In
a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and
wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel,
to sacrifice herself so that her clan’s goddess can inhabit her body... but her
goddess never comes.
You
had me at glass serpents and sand wolves! This is one of those summaries that
intrigues you, yet gives you almost nothing to go on, and in turn intrigues you
more. I have no idea what to expect (outside of the serpents, wolves, and
no-show goddesses),but I am certainly interested! The landscape seems both
mysterious and fantastical, and the premise of the story has definitely
captured my attention. I also like the cover a lot. This is a book I am looking
forward to reading come September! What is your choice this week?
Sometimes
love is meant to be. But sometimes love...is the death of you.
Seventeen-year-old
Scarlet has just died. Only, dying isn't unusual for a girl under a centuries
old curse that left her semi-immortal.
This
time, though, she comes back to her current life instead of awaking in a new
one, and she realizes the curse is changing. With the help of the immortal
Archer brothers, Scarlet must piece together her life and try to break the
curse before her impending death comes again.
I
need to just get this out: I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK! After the terrible
amazing cliffhanger in Anew, I have been waiting for what feels like forever
for Awry. Plus, as a bonus, Tristan is featured on the cover with Scarlet
*swoon*! And guess what makes me even more excited? It is out next month! [insert
insanely happy face here]
Sixteen-year-old
Cleo has grown up in luxury, the royal heiress to a prosperous kingdom. But
beneath her nation’s seemingly peaceful surface lies dangerous unrest. Whispers
of war are growing ever louder—intensified by a murderous incident for which
Cleo’s betrothed, Aron, is accused.
Amidst
the ongoing intrigue, Cleo has a more desperate mission. She defies her
father’s orders and sets off on a secret and perilous journey into a
neighboring country, seeking a magic long thought to be mythical. If it’s real,
it could be the cure that heals her ailing sister. If it’s only legend, Cleo
will be stranded in a kingdom that has just declared war on her own.
This
sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with unforgettable
characters and vibrantly imagined magic. Falling Kingdoms is ideal for fans of
Kristin Cashore, Cinda Williams Chima, and George R.R. Martin.
My
first thought when I glanced at the cover was “WHOA! A YA Assassin’s Creed
novel!? I need to check this out!” While this book ended up having nothing to
do with AC *sad face*, it definitely sounds like a great read! The cover is
awesome, the plot seems interesting, and I love finding more epic/high fantasy
reads. Cleo sounds like a strong character, one that I could end up really getting
behind, and with mentions of being similar to the works of Kristin Cashore,
Cinda Williams Chima, and George R.R. Martin (aka the greatest fantasy authors
of our time), how could anyone not want to read this? What is your pick this
week?
Seventeen-year-old
Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her,
their dreams foretell her death.
Eager
to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes
against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her
home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely
injured and battling for her life.
Her
possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed
himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an
unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth
destroying his.
As
Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot
involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the
unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her
abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.
Review:
Wow!
Talk about a whirlwind of a story! This book was intense (in a good way), and
all the action and plot twists had me sitting on the edge of my seat. With character
perspectives changing throughout the story, there never seems to be a dull
moment, and I was beyond riveted.
Initially,
I was concerned about how much of this story I would understand since I have
not read The Daughters of Saraqael series (which I will soon remedy). I worried
for nothing! There is a nice glossary of terms and descriptions of the
different races in the beginning, and if there was a moment where backstory was
needed, Raine summarized the past events nicely. All of the characters were new
for me, but that did not prevent me from connecting to them, and I also enjoyed
learning about the world and all the people in it. Essentially, nothing should
stop you from reading this book!
I
adored Tate. She is a free spirit and adventurer who craves to explore the
unprotected areas surrounding her home. In moments of trial, she proved to be
very resourceful and was able to fend for herself, which is something I always
admire in a female lead. It is nice not always needing the male lead to swoop
in and save the day (although there were a few moments that happened in this
book- but it only made me swoon). That brings us to the male lead, Zachariah,
otherwise known as Sparky, a name bestowed upon him by Tate. How
could you not love a guy who lets a girl call him Sparky? Zachariah is a
character shrouded in mystery, and events from the past plague him, forcing him
to withdraw from society for over five decades. I liked his character from the
very beginning, and learning more about him over the course of the story was a
real treat. He has a tendency to be snarky, loves to overuse the word ‘bloody,’
and has a kraken as a companion, but that all just made up the amazing package (affectionately?)
called Sparky. Tate is one lucky girl. My favorite parts of this story were the
many interactions between Tate and Sparky, and I wish there could have been
more! Their romance left me with a huge smile on my face, and I loved the
chemistry between them. I hope we get to see more of these two in the next
book!
Overall,
this is a great read that you should not miss out on! Chocked full of action,
adventure, plot twists, and romance, Defy is a book that will leave you wanting
more. Raine is a talented writer, and I cannot wait to see what she has in
store for us next!
The Greatest Escape!
Would
you like to win a signed copy of Defy, along with three other signed books, some awesome hair decorations and
other swag? If so, then enter the contest below! And here is a peek at the
goodies!
Click on the “New Releases” cloud
to see all the upcoming YA releases for May!
The
new releases for March are up! Guess who’s excited??
Well, I guess those two are. Draco probably can't wait for COLS and more Jace (his role model).
I am
renaming “This Month’s New Releases” to “The Month of Awesome and Amazing
Releases.” While the title is lacking in originality, it fits so well. With Insurgent, City of Lost Souls, Until I Die, Endure, Taken by Storm, and so many more being released in
the SAME MONTH, I have no idea what to do with myself. I literally want to read
half the books coming out, so I do not foresee much rest/sleep time in my
future. However, I am sure it will completely worth it! What books are you
looking forward to reading?
Waiting on Wednesday (22)
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