The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)

*This review contains spoilers for The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1)*

Heart of Betrayal: Mary E. Pearson 

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny. 

This Kiss of Deception seriously made me fall in love with historical fantasy books. As someone who was always apprehensive of the amount of fantasy given at one time, I reveled in these books as Mary E. Pearson just delicately sprinkles just the right amount of fantasy in the plot. This book is just as amazing as Kiss of Deception in the number of swoons, the beautiful friendships, and the shocking moments. If you liked Kiss of Deception, you will love Heart of Betrayal. It is a kick-ass second book following an amazing first book! 

Lia is a ball of freaking fire in Venda. She refuses to be suppressed and that comes with a lot of consequences. She has been betrayed by both Rafe and Kaden, so who can she really trust? She has to trust her instincts and she's not even 100% sure where they are coming from. At this point, Lia wants to get revenge for her brother and get the hell out of Venda. But when she meets other people in Venda that don't seem to be as barbaric as she thought they were going to be, she realizes she may need to help more people than herself.

“We were told to watch for it, that it was the promise of a new day for Venda 

- the claw, quick and fierce; the vine, slow and steady; both equally strong.” 

Now for what everyone has been waiting for … Rafe and Kaden! Now, I could never decide between them in book 1. I literally loved them both! While I still do love them both, I think I have made up my mind on Team Kaden! We learn more about Kaden's backstory and I'll just BE DAMNED if it doesn't BREAK your heart! The ending left me with so many feels between both of them like no spoilers but why … how … :(. This really is a love triangle for the books because Lia isn't a petty teenager who keeps going between the two of them trying to decide. She thinks she has her mind made up, but maybe fate has a different opinion for her? 

“Do you always dance with the girl you plan to murder?” 

We meet some new characters in HOB! One being Komizar! The Komizar … surprised me. When we first met him I was picturing him like a bad guy but not ACTUALLY bad like Klaus from The Originals or Eric Northman from True Blood. He kind of seemed like he was a lot of bark and not a lot of bite. Alas, I ended up just hating him. We also meet Aster, who is so young and tries to help Lia in every way possible regardless of thinking about what the consequences will be for herself. 

If you loved Kiss of Deception, or fantasy or historical fiction I highly recommend this book to you! Lia is everything you want a hero to be. She's not perfect by a long shot, but she fights like hell! The Heart of Betrayal is one of my favorite 2015 reads, and the best fantasy book I've ever read. Mary. E. Pearson is sure to be one of your new favorite authors. 

- Jocelyn

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas
Publication Date:  May 5, 2015

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Put simply, this is the best Beauty and the Beast re-telling I have ever read. I can't even put into words how perfect this new novel is by Sarah J. Maas, but just trust me when I say, it is literally perfect. There is no flaw I can find (come on people, it's Sarah J. Maas who is the epitome of perfection with her writing). Every single word draws you in and every single second of reading compels you to read more and more, making you never want to stop. My mind was blown after reading the first couple of pages, and by the end...well I basically felt like I was on top of the world.



The writing is phenomenal, just as you would expect, but I think Ms. Maas shows how much she has grown as an author in this novel because it takes a strong author to be able to pull off an amazing re-telling of a beloved, classic story. I am especially picky when it comes to re-tellings of Beauty and the Beast, as it is one of my favorite stories, but Ms. Maas did such an excellent job. She weaved elements of Beauty and the Beast into the story, but still departed from the classic enough to make it her own. The sheer creativity and uniqueness of this story makes the novel shine bright like a star in the sky, and will surely be one of your favorites for a long, long time.

Feyre was a fantastic lead character. Strong, witty, and a total badass. In other words, the girl is AWESOME! However, there is a vulnerability to her character, which made her extremely relatable. Feyre had such a love for her family, even though they didn't treat her in a way that really deserved the love she felt. Every part of Feyre's character is fleshed out, and I couldn't get enough of her. With everything she went through, she came out with her head held high every single time. And if that's not admirable, I don't know what is. Tamlin...oh that man is going to set you on fire ladies!



He is the ultimate protector, but so sweet. While his character is shrouded in mystery, you still feel as if you know him so well by the end of the novel. You know what makes him tick and how to get on his good side. He is the perfect balance to Feyre, and their love will leave you blushing quite a few times. It's steamy and just adorable. They are perfect for each other, and I loved every second of their relationship. Rhys is another man that will leave you guessing, but you will love, even if you don't want to. He is definitely a mystery, even as soon as you meet him, but he's also a bit frightening. I'm hoping there isn't going to be a love triangle, but there is potential for one. And honestly, even though I hate love triangles (the only exception being Will, Tessa, and Jem from Cassie Clare's TID), I don't know if I would mind this one.

The world building is also something of wonder and pure enjoyment. I loved being in this world so much. Sarah J. Maas set up everything so wonderfully and you aren't confused at all while reading. Things are explained, but never in an info dump where you feel overwhelmed. I am so excited to return to the world of Fae in the second book in this series.

The sexy scenes were written so well and are extremely tasteful, so there should be no worries there. However, I do feel like I need to mention how well Tamlin and Feyre's relationship was written. It is absolutely beautiful. There is this slow burn and buildup, and then BAM! Even though you know they will fall in love, you will be just as surprised as Feyre when she finally realizes just how much she loves Tamlin. It takes a very skilled author to do this, and I applaud Ms. Maas for accomplishing something that few authors can manage. There is no insta-love here, and quite simply, their relationship is extraordinary.

I highly recommend reading this novel if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast, faeries, fantasy, or romance. This novel will not disappoint. Every second is packed with action, adventure, and excitement, and you will never want to put it down. It can be summed up with one word...



I can't wait to see where the story goes next, and I look forward to another wonderful series from Sarah J. Maas!

Happy reading :)  

~Cassie 

Winter Book Titles

In the past few weeks I was looking at releases that are coming out this winter, (since I don't have enough books to read for fall releases or anything). Anyway, I wanted to share with you guys books that I found that really excite me. One thing I noticed when looking through the releases was that I wasn't really impressed by any of the covers. I don't think they are ugly, but I think that pretty much all spring 2015 covers were absolutely beautiful!

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow. 
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

Arrows is set to be published on January 5th, 2016

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.
 
The Shadow Queen is set to be published on February 23rd, 2016

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

The Great Hunt is set to be published on March 8th, 2016

Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves. 

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start…until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

The Love that Split the World is set to be published on January 26th, 2016

Will you be trying any of these books? Which books are you most excited for that are releasing this winter?! 

Denton Little's Deathdate (Denton Little, #1)

Denton Little's Deathdate: Lance Rubin

Denton Little's Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day they will die. For 17-year-old Denton Little, that's tomorrow, the day of his senior prom.

Despite his early deathdate, Denton has always wanted to live a normal life, but his final days are filled with dramatic firsts. First hangover. First sex. First love triangle (as the first sex seems to have happened not with his adoring girlfriend, but with his best friend's hostile sister. Though he's not totally sure. See: first hangover.) His anxiety builds when he discovers a strange purple rash making its way up his body. Is this what will kill him? And then a strange man shows up at his funeral, claiming to have known Denton's long-deceased mother, and warning him to beware of suspicious government characters…. Suddenly Denton's life is filled with mysterious questions and precious little time to find the answers.

THIS BOOK! Ok so true story: I've never even heard of this book. When I was leaving BookCon I saw a bunch of these books just sitting on the table. My backpack was full, my hands were full but what's one more, right? I never heard of it so I had an internal struggle for "Do I take it?", ultimately I took it because I feel like the book might fall into the wrong hands if I wouldn't have taken it! Flash forward a month: I'm looking through the books I got at BookCon and even though I have several ARCs to read - this book was just screaming to be read because the description was awesome. 

This book totally reads like a contemporary but has a backbone of dystopian … or maybe SciFi, probably dystopian. Anyway this book is set in a world where everyone knows the date they're going to die. It's so weird because the characters are so accepting of it. They even think it's normal and can't imagine the time when people didn't know when they were going to die because then they couldn't say goodbye to everyone, come to peace with everything, kind of just wrap up loose ends. So it really makes you think, right? Like, WOW that's totally true! But since they are told everything when they are so young, they really don't know any different! Also, they don't know HOW they're going to die - so they know the when but not the how. The plot really makes you think but the book is just so funny that you don't need to think too far into it if you don't want to, you know? 

“I thought I could hang myself, but how? The one time I'd tried to hang a picture it took me two hours” 

Denton Little's life is the definition of awkward. And I love him. I mean on my list of book boyfriends - he's now pretty high up there. He is so cute and funny and I love having a guy as a main character! The beginning is hilarious, he has a girlfriend but he isn't quite sure what he did with his best friend's sister Veronica the night before. Paolo, his best friend has a death date coming 2 months after Denton's, which is one reason they are really good friends! Denton and Paolo both have an unusual outlook on death since they are dying so young. I think their friendship, while a little unconventional, is also one of my favorite book friendships 

I literally can't think of anything I didn't like about this book. It really had everything I liked in a book, and there was even a decent amount of of romance! UGH, the romance was seriously awesome which I was totally not expecting! Team Veronica for life! What would their ship name be? Dentica? Veronton? LOL! 

“People are like, 'Oh man, my life sucks. I didn't get a part in the spring musical.'

And I'm like, 'No, MY life sucks because tomorrow I won't even HAVE a life!'” 

So basically, this book was freaking awesome! I can't wait until the second book. Denton is one of those characters where you laugh at everything he says and he just has such a great personality that you don't even care what he looks like. I mean I don't think he's ugly, I just don't think he's your typical muscular, easy on the eyes, brooding YA love interest. You NEED to read this book! Seriously, go out and go get it! You will not regret it! 

- Jocelyn

Rook

Rook by Sharon Cameron
Publication Date: April 28, 2015

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my all time favorite classic reads, and so I am always a sucker for any book that even remotely reminds me of that original story. Well, when I found out that Rook was a re-telling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, I was hooked. I knew I needed to read this as soon a possible. Now because I'm such a fan of the classic novel, I am also very picky. I feel that if you're going to do a re-telling, it needs to be a good re-telling. Original enough that it is unique and new, but also has many hints of the original story. And let me tell you, Rook delivered big time and exceeded my expectations. I read a book by Ms. Cameron before, and sadly I wasn't really impressed by it. However, I always give authors second and third chances because I don't want to miss out on a great book based on another book by that author that just might not have been my cup of tea. Saying that, I am so happy I decided to read this novel because this is easily one of my all time favorite re-tellings of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

I knew that I would love Sophia's character right away. Her character was written perfectly (plus she has one of my all time favorite names...not that it influenced my love for her, but it did make her character even greater in my book). Sophia is tough, strong, and takes nothing from nobody. However, she is also absolutely fun and daring. She takes risks and doesn't think about the consequences. She just dives head first into situations, and it was perfect for her character. I know some people don't like this, but if it fits with her character, then that is more important to me than fitting into a mold. Sophia breaks that mold. However, just because she tends to dive headfirst into situations, doesn't mean she isn't smart or have a plan. She has her plan, and she sticks to it. Sophia is the ultimate vigilante, fighting for what is right and helping those in need to ensure their safety from the tyranny that is looming over them.

Another thing that was amazing in this novel was the relationships. I loved Sophia's relationship with her brother, Tom. They worked together well, and they made for some truly heart-touching moments in the book. They have a great bond, and nothing was going to keep them apart. Rene was another great addition to this story, and their "romance" and then romance (you'll understand once you read this book) was excellent. I loved watching their relationship grow over the course of the novel, and it didn't feel rushed. Sophia and Rene's relationship developed slowly, but something I loved about it was you never knew who you could trust. Was Rene betraying Sophia and her crew? You knew while reading that there was something (or at least you hoped there was something) more to his character. And when everything comes out, it's like a match is lit, and the slow burn of their romance suddenly combusts. And it is truly amazing. There is a slight love triangle, but I didn't mind it too much. I thought it was a bit out of place, and the story probably could have done without it, but that was just a personal preference since I don't really like love triangles.

The action in this book was simply stunning. Every scene was richly described and had me on the edge of my seat. I was flying through the pages because I needed to find out what was going to happen next. The twists and turns were also amazing, and kept me second guessing everything and everyone. As I said, you never knew who to trust or who to believe. Anyone and everyone could be a betrayer. The ending was explosive (figuratively and literally), and it will leave you breathless.

Do not miss out on this book! If you are a fan of The Scarlet Pimpernel, this is the book for you. Even if you aren't...this book is for you. It is unique, creative, and so much fun. While it is a little long, and there were times I felt the story could have gone a bit faster, I still very much enjoyed this story. I could read this over and over again, just like the classic novel, and never get tired of it. Definitely check this one out!

P.S.  Isn't that cover gorgeous?!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Cut Both Ways: Carrie Mesrobian
Publication Date: September 1st 

Will Caynes never has been good with girls. At seventeen, he’s still waiting for his first kiss. He’s certainly not expecting it to happen in a drunken make-out session with his best friend, Angus. But it does and now Will’s conflicted—he knows he likes girls, but he didn’t exactly hate kissing a guy.

Then Will meets Brandy, a cute and easy-to-talk-to sophomore. He’s totally into her too—which proves, for sure, that he’s not gay. So why does he keep hooking up with Angus on the sly?

Will knows he can’t keep seeing both of them, but besides his new job in a diner, being with Brandy and Angus are the best parts of his whole messed-up life. His divorced parents just complicate everything. His father, after many half-baked business ventures and endless house renovations, has started drinking again. And his mom is no help—unless loading him up with a bunch of stuff he doesn’t need plus sticking him with his twin half-sisters counts as parenting. He’s been bouncing between both of them for years, and neither one feels like home.

Deciding who to love, who to choose, where to live. Whichever way Will goes, someone will get hurt. Himself, probably the most.

So, even though I totally traded for an arc of this book - I'm just so excited to get it and read it! The description reminds me kind of like Fans of the Impossible Life, which comes out around the same time. I want to read more LGBT books and I hope this and FOTIL will be a good place to start! 

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1)

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh
Publication Date: May 12, 2015

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

Words cannot even begin to describe how much I adored this book. This is easily one of my favorites of 2015 so far, and it's hard to believe there could be a better start to a series out there. I just finished reading The Novice, and I thought that was amazing, so I was never expecting to love another new series just as much. But I did. The Wrath and the Dawn is a spectacular read that is sure to appease fans of Arabian Nights or even Aladdin. This book grabbed me from the beginning and never let me go. I simply couldn't stop reading, and the story stuck with me long after I finished. You know a book is good when it makes that kind of impression.

I was enthralled by this book from the very first chapter. The world itself is so interesting and intricate, but you are never once confused. This is told from several perspectives, and I think this aspect of the novel was handled not only beautifully, but also expertly. Ms. Ahdieh wrote with the grace and finesse of a seasoned author, and her writing will sweep you away on this spectacular journey. I do think it was crucial to the story that there were multiple perspectives as it added greatly to the book. This is not to say that without the multiple POVs the book wouldn't have been as amazing (because I'm sure it would have been), but it made the story much more complete and well-rounded to be able to see what was going outside of the palace where Shazi was residing for the duration of this book.

One of the best parts of this book was Shazi's character. She is simply one of the best female leads I have read in a long time, and my love for her rivals my love for Caelena from the Throne of Glass series. Seriously, she is that amazing. Not only is Shazi headstrong and independent, but she will fight with whatever she has in her in order to survive and fulfill her plot for revenge. It's hard not to lover her honestly. She has a great humor about her and her relationship with Khalid is like no other. Khalid himself is a wonderfully complex character, and I loved the mysterious nature to him. When all is revealed about Khalid's character, I just felt so strongly for him, and my love for him knows no bounds.

The relationship between Shazi and Khalid is simply beautiful. I highly applaud Ms. Ahdieh for creating a romance that is sure to captivate readers right from the off. Quite simply, this is one of the best romances/relationships I have read and even though I didn't want to love their relationship as much as I did (hello...Khalid killed Shazi's best friend!), did that effect me one bit...NOPE! I still shipped them like no one has shipped before. I was rooting for them almost immediately.

Ms. Ahdieh must possess some sort of writing magic, but whatever she has she must use this power to continue writing absolutely amazing books. The plot is incredibly creative and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I am so intrigued by the magic, and I can't wait to find out more about it in the second book, The Rose and the Dagger. Her writing is poetic and flows off the page. You will want to re-read this book as soon as you're finished. I highly recommend that you read this book because if you don't, you will miss out on an extraordinary book!

Happy reading :) 

~Cassie