tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89434204350996041682018-02-18T09:28:10.075-08:00Reader RisingEmily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-66691395123574355492018-02-18T08:56:00.003-08:002018-02-18T09:28:10.221-08:00Favorite Books I Read in 2017: Part Two So I've finally finished this list of amazing books:<br /><br /><b>8. The Bean Trees</b><br />I read this book in class and loved it. Not only is it beautiful written, it is also incredibly relevant to issues we are having today. The characters were all very memorable; Turtle, Esperanza, and Estevan have all stuck with me.<br /><br /><b>9. Bad Romance</b><br />This was a powerful book about a very important subject: abusive relationships. It was heartbreaking but I couldn't look away. Demetrius is such an amazing author... I've loved all her contemporary works.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1363582009l/17167582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1363582009l/17167582.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475530166l/29102896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475530166l/29102896.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><b>10.&nbsp;The Song of Achilles</b><br />This book deserves all the awards. The Song of Achilles wraps Greek mythology, beautiful romance, and the tragedy of the trojan war all into one book. I loved reading about Patroclus and Achilles' romance.<br /><br /><b>11. Roses and Rot</b><br />This is a book for artists. It's a love letter to novelists, painters, poets, and dancers. And it has magic and fae mixed in to make it extra exciting. I fell in love with this beautifully written story.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462518531l/23524322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462518531l/23524322.jpg" width="211" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490490343l/13537029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490490343l/13537029.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>12. This Adventure Ends</b><br />Emma Mills is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. I always have so much fun; This Adventure Ends was no exception. It's full of awesome, quirky friendships and adventure.<br /><br /><b>13. This Savage Song</b><br />This is my first Victoria Schwaub or VE Schwaub that I've rated 5 stars. This Savage Song was so beautiful, dark, and compelling. Expect violins and monsters. And it's definitely savage.<br /><br /><b>14. Three Dark Crowns</b><br />Okay. This was such a unique fantasy. I loved the matriarchy aspect, the sister rivalry, and the twist at the end. Like This Savage Song, Three Dark Crowns was a very dark fantasy. I can't wait to read the second book.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445529989l/23299512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445529989l/23299512.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469265712l/28374007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469265712l/28374007.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455111092l/27779275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455111092l/27779275.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">So, there we have it! I hope 2018 brings even more favorites.&nbsp;</div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr4/xK_2m2KjYU86Izg9q1w4RiFoFJBqifzVACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="360" height="208" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr4/xK_2m2KjYU86Izg9q1w4RiFoFJBqifzVACPcBGAYYCw/s320/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-77646781965105815602018-01-27T17:45:00.001-08:002018-01-27T17:46:38.797-08:00Favorite Books I Read in 2017: Part One Guess what guys?! I'm not dead! It just didn't feel right not posting my fave books of the year- even if it's a bit late to do so. Without further ado, here are the books I loved in 2017:<br /><br /><b>1. The Bear and the Nightingale</b><br />This was the first book I read in 2017 and boy was it a great way to start out the year! I read this luscious Russian fantasy while curled up in my warm bed with snowflakes floating down outside my window. <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2017/01/review-bear-and-nightingale.html">Here's my review.&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><b>2. Summers at Castle Auburn</b><br />I picked up a used copy of this on a whim. And I ADORED it. Summers at Castle Auburn was probably my number one favorite of the year. It's a cozy, creative read with a slow burn romance. I fell in love with the world Shinn created and I loved all the girl power and sisterly love. <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2017/04/summers-at-castle-auburn-new-all-time.html">Here's my review.</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420l/25489134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420l/25489134.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388592909l/345660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388592909l/345660.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><br /><b>3. Traitor's Blade</b><br />I had a blast reading Traitor's Blade while on vacation this year. It's hilarious, action-packed, and has a great twist at the end. Falcio, Kest, and Brasti are all my babies and no one is allowed to hurt them. Also, all the fantasy aspects are executed beautifully. I NEED to finish this series now.<br /><br /><b>4. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom</b><br />This is my favorite duology ever. Leigh Bardugo is a genius. I cried. I laughed. I screamed. Can we talk about how cute all the couples are??? Or what about how savage Kaz is? Also, read this for awesome as heck heists. <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2017/07/breaking-news-i-just-read-six-of-crows.html">I wrote an in-depth post about my SoC obsession here.</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389310293l/18947303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389310293l/18947303.jpg" width="210" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465540122l/30327173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465540122l/30327173.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><b>5. Tower of Dawn</b><br />I thought Sarah J Maas couldn't do it. But she did. She made a freakin awesome book about Chaol (AKA my least favorite character). Now I am in love with Chaol and Yrene and Nesryn and Sartaq. Also, I love how diverse this book was; we see so many new characters and places. Tower of Dawn might be my new favorite SJM book. It's that good.<br /><br /><b>6. Because of Miss Bridgerton (and all of Julia Quinn's books)</b><br />I went on a Julia Quinn binge this year and basically read all her books. OOPS. Anyway, Because of Miss Bridgerton is hilarious and banter-y and full of JQ goodness. If you're ever in a reading slump, pick this historical romance series-starter up for a quick cure.<br /><br /><b>7. The Queen of the Tearling</b><br />I've had the ARC of this sitting unread for years. It's pretty shameful. But I finally read The Queen of the Tearling this year- and I loved it. It was amazing and thought-provoking. The heroine, Kelsea, is unique and the book truly focuses on her becoming an amazing ruler. I will warn you it's a pretty slow fantasy; but I loved how immersed I became. I really need to read the next book.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497973101l/31450852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497973101l/31450852.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480122942l/25657772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480122942l/25657772.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1417685148l/18712886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1417685148l/18712886.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Stay tuned for part two- coming next week!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr4/xK_2m2KjYU86Izg9q1w4RiFoFJBqifzVACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="360" height="208" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr4/xK_2m2KjYU86Izg9q1w4RiFoFJBqifzVACPcBGAYYCw/s320/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><br /><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-10205976307831875652017-10-28T22:07:00.001-07:002017-10-28T22:37:54.593-07:00Blog Update: Fixed and Improved Reader Rising Hi! I'm back. I'm not sure if y'all noticed but my blog has been dead and broken for the last few months. After I got back from a three week long intensive, I came back to a <i>wonderful</i> surprise: a blog covered in a gray image.<br /><div><br /></div><div>My background was this ugly photo. So was my blog button, my post signature, all my social media buttons, and all my post dividers.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwfKVTMCm1c/WfVgArUNHcI/AAAAAAAAGsE/RJDYA31v8jIpXEaWS3RNqwKtq37CyNJOwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6731.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="688" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwfKVTMCm1c/WfVgArUNHcI/AAAAAAAAGsE/RJDYA31v8jIpXEaWS3RNqwKtq37CyNJOwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_6731.jpeg" width="255" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I was so shocked! Basically, photobucket decided to hold all my photos for ransom and tried to get me to pay for a subscription (which I didn't want to do.)&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I totally failed at fixing it on my own. It was so frustrating and I was fully prepared to have to have the blog totally redesigned. &nbsp;Thankfully, I got some amazing help yesterday and my blog is up and running again!!! &nbsp;I CANNOT wait to start posting about all the amazing books I've been reading.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr0/ptz3C4PsYHARH6-HRKoSDMsHxxnWBjXjwCLcBGAs/s1600/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="360" height="208" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCT9T-HXKBQ/WfVXj8lib9I/AAAAAAAAGr0/ptz3C4PsYHARH6-HRKoSDMsHxxnWBjXjwCLcBGAs/s320/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" width="320" /></a></div></div></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-91863732111829939702017-07-05T23:43:00.001-07:002017-10-26T17:03:35.715-07:00Series Review: The Red Winter Trilogy <br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473668941l/31829155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473668941l/31829155.jpg" width="212" /></a>*I received this series for free from Xpresso Book Tours*<br />Oooh look a fun fantasy trilogy filled with mythology!!<br /><br /><b>Book One: Red Winter</b><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31829155-red-winter">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0Q30Z9/ref=series_rw_dp_sw">Amazon</a><br /><br />Red Winter was a fantastic start to the series! First, I was surprised by the BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS included. Seriously, they were gorgeous. And I loved all the mythology and world building. I wasn't sure if I would like Emi at first, but I loved her character growth. The reader watches Emi start to become her own person instead of seeing herself only as a vessel for a kami.<br /><br />Also, I loved Shiro!!! He was my favorite character throughout the series. I enjoyed watching his character growth and learning more about him. Romance was not at all front and center in this first book... which I like because I've always preferred slow burn.<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476408740l/32605659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476408740l/32605659.jpg" width="212" /></a><b>Book Two: Dark Tempest</b><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32605659-dark-tempest">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MDJX2FY/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01MDJX2FY&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><br />In this sequel the pace does not let up! While this book was my least favorite in the series, I still really enjoyed it. I, of course, continued to adore the illustrations and all the characters.<br /><br />My favorite part was the blossoming, slow relationship between Emi and a certain fox spirit. Also, there were some surprising revelations about Shiro! And a lot more characters were introduced and the fictional world continued to expand. I loved the atmosphere... it was tense and exciting. The readers get to delve deeper into mythology and the past. Basically, we got to know all the characters more and really geared up for the amazing grand finale!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489249553l/32862986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489249553l/32862986.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>Book Three: Immortal Fire</b><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32862986-immortal-fire">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y1WJR2X/ref=series_rw_dp_sw">Amazon</a><br /><br />Immortal Fire was my favorite book in the trilogy! It was all high stakes action and a panicked count down until the day Emi will end her mortal life and become<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amaterasu</span></span>. There were also some really cute and bittersweet sections. I was so touched by the scene at the beach.<br /><br />The ending chapters killed me! It was so emotional and I was very distraught for a bit. However, *spoilers* I did get my happy ending and it was soooooo sweet *end spoilers* Immortal Fire was a powerful, well written conclusion to an excellent series. I was so sad to say goodbye to Emi, Shiro, Yumei and all the characters.<br /><br /><b>Overall:</b><br /><br />The Red Winter trilogy gets 4/5 stars from me. In the future, I will definitely pick up more of Anette Marie's books! I would not hesitate to recommend this series to fans of mythology, beautiful illustrations, and sweet romance.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9wtHodUgy4/WfJ2HbxjsiI/AAAAAAAAGrA/Ektl00t9PfMj7xEH1dBhL7Kxv5vkJEaugCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/4stars2_zps3e221322.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="70" data-original-width="400" height="56" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9wtHodUgy4/WfJ2HbxjsiI/AAAAAAAAGrA/Ektl00t9PfMj7xEH1dBhL7Kxv5vkJEaugCPcBGAYYCw/s320/4stars2_zps3e221322.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>Also, I didn't included all the book synopsis's (so that this post wouldn't be mammoth) so click <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/188056-red-winter-trilogy">here</a> to access all the books and descriptions on Goodreads! <br /><br /><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-67337924101985079102017-07-03T23:07:00.000-07:002017-10-26T17:20:46.617-07:00BREAKING NEWS: I Just Read The Six of Crows DuologyWHY HAS NO ONE TOLD ME HOW AMAZING SIX OF CROWS IS? *scrolls through goodreads* Oh wait all my friends have rated it 5 stars and have shouted its praises. Huh.<br /><br />Well, anyway, I have just finished bawling my eyes out at the ending of Crooked Kingdom and I have been obsessively pinning fan art on Pinterest. It's safe to say I am obsessed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" width="211" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>So let's talk about some special things from The Dregs... six to be precise. (This list is pretty much spoiler free... There's nothing you won't get from the first few chapters of SoC)<br /><br /><b>1) KAZ BREKKER</b><br />OK I have feelings about this boy. He is the most anti-hero of all the characters and yet I still love him to pieces.... I love his viciousness and his cane and his cunning schemes. Bardugo make him worthy of some sympathy and even a bit of admiration.<br /><br /><b>2) INEJ GHAFA</b><br />Inez is wise, moral, and has amazing acrobatic skills. She's called the Wraith and is, of course, made of strong stuff. She's Suli and throughout all her traumatic ordeals still remains very close to her Suli heritage... often spouting out Suli proverbs to Kaz. To summarize, she is amazing.<br /><br /><b>3) WYLAN</b><br />Precious Wylan is dragged into the Dregs and it's the cutest thing ever. He's from a respected, although rather horrible, family... and this new criminal life takes a while to adjust to. He's also a whiz with chemicals.<br /><br /><b>4) JESPER FAHEY</b><br />Jesper!!! I love Jesper and his pistols and sarcasm... and how he flirts with Wylan! He also has a gambling problem, unfortunately. I wanted to shake him by the shoulders so many times. I LIVED for his chapters.<br /><br /><b>5) MATTHIAS HELVAR</b><br />Ahhh, now we are at big grumpy Matthias. &nbsp;My favorite Fjerdan! He's really just a giant teddy bear. (Okay, he's actually not but I can pretend.) He and Nina are perfect for each other... even though they are kinf-of not-really mortal enemies. Oops.<br /><br /><b>6) NINA ZENIK</b><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465540122l/30327173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465540122l/30327173.jpg" width="242" /></a>Okay! I'll admit it. Nina is my favorite character. I love her strength and her love for waffles and her ability to be bright and happy in her gang of dark criminals. And her grisha powers as a Heartrender are amazing.<br /><br /><b>IN CONCLUSION&nbsp;</b><br /><br />So, basically, if you are like past me and haven't picked up Leigh Bardugo's masterful SIX OF CROWS duology let me say one thing: you are missing out on all the fun shenanigans in the Ice Court and Ketterdam. Come meet my flawed babies. The characters and world building and heists are freakin' spectacular. Also Bardugo's writing is dazzling and a lot more sophisticated than my review.<br /><br />Now, excuse me, I'm going to go like all my favorite quotes on Goodreads. And cry over that scene in Crooked Kingdom.<br /><br /><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-56023929438680393212017-04-16T12:08:00.001-07:002017-10-27T15:50:12.646-07:00Summers at Castle Auburn: A New All-Time Favorite I am so excited to finally be reviewing this gem! Everyone should definitely consider adding Summers at Castle Auburn to the TBR list.<br /><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Vyfd3qdG3I/WObJ5nhvq0I/AAAAAAAAE5M/vdPpqoiWzZw9jk-r8hRMNvt3hjJshUhYQCLcB/s1600/summers%2Bat%2Bcastle%2Ba%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Vyfd3qdG3I/WObJ5nhvq0I/AAAAAAAAE5M/vdPpqoiWzZw9jk-r8hRMNvt3hjJshUhYQCLcB/s320/summers%2Bat%2Bcastle%2Ba%2B.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Summers at Castle Auburn&nbsp;</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>by Sharon Shinn</b></span><br /><br />Publication Date: April 1st, 2001<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044100928X/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=044100928X&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summers-at-castle-auburn-sharon-shinn/1100256485?ean=9780441009282">Barnes and Noble&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">As a child, Coriel Halsing spent many glorious summers at Castle Auburn with her half-sister-and fell in love with a handsome prince who could never be hers. But now that she is a young woman, she begins to see the dark side of this magical place...</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MY RAMBLINGS:&nbsp;</b></div><b><br /></b>A few months ago: I was walking through Powells and I discovered Summers At Castle Auburn sitting on the shelf. It was a used, cheap paperback and I'd heard great things about Sharon Shinn so I picked it up and brought it home.<br /><br />Now I can say that was a very good decision. Good job past Emily!!! <b>Unbeknownst to you, the book you just found is a new classic that you will treasure forever.</b> The End.<br /><br />Ha ha. My review style is going out the window. Anyway, if you couldn't tell already, <b>I absolutely loved Summers at Castle Auburn. </b>I would recommend it to ANY fellow book lovers but especially fans of Tamora Pierce, Shannon Hale, and other authors of those superb fantasies. <b>It was such a cozy, yet intense read with so many shippy feels guys.</b> SO MANY!<br /><br />Oh! And I read this on the plane home from vacation and it made my 24 hour travel day almost bearable. <b>MY HEART WAS HAPPY</b> even though my brain and legs were dead. Okay I still need to start the actual coherent review part. Get it together Emily.<br /><br />So... we start our story with fourteen year old Corie (Coriel) going on a hunting trip for the mythical aliora. <b>It was such a fun adventure.</b> Here we meet a lot of our main characters: Corie, Uncle Jaxon, Roderick, Kent, and the prince. &nbsp;However, we are also introduced to the horrible and immoral hunting of aliora, sentient creatures who humans imprison. Corie slowly starts realizes this hunting is different than hunting for food.<b> I loved watching Corie grow up and mature. She was vibrant, funny, and came alive in my mind.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Also, from the beginning, Corie has an amazing relationship with her half sister Elisandra. Elisandra loves her little sister more than anything, and it shows. <b>Also, Elisandra was such a strong character on her own. </b>She's betrothed to an awful prince yet she remains both kind and strong. And I loved the twist with her in the end. <b>Props to Shinn for making her such a real, admirable, and layered side character. </b>Bravo.<br /><br /><b>The aliora were such a compelling element to the story.</b> These fairy-like creatures were enslaved at the castle yet they remain kind and gentle. There were so many twists involving them but I was so glad when Corie realized she and her family were doing an unforgivable thing. The aliora were developed characters and I was so relieved with the ending they got.<br /><br />The romance is slow burn. Like REALLY slow burn, like it's almost NOT there but it WAS. And I LOVED it so much. <b>I was rooting for these two characters to get together from the beginning even though I thought there was no hope for my ship.</b> Then it happened! I'm still deliriously happy with this development.<br /><br />In conclusion, I suggest that all of you pick up Summers at Castle Auburn. You are in for a magical experience; some parts are light and fun while other parts are quite dark.&nbsp;<b>Every element was perfect.</b> I cannot wait to read more of Sharon Shinn. (I have her latest series already waiting on my bookshelves!)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suzQEIXFjnE/WfOx4KKG4CI/AAAAAAAA0Cs/U5mm6yQEPSEVF4WsS2nNtCFOe5MrHvn1QCLcBGAs/s1600/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suzQEIXFjnE/WfOx4KKG4CI/AAAAAAAA0Cs/U5mm6yQEPSEVF4WsS2nNtCFOe5MrHvn1QCLcBGAs/s1600/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.PNG" height="56" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aK9qledZQhM/WfOx61cSesI/AAAAAAAA0DE/q_Yo744rJQ0aiZgzrb4x8INIwtmvtB0lgCLcBGAs/s1600/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-32050914901677158052017-04-10T19:47:00.001-07:002017-10-28T22:27:51.981-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Weird and Unique Books <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s400/toptentuesday.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosted by <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and the Bookish&nbsp;</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've all read them: the head scratchers, the books that seem like they are on drugs, and the stories that are so deliciously different. Here are my top ten unique book recommendations!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1350988374l/12665819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1350988374l/12665819.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459485169l/26836910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459485169l/26836910.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This book is dark, confusing and brilliant. You are left wondering what is real and what isn't. And Quinn's creativity and vividness gives this thriller an unforgettable ending.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. The Diabolic by SJ Kincaid</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ooooh! Here's one of my 2016 faves! The whole concept of Diabolics, genetically engineered protectors and fighters, was so ingenious and creative. And the space world and hierarchy was also something new.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. My Lady Jane by Hand, Ashton, and Meadows&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We all know my love for this book knows no bounds. How could these brilliant authors take the relatively short, dull story of Lady Jane and turn it into a genre-bending historical fantasy with magic and humor? Pure brilliance and originality.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402928507l/18806240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402928507l/18806240.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398201432l/18929850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398201432l/18929850.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362495700l/13638125.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. Bone Gap by Laura&nbsp;Ruby</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Magical Realism for the win! Bone Gap is a beautiful, weird story about a town with interesting inhabitants and a missing girl. Try it.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sanderson is one of my top authors for highly original fantasy. In this wonderful book, Rithmatists use magic chalk and drawing to defend their world. Where does Sanderson get his crazy inspiration?</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>6. Vicious by VE Schwab&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The most unique tale you'll ever read from the viewpoint of a villain. V.E. Schwa delivers with her compulsively likable and unlikable character Victor.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407168914l/18044277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407168914l/18044277.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1404899924l/22535481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1404899924l/22535481.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418036245l/22929578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418036245l/22929578.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>7. The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A dark, creepy, twisted ballerina tale. What more could I ask for? And, once again, this book is a big win for magical realism. My brain was spinning the entire time.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>8. A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas&nbsp;</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love twisted fairytales and this one focuses on AFTER Sleeping Beauty wakes up. It's quite ingenious and I love how the author totally flipped the original story on its head.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>9. &nbsp;The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes&nbsp;</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is such an underrated series! Politics! Families! A "Fixer" who fixes complicated political situations... the idea and execution is fabulous.&nbsp;</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1378705904l/16130641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1378705904l/16130641.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475740953l/68427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475740953l/68427.jpg" width="123" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1448318289l/25184383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1448318289l/25184383.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>10. The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oooh. Another twisted fairy tale retelling! The premise is that Rapunzel and Snow White's Stepmother were the SAME PERSON. I love this book so much.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>11. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can't NOT mention Sanderson twice in this post. Another one of his creative masterpieces is Elantris. The story partly takes place in a city of fallen demigods who are living in the most depressing, dangerous, and vivid nightmare. Read it and you'll see what I mean.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>12. Kill The Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky&nbsp;</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, we have the weirdest of them all: Kill The Boy Band. This book is an acquired taste and while I didn't love it, I respected it. I had to put this on this list. Moldavsky's gem is psychopathic, crazy, and disturbingly funny. Pick it up at your own risk.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oops, that was twelve... hopefully I introduced you to at least one new book!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Reading Everyone!&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-59976659344037788542017-04-04T06:58:00.001-07:002017-10-28T22:28:04.098-07:00Review: Geekerella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" width="291" /></a><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30201136-geekerella"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Geekerella by Ashley Poston&nbsp;</span></a><br />Release Date: April 4, 2017<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Geekerella-Fangirl-Fairy-Ashley-Poston/dp/1594749477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491328321&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=geekerella+ashley+poston">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/geekerella-ashley-poston/1123918421">Barnes and Noble</a><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">*Received for free from Quirk Books*</span></b><br /><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Yay! Today Geekerella was released into the world! I've already ordered a copy for my cousin for her birthday. I know she'll love it!&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white;">Geekerella was an absolutely genius book. <b>Ashley Poston perfectly mashed together the classic Cinderella story with modern day media and fandoms.</b> Once I started, I could not stop reading...&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Every character was colorful and vibrant.<b> Elle was a charismatic character you couldn't help but love. </b>You feel bad about her crazy step-mother and sisters. (Although one ends up being not horrible after all.) And I loved her obsession - passed on from her parents - for Starfield. <b>Darien, our other character, was also a fun perspective to read from.</b> He's a movie star trying to take his new Starfield role seriously... but serious fans - like Elle - doubt his ability to play the beloved prince on screen. <b>However, one surprising character that stole the show for me was Sage, Elle's co-worker at a vegan food trunk.</b> She's the quirky godmother figure.... but she's also sweet, funny, and gets her own romance (lgbt!).&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><b>The romance was really cute,</b> even though most of it happened via text. The conversations between Elle and Darien made me laugh numerous times. Also, Elle has no idea it's Darien the movie she's been texting. <b>When they finally meet at ExcelsiCon it's so worth it!</b> I loved the cos-playing and fan fun there. Also Elle's costume and the dance.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The ending was perfect and I had a ball reading about Elle and Darien's adventure. <b>I can't recommend this sparkling contemporary more, especially for fangirls, fanboys, and anyone who knows what it's like to love a franchise.&nbsp;</b></span></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5/5 stars</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-3702194483963529602017-03-23T11:52:00.001-07:002017-10-28T22:28:19.478-07:00Update: News, A Book Trailer, and More! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWxUXOZQGfo/Ut9ZAeWdSdI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/gEfW1m2jGgYsjQzVUfgqLDXOfwJtWXOBACPcB/s1600/Topics%2BTaking%2BFlight.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWxUXOZQGfo/Ut9ZAeWdSdI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/gEfW1m2jGgYsjQzVUfgqLDXOfwJtWXOBACPcB/s320/Topics%2BTaking%2BFlight.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hello everyone! I hope your week have been less stressful than mine. And that you have read lots of good books! I have an assortment of topics to cover today:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">#1) I'm taking a week long hiatus over spring break as I am going to the Caribbean! So I'll be even more absent than normal from the blog and social media.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IJJ9kDWhzeQ/WNQXwuJswyI/AAAAAAAAE1w/etcqElVh6U0S_tpiwY5FgymbM-jJtLqQgCLcB/s1600/cruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IJJ9kDWhzeQ/WNQXwuJswyI/AAAAAAAAE1w/etcqElVh6U0S_tpiwY5FgymbM-jJtLqQgCLcB/s320/cruise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">#2) When I come back I'll be back to blogging and I have some awesome reviews scheduled to go up next month! Yay!&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am also trying to keep up with my Goodreads goal and I've been reading a lot lately! I've just finished Hunted. It was okay but not as amazing as I'd hoped.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1467052649l/24485589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1467052649l/24485589.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446749751l/20983362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446749751l/20983362.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460412192l/26594801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460412192l/26594801.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">#3) Earlier this week I got an exciting email from Quirk Books! The Geekerella official book trailer is here! Check is out on <a href="http://www.hypable.com/geekerella-book-trailer/">hypable</a>. Also, a very well known you-tuber makes a cameo in it! I really, really loved this book and my review will be up soon.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" width="145" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hope y'all are doing well. Read any amazing books lately? (Maybe recommend me some good beach/vacation reads!) &nbsp;</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">See y</span><span style="font-size: large;">ou in a week!</span></div><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-38145326243592984572017-03-13T21:14:00.000-07:002017-03-16T15:51:07.049-07:00Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hosted by the <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/2017/03/top-ten-books-on-daisys-spring-tbr-list.html">Broke and the Bookish&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spring is here!!! Here are the books I am looking forward to reading soon:&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474499092l/30312860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474499092l/30312860.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466543204l/30312700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466543204l/30312700.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487956734l/30653853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487956734l/30653853.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. Always and Forever Lara Jean</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am so excited for this conclusion!!! Han's books are always so much fun!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. Alex, Approximately</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've heard a lot of good things plus this contemporary sounds perfect for spring.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. The Upside of Unrequited</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's written by Albertalli. Enough said.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485528243l/23766634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485528243l/23766634.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476104052l/28449207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476104052l/28449207.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483132546l/33643994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483132546l/33643994.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. ACOWAR&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am so excited for Maas to knock me off my feet.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. Strange the Dreamer</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Laini Taylor's writing is always so beautiful, lush, and fantastical.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>6. Daughter of the Pirate King</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This came out last month and I am so pumped for all the piratey fun!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464012477l/25701463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464012477l/25701463.jpg" width="136" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476724612l/23308087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476724612l/23308087.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b><b>7. You're Welcome, Universe</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have been eagerly anticipating this since I heard it was for fans of Albertalli!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>8. When Dimple met Rishi</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So many bloggers have raved about the cuteness.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>9. Flame in the Mist</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am so looking forward to what Ahdieh has in store for us next.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Plus I've been craving an amazing fantasy.)&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What books are you excited to read this spring???</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy&nbsp;reading!</span></div><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-68312508931415958482017-02-18T22:40:00.000-08:002017-02-18T22:44:05.910-08:00The Sunday Post #1 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/0abf9b9e-b7ac-4d59-b451-7eb7c64ea1b9_zps47hi5hue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/0abf9b9e-b7ac-4d59-b451-7eb7c64ea1b9_zps47hi5hue.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>Hi everyone!<br /><br />I wanted to join in on The Sunday Post fun after realizing I needed a way to wrap up my weeks (or perhaps months). So here I am!&nbsp;<span id="goog_88349343"></span><span id="goog_88349344"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2017/02/sunday-post-253-a-week-in-which-i.html">Kimberly&nbsp;@ Caffeinated Book Reviewer </a>for hosting this. Also, sorry if this week's wrap up isn't very interesting! I only posted one review this week *winces*.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>THIS WEEK'S POST:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A Blog Tour for #Famous! (click <a href="https://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2017/02/blog-tour-famous.html">here</a>)&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPDlPRfDx-Q/WJtbFxEb_FI/AAAAAAAA588/lbvtaCzis68l-rj2EcJ0g-uS3sWUxfgYQCLcB/s640/tour%2Bbanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPDlPRfDx-Q/WJtbFxEb_FI/AAAAAAAA588/lbvtaCzis68l-rj2EcJ0g-uS3sWUxfgYQCLcB/s320/tour%2Bbanner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>BLOG POSTS I ENJOYED:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.uncreativelyzoey.com/2017/02/lets-talk-candles-part-ii.html">Let's Talk Candles</a>- Uncreatively Zoe&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://gillianeberry.blogspot.com/2017/02/in-which-i-apologize-to-goodreads.html">Gillian Apologizes to the Goodreads Challenge</a>- A Writer of Wrongs&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>WHAT I READ THESE PAST TWO WEEKS :</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Geekerella (4.5 Stars)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blackhearts (2 Stars)</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hating Game (4 Stars)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Three Dark Crowns (4.5 Stars)&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>WHAT I PLAN TO READ THIS WEEK:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Education of Margot Sanchez</div><div style="text-align: center;">A Promise of Fire&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MY BOOK HAUL:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">For Review (Thank you Simon &amp; Schuster, Quirk Books, and Mira!):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475256882l/30201136.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460412192l/26594801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460412192l/26594801.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475584741l/30698729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475584741l/30698729.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I already read Geekerella and LOVED it! I'm also looking forward to starting The Education of Margot Sanchez this week. (I wasn't a fan of The Night Mark.)&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bought/Gifted:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460893771l/29932617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460893771l/29932617.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472078174l/30256248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472078174l/30256248.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387124618l/9361589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387124618l/9361589.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was so picky with the edition of A Promise of Fire I wanted and it finally came! (I didn't like the US cover at all.) Also I got an exciting edition of By Your Side and I got The Night Circus at a cute used book shop near my town.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you all have had a good week! What books did you read? Any amazing ones?&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As always, thanks so much for stopping by!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1286.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa617%2FEmAnne3000%2FBlog%2520Design%2FPostSIG_zpsab7da860.png&amp;container=blogger&amp;gadget=a&amp;rewriteMime=image%2F*" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" Post Signature" border="0" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" /></a></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-80466892990035741442017-02-09T00:30:00.000-08:002017-02-09T00:30:23.814-08:00Blog Tour: #Famous Hi everybody! Today I have a lovely review and&nbsp;giveaway of #famous to share with you! I hope you enjoy it :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPDlPRfDx-Q/WJtbFxEb_FI/AAAAAAAA588/lbvtaCzis68l-rj2EcJ0g-uS3sWUxfgYQCLcB/s1600/tour%2Bbanner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPDlPRfDx-Q/WJtbFxEb_FI/AAAAAAAA588/lbvtaCzis68l-rj2EcJ0g-uS3sWUxfgYQCLcB/s640/tour%2Bbanner.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><h2><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DIzKZWy7UDE/WJtbEKgiiSI/AAAAAAAA584/zPpM1T1NCG4oX7fSyhe_p9ty-XJqMgzigCLcB/s1600/famous2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DIzKZWy7UDE/WJtbEKgiiSI/AAAAAAAA584/zPpM1T1NCG4oX7fSyhe_p9ty-XJqMgzigCLcB/s400/famous2.jpg" width="265" /></a></h2>#famous<br />by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13615246.Jilly_Gagnon">Jilly Gagnon</a><br />Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books<br />Release Date: February&nbsp;14th&nbsp;2017</div><div>Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult</div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25116429-famous"><img align="none" alt=" photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png" border="0" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" height="45" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" style="height: 45px; width: 45px;" width="45" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062430033/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=theunoaddboof-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0062430033&amp;linkId=9ffb6a392a4ff948115b880c8f11d97e"><img align="none" alt=" photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg" border="0" data-cke-saved-src="http://www.sellingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Amazon-icon.png" src="http://www.sellingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Amazon-icon.png" height="47" style="height: 47px; width: 47px;" width="47" /></a><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/famous-jilly-gagnon/1123837354?ean=9780062430038"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="http://www.jgfaherty.com/barnes-and-noble-icon_zps952bfc25.png" src="http://www.jgfaherty.com/barnes-and-noble-icon_zps952bfc25.png" height="50" style="height: 50px; width: 50px;" width="50" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/famous/id1116643002?mt=11&amp;ign-mpt=uo%3D4"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/4/4f/IBooks_Icon.png" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/4/4f/IBooks_Icon.png" height="48" style="height: 48px; width: 48px;" width="48" /></a><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/-Famous/9780062430038"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/book_depo_icon.jpg" height="50" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/book_depo_icon.jpg" style="height: 50px; width: 50px;" width="50" /></a><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/famous-14"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="http://michellemarcos.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/KoboIcon.png" src="http://michellemarcos.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/KoboIcon.png" height="50" style="height: 50px; width: 50px;" width="50" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Synopsis:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this modern-day love story, Girl likes Boy, Girl takes photo of Boy and posts it online, Boy becomes accidentally insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent joke spirals into a whirlwind adventure that could change both their lives—and their hearts—forever. But are fame and love worth the price?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Told in alternating points of view, #famous captures the out-of-control thrill ride of falling for someone in front of everyone.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: x-large;"><b>Emily's Review:&nbsp;</b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">#Famous by Jilly Gargon was a very cute, clever, and quick read. I read it in one sitting and overall enjoyed it! It’s the perfect beach read or book to curl up with when you’re sick.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">This story was a twist on the Alex from Target internet sensation from a while ago. Only this time we see from the eyes of the girl who took the viral picture. And, you see, Rachel meant ONLY for her best friend to see her tweet (flit) with a funny hashtag/picture of an attractive boy working at a burger stand at the mall. However, soon the picture has gone majorly viral. And the boy she took a picture of goes to school with her and they are in the same creative writing class. Awkward.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">Our other main character, Kyle, was just minding his own business when all of the sudden BOOM he’s famous. He has to leave his shift at the burger place early because he literally sold out all the food to his new, young fans. Hundreds of thousands of girls have followed him on twitter (it was actually the book's version of twitter- Flit). Even though his flits were all pretty lame (I, Emily, can attest to that).&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">Through the fallout of all this, out two bumbling main characters grow closer. They go on tv shows. They go bowling. It's all very cute! They also have to face the opinions and wrath of their schoolmates. That said, I was kind of disappointed by a lot of the girl hate.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">I feel like Jesse Andrew’s blurb on the cover of the book is a perfect summary of my feelings. Go read that blurb! Yes, it did feel a bit young to me, but this was well-written little book that I think many will enjoy. It has humor, romance, and drama. It’s also a great testament to the impact of social media platforms today. A book like #Famous wouldn’t have existed ten years ago. Isn’t that crazy?&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; text-align: left;">*Received for free from the publisher*</span><br /><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; text-align: left;" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qm3EUC4UTE/WJteG2gdToI/AAAAAAAA59U/7r5gnnxjNaoW67J-JP8Gfx5qIL_576QmgCLcB/s1600/Author.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qm3EUC4UTE/WJteG2gdToI/AAAAAAAA59U/7r5gnnxjNaoW67J-JP8Gfx5qIL_576QmgCLcB/s400/Author.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jillygagnon.com/"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4RuOBktb1E/Ue162e1qa5I/AAAAAAAAEh0/znKpOjFjgY4/s1600/127085-simple-black-square-icon-culture-world1.png" height="32" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4RuOBktb1E/Ue162e1qa5I/AAAAAAAAEh0/znKpOjFjgY4/s1600/127085-simple-black-square-icon-culture-world1.png" style="height: 32px; text-align: justify; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13615246.Jilly_Gagnon"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" height="32" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_goodreads_32.png" style="height: 32px; text-align: justify; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/jillygagnon"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_twitter_32x32.png" height="32" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_twitter_32x32.png" style="height: 32px; text-align: justify; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JillyGagnonWriter"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_facebook_32x32.png" height="32" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/gallery.mailchimp.com/3c46be723ce1fdc018c5f5545/images/icon_facebook_32x32.png" style="height: 32px; text-align: justify; width: 32px;" width="32" /></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jillygagnon/"><img align="none" data-cke-saved-src="http://www.ceciliagray.com/images/sinstagram-over.gif" src="http://www.ceciliagray.com/images/sinstagram-over.gif" height="31" style="height: 31px; width: 31px;" width="31" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YzVIVmfjYRI/WJtebrDc5AI/AAAAAAAA59c/B-yfv23JiGMicjQqUhPg1ryDLbfapbFlQCLcB/s1600/Jilly.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YzVIVmfjYRI/WJtebrDc5AI/AAAAAAAA59c/B-yfv23JiGMicjQqUhPg1ryDLbfapbFlQCLcB/s320/Jilly.webp" /></a>Jilly Gagnon is currently based in Chicago, but is originally from Minnesota, a fact she'll likely inform you of within minutes of meeting you. Her humor writing, personal essays, and op-eds have appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, Boston Magazine, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Toast, and The Hairpin, among others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She writes both humor and young adult fiction. She's represented by Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary (for humor) and Taylor Haggerty of Waxman Leavell (for young adult writing).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Find her on <a href="https://twitter.com/jillygagnon">twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JillyGagnonWriter">facebook</a>, or <a href="https://instagram.com/jillygagnon/">instagram</a>. She's an especially good conversation partner if you love amazing cocktails, terrible television, or talking to your cats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3E1RYZ_XJoQ/WJtebLYaLUI/AAAAAAAA59Y/5BIWGknbP_MqlIjUQFTxQ245HoiAkjsngCEw/s1600/tourschedule.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3E1RYZ_XJoQ/WJtebLYaLUI/AAAAAAAA59Y/5BIWGknbP_MqlIjUQFTxQ245HoiAkjsngCEw/s400/tourschedule.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkmtTkvovzc/WJte6G2qj9I/AAAAAAAA59k/gffGd9X20kMpvY03dk9dMWJ5nSkyFuvGgCLcB/s1600/f.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkmtTkvovzc/WJte6G2qj9I/AAAAAAAA59k/gffGd9X20kMpvY03dk9dMWJ5nSkyFuvGgCLcB/s640/f.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kxnWOd99jgg/WJtfOyIe9HI/AAAAAAAA598/IPF0hvMMb1QO56YnAp6qs0i0spxdOTydACEw/s1600/f.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kxnWOd99jgg/WJtfOyIe9HI/AAAAAAAA598/IPF0hvMMb1QO56YnAp6qs0i0spxdOTydACEw/s640/f.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://feedyourfictionaddiction.com/" style="text-align: start;">Feed Your Addiction Fiction</a><span style="text-align: start;">&nbsp;- Review&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://areadingnurse.blogspot.com/" style="text-align: start;">A Reading Nurse&nbsp;</a><span style="text-align: start;">- Review</span></div><span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">GIVEAWAY!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Win 1 Signed Hardback of #Famous by Jilly Gagnon</div><div style="text-align: center;">(US/CAN only)&nbsp;</div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="d9681b86219" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86219/" id="rcwidget_nryhfqwx" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for stopping by! And good luck on the giveaway :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-40411257867994051852017-01-31T12:08:00.002-08:002017-10-28T22:28:43.677-07:00Biggest Disappointments of 2016 Hi all! Sorry I have been missing for so long... but now finals week and audition season is over. So hopefully I will be able to blog more.<br /><br />Here (a bit late) I bring you the 2016 books I WANTED to love but couldn't:<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456506698l/23203106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456506698l/23203106.jpg" width="131" /></a><b>1. Wink Poppy Midnight (2.5 stars)</b><br />This book was so close to being amazing. It had a stunning cover, beautiful writing, and an intriguing premise. That said, the story was not executed well at all. I didn't care for the characters, the ending was lack luster, and I spent a lot of time bored and confused. The only reason I finished was that Tucholke's writing style is pure artistry, even if her actual story was meh.<br /><br /><b>2. The Serpent King (2 stars)</b><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1435673762l/22752127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1435673762l/22752127.jpg" width="132" /></a>I am the total black sheep on this one. I could NOT connect to the characters for the life of me and I thought that events that should have been emotional were not well done. Also, I felt like one death was too much to further other character's arcs, and I want deaths in books not just to be a plot device for others... but an examination of death in it's own right. (Does that make any sense?) &nbsp;I really tried to love this but I was left wanting in many departments.<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446759650l/26074181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446759650l/26074181.jpg" width="132" /></a><b>3. The Crown (2 stars)</b><br />Okay, I accept Kiera Cass books for what they are: fluff, pretty dresses, romance, cute banter, and all that jazz. I never expect masterpieces. The Crown, however, was an all-time low for Cass. I was bored. I felt like Eadlyn had no personality. The romance was lack luster. They all could have died and I wouldn't have cared. My advice: stick with the original Selection Trilogy.<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460577362l/27272506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460577362l/27272506.jpg" width="130" /></a><b>4. The Glittering Court (2.5 stars)</b><br />Richelle Mead, why? You are a brilliant author, yet your newest release was very "meh". Adelaide pales in comparison to Rose and Sydney. I don't even remember Cedric (I had to look up his name on Goodreads). The whole last half of the novel felt out of place. There aren't any fantasy elements; it's just a lot of dresses, girls trying to get husbands, blah blah blah.<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470082995l/29056083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470082995l/29056083.jpg" width="130" /></a><b>5. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (4 stars- rated as a fan fiction)</b><br />Ahh, I saved both the smallest and biggest disappointment for last. So let me yell: This is very good fan-fiction, and I bet the live production is amazing. BUT THIS IS NOT CANON. Rowling did not write this. The characters are all wrong. The time-turner plot is ridiculous and there are lots of weird parts and uncomfortable revelations (i.e Bellatrix and...). The best thing about Cursed Child is PRECIOUS SCORPIUS. I swear the rest is just fan-fiction.<br /><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-44878095979790240652017-01-12T00:03:00.000-08:002017-10-28T22:28:33.584-07:00Review: The Bear and the Nightingale Reading this book was a wonderful way to start off 2017! I felt like I had lost a friend when I had finished. Let's talk about it!<br /><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420l/25489134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420l/25489134.jpg" width="267" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Bear and The Nightingale&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25489134-the-bear-and-the-nightingale">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101885939/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1101885939&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods...&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core,&nbsp;<i>The Bear&nbsp;</i></b><b style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>and the Nightingale</i>&nbsp;is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin&nbsp;</b><b style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Morgenstern's&nbsp;<i>The Night Circus</i>, and Neil Gaiman.</b><br /><b style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The Bear and the Nightingale was the perfect book to read on a day where I could see snow falling through the window. <b>Arden's writing is lush and beautiful.</b> I adored the fairy-tale feeling of this story. Everything was vivid from the characters to the Russian setting. I was completely immersed.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The book started off a bit slow for me. The writing was exceptionally gorgeous from the beginning, but I had to get used to a slower pace and lots of characters. Once, I was a few chapters in though, I was in for the long haul. I loved Arden's eye for details and I could tell she was passionate about creating a world that seemed real. <b>The Russian setting was exquisite. </b>Also you learned a lot of character's backstories.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our whole cast of characters was intriguing. Vasya, her father, step-mother, brothers, sisters, nurse, Konstantin, Frost, and many more characters play a part</span><b style="font-family: inherit;">. Vasya is wild, independent, and strange. </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">She's victim to being a woman in medieval Russia so she's treated like property a lot, although she&nbsp;rarely lets others control her. She can ride a horse as good as a man. And she rebels against&nbsp;marriage and the church.&nbsp;<b>She's the underdog you have to root for. </b>There's not a major romance plot line for Vasya here, but I sense one in later books.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">One of our main conflicts is the church vs common local beliefs in spirits and fairytales. When a renown priest comes and strikes fear of God into the hearts of the townspeople, the spirits grow hungry and restless as they are ignored and forgotten. Vasya knows this isn't good. And she can see these spirits, and she is also the target of a great evil. <b>The ending of the novel is climatic, powerful, and left me breathless.&nbsp;</b></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Overall, I cannot recommend The Bear and the Nightingale enough. If it starts off feeling slow to you, persevere! I was so glad I did. <b>This is a magical, well-researched, intriguing read.</b> If you love medieval Russia, fairy tales, religion and myths, and atmosphere, pick this book up! I cannot wait to see what Arden does in the sequels. I want to see more of the brother, Sasha, and Morov, The Frost Demon, in book two.&nbsp;</span><br /><div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">*Received for free from LibraryThing Early Reviewers*</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.5/5 Stars</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-66861573331355557202017-01-05T17:38:00.001-08:002017-01-11T09:01:15.411-08:00Most Anticipated Books of 2017 <span style="font-size: large;">Happy 2017! A new year brings new books... and boy do I want to read all of them! Here are the gems I am MOST excited for:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459437419l/28145767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459437419l/28145767.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480850195l/23766634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480850195l/23766634.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474499092l/30312860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474499092l/30312860.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>1. Strange the Dreamer</b><br />Laini Taylor's writing is unparalleled. It's beautiful, emotional, and eccentric in it's own way. After falling in love with Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I am breathlessly awaiting Strange the Dreamer. It's my #1 most anticipated of the year.<br /><br /><b>2. A Court of Wings and Ruin</b><br />A VERY close second to Strange the Dreamer is A Court of Wings and Ruin. &nbsp;You all know I am a huge Sarah J Maas fan and ACOMAF holds a big place in my heart. I can't wait to see what Feyre gets up to in this third book, especially after ACOMAF's brilliant ending.<br /><br /><b>3. Always and Forever Lara Jean</b><br />A third book? A third book! Jenny Han has absolutely delighted me with the announcement of the unexpected conclusion to Lara Jean's story. These books are some of my absolute favorite contemporaries.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469204998l/30320008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1469204998l/30320008.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472078174l/30256248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472078174l/30256248.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472825688l/25752041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472825688l/25752041.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>4. The Valiant</b><br />The cover, the synopsis, the blurbs, the excellent bloggers shouting praise... yeah, this looks like an Emily book. Female gladiators! Fighting school! Rome! Julius Caesar!<br /><br /><b>5. By Your Side</b><br />My mission to read all of Kasie West's novels continues. They are just so cute plus the premise is that our two main characters get trapped in a library together. I repeat: a library!!! Doesn't that just sounds perfect?<br /><br /><b>6. Royal Bastards</b><br />With a title like Royal Bastards, who can doubt that this book will be awesome? If you are not sold, check out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25752041-royal-bastards?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">this in-depth synopsis</a> on Goodreads, I am so ready for this YA royal romp. (Also can't wait to see the final cover!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482919163l/30653853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482919163l/30653853.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473701412l/31574408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473701412l/31574408.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><b>7. The Upside of Unrequited</b><br />I will read anything the author of Simon Vs. The Homosapien's Agenda writes. And this sounds amazing and cute... I'm so, so excited.<br /><br /><b>8. The Hate U Give</b><br />This looks like such an important read- it's inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement! I love the author's voice on twitter and I have heard so much praise for this book. I have a feeling this will be a major release this year.<br /><br /><b>9. Traitor to the Throne</b><br />We all know I loved Rebel of the Sands... so this should come as no surprise. I am so ready for this sequel and I want more Amani and Jin! (Also, yes I'm using the cover image I want to be on the US version *cries*)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476364355l/29283884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476364355l/29283884.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623l/27883214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623l/27883214.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1467052649l/24485589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1467052649l/24485589.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><b>10. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue&nbsp;</b><br />LGBTQ read with two gentlemen embarking on a Grand Tour of Europe and having adventures? Yes please! Plus I hear there are a lot of pages.... I love big books.<br /><br /><b>11. Caraval</b><br />Okay, I already read this! But I loved it and can't wait to buy a final copy for my bookshelves. Read my review <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/10/caraval-2017-release-to-watch.html">here</a>. It's so magical and brilliant, trust me.<br /><br /><b>12. Hunted&nbsp;</b><br />This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling from an author that I trust with a gorgeous cover... there's no way I'm not adding this to my bookshelf when it releases!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Coverless/No title:</b></span><br /><b>ToG #6</b><br />*Sobs* After Eos I NEED this, but also I'm scared and don't want it to end!<br /><br /><b>Untitled- The Diabolic #2&nbsp;</b><br />Yay! I knew The Diabolic wouldn't stay a standalone!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was so hard keeping this list (semi) short!!! Which books are you impatient for this year? :)&nbsp;</span><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-26955631399210059882016-12-29T23:59:00.001-08:002017-01-03T22:42:39.972-08:00Double Review: The Impostor Queen and The Cursed Queen <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434401954l/23495112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434401954l/23495112.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23495112-the-impostor-queen">The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine</a></b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">Sixteen-year-old Elli was only a child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic in service of her people. The only life Elli has known has been in the temple, surrounded by luxury, tutored by magic-wielding priests, preparing for the day when the queen perishes—and the ice and fire find a new home in Elli, who is prophesied to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;"><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wow. This was Fine's best book yet!<b> The Impostor Queen was compelling, inventive, and&nbsp;featured&nbsp;an amazing cast of characters.</b> All fantasy lovers like me won't be able to resist this tale of a girl who didn't turn out to be the queen she though she was.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">So, let me quickly summarize this: Elli has been raised as a Saadella to become the Valtia of the Kupari. However, when she fails to inherit the powers of fire and ice from the previous Valtia, she is forced to run from her pampered life.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Elli ends up living with a group of rebels and criminals. <b>And there she learns she is not so powerless after all.</b>&nbsp;A prophecy gives her a role in perhaps saving the Kupari from both the dangerous raiders, the Solturi, and from surprising corruption and evil within their own walls.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>I admired Elli for her love for her people, her Valtia, and her Saadella.</b> I also loved how hard she worked and grew through the book. And I can't not mention the romance! Elli is bi, and has a crush on a girl in the beginning. I loved Fine's diversity! However, the main ship in this book is between Oskar and Elli. I loved these two together sooooo much. I can't wait for more of them.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />Overall, The Impostor Queen was a major win. I was surprised how quickly I got sucked into the pages. <b>The twists and turns in this new world of magic and strife are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. </b>After finishing this, I was so pumped for The Cursed Queen!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" height="56" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463432298l/28684363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463432298l/28684363.jpg" width="270" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30313383-the-cursed-queen">The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine&nbsp;</a></b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Ansa has always been a fighter.&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">As a child, she fought the invaders who murdered her parents and snatched her as a raid prize. She fought for her place next to Thyra, the daughter of the Krigere Chieftain. She fought for her status as a warrior in her tribe: blood and victory are her way of life. But the day the Krigere cross the great lake and threaten the witch queen of the Kupari, everything changes.</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Cursed by the queen with fire and ice, Ansa is forced to fight against an invisible enemy—the dark magic that has embedded itself deep in her bones. The more she tries to hide it, the more dangerous it becomes. And with the Krigere numbers decimated and the tribe under threat from the traitorous brother of the dead Chieftain, Ansa is torn between her loyalty to the Krigere, her love for Thyra, and her own survival instincts.</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">With her world in chaos and each side wanting to claim her for their own, only one thing is certain: unless Ansa can control the terrible magic inside her, everything she’s fought for will be destroyed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I really loved The Cursed Queen. <b>This story is fierce, dark, action-packed, and offers a new, unexpected perspective.</b> However, I am forewarning you that we have a new cast of characters. No Elli. No Oskar. Now we have Ansa, Thyra, and others. Be prepared for the sister story to the Impostor Queen; It's around the same timeline in a different place. And it reveals the true queen of the Kupari!<br /><br />Ansa is in the Solturi tribe, although they call themselves the Krigere. <b>Ansa is ruthless, scary, and flawed.</b> She's sometimes even unlikable. <b>And that's what made her a real and intriguing character. </b>After a battle with the Kupari "Witch Queen", Ansa is certain she has been cursed with witchcraft. She suddenly has powers over fire and ice (If you've read the Impostor Queen you'll know what this means). Ansa has to come to terms with recognizing the significance of her newfound magic.<br /><br /><b>I love Sarah Fine's openness for diversity and lgbtq characters.</b> I also love how she doesn't make a big deal of these things. The characters love who they love, and that's that. Ansa and Thyra are our main couple. They have a lot of chemistry but boy do they have a lot of difficulties! They have trust problems, rank problems, and they disagree on a lot of moral principles. Thyra, the Solturi leader, was a very interesting character. In fact, in some ways, she was more likable than Ansa. <b>She is deadly, but, unlike her tribespeople, Thyra doesn't have a taste for killing, plundering, and raiding.</b> This difference in values causes rifts between the Solturi and Thyra.<br /><br />Our new characters are... well... some are good, some are bad, and a lot are a bit of both.<b> Fine's characters have layers, and faults, and secrets.</b> But let me just say I loved Halina as a character. Others of the cast included Sanders, Jasper, Nisse, and more.<br /><br />Overall, the Cursed Queen was an interesting, surprising, and twisty read. Fine's decision to give us a key character from an "enemy" tribe was both brave and ingenious. <b>I can't wait to see how the fates of Elli and Ansa entwine in the third book.</b> I'm so excited!<br /><br />Note: I read this immediately after the Impostor Queen, and I think reading these back-to-back is a good idea because, while the characters are new, the stories obviously go hand in hand. The reader probably should try to remember the significance of the Solturi, the Kupari, the Valtia, Sig, Keiko, and more.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeTextreview1854611733">*I received this book for free from the publisher<span style="background-color: white;">. Thank you Simon and Schuster!&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" height="56" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hope you&nbsp;enjoyed my review of this wonderful new series! What are your thoughts?</span></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" /></span>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-409195955849644182016-12-26T17:59:00.000-08:002016-12-26T19:03:47.345-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Best 2016 Releases <div style="text-align: center;">It's that time of year to round up all the favorites! I can't believe 2017 is almost here. Also, by the way, I only picked nine releases this year!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxLL0WxNh0M/UKG6zuATvyI/AAAAAAAABiU/L_CJc9Hd0z0/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxLL0WxNh0M/UKG6zuATvyI/AAAAAAAABiU/L_CJc9Hd0z0/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hosted by <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and The Bookish</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. A Court of Mist and Fury &nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, I'm tired of hearing myself talk about it too. To recap: 5 stars of amazingness, magic, fae, courts, Rhysand, wings, painting, and power. I am ready for ACOWAR.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. Empire of Storms</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I finally finished this baby over winter break! I'll have a whole post up soon (hopefully!) talking about this beauty. Sarah J. Maas killed me in this one.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. My Lady Jane&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really want to reread this one. It's funny, adventurous, and creative. I SO love when authors mess with history. <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/09/5-reasons-to-read-my-lady-jane.html">Here are five reasons to pick My Lady Jane up</a>!&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468497056l/26073150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468497056l/26073150.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463107108l/28260587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463107108l/28260587.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. A Torch Against The Night&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finally read An Ember In The Ashes and, after surprisingly falling in love, I immediately picked up the sequel. ATATN did not disappoint. Sabaa Tahir is a talented writer and her dark, fierce, beautiful storytelling captivated me. Laia, Elias, and Helene are such amazing characters.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. The Diabolic</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I read this on a plane and I was glued to it's pages the entire flight! Nemesis is one of my favorite characters ever and I loved the political intrigue, powerful relationships, and action in space. Kincaid just recently announced sequels!&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>6. The Long Game</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jennifer Barnes' Fixer series is so underrated. This sequel was twisty, and all my ships kind of fell to pieces, and everything was horrible and I still loved it so much. Politics and scandal abound. Go read this so I can have a third book!! I NEED to know what happens next. <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/07/review-long-game.html">Here is my review for The Long Game</a>.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463675717l/25558608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463675717l/25558608.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459485169l/26836910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459485169l/26836910.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464527561l/26073072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464527561l/26073072.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>7. The Butterfly Garden</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was a disturbing, terrifying thriller that I picked up after reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1671769706?book_show_action=false&amp;from_review_page=1">Emily May's review</a> on Goodreads. It was not my normal read, but the Butterfly Garden kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time with it's dark case and surprising twists and turns.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>8. It Ends With Us</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I haven't always been successful with Colleen Hoover in the past. It Ends With Us, however, blew me away. I cried and laughed and smiled and cried some more. The author was brave to write this novel, there is no doubt.&nbsp;</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>9. Rebel of the Sands&nbsp;</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was one of my more recent reads and I am still so in love. I feel like this book is a mix of Tamora Piece and An Ember in the Ashes? Does that make sense? Jin and Amani are adorable, plus there is so much lady power. Here are <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/12/5-reasons-to-read-rebel-of-sands.html">5 reasons to read Rebel of the Sands.&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461392121l/29981261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461392121l/29981261.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What were your favorite books of 2016? Have you read any on my list? Are any on your TBR?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for stopping by!&nbsp;</span></div><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" /><br /><br />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-76982622703290656282016-12-19T19:42:00.000-08:002016-12-26T00:17:33.655-08:005 Reasons to Read Rebel of the Sands <span style="font-weight: normal;">Over Thanksgiving Break, I </span><strike style="font-weight: normal;">read</strike><span style="font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;devoured<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24934065-rebel-of-the-sands?from_search=true"> Rebel of the Sands</a> in a matter of days. So,&nbsp;without further ado, here are five reasons to pick up this book:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" width="212" /></a><b>1. Amani- and all the girl power</b><br />Our main character, Amani Al'Hiza, is one of those characters I couldn't help but root for from the beginning. She is tough, smart, and a sharpshooter. Amani's voice is both gritty and real. How could you not love a character with the nickname The Blue-eyed Bandit?<br /><br /><b>2. Jin- everyone's favorite fugitive</b><br />Jin was another amazing character. I loved every run-in with him, as excitement always followed. I loved seeing him and Amani grow close and I can't wait to see more of them together!<br /><br /><b>3. The desert and all its surprises&nbsp;</b><br />First of all, the desert seems to live and breathe in this book. It is so vividly described and you can see how it is such a part of Amani. And, the best part, is that mythological creatures roam the desert. All of the mythology in Rebel of the Sands was incredibly well developed.<br /><br /><b>4. Guns! Shooting! Adventure! &nbsp;</b><br />I was surprised and impressed by Alwyn Hamilton's affinity for action scenes. There is never a dull moment and I loved Amani's ability with a gun. The fight and on-the-run scenes were always fraught with tension.<br /><br /><b>5. The ending- I'm ready for book two&nbsp;</b><br />After some amazing reveals and twists, I am ready for everything to go down in Traitor to the Throne. (Although I am a bit disappointed by the cover change... Rebel of the Sands is SO BEAUTIFUL and I would have loved the second book to match. *sigh*)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Overall, I cannot recommend Rebel of the Sands enough. You will want to get on board with this new, exciting series!!!</div><br /><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-49360083248113846262016-12-16T17:28:00.002-08:002016-12-16T17:43:36.710-08:00My Auto-Buy Authors: Part One 2016 is coming to a close and I think it is time to reflect on all the great authors, the new and the old. Here are the authors who could write a cookbook and I'd buy it :D<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452783825l/17927395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452783825l/17927395.jpg" width="131" /></a>1. Sarah J Maas</h3>Maas is a no-brainer. I've written an entire post about my love for her work! (Read it <a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/09/sarah-j-maas-appreciation-post.html">here</a>.) Her books are thrilling, beautiful, and pull me into new worlds. Likewise, her storytelling and world building abilities are insane. ACOMAF might be my #1 read this year.<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355886270l/16068905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355886270l/16068905.jpg" width="134" /></a>2. Rainbow Rowell</h3>My love for Rainbow Rowell knows no bounds. I own three copies of Fangirl alone! My other favorites are Carry On and Attachments. If you haven't picked up her work, you should get on that :D Her books are always simultaneously cute, real, and out-of-the-box.<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1297199431l/8709527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1297199431l/8709527.jpg" width="132" /></a>3. Richelle Mead</h3>While I wasn't on board with The Glittering Court, Mead's work has previously always been reliable. Vampire Academy and Bloodlines are two of my all-time favorite series. In my opinion, her strength is in her characters. Who could not love Rose, Dimitri, Sydney, and Adrian? I can never resist Mead's novels... and I hope her next books meet her earlier standards.<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362064564l/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1362064564l/9627755.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />4. Stephanie Perkins</h3>Stephanie Perkins can do no wrong in my eyes. Anna, Lola, and Isla were all perfection. One of the most reread books on my shelves is Anna and the French Kiss. It's funny, has a serious message, and always makes me smile. I also applaud Perkins for her Summer Days and My True Love Gave to Me anthologies. I cannot wait for her next endeavor.<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1400602609l/28187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1400602609l/28187.jpg" width="128" /></a>5. Rick Riordan</h3>My childhood! This dude is responsible for my obsession with mythology. I have every single one of Riordan's mg/ya books. I admittedly still need to read some of his newer series, but Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles are forever in my heart. (PS we are all just pretending the PJ movies never happened, right?)<br /><br /><h3><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331535456l/6137154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331535456l/6137154.jpg" width="131" /></a>6. Kristin Cashore</h3>Let's talk about Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue. These books are the epitome of what makes fantasy amazing. I read Fire and Bitterblue this year (I don't know why I waited so long) and they knocked my socks off. Fierce female characters and the expansive world make this series a standout.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">P.S I had so many authors I wanted to talk about that I'm making two parts! Be on the lookout for part two soon &lt;3</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Who are your auto-buy authors???&nbsp;</b></div><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-92125429997345185292016-10-31T19:48:00.003-07:002016-10-31T19:52:14.314-07:00Caraval: A 2017 Release to Watch! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623l/27883214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623l/27883214.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Caraval by Stephanie Garber</b></span><br /><b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .</span></b><br /><div><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.</span><br /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14px;">Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.</span><br /><div style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.</span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>Mark your calendars for&nbsp;January 31st!</b></span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">There is no doubt about it, Caraval will be the next big thing to hit YA shelves. Stephanie</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;Garber has penned a breath-taking debut full of magic and twists and delicious, dangerous atmosphere.</span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The Premise:</b></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Two sisters, Scarlett&nbsp;and Tessa, escape their home to participate in the&nbsp;fantastical&nbsp;Caraval. Headed by the&nbsp;mysterious&nbsp;Legend, Caraval is an event the sisters have wanted to see since they were very young. Then, Tella is taken, as a part of Caraval's game. Scarlett, with the help of Julian, an unexpected ally, has to find her sister within five days. &nbsp;</span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>The Setting:</b></span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">This book shines with it's imaginative and descriptive look at scenes of Caraval. Things are&nbsp;glamorous, weird, decadent, and creepy. You&nbsp;can buy things with secrets, nightmares, or days of your life. The people&nbsp;around you may be allies or enemies. Nothing is as it seems.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">The C</span>haracters:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">I loved the strong sisterly bond between Scarlett and Tella. They both want to protect each other. I also loved how Garber showed the differences in their personalities: She showed both Scarlett's fear and Tella's recklessness. Then, of course, we have Julian. He was such an intriguing character, and the romance was exciting and well-done.&nbsp;</div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>The Special Effects:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Now I come to what I call the "special effects" of Caraval. And by that I mean all the clever twists and games Garber has put into her book. You will be addicted to turning Caraval's pages, waiting for what will happen next. I finished it in two days!&nbsp;</div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>In Conclusion:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">I cannot wait for the sequel! (And I definitely have a long wait!) Caraval has a complete story arc on it's own, but Garber teases us with so many more questions to be answered and characters to meet and a world to explore in her epilogue.&nbsp;</div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>4.5/5 Stars&nbsp;</b></div><div style="line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><b>P.S Isn't the cover stunning?&nbsp;</b></div><div style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px; margin: 18px 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" /></div></div>Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-77215031515465269012016-10-25T20:20:00.000-07:002016-10-25T20:20:39.202-07:00The Diabolic Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://yabibliophile.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2016/10/Diabolic-Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://yabibliophile.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2016/10/Diabolic-Banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I was over-the-moon excited to be a part of this blog tour! Thanks <a href="http://theirishbanana.blogspot.com/">Irish Banana Tours</a>!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Read on for my review of The Diabolic and an amazing giveaway :D<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="gmail-freeText1575609442362451485" style="color: #181818;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="gmail-freeText1575609442362451485" style="color: #181818;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jUjbBFGt9GU/WBAbum9_JzI/AAAAAAAAD-0/D9YZ5SWHdnIzeyDZ30p40Lbosu_wAOZogCEw/s1600/DIABOLIC%2BCOVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jUjbBFGt9GU/WBAbum9_JzI/AAAAAAAAD-0/D9YZ5SWHdnIzeyDZ30p40Lbosu_wAOZogCEw/s320/DIABOLIC%2BCOVER.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;">The Diabolic by SJ Kincaid</span></span></span></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">LINKS: <a href="http://amzn.to/2ecq38g">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-diabolic-s-j-kincaid/1123385488?ean=9781481472678">B&amp;N</a> </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #181818;"></span></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #181818;"><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.</span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">&nbsp;</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">One of my favorite things in the world is to close an amazing book and feel so ecstatic, and also sad at the same time, because I have to leave the world. The Diabolic, one of my favorite reads of 2016, was that book that was so wonderful and oh so hard to put down.&nbsp;</span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">The Diabolic is just as amazing as it's really pretty cover! SJ Kincaid has created a dangerous, vivid world in this newest Sci-Fi standalone. The reader feels the tension and emotions in every chapter.&nbsp;</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">Nemesis, our main character, was one of the reasons this book shone. She is a Diabolic: someone who is not seen as remotely human. Her job is to protect Sidonia. Then, one day, she has to travel to the Galactic Court under the false identity of Sidonia to protect her friend.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">That's when things get crazy. Parties, deaths, wild schemes, horrible emperors, crazy princes. And, along the way, Nemesis discovers some truths about herself. Yes, she is a Diabolic, but that doesn't mean she's less than. It doesn't mean she can't feel. Meanwhile, she was also a genuinely strong main character. I loved how the author didn't shy away from having a main character with muscles and amazing fighting technique.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">I loved the relationships in the book: Especially between Nemesis and Sidonia, Nemesis and Tyrus, and Nemesis and Neveni. Along with great friendships and romance came also a lot of enemies. And, of course, The Diabolic wrapped up with an epic, grand ending.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">In conclusion, the action, politics, fantastic characters, relationships, space, cool twists, and more make The Diabolic a must-read! I know it's a standalone, and I love standalones, but I wouldn't exactly say no to another book or a spin-off or something of the like. That said, I'll definitely be picking up more SJ Kincaid no matter what she writes.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/5stars2_zpse7babcbe.png" height="56" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;">5/5 Stars</span></span><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k62JQnqVSfI/WBAdEgsbD8I/AAAAAAAAD-w/Adctk9VZW0AdSg9gBYLXVCFjby3Xy841QCEw/s1600/SJ%2BKINCAID.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k62JQnqVSfI/WBAdEgsbD8I/AAAAAAAAD-w/Adctk9VZW0AdSg9gBYLXVCFjby3Xy841QCEw/s200/SJ%2BKINCAID.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: &quot;merriweather&quot; , &quot;georgia&quot; , serif;"><br /></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">ABOUT S.J. KINCAID:</span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">S.J. Kincaid was born in Alabama, grew up in California, and attended high school in New Hampshire, but it was while living beside a haunted graveyard in Scotland that she realized that she wanted to be a writer. Her debut,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://sjkincaid.com/book/insignia/" style="background-color: white; color: #511525; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><em><strong>Insignia</strong></em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">, came out in July of 2012. The second book in the series,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://sjkincaid.com/book/vortex/" style="background-color: white; color: #511525; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><em><strong>Vortex</strong></em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">&nbsp;was released in July of 2013. The final book in the trilogy,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://sjkincaid.com/book/catalyst/" style="background-color: white; color: #511525; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" title="Catalyst"><em><strong>Catalyst</strong></em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">, came out October 28, 2014. Her standalone novel&nbsp;</span><a href="http://sjkincaid.com/book/the-diabolic/" style="background-color: white; color: #511525; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" title="Catalyst"><em><strong>The Diabolic</strong></em></a><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">&nbsp;will be released in fall 2016.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Now, time for a giveaway! You want this book, trust me :D</div><div style="text-align: center;">Enter to win Three Finished Copies of The Diabolic: US only</div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="0e29d475205" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e29d475205/" id="rcwidget_8f4xvd69" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Tour Schedule:</span></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span id="gmail-m_-777889661164286792gmail-m_4274472963633333689gmail-docs-internal-guid-7ebc4c70-09fe-64bb-8082-68c05238cc8e"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Week 1:</span></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/24:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.yabibliophile.com/" target="_blank">YA Bibliophile - Review</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/25:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.swoonyboyspodcast.com/" target="_blank">Swoony Boys Podcast - Character Interview</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/26:</b><a href="http://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Reader Rising - Review</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/27:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatsarahread.com/" target="_blank">What Sarah Read - Mood Board</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/28:</b>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://theirishbanana.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">The Irish Banana Review - Top 10</a><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;">Week 2:</span></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>10/31:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://nobsbookreviews.com/" target="_blank">No BS Book Reviews - Q&amp;A</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>11/1:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inwonderlandbookblog.com/" target="_blank">In Wonderland - Review</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>11/2:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whorublog.com/" target="_blank">Who RU Blog - Novel Secrets</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>11/3:</b>&nbsp;<a href="http://lilisreflections.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lili's Reflections - Review</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>11/4:</b>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Reading Is Better with Cupcakes - Review</a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-54934576533891212202016-09-19T23:53:00.001-07:002016-09-20T00:01:04.011-07:00Sarah J Maas Appreciation Post <br /><br /><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1468497023l/16096824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1468497023l/16096824.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">Let's Talk About Sarah J Maas Books!&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. A Court of Thorns and Roses&nbsp;</b></span><br />I had no idea what to expect from this book, no idea if it would stand up to Throne of Glass, and I was so fantastically surprised for my all-consuming love. I honestly can not pick between the ACOTAR series and ToG. I was immersed into this beautiful book immediately. My full review is <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">here</a>. This book is for fans of fairy tales, fantasy, and immersive worlds.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1452783825l/17927395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1452783825l/17927395.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. A Court of Mist and Fury</span></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">So amazing! For a few days, all I could think about was this book and fantasize when I could get home to read it! I finished the book with an INTENSE need for book three. I need it now! I want more Feyre and Rhys and adventure. I am really craving a reread right now! I was so glad to see<br />&nbsp;that ACOMAF was a #1 NYT Bestseller; Sarah J Maas deserves it soo much.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1335819665l/13574861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1335819665l/13574861.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. Throne of Glass &nbsp;&nbsp;</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I read this book AS SOON AS IT CAME OUT! I pre-ordered my copy on Amazon and was SO excited when it arrived. It had the old cover and all I had heard that it was a Cinderella retelling and I was in. I had no idea it would turn out to be such a phenomenon.<br /><br /><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1391580481l/17167166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1391580481l/17167166.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. Crown of Midnight</b></span></div><div style="text-align: right;">Honestly, this was my least favorite Maas book. Yes, it was still amazing, and I rated it 4.5 stars. I think I enjoyed it less because I'm not a giant Chaol fan. Sorry! Still, there were some really emotional parts in this sequel that hit me where it counts. And I know for some, this is their favorite book!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1460846511l/20613470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1460846511l/20613470.jpg" width="130" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">5. Heir of Fire&nbsp;</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Stuff goes down in this installment! This is one of my absolute favorite Maas books. Rowan! Manon! Sorscha! So many amazing characters are introduced. I could NOT put this gigantic beautiful book down. A+ perfection, 100%. Maas upped her game in this novel that I was initially was worried would disappoint.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1441230104l/18006496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1441230104l/18006496.jpg" width="130" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">6. Queen of Shadows&nbsp;</span></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">Just when I thought it couldn't get better than Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows comes along and proves me wrong. I squealed and laughed and gasped an cried so much while reading. The cast, plot, romances, writing, and world are just incredible. After reading I NEEDED Empire of Storms and it wasn't out yet. &nbsp;It was rough.&nbsp;</div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>*Post on Empire of Storms coming soon! I'm in the middle of reading it right now!*&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">IN CONCLUSION</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm a major fan of both of Maas's series. I'm obsessed with ToG and ACOTAR fan art. I obsessively check for news on Twitter. Did you know there is a TV show in the works? Anyway, if you haven't, pick up one of these books!&nbsp;</span></div><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-19561264470659530842016-09-17T23:19:00.000-07:002016-09-17T23:19:21.969-07:005 Reasons to Read My Lady Jane Sometimes I just have days where I am not digging writing a real review. So I thought "What else can I write today?" and decided to just sit down with you and discuss one of my favorite books of 2016: My Lady Jane.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444923765l/22840421.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check it out on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29856520-my-lady-jane">Goodreads</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Why Should You Read this BRILLIANT story? I am SO glad you asked.<br /><br /><b>1) It is HILARIOUS</b><br />Seriously, if you don't believe me go read the chapter sampler on Amazon. This trio of authors is so hilarious. I was in fits of giggles the entire time. In fact, My Lady is compared to The Princess Bride, so OF COURSE it is going to be a comedic gem.<br /><br /><b>2) It is UNIQUE and SPECIAL</b><br />The idea behind this book is so weird but it works wonderfully. An alternate retelling of the short reign of Lady Jane Grey with magic? Count me in!<br /><br /><b>3) There is HISTORY and other fun stuff</b><br />The Tudors! Royalty, Castles, Outlaws, and other HISTORY stuff abounds in My Lady Jane! Also, 16th century girls kicking butt :)<br /><br /><b>4) THE POVs&nbsp;</b><br />Each author wrote one POV. Somehow all three of our main characters were equally wonderful and amazing. We have, of course, Jane... a bookish girl who never expected to be queen. Gifford, or "G", her husband, who has a slight predicament on his hands. And King Edward, who was hilarious. Also, there were really cute, funny romances for each character!<br /><br /><b>5) There will be MORE "Jane" books!&nbsp;</b><br />So you better read the first book now so you can prepare for the others. Just saying.<br /><br />For a more in depth review I recommend reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1676534857?book_show_action=true&amp;from_review_page=1">Emily May's review on Goodreads</a>. Click <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1676534857?book_show_action=true&amp;from_review_page=1">here</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(My Lady Jane received FIVE shiny, beautiful stars from me btw)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-74632814745036719772016-09-14T18:24:00.002-07:002016-09-14T18:25:25.917-07:00September New Release Giveaway Hop <a href="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/83/2016/08/September-New-ReleaseGiveaway-Hop92F14-30-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/83/2016/08/September-New-ReleaseGiveaway-Hop92F14-30-2.png" width="320" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">TIME TO WIN SOME BOOKS!</span><br /><br />It's September! Which means, for me, school and extracurricular activities start again. Also, fall and amazing weather is coming. And, most importantly, SO MANY amazing books released. &nbsp;How has this month treated you so far?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are some examples of your options:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1469265644l/23207027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1469265644l/23207027.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455210440l/28118037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455210440l/28118037.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455542433l/28448239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455542433l/28448239.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1460211196l/23203252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1460211196l/23203252.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1463107108l/28260587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1463107108l/28260587.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1448040202l/25064648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1448040202l/25064648.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455829171l/28512486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455829171l/28512486.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456500484l/28691932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456500484l/28691932.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455557048l/28218948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1455557048l/28218948.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456428801l/27969081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456428801l/27969081.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456172607l/22299763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456172607l/22299763.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1471010109l/28962906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1471010109l/28962906.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">However, any YA September Release is eligible to win! &nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Good Luck everyone! And happy September :)&nbsp;</span></div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="5d029c8c33" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5d029c8c33/" id="rcwidget_ffjtfyp6" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;">Rules&nbsp;</b></div><div style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You must be 13 or older&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">No Cheating!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">US &amp; International</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(As long as the book deposistory ships to your country)</span><br /><!-- start InLinkz script --> <script type="text/javascript">document.write('<scr' + 'ipt type="text/javascript" src="https://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=659092&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>'); </script> <!-- end InLinkz script --><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 24px;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have a lovely day and I hope you read a good book! Now, go hop over to other awesome giveaways.</span></div><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-21193003625555596712016-09-12T22:21:00.000-07:002016-09-12T22:26:52.533-07:00My Top Ten Favorite Contemporary Novels <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Y4MmmLh4g/UKqw_hIFU1I/AAAAAAAABjY/u2nxTw9kuDgC8DEStKI0oUvrdr-nVwX5ACPcB/s320/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hosted by <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">The Broke and the Bookish</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More often than not, I am a fantasy reader. However, a few contemporary books are close to my heart, and are just as amazing as my favorite fantasies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1377579834l/17286849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1377579834l/17286849.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327865374l/82434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327865374l/82434.jpg" width="129" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1383229604l/18298225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1383229604l/18298225.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1402915678l/19547856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1402915678l/19547856.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1372086100l/15749186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1372086100l/15749186.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327882873l/10757749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327882873l/10757749.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327469139l/12813860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1327469139l/12813860.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1424097120l/19370252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1424097120l/19370252.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1310121762l/439288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1310121762l/439288.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1472307261l/17453983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1472307261l/17453983.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1403897439l/21469068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1403897439l/21469068.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Oops.. that was twelve not ten... I can't help myself!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What are some of your favorite contemporary reads? What do you think of my picks?</span></div><br /><br /><img alt=" Post Signature" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a617/EmAnne3000/Blog%20Design/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.png" width="350" />Emily Annehttps://plus.google.com/113644098598382841642noreply@blogger.com0
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