Review: The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Publisher- Balzer + Bray 

Released- Feb 16th 2016

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

My Thoughts:

Queen Irina is an evil magician who tricked the King of Ravenspire and it's people with gleaming red apples with innards of rot. She spelled her way into lands with her cursed magic, but Princess Lorelia has magic of her own and stopped the Queen long enough to break the spell over her family and the guards. Though it was too late for the King, Lorelia and Leo managed to escape with Gabril, one of the palace guards. Nine years later, Lorelia, Leo and Gabril is planning to avenge the Kings death and challenge the Queen for the lands that has been destroyed by her toxic magic.

In the neighbouring kingdom of Eldr, Kol was celebrating his latest infraction and awaits his father disapproval when he was met with the news that his parents and older brother has died by an ogre attack. Now, as the second prince in line for the throne, Kol is the new king of Eldr and is faced with the great task of leading his people from the magic wielding ogres that threaten their kingdom. But Kol can't fight them with mere weapons. He needs magic and he knows just where to find it.

To tell you the truth I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. Don't get me wrong, I love fairy tale retellings, but in ways it all feels the same. So while reading this book I was searching for something to standout and looking to see how C.J Redwine would put her own spark to the much loved classic story of Snow White, and I found it...with Dragons! Yup, poison, powers and dragons people, now this is one fairytale fantasy that was impressive, consuming and a blast to read. I really enjoyed Redwine's take on this story. Sure it did have a lot of the same aspects of the original fairytale and it also reminded me a bit of the movie, but It was interesting from the start and then it just grew to be more fascinating as the story plays on. I think this has a lot to do with the dragons part of the story. I absolutely loved this lore and it really does bring an explosive element into the mix and was my favorite moments in this world.  But I also really enjoyed Redwine's writing and storytelling, it's delivered quite smoothly, loving the pace and flow that was always kept moving, intriguing and suspenseful. 

All of these characters are wonderfully developed with strong chemistry and crisp voices. Even the evil ones. Lorelia is a fierce girl that is incredibly determined to winning back her rightful throne. I loved watching her embrace her power and was so proud of how she helped Kol. Leo is such a loveable, clever and protective brother while Gabril is a wonderful man and a father in all the ways that matter. As much as I loved the family closeness that Gabril, Leo and Lorelai share, I think that Kol and the Draconi's stole this book for me. Kol is a dragon with two hearts. One human, one dragon, but they both beat with passion and strength. Did he make mistakes? Yes, yes he did. But he did it with the best of intentions and wasn't always in his right mind, plus, his proven actions and inner struggles more then made up for it. I also loved Kol's friends Jyn and Trugg. They are so loyal, kickass and brought a lot of comedy to the story. The romance came a little late, but it was still very sweet and made me smile. I liked the ending but my heart broke with the fate of one of the characters.

Bottom line, I really enjoyed The Shadow Queen, more then I thought I would which is always something I appreciate in a book. I like to be surprised and entertained and this book delivers just that. Great world building, stunning and terrifying magic. Action punched with heart and soul characters that I was attached to and invested in from start to finish. A great fairytale fantasy!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                              4 Snowflakes

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff

 Today on WinterHaven Books I am participating in the blog tour for Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff!  For my stop today I am sharing my thoughts on this fun book and I also have a giveaway to share!

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtliff 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: April 12, 2016

Purchase: Amazon

Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She’s not afraid of anything . . . except magic.
But when Red’s granny falls ill, it seems that only magic can save her, and fearless Red is forced to confront her one weakness.

With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance called Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny. Her journey takes her through dwarves’ caverns to a haunted well and a beast’s castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman—two mortal enemies who seek the girls’ help to defeat each other. And one of them just might have the magical solution Red is looking for. . . .

My Thoughts:

I'm usually not a fan of fairy tale retellings, but when this book came across my lap I just couldn't pass it up!  I had never seen a retelling of Red Riding Hood and I can say now after reading that the bar has been set high for all others!

I really enjoyed this story!  I've started to read quite a few middle grade books as of late, and I am telling these authors are hitting these stories out of the park!  This story is no exception!  I truly loved falling into this very creative world that Shurtliff has created and I have to give her major credit for taking a story I loved as a child and turning it upside down in the best way possible.  I often think it takes true guts to retell a tale that everyone knows and Ms.Shurtliff definitely has guts!

I think my favorite part of this though was Red. She was beyond fierce and could honestly give quite a few YA characters a run for their money.  She seemed wise beyond her years and I really enjoyed falling into her story and getting to learn about hew new world filled with magic and adventure.

I also really enjoyed seeing all kinds of characters pop up from other fairy tales!  Such a fun idea!  I would one day love to read the rest of this series because it has truly captured my heart!

If you are looking for a great retelling this is for you!  Ms.Shurtliff does a wonderful job at creating something new while still being true to the roots of the story.  I know this will not be my last title by her!

5 snowflakes

About the Author:

Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!
Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and three young children, where she still dreams of the mountains. Rump is her first novel.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Giveaway time! 

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Review: The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin
Release Date - January 26th, 2016
Publisher - Simon Pulse
Purchase - Amazon / B&N

In the tradition of Sarah Dessen, this powerful debut novel is a compelling portrait of a young girl coping with her mother’s cancer as she figures out how to learn from—and fix—her past.
Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. In the past year she was kicked off the swim team, earned a reputation as Carson High’s easiest hook-up, and officially became the black sheep of her family. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan.
Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for the summer. Everything about him is different—he’s taller, stronger…more handsome. Harper has changed, too, especially in the wake of her mom’s cancer diagnosis.
While Declan wants nothing to do with Harper, he’s still Declan, her Declan, and the only person she wants to talk to about what’s really going on. But he’s also the one person she’s lost the right to seek comfort from.
As their mutual friends and shared histories draw them together again, Harper and Declan must decide which parts of their past are still salvageable, and which parts they’ll have to let go of once and for all.
In this honest and affecting tale of friendship and first love, Emily Martin brings to vivid life the trials and struggles of high school and the ability to learn from past mistakes over the course of one steamy North Carolina summer.

My thoughts:

I have to be honest with you and say that it was really the cover of this book that first caught my attention because of my, IT IS BEAUTIFUL! But once I read the synopsis, I realized that it very much sounds like "my kind" of book - contemporary about best friends who might have been and could be more dealing with family drama in a Southern setting. The "in the tradition of Sarah Dessen" line definitely hits home, though it would be unfair to say that this novel is just a Sarah Dessen rip-off, because it definitely isn't that. Emily Martin gives her story and her characters a distinctive voice that makes The Year We Fell Apart a contemporary YA debut definitely worth looking forward to.

Harper, Cory and Declan have done everything together since they were children. As hormones started to kick in, Harper and Declan started to slowly fall in love and for a while, it seemed like everything was perfect. Then Declan's mother died and his father shipped him off to school elsewhere, and suddenly a relationship the two had been building for years started to feel illogical. After Harper and Declan fall out of contact with each other, Harper starts to hang out with a new set of people and does things that she even herself seems to consider as epic mistakes.

When Declan comes back home after two semesters of silence, Harper quickly notices that he has changed. He is taller, more handsome and most importantly, not "her Declan" any longer. But Harper has changed too - her mother's cancer diagnosis has made her want to try and to fix her mistakes, but as the events that unfold show her, changing your habits even if you desperately want it, might not actually be that easy of a task.

I really liked the connection between Declan and Harper and the way Emily Martin builds the relationship between the two quite slowly. There's no instalove or instaromance here and a lot of pages are used to establish the characters and the setting, which reminded me of Sarah Dessen's novels. I would say in many ways The Year We Fell Apart is a "quiet novel" in the sense that there are really no epic or spectacular scenes, but rather the novel feels like something that could happen to you, or to someone you know. Emily Martin succeeds in creating characters that are not one-sided, characters that you can easily feel for, characters that you can connect with.

In addition to being a tale about a new chance in love, The Year We Fell Apart is about forgiveness, friendships and family. Emily Martin brilliantly writer Harper as a flawed character whose actions can seem frustrating, but at the same time, you just get her. She makes mistakes, but I think she tries her best to stop making them. Declan is no prince either and I loved the fact that Martin wasn't afraid to show a side of Declan that might push him away from some readers. I think in general Martin succeeds in telling a tale of two very confused teenagers who are dying to find a connection and happiness despite the mistakes and decisions they have made in the past.

The things Harper goes through really made me happy about the fact that I am not a teenager anymore. I am blessed to say that my teenage years were quite drama and angst free, and I think that is mostly why I love books like this so much. The Year We Fell Apart might not be for everyone, but it definitely was a novel perfect for me!

4 snowflakes

Tina's Thoughts:

Once in awhile I crave a sweet contemporary romance to break up the heavy hardened issues I usually escape too. The Year We Fell Apart, was exactly what I needed. This is a story about first love, lost love and all the mistakes and regrets that come with it. I really enjoyed this book more then I thought I would, it's not exactly a new concept, but I thought it was realistically portrayed and honest and completely adorable in it's own light.

I'm not sure I can say this book is overly romantic but I would still call this a love story. Harper and Declan have been best friends since they were young but that friendship turned into something more, something perfect, but after Declan's mother passes away and he gets shipped off to boarding school, it becomes less perfect and becomes to hard and lonely for Harper to deal with.

Now, I'd like to state that the things Harper has done and is doing in this book was not right in any way, but here's the thing, as we learn the events that happened I started to really sympathy with Harper's situation, understood it and even find it justified. Yes, Harper actions were very selfish and she was very frustrating to read at times, but I also get making mistakes after mistakes till they turn into one big ball of ugly regrettable wrongs and you don't know how to go back and fix it. My point is, that Harper may be very flawed and so is Declan for that matter, but I still thought they were good people and it's what they learned from it, the choices they make and owning up to them that make them most likely to survive. If your gonna go down in flames, love really is the best reason to do it.

Other then relationship aspects of the story, there is a sensational theme of friendships and family as well. I don't know why but I love the idea of having guys for best friends. Cory is hilarious and amazing and a great friend. And I loved what Mack and Gwen brought into the story. Sadie has to go though, she was such a bad influence and even though Harper made her own decisions, it felt like Sadie was really the one causing trouble. I also really loved Harper's parents and brother and thought her mother was brave and inspiring.

All in all, I really loved this book. I loved the writing style, I loved the characters and the awkward situations and I love the friendship between Harper, Declan and Cory. Underneath all the angst and drama is a really  sweet story that went up against exhaustible odds of a second chance romance and I simple felt compelled from start to finish. I know that this is obviously a stand alone novel, but I can't help wanting more. What becomes of Harper and Declan now?  Can they make their still fragile and long distance relationship work and what struggles do they still face? How is Harper's mother? And will Declan and his dad ever resolve their indifferences? Yup, I'm gonna need a second book please! A great debut and a terrific read!  

Find the author: 

Goodreads / Website                             4 Snowflakes

Top Ten Tuesdays

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

This weeks topic is..

Top 10 fictional crushes

Tina
There are to many fictional hotties that I adore, but I'm gonna go with the usual suspects on this one. 1.Jace Wayland,
2.Edward Cullen (yes, still)
3.Daemon Black

Milka
1. Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
2. Josh Mitchell from Heather Demetrios's I'll Meet You There

Crystal
This is a fun one!  Okay I'm going with...
1. Étienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss
2. Morpheus from Splintered
3. Rafa from Shadows

Arlene
Wow! Where do I start???
1. Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games (He'll never leave my list. Been on it for over 7 years)
2. Thomas Mackee from The Piper's Son
3. Jamie Fraser from Outlander

Blog Tour: The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski!

We are so excited to be participating in the Winner's Kiss blog tour hosted by Fierce Reads!!  For our stop we get to talk about our favorite kiss! 

What book is your favorite literary kiss in?
I would have to say Shatter Me by Tahreh Mafi. I read this book back in 2011, and when I was asked about a hot kiss for this post, that book immediately came to mind.  Mafi definitely left an impression on me with her kissing scenes.

Who is kissing?
The two main characters in the story Juliette Ferrars and Adam Kent have some pretty intense moments in that book, but it all stays very YA appropriate. :)

Why is it your favorite?
Well first off Juliette and Adam were an absolute perfect pair. Aside from their pretty steamy moments, there was some beautiful dialog and yes … their hot as HALE kisses. I remember having to wipe the steam from my glasses. Most importantly though, it was nice to see these two characters who knew and cared for each other long before the story even began come together and start a very intense journey, so it's logical that their romance would be pretty memorable.

We have to share our love of this series and to go along with this tour Fierce Reads is letting us send a kiss to a friend!  So Emily you have been kissed!!  We hope you enjoy!

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Release Date:March 29th, 2016
Purchase: Amazon

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

About the Author:

 Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alan McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat. 

Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads 

Don't forget to check out the other amazing blogs joining in the kissing fun!  Click here to see a list of participating blogs.