Book Review: The Struggle (Titan #3)

About the Book:
Title: The Struggle (Titan #3)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pub. Date: March 20, 2017
Publisher: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages: 368
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

A bloody path has been chosen… 

The war against the Titans continues, and they remain determined to wreak havoc on the world, but Seth has become something all gods fear. Now the most dangerous, most absolute power no longer resides in those who have been freed from their tombs. 

The Great War fought by the few is coming… 

All may doubt and fear what Seth has become. All except the one woman who might be his final chance at redemption. Josie will do anything to prove that Seth is on their side, but fate has a nasty way of changing lives, of changing people. 

In the end, the sun will fall… 

The only way they can save the future and save themselves is by facing the unknown together. It will take more than trust and faith. It will take love and the kind of strength not easily broken. No matter what, their lives will never be the same. 

For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in…

Review:

I hope there never comes a day when I stop getting excited over a Jennifer Armentrout book. The Struggle was absolutely amazing and if I could give this book a thousand stars, I would. I could honestly gush for years about this book and this series, but I'll try to sum it up in a short review. Every single sentence of this book was pure magic and I honestly never wanted the story to end. All of the characters have a special place in my heart and I don't know how I will ever say goodbye to them (I know the end is coming but I need to live in denial for a little bit longer). I don't think I need to tell anyone how extraordinary Jen's writing is, but in case you missed the memo a long time ago...this woman knows how to write! She is one of the few authors that I don't need to read the synopsis to know that I'll enjoy the story and suffer a major book hangover from. And this book was certainly no exception to that! 

After the explosive ending (literally) of the last book, I had to read this book as soon as possible. There is not a single thing that I didn't love in this story. The direction the story took, the crazy amounts of action, the romance...I could go on and on. But everything is written perfectly and the pacing is fantastic. I could not put this book down because I was desperate to find out what was going to happen. There were so many twists and turns in this novel that no one will see coming, and even though you don't think the characters could be developed any more...guess again!

When I first started reading this series, Josie wasn't my favorite...especially when compared to Alex. However, Josie has grown into this wonderful character that I love a great deal. She is tough, fierce, and feisty (a winning combination if you ask me). Seth does a great deal of growing in this novel and while he's still the cocky guy we all know and love, certain circumstances change him and he realizes he needs to step up to the plate. There is no denying the love Seth and Josie have for each other, and it's even sweeter in this book. Their banter is priceless and I love how much Seth cares for Josie. He will go to the ends of the Earth for her and I loved every single second of it. I will say, there was one scene towards the end of the book where Seth takes a HUGE risk. My heart was in my throat and I almost didn't want to read the scene for fears that something bad was going to happen (especially since this was literally the end of the book and we all know how JLA loves her cliffhangers). But carry on I did, and things worked out...until we (and Josie) realize something major about her powers and the future. And at that point, I really wish we never learned the truth about Josie's powers because my heart broke. 

Aiden, Alex, Deacon, Luke, Apollo, and everyone else is back and better than ever! Honestly, I love Aiden and Alex so much and I'm glad they have roles in this story. It wouldn't feel like this world without them in the story somehow. However, the one thing that blew my mind was Aiden and Seth starting to actually agree with each other and work well together. And you know what? It's even better than I imagined it to be. Their banter is still epic and hilarious, and they kinda still hate each other, but they have made great strides in their friendship and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Apollo obviously still isn't winning any Father-Of-The-Year awards, and there's obviously something major brewing behind the scenes that the readers are not yet privy to. 

The cliffhanger of a ending in The Struggle isn't as bad as The Power, but it's still bad nonetheless. All fans of this series and of JLA need to check this book out as soon as possible. It's going to be one heck of a wait until the fourth book in the series, but I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next!! 

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday #113

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.

Cassie's Waiting On: 


Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress #1) by Julie C. Dao
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017 

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

This is supposed to be an East Asian spin on The Evil Queen legend and I am here for it! This has been on my TBR for a long time (like since last year haha), so to say I'm excited for this one is an understatement.  I really hope this is as amazing as it sounds!



Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

Vanilla by Billy Merrell 
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017 

Synopsis:

A bold, groundbreaking novel about coming out, coming into your own, and coming apart. 

Hunter and Van become boyfriends before they're even teenagers, and stay a couple even when adolescence intervenes. But in high school, conflict arises -- mostly because Hunter is much more comfortable with the sex part of sexual identity. As the two boys start to realize that loving someone doesn't guarantee they will always be with you, they find out more about their own identities -- with Hunter striking out on his own while Van begins to understand his own asexuality.

In poems that are romantic and poems that are heartbreaking, Vanilla explores all the flavors of the spectrum -- and how romance and love aren't always the same thing.

I love LGBT novels. I think they are amazing in the way that, for me, they not only entertain but they also inform. I love learning about different lifestyles and it helps me as a psychologist recognize some of the issues that people go through as they are coming out. 

Book Review: Windwitch (The Witchlands #2)

About the Book:
Title: Windwitch (The Witchlands #2)
Author: Susan Dennard
Pub. Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

Review:

I am such a huge fan of Susan Dennard and had this book preordered as soon as I possibly could! I fell in love with the first book in the series, Truthwitch, but this one was absolutely mind blowing! Susan Dennard deserves a huge round of applause for creating this book and giving all readers such an epic fantasy novel to enjoy! Windwitch is an emotional thrill ride that leaves you begging for more as the book draws to its close. 

“It is always easier to blame gods or legends than it is to face our own mistakes.” 

My one complaint about the last book was that the world building was a tiny bit confusing. However, that was very quickly remedied in this novel as everything becomes very clear early on. However, not only does Ms. Dennard clear some things up that we were confused about in the previous book, but she also expands upon the world she has established and built it up so much more. I honestly was blown away by the extent of the world building in this novel and how absolutely marvelous it was. Everything about this book is so well written and Ms. Dennard (who I have always found to be an excellent writer) has become an author that rivals some of the best out there! There is much more politics and intrigue incorporated into the story but it never becomes overwhelming. In fact, it adds that much more to the story and makes it exciting. You never know who will become your ally and who will wind up betraying you. There were many surprises that I never saw coming in this story, and it made for an exhilarating read.

The writing flows effortlessly off the page, and you can tell how much blood, sweat, and tears Ms. Dennard put into creating this story. She incorporated more action, more character development, and more twists than before. While there are some things the reader is left questioning, it's entirely intentional as we aren't supposed to know yet. I know some people might not like the amount of action that was featured in this book, but I wholeheartedly enjoyed it! It was thrilling and no one can ever say that Ms. Dennard can't write an action scene. I was write there along with the characters, my heart pounding and my mind racing with who would win. There is a noticeable lack of romance in this story, but honestly that's never been the focus of the story anyway, and as such, I didn't mind.

“I told you, Hell-Bard. Everyone lies. It's in the way we banter with our friends. It's in the mundane greetings we give passersby. It's in the most meaningless things we do every single moment of every single day. Hundreds upon thousands of tiny, inconsequential lies.” 

While this is Merik's book, all of the characters are back. Interestingly though, none of them really cross paths except for Iseult and Aeduan. When I realized that Iseult and Aeduan (who I was already shipping in the last book) were going to be together for the majority of this book, I was ecstatic! They are such an interesting couple and the growth each of the characters went through over the course of the story was utterly fantastic! While at first they were hesitant to trust each other and had their walls built high, over time, they came to let their guard down some and let the other in. You feel the chemistry between them with every fiber of your being, and you just want them to be together in the end. I have shipped very few people as hard as I am shipping Iseult and Aeduan. Little by little, they grow to trust each other and you only realize this through small things during their scenes together. For example, when Aeduan let's Iseult walk behind him after always having her in front of him because he never trusted her unless he could see her. We learn so much more about Aeduan and my heart broke for him multiple times. I honestly can't wait to see where their story progresses from here!

Safi and Iseult, our Threadsisters, are never physically in a scene together but that doesn't mean they aren't thinking about each other. Their friendship is beautiful and so strong. To me, it really is the center of the story. They prove time and time again that true friendship knows no bounds. That despite miles and miles between them, they can still aid each other in times of need. They help each other stay strong and focused no matter the situation. They both struggled a lot during this book, but each has found a way to overcome and persevere. 

“If Iseult were here, then Safi could charge off into that jungle without a second thought. With Iseult, Safi was brave. She was strong. She was fearless.” 

Safi and Vaness are working together in this book and it was a surprising interaction to say the least. Their adventures were very much action-packed and quite hilarious. You never knew who was going to turn out to be an ally in their scenes. 

“Oh, I know!" Safi clapped her hands, delighted by her own genius. "I shall call you Un-empressed."

"Please," Vaness said coldly, "stop this immediately."

Safi absolutely did not.” 

Merik, who was a favorite of mine in the previous book, was a bit irritating at first. He was much more arrogant and I felt like somebody or something needed to come along and whip him into shape. And that something did in the form of a brilliant twist, and everything started making sense. I loved Merik and Cam together...they certainly make a fun and interesting pair. Merik grows significantly in this story and I loved that he learned from and accepted his mistakes. He realized many of his presumptions were not correct, and he needed to correct his attitude and outlook. Vivia, Merik's sister, who was featured in the last book, was always a character that I never liked. However, she gets her own POV in this story and while at first I was internally groaning, I actually really loved her! She was very misunderstood from the first book, and I like that Ms. Dennard was able to change my mind about her. I was actually rooting for her, so you can see how I did a complete 360 there. Whereas before Vivia came across evil and harsh, in her chapters, she appeared more human, more vulnerable, and more relatable. It was very interesting to read.

As I said, there was a lack of romance in this story, but I found that I didn't mind it one bit! Susan Dennard has delivered an amazing story that will please any fan of the series. She has opened so many new doors and revealed so many new things that I'm not sure where the story will go from here. But I am looking forward to the unpredictable nature of this story and seeing what Ms. Dennard has in store for us in the third novel! Read this one now!!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Blog Tour: Everything Under the Sun

About the Book:
Title: Everything Under the Sun
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Publication Date: August 28, 2017
Pages: 683
Genre: Fiction & Literature | Post-Apocalyptic | Suspense | Romance

Synopsis:

Thais Fenwick was eleven-years-old when civilization fell, devastated by a virus that killed off the majority of the world’s population. For seven years, Thais and her family lived in a community of survivors deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. But when her town is attacked by raiders, she and her blind sister are taken away to the East-Central Territory where she is destined to live the cruel and unjust kind of life her late mother warned her about.

Atticus Hunt is a troubled soldier in Lexington City who has spent the past seven years trying to conform to the vicious nature of men in a post-apocalyptic society. He knows that in order to survive, he must abandon his morals and his conscience and become like those he is surrounded by. But when he meets Thais, morals and conscience win out over conformity, and he risks his rank and his life to help her. They escape the city and set out together on a long and perilous journey to find safety in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Struggling to survive in a world without electricity, food, shelter, and clean water, Atticus and Thais shed their fear of growing too close, and they fall hopelessly in love. But can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?

About the Author:

J.A. (Jessica Ann) Redmerski is an international bestselling author and award winner who juggles several different genres. She began self-publishing in 2012, and later with the success of THE EDGE OF NEVER, signed on with Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance. Her works have so far been translated into twenty languages.

Jessica is a hybrid author who, in addition to working with a traditional publisher, also continues to self-publish. The Portuguese rights to her popular crime and suspense series, In the Company of Killers, have been picked up by one of Brazil's largest publishers - Suma de Letras; Paikese Kirjastus in Estonia; Ephesus in Turkey; Konyvmolykepzob in Hungary. The series has been optioned for television by William Levy.

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN is Jessica’s newest love story.

Excerpt:

“I’LL WAIT FOR YOU.”

  

“One more night,” I said, not looking at her. “Give me one more night and I’ll get you out of this city.” All I could see in front of me was the scenario: I’d wait until very late, after most of the city was sleeping, and then I’d dress her in my military clothes, make her pin up her hair underneath a cap, strap a rifle to her shoulder, a backpack full of goods on her back, and set her atop the mare waiting at the stables.

“But there’s nothing for me anymore,” Thais said, wiping away the lingering tears on her cheeks. “There’s nowhere for me to go, and no one waiting for me there if by some miracle I make it alive. My mother and father are dead. My sister”—she looked up at me, and although I didn’t meet her gaze, I could feel her eyes on me—“my whole family is dead, and this world is dead and my soul is dead and everything that was once good and beautiful and right, is dead.”

I looked at her then, her words stirring me.

“That’s not true,” I said, and got up from the chair and crouched in front of her. “You may be the only good thing left in this world, and I’ll be goddamned if I let your light fade.”

Tears tumbled down Thais’ cheeks.

I took the gun that had fallen from her hand, tucked it into the back of my pants.

“Promise me you won’t try anything,” I said as I went toward the door. “Promise me on your sister’s soul, that you’ll stay in this room and wait for me.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get your supplies.” I placed my hand on the doorknob. “Don’t open this door for anyone.” I opened it to blackness; the candles that had been lit in the hallway had burned down.

“Wait,” Thais called out, and I stopped.

She stood up on wobbly legs.

“You said to get my supplies—are you sending me away alone?”

I thought on it for a moment. I’d never had any intention of going with her. I couldn’t. Not if I was going to keep others from following her.

“No,” I finally said. “You’re not going alone. I’ll go with you, at least until I can get you somewhere safe.”

“Is there anywhere safe, Atticus?” Her voice was soft, hopeless, and hearing her say my name like that did something to my heart. “Do you know where you’re taking me?”

I sighed. And I looked at the wall.

“Yes,” I lied, and then stepped out into the hallway.

Just before I closed the door I added, “Promise me.”

Thais nodded.

“I promise,” she said. “I’ll wait for you.”

Buy the book now: Amazon (Kindle)

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday #112

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.

Cassie's Waiting On: 

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater 
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017 

Synopsis:

Here is a thing everyone wants:
A miracle.

Here is a thing everyone fears:
What it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

I have had my ups and downs with Maggie Stiefvater, but I'm very excited for her new book! It sounds very intriguing and mysterious and I've heard some great things about this book already.  And I'm kind of obsessed with that cover.  Here's hoping it's another win!


Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

The Hollow Girl by Hillary Monahan 
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017 

Synopsis:

Five boys attacked her.
Now they must repay her with their blood and flesh.

Bethan is the apprentice to a green healer named Drina in a clan of Welsh Romanies. Her life is happy and ordered and modest, as required by Roma custom, except for one thing: Silas, the son of the chieftain, has been secretly harassing her.

One night, Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and a half-Roma friend, Martyn. As empty and hopeless as she feels from the attack, she asks Drina to bring Martyn back from death’s door. “There is always a price for this kind of magic,” Drina warns. The way to save him is gruesome. Bethan must collect grisly pieces to fuel the spell: an ear, some hair, an eye, a nose, and fingers.

She gives the boys who assaulted her a chance to come forward and apologize. And when they don’t, she knows exactly where to collect her ingredients to save Martyn.

Witches? Yes please!! I've become more and more interested in horror novels, and what better time to read one than right before Halloween? This year, I'm definitely going to write a list of my favorite fall reads and post it on here. I hope this one is as spooky as it sounds! 

Cover Reveal: The Night Realm

About the Book:
Title: The Night Realm (Spell Weaver #1)
Author: Annette Marie
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: October 20th 2017
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis: 

Clio would love nothing more than to go home. But as the illegitimate daughter of the nymph king, she’s stuck in the human world, exiled until she can earn a place in the royal family. Then her half-bother offers her a chance to prove herself. All she has to do is acquire some magic … by stealing it from the most dangerous spell weavers in the Underworld.
Lyre prefers to go unnoticed, which is a tricky objective for an incubus. He can’t hide his looks or his coveted spell weaving skills, but he’s learned to mask his true intentions. As an unwilling pawn of the tyrannical Hades family, he stays alive by keeping one step ahead of his masters.
Now he’s been assigned to watch over a visitor from the Overworld—one who’s definitely hiding something. And with her unholy talent for triggering chaos and catastrophe, his job just keeps getting more perilous. Clearly, she’ll never survive this world.
The thing is, he’s no longer sure he can survive it either.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:

Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling Steel & Stone series, which includes Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night, and fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast- paced urban fantasy and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it's not quite that bad) with her comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

~Cassie

Book Review: Too Late

About the Book:
Title: Too Late
Author: Colleen Hoover
Pub. Date: November 19, 2016
Publisher: Hoover Ink
Pages: 394
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

Sloan will go through hell and back for her little brother. And she does, every single night. 

Forced to remain in a relationship with the dangerous and corrupt Asa Jackson, Sloan will do whatever it takes to make sure her brother has what he needs. 

Nothing will get in her way. 

Nothing except Carter. 


Sloan is the only good thing to ever happen to Asa. He knows this and he never plans on letting her go; even if she doesn't approve of his lifestyle. But despite Sloan's disapproval, Asa knows what it takes to get what he wants. He knows what he needs to do to remain on top. 

Nothing will get in his way. 

Nothing except Carter.

Review:

“Love finds you in the forgiveness at the tail end of a fight. Love finds you in the empathy you feel for someone else. Love finds you in the embrace that follows a tragedy. Love finds you in the celebration after the conquering of an illness. Love finds you in the devastation after the surrender to an illness.” 

I originally read this book as Colleen was writing it on Wattpad and then obviously had to read it again when it was released. The first time I read it, I didn't love it as much as I thought I would, but the second time made me love it a lot more. Is it my favorite read from Colleen Hoover? No. But I still love it a great deal (I mean, I read it a second time so that should tell you something) and would highly recommend checking it out! I honestly don't think it's possible for Colleen to write a bad book, and this story is very captivating. I will say that Too Late is for mature readers. It has some very dark, twisted things featured in its pages, and it's not your typical Colleen Hoover book. So just be aware of that prior to reading.

“He's not safe. He's the shark-infested deep end of the sea and if I agree to go out with him, I'd be walking the plank, right off the boat and into his dark depth. How am I supposed to do that when I don't even know if I can swim?” 

Sloan is our main female lead and I loved her! There were times she got on my nerves a little bit, but overall she was an excellent female protagonist. Despite her thinking, she is much stronger than she realizes, and is a very realistic character...which is something that Colleen always has done best. Sloan knows the right thing to do, but there are many outside factors preventing her from making that decision. One of which is her brother, Steven. If Sloan leaves the person she is most scared of, her brother has nothing and won't be able to receive the help he needs. I honestly commend Sloan for being as strong as she was because I don't know anyone who could put up with the physical, mental, and sexual abuse she did. 

“I cried because I realized that no matter who he’s become, a part of me is still in love with him...because I don’t know how not to be. 

Asa, Sloan's boyfriend/captor (because let's be real here...that's exactly what he is), is a grade-A asshole. Seriously, I have never read a character I hated as much as I did Asa. And you're supposed to. He is evil, sadistic, and absolutely insane (I mean that literally). I actually loved that we were able to read from his perspective because it really helps readers understand the situation that Sloan has had to deal with for so long. Asa's mindset and thinking shows just how far gone he is, and there is no fixing that kind of crazy. Even though he's fictional, I was even afraid of Asa. There are many things that he does during the story that are absolutely shocking, and the sad (and frightening) truth is that there are many people like Asa out there in this world. 

“The journey from first breath to death has nothing to do with miracles, how much you pray, coincidences, or divine intervention.” 

Sloan isn't alone in this crazy, messed up situation though. Enter, Carter (or Luke when he's not undercover). He saves Sloan in every way a person can possibly be saved, and I fell in love with his character right from the get go. Luke certainly didn't expect Sloan to enter his life, but once she did there was no turning away from her. Even though Sloan knows she's in a bad situation, she still does think that she loves Asa...but Luke makes her realize what love actually is and how love should actually feel. It shouldn't feel like an obligation or a punishment, it should allow the person to feel safe and secure. 

“I guess that's the difference in being loved the right way and the wrong way. You either feel tethered to an anchor...or you feel like you're flying.” 

While I did enjoy the many many epilogues, at one point it felt a bit much. And the fact that the actual conclusion to the story left a big thing up in the air made me a little upset. It's really not that big of a deal that one thing is left unresolved, but it kills me that the truth of the situation is what I think it is because I want Sloan and Luke's lives to be free of Asa in every form. But Luke utters the best couple of sentences that will make every girl swoon so in the end, he's there for Sloan no matter what and that's really all that is important.

Overall, this is a very gripping and dark novel by Colleen Hoover that is sure to appeal to many readers. While it's not my all-time favorite novel by Colleen, I still enjoyed it a great deal and think that any fan of hers will enjoy it as well. It's definitely worth checking out when you get the chance!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday #111

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.

Cassie's Waiting On: 

Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu
Publication Date: September 12, 2017

Synopsis:

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

Marie Lu is writing a new series?? Ummm...count me in!! I didn't even need to read the synopsis in order to know I'm going to read this book, but since I did I seriously can't wait for this book to come out! It sounds like such an epic sci-fi thriller that is going to put an interesting spin on gaming.  Can't wait!

Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno 
Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017 

Synopsis:

Ryan McCullough and Gabby Hart are the unlikeliest of friends. Introverted, anxious Gabby would rather do literally anything than go to a party. Ryan is a star hockey player who can get any girl he wants—and does, frequently. But against all odds, they became not only friends, but each other’s favorite person. Now, as they face high school graduation, they can’t help but take a moment to reminisce and, in their signature tradition, make a top ten list—counting down the top ten moments of their friendship: 

10. Where to begin? Maybe the night we met.
9. Then there was our awkward phase.
8. When you were in love with me but never told me…
7. Those five months we stopped talking were the hardest of my life.
6. Through terrible fights…
5. And emotional makeups.
4. You were there for me when I got my heart broken.
3. …but at times, you were also the one breaking it.
2. Above all, you helped me make sense of the world.
1. Now, as we head off to college—how am I possibly going to live without you?

I didn't completely love the first Katie Cotugno's book I read - 99 Days. But I will say one thing about it, it was completely addicting. It was definitely a guilty-pleasure kind of read. I'm hoping this read will be just as addicting! 

Book Review: RoseBlood

About the Book:
Title: RoseBlood
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Pages: 432
Rating:  2/5 stars

Synopsis:

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera. 

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

Review:

It kills me to write this review, and for awhile I wasn't going to. I was just going to let my rating speak for myself. Because here's the thing, I love A.G. Howard. I have loved all the books she has written thus far, and I am always captivated by her gorgeous prose. But this book? This book was an invariable mess and I don't even know what I read. I tried with this novel, I mean I really tried. I stopped reading it for a bit because I thought, "Maybe I'm just in a bad mood."So I restarted it a couple days later when I was really in the mood to be reading a dark twisted tale on Phantom of the Opera. But was that time successful? Nope! It just got worse. Let me tell you, the only reason I didn't DNF it was because of my loyalty to this author, and it was my loyalty alone that kept me trudging through this overwritten story. I'm sure plenty of people will love this book, but this was a huge miss for me and it definitely broke my heart a bit.

I don't even know where to start with this because there is just so much wrong. So let's start with the writing shall we? It's overwritten, bloated story that is filled with description upon description that makes even the smallest detail become a huge thing. Like I can't even tell you how many times the word gothic was used in this story because it was probably at least used 6 times on each page. And if you didn't notice, this book is a whopping 432 pages. That's a lot of "gothic's". On top of that every single thing is described very richly. Normally, I wouldn't mind this, but when it takes you about 10 pages to describe a single scene...that's going just a tiny bit overboard, don't ya think? I mean by page 300, I could care less what the rug in the bathroom off the main entrance looks like because I'm sure it's just as gothic as the rest of the gothic furniture in the gothic opera house/school that Rune attends, which is (if you couldn't tell) super gothic-y in all it's wondrous gothic gothic-ness. 

I mean at one point I was just straight up laughing at how detailed this story was. Why you ask? Well, it would be one thing if these descriptions were normal people descriptions, but that certainly wasn't what this was. The descriptions in this book look like the author decided to use every single imaginable word in a thesaurus and just spit them out on the page. And that obviously makes for some very weird and very bizarre sentences. Honestly, you could open this book to any page and be weirded out by a sentence. And there are way too many examples to even list. 

Rune (our MC) is just mind-numbingly boring. Obviously she's gorgeous (but doesn't know it!), and is super special for some unbeknownst reason. I never once connected with her, and when her life was repeatedly in danger (as it always is in these types of books), I couldn't bring myself to care even the tiniest bit. She's honestly nothing special in my eyes, and is like every other dew-eyed heroine out there. Rune has special abilities (shocking, I know...who would have thought?), and even more shockingly, she is the key to everything . Bet you didn't see that coming, because I sure didn't. Nope, not in any way. I honestly can't tell you anything about her because she is that forgettable. And that makes me really sad because Ms. Howard usually writes such amazing characters. Now I have to move onto the unfortunate love interest...Thorn. A quick side note, he's also equally as gorgeous as Rune, and even though he hides himself behind a mask and has lived in the sewer (every girl's dream right?) in France for his entire life, Rune feels like she knows him. Moreover, when they finally meet, she's swept away instantly because he just knows and understands Rune like no one else. 

Personally, he was Creepy McCreepster in my eyes and I literally had to suppress the shivers any time he opened his mouth. I honestly wanted to shake Rune and tell her, "Honey, if someone is spying on you through the vents, watches you sleep because he's calmed by your breathing, and has dreamed of you since you were 6 (which obviously makes you soul mates because duh!), maybe you should rethink the whole love thing." Just a thought. I mean maybe that's just me, and because I'm not singing and living in a gothic opera house I will never understand true love and soul mates. But I digress. 

I will say that I did think the author did give a unique and creative spin on the original Phantom of the Opera story, but I have a hard time thinking whether it was a good creative or a bad creative. Because there was a lot of times (and I mean A LOT of times) where I was just lost as to what was happening and why I was even reading this book. I mean I lost it when the Opera Ghost signed his initials O.G. because literally all I was thinking was "Original Gangster" and me imagining Erik as some hip hop wannabe chilling under the sewers waiting for his time to shine in baggy pants and chains around his neck. And just for good measure (since this book obviously wasn't weird enough), Jepetto was thrown in because why the heck not? I mean at that point, he wasn't even close to the weirdest thing in this book, so I just kinda went with it. 

This entire book was sad to read because this could have been utterly fantastic! I have been waiting for a good creative retelling of Phantom of the Opera and I thought that A.G. Howard would have been the perfect person to achieve this. But I was sorely mistaken, and was left very very disappointed. If you can't tell, I could never, in good conscience, recommend this book when the only good thing about it is the stunning cover.

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Book Blitz: Crescent Calling

About the Book:
Title: Crescent Calling (The Crescent Witch Chronicles #1)
Author: Axelle Chandler
Publication date: August 9th 2017
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis: 

Skye Williams is an ordinary woman, living an ordinary life.
Or so she thought.
When she receives news of her estranged mother’s death, she must go to Ireland to claim her inheritance, but when she arrives in the tiny village of Derrydun, she isn’t prepared for what she finds nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Emerald Isle.
Lumped with a funeral, her mother’s crystal shop, a moody goth girl for an employee, and a crumbling cottage with horrible floral curtains, selling up and getting out sounds like a great plan, but everything and everyone seems determined to keep her from going home.
Skye doesn’t want any part of her mother’s life or the people of Derrydun until she sees the hot Irishman she’s been crushing on turn into a fox.
More absurdly, he tells her her dead mother was a witch who battled evil fairies, there’s magical trees growing in the centre of the village, there’s a parallel universe where the fair folk live, and she’s meant to be the last defense of the magical peoples of Ireland.
Turns out Skye Williams was never an ordinary woman. Not by a long shot.
She’s the last Crescent Witch and has a destiny to fulfil.
Whether she likes it or not.

The Crescent Witch Chronicles is a series stuffed full of Irish charm, myth and mayhem. Come on an adventure fraught with danger and forbidden romance…and the ultimate battle to save magic before it’s gone forever.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

That night, as Buddy kept me company, I fell asleep to the sound of wind howling through the trees outside. Plagued with dreams of wolves, I tossed and turned until I slipped into a deep slumber.
When dawn finally broke, I was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and my head was stuffed with cotton wool. I’d slept but not really. A heavy burden was over my heart, and my body had become twisted in the quilt, my feet trapped.
Ugh, I was all hot and sticky. I kicked, trying to shift the uncomfortable weight and turned over, but it didn’t budge. Lifting my head, my eyes cracked open, sleep still clogging my head. That was when I saw a lump at the end of the bed. A very large, man-shaped lump.
Now completely awake, I screamed, scrambling up the bed. It was Boone. A very naked Boone.
He started, his head shooting up, and when he saw me, he rolled and fell off the end of the bed, hitting the floor with a thud. Scrambling to his feet, his face turned a deep shade of crimson.
“Oh, shit,” he cursed, covering his junk with his hands. “Oh, cac.”
“Cac?” I yelled. “I’ll give you bloody Irish cac!”
Grabbing the lamp on the bedside table, I pushed up onto my knees and swung it with all my might. The plug popped out of the wall, and the shade barely missed Boone’s face, but the cord came around and whipped him directly on his bare ass.
He howled in pain and retreated across the room.
“Pervert!” I shrieked.
“Let me explain,” he said, holding up his hands and leaving nothing to the imagination.
“Explain? What’s there to explain?” I shouted, trying not to look at his you-know-what. “You were asleep on the end of my bed…naked!” I swung the lamp at him again, barely missing his head. “You’re still standing there. I can see your meat and two veg!”
“Oh, cac,” he said again. “I didn’t mean for you to find out this way…”
“Find out what? That you’re a pervert, who sneaks into women’s homes butt naked?”

Author Bio:

Axelle Chandler is an Australian Urban Fantasy author. She lives in the western suburbs of Melbourne dreaming up nail biting stories featuring bad-ass witches, hunky shape shifters and devious monsters. She likes chocolate, cat memes and video games. When she’s not writing, she likes to think of what she’s writing next.

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~Cassie