A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson {Review}

A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson
(The Eye of the Goddess, #1)
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Publisher: Montlake; 527 pages
Rating: 

The fate of a cursed nation depends on a princess who must outwit a mortal enemy and outlast the trials of a death-defying ritual in a thrilling adventure by USA Today bestselling author Sariah Wilson.

Lia is the princess of Locris, a dying desert nation cursed centuries ago by an earth goddess—one still worshipped by the thriving and adversarial nation of Ilion. Every year, Ilion offers the goddess a two Locrian maidens forced to compete in a life-and-death race to reach her temple. In a millennium, no maiden has made it out of Ilion alive. This year, Lia is one of the hunted.

An education in battle gives her a fighting chance, but the challenges are greater than she Lia’s beloved but untrained sister Quynh has been put in the path of danger. The winding streets of Ilion itself have been transformed into a labyrinthine maze of countless choices and dead ends. And if the risks weren’t significant enough, Lia is reluctantly drawn to the commandingly attractive Jason, an Ilionian sailor she loathes to trust and desires like no man before.

The tribute game is on. It’s up to Lia to lift the goddess’s curse, restore Locris to its former glory, and change the fate of every young woman destined to follow in her path.

A Long Overdue Thank You to Sarah J Maas

It’s been 2085 days since Kingdom of Ash (KOA) was released and here I am, finally finished reading it. You’re probably wondering why it’s taken me so long to read this book? How can someone read the entire series and not want to know how it ends. When you love something so much, you don’t want it to end and that’s how I was with this series. This book literally stayed in the Barnes and Noble bag (along with the receipt) since I purchased it on October 23, 2018. I only took it out to take a selfie with it and then back in the bag it went. This also happened to be around the time where I made my exit from book reviewing/blogging and really, I had such a negative experience with reading that I didn’t read much for years. I’m talking of going from 150 books a year to maybe 5, if I was lucky. I loved my time as a book reviewer and running a blog; I met some amazing people along the way (both readers and authors) and I’m disappointed in myself for letting a lot of those relationships fade when I made my exit in the book world (my biggest regret, really). The pressure of reviewing books by a deadline and even feeling like I had to like a book that I was sent for review, even if I didn’t. I think that negative pressure is what did me in because most of the books I read, I truly enjoyed reading. 

But let me get back to my love for Sarah J Maas’ (SJM) writing and specifically, Throne of Glass (TOG). I was first introduced to SJM at my very first BEA (Book Expo America) and I kept hearing people talk about this book but I wasn’t really familiar with it. I was able to get in to her signing line, met and got a copy of the book. She was super nice (and absolutely stunning) but I was excited I was able to get this book everyone was talking about. It was one of the first books I read when I got home and I understand the hype of it all. I was thrust in to this amazing world and amazing characters; I felt like I was actually right there in the story, with these characters. I just needed more. Sometimes, the hype is actually worth it. I instantly became a fan and started following her on social media and just waiting for the hardcover to be released (I’m a sucker for hardcovers). 

Blog Tour: Wonder Woman Warbringer {Review}

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
(DC Icons, #1)
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; 384 pages
Rating:

She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.

Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

Royal Bastards by @Shvartacus {Review + Giveaway}

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
(Royal Bastards, #1)
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion; 352 pages
Rating:

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . .

Blog Tour: Jonah by @styclar {Review}

Jonah by Nikki Kelly
(The Styclar Saga, #3)
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; 352 pages
Rating:

The conclusion of the Styclar Saga trilogy focuses on Jonah, the vampire badboy with a hunger for Lailah and a rivalry with the angel Gabriel.

Jonah is the vampire who saved Lailah from the appetites of even darker evil: the vampire Purebloods. Now he must decide whether he will give up his existence so that Lailah will survive—even if it means that she will spend eternity with his friend and rival, the angel Gabriel.

This stunning conclusion to the Styclar Saga will have fans deciding once and for all: Team Jonah or Team Gabriel?

Frostblood by @elly_blake {Review}

Frostblood by Elly Blake
(Frostblood Saga, #1)
Release Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 376 pages
Rating:

The frost king will burn.

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

The Wish Granter by @cjredwine {Review}

The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
(Ravenspire, #2)
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating:

An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.

Blog Tour: Heartless by @marissa_meyer

First - TWELVE DAYS UNTIL HEARTLESS.

This is not a drill. We're almost down to SINGLE DIGITS until Heartless is in everyone's hands. I repeat, this is NOT a drill! Freak out mode begins now!

Apollycon Spotlight: @ByAnnaBanks

I apologize this post is going up late; I wrote up a whole post the other day, hit publish and went about my business, not even checking (because I've never had a problem before) but then I find out, it never posted. So it's late but I could never forget about Anna Banks - so have no fear!

Like a River Glorious by @raecarson {Review}

Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson
(The Gold Seer, #2)
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow; 432 pages
Rating:

After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.

Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.

The White Rose by @amyewingbooks {Review}

The White Rose by Amy Ewing
(The Lone City, #2)
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen; 308 pages
Rating:

Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.

But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.

But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?

The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson {Review]

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson
(The Remnant Chronicles, #3)
Release Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.; 679 pages
Rating:

Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.

In this conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance.

A Week of Mondays by @jessicabrody {Review}

A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody
Release Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 464 pages
Rating:

When I made the wish, I just wanted a do-over. Another chance to make things right. I never, in a million years, thought it might actually come true...

Sixteen-year-old Ellison Sparks is having a serious case of the Mondays. She gets a ticket for running a red light, she manages to take the world’s worst school picture, she bombs softball try-outs and her class election speech (note to self: never trust a cheerleader when she swears there are no nuts in her bake-sale banana bread), and to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend suddenly dumps her. For no good reason!

As far as Mondays go, it doesn’t get much worse than this. And Ellie is positive that if she could just do it all over again, she would get it right. So when she wakes up the next morning to find she’s reliving the exact same day, she knows what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. But it seems no matter how many do-overs she gets or how hard Ellie tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems bent set on ending it. Will Ellie ever figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?

A Torch Against the Night by @sabaatahir {Review}

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
(An Ember in the Ashes, #2)
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Publisher: Razorbill; 464 pages
Rating:

A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.

Arcana Rising by @kresleycole {Review}

Arcana Rising by Kresley Cole
(The Arcana Chronicles, #4)
Release Date: August 15, 2016
Publisher: Valkyrie Press; 280 pages
Rating:

Losses mount and deadly new threats converge in this next action-packed tale of the Arcana Chronicles by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole.

When the battle is done . . .
The Emperor unleashes hell and annihilates an army, jeopardizing the future of mankind--but Circe strikes back. The epic clash between them devastates the Arcana world and nearly kills Evie, separating her from her allies.

And all hope is lost . . .
With Aric missing and no sign that Jack and Selena escaped Richter's reach, Evie turns more and more to the darkness lurking inside her. Two Arcana emerge as game changers: one who could be her salvation, the other her worst nightmare.

Vengeance becomes everything.
To take on Richter, Evie must reunite with Death and mend their broken bond. But as she learns more about her role in the future--and her chilling past--will she become a monster like the Emperor? Or can Evie and her allies rise up from Richter's ashes, stronger than ever before?

Day Zero by @kresleycole {Review}

Day Zero by Kresley Cole
(The Arcana Chronicles, #3.5)
Release Date: August 1, 2016
Publisher: Valkyrie Press; 174 pages
Rating:

Arcana means secrets, and these Arcana Chronicles short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole are filled with them. Experience firsthand the beginning of the end and behold the apocalypse through the eyes of characters you only thought you knew.

Ashes to ashes . . .
Evie Greene's story of the Flash is just one of many. All over the world, those connected in some way to the lethal Arcana game--like Death, Jack, and Fortune--must first survive a horrifying night of blood and screams.

We all fall down.
Some will have to grapple with new powers; all will be damned to a hellish new existence of plague, brutality, desolation, and cannibalism. Find out who they lost, why they endure, and what they sacrificed in order to live past Day Zero. . . .

P.S. I Like You by @kasiewest {Review}

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Point; 304 pages
Rating:

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

Blog Tour: #AWeekOfMondays by @JessicaBrody #TGIM

A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody
Release Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 464 pages

When I made the wish, I just wanted a do-over. Another chance to make things right. I never, in a million years, thought it might actually come true...

Sixteen-year-old Ellison Sparks is having a serious case of the Mondays. She gets a ticket for running a red light, she manages to take the world’s worst school picture, she bombs softball try-outs and her class election speech (note to self: never trust a cheerleader when she swears there are no nuts in her bake-sale banana bread), and to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend suddenly dumps her. For no good reason!

As far as Mondays go, it doesn’t get much worse than this. And Ellie is positive that if she could just do it all over again, she would get it right. So when she wakes up the next morning to find she’s reliving the exact same day, she knows what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. But it seems no matter how many do-overs she gets or how hard Ellie tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems bent set on ending it. Will Ellie ever figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?

The Great Pursuit by @Wendy_Higgins {Cover Reveal}

The cover of the first book, The Great Hunt, was fantastic so I'm super excited to share with you the reveal of it's sequel, The Great Pursuit. This is the final book in this duology and I can't wait!


If you haven't read the The Great Hunt - don't fret! It's on sale for $3.99 so now's the perfect opportunity!

Kindle | Nook

Blog Tour: Holding Smoke by @ElleCosimano {Review + Giveaway}

Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion; 336 pages
Rating:

John "Smoke" Conlan is serving time for two murders but he wasn't the one who murdered his English teacher, and he never intended to kill the only other witness to the crime. A dangerous juvenile rehabilitation center in Denver, Colorado, known as the Y, is Smoke's new home and the only one he believes he deserves.

But, unlike his fellow inmates, Smoke is not in constant imprisonment. After a near death experience leaves him with the ability to shed his physical body at will, Smoke is able to travel freely outside the concrete walls of the Y, gathering information for himself and his fellow inmates while they're asleep in their beds. Convinced his future is only as bright as the fluorescent lights in his cell, Smoke doesn't care that the "threads" that bind his soul to his body are wearing thin-that one day he may not make it back in time. That is, until he meets Pink, a tough, resourceful girl who is sees him for who he truly is and wants to help him clear his name.

Now Smoke is on a journey to redemption he never thought possible. With Pink's help, Smoke may be able to reveal the true killer, but the closer they get to the truth, the more deadly their search becomes. The web of lies, deceit, and corruption that put Smoke behind bars is more tangled than they could have ever imagined. With both of their lives on the line, Smoke will have to decide how much he's willing to risk, and if he can envision a future worth fighting for.

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