Saturday, 23 January 2016

Rook by Sharon Cameron Review

Another Book Review. Sorry, it has been so long. I have been mega busy with school, grades, tv and writing!


This is a spoiler free review!


Rook
Written by Sharon Cameron
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia/Fantasy/Romance
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Pages: 456
Source: Library
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble  Book Depository
Recommended Age: 12 and up!


Summary:


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


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


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


Review:


I need to rant about how awesome this book was because it was amazing. I have no idea why so many people didn’t like it.


I loved the whole idea of this book. Sharon Cameron supposedly did this as her own version of The Scarlet Pimpernel which I have unfortunately not read so I couldn’t really pick out the similarities. I also really liked how it was set many years from now and technology was banned and those who used it or owned it were put to death.


The main character Sophia Bellamy was a wonderful character to read about. I loved her as she was normal and had the same kinds of emotions as a normal girl would except for the fact she was very adventurous.


Rene is also a wonderful character. He is rather mysterious but I loved him from the start.


The relationship between brother and sister (Tom and Sophia) was real and I loved how much they cared about each other.


I was constantly at the edge of my seat and almost biting my nails due to the intense action. Every day I dreaded putting the book down or going to school because I wanted to see what would happen next.


The villain was such a good villain. It made you hate him and love him at the same time.


And yes there was a love triangle but thank goodness it didn’t overwhelm the whole book. The romance between Rene and Sophia was sweet and adorable and I adored it. The romance was also pretty believable and it wasn’t a love at first sight type of romance. It was built up during the book and I loved that.


Basically in the book, no one can trust anyone because everyone has hidden secrets.


Final Thoughts:


I loved this book! The characters were amazing and well developed. The world building was done very well, the plot was perfect and the romance was sweet. I recommend this to lovers of Dystopian and Historical YA Fiction!


Quotes from the Book:


“Your maman was in my room last night.”
“And I was not.” His tone was glum.


“I think you are very beautiful," René said, "especially when you are admiring mischief."


"You must think that every time I look at you, then.”


“You are the variable in every equation, Mademoiselle.”


“Her grief for both of them was flavored with guilt the way salt flavors the sea; she could taste it in the tears.”

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns




Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2016!

Hello all,

Today I am going to be sharing with you my most anticipated books of Winter 2016 which is from January-March! I decided to split my most anticipated into four parts because of how many books there are. Without further ado let’s get on with this blogpost!
[By the way these books aren’t really in any particular order though the first two books are my most anticipated books for Winter 2016]


The first book that I am excited for is Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. This book is set to release on February 9, 2016 by HarperTeen. I am literally so excited for this book as I loved the first book.





The second book that I am excited for is Stars Above by Marissa Meyer. This book is set to release on February 2, 2016 by Feiwel and Friends. I am so excited for this book. I am currently reading the last book in the Lunar Chronicles series and I am loving it so much. I can’t wait to read all these short stories. I am so pumped for this book!



Now these books are in no particular order:


The third book I am excited for is Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake. This is set to release on January 5, 2016 by Entangled Teen. OMG this is already out and I saw it in the bookstore yesterday and I am freaking out. I can’t wait to purchase it!


The fourth book that I am excited for is The Sapphire Cutlass by Sharon Gosling. This is set to release on February 1, 2016 by Switch Press. Can I just say this cover is gorgeous and I loved the first book. I have yet to read the second book but I am sure it is just as amazing as the first.


The fifth book that I am excited for is Curio by Evangeline Denmark. This was released on January 5, 2016 by Blink. I bought this book a couple weeks ago and I am currently reading it. It is so amazing, the world building was done awfully well and I just love it so far.


The sixth book that I am excited for is Assassin’s Heart by Sarah Ahiers. This is set to release on February 2, 2016 by HarperTeen. This book has assassins and it is compared with Romeo and Juliet. I think I shall enjoy this book.


The seventh book that I am excited for is The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman. This is set to release on January 26, 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers. This book has demon hunters, and is steampunk and I can’t wait.

The eighth book that I am excited for is These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. This is set to release on February 9, 2016 by Swoon Reads. Basically, this book says it is Jane Austin meets X-Men. It is set in Victorian London and is a Paranormal Romance. I can’t wait!


The ninth book that I am excited for is A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. This is set to release on March 1, 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books. This book is basically a retelling of Sherlock Holmes set in modern day with the great great  (not sure how many) granddaughter of Sherlock and then the great great grandson of John Watson. I can not wait to get this book.


The tenth book that I am excited for is A Spy’s Devotion by Melanie Dickerson. This is set to release on February 9, 2016 by Waterfall Press. I love Melanie Dickerson’s books so I am sure I will enjoy this one.


The eleventh book that I am excited for is Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor. This is set to release on March 1, 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers. This is said to be an Outlander for Teens and since I haven't read Outlander I felt like I could read this first.



The twelfth book that I am excited for is The Prophecy of Shadows by Michelle Madow. This is set to release on January 26, 2016 by Dreamscape Publishing. This is said to be good for Percy Jackson fans and it has mythology aspects. I am so excited to get this book.


The thirteenth book that I am excited for is A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann. This is set to release on March 15, 2016 by Greenwillow Books. This is Historical Fiction/Paranormal and it says fans of The Maze Runner will enjoy it so I’m down.


The fourteenth book that I am excited for is The Assassin’s Masque by Sarah Zettel. This released on January 12, 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers. I really want to read this book but I think I should first read the second book!


The fifteenth book that I am excited for is Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell. This is set to release on February 2, 2016 by Simon Pulse! I am so down to read this book as it sounds completely amazing. It is a Peter Pan retelling and I love retellings!


Here are some honorable mentions:

Of Light and Darkness by Shayne Leighton. Released: January 11, 2016
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Released on: January 5, 2016
The Shadow Queen by C. J. Redwine. Released on February 16, 2016
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. Released on March 8, 2016.
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan. Released on February 9, 2016



Wednesday, 20 January 2016

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that everyone’s excited about.



London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

The Dark Days Club  releases on January 26, 2016 from Viking Books for Young Readers.

I have started really liking supernatural/steampunk/paranormal fantasy young adults books so this one sounds like something I’d enjoy reading.



What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Top Ten Tuesday || Books to Read in 2016!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created  at The Broke and the Bookish


Today I will be doing my top books to read in 2016 because I either didn’t have time to read them in 2015, didn’t want to read them in 2015 or didn’t own them in 2015.


I will have about fifteen books on this list so stay with me guys. Go grab your favorite snack and a cup of tea and settle in for this blogpost.




Number One: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin.


Basically this book is about a girl who escaped from a death camp and is trying to participate in a motorcycle race in order to meet Hitler so she can kill him. This is set in an alternate reality where the Axis Powers won World War II and rule the world.


This book sounds amazing and I can’t wait to dive into it. i didn’t read this book last year because I didn’t hear about it till around December and by then I didn’t want to go out somewhere and buy it but now I have it and am looking forward to putting this on one of my TBRs.




Number Two: Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard The Sword of Summer.


Magnus is basically a boy (16?) who lives and survives on the streets of Boston. One day he is tracked down by a man he’s never met and he learns that he is the son of a Norse God.  


This book is by Rick Riordan so it should be hilarious. I loved the Percy Jackson series and The Heroes of Olympus series so I should love this one.



Number Three: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen


She’s an untested young princess who must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and defeat a malevolent sorceress. (I obviously don’t know much about this book as you can see)


Yes, this will be one of the first actual New Adult/Adult books I shall read but I expect it to be amazing. It has many of the factors that I love in a book so it should be a fairly pleasurable read.


Number Four: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge


Based on the fairytale Beauty and the Beast. Nyx has been betrothed to an evil ruler since birth and since birth she has been training to kill him. On her seventeenth birthday she abandons everything she’s ever known to marry him. Her plan is to seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle and break the nine-hundred year old curse he has on the people. But he is not what she expects.


Okay, so I bought this last year and it has just been sitting on the shelf by my desk for a while now and I still haven’t picked it up. I think I will really enjoy this one as I love retellings and this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast!

Number Five: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch


For this one I’m just going to use the summary found on Goodreads: Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.


Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.


So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own


So, I bought this in September and for reasons I have not picked it up. Many people have liked it and one of my friends read it and said it was amazing so I think I shall read this book when I can.




Number Six: Landry Park by Bethany Hagen


In a future United States, seventeen year old Madeline Landry dreams of going to university. Unfortunantly she must marry and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on the less fortunate.


I have not read this because I have not given myself the time and I thought I might not actually enjoy it but my sister read it and she said it was amazing. So, I shall try and pick this up as soon as I can.




Number Seven: Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon


This is about two girls who go on vacation to Scotland and it is a book set in the world of Brigadoon. Okay, I have to admit I hated the Brigadoon movie but I am excited to pick up this book.


My sister read this shortly after I purchased it and she loved it. I did not read it because of how many other books I have piling up to read. I swear if I put the amount of books I want to read in a stack it would be about three stories high. Yep, not kidding.




Number Eight: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.


Celaena is an assassin who’s served a year in salt mines for her crimes. She is brought before the Crown Prince who offers her, her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.


Holy pickles. So many people have recommended this book to me and I bought it back in August or September and I need to pick this one up.



Number Nine: Rook by Sharon Cameron


Basically this book is sent in future Paris and all those who don’t support the new revolution are put to death. A mysterious figure called the red rook, however, keeps springing people from the jail cells, only leaving a red tipped rook feather in their place.


Across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy is being forced into an arranged marriage to save her family from ruin. Her fiance, Rene Hasard is not who he seems but neither is she.


Ugh. I just recently finished this book and it was beautiful and just kept me hooked till the very end. It was such a beautiful standalone novel and I shall be doing a lengthy review sometime soon.




Number Ten: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas


This is a New Adult/Young Adult book retelling of Beauty and the Beast. There’s fae, romance and murder.


I love this book so so much! It’s amazing.  Review coming soon.




Number Eleven: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare


Clary Fray’s first meeting with Shadowhunters is inside a club in New York City but it isn’t her last meeting. Within twenty-four hours she’s pulled into the shadowhunter world/


I can not wait to start this series.




Number Twelve: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter


I have heard that this is not a retelling of Alice in Wonderland and I am actually okay with that. It sounds awesome all on its own and I can’t wait to dive into it. :)




Number Thirteen: Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini.


I believe she goes back in time to a time when the Salem Witch Trials were going on. I don’t really know what it is about but that.


So, I bought this book when I went to Barnes and Noble once and I seriously barely looked at what it was about and then when I did, I was really excited to read it but I have not picked it up yet and I need to.




Number Fourteen: Winter by Marissa Meyer


No summary for this one as it is the last in a series.


AHHH! This series is my life force. [Okay, not really but this series is amazing] This is the fourth book in the Lunar Chronicles series and if you have not read any of them then what are you doing with your life? Go pick them up. You will not regret it.




Number Fifteen: The Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman


This is set in World War II about a girl who is Hitler’s niece and she meets a Jewish reporter who tells her about her father and she begins to question everything.


Okay, so many people have read this book and I really want to pick it up now so I probably will soon.


So, that’s all for the Top Ten Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed it and I will see you all soon with my Most Anticipated New Releases of Winter/Spring 2016! And a book review as well! Love you all! <3

Monday, 18 January 2016

Music Monday

I got this idea from the blog Trust in the Words. 


So, this week Gabriela Geneva finally came out with a new video and it was a lyric video of her new song Tornado. 

I adore this song and it is a nice fast paced song that doesn't distract me from writing. I don't listen to music when I read normally because it can distract me from the book.

This is my first Music Monday and I hope you enjoyed it! 

Happy reading everybody! <3

COVER REVEAL!

So, this was a completely unplanned blogpost but I just found out about a cover reveal for a new book that I am very highly anticipating.

Drumroll please...
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AHHHH! It is pure perfection.

I love how it matches the first book so well. I love it when the character is on the cover (well, except when the person on the cover doesn't match what I thought the character looked like).

I can't wait to read this book and admire the beauty that is this cover. :)