Can't-Wait Wednesday: Reign by Cora Carmack

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Reign

Cora Carmack

(Stormheart #3)

Publication Date: August 25, 2020

Hardcover, 352 pages, Tor Teen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Goodreads

FIRST SHE ROARED. THEN SHE RAGED. NOW IT'S TIME FOR HER REIGN.

Aurora Pavan wanted to change her world.

She wanted to protect her people, not because they paid taxes, but because they deserved to live without fear. She wanted Pavan to be a home that welcomed everyone--remnants, stormhunters, and witches included.

For the first time in her life, she did not dread the duty into which she was born. She wanted it.

Then she met him. The Stormlord--the man who wielded the same magic as she, but with the intent to destroy rather than save. The Aurora Pavan who came home from that confrontation was not the same girl that had braved the wildlands and joined a rebellion. She was no longer the girl who was ready to change the world, ready to rule.

But she's the queen now all the same. And her kingdom needs her.

If only she can keep the new darkness inside her at bay.

My Thoughts

I’m so ready for this final book to come out. I haven’t read Rage yet, simply because I plan on re-reading Roar and then binge-reading both books two and three one after the other. It’s been four years since I read Roar, and I am very excited to get my hands on this finale, not only for the story, but also because these covers are glorious. Reign also comes out three days after my birthday, so I have a feeling it’ll be a nice present to myself.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Review: Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan

Rise of Fire

Sophie Jordan

(Reign of Shadows #2)

Publication Date: February 7, 2017

Hardcover, 304 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever. Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the king discovers both Fowler's and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne.

Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler, but the power she was destined to inherit.

My Review

I said the first book in this duology was Tremors meets Tangled with a little bit of The Walking Dead thrown in. This book is Tremors meets The Princess Bride with a little bit of Reign, the TV show. There are still weird ground-dwelling monsters, but instead of focusing on the two main characters, Luna and Fowler, Rise of Fire introduces some side characters to mix things up a bit.

This series finale had a Princess-Bride-in-the-Fire-Swamp (ROUSs) feel. In the beginning, Fowler is injured much like Westley, and its Buttercup’s/Luna’s intention to negotiate with Prince Humperdinck to save him. Does it work? Well, you’ll have to read to find out.

Honestly, I loved the court intrigue in this one. The meddling relationships were so much fun. It’s a weird contrast to Reign of Shadows, which was a forest-y survival story mixed with a monster movie. The additional characters really helped push the story to a new level. Chassan was an interesting addition, though I feel like his terrible actions in the beginning were just kind of blown off towards the end. Also, his dad and his sister were stereotypical, but in a fun, bad-guy way. Unfortunately, the endings for all the characters, including the bad guys, was a little rushed. I think another 20-50 pages would have made a more solid and notable conclusion.

As for Luna and Fowler, they still definitely remind me of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, but Princess Buttercup and Westley are in there as well. Luna is a good character, but she’s not particularly memorable like an Aelin or a Katniss. Her and Fowler both are just fun. We also never get a full explanation for Luna’s Daredevil-esque senses.

All in all, this series is a quick read. It’s not meant to be a fantasy to theorize over. It’s simply something you can pick up and read in less than a day. I’d say, if you’re looking for something to fly through between giant fantasy books, pick this one up, but only if you like weirder fantasy stories with strange creatures and a strong helping of romance.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Stacking the Shelves: The Shouldn't Have But Did Edition

"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

Once again, I have spent too much money on books. Are any of us surprised? Not a bit.

Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine

Rage & Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

I ordered Blood Spell from Book Outlet last month, before all the controversy. I won’t be ordering from there again until the company can show they are actively taking steps to right their wrongs, though. The other two I purchased from Amazon, which is also a company I need to stop purchasing from. And I actually have stopped quite a bit. I think I’ve only ordered three or four books from Amazon in 2020, but I can still do better. The Forbidden Wish was just super cheap, so I went for it. Bad, Rachelle.

What books have you bought/received lately?

Review: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Reign of Shadows

Sophie Jordan

(Reign of Shadows #1)

Publication Date: February 9, 2016

Hardcover, 304 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best.

My Review

Took me over four years to get to this book, but I finally did it. It’s so exciting to knock a backlist title off of your TBR, especially ones that have been on your shelves for a long time, and even more especially, ones that you went to an author signing for.

I’m going to start off this review by pointing out that Reign of Shadows is a quick, fun read. Nothing more. Nothing less. Which is entirely okay, but no one should go into this book looking for the intricate world-building of a Sarah J. Maas or Leigh Bardugo book. It’s a book that’s meant solely to entertain, and it accomplishes its goal.

Reign of Shadows is a mix between the 1990 Tremors film, The Walking Dead, and Disney’s Tangled. The Tremors and Tangled references are obvious: there are monsters that live underground that come out and eat people, and Luna lived in a tower for a majority of her life. As for The Walking Dead, the “people are the true monsters” storyline is one that plays out often in this book.

Luna is a lot like Rapunzel. She’s resourceful—though there are no frying pans, unfortunately—and she can take care of herself. However, she doesn’t have long, magical hair. Instead her “magic” is seen in an ability associated with her blindness. She’s actually kind of like a medieval Daredevil. She can shoot arrows and run through forests even though she can’t truly see. Fowler, the male main character, is a darker version of Flynn Rider, simply because he’s not as suave and he has a tragic backstory.

This story doesn’t have the typical YA fantasy setting. It’s about monsters, mostly of the creature variety with a sprinkling of human baddies thrown in for dramatic effect. It does have a cute reluctant romance and a major cliffhanger ending, though, if you’re into those kinds of things.

All in all, Reign of Shadows isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for something to read between larger tomes, you might consider picking this one up. It’ll only take a few hours to finish.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Notorious Virtues

 "Can’t-Wait Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Wishful Endings, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

The Notorious Virtues

Alwyn Hamilton

(The Notorious Virtues)

Publication Date: August 18, 2020

Hardcover, 320 pages, Viking Books

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Goodreads

A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Incredible tests, impossible choices and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

My Thoughts

I very much enjoyed Alwyn Hamilton’s Rebel of the Sands trilogy. I have a thing for desert-fantasy books. However, I’m not too sure about this one. Heiress stories with magical competitions and reporter love interests really aren’t my thing. So I guess I’ll remain wary going into it. Hopefully, it surprises me.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Review: Allied by Amy Tintera

Allied

Amy Tintera

(Ruined #3)

Publication Date: May 1, 2018

Hardcover, 405 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

In the final book in the New York Times bestselling Ruined series, the romance of The Selection and the epic stakes of Red Queen come together in a story of revenge, adventure, and unexpected love.

Emelina Flores and her sister, Olivia, were determined to bring peace to the people of Ruina. But as the war for liberation raged on, what triumph and freedom meant to Em and Olivia slowly changed. As Olivia’s violence and thirst for vengeance became her only ambition, Em was left to pick up the pieces.

But it’s not only Em who is upset by Olivia’s increased violence. Other members of the Ruined army are beginning to see the cracks, and soon a small group of them defects from Olivia’s army and joins Em instead. The two sisters are soon pitted against each other in an epic battle for the kingdom and the future, and only one will win.

My Review

The final book in the Ruined trilogy proves to be a satisfying end to a series that had its fair share of ups and downs. Book one was an amazing, fun adventure, while book two, Avenged, struggled to really grasp my interest. Thankfully, Allied stepped up its game and provided an enjoyable ending.

I have to begin this review with the warning that Allied does start off slowly, with frustrating character development. In Ruined, Cas’s naivete was cute and cinnamon roll-ish. Now, he just seems a little ridiculous, or at least, he does during the first half. He just can’t seem to step up his leading game until Em comes along. The same can be said of Em, though as well. She’s wishy-washy for someone who opened the series as a murderer set on revenge. BUT, once the two are in the same room, they actually take charge and rule. It’s not an amazing partnership, but it’s so much better to watch them work together than to watch them struggle while they’re apart.

My favorite characters in this book were actually the side characters. Aren and Galo had a fun bromance that I wish had been explored a little more, and Iria, despite me not remembering her character from Avenged, had the most interesting chapters. Olivia’s on the other hand, were meh, simply because they didn’t really add to her development. If anything, her POV made her seem badly written. She doesn’t inspire a lot of fear when she’s whining.

Like I mentioned, everything gets more fun as you get closer to the end. The characters are all in relatively close proximity to each other, and the pace picks up. There are rescues and betrayals, and swords and battles. It was a great ride that I flipped through fairly quickly after page 200 or so.

Overall, the premise of this series had so much potential. Magical abilities and royal intrigue are always great plot devices. And while Ruined was a fantastic adventure, Tintera almost lost me with Avenged. The world-building was what was holding the series together, and, sadly, the sometimes poorly-written characters slowly chipped away at that world-building. At least Allied gave the series the opportunity to end on a high note, and for that, I’m thankful.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Black Lives Matter: Resources for Book-Community Allies

Hey all. So this post wasn’t scheduled, and I wasn’t sure if I would even do it or not, simply because I don’t have a lot of interactions on my blog. I mostly write blog posts and reviews for me to monitor my reading and book-buying habits. However, I couldn’t not say anything here.

There’s a very difficult fight going on right now across the United States. My country, and, based on my follower stats, probably yours as well. I realize the American system has failed black citizens for far too long, and I recognize that I have been a part of that system my entire life. Benefitting from the hardship of many. For that, I am sorry. I’ll try to be better and continue to grow. For now, know that I am talking about this issue with friends, family, and co-workers. I’ve been using my social media platforms (small as they may be) to speak out because #BlackLivesMatter. They’ve always mattered, and they will continue to matter, even after the protests go quiet.

What’s happening in America is wrong on so many levels. There needs to be systemic change, from the police system to the government to even the million-dollar corporations. I hope that the November election can change at least some of this, and, in future elections, I hope we have the opportunity to vote for someone who truly wants change.

Because this is a book blog, I’m going to share all of the resources I’ve seen over the past week or so about where to purchase books from black-owned businesses and where you can buy an ally box, to help white Americans educate ourselves on our, oftentimes, unintentional racists tendencies. I also have linked a list of books to read if an ally subscription box is too expensive for you at this time. But, before I provide those links, make sure to:

1. Sign petitions. It only takes a few minutes.
   
2. Donate if you can. If you can’t, watch the video mentioned below.
   
3. If you’re protesting, be careful. Check out these tips.
4. Watch Zoe Amira’s Youtube video. All of the ad revenue from the video goes straight to bail funds for protestors. It’s a long video, but you can leave it on in a different room or mute it if necessary. There’s some pretty cool stuff on there though, so try to listen to some of it.

Okay, onto the bookish steps:

Order from black-owned bookstores. 

 

I ordered two books from Semicolon in Illinois, and it was almost the same price as ordering from Barnes & Noble, with shipping! I’ve also made it a goal to order one book from Semicolon and one book from my local independent bookseller every 3-4 months. Amazon doesn’t need any more of my money, and Book Outlet has major steps to go through before they can fall back into the book-community’s good graces. If you’re unaware of the Book Outlet situation, you can find that information here.

 

Purchase an Ally Box. 

 

I’m not sure if I’m going to purchase a box, simply because I don’t have the funds right now, but I will be purchasing some of the books listed in this link once I get paid. The Ally books will discuss what it truly means to be an ally.  

 

 

 

 

Order books by black authors. 

 

Not just now, but weeks, months, years, and decades from now. I know my shelves are very white-focused, and I’m going to change that. I hope publishing changes as well. There simply aren’t enough black-authored fantasy books out there. Or at least, not ones that are marketed to the same extent as white-authored fantasies.

(P.S. If you order A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by June 30^th, you can enter an order incentive giveaway for free swag!)

Order bookish merchandise from black shops.

Okay, so I think that’s all I have. I may write more posts as time goes on, but this movement isn’t mine. While I will stand with the black community, I know there are stronger, better, wonderful black voices out there who deserve much more attention than this measly post will ever get.

I hope at least one of you finds this post helpful, and I hope we can get justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, and even the individuals injured in protests. For my white followers out there, remember to listen to what our black neighbors are saying. Remember to step back and let them have the floor during this pivotal moment. And remember, BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Stacking the Shelves: The May Beacon Book Box Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

Like I mentioned in my May wrap-up post, I purchased A LOT of books, including bookish subscription boxes. One of those was the May Fight for the Throne Beacon Book Box. I didn’t subscribe, but I did purchase a single order, simply because I knew what the book would be and I thought it would be fun to get a box full of book-related goodies related to the throne theme.

So, if you subscribe to the Beacon Book Box and haven’t received yours yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, I’d stop reading now. Though, my box took forever to get to me, so I doubt anyone else is waiting for theirs. At least, I hope no one else is waiting. I’ve learned how torturous it is to wait for subscription boxes to be delivered, and I hate it. I’m also currently waiting on my first Fairyloot box, and I am oh-so-impatient.

House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess

Okay, so you’re going to get my honest thoughts on some of these items. And, while I knew I wouldn’t love everything in the subscription box, I was hoping to love something. Unfortunately, I didn’t. Obviously, I love the book choice, otherwise I wouldn’t have bought the box, but the items were just alright.

So first off, we have the Marie Rutkoski quote mousepad. It’s a great idea, and I would’ve really enjoyed it, had the design been different. It’s simply not my thing, too floral for my tastes. I did take it to work, though, so I can use it when I end up getting a mouse there. Next, the Six of Crows character art. Now, I’m not the biggest Six of Crows fan, so maybe these just aren’t my type, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the art style. I also gave the Terrasen seeds to my mom, since I’m not a flower-type person. The other big item was the “Winter is coming” sleepmask. A good idea, but since the book was about dragons, I kind of hoped there’d be something Targaryen related in the box. My favorite items from the box were the Throne of Glass print and the Three Dark Crowns ornament, even though I haven’t read Three Dark Crowns.  

All in all, this simply wasn’t a box fit for my tastes this month. I think in the future, I’ll buy Beacon’s special collector boxes versus subscribing regularly. Nothing against Beacon, they’re a great box, but just not for me.

What books have you bought/received lately? Do you subscribe to any book-subscription boxes? Let me know in the comments!