ARC Review—Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Published: June 5, 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance 

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 4 Stars 

GOODREADS

Blurb:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally. 

Review-

“None of them will fill the emptiness, the gaping chasm, the cold void of the girl I used to be. A happy girl, an innocent girl. A girl with family. A girl who believed in the goodness of the world, once. 

A girl with love.”

Bring Me Their Hearts ends on such a cliffhanger, I don’t know what to do with myself. Sara Wolf is an author I’d follow anywhere; simply for the fact that she gave me Jack Hunter in the Lovely Vicious Trilogy. It was inevitable that I would choose to read and review this book as well. 

I’ll be honest, it took me a hot minute to truly get into the story. Why? I have no idea. The main character is spunky and hilarious; I loved her immediately. I just couldn’t, for the life of me, care for the story. The more I read though, the more interesting this new world became. The world building and the story in all, was different. Good but very different. You have beings that are called Heartless—they literally don’t have a heart and witches control them. 

“I might be a thief, but I’m also a romantic. I’m after his heart.”

Zera, our main girl, is a Heartless. She’s given a huge task—to seduce the crown prince and take his heart. In turn, she’ll get the freedom she desires for her and her friends. Things prove to be difficult once she meets Prince Lucien and see how kind and caring he is. But Zera only has so little time to get the job done until everything is too late. 

Despite the fact that the book started off slow, I clearly enjoyed the story very much. The comedic way the heroine would handle situations, made the book so fun. I like books that don’t take themselves too seriously. I think Wolf has a great imagination and I’m so happy she’s shared this particular story with us. Now, I’m not too needy when it comes to reading material but...can we get the sequel like now?

“His heart. Freedom. His heart. Freedom.”

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US 

Amazon UK

About the Author:

Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.

Blog Tour Review - Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Publisher: Razorbill 
Published: January 23, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy/LGBT
Source: Print ARC
Rating: 4.5 Stars

GOODREADS

BOOK DESCRIPTION

"This edgy fantasy doesn't just blur boundaries of genre, of gender, of past and present, life and death--it explodes them." --Cinda Williams Chima, New York Timesbestselling author of The Seven Realms and The Shattered Realms
Without the dead, she'd be no one.
Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades.

A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears around the kingdom. Soon, a crushing loss of one of her closest companions leaves Odessa shattered, and reveals a disturbing conspiracy in Karthia: Someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead--and training them to attack. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees?

Fighting alongside her fellow mages--and a powerful girl as enthralling as she is infuriating--Odessa must untangle the gruesome plot to destroy Karthia before the Shades take everything she loves.

Review:
Reign of the Fallen is book I've been dying to read ever since I first heard about it. The premise of the story is hard to walk away from—necromancers, a beautiful LGBT romance, and a story that’s only fault is that it makes you breathless. If I had to use only one word to describe RotF, it would be unique. It was completely and utterly compelling in its prose and beautiful messages. Odessa is strong, reckless, and flawed—which makes her all the more real. Her actions were realistic and at times I caught myself thinking that I would have made the same exact decisions. 

What I liked most about the book was the positive message of gender and sexual equality. Let’s face it, the world changing for the better is astounding. Women in the world are standing up for themselves and fighting back. Luckily in this world, the women are already badass and don’t have to prove a damn thing. How nice that would be? Plus the necromancer aspect was just fascinating as the world building. Very creative and fun! 

This is a very fast-paced read, so don’t be surprised when you pick up the book to read a chapter and then end up finishing the story entirely. It’s that good! I can’t stress enough how amazingly feministic RotF is. It made me so proud to be a woman of the twenty first century. That being said, I’m completely sad that the story has ended. It’s going to be a tough wait for the next one, but it can be done. I think readers will enjoy this wonderful tale full of romance, action, and death. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

BUY:

Amazon 

Amazon UK

AUTHOR BIO
Sarah Glenn Marsh has been an avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life; she's been making up words and worlds ever since. When she's not writing, Sarah enjoys painting, ghost hunting, traveling, and all things nerdy.
She lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and their menagerie: four rescued greyhounds, a bird, and many fish. She is the author of Fear the Drowning Deepand Reign of the Fallen.

SCHEDULE:

WEEK ONE

January 8 – A New Look on Books – Interview

January 9 – YA Books Central – A List of “Top 5" of her choice (Potential Topic Ideas: movies she loves, things a reader would need, what a reader would need to survive in her book's world)

January 10 – The Fandom – “Meet the Characters" Breakdown with pictures

January 11 – Twinning for Books – Q&A

January 12 – Becca’s Book Realm – Q&A

WEEK TWO

January 15 – Reader Rewind – Mini Review and Q&A on Instagram Page

January 16 – The Quirky Book Nerd – Review

January 17 – Once Upon a Twilight – Review + Q&A

January 18 – BookCrushin – Review

January 19 – BigScreenBooks – Review and included in your “Most Anticipated January Release” video.

WEEK THREE

January 22 – The Novel Knight – Review

January 23 – Across the Word – Q&A

January 24 – The Lovely Books – Review

January 25 – Adventures in YA Publishing – Interview (already done)

January 26 – The Royal Polar Bear Reads – Author Interview Spot

WEEK FOUR

January 29 – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review

January 30 – Good Choice Reading – Excerpt (and Review)

January 31 – Queership – Author Guest Post: The Reimagining of zombies and necromancy and what reading something that reinvisioned death in this way would have meant to her as a teen?

February 1 – Megan Write Now – Interview

February 2 –   The Life of a Booknerd Addict – Review and Banners with quotes

February 3 – Nocturnal Reads – Short Q&A

New Release Review—The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Published: January 30, 2018

Genre: YA Modern Fantasy

Source: Audio Review Copy

Rating: 4 Stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. 

Review:

Wow. I’m a bit speechless if I’m being completely honest. The Hazel Wood is a creepy yet intriguing fairy tale that has a poetic-like quality to its writing. I listened to the book on audio—narrated by Rebecca Soler; who you might recognize from The Lunar Chronicles audio books—and it’s one that I’m going to have get in hardback to add to my library at home. The cover is absolutely gorgeous; as I’m sure the inside of the novel is beautiful as well. 

Alice is our heroine of the story. Her life’s been a series of bad luck after bad luck; and since before she could remember, it’s always been just her and her mother. That all changes when her mom goes missing; and there’s only one explanation—The Hinterland. How does she know this? Her grandmother was a famous author and does alone on her estate, The Hazel Wood. Everything leads back to the book she wrote full of dark and creepy fairy tales. 

She employs Ellery Finch to help her find this mysterious and somewhat scary place to look for her missing mom. We are then taken on an adventure where some of the characters from the book are now in our world. And they know who both Alice and Finch are—and what they are trying to do. I thought The Tales of the Hinterland characters were gloriously terrifying. It was probably my most favorite part of the whole book.  

As soon as I finished reading, I kind of just sat there dumbfounded. The Hazel Wood isn’t like those Disney fairy tales, instead it’s like the original, darker ones. My only problem with the whole book was Alice. To put it lightly, she was an immature bitch. Sure, I get it. Her mother is lost but does she have to snap and growl at Finch over EVERYTHING. He didn’t deserve her misplaced wrath. If anything he’s doing HER a favor by helping her out. 

Overall, I loved the book for its creativity and it’s sheer ability to take me to another world. I think this is the perfect story for readers looking for something unique, mesmerizing, and a bit romantic. And I don’t mean romantic in the sense of actual romance but by the whole tone of the novel. I’d also like to add the narration through the audio book was perfection. Ms. Soler brought out the characters in a miraculous way. 

*I received an audio book from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Buy:

AMAZON

AMAZON UK

About the Author:
Melissa Albert is the founding editor of the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog and the managing editor of BN.com. She has written for McSweeney’s, Time Out Chicago, MTV, and more. Melissa is from Illinois and lives in Brooklyn, New York. The Hazel Wood is her first novel.

Blog Tour Review—The Valiant by Lesley Livingston

BOOK DESCRIPTION

VALIANT

A richly-imagined, gripping historical fantasy for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Cinda Williams Chima, The Valiant recounts a seventeen-year-old's tumultuous journey from fierce Celtic princess to legendary female gladiator and darling of the Roman empire.
The youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king, Fallon has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Sorcha's legendary reputation as a warrior. But when Fallon was a young child, the armies of Julius Caesar invaded the island of Britain and her beloved older sister was killed in battle.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her rightful place in her father's royal war band. She never gets the chance.

Instead Fallon is captured by a band of ruthless brigands who sell her to an exclusive training school for female gladiators--and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, Fallon's worst enemy, the man who destroyed her family, might be her only hope of survival.

Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, chilling threats, and the dangerous attention of Caesar himself to survive the deadly fights that take place both in and out of the arena - and claim her place in history among the Valiant.

Review-

Every now and then I’ll read a book that scares me like no other. ‘The Valiant’ is terrifying in a way that makes me glad I don’t live in a time where slavery is a thing. Where being bought was entertainment and fighting to the death was a sport. Just thinking about if our world today was like that, has me shaking in my boots. (It’s not lost on me that there are countries out there like this. Makes it all the more scarier.) That all being said, I loved the absolute sh*t out of the book for so many reasons. The main one being our main character. Fallon is a bad-ass warrior princess fighting for freedom. 

All Fallon wants to do is be a warrior in the Cantii war band—it’s all she’s ever wanted since she could remember. Sorcha, Fallon’s older sister, is the best fighter and the one person Fallon looks up to. Once she becomes the warrior she’d worked so hard to become, she’ll also have the honor it comes with and possibly new, blossoming love. That all changes the night she gets taken and readied as a slave in Rome. The place she gets sold to is an academy that trains women to be fighters—to be a gladiator. The thing is, not everything is what it seems. Fallon must train hard in order to become ready to fight. It’s either that or die in the arena. 

“He turned, suddenly, as if he’d sensed me watching him. I felt a wave of heat wash over me as he stared at me across the distance. Even through the veils of smoke and sparks from the campfires, I thought I saw a raw longing in his gaze.”

Then, there’s the whole forbidden romance aspect to the story. Which I loved because who doesn’t want something they can’t have? Romance is my jam and I’m glad to say that this one didn’t disappoint. While it’s not the focal point of ‘The Valiant’ it was still nice to get bits and pieces here and there. Throughout the book, it was consistently slow. I kept putting the book down and getting easily distracted while reading. But eventually I became engrossed and wanted to know what happened next. 

Overall, I think if you like stories about women who fight for what they want—no matter what’s standing in the way, then this is for you. While it was predictable at times, it was still a great book about Ancient Rome. Plus we get to see Julius Caesar, the enemy! I can’t wait for the next book. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

DEFIANT

The darling of the Roman Empire is in for the fight of her life in this lush sequel to the acclaimed historical fantasy The Valiant.
     Be brave, gladiatrix... And be wary. Once you win Caesar's love, you'll earn his enemies' hate.

Fallon was warned.

Now she is about to pay the price for winning the love of the Roman people as Caesar's victorious gladiatrix.

In this highly anticipated sequel to THE VALIANT, Fallon and her warrior sisters find themselves thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon's heart - and her love for Roman soldier Cai - but the very heart of the ancient Roman Empire.

When dark treachery and vicious power struggles threaten her hard-won freedom, the only thing that might help the girl known as Victrix save herself and her sisters is a tribe of long-forgotten mythic Amazon warriors.

The only trouble is, they might just kill her themselves first.

AUTHOR BIO
Lesley Livingston is an award-winning author of teen fiction, best known for her Wondrous Strange trilogy. She holds a master's degree in English from the University of Toronto and was a principal performer in a Shakespearean theater company, specializing in performances for teen audiences, for more than a decade.

SCHEDULE for VALIANT CAMPAIGN and DEFIANT BLOG TOUR

 

VALIANT CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE

January 8 – Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Warrior women throughout the ages

January 9 – Gladiator Glory – Bookstagram Picture and Review

January 10 – Allison in Bookland – Review

January 11 – Melimimi – Book Review and Social Media Promo

January 1 – Blots of Ink and Words – Review 

WEEK TWO

January 15 – The Lovely Books – Review 

January 16 – Good Choice Reading – Excerpt + Giveaway 

January 17 – The Fandom – YA Gladitrix matchups we'd like to see 

January 18 – Book Briefs - Review

January 19 – Utopia State of Mind – Review and Interview

 

THE DEFIANT BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE

January 22 – Seeing Double in Neverland – Review

January 23 – ButtermyBooks – Review or Playlist

January 24 – The Fiction Fare – Review

January 25 – A Page with a View – Review

January 26 – Mundie Moms Book Reviews – Review

WEEK TWO

January 29 – Arctic Books – Playlist

January 30 – Oh the Book Feels – Review

January 31 – Effortlessly Reading – Review

February 2 – Alexa Loves Books – Gladiator Gift Guide

February 3 – I Fangirl About Books - Review

New Release Review - RITUALS (Cainsville, #5) by Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Random House Canada

Pub. Date: August 15,2017

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Source: Finished Copy

Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads

Blurb:
The fifth book and the exciting conclusion to bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's "impossible-to-put-down" Cainsville series, in which she mixes hard-hitting crime writing with phenomenal world-building to create a brand of fiction all her own.

Olivia Jones must make a choice. Caught between two rival supernatural forces, Liv was granted a brief period in which to make her decision. Now that time has run out. Whichever side she chooses, someone she loves will pay. Her lover, Ricky. Gabriel Walsh, the man she knows she cannot, must not love. Her parents, already trapped in prison.And now there is a new, terrifying power rising - one that doesn't distinguish between good and evil intentions. It feeds on chaos and destroys without mercy. Unless Liv acts fast, no one will survive. In this gripping thriller, international bestselling author Kelley Armstrong brings the Cainsville series to a powerful, richly rewarding climax.(less)

Review:
Rituals is good end to an even better series. When I picked up the first book, I was hooked. I quickly fell in love with all the gang because not only are they all smart, but they kept everything interesting. Liv is probably one of the most well rounded and strongest leading ladies in literature. She knew how to handle her own but at the same time, she knew when to ask for help. 

Gabriel has left a small piece in my heart. I enjoyed watching him grow (albeit, slowly) in the books. He takes emotionally unavailable to a whole other level. I loved him so, so much though! His story is one I won't soon forget. Now onto Ricky. Sigh. He's awesome. If I were to ever pick a book boyfriend to come to life, it would be him. Sweet, loyal, sexy, and an all around great guy. 

All three of them have made some of my days better. I'm so sad to see them go. There are many things that happen in Rituals that I want to shout on the rooftop! But I can't. Some of you are probably wondering about this infamous love triangle. As you know, a certain thing happened at the end of Betrayals. Liv, Gabriel, and Ricky are all part of a bigger plan. The story surrounding them was always a bit complex at times to me but I'm with Liv, she should definitely have the right to choose who she loves. Instead of fate deciding for her. 

When I first realized there was going to be a love triangle, I was disappointed. I hate them. But only because I feel like the author makes me love both and it hurts when I'm the end, the heroine or hero, 
has to choose and ultimately, hurting a character I love. Luckily, this story is about so much more than romance. It's why I feel like readers will love the books. It has some paranormal aspects, romance to tide a hopeless romantic like me, and the mystery storyline that keeps you guessing. The surprises in the book were everything! 

Overall, this is for readers looking for books that you can get lost in. This is for readers who like strong female characters who are intelligent and know exactly what they want. And sure as hell not afraid to get it. This is for readers who like a rich story that's able to weave folklore tales into a beautiful book. While I felt the series was slow at times, the author always had a way to pull me back. I'm so happy to have been able to read Liv's story and follow her on such an incredible journey. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an unbiased and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Buy=> Amazon
Buy=> Amazon UK

About the Author:
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets. 

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway - The Dragons of Nova (Loom Saga #2) byElise Lova

Publisher: Keymaster Press

Pub. Date:July 11,2017

Genre: Fantasy

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 3.5 Stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:
Cvareh returns home to his sky world of Nova with the genius crafter Arianna as his temperamental guest. The mercurial inventor possesses all the Xin family needs to turn the tides of a centuries-old power struggle, but the secrets she harbors must be earned with trust -- hard to come by for Ari, especially when it comes to Dragons. On Nova, Ari finds herself closer to exacting vengeance against the traitor who killed everything -- and everyone – she once loved. But before Ari can complete her campaign of revenge, the Crimson Court exposes her shadowed past and reveals something even more dangerous sparking between her and Cvareh.

While Nova is embroiled in blood sport and political games, the rebels on Loom prepare for an all-out assault on their Dragon oppressors. Florence unexpectedly finds herself at the forefront of change, as her unique blend of skills -- and quick-shooting accuracy -- makes her a force to be reckoned with. For the future of her world, she vows vengeance against the Dragons.

Before the rebellion can rise, though, the Guilds must fall.

Review:

I'm not even going to lie, the first book was hellacious for me to get through. I almost gave up like a hundred times. But I pushed on because I know the author is damn talented. I think I was expecting something a little more on the lines of her Air Awakens series which was high the romance and angst. Alas, Kova has proved she can write more than just a love story. (Not that Air Awakens wasn't more. It just had everything I love in spades!)

Now onto the second book. Where does this leave me since I didn't exactly love the first book? Well, I must say, Dragons of Loom was so much more interesting to me. I felt like something was definitely off about the first book, but in the second story, I feel like I connected more to the characters and to the story as a whole. Ari is still as bad ass as ever and Cvareh is such a worthy hero. Am I ready for the next book? You betcha. The story has everything a reader can want in order to keep them engaged.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BUY
Amazon
Amazon UK

About the Author:
Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the real world long enough to graduate with a Master's in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she is not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review - ROAR (Stormheart #1) by Cora Carmack

Publisher: TOR TEEN

Published: June 13, 2017

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 4.5 Stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:
In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. 

She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough. 

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

Review:

Cora Carmack thrills in this new Young Adult Fantasy novel. It's no secret that Carmack is an amazing storyteller; from her swoony boys, to the headstrong yet relatable heroines. I know that after reading a book by her, that I'll be transported to into another world. And that's always welcome in my book. 

If you couldn't tell before, I loved this. I liked the world building, the characters were all on point, and I look forward to being able to continue in a new series. Unfortunately, I didn't much care for the romance. Gasp! I know right, but I felt like Aurora was able to hold her own without any type of boy in the storyline. Yes, romance is nice to have but Roar is much more than that! It's all about a heroine we can relate to. Rora is strong, beautiful, vulnerable, and I liked her spunk. I think she's one of my favorite characters Carmack has ever written. 

As I was saying earlier about the world building. I thought it was very well thought out and interesting. I loved the whole concept of storm magic. And once secrets start coming out, well it's only the beginning a wonderful ride. Now as I also mentioned before about the guys. While I didn't much care for them on a romantic level, I did very much like them as characters. The two boys in question are Prince Cassius and Locke. I liked them both for different reasons and even though one can be considered bad; I loved him all the more for it. 

Overall, I think this is the start to something wonderful. Fans of fantasy, strong female leads, and romance will devour this book like there is no tomorrow. And then begging for the author to hurry up and write the next book! I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm going to be like that! This is a huge GO and no doubt on top of my list of what to read next. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy the Book:

AMAZON

AMAZON UK

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Losing It series. 

***Please note: I am rarely on goodreads, so if you're trying to get a hold of me, the best places to find me are Twitter, Facebook, my blog, Instagram, and via email (coracarmack(at)gmail(dot)com). 

Review - ROYAL BASTARDS by Andrew Shvarts

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Published: June 6, 2017

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 4

Blurb:

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

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

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

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

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

Review:

Initially, I was dead set on giving the book five stars. But I felt like the middle dragged too much for my liking. So instead, my overall rating is a 3.5. I liked the aspect of bastards being center stage of the story, and for the most part I liked the characters. I think I just felt a bit disconnected with the book the more I read. Which is weird because I connected so well with it at the beginning. 

The plot is interesting because it plays like a fantasy novel but the characters talk like they are from modern times. It kind of jilted me at first because the setting didn't really match what they were saying. Eventually, I just let it go and thought it was a cool touch. 

As I was saying at the beginning about mostly liking the characters...I didn't much care for the main character, Tilla. I felt like she was whiny, a crybaby, and immature. It's like the world owed her something when she wasn't the only one who got the short end of the stick. Towards the end I was able to tolerate her a little more but I wish the story would have been told from someone else's point of view. 

The story ended but I felt like it also left on a note of multiple interpretations. Which means, I do hope for a next book. I'd like to be able to see if the characters have grown and plus I really like Zell and Lyriana. I think if you're looking for a unique book with hints of romance, action, and a group of kids struggling to fit in, go ahead and read this. It's well written and although it dragged in the beginning, the overall book was well thought out and I look forward to more from the author. 

*A huge thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Excerpt - ROAR (Stormheart Series #1) by Cora Carmack

   

From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack comes her debut young adult fantasy, ROAR! Releasing June 13, 2017, ROAR takes readers on an adventure filled with charismatic characters in an enthralling world sure to keep them turning the pages. Don’t miss the amazing excerpt below!

   

About ROAR (Stormheart Series #1):

New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack's young adult debut: Roar.

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence.

 Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, 

Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems.

 He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? 

They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence.

 And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

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   EXCERPT: 

 There was a hole in her chest, an awful, gaping hole that screamed like she wanted to. Like a cyclone, it seemed to suck up everything in its path until her knees were curled into her chest and her body hunched, and she just kept collapsing in and in and in. 

Suddenly unable to breathe, she clawed at the beaded fastenings that connected her headdress and necklace. One of her fingernails bent and splintered as she scrabbled for the hooks; when she could not find them, she took hold of the beaded cord and pulled until it broke, beads scattering across the stone floor around her. The headdress tipped sideways, tugging painfully on her hair.

 Again and again, she pulled at the ties until her palms felt raw and beads littered the floor around her. The headdress began to sag, and she was nearly done, nearly free when someone stepped through the archway, and she froze. Novaya. 

 Thank the skies. The dark-haired servant held an urn full of steaming water in her hands, and she stared in horror as if she had stumbled upon a monster rather than a crying girl. Nova had been Rora’s closest friend before she cut herself off from everyone at her mother’s command. Girls with secrets the size of Rora’s could not have friends. Nova took a step forward, paused, then knelt down, her large brown eyes carefully blank.

 “Should I call for your guards? The queen?” Nova asked.

 “No!” Softer, Aurora said, “No. Please don’t tell anyone.” 

 Once upon a time, Nova had kept all her secrets. Now the two rarely even looked at each other in the eye when their paths crossed, and it was all Aurora’s fault.

 “Your Highness? What happened?” Rora shook her head and returned to tugging at the headdress still tangled in her hair. She couldn’t say the words aloud, couldn’t let anyone see how much of a fool she was. Aurora had become accustomed to her shortcomings as a Stormling, as an heir. 

But she’d thought she had her mother’s strength, tenacity, and intelligence. But maybe that was wishful thinking. Maybe she was altogether…inadequate. “Stop, Princess. You’re hurting yourself.” Nova put the water aside, crawled forward, and grabbed Rora’s wrists.

 “Aurora, stop.” All the years spent missing their friendship came rushing back, and she froze at the sound of her name. Not Princess. Not Your Highness. Aurora. But the moment she stopped moving, it all came crashing down on her. Her naïve plan to kiss him, to experience something real. She should have known that her future would hold only more lies.

 As if she knew anything about real life, real anything. She lived in this palace, protected and pampered and put away like a doll on a shelf, too fragile for anything but appearances. And it seemed that’s all she would ever be. Cassius wanted control of the city for himself. He thought he’d have to fool her to do it, but the moment the world found out that Rora had no magic, he’d become the ruler in truth, and she’d be the puppet at his side. 

He wouldn’t have to feign interest in her then. He wouldn’t need her at all. She wound her arms about her legs and rested her forehead on her knees. Nova moved closer, and Rora sat still and silent as the girl worked to remove the headdress.

 Her old friend had grown into a beautiful young woman—flawless bronze skin, shiny black hair, stunning features. She’d recently begun assisting the royal seamstress in addition to her position as a maid. She probably had more friends than she could count. Aurora could not help imagining how different her life would be now fi she had never become heir. The headdress finally gave way, and Nova slipped it off and laid it on the stone floor beside them.

 “Tell me what happened.” Rora leaned back against the wall. It was cool against her abused scalp, and she muttered, “Nothing happened.” At least she had that much. She hadn’t kissed that beast.

 But what she had done felt worse. She had hoped. And hope broke more hearts than any man ever could. “Should I get someone? A friend?” Rora let out a bleak, cold laugh. As if she had any of those. Softer, she said, “I don’t want to see anyone. I just need this dress off. The makeup too. I need to breathe, and I can’t do it through all this mess.”

 “I can do that. I came to help remove the headdress and gown. Stand up and we’ll go to your room. Everything will be fine, Your Highness.” She didn’t tell her old friend how wrong she was, not as she peeled the dress off her and unlaced the corset. Not as she wiped away the powder that was smudged and striped on Rora’s face, thanks to falling tears.

 Another maid came in with more steaming water for a bath and Rora let them clean her up, wishing it was as easy to wipe away the last few hours. She sat in the bath until the water grew cold and her skin shriveled like dying fruit. She had to face the facts. 

The Rage season was coming, as was this sham of a wedding. And she didn’t know how to fight it any more than she knew how to stop a storm. But she would not give Cassius any more opportunities to see her vulnerable. Nor was she giving up. If there were no other way, she would marry Cassius. But she had six days. Wars had been won, empires toppled, and cities leveled in less time. If there was a way out of this, Rora would find it.  

 

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Since she was a teenager, her favorite genre to read has been fantasy, and now she’s thrilled to bring her usual compelling characters and swoon-worthy romance into worlds of magic and intrigue with her debut YA fantasy, Roar. Her previous adult romance titles include the Losing It, Rusk University, and Muse series. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.    

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