Book Review :: DARK SHORES

Book: Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Dark Shores #1
Publisher: Tor Teen / Macmillan
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, a thrilling first novel in a fast-paced new YA fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen.

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Goodreads Summary:

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A SAILOR WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: FIREBORNE

Book: FIREBORNE by Rosaria Munda
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Aurelian Cycle #1
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers / Penguin
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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"Fireborne is everything I want in fantasy."--Rachel Hartman, New York Times bestselling author of Seraphina

Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance . . . and dragons.

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Goodreads Summary:


Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.

Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.

From debut author Rosaria Munda comes a gripping adventure that calls into question which matters most: the family you were born into, or the one you’ve chosen.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ .5!
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL

Book: CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL by Mara Rutherford
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Crown of Coral and Pearl #1
Publisher: Inkyard Press / Harlequin
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. But though every girl longs to be chosen as the next princess, the cost of becoming royalty is higher than any of them could ever imagine...

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Goodreads Summary:


Nor once dreamed of seeing the wondrous wealth and beauty of Ilara, the kingdom that’s ruled her village for as long as anyone can remember. But when a childhood accident left her with a permanent scar, it became clear that her identical twin sister, Zadie, would likely be chosen to marry the Crown Prince—while Nor remained behind, unable to ever set foot on land.

Then Zadie is gravely injured, and Nor is sent to Ilara in her place. To Nor’s dismay, her future husband, Prince Ceren, is as forbidding and cold as his home—a castle carved into a mountain and devoid of sunlight. And as she grows closer to Ceren’s brother, the charming Prince Talin, Nor uncovers startling truths about a failing royal bloodline, a murdered queen… and a plot to destroy the home she was once so eager to leave.

In order to save her people, Nor must learn to negotiate the treacherous protocols of a court where lies reign and obsession rules. But discovering her own formidable strength may be the one move that costs her everything: the crown, Varenia and Zadie.

My Review: ⭐⭐
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: SORCERY OF THORNS

Book: SORCERY OF THORNS by Margaret Rogerson
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books / Simon and Schuster
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an imaginative fantasy about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

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Goodreads Summary:


All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: THE STORM CROW

Book: THE STORM CROW by Kalyn Josephson
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Storm Crow #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks / Sourcebooks Fire
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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Eragon meets And I Darken in this thrilling new fantasy debut that follows a fallen princess as she ignites a rebellion to bring back the magical elemental crows that were taken from her people.

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Goodreads Summary:

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life...until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything.

That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother's death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost.

But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ .5!
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

UPDATE :: Moving to FL, Etc.

Life update:

Hi readers, or to those who stumble upon this lovely reading blog of mine, I just wanted to give everyone a quick update.

For those who don't know already, I have officially picked up my entire life and moved across the country to Orlando, FL. My husband and I wanted to move somewhere for a fresh start, and we both mutually agreed that because we both love the Disney and Universal theme parks, and both love the beach and longed for warmer weather, that Orlando was the place to be! My dad also lives just 20 minutes north of where we ended up finding a house, so that was an additional plus.

Now, because of this huge life change- I am EXTREMELY behind on my reviews and will continue to be for at least the remainder of the summer. I have 9 past-due books on Netgalley I need to read and review, as well as an additional 6 I just got approved for. So I'm going to have to be going on a reading binge to play catch up! PLUS, I have all sorts of books that I've read that aren't even from netgalley so I need to write up some reviews for those as well.

Now I have all that on top of all of my life stuff like finding a job, driving for Uber to make some extra cash, playing video games (Why has no one told me about Overwatch?? It's so fun!) and preparing for the upcoming school year, that this will likely mean I am going to be updating even slower than usual. But I just wanted everyone to know what's going on!

On the Horizon:

So you can expect some reviews on some of the books I've read in the past few months such as:

• Daisy Jones and the Six
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
• STAR WARS: Queens Shadow
• RED, WHITE, and ROYAL BLUE (With a possible giveaway!)

And on my TBR pile that I'm picking up soon are:

• The Storm Crow (almost done!)
• There Will Come a Darkness
• Reverie
• The Merciful Crow
• and 1,000,000 more! 

Anyway, thanks for reading! Just wanted to update the small amount of people who read my reviews on what's going on! Happy reading!

Book Review :: WARRIOR OF THE WILD

Book: Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A
Publisher: Feiwell & Friends / Macmillan
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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"Levenseller presents a fully rounded portrait of a girl whose strength in battle is tempered by her very human anxieties. Rasmira's quest is thrilling, her emotional journey compelling; this adventure sings." --Booklist

"Levenseller... presents a female warrior who refuses to believe that crying makes one weak and that strength is not feminine. Through Rasmira’s inner monologue, teens will learn that teamwork and friendship are important and that failure makes one strong. This high-octane novel is filled with mythical creatures and showcases a heroine who wants to be a warrior, a woman, and a leader." --School Library Journal

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Goodreads Summary:

An eighteen-year-old chieftain's daughter must find a way to kill her village’s oppressive deity if she ever wants to return home in Warrior of the Wild, the Viking-inspired YA standalone fantasy from Tricia Levenseller, author of Daughter of the Pirate King.

How do you kill a god?

As her father's chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: To win back her honor, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: THE WAKING FOREST

Book: The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A
Publisher: Delacorte Press / Penguin USA
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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Pan's Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.

"Bewitching, sensuous, and spiked with the unexpected--The Waking Forest is a fever dream you won't ever want to leave."-Joan He, author of The Descendent of the Crane

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Goodreads Summary:

The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.

The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea’s and the Witch’s paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?

My Review: ⭐⭐

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: WICKED SAINTS

Book: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Something Dark and Holy Trilogy #1
Publisher: Wednesday Books / Macmillan
Source: ARC via NetGalley!

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

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“Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen

“This book destroyed me and I adored it.”- Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

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Goodreads Summary:

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: Mirage

Book: Mirage by Somaiya Daud
Genre: Sci-Fi / Space Opera
Series: Mirage Book 1
Publisher: Flatiron Books / Macmillan
Source: Audio book via Libby


“A refreshing and unique coming-of-age story...a beautiful and necessary meditation on finding strength in one’s culture.” ―Entertainment Weekly, Top Pick of the Month

“A YA marvel that will shock breath into your lungs. If you loved The Wrath and the Dawn and Children of Blood and Bone, Mirage will captivate you.” ―The Christian Science Monitor

“This debut fantasy has what it takes to be the next big thing in sci-fi/fantasy.” ―SLJ, starred review

“Immersive, captivating.” ―ALA Booklist, starred review
Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent bookstore at IndieBound!

Goodreads Summary:

In a world dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated home.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty―and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection...because one wrong move could lead to her death

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐ .5!

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!