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: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Publisher-Disney-Hyperion

Released- Jan 5th 2016

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

My Thoughts:
What a sensational book!! I've been really fortunate to have read so many time travel books that I absolutely adored. I haven't always been lucky with this genre but it's one of my favorites, so I'm happy to say that along with Karen Akins Loop series and my most recent time travel escape, Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor, Bracken's Passenger adds to the string of great time travel books that keeps me wanting and begging more from this thrilling universe.

I've always been a huge fan of Bracken since her debut novel, Brightly Woven, but I think this is her best book ever. This book has it all. Thrilling adventure, stunning settings, fantastic writing and likeable amazing characters that will hook you from minute one till that evil cliffhanger of an ending. And I do mean evil! I really loved how Bracken created such a vast world of adventure and wonderment. I loved seeing all the different centuries and kept anticipating what timeline we'll see next. Everything felt so real, like I was being transported through time by the eyes of these characters. What lush and violent worlds filled with so much danger and daring excitement. I really have to hand it to Bracken, she did her homework, her words make everything feel so crisp and alive. I don't want to say anything about the plot since I think readers will want to discover everything this book has to offer, and dame, does it offer a lot, but I will say that it's excellently paced with suspense and mystery and even though I'm not a huge historical fan, I couldn't seem to get enough of this history. Never a dull or dragged out moment here folks, this was pure solid entertainment.

I really loved Etta and Nicholas, they are so wonderful individually and together. Etta is a true firecracker, so much fearless feist and fight with a sharp mind and a big beautiful heart to go with it. It's rare to see a character like Nicholas these days, or maybe I'm just reading the wrong kind of books, but Nicholas has such an old-charm about him that makes me smile. He's an honourable and loyal man that lives by his promises. I really loved the romance even though it's fragile and so uncertain but it was the spontaneous warmth and the intimately sweet moments that I couldn't seem to get enough of. My heart can't help want a happily ever after once this is all said and done. 

Bottom line, Passenger was such a great read. It's the kind of journey that will throw you from your own reality and into a whole new world, and real, what more can I ask for in an escape? Except perhaps the next book and the answers to that evil cliffhanger of an ending! A fantastic read! 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4.5 Snowflakes

Review: The Ward by Jordana Frankel

The Ward by Jordana Frankel
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Amazon  B&N

Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure. However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface. Jordana Frankel’s ambitious debut novel and the first in a two-book series, The Ward is arresting, cinematic, and thrilling—perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld or Ann Aguirre.

 My Thoughts...

Combined unique elements give this a fresh Dystopian feel. Ren is a racer in the Ward, a district that is suffering from illness and a lack of clean "fresh" water. It isn't an easy place to live, nor is it easy for Ren to gain acceptance by the "guys" in the racing arena. One mistake lands Ren into a precarious situation, one that also makes her realize she cares for her friend turned sister more than herself and she will do whatever she has to do to make sure she gets the treatment to make her better.

It took me a minute to adjust to the protagonists lingo. Words like "fresh" instead of saying clean water, and a few others. Actually, I found it a little annoying and distracted me from the flow of the story. The picture painted was interesting and unique. Not a fan of car racing, I did enjoy the uniqueness of these races, bouncing from one rooftop to another, using water pressure and other elements to change it up.

This story is packed with action, romantic elements, deception, and mystery. I'd say this story is mostly action with a small percentage of romance. With Ren being more of a tomboy, I had hoped she found a guy who not only made her feel pretty, but enhanced her feminism. She certainly was a character with a tough exterior and took a beating not only physically, but emotionally as well. This was a good read and by the end I felt that I liked Ren a lot more than I had throughout the first 3/4 of the book.

The secondary characters were pretty cool. I had a slight bookish crush on her Bookie...can't lie. Even though he had a mysterious edge, I could tell he had feelings for Ren. Then there's the Scientist....he turned up to be an awesome character and one that I really liked, but yet, not enough for me to want him and Ren together.

She seemed to always land herself in predicaments that had a ripple effect, causing more grief or an added layer of frustrating obstacles. The cure for which Ren and the Scientist worked hard for was pretty clever I thought. She plays a major roll in the turnover in the health of not just her sister, but for all the people in the Ward. Loved the ending!  The symbol of the copper penny was pretty cool in my book, and I loved how the doormat was covered with them at the end. I know this seems like gibberish to those of you who haven't yet read this, but seriously was struck giddy with a smile by it.

Overall, I liked The Ward. I found it to be unique and pretty darn interesting. If you give it a go, be prepared for lots of action and an ending that will make you smile.

3.5 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: Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Deceptive by Emily Lloyd- Jones

Publisher- July 14th 205

Released- Little Brown Books for YA

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Don't miss this thrilling, high-stakes sequel to Illusive.You don’t belong with us. These are the words that echo through the minds of all immune Americans—those suffering the so-called adverse effects of an experimental vaccine, including perfect recall, body manipulation, telepathy, precognition, levitation, mind-control, and the ability to change one’s appearance at will.When immune individuals begin to disappear—in great numbers, but seemingly at random—fear and tension mount, and unrest begins to brew across the country. Through separate channels, super-powered teenagers Ciere, Daniel, and Devon find themselves on the case; super criminals and government agents working side-by-side. It’s an effort that will ultimately define them all—for better or for worse.

My Thoughts:

After reading Illusive, I was instantly addicted by this explosive world and couldn't wait to get my hands on book two. Deceptive is just as crazy amazing as book one and even better then I expected.

Emily Lloyd-Jones is such a fantastic storyteller! I absolutely  love the her writing style. It's fast paced, in your face and solid entertainment from the first page, on. I adore the concept of super-powered teens working with different government agents with a mystery that entwines them together again. Ciere and Alan, Devon, and Daniel all work with different organizations, but I think that's what I love most about this series. They are friends, or well, not each others enemies. As an immune, they have no choice but to work with their 'respected organizations', but when push comes to shove, they are still protecting each other and when they're working together, the chemistry is off the charts fun.

The plot is a complete rush and I can't express how gripping and thrilling this series is. It's constantly moving, unpredictable and while I might not have cared for the whole mob/government agents before in my reads, I can't help but be addicted to it now. Then again, the whole immune powers really puts this in a rather intriguing place. But really, it's these incredible characters that really own this book. Cirea is a firecracker, Alan is protective and wonderful and Devon is still hilarious, reckless and amazing. I was happy to see more of Daniel in this book since he didn't play a huge role in the first book. I think I've got to know him better and while he's still somewhat of a mystery, I loved what he brought into this world. I'm also happy to see that some romance is playing out in this book, but I'm not sure it was the romance I was hoping for...still, it was sweet and I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Bottom line, I loved this book. The writing, the concept, the storyline and the characters. This one has it all. It's fun and funny with quick wit and charming banter with an endless stream of action and thrills. The ending was decent enough, but there has to be more. It simple can't end here and I for one can't wait for the next book! An addicting read!

Find the author:

Website / Goodreads                               4.5 Snowflakes

Review: Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older

Shadowshaper 

by Daniel José Older 

Published June 30th 2015
by Arthur A. Levine Books 

 Cassandra Clare meets Caribbean legend in SHADOWSHAPER, an action-packed urban fantasy from a bold new talent.
 Sierra Santiago was looking forward to a fun summer of making art, hanging out with her friends, and skating around Brooklyn. But then a weird zombie guy crashes the first party of the season. Sierra's near-comatose abuelo begins to say "No importa" over and over. And when the graffiti murals in Bed-Stuy start to weep.... Well, something stranger than the usual New York mayhem is going on. Sierra soon discovers a supernatural order called the Shadowshapers, who connect with spirits via paintings, music, and stories. Her grandfather once shared the order's secrets with an anthropologist, Dr. Jonathan Wick, who turned the Caribbean magic to his own foul ends. Now Wick wants to become the ultimate Shadowshaper by killing all the others, one by one. With the help of her friends and the hot graffiti artist Robbie, Sierra must dodge Wick's supernatural creations, harness her own Shadowshaping abilities, and save her family's past, present, and future.

My Thoughts

I am usually one to steer away from the blurb promise of X meets Y however, when it involves one of my favorite authors (Cassie Clare and the caribbean legends I couldn't help myself. I was instantly intrigued. I also was lucky enough to interview Jose on my person blog and it was one of the most fun interviews I have ever done. His answers were awesome and reflect his personality to a tee! If you want to check out that interview you can so *here*. Tons of people want to be a part of the We Need diverse Books movement. Well here is great place to start, by supporting some authors who have diverse M.C.'s. Shadowshaper was such a culturally rich and imaginative book that I devoured it in mere hours. I have veered away from Urban fantasy in lieu of more historical or medieval setting so this was a such a breathe of fresh air. Also the murals come to life?! How freakin cool is that?

It was very amazing watching this plot unfurl before my eyes. I thought things were going to be a bit slow at first but then the pieces started to click and it was a downhill sprint from then on. I have such a soft spots for grandparents since I was raised by mine. the knowledge they hold should be treasured and it was great to see Sierra take to that even though her grandfather hasn't been with it most of the time. The supporting cast was a riot. The romance was adorable as well! It didn't overwhelm the story of the Shadowshapers. It was simply icing on the cake. 

The thing that stood out most to me was Jose's portrayal of Brooklyn. It felt so realistic. You could truly see the author's love and respect for the city and its cultures shine brightly through in his writing. I am not a culturally diverse teen but it was nice to see some issues that are struggled with internally.

Shadowshaper is truly unique urban fantasy sure to please all fans who love art and a good story!

5 Snowflakes

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 

Review: Alive by Chandler Baker

Alive by Chandler Baker
Publisher-Disney-Hyperion
Released-June 9th 2015
Pre-Order- Amazon / B&N

Stella Cross's heart is poisoned.After years on the transplant waiting list, she's running out of hope that she'll ever see her eighteenth birthday. Then, miraculously, Stella receives the transplant she needs to survive.Determined to embrace everything she came so close to losing, Stella throws herself into her new life. But her recovery is marred by strange side effects: Nightmares. Hallucinations. A recurring pain that flares every day at the exact same moment. Then Stella meets Levi Zin, the new boy on everyone's radar at her Seattle prep school. Stella has never felt more drawn to anyone in her life, and soon she and Levi are inseparable.
Stella is convinced that Levi is her soul mate. Why else would she literally ache for him when they are apart?After all, the heart never lies...does it?

My Thoughts: 
Well dame! This book is not what I was expecting. Alive is a spine-tingling, creeptastic thriller contemporary that was both emotionally moving and chill-worthy. I get all goose-bumpy just thinking about it!

Stella Cross, was only 15 years old when her heart started to fail her and has been on a waiting list for a transplant for the last two years, but she finally gets the heart transplant that saved her life. Not being able to really do anything since she got sick, Stella is living large and doing things that she wouldn't be able to do before. But the side effects are starting to wear her down. Hallucinations, nightmares and extreme pain at the same time each day has Stella writhing in exhaustion. So when new student, Levi Zin arrives and he and Stella seem to hit it off instantly, Stella is shocked to learn that there is no pain when Levi is around and is convinced that he is the only thing she'll ever need. After all, the heart wants what it wants....right?

First off, I gotta say that I really loved the direction Baker took with this story. I went into this expecting it to go a particular way only to be shutter-shocked when it took the less obvious approach. I also didn't expect this to be such a thriller and loved that gripping and dark edge laced throughout the entire story. I thought the hallucinations and nightmares were wickedly freaky but it was the connection that we learn later that made them such a huge impact. There was also some much needed suspension of disbelief  that I had to take with this book, but I still wish we could have gotten some more answers for the why's and how's of it all. Still, I can't deny everything really flowed together at an exciting and intriguing pace and the writing was simply incredible.

Stella isn't a character I come across very often. She's developed in a particular way that made her come off as stubborn, reckless, uptight, jaded and if I'm being truthful, not very likeable. But by the end of the story I realized that certain elements may have played a larger role for Stella's attitude and how she treated everyone around her, so really, how can I fault her for that?

Levi Zin is one complicated hot mess. He's mysterious, complex, intense and very charming and had more then his share of swoon-worthy moments. But there was always something in the back of my mind that made me not want to trust him. Something off. Very off.

Believe it or not, the relationship between Stella and Levi wasn't exactly insta-love, but it did border on unhealthy obsession to the point where Stella would be unhinged whenever she is with Levi or apart. Henry and Brynn were my only constant characters that I really loved. Henry is such a sweetheart, adorable, supportive and protective and everyone needs a Brynn in there life to tell ya how it really is. The overall ending was a little quick and I wish we could have gotten some kind of plausible explanations, but it was still satisfying enough and left me happy and content.

Bottom line, I had a lot of fun with this book. It's unpredictable, mysterious, emotional and fantastically twisted. Chandler Baker is an author to look out for. This was an amazing debut and I look forward to seeing more books in the future from this talented author.

Find the author:
Goodreads / Twitter                               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

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Arc Giveaway & Review- Velvet by Temple West

Velvet by Temple West

Publisher- Swoon Reads

Released- May 12th 2015

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

My Thoughts:

Ah, now this was a great read! My first love in reading has always been paranormal and it's been a long while since I've been able to read a vampire book, so this book was a pleasantly fun escape.

I really enjoyed West's writing, it's strong and the pace and flow was steady, smooth and always interesting. I really loved this particular twist on vampire lore. There is some traditional elements, but for the most part this was rather unique and imaginative and I enjoyed the emotional approach concept and I also liked the combination of vampires, demons and even a little scientific in the way of explanation, it may seem a little out there to some, but given this is myth/legend it didn't feel that way for me, just a new fascinating take on an old lore that has me completely absorbed no matter how many vampires stories I've read. The plot was rather cool, the spin was a lot of fun and extremely creeptastic and the characters were great, realistically flawed and easy to connect with. I also loved the setting and thought it fit the tone of the book perfectly.

Ok, so Caitlin wasn't exactly easy to get along with when we first meet her. She's bitter, reckless and even cruel. I get that her mother passed away and she's feeling empty and angry and wants to blame the world, but it started to get a little annoying with the way she was treating everyone. But, as the story moves on, I started to realize that her emotional state actually plays a bigger role in the overall story, so it was easier to overlook and thankfully, bitter Caitlin started to act a little more human. I ended up really enjoying her funny personality and witty attitude, she's got great spunk, feist and a big heart.

As for Adrian? I couldn't help love him from minute one. Mysterious, fiercely protective and intense at first but then eventually we got the more playful, warm and even a little adorably nerdish Adrian that I couldn't help love even more. There was a moment there where his hot/cold attitude was a little frustrating, but it was easy to forgive given the impending situation and how far Adrian would go to protect Cait. I simple adored the friendship between Adrian and Caitlin. They have the greatest chemistry, banter and sarcasm and were so incredibly funny, sweet and cute with real moments that made me smile all big and stupid. Forbidden romance and rules be damned. These two belong together. Period. 

This has a decent ending, but it's totally lined up for more which is great since I'm simply not ready to let go of these amazing characters or this world quite yet.

All in all, this was a really fun entertaining escape that has just about everything I want in my vampire books. Action, intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance. West is a great new voice for paranormal romance and I can't wait to find out what happens next! An excellent debut!

Find the author:

Website / Goodreads                               4.5 Snowflakes

WinterHaven Books is offering one lucky winner the chance to win an ARC copy of Velvet! US and Canada only. Good luck!  

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