Sunday, March 31, 2019

Wrote that Review Update #242, March 31st

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!
If you want to participate, set a certain amount of reviews to write, and once you make that goal, you can get a reward!

My reviews to reward is writing all of the reviews of the week, and I motivated myself to write my review for The Dragon Throne, If I Was Your Girl, Proof of Forever, Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe, And She Was, Royal Bastards and City of Bastards, Storm Cursed, Legacy of Light,
Spelled, Bang, so I have 10 of 10 reviews written!

And as always, I want to review this week's reviews!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

How Well I Stuck to It #245, March 31st

So I decided that I should have accountability on sticking to what should be in a week, so I'm doing How Well I Stuck to It every Sunday, because my schedule should be fixed in by now!

Defy the Fates by Claudia Gray, Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi, Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi, Furyborn by Claire Legrand, Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller, Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller, Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton

Tour Books: 1. Check.

Review Books: NA.

NetGalley: 1. Check.

Edelweiss: NA.

Meme Books: NA.

Rereads: NA.

New Books: 5. Check.

Yeah, this is a pretty good week, not too long, and while there are a lot of new books, but from authors that I really enjoy or want to read! I'm happy with it!

Week 13:
Spelled by Betsy Schow, Wanted by Betsy Schow, Banished by Betsy Schow, Dark Tribute by Iris Johansen,The Dating Game by Kiley Roach, The Dragon's Throne by Ava Richardson, Here There are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé, Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley

vs.

The Dragon Throne by Ava Richardson, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo, Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer, Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton, And She Was by Jessica Verdi, Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts, City of Bastards by Andrew Shvarts, Storm Cursed by Patrica Briggs, Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley, Spelled by Betsy Schow, Bang by Barry Lyga

Yeah, I hardly read what I wanted, just 3 of them, but I read a lot more, so yeah, I'm happy with this week! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Stephen Blackmoore Author Page

The Story: I saw Fire Season on NetGalley, and yeah, it looked really great, so I went to read the whole series, and yeah, really enjoyed it! Can't wait for it to come out!

Website

Series: Eric Carter.

Eric Carter: Dead Things and his site, my review, Broken Souls and his site, my review, Hungry Ghosts and his site, my review, Fire Season and his site, my review, Ghost Money and his site, my review, Bottle Demon and his site, my review, Suicide Kings and his site, my review, Hate Machine and his site, my review, Cult Classic and her site, my review.

Stand Alone's: City of the Lost and his site, my review.

Claire Legrand Author Page

The Story: I saw Sawkill Girls on Edelweiss, and yeah, I enjoyed it! I also saw Winterspell on Goodreads, and yeah, it sounds good and I can't wait to read it!

Website

Stand Alone's: Sawkill Girls and her site, my review, Extasia and her site, my review.

Series: WinterspellEmpirium, The Middlemist Trilogy.

Winterspell: Summerfall and my review, Winterspell and her site, my review, Homecoming and my review.

Empirium: Furyborn and her site, my review, Kingsbane and her site, my review, Queen of the Blazing Throne and my reviewLightbringer and her site, my review.

The Middlemist Trilogy: A Crown of Ivy and Glass and her site, my review.

Betsy Schow Author Page

The Story: I saw Spelled and Wanted on NetGalley, and yeah, they sounded really good, and I've enjoyed the first book, and I can't wait to read more!

Website

Series: The Storymakers.

The Storymakers: Spelled and her site, my review, Wanted and her site, my review, Banished and her site, my review.

Andrew Shvarts Author Page

The Story: I saw Royal Bastards around Goodreads, and yeah, it sounded good, so I read it and the second book, and I can't wait to read more!

Website

Series: Royal Bastards.

Royal Bastards: Royal Bastards and his site, my review, City of Bastards and his site, my review, War of the Bastards and his site, my review.

We Have the Cover of Rime Chronicles #2!!!!

Yeah, we have the cover of Shadow & Flame by Mindee Arnett!

Week 13 Review: Bang

From Goodreads:
One shot ruined his life. Another one could end it.

Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one—not even Sebastian himself—can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father's gun.

Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend—Aneesa—to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. 

It took a gun to get him into this.

Now he needs a gun to get out.

My Review:
This book was such a fantastic read! It does deal with a child shooting, which is a pretty grim topic, and with suicide, but there are some happy moments, as well. It was such a fast paced read, some chapters were barely a page long. I read it so quickly!

Child shootings are just so sad. Sebastian has had to live the majority of his life with the fact that as a toddler, he shot his baby sister. He hasn't had it easy, from his family life after the shooting to how the town treats him, that they don't know what to do with him, don't really want to deal with him.

I really enjoyed his relationship with Aneesa, how they slowly got to know each other, of their developing friendship and his romantic feelings. I loved their vlog channel making pizzas, that was a lot of fun! But this book shows that just because boys and girls have friendships, doesn't mean they'll have romantic relationships with each other.

This book pulled so many emotions from me. Happiness, sadness, despair, and hope. Sebastian has to find a way to deal with the aftermath of the shooting, not by trying to kill himself or trying to avoid it, but work through his well-earned (not that he deserved them) issues that he shouldn't have to deal with but are natural, given the circumstances.

Loved reading this book so much, it was an excellent book!

Author: Barry Lyga
Read: March 29th, 2019
Source: Library
Reason Why: Sounded good, and it's a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: April 18th 2017
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Spelled

From Goodreads:
Somewhere over the rainbow, all spell is about to break loose…

Fairy Tale Survival Rule No. 32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the charming brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse…before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

My Review:
This book was a lot of fun to read! I didn't really like Dorthea at first, she was pretty selfish and oblivious to everybody but herself. But as she goes on this journey, she learns more about herself and becomes a better person, which is really great!

This world of stories coming to life, in another world that is affected by storymakers from our world, yeah, it's been done a time or two before, like Once Upon a Time, but it's not something that I read before, and the puns and the story-fied versions of things we have, it's just so hilarious!

Dorthea was something of a brat in the beginning, There were times where I wanted to non-violently knock some sense into her. But as she goes on this unwanted adventure, the situations that she got into gave her that.

That ending was pretty awesome. It took a lot of what she'd learned with everything that happened to them, but they worked it out. Unfortunately there was the whole thing with the water that is going to bite them in the butt in the future! I can't wait to read it!

Really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more of this series!

Author: Betsy Schow
Series: The Storymakers #1
Read: March 28th, 2019
Source: NetGalley/Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a 2019 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book!
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: June 2nd 2015
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Legacy of Light

From Goodreads:
The Effigies must uncover the connection between Saul, Blackwell, and the Phantoms before it's too late in this epic conclusion to the Effigies trilogy. 

The world is in chaos.

After Saul's strike on Oslo—one seemingly led by Maia herself—the Effigies' reputation is in shambles. Now they're being hunted by nations across the globe, grouped in with the very terrorists they've been trying to stop.

With Maia's resurrected twin, June, carrying out vicious attacks across the world, everyone believes Maia is a killer. Belle has gone rogue, Chae Rin and Lake have disappeared, and the Sect is being dismantled and replaced by a terrifying new world order helmed by Blackwell. As for Saul, his ultimate plan still remains a mystery.

And Maia? No one has seen or heard from her in weeks.

It's all somehow connected—Saul, Phantoms, the Effigies, everything. But if the Effigies can't put the pieces together soon, there may not be much left of the world they've fought so desperately to save. 

My Review:
Wow, this was such a fantastic book! This world of the Effigies has been consuming since the beginning, and while I'm sad to say goodbye, it's a heck of an ending! I enjoyed reading it so, so much! So much happens in this book!

This is the book where we finally find out how the Effigies come about. There were so many parts that they needed to learn, about the stones, and Saul, and how the Phantoms were created. It's so interesting and pretty mind blowing!

There's also so many emotional conflicts to deal with. Like the fact that her sister is alive and Saul's the one that made it happen. That Belle pretty much killed her. And since she's basically on her own for a good portion of the book, leaves plenty of time to think things over, as well as those confrontations!

That final battle, it just kept coming and coming! After all the different pieces that had to come together, collecting information about what the bad guys had done and were planning to do, dealing with the phantoms and then the final end? Yeah, it was so action packed and so easy to read!

Loved this book so much, and I can't wait to see what Sarah Raughley writes next!

Author: Sarah Raughley
Series: Effigies #3
Read: March 28th, 2019
Source: NetGalley/Library
Reason Why: Loved the first two books, and it's a End of Series 2019 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: December 4th 2018
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Storm Cursed

From Goodreads:
In this new instalment in the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series, Mercy Thompson must face a deadly enemy to defend all she loves . . . 

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter . . . And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn't stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word. We will die to keep it.

My Review:
Oh, wow, oh wow! This book was just absolutely amazing! Mercy is back home and things are back to normal-even her shop is back up and running-but normal also means threats to face. Well, the zombie goats aren't too bad, but they do take some effort to deal with.

The face off between the human government and the Gray Lords, yeah, that's a pretty important event, not only in this book, but in this world. The Fae have realized they can't retreat into Underhill, so they have to deal with humanity. How this meeting goes will affect their relations in the future.

After the last book with Mercy's kidnapping, it was great to read this book where they were both together at the end of the day. Well, besides his late night meetings, but you know what I mean. We also got to spend more time with characters who couldn't come to Italy with Adam, which was really great!

We learned more about Sherwood Post, and more about the witch family. Both of which are going to be important in the future of this series. We also learned more about witches in general, and how much power they can hold, which is interesting and just slightly terrifying.

This book was so freaking amazing and I can't wait for more!

Author: Patrica Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson #11
Read: March 26th, 2019
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Ace
Expected Publication: May 7th 2019
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: Royal Bastards, City of Bastards


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

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

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

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

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

From Goodreads:
Tilla, bastard of House Kent, has it made. Safe from her murderous father in the dazzling capital of Lightspire, she lives a life of luxury under the protection of the Volaris King, alongside her boyfriend Zell and best friend, Princess Lyriana.

So why isn't she happy? Maybe it's the whispers and stares that follow her wherever she goes, as the daughter of the traitor waging war against Lightspire. Or maybe it's the memories of her beloved brother, Jax, who lies cold in his grave even as she tries to settle into a life in the city's prestigious University.

Then, Tilla stumbles upon the body of a classmate, a friend. The authorities are quick to rule it a suicide and sweep it under the rug, but when Tilla herself is attacked by a mysterious man with terrifying powers, she's convinced of a conspiracy. Her friends beg her to stay silent; what she's suggesting is impossible... and treasonous.

But Tilla can't, won't, let it go. And the deeper she digs, the more questions she uncovers. How is the West beating the supposedly invincible Lightspire Mages in battle? Is it connected to the shadowy cult wreaking havoc in Lightspire? Nothing is as it seems in the glorious capital, and Tilla's presence might just be the spark that sets the Kingdom aflame. 

My Review:
These books were so freaking great! I loved reading them, I devoured them, and I can't wait to read War of the Bastards, and I'm kinda glad that I read them when I did, because it comes out in just a few months, yeah!

These books had strong world building with the magic and the politics and where they met in the middle. Tilla doesn't have magic, herself, but she quickly spends a lot of time with someone who does-Princess Lyriana. And it's only by chance that that comes about and changes Tilla's life forever.

All of these characters were great to read about. They had their quirks, like Zell who showed his brother mercy and it came back to haunt him. They all their issues to face, from their parentage, their birthright, and in the 2nd book, to being distrusted because they came from the west.

The first book was a journey, going from the west to the east. It changes them, and they're different in the 2nd book, where they've arrived at the capital. The 2nd book had both mysteries and politics, and it changed them some more. I can't wait to see what they're going to be like in War, which is going to happen after a time jump, I'm pretty sure.

These were such great reads, I enjoyed them so much, and I can't wait to read more!

Author: Andrew Shvarts
Series: Royal Bastards #1, 2
Read: March 25th, 26th, 2019
Source: Library
Reason Why: Sounded good, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Books!
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: May 30th 2017, June 5th 2018

Royal Bastards:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








City of Bastards:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: And She Was

From Goodreads:
Dara's lived a sheltered life with her single mom, Mellie. Now, at eighteen, she's dreaming of more. When Dara digs up her never-before-seen birth certificate, her world implodes. Why are two strangers listed as her parents? 

Dara confronts her mother, and is stunned by what she learns: Mellie is transgender. The unfamiliar name listed under "father"? That's Mellie. She transitioned when Dara was a baby, shortly after Dara's birth mother died.

But Dara still has more questions than answers. Reeling, she sets off on a road trip with her best guy friend, Sam. She's determined to find the extended family she's never met. What she discovers—and what her mother reveals, piece by piece over emails—will challenge and change Dara more than she can imagine. 

From rising star Jessica Verdi, this is a gorgeous, timely, and essential novel about the importance of being our true selves.

My Review:
This book was really fantastic to read! I most enjoyed Mellie's emails that detail her story, as a child with an uncomfortable family life, to her time with Dara's birth mother, and her transition. I did enjoy Dara and Sam, but I did skim the middle of Dara's narration because it wasn't as interesting to me.

I can see both sides of the story, Mellie in a place of fear and inertia, and Dara being furious about secrets being kept from her. And I can understand why Dara needs to go out and meet her birth mother's family, she probably should've done a bit of research before hand.

Mellie has had it tough. She's trans, and she was born to a strict family who kicked her out because they were awful. Then there was Dara's birth mom, who didn't understand what it meant for Mellie to be trans, and then she died. But the story doesn't end there!

Dara has a lot to discover about herself on this journey. She was accepting of the truth-just not the fact that she was lied to for so long. And going on this journey with Sam was the best thing that could happen to her. Oh, and her grandparents were nice to her, but they also had very awful views! Didn't like them once I learned that!

Really enjoyed this book, it was a really great read!

Author: Jessica Verdi
Read: March 25th, 2019
Source: Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: March 27th 2018
5/5 Hearts
4/5 Books
4/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

From Goodreads:
Cliff Hubbard is a huge loser. Literally. His nickname at Happy Valley High School is Neanderthal because he's so enormous — 6'6" and 250 pounds to be exact. He has no one at school and life in his trailer park home has gone from bad to worse ever since his older brother's suicide.

There's no one Cliff hates more than the nauseatingly cool quarterback, Aaron Zimmerman. Then Aaron returns to school after a near-death experience with a bizarre claim: while he was unconscious he saw God, who gave him a list of things to do to make Happy Valley High suck less. And God said there's only one person who can help: Neanderthal.

To his own surprise, Cliff says he's in. As he and Aaron make their way through the List, which involves a vindictive English teacher, a mysterious computer hacker, a decidedly unchristian cult of Jesus Teens, the local drug dealers, and the meanest bully at HVHS — Cliff feels like he's part of something for the first time since losing his brother. But fixing a broken school isn't as simple as it seems, and just when Cliff thinks they've completed the List, he realizes their mission hits closer to home than he ever imagined. 

My Review:
Yeah, I enjoyed this book so much! I loved Cliff's narration, and the whole concept of a near death experience, meeting God and given a list of things to improve the school. It's a fantastic book, about making the world a better place, people being different then they seem, and suicide and dealing with the aftermath.

Cliff is smarter then his appearance suggests. Because of both facts-his intelligence and his appearance, he's developed a defense mechanism that kept everybody at bay. Everybody but his brother. And losing him, and the way it happened, it's made him angry and in the beginning, he welcomed any chance to unleash that anger on the world.

These different characters had their different strengths and as a group, they accomplished quite a lot. The different skills needed to check off different items on the list, from getting a teacher to realize why he loved teaching, to the face off with the religious group, they were provided by these different characters. They were all needed!

Kinda hiding throughout this book, but peeking out here and there until the end where it was showcased, was suicide, specifically that of Cliff's brother. As well as grief and living in the aftermath, it was a pretty big pillar of this book.

Yeah, this book was fantastic and such a great read, and a great book!

Author: Preston Norton
Read: March 25th, 2019
Source: NetGalley/Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: May 22nd 2018
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Proof of Forever

From Goodreads:
From debut author and poet Lexa Hillyer comes the lyrical story of four seventeen-year-old friends who receive an unlikely chance to relive the perfect summer . . . and the devastating secret that could unravel it all. Elegant and evocative, Proof of Forever is one of those first novels that hooks you from the beginning and builds toward a stunning—and unexpected—end, calling to mind Gayle Forman and Ann Brashares.

Joy, Tali, Luce, and Zoe were once best friends. Now they barely speak. That is, until the fateful flash of a photo-booth camera transports them back in time, to the summer they were fifteen—the summer everything changed. Photos fade. Friendships dissolve. Summers end. But this one will change the girls forever . . . again.

Wendy Wunder calls Proof of Forever "The Sisterhood of the (Time) Traveling Pants for a new generation!"

My Review:
This book was a lot of fun to read. They were a bit younger then the characters that I tend to read, but yeah, this group of friends had a lot of adventures reliving the summer when they were 15, and it was really great to read!

The idea of going back to relive a summer, knowing what the future holds, and trying to get back to it, well, of course chaos ensues and they change things. They are changed, and they learn more about themselves and what they missed the first time around.

One thing that was something of a mystery in the book is why Joy basically disappeared. And it turns out her reason is pretty heartbreaking. It added a weight to an otherwise pretty light story, giving it a good balance.

I would've liked a little bit of a longer time at the end in the present. It wrapped up nicely, but I would've liked a bit more time for them to deal with what had happened and see how they'd changed, changed how they were now living their lives.

This book was a fantastic read and I enjoyed it immensely!

Author: Lexa Hillyer
Read: March 24th, 2019
Source: Edelweiss/Library
Reason Why: Looked really great, and it's a DAC Book, SAC 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: June 2nd 2015
5/5 Hearts
4.5/5 Books
4.5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: If I Was Your Girl

From Goodreads:
A new kind of big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are. 

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she's determined not to get too close to anyone.

But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself, including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it.

Because the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that at her old school, she used to be Andrew. Will the truth cost Amanda her new life, and her new love?

Meredith Russo's If I Was Your Girl is a universal story about feeling different—and a love story that everyone will root for.

My Review:
This book was a really fantastic read, and one I hope has a positive impact in the lives of other trans teens and the people in their lives. Apparently things were simplified, like Amanda easily looking female, which isn't always the case, but otherwise a fairly realistic representation of being trans.

Amanda has had it rough. She was always preferring female things, she didn't fit in as a boy. She wasn't, and it wasn't until things came to a head that she came out. Lesson, that it might not safe to come out as whoever you are, but at least try to find yourself, know yourself.

She has a bit of a fresh start going to live with her dad, but there's plenty of conflict there because part of the reason why her parents got a divorce was them fighting over her. And that put them in a bit of an awkward situation.

I did enjoy the romance, but there's this one moment that was just hard to read, when his mom was just reacting and pretty darned horrible. And after the night that Amanda had been having, that was just wasn't what she needed at the moment.

Yeah, I really enjoyed reading this book, it was incredible!

Author: Meredith Russo
Read: March 24th, 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Published: May 3rd 2016
5/5 Hearts
4.5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: The Dragon Throne

From Goodreads:
Whispers of war become a battle cry in this epic series finale. 

Invasion is imminent. Skirmishes have erupted all across Alveria's borders, but the lingering effects of the sickness have left the dragon guard weakened. Unprepared for a strike at the heart of the kingdom, difficult alliances must now be made to protect them all. 

Circumstances at the Akademy are no better. Kaelan Younger's attempts to learn more about her renegade father and the Terra dragon fighting for the enemy are complicated by tapestries that refuse to reveal their secrets. And when the queen's efforts to stop the war involve Prince Lasaro, Kaelan is forced to confront the growing feelings she has for her dragon. 

Their only hope to stem the tide of war is to find the long-forgotten Standing Stones and harness its ancient power. It is there that Kaelan and Lasaro's love will face the greatest test. 

And one will make the ultimate sacrifice. 

My Review:
Yeah, this was a fantastic ending to this series! I really enjoyed it, we learned more about this world and these characters, and there was a really satisfying ending for all the plot threads! It all came together for a really excellent book!

It was really fantastic to read this book right after reading the 2nd, because the details were fresh in my mind. Like my idea on how the situation with the prophecy would resolve. Which I was right on, which was a pretty fantastic feeling!

Mordon kept telling Kaelan that she was a full dragon, though she didn't believe him. But with some pretty important stones, she was more open to the idea. And they also told her more about her father and his history, which turned out to be pretty important!

There were a lot of harrowing moments in this book, from the mysterious attacking dragon to the final confrontation. It all came together and worked out pretty well in the end in a way that was really fantastic to read!

I enjoyed this book so much, it was a great read and I'm glad that I read it!

Author: Ava Richardson
Series: Alveria Dragon Akademy #3
Read: March 23rd, 2019
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Really enjoying the series, and it's a End of Series 2019 Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book!
Published: February 27th 2019
5/5 Hearts
4/5 Books
5/5 Stars

We Have the Cover of Dreamer Trilogy #1!!!!

We have the cover of Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater, and I'm so excited for this book!

We Have the Cover of Simon Snow #2!!!!

Yeah, we have the cover of Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell! And a synopsis, which I'm more excited for!

We Have the Cover of Heart of Thorns #2!!!!

Yeah, we have the cover of Tears of Frost by Bree Barton! And it's pretty awesome!

We Have the Cover of Debutantes #2!!!!

Yeah, we have the cover of Deadly Little Scandals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes! And yeah, it's so awesome!

Friday, March 29, 2019

Book Blogger Hop #77, March 29th

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, I relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

The Question of the week is: Name one classic novel you have always wanted to read. (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

Pride and Prejudice. I have read it once, but that was years ago. I just love the 2005 movie, I've watched at least 20 times. But I read it once when I was younger than 15, I think, so now that I'm an adult, yeah, I'd really like to read it again! (Yeah, this answer is because I can't think of a classic that I want to read, because I don't really like classics, the ones where you have to work really hard to understand what it means. Just don't like it!) What about you guys? Happy reading! 

The Reward Challenge Update #393, March 29th

The Reward Challenge is almost the complete opposite to a book buying ban as you'll end up buying lots of new books throughout the challenge but only after you've completed a certain amount of reading. It was hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly, so thanks to her for starting it!

OK, so I read The Dragon Throne which counts 4 times as a End of Series 2019 Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book, If I Was Your Girl which counts 3 times as a DAC Book and a SAC 2019 Book, Proof of Forever which counts 5 times as a DAC Book, Edelweiss Book, SAC 2019, NetGalley Book, 2019 Book and a WoW Book, Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe which counts 3 times as a NetGalley Book and a SAC 2019 Book, And She Was which counts twice as a SAC 2019 Book, Royal Bastards which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book, City of Bastards which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book, Storm Cursed which counts 4 times as a NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book, Legacy of Light which counts 5 times as a End of Series 2019 Book, NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book, Spelled which counts 4 times as a 2019 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, NetGalley Book, and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book, Bang which counts twice as a SAC 2019 Book.

So I have 36 counts which translates to $18 this week! I'll use it to buy books!

First Lines Friday #411, March 29th

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. We encourage all of our fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

-Grab your current read(s)
-Share the first line(s)
-Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists!

"This must be how madness begins. Traces of light or a shadowy haze around a person's face, meaningless images in my head, and then the fear, the all-consuming fear that at any moment they will come for me. For a long time I convinced myself that madness was not hereditary. I man have been wrong." -The Tombs by Deborah Schaumberg

Well, that certainly makes for an interesting opening! Need to read more! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Thursday, March 28, 2019

In Another Life: Review

From Goodreads:
What would you do if your whole life was a lie and learning the truth could cost you your life? 

From New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow Falls series comes C. C. Hunter's new YA thriller about a girl who learns that she may have been kidnapped as a child, and must race to uncover the truth about her past before she winds up a victim.

Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn't scar her, and she's had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents' marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her.

When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he's determined to figure out the truth.

As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don't add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe's adoption a secret that people would kill for?

My Review:
This book was so great to read! I really enjoyed the characters, and the idea of a girl being kidnapped, and then meeting the boy that her parents are fostering, yeah, that's pretty interesting to read! Plus pretty emotional!

Chloe has had a tough time recently, her dad's had a midlife crisis and divorced her mom. Her mom had cancer, and only now is recovering, but is dealing with some mental issues. And on top of that, the divorce meant that she moved, and is starting her senior year at a new school. Not fun. And then she meets Cash and the possibility that she was kidnapped is brought up. Yeah.

Cash has had it tough, too. His mom left when he was young, and his dad was a con artist, and made his son participate. He doesn't let people close, including his foster family. Chloe's potential biological parents. But he wants to protect them from any hurt that might be caused by Chloe maybe, maybe not being their daughter. He's a good guy, but he has his flaws!

Really enjoyed the mystery, it was like, one step forward, two steps back, there would be a clue that would point one way, but then something else would come up that would make them believe otherwise.But that ending was pretty unexpected, and really great to read!

Yeah, this was a really great book and I enjoyed reading it!

Author: C.C. Hunter
Read: March 20th, 2019
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing, and it sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Published: March 26th 2019
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars