16 of My Least Favorite Books in 2016

Yesterday I did a post on the books that I enjoyed this year (if you missed it you can check it out here). Now it’s time for a list of books I did not enjoy this year. These are the books that I gave 1-2 stars or didn’t even give a rating. The covers are linked to their Goodreads page.

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Mechanica (Mechanica #1) by Betsy Cornwell

Published: August 25th 2015 by Clarion Books

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Review: This is a Cinderella retelling that has a strong feminist plot. Too bad that it was boring and the pacing was slow =/. Check out my review here.

A Mortal Song by Megan Crewe

Published: September 13th 2016 by Another World Press

Rating: DNF

Review: This is about a princess who finds out she is a changeling and doesn’t really have secret powers. Thats about the most I could get into the book unfortunately. It has a really good premise, so it’s definitely a book to look at if it suits you. Check out my review here.

A Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Published: September 4th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Rating: 1 star out of 5

Review: This book was very dark and compelling in the beginning, and then it just tapered off. I DNFed it so I don’t think it deserves a 1 star rating until I actually finish it, but it was not my cup of tea.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Published: January 5th 2012 by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Review: This was a very slow paced book that just bothered me. The main character was bullied by her family and boyfriend and she just let it happen. Then she starts to gain confidence in herself, but only because a boy told her to…ugh. Check out my full review here.

How To Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather

Published: July 26th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating: DNF

Review: This book bothered me a lot and it was just so unappealing that I didn’t even finish it. The MC had a lot of flaws that didn’t make her a very relatable character. Being described as Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls is a disservice to that time in history and the movie. Check out my full review here.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

Expected Publication: March 7th 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire

Rating: DNF

Review: This book has a really good premise. I read an eArc of this and thought that the book just went on forever. I would be interested in reading this again after it’s published to see if it had more edits. Check out my review here.

Starstruck (Starstuck #1) by Brenda Hiatt

Published: August 1st 2013 by Createspace

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Review: This was my first ever audiobook, and I don’t think that helped very much. I thought the main character was very whiny. So needless to say I did not like it very much. Check out my full review here.

The Neverland Wars (The Neverland Wars #1) by Audrey Greathouse

Published: May 9th 2016 by Clean Teen Publishing

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a very hard book to get into. I don’t think I even made it to Gwen getting to Neverland. Check out my review here.

Between the Bleeding Willows (Demon Hunter #1) by D.A. Roach

Published: March 8th 2008 by Limitless Publishing LLC

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Review: This is a book about angels and demons that reminded me a lot of other books. Check out my full review here.

Burning Glass (Burning Glass #1) by Kathryn Purdie

Published: March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a slow moving book. The first 100 pages were great along with the last couple of chapters. The rest on the other hand was filled with love triangles and nonsense. Read my full review here.

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The following 6 books are books I read but didn’t write a review for:

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Published: October 27th 2015 by Random House Delacorte

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

 

3 Willows: the Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares

Published: January 1st 2009 by Delacorte Press

Rating:  2 out of 5 stars

 

 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Published: January 13th 2015 by Riverhead Books

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Review: This book was hard to follow a little bit while listening to the audiobook, but I did enjoy the movie much more surprisingly.

Fire Girl (A Tale of Witches and Wolves #1) by Andy Mulberry

Published: April 28th 2016 by Blueglass Press

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

 

Hidden Deep (Hidden Saga #1) by Amy Patrick

Published: March 23rd 2015 by Oxford South Press

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

 

Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined (Twiligh #1.75) by Stephenie Meyer

Published: October 6th 2015 by Little, Brown

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Review: I think 1 stars is being very generous to this book. A book should not put you to sleep =/

16 Books I Enjoyed in 2016

2016 is coming to a close and I have read a lot of good and not so good books this year. So I have compiled a list of my favorite 2016 reads. If you click the covers it will take you to their Goodreads page! I have also included my full reviews for you to look at if a book sparks your interest! So without further ado here is my list (in no particular order):

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone (DoSaB #1) by Laini Taylor

Published: September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a great start to a new (to me) series! I loved the world that Taylor has built and can’t wait until I can pick up the second one to continue Karou’s story! Check out my full review here.

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows Book #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Published: September 20th 2016 by Henry Holt and Company

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: This was everything and more that I wanted in an end to a duology! This book had so many twists and turns that it was very hard to put down! Review.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

Published: November 19th 2016 by Little, Brown Book Group

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: One word. Niffler. He alone (along with stepping back into the wizarding world) would be enough to want to watch the movie and read the book over and over again! Check out my review here.

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Published: September 6th 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: This book was fantastically creepy and so good at the same time. I am not one for horror, but I read Kurtagich’s debut novel last year and I could not put it down! So I knew I would enjoy this one just as well! Check out my review here.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Published: July 26th 2016 by Point

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was my first Kasie West book, and I don’t think it will be my last! This was a very adorably contemporary novel that’s very different from my normal go to books. Check out my review here.

An Ember in the Ashes (AEitA #1) by Sabaa Tahir

Published: April 28th 2015 by Razorbill

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Review: An oppressive Empire, a rebel group, and spies! Sounds kind of like Star Wars, but this doesn’t take place in space. This was a great debut novel for Tahir and I can’t wait to get my hands on A Torch Against the Night! Check out my review here.

Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Published: May 17th 2016 by HarperTeen

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a great book about a girl with psychological issues that she works very hard to overcome. For a contemporary this one took on some darker issues, but still maintained a humor aspect with a little romance thrown in. Check out my review here.

Red Death by Jeff Altabef

Published: November 28th 2016 by Evolved Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a great dystopian meets King Arthurs court type novel. Check out my full review here.

The Demon in the Wood (The Grisha #0.1) by Leigh Bardugo

Published: August 18th 2015 by Henry and Holt Company (BYR)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: This novella made me feel sympathy for the Darkling and I wished this was longer! Really if you haven’t you should read all of Bardugo’s short stories in this universe, they are all fantastic. Check out my full review here.

Flashfall (Flashfall #1) by Jenny Moyer

Published: November 15th 2016 by Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: I read this arc over the summer, and I really loved the new world that Moyer created for us! Check out my full review here.

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Published: September 27th 2016 by Blink

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review: Langdon wrote a masterfully written mystery, fully of twists and turns while trying to uncover the true murderer. Check out my full review here.

The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay

Published: July 2nd 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was a little Nancy Drewesque in trying to figure out who the assassin in the game was before getting killed. I never figured out who the assassin was and the ending took a surprise turn! Check out my full review here.

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1) by C.J. Redwine

Published: February 16th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

Review: Who can resist a Snow White retelling? While there are some elements that are similar to the original, Redwine was still able to make this her own story and I enjoyed every minute of it! Check out my full review here.

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by Victoria Schwab

Published: July 5th 2016 by Greenwillow Books

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was my first Schwab book and it definitely won’t be my last! It was great trying to figure out who was the hero and who was the villain. Check out my full review here.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

Published: July 31st 2016 by Little, Brown UK

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This has been a great year for Rowling =) I am still waiting for Scorbus to happen!! Check out my full review here.

Lost in Wonderland (The Twisted and the Brave #1) by Nicky Peacock

Published: April 14th 2016 by Evernight Teen

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review: This was an action packed Alice in Wonderland retelling, except Wonderland is a secret agency that trains vigilantes that hunt down serial killers. Check out my full review here.

 

Have you read any on my list? What are some of your favorites from this year?

 

 

And the Trees Crept In Book Review

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Published: September 6th 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Stay away from the woods…

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt’s home, it’s immediately clear that the manor is cursed. The endless creaking of the house at night and the eerie stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too—questions that Silla can’t ignore: Why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer? Who is the beautiful boy who’s appeared from the woods? And who is the tall man with no eyes who Nori plays with in the basement at night… a man no one else can see?

I don’t know which cover is creepier. The Creeper Man published by Orion Children’s Books or And the Trees Crept In published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. They both give you a sense of how dark the book is without giving anything away! I am not one to look at covers all that much, but I really like these two!

Anne. Youngest. Most precious.
Pamela. The middle sister. Wildest.
Catherine. Eldest. Most Sensible.

The Jewel.
The Adventurer.
The Protector.
Three little girls did a very bad thing. 

This is definitely not a book to read late at night with all the lights off (except your reading lamp of course). Kurtagich wrote another masterfully written horror novel full of twists and turns that has you questioning everything that you have read up to that point! I am not one to read much horror (I don’t even watch horror movies!), but I really enjoyed this book and her debut novel The Dead House.

Rotting in your skin
rotting in your mind
you are rotting in this house
in this house you’ll die.

This book starts off  with a flashback to 1980 when everything first started in Python Woods. Skip ahead 20 something years and now Silla and her sister are traveling through the same woods to find her Aunt Cath and hopefully safety. As soon as they arrive, their aunt tells them to never go into the woods. At first everything seems to be going very well, but then little things start to happen that make you question your sanity. Cath goes into the attic and doesn’t ever come back down. So it is up to Silla to provide for Nori and to keep her safe.

Things can stay safe for long
they can pretend to fit
but then you hear Discord’s song
and things crack bit by bit.

As soon as you start reading you get a creepy vibe and the creepiness never goes away. Even when you think that it’s all sunshine and rainbows for a few chapters, there is still an undercurrent of creepy. Especially when Aunt Cath tells them the story of the Creeper Man, which basically starts Sillas slow and growing fear about the woods and the manor. You begin to question her mental health and whether or not she is a reliable narrator.

A tree. It’s a tree. I convince myself of this, almost fully. Until the thing steps forward, his head turning a fraction in my direction. I can almost hear the tiny creeeeeeeeeeak as his head rotates. It is a tall, long-limbed, bulbous-headed shadow.
I blink again.
Closer.
And again.
Closer.
Closer each time. Like the trees. Tall, thin. Eerily silent. Still and watchful. A man. Something like a man.
But he has no eyes.
I notice this right away. He has no face. Wait . . . is that. . . is that-
There’s a mouth.
A long gash of a mouth, thin and smiling. A jagged line. Until it falls open, revealing teeth and an endless blackness.
Grinnnnnning.
And then it falls forward on all fours, long and thin and impossible, scuttling back into the woods, head cocked up to me, until he is nothing but a tree shadow and I don’t know if I’ve seen it at all.
The Creeper Man.

Once the trees start creeping closer towards the manor is when Silla gets more and more frantic trying to keep Nori safe. It isn’t until near the end that Silla starts to try to figure out how the Creeper Man started and why he was terrorizing her family. The ending  I never saw coming a mile away! This book was so full of twists and turns that it was hard to keep track of them. It wasn’t until basically the very end when everything is finally explained that everything makes sense. Kurtagich did a superb job of weaving all the tiny details together to create such a masterful ending. My only problem is that now that I know it’s kind of like The Village, once you know the secret it’s hard to watch it again and feel creeped out. I think after some time passes this will be a great book to read again and try to see if I could pick up on any of the clues that I missed the first time.

I also really liked the format the book was in. Kurtagich told this story not only from Sillas point of view, but she included broken book entries from Sillas journal, diary entries from Nori, and even little snippets from Aunt Cath. These little extras to the narrative just add to creep factor and the inner workings to Sillas mind. The writing style was great in The Dead House, but I think Kurtagich outdid herself in this one!

Overall, I really loved this book! Kurtagich might be the only author where I can read her horror books with little to no problem. Although, this one was creepy it wasn’t as scary as  I thought it could have been. So if you are like me and get scared easily, this book will be fine for you to read!

Waiting on Wednesday #21 (12/28/2016)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by  Jill from Breaking The Spine that shows the upcoming books that many of us are anticipating! This week, I’m waiting for…

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Title: Roseblood

Author: A.G. Howard

Expected Publication:  January 10th 2017

Publisher:  Amulet Books

Goodreads Summary:

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

This book couldn’t come out in a more perfect time! My birthday is 2 days before this book comes out, and I would totally not mind receiving this as a present!

I am new to Howard’s work, but I have heard great things about her other books I can’t imagine that this one will not hold up as well. As a fan of Phantom of the Opera, I can’t wait to see how Howard takes the story everyone knows and turns it into her own!

What are you waiting for this week?

Bookish Book Lover Tag

I saw this on ThriceRead and thought what a cute fun little tag to do on a lazy Tuesday during break! If you too are enjoying a lazy day and want something fun to do, then I tag you to participate!

Rules:

• Use the original banner.
• Answer the questions!
• Use lots of book covers.
• Tag your friends.

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What book are you currently reading?

Right now I’m in the middle of And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich, and let me just say right now I am really doing this tag to take a break from the creep factor! I don’t read horror that much, but I will read her novels and I need something to hide behind while reading this!!!

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What’s the last book you finished?

The last book I finished was Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (check out my review here). I also tried to read How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather but I had to DNF it. Check out my review of it here.

 

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Favorite book you read this year?

It is so hard to pick just one book! So, I will have to go with Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo! This was a great ending to the duology and I wanted to prolong the experience as much as possible! Check out my review here.

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What genre have you read most this year?

I tend to stick towards fantasy with a little dystopian mixed in.

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What genre have you read least this year?

Hmm… probably contemporary. I tend to stick to only a few authors that I really like and this year I was introduced to an author that I will be checking out her earlier books!

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What genre do you want to read more of?

I would like to read more science fiction. My dad is a huge sci-fi fan so it would be great to be able to talk to him about books that he has an interest in. I just don’t know if I can get into Star Trek as much as him.

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How many books have you read this year, and what’s your goal?

I have read 93 book and 100 was my goal. I was in a bit of a reading slump this year so I am not surprised that I am 7 books from my goal. Hopefully next year I will be able to meet it!

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What’s the last book you bought?

I bought a couple of books from Book Outlet last month. I bought Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell, The Rose Society by Marie Lu, and The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine.

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What book are you saving up to buy next?

I am a huge Gilmore Girls fan and I would love to get my hands on Lauren Graham’s Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between. My birthday is coming up in two weeks so maybe my hubbie can surprise me with this (hint hint nudge nudge) or maybe I’ll gift it to myself =D

 

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How many books did you check out last library visit?

I honestly don’t know. I only check out ebooks since they seem to have a bigger selection of books I like, and I don’t have to leave my house.

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What’s a book you can’t wait to read?

There are a lot of books that I can’t wait to read! But if I had to just pick one, I will go with A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah. J. Maas. I just love this series and her TOG series! May can’t get here fast enough!

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What’s a series you’d recommend to everyone?

I would definitely recommend the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. They are two of my all time favorite authors and I just love all of their books!

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Who’s an author you’re hoping writes more?

All of them! Is that a good enough answer? No? Okay, I choose Leigh Bardugo, Gena Showalter, Sarah Dessen, Sarah J. Maas, and J.K. Rowling.

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A few books your heart adores?

Just a few? Okay my heart adores:

• Harry Potter (all of them) by J.K. Rowling
• Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
• The White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter
• The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

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What series’ coming conclusion makes you sad?

Every ending makes me sad, just because I know that it’ll be the last one and I won’t have another book to look forward to the following year. It does get exciting though when the author gives us a brand new series to look forward to!

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What books are on your wish-list?

Lets see….hmm…I’ll just list a few:

• Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
• Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
• Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

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My Tags:

I tag anyone and everyone that is reading this tag. I had a lot of fun and would love to see your answers.

How to Hang a Witch Review

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Series: How to Hang a Witch #1

Published: July 26th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating: DNF

Goodreads Summary:

It’s the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren’t enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it’s Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.

I really really tried to get into this book. I gave it 30% before I finally just had to DNF it. There are just too many books on my TBR shelf that I could be reading instead of struggling through this book.

First off when the main character spouts off that she has an “affinity for sarcasm” and no one gets her, I am pretty sure she is probably not that sarcastic. And for the most part she really wasn’t. She seemed to have this giant chip on her shoulder without any explanation. For an MC she was very hard to connect with. Sam went on and on about how she found it hard to trust people and even having people hug her was a struggle. As soon as Mr Hot Blonde guy comes along, she’s all oh here are my problems and oh you want to kiss me on the hill where they did all the hangings? OK! Ugh worse insta-love ever. And to top things off, it looks like there will be a love triangle (based upon other reviews and the appearance of the dark brooding guy who just started to show up everywhere). Love triangles, if not done properly, are probably worse than insta-love in my book anyway.

Not only has our MC moved to a new town, her father is in a mysterious coma, she has a stereotypical stepmother, and she has to deal with a new school and the mean girls. That is a lot to take in in the first two chapters. What I don’t get is how the mean girls (aka “The Descendants”) automatically don’t like Sam and treat her like she is gum at the bottom of their shoes, and the teachers just let them? That just doesn’t make any sense, maybe if I read the whole book it will be explained but I couldn’t force myself through that.

When thinking Salem Witch Trials, you would think it would be a little bit creepy (like the Netflix show Salem, but the Mean Girls reference kind of ruins that). This book didn’t have any of that. It was just a high school setting that tried to have a little creep factor, but it was explained away after like 20 pages. After that it just seemed a little bit ridiculous. =/

All in all, I thought the premise was really good which was the reason why I picked up this book. But, unfortunately it just didn’t go well for me. The world building was haphazard and all over the place (probably a little bit like this review).

Has anyone else read this book and liked it? I would like to know if it does get better at the end, I can’t imagine how this will turn into a series at this point.

Goodreads Monday #20 (12/26/2016)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, or whatever holiday you practice! I had a great day spent with my husband, our three dogs, and two extra dogs that I’m dog sitting.

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Goodreads Monday is a meme hosted by Page Turner,  and the idea is to post a book that’s on your TBR pile and show it off. This is a great way to show off books I have not yet managed to read!

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This week I have chosen:

Title: Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)

Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Published: October 18th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary:

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

I just got this book yesterday for Christmas and I have heard so many great things about it! Although I should probably read Illuminae first before diving into this one. =p

What’s on your TBR shelf this week?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Review

Merry Christmas!!!! I hope you have a very blessed holiday spent with family and/or friends! I will be spending the entire day with my hubs and the 5 dogs at my house (two are just visiting thankfully). My husband is currently working very hard in the kitchen to make our Christmas dinner and everything smells delicious! I wish we could just go ahead and eat already!!!! What are your plans for the day other than reading my review? =)

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1

Published: September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I don’t know how I haven’t heard of this series until now, but man have I been missing out!

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.”

One would think that this book is about angels and demons, good and evil, light and dark…I think you get the point, with maybe a little love story inserted somewhere. This was some of that and something completely different! Taylor took the myth that we are all familiar with and that has been done countless times, and she made the concept into her own story that I think stands out from among the others. The writing was very well done and had me wondering about who Karou was really and how she fits into everything.

Taylor did a very good job of making me feel everything that Karou felt. When she felt alone and that there was something missing that she couldn’t put her finger on, I was right there with her. Same as when she was angry for being left out of important information, and later when she felt guilty for being so hard on Brimestone and her lack of understanding about wishes. She grew a lot as a character in this book, and I think that has been missing in a lot of books I have been reading lately.

“It is a condition of monsters that they do not perceive themselves as such. The dragon, you know, hunkered in the village devouring maidens, heard the townsfolk cry ‘Monster!’ and looked behind him.”

I loved it when Karou questioned Akiva on what is right and what is wrong, and what is considered a monster or not. She made him at least start to question why there is a war for over a 1000 years between the angels and the chimaera. These questions that made you think about why people (or angels) do things just because everyone before them did it and the world building were superb.

My only complaint was that the pace moved very quickly the first 2/3 of the book, and then it slowed down a little bit for me. I understand that it was needed, but maybe not as much backstory. Overall, I still enjoyed the book and thought it was a great start to a series. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Waiting on Wednesday #20 (12/21/2016)

Christmas is getting closer!! There is only 4 days left!!! =D

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by  Jill from Breaking The Spine that shows the upcoming books that many of us are anticipating! This week, I’m waiting for…

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Title: The Crown’s Fate (The Crown’s Game #2)

Author: Evelyn Skye

Expected Publication:  May 16th 2017

Publisher:  Balzer  + Bray

Goodreads Summary:

Perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and Red Queen, The Crown’s Fate is the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Crown’s Game, an atmospheric historical fantasy set in Imperial Russia.

Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.

I wasn’t very impressed with the first book, but the ending had me wanting to know what happens next!!  I really just want to know what happens to Nikolai.

What are you waiting for this week??

Uppercase Box December Review

The countdown to Christmas continues!!! Christmas is officially only 5 days away! Ah!!! I have to say I think Christmas is probably one of my favorite holidays. Probably because it is the one time of the year where I am allowed to shop without being questioned since it is for other people.  What do you like about this holiday season?

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This morning I received  a new box from Uppercase by Lisa Parkin on my front doorstep!

Every month you receive:

• a brand new hardcover book, the book is either signed or you receive a signed bookplate,
• 1-2 high quality bookish items,
• Uppercase reading experience with exclusive content,
• and a special note!

You can choose from two different plans:

Expert plan: comes with everything above for only $23/month plus $6 shipping and handling;

Book exclusive plan: comes with everything above except the 1-2 bookish items for only $17/month plus s/h.

You can check out my other Uppercase reviews here, and my other book subscription reviews here!

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They changed their little tote bag, and I think it is adorable! I already liked that they come in a sack, but this one is just more decorative and fun!

Each subscription comes with a list of items in the box, a letter from Lisa, and a bookmark with that months reading experience. The reading experience can be anything from a question, poll and/or video about that particular section in the novel.

Book: Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1) by Erin Summerill

Expected Publication: December 27th 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

This book has a retail value of $17.99, you can purchase this book on Amazon for $10.61.

I’m pretty stoked about this novel, I haven’t heard of it before but it seems like a book I will really enjoy. It’s also pretty cool that we were given a book that isn’t even out yet!

As always, the book came signed!

Ever the Hunted temporary tattoo. “The hunt is about to begin.”

Custom 2017 planner for bookworms designed by Simini Blocker. This is an Uppercase exclusive item and it’s super cute. I think I will use this to keep myself organized with blog posts and book releases! Since this is an exclusive item I am going to estimate that this has a value of $10.00

This is what it looks like inside, and each month has a different quote. There is also a place to write down your book log for the month.

You can’t have a planner without stickers! These are from Stick’n Plan and they have a deal on Etsy going right now. You can find this particular sheet in their shop for $3.70.

Gold Book Planner Clip by Willowfields. Lisa really thinks of everything! First you get a planner, then you get stickers to help keep you organized, and to finish it you get a planner clip so you can quickly find that particular week in the planner! This clip has a retail value of $2.50.

Overall, this box has an estimated value of $26.81. This is a little bit low in my opinion for a $29 subscription, but I really like everything in the box (except maybe the temporary tattoo)! What do you think of this months box?