Sunday, August 26, 2018

Feature Friday ARC Review : The Wicked King

*Feature Friday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to feature YA books that have not yet been released by reviewing them.


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release DateJanuary 8, 2019
Pages: 384
Source: ARC

The Story:

The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
BUY LINKS: The Lit. Bar    |    Amazon

RATING





ONE-WORD REVIEW: WICKED

READING TUNE:  Gangsta - Kehlani

TAG LINE:


You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson is to make yourself that strong.

OPENING LINE:

The new High King of Faerie lounges on his throne, his crown resting at an insouciant angle, his long villainously scarlet cloak pinned at his shoulders and sweeping the floor.

THE SHORT:

C A R D A N


You wicked, wicked king you absolutely gutted me I am a total wreck and now I have to wait two years for the queen of nothing.


THE WICKED KING has wrecked my mortal soul. And I have been slained. I am writing this tweet from the grave. No more than dust of the earth. My mind will chasm into chaos as I dredge through two years of waiting for THE QUEEN OF NOTHING. 

Well played Holly Black well played . . .


THE SLIGHTLY LONGER:

I am utterly obsessed with THE CRUEL PRINCE series!

I was fortunate enough to snag a copy of THE CRUEL PRINCE and THE WICKED KING at ALA conferences. And boy am I ever grateful! THE WICKED KING is actually only the second novel by Holly Black I have read -- the first being THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST which I enjoyed. I loved reading THE WICKED KING!

To be honest, I was more than a little in love with THE WICKED KING

“Kill him before he makes you love him.”

The pacing of 
THE WICKED KING was perfect for the unfolding of the plot. In the same vein of THE CRUEL PRINCE there was fantasy, realism, tension, passion, aching, and anger. The story picks up five months after where we left off in its predecessor.

After forcibly crowning Cardan the High King of Elfhame, in an effort to protect Oak, Jude is enjoying the spoils of being labeled the Kingmaker. Along with her growing feelings for the drunk, fool-playing but clever and secretly sulking High King whose knows how to play the long-game . . .

“I want to tell you so many lies.”
Not taking his role as the High King seriously, Jude acts as his seneschal. Until an enemy kingdom abducts Jude. And Cardan does everything in his power to get her back. Even leave Elfhame at the mercy of its adversaries.

All in all, I loved THE WICKED KING and recommend the series to anyone who will listen.


CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:


Jude 
Duarte: If I had to choose a single word to describe Jude it would be: FIERCE. This girl is fierce in everything she does. She loves fiercely. She's fiercely loyal. She's a fierce warrior and strategist. 


“If he thought I was bad, I would be worse. If he thought I was cruel, I would be horrifying.”




Cardan Greenbriar: Cardan, oh, Cardan. He is the enigma you love to hate and secretly pine over the way he makes Jude's existence miserable but obsessing over her in the darkest pits of his loathing because he hates that he loves her . . .
“If you’re the sickness, I suppose you can’t also be the cure.”
We know, Cardan. We know, you sexy, sadistic asshole. And we can't stop thinking of you either!



Here is one of my favorite quotes from THE WICKED KING:

“Tell me again what you said at the revel,” he says, climbing over me, his body against mine.

“What?” I can barely think.

“That you hate me,” he says, his voice hoarse. “Tell me that you hate me.”

“I hate you,” I say, the words coming out like a caress. I say it again, over and over. A litany. An enchantment. A ward against what I really feel. “I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”

He kisses me harder.

“I hate you,” I breathe into his mouth. “I hate you so much that sometimes I can’t think of anything else.”

Pin em TheFolkOfTheAirSeries 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Holly Black is the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of her titles include The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), The Modern Faerie Tale series, the Curse Workers series, Doll Bones, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Magisterium series (with Cassandra Clare) and The Darkest Part of the Forest. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award, the Mythopoeic Award and a Newbery Honor. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret door. 

***Check out Holly Black's website for more information about her and 
THE WICKED KINGHERE

Happy Reading!


Monday, June 18, 2018

In My Mailbox



*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren which allows bloggers to share what books they bought/received each week.*


Hey Bookies! This week's In My Mailbox is an assortment of books and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently. This haul is a throwback I didn't post while I was on a supernatural adult romance binge. I recently read Winter Wolf and decided to get the next two books in the trilogy. Take a look at my haul below:



*If you're interested in the other books that are on my radar you can check out my Amazon Wishlist: Books I Dream About!

Happy Reading!
Sunday, June 3, 2018

Spread the Word Sunday


*Spread the Word Sunday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to announce some sort of book related news or cause.*

I am attending ALA again this year and I can't wait. I am excited about all of the new books and visiting a new state and city. I have always been interested in visiting New Orleans and the French Quarter. Oak Alley Plantation, the bayou, St. Louis Cemetery, and so on. Let's go New Orleans!


For those who do not know what the American Library Association convention is, I provided some info below:

"With more than 900 exhibiting organizations, multiple pavilions and stages featuring the hottest authors, and numerous related fun events, the exhibit floor is an integral part of your learning, professional development, and networking. The Exhibit Hall offers you the opportunity to explore and discuss with expert vendors the breadth and depth of new and favorite library products, services, books, online services, tools, and technologies.
The ALA Annual Exhibits will be held in McCormick Place, Chicago.

Exhibit Hours
June 22nd: Friday Opening Reception on the Exhibit Floor5:30pm - 7:00pm
June 23rd: Saturday9:00am - 5:00pm
June 24th: Sunday9:00am - 5:00pm
June 25th: Monday Exhibits Closing Events - Wrap Up / Rev Up Celebration     9:00am - 2:00pm

As I mentioned in my posts, ALA Midwinter 2016 Recap & ALA Annual 2016 RecapALA Conferences are quite similar to BookExpo America. More like a lowkey version of BookExpo America. And I am so grateful to be able to have attended!

If you're a fellow book blogger or someone who loves books and will be attending this year's Annual Conference, look me up!

*For more info, check out the official website for the 
ALA Midwinter 2018 Meeting & Exhibit*

If you have some free time aside from ALA check out Things to Do in New Orleans:

Oak Alley Plantation Tour

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New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour With Transport



New Orleans Haunted History Ghost Tour




Happy Reading!

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Wishlist Wednesday


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*

 by Alwyn Hamilton

Publisher:
Viking Books for Young Readers
Release DateMarch 6, 2018
Pages: 480

The Story:

The breathless finale to the New York Times bestselling Rebel of the Sands series will have you on the edge of your seat until the dust from the final battle clears!

When gunslinging Amani Al'Hiza escaped her dead-end town, she never imagined she'd join a revolution, let alone lead one. But after the bloodthirsty Sultan of Miraji imprisoned the Rebel Prince Ahmed in the mythical city of Eremot, she doesn't have a choice. Armed with only her revolver, her wits, and her untameable Demdji powers, Amani must rally her skeleton crew of rebels for a rescue mission through the unforgiving desert to a place that, according to maps, doesn't exist. As she watches those she loves most lay their lives on the line against ghouls and enemy soldiers, Amani questions whether she can be the leader they need or if she is leading them all to their deaths.

-via Amazon


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Meet the Author

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and lived between Canada, France, and Italy until the was three, when her family settled in the small French town of Beaune. She studied History of Art at King's College, Cambridge, graduated in 2009, and lives in London.






Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!

Monday, May 21, 2018

New YA Releases : Week of May 21st


Here are some upcoming releases this week. Release dates sources: 
Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.


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Furyborn by Claire Legrand

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

Always Never Your by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka


Are any of these on your Bookish Wishlist or Pre-Order cart? Which do you look most forward to?


Happy Reading!
Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Wishlist Wednesday


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*

 by Sarah J. Maas

Publisher
Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: January 9, 2018
Pages: 336

The Story:

From the New York Times best-selling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner comes a "literally breathtaking" new sci-fi series about a death-defying mission on an alien planet.
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution humanity has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and their message leads to the planet Gaia, a treasure trove waiting to be explored.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an ancient alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Despite their opposing reasons for smuggling themselves onto the alien planet's surface, they're both desperate to uncover the riches hidden in the Undying temples. Beset by rival scavenger gangs, Jules and Mia form a fragile alliance... but both are keeping secrets that make trust nearly impossible.
As they race to decode the ancient messages, Jules and Mia must navigate the traps and trials within the Undying temples and stay one step ahead of the scavvers on their heels. They came to Gaia certain that they had far more to fear from their fellow humans than the ancient beings whose mysteries they're trying to unravel. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more Jules and Mia start to feel like their presence in the temple is part of a grand design--one that could spell the end of the human race...
-via Amazon

Meet the Author


Meagan Spooner

Amie Kaufman


Meagan Spooner is the New York Times bestselling author of the Skylark trilogy and the Starbound trilogy.She grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the day, while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a degree in playwriting, and has spent several years since then living in Australia. She's traveled with her family all over the world to places like Egypt, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galapagos, and there's a bit of every trip in every story she writes. She currently lives and writes in Asheville, North Carolina, but the siren call of travel is hard to resist, and there's no telling how long she'll stay there. In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cat, and reads.
Amie Kaufman is the New York Times and internationally bestselling co-author of The Illuminae Files (Illuminae, Gemina) and the Starbound Trilogy (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Their Fractured Light.) Her award-winning books are published in almost 30 countries, and she is based in Melbourne, Australia, where she lives with her husband, their rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library. To learn about her latest releases or be notified about events and signings in your area, you can sign up for her newsletter at www.amiekaufman.com.
Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!

Monday, May 14, 2018

New YA Releases : Week of May 14th


Here are some upcoming releases this week. Release dates sources: 
Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.


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War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett

The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst


Are any of these on your Bookish Wishlist or Pre-Order cart? Which do you look most forward to?


Happy Reading!
Sunday, May 13, 2018

Spread the Word Sunday : On My Block

*Spread the Word Sunday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to announce some sort of book related news or cause.*

Hey Bookies!

This is a completely non-book related post, but I have to share this marvelous Netflix discovery:


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Synopsis:


On My Block, co-created by Lauren Iungerich (creator of Awkward) and Eddie Gonzalez & Jeremy Haft, is a coming of age comedy about four bright, funny and street-savvy friends find their lifelong friendship tested as they navigate their way through the triumph, pain and the newness of high-school set in a rough inner city Los Angeles neighborhood.

Here's the trailer:


Starring
- Sierra Capri as Monse Finnie
-Diego Tinoco as Cesar Diaz
-Jason Genao as Ruben "Ruby" Martinez
-Brett Gray as Jamal Turner

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Thoughts:

Although the show is considered a comedy, it is about 4 young adults trying to navigate life in a gritty Los Angeles existence while their lifelong long is put to the test. Central ideas include gangs, a scavenger hunt for the mythical neighborhood treasure from a heist in the '80s, first love, deportation and more.

Jamal Turner's character is HILARIOUS! And I sympathize with him on so many levels. I had a feeling if there were a quiz out there to find out which On the Block Character you are, my result would be his character.

Low and behold, there is such a quiz. Thanks to the all glorious Buzzfeed

Here is my result:



Let me not forget to mention the music! On My Block's soundtrack was fire. I have a playlist dedicated to songs from the show. Here it is:




SORROWS - BLESSED

ONE AND ONLY - BLESSED

COMEMYWAY - JSPH

EYE FOR AN EYE - SiDizen King & The Strike

JUST A LITTLE - Bantu

INSECURE - Stwo

ELECTRIC - Alina Baraz ft. Khalid

BOTTLE ROCKET - Kovas ft. Domo Genesis

PARACHUTE - AM!R

2 - H.E.R.

BLOOD ON ME - Sampha

RUNNER - Kevin Abstract

LEVELS - Tattoo Money

And I have to say -- I am utterly obsessed with the Monse and Cesar ship! I need them to stay together. Forever. Find a life together outside of their block -- pun intended ;) A better life. Monse a famous writer, Cesar a successful architect. Get married. Have beautiful babies. And have holiday visits with the "fam". 

I need them to be another rare couple that lasts through the TV show's running. Like Nathan Scott and Haley James. Forever and Always #TeamNaley!

I need there to be a Ride or Die Team Monsar! 


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Have you watched On My Block? If not, you NEED to! If so, what are your thoughts? Any ships? Favorite character? Drop a comment below.

Happy Watching!

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