Cover Reveal: TERRAPIN by A.C. Troyer

Winterhaven Books is proud to present to you the beautiful cover for the upcoming book: TERRAPIN by A.C. Troyer, which we cannot wait to get our hands on! So, without further ado... 

TERRAPIN by A.C. Troyer
Publication Date: May 30, 2016
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Author Links: Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter 
Synopsis: 
Eighteen-year-old Charlotte (Jinx), fights her past to chase her dream of becoming an Elite Nordic Airre pilot, yet her rebellious attitude hinders her hard-earned lead status. Overcoming a string of life-altering events and the unwanted advances of Ghost Allen, a smooth talking pilot, is one thing, evading death at the hands of two comrades is another.

When Jinx comes face-to-face with an unlikely ally, she is forced to trust him in order to escape the clutches of those who want to silence her. Can a once broken girl transform her past into an iron will, or will she ultimately crumble under the destruction?

Look at that masterpiece! The detail! EEK! Everything about this cover screams "Read Me!" We will be anxiously awaiting it's debut with grabby hands. What do y'all think? Comment below! Thanks for swinging by!

Review: The Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele

The Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele
Publisher-Harper Collins
Released - June 7th 2016
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Los Angeles)…When Cedric, crowned prince of Caelum, and his fellow royal friends (including his betrothed, Kat) find themselves stranded in modern-day L.A. via a magical portal and an evil traitor named Malquin, all they want to do is get home to Caelum—soon. Then they meet Liv, a filmmaker foster girl who just wants to get out of the system and on with her life. As she and Cedric bond, they’ll discover that she’s more connected to his world than they ever could’ve imagined…and that finding home is no easy task…

My Thoughts:

Wow, what a fun read! I really loved the concept to this one. I wasn't sue what to expect when I started The Marked Girl, but after reading the blurb I knew this was a me-book and I'm glad it didn't disappoint.

I really got a kick of this story line. It's such a light, enjoyable and imaginative escape that combines other-world fantasy that collides with the modern world of today. I loved the concept of wraiths, magical transporting portals and hidden scrolls, only to watch with pure amusement how Cedric, Kat and Merek try to figure out LA living. I really loved Lindsey Klingele's writing and thought it was strong and easy to lose myself within the story. I also loved that we get this in Liv and Cedric's point of views. With a story like this it's great to be inside the minds of these characters and see their reactions to the situation and to one another. The story itself is always moving with a lot of action and intrigue and has a lot of twist and turns that thickened the plot up beautifully and kept me guessing till the very end. I also loved the humor and contagious energy laced from the very beginning. The romance was light but I was ok with that. I'm usually a reader who likes a certain dose of sap in her reads, but this one was more complicated then other books and really there was so many more important things to deal with, but what we did get had some great moments.

All of these characters are well thought out and perfectly developed. Cedric is wonderful, confident and courageous. Born Prince and Guardian of Caelum, he was taught to protect the Kingdom from their sworn enemy, the Wraiths. In battle he is completely at ease and sure of himself but in the 'modern world' he is anything but. Truly, Cedric is absolutely adorable in childlike-wonder when discovering what this strange dimension entails. I laughed out loud several times and smiled every time he found something as simply as syrup on waffles awe inspiring. But Cedric is more then cute, he's also quite charming and brave and fiercely determined and it was effortless following him on this...vast journey. Liv is also a great character. She's had a hard life since she lost her parents and had to jump around the foster care system most of her life. But you could never tell by the way she acts. She's got a great voice and a positive personality and I commend her for wanting to do well and make something of her life. It was pretty decent of her to help out Cedric, obviously someone who's not all there if he believes in magical portals and demon men called wraiths, but eventually Liv can't deny that something is definitely off and offers to help Cedric and his friends find a way back home. Little did she know that she's more connected to them then realized. Shannon and Joe were great supportive characters and someone you'd want on your side. But, I thought Kat and Merek were just ok. Kat was selfish and Merek had a lot of attitude for my taste, but given the circumstances it was easy to give them some slack, still, I wasn't overly found of them. Even Malquin turned out to be more then I thought he was which was a great plot twist.

Bottom line, I had a lot of fun with this book and I'm greatly looking forward to getting my hands on the next one! We've only had a small glimpse of Caelum and I can't wait to discover it's secrets. So much fun and a great debut! It's exactly the escape I was looking for! Well done!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes

Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Publisher- Margaret K. McElderry Books

Released- March 8th 2016

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

My Thoughts:
Well dame! Here I thought nothing could beat The Mortal Instrument series, but I was sadly mistaken. The first book, Lady Midnight, The Dark Artifices series, is absolutely brilliant!! At this point I can't say that it's better then the TMI books (yet) but I have a feeling by the time this series is over I'll be singing a different tune. Already, Lady Midnight has surpassed my deepest expectations. It has shiny new characters that had me instantly, and I mean instantly invested. It's plot is thick in the Shadowhunter world complete with demons, warlocks, faeries and parabatai and was always kept moving with action, fascination and a romance that is burning with devotion and forbidden longing. Seriously, I am overwhelmingly hooked in this world and physically pained that I have to wait years before everything is said and done. It hurts!

Cassandra Clare has always been a fantastic storyteller but I love her growth as a writer. This book felt more mature in ways but still has that classic Clare sass and wit she brings to her characters. The plot itself is more intense, more brutal as we're dealing with a serial killer butchering humans and fair-folk with the same markings that were on Emma Carstairs' parents when they were found murdered. Emma, obsessed with revenge, will do anything to find who is responsible, is persistently investigating against Clave rules, but it would also seem that she's not the only one who wants to see justice prevail. The plot is action packed and pulse pounding entertainment that I expected in a Cassandra Clare book but it has also has so much depth and heart that it shattered me in two. I was impressed and surprised with how much love-story we get in this installment. Clare doesn't hold anything back or shy away compared to the TMI books. Those characters were more conflicted towards their emotions, which was perfect and maddening for how that story was told, but in Lady Midnight, I thought the romances were more of a significant element, that didn't exactly take over the initial plot but felt just as important (if not more) for the overall series. I also love that we learn more about the parabatai vow in this book more so then the first series. I have a clearer understanding of what it truly means and trying to reason the hell out how to get around it for my favorite parabatai couple. Clare truly is a master for bringing in that anxious longing and incredible rush of a forbidden romance that can't be denied and I can't wait to see how this plays out!!!! 

With every new series introductions are in order and while some readers might find the beginning chapters tedious, I for one loved getting to know these characters and back-stories on a deeper level. I thought it was so smart of Clare to introduce most of these characters in the last TMI book. I was already connected to them but I don't think I was prepared to absolutely love them this much. I adore the Blackthorn family!!! I can't believe how relatable and likeable each of these characters are and I absolutely love the family togetherness and close friendships laced throughout the story. Julian, Mark, Livvy, Ty, Dru, Tavvy, Emma and Cristina. Everyone was put together beautifully with great personality and sharp voices. I think those were some of my favorite moments, when the family is just there eating and researching and being together. It was extremely touching and funny and warm and I loved how each of them were so easy to connect with. I loved them all, but I think my favorite three are Julian, Emma and Mark. I can't express how amazing Julian is. To raise his four brother and sisters at the age of twelve, taking care of the institute and his fragile uncle is more responsibility then one should endure at such an age. I have nothing but love, respect and admiration for Jules. Emma is also so amazing and while obsessive revenge can start to wear thin in books, I found myself cheering her on the whole way through. But the most surprising of all the characters was Mark. He has a sad story, he's been tortured and tormented by the Wild Hunt, he's this feral, unhinged shell of a man and my heart bleed for him. But as the story goes on, Mark becomes a little more confident but still just as lost. His child-like reactions were absolutely adorable, hilarious and charming and I loved how wise and whimsically spoken he can be. Truly, he was an absolute joy and a breath of fresh air! I also can't forget to mention a few more characters that made an impact in this book, whether it be good or bad; Malcolm, Kieran and Diego. My heart is still undecided about Kieran. He did something pretty dame unforgivable, but I don't think it's the last we see of him. TMI fans will also be happy to know that their favorite characters do make an appearance and mentioned often throughout the book. I didn't read The Shadowhunter Academy book yet since I'm waiting for the physical copy to release, so I was surprised and delighted to discover a few things that happened after TMI ended. We even get a special bonus chapter that I was a little floored by. The word, dreaded, is scaring the crap out of me, so yeah, need more of that please! 

Bottom line, Lady Midnight is Epic!!! This has it all my friends. A great demonic mystery, twist and turns and surprises. Fantastic world building and storytelling and an all consuming love story that tore my heart over and over again and all I want is more, More, MORE!! Completely absorbing, completely amazing, completely addicting as hell! This world is still my all time favorite escape!! LOVED!!!!!!!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                             5 Billion Snowflakes

Review: Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan 

Publisher- Harper Teen

Released- Jan 19th 2016

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.
Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

My Thoughts:

Sword and Verse, really surprised me in the best way possible. I loved Kathy MacMillan writing, it's sharp, intelligent and carefully calculated. The story is so evenly paced with suspense and intrigue and the concept is quite fascinating. This has a wonderful blend of fantasy, mythology and forbidden love. There is a lot going on here plot wise since this pans out three or four years throughout the book, but it never felt overwhelming or dull, it was always constantly moving and there were many points of the story that I would feel anxious for Raisa. For her safety. For her heart. Also, besides the ending, there isn't a lot of action or thrills, but it's not without it's share of drama, angst or political control. But I think my favorite part was learning about the symbols, scripts and system to the library of the Gods and it's importance to the story. I also enjoyed learning about the gods history at the beginning of the chapters and how it entwined with Raisa past and then we have the added mystery of Raisa heart-verse that kept me invested and curious throughout the novel. I also loved the Resistance and what they stood for. I've never been comfortable reading slavery in my escapes but I think MacMillan was tasteful and handled it well.

I've really grown to love, respect and admire these characters, they are all very well developed and capable and made it entirely to easy for me to lose myself in their story.  Raisa was such a conflicted creature, but I liked how her strength and courage develops throughout the story. The struggles and confusion made her feel more realistic and relatable, I mean how do you choose between your people and your one true love, even if it is forbidden? Despite his title, Prince Mati is actually so very kind, considerate and compassionate. I kept forgetting he was the prince, he seemed so down to earth and not the overbearing controlling royal I see in other reads. As for the romance? I absolutely adore it! It's sweet, tender, warm and at times so unsure, but it was beautifully done and made the fight even more richer and worth it.

All in all, I really just loved this one, it has everything I want in an escape. Solid concept, engaging plot and remarkable characters. I'm surprised that this is a standalone, but only because it's rare to run into for this genre, but MacMillan wraps this up quite smoothly and there really is nothing like feeling content and satisfied after you finished a novel. Still, I'm looking forward to the companion, I'd love to know what happens to some of these other characters and see what's in store for Qilarite next. A fascinating read!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes 

Review: Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: December 3, 2013
Purchase: Amazon

The road to power... is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.
Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over...

At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.

When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.

My Thoughts:
PEOPLE!!  This book OMG this book!!  Morgan Rhodes has crafted a fantasy that is so brilliant and just my gawd just everything I have EVER wanted in a fantasy novel.  This is YA at its absolute finest and my favorite book of 2015!

Rhodes definitely does not suffer from middle book syndrome.   Rebel Spring is just as explosive as its predecessor and honestly even more so in some areas.  The story is so intricately woven throughout that every page has a purpose.  There are no wasted words or filler here let me tell you.  I am completely blown away by what this author has created.  COMPLETELY!

Again I won't go into the story because it's a very complicated one and one that I know I won't do justice to.  And honestly I don't want to spoil it for anyone.  The story is that good to where I would totally tell all my friends to go in blind.  Don't read a synopsis, don't read a summary, just go in and experience.  I have never said that before so that should tell you something.

I've come to find out that Rhodes is fearless with her characters and will kill anyone off at the drop of hat.  I think she's killed off like ten people so far and everyone of them was important!  Who does this!!??  Even after so many have been killed off I still find myself shocked when it happens.  I'm beginning to get a little blood lust myself though because now when I smell death in a scene I'm starting to chant die die die!  This I know can't be a good thing, but I blame Rhodes and her fearlessness!

The characters have continued to grow and change and a few scare me more in this one.  Magnus is a loose cannon and I'm terrified of what his plans ultimately are.  I'm also finding is fascinating that so many characters have an evil streak!  This appeals to the darker side of me and I love it!  I was shocked at quite a few dark turns this book took, but it totally fits right in with the story and I have no complaints.

One thing I find hilarious is the romance in this series. I've just said that Rhodes will kill anybody and this has proven to serve more than one purpose.  I despise love triangles and throughout this story I've smelled a few of them. Well let me tell you if these pesky triangles bother you too, then you need not worry.  Every time I would groan and think NO I don't want a triangle within a few chapters one side of the triangle would meet their end.  LOVE THIS!  I again know this isn't quite normal for me to feel, but really what better way to deal with triangles??  I think this should be standard in books now with love triangles!

I'm beyond excited to continue on with this series.  It is beyond epic and one that I will definitely not let fall to the wayside as I have done with so many series as of late.  Bring on Gathering Darkness!

Another Blizzard Read!

Review:Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: December 11th, 2012
Purchase: Amazon

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword.... 

My Thoughts:
Holy majoely!!  When people said Falling Kingdoms was exactly like Game of Thrones (my favorite show ever) I was like yeah okay it's YA how can in be exactly like a show that is so very far from YA.  Well I stand completely corrected!  Game of Thrones has murder, war, blood, spies, kings, and magic.  Falling Kingdoms has murder, war, blood, spies, kings, and magic too!  Really the only different I found is that Game of Thrones has dragons and Falling Kingdoms doesn't...yet.

Now don't think that this is a rip off of Game of Thrones.  Falling Kingdoms can definitely hold it's own and the actual storyline is completely different I assure you.  I honestly like Rhodes storyline better than my favorite show so that should tell you something!

I won't even try to summarize this book, there's just too much going on.  Rhodes weaved an incredible story and its only just starting with this book.  I was completely captivated from the beginning and it took me only 2 days to read this 400+ page book. The story is that good.  I loved that i never knew what was coming on the next page and I learned really early on that Rhodes is ruthless with her characters. Just when you start to care about somebody BAM they die!  I mean who does this so early on in a series!  Since these characters who were major characters in my eyes were sacrificed so early on I honestly can't wait to meet who sticks around.

There were two things that bothered me though and they were both oddly enough the romances for certain characters.  I didn't like that one was so fast and the other I didn't like it involved siblings.  The one that was fast could have been okay if the author would have shown more scenes between the two involved.  If I had seen their love grow I could have accepted it a bit more.  The other well siblings that doesn't need much explanation.  I will say that events happened to help with both of these situations so I was a happy camper by the end.

I also didn't mind the insinuation of triangles.  Morgan Rhodes does a great job at incorporating the plot lines that you just feel like everything is there for a reason.

I know just from this first book this story will be EPIC!!!  I know I haven't given much detail about this story, but really with epic high fantasy it's just too hard!  Everything about this book was spot on and incredible.  That's what you need to know!  To tell you anything would be taking away the joy of meeting Cleo, Jonas, Theon, and Mangus for the first time and you need to meet them without knowing who they are.  Trust me you don't want to know too much!!

This is another blizzard read for me and I know the rest of the series will be the same.  Morgan Rhodes you are brilliant!!

Blizzard Read

 

Review: Frostborn by Lou Anders

Frostborn by Lou Anders
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 5th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Meet Karn. He is destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones.

Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.

When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to keep their sense of humor and their wits about them. But survival can be challenging when you’re being chased by a 1,500-year-old dragon, Helltoppr the undead warrior and his undead minions, an evil uncle, wyverns, and an assortment of trolls and giants.

My thoughts:
This was a very interesting read for me.  On one hand I really enjoyed the innocence of it all because it's been a really long time since I have read a middle grade book, but on the other hand it kinda fell a little short for me.

I'll start with the part I liked, the giants.  I loved this part of the story. It was fun and unique and I really fell into it with abandon.  I thought Thianna was an amazing character and her struggles really touched my heart.  See she is a half giant living in a giant world.  A lot of the giants don't respect her because of her human half.  Thianna feels like she has to prove herself everyday and all she wants is to just be a giant and nothing more.  I felt bad for her and I just wanted her to accept her uniqueness but that's easier said than done and Thianna goes on an adventure that opens her eyes to a lot of things.


The part I didn't like was Karns which is a bummer, but I felt like Karns and Thiannas each held 50% of the story so it didn't ruin it for me.  I should probably clarify because it's not that I didn't like Karn its just that it resembled The Lion King a little too much for me.  I mean honestly if you break it down the story and the characters are basically the same. Even down to the dirt that Scar throws into Simba's face and the demise of Scar was the exact same as well.  I don't like how similar they were.  I don't think the author copied on purpose but my oh my they were the exact same!  It was hard for me to look at Karns story without thinking of Simba and that just depressed me because The Lion King was so sad!  I just really wish the author would have made Karns story as unique as Thiannas.

The two stories collide eventually and we get to see each side take center stage at different times. I liked how the author wove both in together and kept them separate at the same time.  Really if you look at it there were 3 stories all together.  Thiannas, Karns, and the one with them on the adventure together.  They made a great team and I rooted for them from the start.

I have the second book to read and I am thinking I will probably really like it because it is about Thianna and her moms side of the family.  I think it will be really interesting to see where the author takes his characters and with The Lion King side of the story done I am pretty sure Karn will have a fun storyline as well.  So I will definitely give this author another shot!

3 snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday #100 Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes                  Publisher: Razorbill      Published: December 11, 2012  Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.
Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.
Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword.... 

Teaser #1 ebook page 53/293

"Just keep one thing in mind as you embark on this arrangement with your new bodyguard..."
She looked at him sharply. "What's that?"
He held her gaze. "He's not royal either."

Teaser #2 ebook page 77/293

And she also wished very much that she could share her won secret, the one she'd been hiding for nearly a month--the one no one knew. No one at all.


*PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Review: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Publisher- Harlequin Teen

Released- April 28th 2015

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.
Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.
A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

My Thoughts

It's true, I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, Talon. I thought it was a promising start but my overall expectations regarding world building, specially for one of Kagawa's books was a bit of a let down. However, this second instalment, Rogue, was much better. More action, more answers and a lot more romantic entanglements that I found quite entertaining. I can see the bigger picture now, see how things are playing out. How certain aspects of the characters and different organizations are being developed in an unique way and I love where Kagawa is taking this. I always knew that Talon was a promising start but Rogue proves that this just may be epic after all.

There are a lot of things going on here plot wise so I wont be going into it, but I will say that I'm impressed with how big this story really is. I enjoyed the history of St. George but I also liked seeing how Talon operates and how the Rogue made their enemies on both sides of the lines. I also enjoyed all the different point of views and I'm grateful for every one of them. I loved seeing the back-story of Riley (Cobalt), what he was like as Talon's Basilisk and what pushed him to go Rogue. From minute one Riley has been a force, something overpowering and persuasive. I'm really glad we got to know him better. Dante is also another character who was slightly overlooked in the last book. He's Ember's twin and a determined loyal Talon servant who will do what ever it takes to bring back his sister to the right side. Where she belongs. I don't think I was suppose to be surprised by his actions, but I was and yet I still have hope for him. Garret is another character I wasn't quite sure about, but I found him to be less robotic in this book. More open and natural even if he was living a very surreal life. It takes a big person to admit that their whole life is one giant lie and try to make up for it. And as for Ember? Well, I still find her to be rather reckless but at least she has good intentions and I liked her passion and fight. The love triangle is really well done, like Ember I'm not sure which guy I'm rooting for at this point and I like that we have a few more books for the boys to convince us who should own her heart.

All in all, Rogue turned out to be a really fierce read. There is a lot of betrayal against each organization. St. George against Talon and Talon against St. George and Rogue and Rogue against all of the above. It's hard to know who to trust but it's also fascinating and exciting to see how everything is battling out. Plus, I love me some dragon fightin'. Kagawa is such a skilled writer and I love the growth she's giving her characters and this vibrant universe where anything can happen. Can't wait for the next book!  

Find the author:

Website / Goodreads                              4 Snowflakes 

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Novice by Taran Matharu

The Novice by Taran Matharu

Publisher- Feiwel and Friends

Released- May 5th 2015

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.

My Thoughts:

The Novice, is a fun filled high fantasy adventure that was an impressive entertaining escape. I had a lot of fun reading this book and really enjoyed the concept. It has it's share of politics and war between the commoners, nobles and fantastical beings such as; orcs, elvens, germlines, summoners and demons, but the flow and pace of the story was even and always intriguing, the world building was rich and vivid, the writing was crisp and the character were all witty and wonderfully likeable.

Fifteen year old, Fletcher Wulf was abandoned at the gates of Pelt when he was just a baby, but was raised by Berdon, the villagers blacksmith when no one else would take him in. He's never forgiven his mother for leaving him, but he's got a good home where he is given affection and respect and even though some of the villagers are arrogant, Fletcher can more then handle his own. But his whole life changes the moment he receives a parting gift, a Summoner's book. When Fletcher manages to summon a rare demon and gets in some trouble, he finds himself landing at the Vocans Adept Academy where he will learn spellcrafting and be trained as a battlemage.

A little LotR, some GoT and a dash of HP, this particular escape has just about everything I love in a fantasy book. Though, for those who know me wont find it surprising that my favorite part of this book was the academy. I have a thing for academy books and this one is just as fun as I imagined . I loved learning along with Fletcher and the students about how to connect, control and channel their demons, the history, the Ether and the magic of it all.  It was really cool to see the training and different races throughout the school while Matharu throws in a few twist and turns to keep it suspenseful, gripping and exciting. I also really enjoyed the characters, Fletcher, Genevieve, Rory, Othello and Sylva and of course all their demons, but Ignatius was my favorite. They all brought something fun and unique to the storyline. The ending left us on a bit of a cliffy, so I'm really looking forward to the next book and there isn't any really romance in this one, but the action and intrigue more then makes up for it that it's not an element I missed.

In all, The Novice turned out to be a great story that combines fantasy, paranormal and magic that was intense, captivating and wildly entertaining. This was indeed a promising start to a series I greatly look forward to continuing. Well done!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Twitter                               4  Snowflakes

Giveaway!  The wonderful people at Macmillan have graciously offered to send one lucky reader their very own copy of The Novice!  Enter for a chance below!
US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

To find out more about Novice visit these links which include an excerpt!

-Become a fan of the series on Facebook.

-Read an excerpt!

-Follow Taran Matharu on Twitter.

-Discover novellas and more content on Wattpad!

Be sure to visit the rest of the tour stops!

Tuesday May 5

Bookish Antics

Wednesday May 6

A Life Bound By Books

Thursday May 7

SciFiChick

Friday May 8

MundieMoms

Monday May 11

WinterHavenBooks

Tuesday May 12

Forever Young Adult

Thursday May 14

MacTeenBooks Blog

Friday May 15

Working for the Mandroid

Teaser Tuesday #93 Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Heir of Fire (A Throne of Glass Novel) by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Teaser page 280

"I see her slipping away, bit by bit, because you shove her down when she so desperately needs someone to help her back up."

Teaser page 280

"She has no hope, Prince. She has no hope lfet in her heart. Help her. If not for her sake, then at least for what she represents__what she could offer all of us, you included."
"And what is that?" he dared ask.
Emrys met his gaze unflinchingly as whispered, "A better world,"

*PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Review & Audiobook Sample: The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

Publisher- Gallery Books

Released- March 10th 2015

Purchase-Amazon / B & N / TBD

The Hunger Games meets Cormac McCarthy’s The Road in this richly imagined first novel in a new post-apocalyptic trilogy by award-winning poet Francesca Haig.Cass is a rare Omega, one burdened with psychic foresight. While her twin, Zach, gains power on the Alpha Council, she dares to dream the most dangerous dream of all: equality. For daring to envision a world in which Alphas and Omegas live side-by-side as equals, both the Council and the Resistance have her in their sights.
Four hundred years in the future, the Earth has turned primitive following a nuclear fire that has laid waste to civilization and nature. Though the radiation fallout has ended, for some unknowable reason every person is born with a twin. Of each pair, one is an Alpha—physically perfect in every way; and the other an Omega—burdened with deformity, small or large. With the Council ruling an apartheid-like society, Omegas are branded and ostracized while the Alphas have gathered the world’s sparse resources for themselves. Though proclaiming their superiority, for all their effort Alphas cannot escape one harsh fact: Whenever one twin dies, so does the other.

My Thoughts:
The Fire Sermon, is a harsh and cruel reality set in an apocalyptic world ruined by nuclear devastation. While the radiation has lifted, it still made it's poisonous affect on it's people, for every person is born with a twin. One girl and one boy, the Alpha; perfect and strong and the Omega; weak and mutated physically or mentally. Branded and shut out of the community, to be an Omega is a brutal life, but the Alpha's need them alive, for what happens to one twin, the other will feel, in sickness, pain and even death.

Well now, this turned out to be quite the fascinating and impressive read. Francesca Haig, does a tremendous job of compelling the reader to this unique world and it's haunting characters. Cassandra and Zach are twins that weren't separated till the age of thirteen since there was no visible signs of who held the deformity. As it turned out, Cassandra is a rare seer who could predict the future and her brother tricked the truth out of her so he could finally begin his life as an Alpha. My heart really went out to Cassandra. She only wanted to stay with her family, home and twin but was shut out from the community for being an Omega. From there she was sent to one of the Omega settlements for the next six years only to be captured and contained in a cell at the Keeping Room, where she spent the next four years before escaping with another Omega named Kip. On the run and being hunted by Zach and his Alpha soldiers, Cass and Kip are in search of the island, which is an Omega safe haven, the same island that the Alpha's want to find and destroy all hope for their mutated twins.

My sympathy and respect for Cass throughout the story never seemed to waver. She's a strong, resourceful character that's a true fighter and survivor. Even after all she's been through at the hands of her Alpha brother, she still clings to hope that he could change himself and the world they live in. It's a thin line between love and hate. It may be naive on Cass's part but I admire her sharp mind and hopeful heart.

Kip is also a great character, he has a great sense of humor and is good natured. He may not be the most trusting but I think him being so cautious is understandable given his tortuous time in the Keeping Room and the fact that he only has one arm and no memory of his life, not even his twin. I liked the connection he and Cass had and even the very subtle but sweet romance. I was shocked when we learned the revelation concerning his memory lost and who his twin was and was completely surprised and saddened by the measures he took with that news.

At this point of the story, I'm not sure how to feel about Zach. I wish we got to understand him on a more deeper level (that is if he has one). We only get to see the side where his ambition and lust for power and to be recognized as a distinguished Alpha dominates all, even to go so far as to put his twin in a cell for his her own safety and treat her like a necessary nuisance. He's selfish and cruel and I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I was waiting and wanting to see even a glimpse of regret or remorse that wasn't tainted with self-preservation. But at last, there is nothing there besides an Alpha twin who is willing to do anything to achieve his ultimate goals. Still, like Cass, I have hope. I think there could be something more, maybe something that we've been missing and am curious to see if it'll be explored in future books.

Bottom line, I really enjoyed this book. It has a great mix of politics, fantasy and survival. I loved the characters, they played their roles well, the good and the bad. I loved the concept of Alpha and Omega and the disturbing world building. The writing is strong and the pace and flow of the story stayed at a constant stream of action and intrigue. Despite these characters being in their twenty's, this still very much reads like a young adult book. I also heard this was optioned for film and I'm looking forward to seeing this portrayed on the big screen as well as continuing this promising new world. A great escape!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Twitter                               4 Snowflakes

Audiobooks are quickly becoming a huge thing around WinterHaven lately.  Thanks to the wonderful people at Audible Studios we have a sound clip from The Fire Sermon audiobook to share with you!   Enjoy!!