The Winner's Crime- Marie Rutkoski

 

 

 

 

 

I am the minority here with this rating. I loved the first book SO much. This book was not what I expected at all and a bit of a disappointment. At the same time, it was really good plot wise. If we didn't have the failed romantic issues in this book, it would have been so much better.

 

 

In this book, Kestrel and Arin are just so frustrating. Okay, maybe just stupid. I don't know. Kestrel is supposed to be so smart and cunning but when it comes to her love life, she's the complete opposite. The lack of communication and them jumping the complete opposite conclusions ASAP, was driving me insane. That is what knocked the stars off this book. So far, what they have shown me is that they cannot communicate. At. All. That's a horrible start to any relationship. Arin's pretty stupid for trying to get her to be his, when she's engaged and going to be the next Empress. Then he doesn't take the hints she's trying to give them when he's trying to confess his love again. Instead of realizing that she's in a dangerous place that they could be overheard, he ignores all her attempts and takes it as her not wanting him. Then when he lets go of the sword. What an idiot. I would rather this book have 0 romance than this. It was just annoying.

 

 

Otherwise, the secrecy and political war that Kestrel is involved in, was fascinating. At the same time, she's not using her head and strategizing correctly! She knows how the Emperor feels about Herrani and yet goes around supporting them publicly and hanging out with them. When you already have rumors going around, you have to be smarter about that! This is what I don't understand. The whole series so far, she's being pegged as this super smart strategist but when it comes to her own life, she's clueless.

 

The best part of this book, was when Arin and Kestrel are separated. They both shined and got things done that I don't think they could do together. They made huge strides to try and protect their people.

 

Also, this book is a really slow read. Even if you are trying to get through it quickly, you won't. It was just impossible and it took more much longer than I anticipated. I don't even know why. The plot was smooth and interesting. I didn't really get bored or anything but it took me a while to get through this.

 

The cliffhanger is crazy. I can't wait to see what happens. I'm going to hope that the next book will be just as great as the first one. This book was good but I was just disappointed.

The Heir- Kiera Cass

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the first series even though it was predictable. When I saw that this book was happening, I wasn't sure what to think. Usually, authors have a hard time knowing when they need to let a good thing alone.

 

I will say that I picked "the one" right away. It is predictable again. The only thing is that this time we have a girl in control of the selection. I kind of understand why her parents force her into it but don't. They hated it and it's one of the things they worked to get rid of. Yet, here they are forcing their own daughter. I know, I know. They want to take people's mind off the troubles and keep them calm. Well I find it hard to believe this was the only way. I also understand, that's how she gets to write more books.

 

I had a hard time liking Eadlyn. She is just so whiny and self centered. It's hard to connect with that type of character. Especially, when you just want to roll your eyes. She's the absolute spoiled princess stereotype. I think towards the end she starts to realize this and she becomes a bit more enjoyable. Maybe this whole selection process will change her into a nicer, caring person.

 

I think the parts I enjoyed the most were the parts about her parents. Throwback was more interesting than present!

 

Overall, this book was just okay. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. The cover is absolutely gorgeous for sure. I'm interested enough to see what happens, that I will continue to read the rest of this series. I just don't know what hurry I will be in.

 

The Girl On The Train- Paula Hawkins

 

 

I finally got off the hold list for this book. I was trying to figure out why people were so crazy over this book. Everyone was pretty tight lipped and only that it was so good. Speaking of holds, there are currently almost 700, still. Yikes! Anyways, I took it on our vacation because we had a 10 hour road trip.

 

I got hooked quite early and kept reading because I just had to know what was happening. I'm a Psychology major so anything that has to do with the psyche is fascinating to me. The main character, Rachel really drove me nuts. She's in a horrible place. She lost her husband, her home, her job, her sanity. She still takes to train in everyday to keep up appearances that she's working. She's become an alcoholic and all she really does is constantly drink. She's miserable about her lost marriage and is having a hard time moving on. When she's on a bender, she likes to call her ex at all hours.

 

One day, she's on the train like normal, when she sees something horrible. To her anyways, it was just the appearance of what happened. She has made up these whole stories about people that she passes on the way to work. When she sees something that she doesn't agree with, it throws her completely off. She doesn't know the whole story, just that they are perfect in her head. She then becomes insanely intoxicated and events happen that she does not remember. It's a rough morning when she wakes up and there's a missing person. In fact, it's the person she idolizes. So she then makes it a mission to figure out what happened to her.

 

The whole time though, she's not sure if maybe she had something to do with it. She repeatedly drives me insane because she puts herself in horrible situations. She also makes things so much worse for her. Every time you think, "it will be this time!" It then it turns out that it will not be that time.. or the next. You start to get frustrated but then again you understand.

 

I loved that we get the three different points of view throughout this book. We get the story of three women, whose lives are entangled with each other in the present. We learn the past of Megan, who Rachel perceives as the perfect wife. We also get the story of Rache's ex-husbands new wife. I really didn't know what was going on until I got close to the end. I had no idea who was at fault. It's really amazing to see what people will do in their self-interest. I'm amazed by all the women and how selfishly they acted and irresponsibly. I was also shocked at the lengths someone would take.

 

A good thriller and it really is a fast read. You just fly through the book, mostly because you have to know what is happening. I don't know why it's blown up as much as it has. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, but not the greatest.

 

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry- Fredrik Backman

 

I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Absolutely one of the best. I love, loved his previous book, A Man Called Ove. When I saw that he was coming out with another book, I had to check Netgalley right away!

I started this book at the beginning of our road trip home and was finished about half way through. I just could not put it down! A beautiful story about a 7 year old girl and the adventure her crazy awesome grandmother sends her on, after her death. "Because all seven-year-olds deserve superheroes. And whoever disagrees with that needs their head examined."

Elsa is a "different" child and so much more mature than her classmates. This causes her to catch the eyes of all the bullies in her school. It's so heartbreaking to see what this poor girl is going through. How horrible our school systems really are... That's another story for another time. The hero here is, her grandmother. She's always there for her, always. She ends up making up a whole fairy tale world that includes all these different kingdoms. It gets a big hard to get into the story at first because we are just getting a lot of these fairy tale stories. What ends up happening though, is that her grandma is using the fairytales to tell her the stories of the people around her. Also, how to give her life lessons that are so important.

You then really have to start paying attention to the fairy tales to see if you can figure out which neighbor they are about. When she passes, she has Elsa deliver these letters to all their neighbors about apologizing for various things. In this time, Elsa gets to know them and learn things about her grandmother that she doesn't like so much.

The journey is just beautiful. You get to learn all these different things about the neighbors that are so surprising. I laughed out loud many times and then cried many more. This story will pull at your heartstrings at times. Such an amazing writer, I cannot wait for his next one!

 

BLog Tour & Giveaway of ICE KISSED by @AmandaHocking @StMartinsPress

 

 

 

Summary: (EXCERPT, REVIEW & GIVEAWAY BELOW)

In the majestic halls of a crystal palace lies a secret that could destroy an entire kingdom…

Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It's a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare. 

The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that's been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it's also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing the mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level--one neither of them is prepared for. 

As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it'll change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.

 

ICE KISSED

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedAmz

Barnes & Noble: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedBN

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedApp

Indiebound: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedIB

 

 

 

Bio: AMANDA HOCKING is The New York Times bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy and a lifelong Minnesotan. After selling over a million copies of her books, primarily in eBook format, she became the exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age.

Website: http://smarturl.it/AHWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_hocking

Tumblr: http://amandahocking.tumblr.com/

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

FOUR

compunction

 

 

 

The wind had calmed down some, so I left my jacket open, letting the air freeze the sweat that still stuck to me. After we'd finished training for the day, Ember had insisted that I join her for a treat at the bakery in the town square, saying we'd earned it. Tilda had to finish up some paperwork, and then she planned to meet us so we could talk more in depth about her wedding plans.

 

My muscles already ached and my right wrist cracked loudly every time I moved it, but I wasn’t sure I felt like I’d earned anything. The day left me feeling more like a failure than I already had.

Several inches of snow had piled up while we’d been working. Although there were still tracks from people and animals braving the weather, the streets were mostly deserted. The Kanin could handle whatever the weather threw at them, but that didn’t mean they were masochists. Most of us knew when it was worth it to stay in by the fire.

But Ember didn’t seem to mind. She just pulled her hat down over her ears and trudged through the snow banks.

“You were awfully quiet today,” Ember commented as we made our way down to the bakery.

I shrugged. “I was just training.”

“It’s more than that.” She paused before adding, “You know no one blames you.”

“Some people do.”

Ember scoffed. “Those people are stupid. Everyone who knows you knows that you did everything you could to stop Viktor Dålig and Konstantin.”

We’d been outside long enough that the cold had started to get to me, but I didn’t zip up my jacket. I just clenched my jaw, refusing to let my teeth chatter.

An oversized white husky was digging through the garbage outside the butcher shop. Large snowflakes clung to his thick fur. He looked at me as we passed by, his bright blue eyes seeming to look straight through me, and a chill ran down my spine. I quickly looked away.

“What if I didn’t do everything I could?” I asked.

Ember was so startled that she halted. “What? What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I did.” I turned back to face her, since I had walked a few steps after she’d stopped, and behind her I saw the husky had returned to rooting through the trash buried beneath the snow.

Ember narrowed her eyes. “Then what are you saying?”   

“I don’t know.” I let out a deep breath, and it was shaky from the cold. I turned my head toward the sky, blinking back the snowflakes that hit my lashes. “I did everything I could, but it wasn’t good enough. So then . . . what does it matter?”

There was something more to it than that, though. Something I couldn’t explain to Ember.

Viktor Dålig had beaten me, that was true. The sight of him had been like encountering a ghost, and I’d been in shock, so he’d been able to get the best of me. That didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted to stop him, but it had been my fault for letting myself be caught off guard, even for a moment.

But Viktor had wanted to kill me. When he’d smashed my head into the stone, he’d been trying to execute me—I knew that with absolute certainty. But he hadn’t succeeded, and I had a feeling that I had Konstantin Black to thank for being alive.

Run, white rabbit, as fast and far as you can, he’d whispered when I came upon him in the dungeon. Even though he’d been escaping, he’d looked so defeated then—his gray eyes soft and mournful, his entire body sagging, his olive skin going pale beneath the shadow of his beard. Konstantin hadn’t wanted me to get hurt.

I’d been convinced that Konstantin had been working for someone, that his attack on my father and his plots to go after changelings weren’t his idea. In Storvatten, he’d even said as much to me, telling me that he’d done it all for love. Whatever that meant.

“What happened in Storvatten?” Ember stepped closer to me. “You never even told me about Viktor Dålig. I’ve had to hear everything through other people,” she added, trying not to sound hurt that I hadn’t confided in her more.

“What have you heard?” I tilted my head, curious to know what people were saying.

“That he surprised you and overpowered you, and then he escaped with Konstantin,” she explained with a weak shrug. “Is there anything more to it than that? Did Viktor say anything to you?”

The butcher leaned out the back door of his shop and banged loudly on a metal pan, scaring the husky. The dog gave one hungry glance in my direction before running off and dis- appearing into the snow.

“No. He didn’t say anything.” I shook my head. “But...”

“But what?”

The wind came up a bit, blowing my blond waves of hair in front of my face, and I brushed them back absently. Ember pulled her jacket tighter around her, but she kept her dark eyes locked on me.

“I can’t help but feel like if I’d found the Queen, I’d have some answers,” I said finally, deciding that part of the truth was better than admitting that I didn’t think Konstantin was as evil as I once had.

“The Skojare Queen?” Her brow pinched, not understanding. “I thought she was dead.”

“That’s the theory,” I said. “I wanted to look for her more, but the Skojare King called off the search, and Ridley said there wasn’t anything left for us to do.”

“If the Skojare King doesn’t want you looking anymore, then Ridley’s right,” Ember said.

“I know, but . . .” I chewed my lip. “If I could find Linnea, I think I could find out what Konstantin is up to.”

“If you find her, and that’s assuming she’s even alive,” Ember pointed out. I lowered my eyes but didn’t say anything. “And you have direct orders to stay here and prepare for war. You can’t go off on some kind of wild-goose chase at a time like this.”

“I know.” I let out a reluctant sigh. “I just hate feeling so useless.”

“Everything that’s happened lately has to have been rough on you.” Ember looped her arm through mine and started leading me away, toward the bakery. “But that doesn’t mean you’re useless. You’re strong and you’re smart. You’re a great soldier, and that’s important too.”

We rounded the corner, and the sweet scent of pastries wafted through the air. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I’d skipped lunch that day. I’d been so focused on my training that I’d completely forgotten about it.

I began fantasizing about a delicious blackberry tart—a wonderful combination of sweet and bitter, with an emphasis on the bitter. But my momentary good mood immediately soured when the door to the bakery opened, and Juni Sköld stepped out into the snow.

It wasn’t exactly the sight of her that made me freeze in my tracks. Juni worked at the bakery, so I shouldn’t have been that surprised to see her here. She had to be one of the nicest people in all of Doldastam, and her luminescent skin literally radiated with happiness and kindness.

It was who she was with, and what she meant to him, that made me stop cold. Following right behind her was Ridley Dresden. He still wore his uniform, so he’d come here right from work to walk his girlfriend home.

“What’s wrong?” Ember asked. Since her arm was looped with mine, she’d been forced to stop alongside me.

Juni was laughing at something Ridley had said, but then she turned, and as soon as she spotted us her smile widened. Ridley, on the other hand, looked stricken at the sight of me.

I’m certain that part of it was because he was still angry at me. But another part was probably because he’d kissed me— twice—since he’d been dating Juni. The first time was only a few short blocks from here, and it had been so passionate and so intense that even thinking about it now made my pulse race and my stomach swirl with butterflies.

“Bryn!” Juni exclaimed, walking over to me while Ridley trailed several slow steps behind her. “It’s so good to see you! How are you holding up?”

“I’m . . .” I couldn’t even muster a fake smile.

Seeing her sheer delight and genuine concern for my well- being made me recognize that I had to be one of the worst beings who ever lived. And that was combined with the way Ridley was acting right then—shoving his hands in his pockets, avoiding looking at me at all costs. When his eyes finally did manage to land on me, his gaze was so harsh I felt about two inches tall.

“We’ve had a long day,” Ember supplied, since it seemed that I would stand there forever without saying anything.

“I’m just cold,” I said suddenly. “I think I should get inside.”

“Well, you stay warm,” Juni said, but she looked puzzled. “And take care.”

“Thanks, you too.” I ducked my head down and hurried toward the bakery as fast as I could.

“Why didn’t you say anything to her?” I heard Juni ask Ridley as I pulled open the door. “Are you two fighting?”

I practically ran inside the bakery so I wouldn’t have to hear his answer.

 

 

 

My Review:

 

3/5 stars

    I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ebook for review. These are my own thoughts and opinions and receiving a copy for free has not influenced them.

 

I really enjoy Amanda Hocking. This is my third series that I’ve read by her. Her books are something you want to pick up if you want an easy read into a great world for a few hours. This world is no different. The covers alone will make you pick this up and check it out. They are beautiful. Now onto the good stuff…

Bryn is an independent outcast in a way. She’s got a different look and is constantly being reminded of that. It’s one of the reasons that she’s such an awesome character. She’s constantly trying to prove everyone wrong and working so hard. At the same time, she has a romance that is blooming. I really enjoy most of the characters. I can't wait to see how things play out with Ridley

This book we get to learn more about her Skojare heritage but at the same time there’s a million more questions. It is one of the reasons for the 3 stars. I do like that we got more about her heritage and we get a bigger picture of the Skojare. I feel like I have more questions than answers in this book. I’m hopeful that the next book will answer them but I would have liked more clarity from the second book. The pace is a big slow and the plot doesn’t develop as much as I would have liked. I feel like there’s so many times that Konstantin Black is mentioned and we don’t even see him in this book.

I feel like this book was a little too much of a filler book. I would have liked more of an adventure in this one. The last 30 pages or so really picked up and there are some twists but it took that long to get me really interested. Maybe I had too high of expectations after the first book. It just fell short. I will still be reading the third book because I love Amanda’s world. I just hope it has more answers and more of a meatier plot! Not a bad book overall, just fell short of what I expect from a sequel/second book!

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!!

 

Enter to win your very own paperback copy of Ice Kissed!

To win all you need to do is leave a comment on this post along with your email address by midnight on SATURDAY, May 9th. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only (one entry per person) and the winner will be picked by random. I will announce it on Sunday, May 10^th! The book will be provided by St. Martin’s Press.

 

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Prodigal & Riven by @Sherry_D_Ficklin & Tyler_H_Jolley

This is the Blog Tour for Prodigal & Riven! I have included a lot of information and at the bottom are my reviews of each book! Thanks for stopping by!

 

Two journeys. One inescapable outcome. No time to lose.

 

Prodigal:

Stein has been with the Hollows for as long as she can remember. Taken as a child, she has no memories of her past—and that's always been fine by her. Until the day she stumbles across a hidden journal containing the devastating truth about her paternity. Now everything she thought she knew—and everyone she thought she could trust—has changed. The truth about who she is and where she came from is a secret so deep, it will rock the Hollows and the Tesla Institute alike.

During a test to verify her bloodlines, Stein makes a terrible discovery. She is carrying a rare genetic mutation that is slowly killing her. Unsure who to turn to and running out of time, she has no choice but to turn to Tesla—her most hated enemy—for help. But can she trust the man who she's been fighting against her whole life, or will she end up another piece in his deadly game of cat and mouse with the people who betrayed her so long ago?

 

 

RIVEN:

What should be a routine mission leaves Ethan with a serious problem. He's fractured—a break between mind and body that leaves him at the mercy of his Rifter abilities, which are quickly tearing him apart. He will have to trust the only person who might know how to fix him, a mysterious Rifter named Stewart Stills, who seems to have a special connection with the time stream.

Forced to face his dark past and a decision he may never forgive himself for, he will be trained unlike any of the others, to become a true guardian for time. If he accepts, it will mean leaving everyone he loves behind. If he refuses, time itself could unravel. After a glimpse of the dark future awaiting them all, he will have to choose between destiny and desire. Will he rise up and take his place as a defender of the natural order, or will he watch as all of time burns at the hands of the girl he loves?

Welcome to the time war.

 

 

 

Tyler H. Jolley is a sci-fi/fantasy author and full-time orthodontist, periodontist (see: Overachiever). He divides his spare time between writing, reading, mountain biking, and camping with his family.

Sherry D. Ficklin is a full-time writer and internet radio show host with more mouth then good sense. She has a serious book addiction, but continually refuses treatment, much to her husband’s chagrin.

Tyler and Sherry met one fateful day and bonded over their love for books, science fiction, and donuts. Their first co-written novel came shortly after. Now, they still do all those other things, but also go to various steampunk conventions and events under the guise of ‘research’. They can often be found lurking on the Lost Imperials Facebook page or over on the official website, www.thelostimperials.com.

 

 

Preorder link US amazon: http://amzn.to/1GSqTfq & http://amzn.to/19Pp05Q

Preorder link UK amazon: http://amzn.to/1NHblLu & http://amzn.to/1yKmfJs

Preorder link B&N exclusive FLIPBOOK: http://bit.ly/1ICxcCI

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My Reviews:  

  RIVEN

4/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Tyler Jolley's assistant for an advanced copy of this book for review.

I got through this book so fast! I loved it and just couldn't put it down. This one was about Stein's story. We get to find out how she's connected to Tesla. We also get to learn about her past and understand her more. I love that about this book because I really love Stein. She's such a great character. I also really enjoy the relationships that she has and how deep they are becoming. Especially, her relationship with  Ember, considering where they both came from.

The writing is amazing and I'm so impressed because it's by two authors! No one would know it. There is a lot going on this book. We also have the Rifters leaving and making a new home. Although, you don't get much of the other Rifters in this book. I would have liked more about the other characters in this book. It reminded me too much of a novella. That is the only complaint I have with this book.

 It's an interesting world that the authors have created and I'm really enjoying it. On to the next book! :)

PRODIGAL

4/5 stars

 

This book kind of felt like a long novella. Not a bad thing but that's what I felt when I was finished. We get Ethan's side. I wasn't sure if it would start from book two or not. It doesn't. We get Ethan's point of view early enough that we find out what he was doing when he starting having trouble staying in one place. I really liked this book. I liked Ethan before but I love him now. You really get a feel for how much he loves Ember in this book. It did have a bit of a slow start since it was a lot of things I already knew from book two. These are shorter reviews for me but it's because I feel like these two books overlap so much. Once we get to a place that it's an all new story, it really picks up speed. You will not be able to put the book down.

 

By the time that I was finished with this book, I was totally bummed it wasn't the last one! I can't wait to find out how this war is going to turn out. I can't wait to read more about these great characters and the stories that will unfold. Tyler & Sherry do a great job co-writing these books. I've said it before, I'll say it again.. you just cannot tell.

Prodigal by @Sherry_D_Ficklin & @TylerJolley

Thanks to the publisher and Tyler Jolley's assistant for an advanced copy of this book for review.

I got through this book so fast! I loved it and just couldn't put it down. This one was about Stein's story. We get to find out how she's connected to Tesla. We also get to learn about her past and understand her more. I love that about this book because I really love Stein. She's such a great character. I also really enjoy the relationships that she has and how deep they are becoming. Especially, her relationship with  Ember, considering where they both came from.

The writing is amazing and I'm so impressed because it's by two authors! No one would know it. There is a lot going on this book. We also have the Rifters leaving and making a new home. Although, you don't get much of the other Rifters in this book. I would have liked more about the other characters in this book. It reminded me too much of a novella. That is the only complaint I have with this book.

 It's an interesting world that the authors have created and I'm really enjoying it. On to the next book! :)