ARC Review: The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

The Shadow Queen

Author: C.J. Redwine
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Series: Ravenspire #1
Pages: Hardcover, 400 pages
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: February 16th 2016

Summary:

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose

Review:

DNF

I am really sorry but I just can't. It seems that lately every YA Fantasy I pick up is like this one. Totally a struggle to get through. So I did what I rarely do and decided, I ain't gonna torture myself.
I am done.

Maybe if this wasn't another book that felt more like a chore reading, one in a long line of disappointments I've been struggling through, I might have finished it.
BUT let's face it, I know this wouldn't have gotten loads of stars from me, no matter what.
Because my biggest issue with this is the writing style.

Rather surprising considering that I have read Redwine before, and quite liked her writing style. The Shadow Queen however feel rather woody. It felt constructed. I found the dialogues most of the time annyoing. The banter way to cliche. It's like Redwine tries really hard to incorporate the world building and the way she did it just doesn't work.

It's all too cliche to start with. The plot, the characters - I was hoping for an awesome different kind of retelling. But when you look at the plot we are in cliche-ville YA. There is absolutely nothing that stands out. It could be any old YA story, it's been done a gazillion time.

Which would have not been a huge issue for me, if this had great characters... Alas. I didn't thinks so.
Then add to that rather underwhelming world building... and we have a not completely terrible but honestly a forgettable book.

Which brings me back to the writing style. Because even if with all those faults I would have still read it. But I literally dreaded picking up the novel to force myself through another chapter. And at 20% I decided that enough is enough. I really don't like the way Redwine wrote this.

Pity really, because I like Redwine (usually) and I love the idea behind this.



ARC was provided by Publishers through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Cover Reveal: Will Survive by Laura Catherine

Will SurviveLaura Catherine

Publication date: Summer 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Will thought he had died when the warehouse collapsed. He thought he had brought the Blooder, Alec, down with him, but Will survived.
Taken captive to the mysterious Blooder city, where no Djinn has stepped foot since the failed treaty, Will will learn what happens to those who cross the Blood King.
Sentenced to be drained for his ability proves difficult when Alec can’t puncture Will’s skin. Alec will have to come up with more creative ways to torture Will.
Will might have survived once, but Alec promises to make him wish he hadn’t.

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Author Bio:

Laura Catherine is Young Adult author focusing on Paranormal Romance, Dystopia, and Fantasy.
She writes stories full of action, secrets, and magic. She loves creating worlds where anything is possible and everyone has a story to tell. She has an over-active imagination, spends a lot of her time daydreaming, and wishes pokemon were real so she would have one.
Laura Catherine lives in Melbourne, Australia.

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Cover Reveal: The Player and the Pixie by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid

The Player and the Pixie

by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid
Publication Date: March 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Humor

THE PIXIE

Lucy Fitzpatrick doesn’t like rugby.

As the little sister of Ireland’s most infamous rugby player, Lucy can’t seem to escape the championship-sized shadow cast by her big brother, or her mother’s frequent attempts to micromanage her future. Her rainbow hair is as free-spirited as her quest for inner peace, yet overbearing expectations keep bringing her down. And when she’s down, her compulsive little problem lands her in seriously big trouble.

THE PLAYER

Sean Cassidy is a cold-hearted brute… or so he’s been told. Frequently. By everyone.

His blonde locks, baby blues, and rock hard bod make ladies the world over drool with desire.  As the rugby world’s second most infamous player, he should be basking in his success. But Sean has never been content settling for second place, and his frequent confrontations with Lucy’s big brother leave him cold. And when he’s cold, his compulsive little problem lands him in the lap of Lucy Fitzpatrick.

THE PLAN

Sean has a problem only Lucy can solve. Lucy has a problem only Sean can fix. The solution seems obvious: you scratch my back, and I’ll bail you out of jail. But when their business arrangement unexpectedly leaves Sean scorching hot and Lucy on the precipice of inner peace, can they convince the world—and Lucy’s big brother in particular—that this is the real deal?

Either way, both the Player and the Pixie are about to teach each other some pretty monumental lessons about family, life, but most importantly, love.

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About the Authors

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

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SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

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Review: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Reign of Shadows 

Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Harper Teen
Series: Reign of Shadows #1
Pages: Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Release Date: February 9th 2016

Summary:

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

Review:

I honestly wish I would have liked this more.
Because the way this started, the blurb, the cover - it all made me feel extremely hopeful
I mean:

A royal assumed dead. Lost and forgotten. Trapped in a tower within a cursed forest, surrounded by monsters.

Doesn't that sound familiar? Well, to me it sounded like my favorite childhood fairytale.
And hence I was looking forward to it.
I liked the idea of the world- the midlight, shadows, the creatures, the eclipse... It's so goth, pretty gruesome awesomeness...Right down my alley.

But alas I didn't.
Because let's just face it. That's where my likes end, mostly at least.

I am not exactly wowed by the character building.
The support cast, feel exactly like that. Support. Nothing more.
While I like that Luna is a slightly different kind of MC, I found here annoying. In fact, she is rather melodramatic and very ungrateful. Supposedly she is this amazing person... but I just couldn't see it.
And mostly she was the cliche spoilt uber-dramatic princess. I wanted to smack her most of the time. Actually I wanted to shank her. I found her POV overly whiny. Her dramatic self-sacrificial ways, felt more like a way of getting attention than anything else.
Fowler... So he is clearly hot, or at least we are told that, he has a sexy voice. BUT he is just another walking cliche. His big secrets, are not surprise - I could see them coming from a mile off. The only time I felt a connection was when he was thinking about Bethany right at the beginning.

The romance is woody and felt a tad tired. I mean we told that there is this huge connection between them- this amazing chemistry. I however didn't see that at all. There were a couple of sweet moments, but the kiss 75% in was totally underwhelming actually. It's insta-love/lust and the few sweet moments couldn't cover up that fact. Oh and where is the starcrossed part we are promised in the blurb?!

While I do like the setting, the world building has huge gaps. I was left with a gazillion questions. Still my favorite part of the book.

The plot is boring.. most of the time. At least for the first half, not much happens. Much melodrama. But then they started traveling and it got a wee bit more interesting. At 80% though, I was kinda done. I would have totally DNFed if this wasn't a ARC.
This ends on a cliffy. It's supposedly one of those uber-cliffies... but the most disappointing thing about that? I didn't' really care. I was just glad that it was done.


I am really sad that this didn't work for me. I like Jordan's writing style. I like the way she described how Luna saw things, I like the concept, the general idea and I am not sure I am totally ready to give up on the series yet. I have hopes, that the second book will get better....


Rating: 

Review: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Walk on Earth a Stranger

Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Series: The Gold Seer Trilogy #1
Pages: Hardcover, 432 pages
Genre: YA
Release Date: September 22nd 2015

Summary:

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

Review:

I am not quite sure why this was marketed as a fantasy- because in my opinion it isn't.
Well, it does have some fantasy aspects.. but on the large, I would call this a historical novel.
And therein lies my biggest issue.

There is no world building. If this is a fantasy- then the world building is extremely bad. Because the only bit of world building that has been done: There are some people with witchy powers. Full Stop.
That's it. No other fantasy or paranormal aspect at all. Ok maybe because there is some paranormal bits- we could call it a paranormal historical? Even that is kind of a big stretch at the moment at least, maybe Carson will add more paranormal bit in the next installmen? Who knows, but for me this was a huge let down.

Now. Let's look at the rest of this novel.
The genre is different from what I usually read. This is a rather realistic historical western- based on the gold rush to California. And if you look at it that way... it's rather a different experience.

To be honest I am not that well versed on that part of the history. But as far as I can tell Carson did a smashing job at it. The difficulties and dangers that people faced, the euphoria , the drive of the gold rush. It's brilliantly described and conveyed.
Carson's description, her writing style are beautiful. This a really well written novel. Clearly well researched. I love the landscapes Carson painted with her words.

But mostly I loved her character building. It's definitely my favorite part of Walk on Earth a Stranger. While everything is told from Lee POV, so the view of a young girl, who travels by herself west, each character has real depth. Over and over we get to see other sides to each of the support cast. Lee changes hugely, her fears and hopes were pivotal to me. I totally got where she was coming from. Her upbringing being unique for it's time, the mysteries around her parents past and the friendships she forms are part of what makes her feel like a real historical character.
I feel like I got a glimpse of one of the tracks west. A slice of those exciting and scary dangerous times thanks to the exceptional character building.
Because while Lee is in constant movement- and somehow quite a bit happens. This is totally character driven. It's the lives and story of the characters that build the story.

Looking at the plot. I was left with a gazillion questions. As I said, Lee is in constant movement. There is a hint a romance, but not much happens in that department. But if I would have to sum the plot up.. in one sentence: This is the story about Lee's track, who through bad and unexpected circumstances, ends up joining the gold rush to California, on her own and in disguise.
I found this rather slow paced. I kinda expected more adventure. But after I got over my initial expectations- I enjoyed the slow but beautiful way this was written, reveled in the brilliant way Carson conveyed an interesting part of history through her ability to bring the human aspects of the time across.

While I am totally unimpressed with the worldbuilding. I liked that this is something different, a completely different setting than what I usually read. At this point I am planning on reading the next installment.

Walk on Earth a Stranger is a beautiful and interesting coming of age story, set in an intriguing time with a splash of paranormal.


Rating: 

 

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Cover Reveal: Destroy Me by Shana Vanterpool

Destroy Me
Shana Vanterpool

(Crystal Gulf, #1)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: March 8th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

DESTROY ME is book one in the New Adult romance Crystal Gulf Series.
Bach lives his life with honesty and without restraints, happy to be known as a sexy as all hell, unapologetic asshole.
When he drinks, he drinks hard.
When he wants a woman, he makes sure she knows it.
When he opens his mouth, it’s either to piss someone off or to turn someone on.
You can normally find him with one hand on a bottle and one hand on a woman, trying to forget his past.
Harley Evans is ta wenty-one-year-old year old college student. She’s a good girl who fell hard for Dylan, who’d promised her forever. But Dylan, Bach’s best buddy, lied.
He enlisted in the Army, crushing Harley with equal parts anger and sadness. She’d already lost her father to that choice. Heartbroken, she falls back into depression.
Stuck in Crystal Gulf all summer with little to do, Harley needs a distraction. Enter Bach, sexy as f*#ck distraction, ready and willing.
Dylan’s not all bad though. Before he left, he asked Bach to watch out for Harley, knowing she’d never go for a guy like Bach. She’s too good for him. Too good for anyone.
But Dylan was wrong. He never should have left them together. Bach is there to pick up the pieces Dylan left behind. Soon pieces aren’t enough. He wants more, needs more Harley.
DESTROY ME is dark, sexy, heartbreaking, and intoxicating.

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Author Bio:

When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things. My Sweet Demise is my debut new-adult contemporary romance novel.

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Cover Reveal: #Rev by Cambria Hebert

#Rev
Cambria Hebert

(GearShark, #2)


Publication date: March 18th 2016
Genres: Contemporary Male/MaleRomance

Trent Mask puts the REV in revolution.
A line has been drawn.
Indie vs Pro
Here at GearShark, we’re straddling that line to bring you exclusive coverage of what some have dubbed the war of racing.

Every war starts with a spark and ends in revolution.

Drew Forrester was the spark,

but his second-in-command is the REVolution.
What does it take to stand brave in the face of opposition?
resolve of steel…
Stubborn will…
And a heart that refuses to give up.
It isn’t just the drivers in this war.

The revolution is about more than just racing.

It’s about shattering labels and taking risks.
So we asked Trent Mask: Truth or Dare?
His answer?
Both.
Check out the full feature article inside…

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Book 1:

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Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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Cover Reveal: My Senior Year of Awesome by Jennifer DiGiovanni

My Senior Year of AwesomeJennifer DiGiovanni

Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: March 1st 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

A girl desperately tries to avoid the boy she was voted most likely to marry by her senior classmates. To prove senior superlative votes are meaningless, she and her best friend create their own list of awesome high school achievements to be completed by graduation.

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Author Bio:

Jennifer is a freelance writer and YA author. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, working on home design projects, or trying to meet the daily goals on her Fitbit. My Senior Year of Awesome is her first novel.

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Cover Reveal: Rock Your Heart Out by Crystal Kaswell

Rock Your Heart OutCrystal Kaswell

(Sinful Serenade #3)
Publication date: March 10th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

There’s a naked rockstar in my hotel room.

And he’s pierced.
Willow Denton needs to get out of town fast. Her only option is joining her brother’s band on tour. Ten weeks with misbehaved men doesn’t sound so bad. Until she walks in on the drummer naked and sporting a spanking new piercing. There’s no way the player rock star will ever think of her as more than his BFF’s little sister. Better to focus on her photography. As soon as she stops thinking about him in her bed, against the wall, in the backseat of his car…
Sinful Serenade drummer Tom Steele is a wrecking ball. Bossy. Pushy. Hot as the molten center of the Earth. He’s not afraid to use his body or his fame to get what he wants– a different girl every night of the week (and three on Sunday). The man may be a whore but he can control himself. He’s going to keep an eye on Willow, be her friend. That’s it.
Their sizzling sexual chemistry makes this whole platonic things hard.
But there’s no way he’ll cross the line with the girl he’s supposed to protect.

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Previous books in the series:

Author Bio:

Crystal Kaswell writes steamy new adult and erotic romance books. She loves when flawed characters fall head over heels for each other. Especially if they fall into bed first. She loves police procedurals, tea, and The Hunger Games series. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

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Cover Reveal: Bewilderments of the Eyes by Theresa Sopko

Bewilderments of the EyesTheresa Sopko

Publication date: Summer 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

The climb from the shadows of her cave into the bewildering sunlight is not an easy one, but Quinn can’t afford not to try.
When her best friend insists on a spontaneous summer road trip, twenty-year-old Quinn Aldredge finds herself on a desperate and daring mission to reclaim the version of herself that was swallowed by her crippling depression.
Not entirely sure if it’s even possible to bounce back from something as bone-deep as depression, she abandons the numbing life she had established in her hometown and dives head-first into an attempt to break free of the confines from her own mind. If she wants to succeed, Quinn will have to learn a valuable lesson: sometimes the right path isn’t the safest one.
As her eyes adjust to the light of the living, she finds friendship, freedom, and romance waiting for her under the sun.
Quinn wants nothing more than to uncover The Old Quinn, the one who smiled and socialized and actually participated in her own life without the whisperings of mental illness in her ear. But what she finds instead turns out to be so much better.
Quinn’s story is one that captures the hope that there is a purpose to getting out of bed every morning, without denying that it will be difficult.

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Author Bio:

Storyteller, bird lady, lover of sitcoms and collector of books. Shopaholic, makeup addict, 81 bottles of nail polish and counting. I like my coffee to taste like dessert. I could spend hours talking about The Great Gatsby. I do some of my best brainstorming while doing the dishes and I don’t believe in naps, though I do fall victim to them from time to time.

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