon she is battle tested and ready for a fight and Vikram is less prepared for a physical altercation but is sharp as a whip and cunning as they come.  They both aspire to rule their respective lands, to be better for their people and stopping at nothing to make it happen.  They have the same drive and determination even if they go about things differently.  This made them a great pair for the tournament balancing out one another.  It's this same balance and chemistry that made the romantic tensions between them sizzle from the start.  I loved how they grew to know one another and was on edge wanting something to happen between them!  Then when you add in Aasha, a vishakanya, and her sisters really gave another level to the story.  I found myself rooting for her as well. 

                The story was really beautifully written and such a joy to read.  I highly recommend both books and while I say read them in order you can read either as a stand-alone is a huge plus.  Someone will be getting a signed copy of A Crown of Wishes alone with some tattoos that the author was handing out at her signing.  So the giveaway will stay open for two weeks winner on the 24th.  This is open to the US only, sorry but international shipping is a beast!  I have some more giveaways coming up since I've had some pretty awesome signings happening so cheers and stay tuned.

        

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Waiting on Wednesday~ A Crown of Wishes (Star-Touched Queen #2)

                “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 Crown of Wishes (Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi

Out: 3/28

From Goodreads:

                The new novel follows Gauri, the younger sister of the titular Star-Touched Queen, on her harrowing quest for freedom.

                When Gauri, the princess of Bharata, is captured by her kingdom’s rivals she can only find help in Vikram, the cunning prince of an enemy kingdom.  Unsatisfied with royal life, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess.  They set aside their difference and team up to compete in the Tournament of Wishes, wherein the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.  Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength.  But what Gauri and Vikram soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                This is a companion book to The Star-Touched Queen (review) and something I heard about when the first book came out following the life of a character we only got a small piece of which interested me because she seemed so interesting and had clearly had a lot of stories so seeing she gets her own story is even better!   

                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~ Midnight Jewel (The Glittering Court #2)

               So I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas last weekend.  I was swamped with baking for the holidays with my family, friends, co-workers, and my own party (had the whole family over to see the new place while everyone was off and in town) and yeah it was insane.  I kid you not I used over 10 lbs of butter, 20 lbs of flour and so on it was intense but so worth it everyone loved them.  Not done baking yet, have a birthday party and New Years baking to work on.  I am working on my 2016 wrap-up and my goals/challenges for 2017 so look for that Friday and Saturday but until then the last WoW of 2016!

                 “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:

Midnight Jewel (The Glittering Court #2) by Richelle Mead

Out: 4/25

From Goodreads:

                In Midnight Jewel, Richelle Mead goes beyond the glitz and glamour of the Glittering Court, delving into the dark, political underbelly of Cape Triumph through the eyes of one girl who dares to fight for her freedom.

                A refugee of war, Mira was cast out of her home country and thrust into another, where the conditions were inhospitable at best.  In a life-altering twist of fate, she is given the chance to escape once more, and she takes it, joining the Glittering Court.

                Both a school and business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World.  There, Mira finds herself subjected to persecution, not only from her fellow Glittering Court jewels, but from her suitors, as well—men she would potentially be expected to give her life to.

                By day, she goes through the motions, learning the etiquette and customs that will help to earn her anonymity, even making a couple true friends in the process, the forthright ladies’ maid Adelaide and the ambitious laundress Tamsin.  But by night, Mira hatches a different plan entirely—one that, if exposed, could get her hanged in the highest court of Adoria.

                Midnight Jewel is the extraordinary story of a girl with few options who courageously forges a new path, finding love, passion, lifelong friendships, and maybe even a way to freedom.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                 Richelle Mead.  Auto-buy author.  Enough said.  But if you need more, I really enjoyed The Glittering Court (review) and seeing everything from Adelaide but there was a lot happening with Mira and Tamsin that we still don’t know and to see what Mira was up to in that same span of time should be rather interesting she was always sneakings off and I’ll finally get to figure out to where.

                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~ Temporary High by Colette Ballard

                “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:

Temporary High by Colette Ballard

Out: ?

From Goodreads:

The side of his mouth quirked up as he studied me.  "I think I might be fallin' in love."

I picked up his keys off the bedside table and tossed them to him.  "That makes one of us."

He clutched at his heart in mock pain.  Then his perfect red lips formed the word, "Liar."

Seventeen year-old Kat Chandler has been called worse, but she orked hard to make amends for past mistakes and gain control of her life.  So she isn't about to be thrown off her game by some Harley-driving bad boy who's just moved to town.  Luca is mysterious.  Aloof.  Frustrating.  Kat can't stand him; she can't seem to stay away from him either.

But she's forced to reassess the company she keeps when she finds herself being blackmailed by her mom's con artist ex-boyfriend.  Fresh out of prison, Cross has reappeared to collect a debt—Kat's debt.  His demand?  Three grand in three weeks or else his stay won't be temporary.  He even offers a suggestion on how to get the cash—and it involves Luca.

Desperate to keep Cross out of her life and the people she cares about safe, Kat devises a plan that will cost her more than just money.  She will have to give up control, her hard-won integrity, and possibly the only guy she's ever fallen for.

My thoughts:

                This is a sequel/companion on Running on Empty.  I read Running on Empty when it first came out, as an ARC so before hand.  I just loved the story and the friendships inside the pages.  I have been eagerly waiting for this book since I found out about it.  Even more so since I had the fun to hang out and jabber with the amazing author herself at YALLfest.  Sadly, Temporary High was supposed to be released in August but got pushed back and there isn't a 100% solid day just yet but I am ready and waiting when it does.  I want to see Kat's story as she was such a great character in Running on Empty.  My review is here and I also interviewed Colette which you can find here.

               

                That’s one I’m waiting on.  What are you waiting on?  Share in the comments below!

David Levithan does it again in Another Day

                I hope you all are having a great Wednesday.  Today I have a different kind of review for you today and a first for me.  A few months back I reviewed David Levithan's Every Day here.  Today I'm going to be talking about the companion novel Another Day.  I was so excited to see this on NetGalley and even happier to be accepted to receive it.  This is not a sequel novel nor does it follow a different character after the events like the other companion novels I've read have been.  Another Day strictly takes place during the time from of Every Day only from Rhiannon's perspective.

Rating: 5 Stars

                If you're not familiar with the basic plot it follows Rhiannon in her life as she meets 'A' a being who has no body.  A moves from body to body every day never in the same one twice and never able to have their own person.  A also has no gender but for simplicity A will be referred to as a he in my review because I saw A as a he.  Rhiannon has accepted her life as is even her distant and temperamental boyfriend Justin.  One day he is completely different and she has a perfect day.  Then the next day it's as if it never happened to anyone but her.  Then as she meets a few strangers she is told by one that they were the one she spent her perfect day with, because they 'A' were inside of Justin's body that day.  It's hard to take in.  We follow Rhiannon as she continues to meet this 'A' in all the different forms and push her beliefs on what really matters in the heart the shell or the soul.

                This book I think could be read without having read Every Day.  I think having read it, and recently, I knew most of what was going to happen so most things weren't super surprising to me but I really enjoyed seeing it from her perspective.  We had lots of stuff that we didn't get in the first book from 'A' while he was dealing with his own internal struggles we see how Rhiannon copes with learning this strange and unbelievable fact that has become part of her life. 

                Seeing how she handled each different incarnation and her struggle to adjust her way of thinking.  Could you love a soul if one day it was a boy and the next a girl always bouncing back and forth?  Could you feel equally attacked to each form because of what is inside or does the outside count for something?  As someone who has had body image issues her whole life this was really interesting to watch her look at.  I loved her comparisons to the car and the driver.  Rhiannon had much more depth in this book and I could understand her reasoning so much more in this.

                My favorite part though was seeing one body in particular through her eyes.  'A' is a boy, one who is very obese and he is clearly uncomfortable.  In Every Day you see how disgusted he is to be in that body, which was new he always respected all the bodies he had, but this one got him and it was at a point that hit the reader.  After reading Every Day I was dreading her reaction to this assuming it would be worse than his, however, Rhiannon was okay with it.  She was more put off by his reaction to it and that he put the awkward space between them there not her feelings on it.  Same goes for how Rhiannon saw some of the other bodies, jealous she wasn't as attractive and how her attitude changed when around that body.  It just shows that we are our worst critics and many times what other people see in us we don't see ourselves. 

                I really enjoyed this book.  I love how Levithan is able to weave so much power and meaning into an entertaining story.  Both books make you take a look at your life.  What is important in a relationship.  Can you truly love only the soul?  Can it work?   'A' always moving never knowing what it is to have anything long term, literally living each day, then with Rhiannon she has sees the downsides but sometimes when you have a life that is stuck the idea of escaping and being someone else for a day sounds appealing. 

                The ending is the same place but the last line.  THE LAST LINE.  Every Day leaves you with a sort of open ending, where there are so many possibilities for the future.  A fanfiction dream of openness.  I had my theory, then finishing Another Day and it is blown away.  I spent hours figuring out an option that I think now suits the story.  Bogdana at Bogdana The Booknerd reviewed this too and was my sounding board coming up with our own 'down the road' ending we are both happy with. 

                I highly recommend reading both of these books.  It really is like reading a completely different story both times because there is so much more in between.  You can check out Another Day now as it came out yesterday August 25th!

Finally!!!! Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

                We’ve all been there.  The end of a series we love and the author saying that is the end.  No more.  We’re happy to have the books the books we got but still, as with anything good, we would always like more.  That was The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy for me.  I may be more emotionally attached to these books because I fell in love with Sam and Grace’s story in Shiver when I first started reading for pleasure again.  Over the years as the other two books, Linger and Forever, came out I grew to enjoy not only them but I grew rather attached to Cole and Isabel.  I always felt their story left so much open at the end and I wanted more but was left to use my own imagination.  Then I heard the news that there was going to be a companion novel following Cole St. Clair.  I did my happy squeal of delight that scared my cat, apparently the pitch is rather high, and marked it in my calendar on my phone to start my count down.

 

See my special copy :) Yes I'm
showing it off!

                I re-read Forever to get ready for it.  It came out July 1^st but as I pre-ordered my physical copy so I could have the special additional dust jacket Maggie was kind enough and artistically inclined to draw as well as get my copy signed, I am very proud of it, I had to wait a few extra days to get it.  I received it July 3^rd and had to restrain myself not to start it that night.  See I had to work at 7:45am the next morning and I knew if I started it I wouldn’t stop to sleep.  Plus I was warned the day would be dead so I should be prepared to keep myself entertained.  That is easy enough for me.  Sinner kept me entertained.  I read through work, minus taking time to take a small test I was required to take for my job that took about an hour and a half I read the whole time.  I was so excited to have Cole and Isabel back in my life. 

               

The Wolves of Mercy Falls (new cover design)

                I reviewed the trilogy as a whole back when I first started my blog here.  I am not a spoiler-y type of person so I’ll keep this as spoiler free as possible.  If you haven’t read the original trilogy you will probably be a bit confused and there will be spoilers for those, so be warned. Now this story does have the supernatural element of wolves but it is more of a contemporary story in a whole.  Sinner takes place some months after Forever where Isabel was being moved to LA and she told Cole, when he called to say he wasn’t dead, not to lose her number.  Cole is in LA to record a new album and to do that he signed on to do a reality TV show known for getting people to drop to their lowest levels.  And he is there to see Isabel. 

                We see this story from both Cole and Isabels’ POV.  We were in their heads in the other books sure, but this is only about them.  Sam and Grace do make somewhat of an appearance which was a nice homage to where this all started but it is completely about Cole and Isabel.  They are both screwed up.  They each have their own inner demons to deal with and they can bring out the worst and the best in each other when together.  Isabel the ice queen who doesn’t let anything get through her protective shell and who certainly doesn’t believe in love or happily ever after.  And this wars with the way a certain guy makes her feel despite her best efforts not to.  Cole on the other hand is struggling with who he is and the mistakes of his past.  Can he change the destructive parts of him and keep who he is or is he doomed to spiral out? 

Pretty cover Maggie drew! 

There are no cute and fluffy moments with these two, not traditionally at least, but there are scenes that for them are cute and fluffy.  They don’t have the relationship that Sam and Grace had that if they had each other and love that is all that mattered and they could make it through the hard times.  They are different people and that isn’t who they are.  Isabel doesn’t want to let Cole in again and risk getting hurt all over.  She has enough going on in her life and is unsure if she even believes in the concept of happiness and trust.  Cole doesn’t make it easy because he is so rash and frenetic, which is part of what makes him so much fun to read, and that overshadows his deeper self sometimes.

Overall I have to say I love this book just as much as the others if not more.  I readily give this book 5 Pairs of Leggings.  I can’t praise this book enough and I was not disappointed at all.  So share your thoughts below.  What do you think of the companion novel or the original trilogy itself?  Tell me what you think, I really want to know what everyone who takes the time to read my reviews thinks.  I want interaction so we can discuss!