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: Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Publisher- Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Released- Oct 7th 2014

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Cousins Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope are all dealing with what it means to be a Lovegrove. For Gretchen, it means she often feels like her head is going to explode. As a Whisperer, Gretchen constantly hears the whispers of other witches’ spells. And while this does help her to know when one of her own spells is going wrong, the incessant buzzing and pain the whispers cause makes it difficult to use her gift.But when something evil begins to menace Mayfair, Gretchen must find a way to master her power. Along with her cousins, a madcap named Moira, and the icy yet irresistible Tobias Lawless, Gretchen faces deadly threats and unimaginable loss in the hopes of preventing the terrible Greymalkin Sisters from rising again. The second book in The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy, Whisper the Dead will leave readers spellbound.

My Thoughts:
Whisper the Dead, is the second book in The Lovegrove Legacy and just as magical and intriguing as the first book. I have always loved Harvey's books. They are always filled with so much fun and fascination. I still tend to find historical reads a little hard to get into, but the way Harvey tells it, it felt so easy to sink into this world and enjoy the rich details, colourful characters and clever dialogue.

The storyline is quite busy with it's multiple point of views and endless string of power and magic that seems to bleed from the pages, so while it was at times, a bit overwhelming, I didn't find it overly confusing or frustrating. While this instalment is really  Gretchen story, we still have the other character to keep us informed and entertained. The plot has thickened up immensely, adding in new twist and turns I never saw coming. The pace and flow was perfectly stretched to ensure that readers stay alert and on their toes the entire experience and the setting is, as always, beautifully vivid and rich in both romance and magical intrigue and I completely adored how much Harvey put into this brilliant world.

I really love all these wonderfully put together characters. They are all blended together effortlessly. I loved the crisp dialogue and all the witty ways that gives each of them all such a unique voice and personality, especially given the large length of the cast.

Gretchen has always been entirely her own person, despite what high society thinks a proper lady should be. I love her feist, fight and determination to master her newfound powers as a Whisperer. 

I wasn't sure of Tobias at first since he seems a little aggressive at the beginning, but soon we see a different side to him. He's fiercely loyal to the Order and tries to deny his true-self, but I still loved his protectiveness and kind heart. I thought Gretchen and Tobias made a wonderful pair. They have great chemistry and provided the perfect balance to challenge and bring out the best in one another.

I really loved seeing Emma and Cormac again as well. They are a darling couple that made me smile. I'm greatly looking forward to Penelope's story next. She is such a hopeless romantic at heart and so incredibly sweet. I'm totally rooting for Cedric. Just saying.

However, I was really upset when it came to Godric's character. I simple adored him and I'm sad to see where fate took him.

Bottom line, I had a lot of fun with this book. The world Harvey created is brilliantly dazzling and dangerous and these characters will keep you invested from minute one. Charming and enchanting, this is my idea of an amazing escape. 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                4 Snowflakes

Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

The Iron Trial 

by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

Publisher- Scholastic

Realeased- Sept 9th 2014

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N 

From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a riveting new series that defies what you think you know about the world of magic.
From two bestselling superstars, a dazzling and magical middle-grade collaboration centering on the students of the Magisterium, an academy for those with a propensity toward magic. In this first book, a new student comes to the Magisterium against his will -- is it because he is destined to be a powerful magician, or is the truth more twisted than that? It's a journey that will thrill you, surprise you, and make you wonder about the clear-cut distinction usually made between good and evil.

My Thoughts: 

The Iron Trial, is the first book in the Magisterium series and what  I believe is a strong and promising start to a brilliant dark magical world. I've read a few books by Holly Black and I'm already a mega-huge fan of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter world, so I couldn't wait to see what these two authors together would bring into the written world. I don't read very many middle-grade books, with only the HP and Percy Jackson books amongst my favourites, but the minute I heard that Clare and Black were tackling magic for kids, I knew I had to get my grabby hands on the first installment. This book was such a blast and instantly loved!

First off, the storyline was made of awesome! Clare and Black took there time coming up with a fantastic story making it a shinny and new universe to want to play in. They make an amazing team. The writing is smooth, the pacing and flow of the story was perfectly pitched and I couldn't tell from one author to the next who wrote what. It was in-sync and blended strongly and beautifully throughout the entire length of the novel. There were some moments and similarities that did reminded me of the great boy wizard, but it didn't take anything away from my overall entertainment and experience. World will inevitably collide when writing about magic in a magical school setting, but I still think that this book is entirely it's own. I loved the concept of bending the elements of air, fire, water, earth and chaos with magical control. The history, secrets and prophecy were mysterious and alluring. The Devoured souls and chaos-ridden animals were a fantastical touch to the already dark and haunting setting and the Magisterium itself was filled with creepy wonderment. 

The moment I meet Callum, I knew I was going to love him. He's the kind of kid that makes life interesting and has a great voice and personality. Even though he has a bad leg and practically a social-leper at school, he still has this amusing sarcastic side to him that's funny instead of bitter. He's always been taught that the school is a place of monsters, and yet apart of him wants to believe it may be a good place for someone like him despite his fears and insecurities. Aaron is one of those great characters that is good, kind, supportive, loyal and believes in you no matter what anyone says. He's got the most to prove, but no one really to prove it too. Tamara was a bit cold and unfeeling at the start of the book so it wasn't always easy to like her. She's under a lot of pressure from her family to succeed , but eventually Tamara becomes her own person and I love what she brought into the trio. Together, Callum, Aaron and Tamara make an amazing team. They already have each others back during some of their more challenging adventures and have great chemistry and witty banter. There are also a lot of other characters that I loved, each of them bringing in the perfect blend of conflicts and friendships. It's gonna be a fun five years at the Magisterium with this lot. I really loved that ending. What a shocker! I was surprised we learned the big revelation at the end of this book, but I think it makes for a rather clever and intriguing turn of events. I think we're not getting the entire picture mind you, but still, it makes me wonder just how Callum will play this out in future books and how it will impact the other characters. Very interesting indeed.

All in all, I couldn't have loved a book more! The twist and turns were crazy fun, gripping and unpredictable. The world building was remarkably creative, the writing was brilliant and these characters stole my heart from minute one. Fast paced and blast to read, The Magisterium is my new favourite world!

Find the authors:

Holly Black- Goodreads / Website

Cassandra Clare- Goodreads / Website

                                                                            

                                                                           5 Snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday, #71 Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 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...


Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper
Expected Publication: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Blurb:
A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for.

*Quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy.*

Quotes from book pages: 178 & 184

"And what could she do?" Tane asked, smiling. "Breathe fire? Curse anyone she didn't like with freckles?" he reached up to tweak my nose, and I laughed softly.

"I think..." He took a slow, rattling breath and brushed the knuckles of his fingers, gently, against my cheek. "I think...I am coming back to life."

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: Darkbound by Scott Tracey

Darkbound by Scott Tracey 
Published- Flux
Released- April 8th 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Malcolm has seven days to unravel a twenty year old mystery, find a body, capture a killer and keep a demon at arm's length.No one hates being a witch quite like Malcolm. But if there's one thing worse than being a witch, it's being a Moonset witch. There are very few things in his life that he can control, and after a fight with his siblings, he's losing his grip on what he's got left.A creature as old as Hamelin has crept out of the Abyss, and its siren song has infected the teenagers of Carrow Mill compelling them, at first, to simply be swept away in love. But love soon turns dangerous, as passion turns to violence and an army of sociopaths is born.
The Pied Piper isn't just a story, and he's got his eyes set on Malcolm, promising a life of freedom from magic and the shackles of the Moonset bond. As Carrow Mill burns, Malcolm must make the hardest choice of his life: family? Or freedom?

My Thoughts:
Switching point of views are always a little tricky, especially with paranormal genres. 

Once the reader falls in love with a particular voice, it’s sometimes hard to let anyone else in the spotlight. While I'm always curious enough to accept a change in character's perspective, I still go into it a little weary. Moonset, the first book, was told in Justin’s pov and is the reason I really fell for this series. Not only was he easy to connect with, but he had this really sharp way he held himself. Smart but sarcastic witty but warm and while he’s always known that his coven bonded ‘family’ is screwed, he was at least optimistic about it. Malcolm? Not so much.

Going into this book, I must admit, I wasn't prepared for how really dark Malcolm could be. I had known that he liked to rely on his physical strength more then his magical ones, but I didn't know just how much he despises, well, everything. He hates magic and everything that comes with it. He hates the fact that he has to constantly live in the shadows of his parents sins and that he can’t have any kind of normal life. He also hates that he’s stuck to his ‘adopted’ siblings because of some magical coven bond and is against learning how to control it. He’s cynical, jaded and pissed off. He wants his freedom but will it cost him the only family he has?

While I didn't always like Malcolm’s attitude, I still have to admit he was a real force in this one. Tracey knew what he was doing. Malcolm may be the oldest of the Moonset children but not the wises. He had to find his own path and his own way of dealing with the pressures of this magical life he never asked for and struggle with his haunted history that he wants to overcome. Still, this was cleverly done and I ended up really enjoying the darker side of this Moonset teen and his journey of self-worth.

I really loved the plot line, it was very well crafted. Tracey continues to thrive with dedication to historical detail for this world as well as giving us the magical madness that I crave in my books while adding a seriously sadistic Prince demon that was both unhinged and riveting. The storyline was less action packed then the last book, but it’s definitely more suspenseful and fascinating. I loved diving deeper into the history of the original Moonset and the monsters that wrecked havoc during their rein. The Abyssal Prince demon was crazy consuming. He offered Malcolm something that he wants more then anything. His freedom, and for added measure to insure Malcolm see things his way, the Prince started to infect the witches of Carrow Mill with dark spells, twirling the town with deadly seduction and warping their every thought. When one of the Moonset brothers gets hurt, Malcolm has no choice but to make peace with Jenna and work together to find a way to stop the Princes evil doings and uncovers long buried secrets along the way.

Justin, Jenna, Malcom, Cole and Bailey are so much stronger when together. I love how they play off one another in banter and devotion. They were bonded together for a purpose, even if they don’t understand why and it’s those moments I find myself enjoying the most. But for this book, it’s really Malcolm’s story and the journey he needed to take to finally accept what he is and what he has to do. However,  I was surprised that Jenna was featured in this one so closely to Malcolm since these two particular characters don’t really like each other and don’t get along very well, despite them being ‘siblings’. Still, it was really great to see them put their differences aside and work together for the greater good. But I think my favorite part is when all the Moonset children come together, uniting their magic through the coven bond at the end of the story. It was a very defying moment for Malcom, for the reader and what it means for future books. I also really loved the Abyssal Prince. This guy was seriously creepy and unnerving. Tracey wrote him good.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with Darkbound. The writing is really very smart and I loved that Tracey kept me on my toes throughout the entire story. If you’re looking for a magical read with a unique twist in paranormal, then I would recommend this series as a solid entertaining escape. There is so much more to the story and I look forward to seeing what Tracey has in store next for this world and the Moonset children who can’t escape their fate. Well done!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes

Review: Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel

Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel
Publisher: Month9Books
Release Date: March 25, 2014

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.

Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.

But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

My Thoughts:
This book and I have a love/hate relationship.  There were a few things that I loved, but there were a lot of things that just didn't work at all for me and I am left feeling kinda ho hum about it all. 

Darlena is a witch and when the time comes for her to declare a path for her studies she chooses Red thinking that the made up path will give her time to figure out what she really wants to do.  Unfortunately for her Red is real and not only is real but very dangerous.  Now she is front and center in a battle with the most powerful witch Hecates and hardly anybody on her side.  Darlena must figure out how to control her new magic and also stay alive without killing anybody else.

This story really had great promise.  I loved the beginning and I thought wow this is going to be good.  I love Greek myth and so I was thrilled with all the myth that was sure ot come my way.  After the first chapter though things kinda fell flat.  Darlena wasted more time and energy hoping that everything was a dream and would just go away.  I wanted her to fight for answers and learn what she needed to learn.  Basically just own what she chose and make it work for her even if she had to stand up to all the big bad goddesses. 

Unfortunately she didn't do this and the story felt like a lot of filler.  We would get glimpses of this chaos causing magic, but that was really only in the first few chapters.  The majority of the story centered around Darlena trying to get her ex boyfriend to love her and trying to make everything just disappear.  Even when the story would finally switch back to magic I wasn't very impressed. The things that Darlena did I wouldn't say were chaos.  Two things she chose to do stopped chaos, but all the practicing she did was really just ordinary magic that her parents could do.  I didn't understand what made her magic different from any others especially after it was revealed others could use some of the same powers only she was supposed to be able to use.

I wasn't fond of the romance either.  Justin was fine as the love interest but it all just didn't fit.  I guess it was just the timing of it all.  It took up too much of the story and I honestly screamed at Darlena for what she did mid way through the book..  What she did was unforgivable in my book and I was mad at her for going that far. 

I think though that this might have worked if the story was more of a contemporary novel.  If you drop all the magic aspects you have a romance that is angsty, a female lead that needs help solving a life changing puzzle, a best friend who her parents don't approve of, and a crazy family that always wants something from her.  See sounds contemporary right?  I might have enjoyed it if it were written that way but as it is I just wasn't that into it.

Oh and one more thing her parents! I am so sick of all these parents just running for their lives and letting their teenagers save them.  My gawd you are supposed to protect your children at all costs don't run!  I would have preferred for her parents to die protecting her than see them just turn and run.  I had a few problems with her parents but this was my main one. 

I am going with 2 snowflakes...1 for the first chapter and all its creepiness and 1 for the fun myth that was woven throughout the story.

2 snowflakes

Review: House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Publisher- Harper Teen
Released- April 15th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves

My Thoughts: 
Josephine and her Nana are witches and the last of the Hemlock bloodline. Witchcraft can only be passed down from female to female in every witching family. And while the Hemlocks have lived in Willow’s End all of there lives, it’s their land that makes them more of a target for the Curse for its potent magical value.

The Curse has been killing witches for generations and what killed Jo’s mother when she was a little girl, but no one knows who’s behind these attacks and the reason why Jo and her Nana have been hiding ever since. But when a strangely familiar man shows up asking about Jo’s mother, he unknowingly brings darkness and danger with him and could only mean one thing for the Hemlock family. The Curse has finally found them. Now is the time to fight as Jo and her Nana come together to try to unlock the secrets and solve the mystery of who could be hunting them and the witching community for hundreds of years and find a way to finally put an end to the Curse. But Jo must first try to find a way to protect everyone she loves from the shadows that could consume them and before she has no other choice but to suffer the same fate that killed her mother.

House of Ivy & Sorrow is such a cool book! I've always been such a sucker for witches and magic in my escape. There are just so much limitless possibilities that come with this lore and its fun and fascinating to see the imagination and creativity crafted for my favorite kind of genre. This would be my first book by Natalie Whipple, but it won’t be my last. You could tell that she put a lot of thought into her world twisting and turning it in unpredictable ways that was unique, clever and sharp. I really liked the way she writes, despite the pacing being a tad quick at times; the flow of the story was smooth and never had a dull or dragged out moment. This book is easily absorbing and I loved being able to sink into the plot and all the wonderful colorful characters. But my favorite part of this book was the old school magic, complete with secret portals, bubbling cauldrons, and nasty ingredients such as; spiders, eyeballs, bear hearts and crows awaiting disintegration for animated spells. I also liked that there isn’t a good or a bad side to magic, there is only darkness but its how you control that darkness that defines you. Magic can be harnessed through the earth and payment must always be paid, whether from blood, nails, flesh, limbs or one of the five senses. Sure, it’s a bit disturbing at times, but still pretty wicked stuff.

I really loved the entire cast of characters. They all balanced and complimented each other quite nicely and I enjoyed the closeness and bonds between family and friendships.

First off, I adored Nana Dorothea! I’d be dead afraid to have a grandmother like this of course, but I’d also be mighty proud. Nana is a tough old witch that goes above and beyond for her family. I wanted to laugh and cringe for poor Jo at times just thinking about having a boyfriend and hoping against hope that Nana doesn't ruin the night with her meddling interference. But while Nana is strict, she’s also very kind and loving.

Jo is such a sweet character but she’s also full of spunk and fight. She wants what all teenage girls want, a normal life with friends and a boyfriend and the freedom to enjoy her youth without worrying about her Nana striking her boyfriend down with lightning just before she gets her first kiss. But Jo doesn't have a normal life and she’s actually quite wonderful about that. She’s fiercely loyal to her Nana and the magical bloodline she must preserve being the only Hemlock left, she’s accepted her fate and fights every step of the way to protect everyone she loves no matter the consequences.

Gwen and Kat are amazing examples of secondary characters that really affect the story in a positive and uplifting way. It was nice to see strong supportive friendships that didn’t involve a lot of drama or angst and it was nice to see them united together especially since Jo could use all the help she could get to fight this battle.

Winn was such a cutiepie. I loved that he was so down to earth and content with who he is. I love that he’s a farm boy, hard working and knows the value of family. The way he was with Jo was just too adorable for words and I loved the subtle twist in his character.

Another character that I really loved was, Levi. I don’t want to spoil too much but I really enjoyed the complexity of the role he played in the story and how it ties in with Jo’s fate.

The romance between Jo and Winn was completely adorable, light but intense. The storyline was so busy that we didn't get a lot of screen time and I wish we got to see some more uninterrupted moments between the two, but they still managed to make a huge impact. We do have a little competition here, not exactly a love triangle but definitely some amusing conflict.

I also really loved the ending and while this reads like a standalone, I wouldn't mind seeing more books from this world since it has a lot of promise and potential for different plot directions for just about any of these characters.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with this one. Natalie Whipple writes an intriguing and enchanting take on magic and witchcraft that really impressed me. The storyline is entertaining and unstoppable and the characters were all made of awesome. They’re warm, charming and full of fight. I look forward to discovering more books by Whipple, she’s got a new fan!

Find the author: 

Goodreads / Website                              4 Snowflakes

Review: A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey

A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher- Walker Children
Released- Jan 7th 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld.
Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies.
Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?

My Thoughts:

I've always been a huge fan of Alyxandra Harvey since her debut novel, Hearts at Stake and continued to devour the entire Drake Chronicles as well as her ghostly novel, Haunting Violet and fantasy fae novel, Stolen Away. So I was thrilled to see that Harvey has come out with an entirely new trilogy to love, and love it I did. A Breath of Frost has everything I love about reading. Whodunit mystery and murder, magic and maddens, witches and warlocks, witty characters, a blossoming romance, all set against high society historical London. Perfection!

Emma Day has always hated high society parities and could never stand for the dull guest, and snobby proper ladies. Nothing exciting every happens…that is till Emma accidentally broke her mothers old perfume bottle setting off a chain reaction of binding spelled secrets and opening a gate to the Underworld, unleashing nasty wicked undead creatures. Emma should have been more careful for what she wished for…

Wow! What a fun book! I was afraid I wasn't going to enjoy this book the way I wanted to since I’m not the biggest fan of historical and find myself easily lost. But Harvey totally put my mind at ease giving unique and refreshing touches to the plot and her characters and I was able to really appreciate everything and just enjoy the captivating world, fun filled plot and hilarious characters.

There is a lot going on here plot wise, and even though I felt slightly confused and overwhelmed at the beginning of the story, once I stopped asking myself endless questions about what’s going on, I started to just let the story guide me along and soon enough I was able to sink into the world and just enjoy myself as the story unfolded.

This is told in four parts and several point of views and while I would usually find this distracting I actually liked being able to go inside the heads of the other characters. It provided a rounder view to understanding them and the story better.

There are a lot of characters. Cousins, and sisters and love interests and yes, it did take a little bit to get everyone and their family’s straight, but everyone has such unique attitudes and personalities, it wasn't hard getting there.

We also have the history and mystery of Emma’s mothers past and how it links to all the secrets of the Lovegrove sisters. I really enjoyed this part of the story since it connected us even more to Emma and was really the heart of the storyline.

Then we have the Keepers and the Order and all the Underworld creepiness soaking up the streets in historical London and causing mischief, chaos and murders. The creatures were all deliciously dark and disturbing. And every step of the way I adored Harvey’s dedication to detail. The setting was fabulously vivid and rich with historical wonder and even the language was perfectly pitched. I loved the quick witted dialog and crisp banter and sarcasm. It was all beautifully amusing and constantly brought a smile to my face.

But my favorite part of the story is all the lovely twist and turns with every new chapter, I've always been a big fan of magic and witches but the way this story flows and bleeds together was incredibly constant, there was just always something new to learn and it was fun to discover everything this book had to offer.

I enjoyed all of these characters. They were all fantastically put together, likable and easy to connect with. I was invested from minute one till the very last page.

Emma, Penelope and Gretchen are cousins, sisters and best friends. They are all uniquely wonderful in their own ways but are all equally sassy, brave and fiercely protective, supportive and loyal to one another. They didn't know they were witches from the start and I loved how they each grew into their magical ability and learned this new world together. I also thought each witch having their own families (an animal that takes on the shape of their magic to protect them) was such a nifty idea. It’s those little details that make this feel more real, refreshing and imaginative.

Cormac was a little hard to like at first since he was very hot and cold towards Emma. He’s a conflicted creature who wants to prove himself worthy of the Order even though he lacks any magical talents and  has feelings for Emma that he’s not suppose to have. The romance isn't exactly forbidden, but it’s slightly frowned upon given Emma’s family magical background. But it doesn't stop Cormac and Emma from having an undeniable attraction to one another. I love all the little moments between them. The blushed cheeks, stolen kisses and hidden smiles, proving that you don’t always need sexy-times to make a huge impact when it comes to love. It was warm and sweet and more real somehow and even more anticipated since their infuriating uncertainty and flirtatious dance was both comically adorable and maddening.

I also loved all the other secondary character -the good ones and the bad ones- and enjoyed what entertainment they brought into the storyline.

All in all, I had a lot of fun with, A Breath of Frost. It’s surrounded with all the wonderful qualities I love in my escape. Magic, adventure, love stories and old secrets that opened up a shinny new world and I can’t wait to discover more! Another charming and amazing hit from Harvey! Loved!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                          4.5 Snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday: Pieces of Jade by Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 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...

Pieces of Jade by Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper

Published 2013

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N






Teasers from ebook pages: 157 & 160

"How's it possible that you can find a scarred man attractive, but I can't find an old woman pretty?"

"The mainland? Doctor, where exactly is he taking us?"

"To the underworld, for all I know. He's either a genius or a crackpot fool who's wasting his time."

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!

Release Event: Pieces of Jade by Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper

You're invited to the online Pieces of Jade launch party! You can be entered to win swag, books and more! Come hang out and chat with authors Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper.

Here is the pertinent information:

Monday, December 30th 2013

Time: 5-8 (PST) 

Place: Facebook's Pieces of Jade Launch Party Event Page. Click here to join the fun! 

Pieces of Jade

by Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper

Sentenced to death by the man she loves . . .

Jade has no control over her future. She is the Emmía, the girl whose magical blood keeps her kingdom’s cursed soil fertile and ensures the survival of her people. But her destiny is ruined when pirates take her magical medallion, the loss of which is treasonous, and the prince she loves is honor-bound to sentence her to death.


Forced to flee to the pirate she hates . . .

Jade escapes from prison, but her sister is captured and will die in her place unless Jade returns with the medallion still on the pirates’ ship. In disguise, she joins the pirate crew where she finds herself drawn to the first officer, William, and his claims of the crown’s hidden brutality in the kingdom. But when Jade learns the fate of every Emmía before her, she is finally forced to choose her own destiny: die a martyr or live a rebel.


Sound like something you'd like to read? If so, you can purchase Pieces of Jade for the Nook by clicking here or for the Kindle by clicking here.

Review: Salt by Danielle Ellison

Salt by Danielle Ellison
Publisher- Entangled Teen
Released- Jan 7th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon. To take back what was stolen.Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.
Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.

My Thoughts:
Wow! I’m surprised how much fun I had with this book. I've always loved hocus pocus type books and I’m still kinda amazed how much I've grown to love demon lore, but I was really impressed with Salt. It has everything I look for a good paranormal escape. Its action punched, suspenseful, mysterious and has a romance that’s totally kissable.

Danielle Ellison’s writes an amazing debut novel. The concept may not be something exactly new but I still really enjoyed Ellison’s take on this genre and I really liked the twist and turns in the plot. It kept me on my toes and anticipating what comes next.

Ellison also really knows how to write some mean ass-kickin! From badass demonic action to Pen’s examination training, to its gripping conclusion, this book is chalked filled with excitement and entertainment that kept my imagination on thrill. But it wasn't all fightin’ there is plenty of hugable romance that saps like me crave for, and Ellison really delivered those moments beautifully.

There is a lot happening here plot wise, but I thought the flow and pace of the story was well done. It never felt dragged out or dull, in fact, I was completely absorbed throughout the entire story. Lies and secrets seem to be the running theme in Penelope Grey’s life. The mysterious surrounding Pen and her families history was a great element I was completely intrigued with, but there are so many factors in this story that make the bigger picture really standout. Carter’s has his own secrets and agendas and I thought it was well played how those secrets affected his magical chemistry with Pen. I also really liked Poncho’s character and was surprised with the secrets he too was hiding. Everything about the story-line was calculating and connected in one way or another and I had a great time trying to piece the string of clues together while kicking back and just enjoyed the comfortable ease of the characters themselves.

I really loved all of these characters. They are filled with fun filled banter, wit and sarcasm. Okay…I admit that Penelope Grey is a character that did have a few flaws. I found her to be a bit hypercritical concerning the lies and deceit. She’s kinda not one to talk since she’s been keeping quite a few secrets to the people who matter the most and her reaction to Carter’s ‘betrayal’ was a bit of an overreaction and little more then childish. She also comes off a little repetitive, and her desperation to become an Enforcer and hunt down the demon that stole her magic and killed her parents tended to scream right off the pages a little too frequently, but as a whole, I liked and admired her determination, passion and strength, especially when it mattered most. I also adored her snark, sass, and fire and the fact that she didn't just roll over when she meets Carter. She’s a fighter, she makes things challenging and she can totally handle her own.

Carter was my by far my favorite, he is simply a fully loaded blast of a character. He’s arrogant, overly confident and drips with charm, wit and charisma. There were a few surprises concerning his character as well, which I loved, but I don’t think one of the earlier revelations should have been that dramatic. I guess I just don’t see the big deal.

This boy knows how to kick some serious ass but I like that he knows how to right a wrong and that he’s supportive and genuinely cares for Pen. Plus, he bakes cookies.

Need I say more?

Together, Pen and Carter steal the show as well as my heart. I really enjoyed the chemistry between them. They have an adorable playful banter thing going on that I found really sweet, sexy and adorable. Pen has a bit of an inner-battle concerning Carter at first since he makes her feel vulnerable in ways only her family has seen, but the connection between them is undeniable when they learn what they can accomplish together in both magic and heart. 

I also loved Pen’s sister Connie and her best friend Ric. They were amazing secondary characters who brought constant loyalty, smiles and support when it was needed.

In a nutshell, Salt was just a lot of fun to read. The plot was sizzling with action and mystery. The magical aspect was refreshing, the writing was smooth and these characters were wonderfully put together, easy to love and be invested with from minute one. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Ellison does with the sequel. A solid escape.

Find the author:

Goodreads /Website                                4 Snowflakes