Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Rage and Ruin

Rage and Ruin - The Harbinger #2

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What they say: Dangerous secrets and forbidden desires lead to shocking consequences… Don’t miss book two of the fantastical Harbinger trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all. 

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Review - King of Scars

King of Scars

by Leigh Bardugo

Also look out for the Grishaverse Netflix show coming the year!!

What they say: Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

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What I say: The Grishaverse world building is so detailed and creative that it's always a treat whenever Leigh Bardugo gives us another story set there. It's also very timely with the Netflix show coming soon, hello Ben Barnes as the Darkling...

I'm a fantasy geek so I love all the detail in King of Scars. It was great to see more of Nikolai, Zoya and Nina, plus the expansion of the Grishaverse from the original trilogy and Six of Bones.

Secrets and lies. Power and betrayal. Love and hope. These are at the centre of the story and the battle to save Ravka.

Nikolai made me smile with his usual mixture of concerned royal and flirty banter. He was never going to have an easy time as ruler but he's got a whole load of unexpected problems on top of the usual political ones.

Zoya is a total badass who doesn't worry about offending anyone. Her charm is in her loyalty, bravery and the verbal and actual smackdowns she delivers to anyone stupid enough to be intrigued by her beauty. A thorny rose.

I have to admit I wasn't the biggest Nina fan until now. I'm not really sure why but I was engrossed in her story here and meeting Hanne.

Oh the ending! Really? I'm not sure whether to cheer, shout or cry at this point...!

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

Tour & Review - The King

I love me some JLA goodness!!! All the yes for The King!! 

I'm thrilled to be sharing this release from Jennifer L. Armentrout with you today! THE KING is part of the Wicked series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. 

Click here to grab your copy now.

Purchase your copy of THE KING today!

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA * Amazon AU

What they say: From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

As Caden and Brighton's attraction grows despite the odds stacked against a happily ever after, they must work together to stop an Ancient fae from releasing the Queen, who wants nothing more than to see Caden become the evil Prince once feared by fae and mortals alike.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Add THE KING to your Goodreads TBR here!


I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: We return to the action where The Prince left off. Bri is hella determined for vengeance and really blooming annoyed at Caden. TBH so was I!!!!

The hilarious back-and-forth between Bri and Caden is still very much present - I'm not sure what it says about me but I do love their squabbling.

I'm a big Brighton fan! I totally get her determination (although not the circumstances) and loved the moments when she stood up for herself and took all the doubters on. Remember when Neville stood up to Harry, Hermione and Ron in Harry Potter? I had similar feels whenever certain Order members would overlook her skills and worth (albeit unintentionally done).

Caden as the King is all kinds of swoon worthy and maddening. Let's be honest the dude has it going on! What I really enjoyed was seeing more of his caring and softer side.

JLA you are an absolute Goddess and also a meanie - that ending!!! Talk about a cliffy! My jaw had to be lifted up from the floor after finishing The King! The fab news is that there's more Bri and Caden!!

Loved it! 

5 Stars in my Sky!

Purchase your copy of THE KING today!

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA * Amazon AU

Excerpt:

“I don’t think this is wise,” Tink said for what had to be the hundredth time since he realized I was getting ready for a night out. “Like I think this is very poorly thought-out, if you ask me, Lite Bright.”

“I didn’t ask you, Tink.”

My uninvited roommate of sorts hovered outside my bathroom. Tink wasn’t human, but right now, he looked like any normal twenty-something guy. Well, if normal, twenty-something guys had natural, shockingly white hair and were beautiful in a way that almost seemed fragile.

This was his full-grown Tink size, something I was still—even after all this time—getting used to. I was more accustomed to pint-sized Tink with the translucent wings. After all, he was a brownie.

After the attack that had taken my mother’s life and should’ve ended mine, he’d basically moved in with me. He’d been here for the last two years, something Ivy’s husband pretended to be grateful for, but in reality, I knew he secretly missed the dude.

“You should ask me,” he replied. When I glanced over at him, I got a little distracted by the dazzle…emanating from the sequin tank top he wore. It was so shimmery that I wondered if he was using some of his magic.

Tink may be a goofball, but he was also one of the most powerful creatures in our realm.

Thank God there was only one of him.

“I am a wealth of amazing advice,” he continued. Dixon, the cat he’d named after a Walking Dead character that Tink called “the hottest redneck eva” slinked around Tink’s ankles. The cat was all gray except for his tail, which looked like it had been dipped in white paint.

I snorted. “When have you ever given me good advice?”

“When I told you two weeks ago not to eat the whole carton of beignets because you’d get sick and you did,” he shot back.

I winced, picking up my mascara. I had gotten sick, but I deserved that carton of sugary, fried goodness. That day… 

I didn’t want to think about that day.

“And what about when you ordered that supreme pizza and ate almost all of it?” he said. “I told you that it would probably make you feel bad later.”

Nose wrinkling, I tried to remember what night he was talking about. There were a lot of Friday nights—pizza night in my household—that I ate an entire pie and felt terrible afterward.

“Or how about that time I told you that the seared ahi tuna looked a little gray for my liking? But, oh no, Brighton knows better.” He reached down, scratching Dixon between the ears. “You ate it all, and then I spent the night cleaning up your puke.”

Ew.

Book Trailer:

“Jennifer L. Armentrout’s intoxicating new fantasy is her best yet!” New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter on Storm and Fury

“Dark, mysterious, and yet often hilarious, this riveting page-turner sparkles with innuendo and delivers a breathtaking romance; a stunning conclusion to the trilogy.

“ Library Journal on Moonlight Scandals

“With this first title in her new Dark Elements series, powerhouse author Armentrout delivers another action-packed, believably narrated ride through a paranormal world as seen by a teen.”Booklist on White Hot Kiss

Author Spotlight:

# 1 New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Goodreads * Twitter * Bookbub

Recent Release - Broken Throne

Broken Throne - Red Queen #4.5

by Victoria Aveyard

What they say: Return once more to the deadly and dazzling world of Red Queen in Broken Throne, a beautifully designed, must-have companion to the chart-topping series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard.

The perfect addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen series, this gorgeously designed package features three brand-new novellas, two previously published novellas, Steel Scars and Queen Song, and never-before-seen maps, flags, bonus scenes, journal entries, and much more exclusive content.

Fans will be delighted to catch up with beloved characters after the drama of War Storm and be excited to hear from brand-new voices as well. This stunning collection is not to be missed!

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Coming Soon - Queen of Air and Darkness

All the YES!!!!

Queen of Air and Darkness - The Dark Artifices #3

by Cassandra Clare

What they say: Dark secrets and forbidden love threaten the very survival of the Shadowhunters in Cassandra Clare’s Queen of Air and Darkness, the final novel in the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling The Dark Artifices trilogy.

What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the blight that is destroying the race of warlocks. 

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.
Add to Goodreads


Releases 4th Dec 2018

Coming Soon - Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment

Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment

by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein

What they say: Albert Einstein + James Patterson = A Must Read!

The world's #1 bestselling author has teamed up with the world's most famous genius to entertain, educate and inspire a generation of kids – with the first and only kids' book series officially approved by the Albert Einstein Archives. 

Twelve-year-old orphan Max Einstein (like Albert Einstein himself) is not your typical genius. Max hacks the computer system at NYU in order to attend college courses (even though she hates tests), builds homemade inventions to help the homeless, and plays speed chess in the park. Her not-so-normal life is crazy but predictable until...

Max is recruited by a mysterious organization! Their mission: solve some of the world's toughest problems using science. She's helped by a diverse group of young geniuses from around the globe as they invent new ways to power the farthest reaches of the planet. But that's only if the sinister outfit known only as The Corporation doesn't get to her first...

Max Einstein is a heroine for the modern age and will be looked up to by readers for generations to come.

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Releases 8th Oct 2018!

Am Reading - Kiss of the Royal

I'm currently reading this YA fantasy about magic, forbidden love and kick ass princesses... 

Kiss of the Royal

by Lindsey Duga

What they say: In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.

Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.

With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that. 

Coming July 3rd by Entangled Teen!

More info over at GR!

Birthright Blog Tour & Review

Birthright
by Jessica Ruddick

How do you live with yourself when you decide who dies?

Ava Parks would have killed for an iPod for her sixteenth birthday. Anything would have been better than coming into her birthright of being a seeker for the Grim Reaper, an arrangement made by her fallen angel ancestor in exchange for his re-admittance to heaven. And she isn’t just any seeker—she finds souls that have the potential for becoming angels and sentences them to death. A year and two souls into her role as a seeker with her conscience overflowing with guilt, Ava comes up with a plan to thwart the system. When it goes awry, she is forced to submit the name of a classmate, Cole Fowler, an ornery, rough around the edges guy who always seems to come to her rescue, whether she likes it or not. Her feelings for Cole prompt her to intervene, and she saves him from death, upsetting the Grim Reaper’s agenda. 

While Ava schemes to find a way to save Cole, she learns he has some secrets of his own. She lets him believe he is protecting her, and not the other way around, until a final showdown with the Grim Reaper forces Ava to make choices Cole may never forgive.

Buy links: 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iBooks * Kobo

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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I've read a few reaper stories over the years but what I most appreciated about Birthright was the switch up between the usual gender roles and the twist on the lore.

Ava is a seeker, she works for the Grim Reaper finding souls - and by works for, I mean she that due to her DNA she doesn't have any choice but to find souls. 

I liked Ava's snark and the Buffy-ish dialogue, but moreover, I liked her fighting spirit. I mean, seriously come on! Talk about being lumbered with one heck of a horrible burden!

On to Cole. Cole's right up there with some of the best YA heroes. The best way I can think of to describe him is as a sort of mash up of a Abbi Glines meets Cassie Clare meets Huntley Fitzpatrick with a side order of JLA book boyfriend. 

I enjoyed their flirty arguing *ahem* banter. Plus they have the whole reverse Bella and Edward dynamic going on.

Xaiver didn't fit the role I was expecting which was actually a rather nice surprise. I will say I couldn't quite get my head round Eva's mother and her actions - sorry it's too spoilery to say any more...

The pace is pretty balanced and really starts to pick up as the plot and action develops. Plus I kinda wanna go be an intern in a car mechanic's shop...!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Excerpt:

As soon as I opened the front door, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and a tingle ran down my spine. The scent of cinnamon filled my nostrils. It was like having those little candy Red Hots shoved up my nose. Dread in the form of a knot settled in the base of my stomach.

Xavier.

Xavier was…I wasn’t sure what he was. Was he the descendant of a fallen angel like me? Was he an angel himself? Or was he something else, something more sinister?

He certainly looked it. He certainly acted it. He exuded evil.

He was lounging on our couch, his arms spread out over the back of it and his right ankle propped on his left knee. His black hair was slicked back, and he’d grown a goatee since the last time I’d seen him. As usual, he was dressed in a black suit with a red tie, what I mentally referred to as his “villain suit.”

I couldn’t believe he was the same man who used to read me bedtime stories and tuck me in when my mom had to work nights.

A smile stretched across his face and his black beady eyes watched me enter the room. The only thing that could possibly make him more snakelike was if a thin red forked tongue flitted out of his mouth.

I’d be less surprised than if a hippo flounced around my living room in a pink tutu in true Fantasia style.

My mom sat stiffly on a chair across from him. It was our home, but Xavier was in control here. Her eyes met mine, and she shrugged her shoulders slightly. She had no idea why he was here either. We hadn’t expected him for at least a couple more months.

“Welcome home, Ava,” Xavier said. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

“No, thanks. I’ll stand.”

He chuckled. “Suit yourself.”

Xavier took a moment to inspect his cuticles, as if he weren’t in the middle of our living room, as if we weren’t waiting for him to say whatever it was he came to say so he would leave again. I’d say he was oblivious to the effect he had on us, but that wouldn’t be true. He knew, and he relished it.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “What do you want?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Is that any way to treat a guest in your home?” He looked at my mother. “You should really teach her better manners.”

I laughed bitterly. “Calling yourself a guest implies that you’re wanted here.”

“Ava,” my mom said, her tone sharp.

Xavier just threw his head back and laughed. “No, Mary, let the little vixen spew her venom. I like it. It’s honest. Honesty is underrated in society today, don’t you agree?”

I glared at him.

“I have your next assignment.”

My glare faltered as I fought to keep the air moving in and out of my lungs. An assignment from Xavier meant the blood of an innocent would be on my hands again.

When I said I worked for the Grim Reaper, that was oversimplifying it a bit. There’s actually more than one. Think about it—with all the people who die every day in the world, how could there possibly be just one?

The particular Grim Reaper I worked for was special, though. He collected souls that were worthy of being angels. It was my job as a seeker to find those souls.

How’s that for an after school job?

“Forgive me, Xavier, but isn’t it a little soon?” my mom said quietly. “She hasn’t even had a chance to get settled in her new school.”

He glanced at her before returning his attention to me. “She can handle it. Besides, it’s time.”

“But her last assignment was just last month!” my mom protested. “Are you sure—”

“I’m very sure.”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. The knot of dread in my stomach exploded, seeping into the rest of my body. I breathed deeply, desperately trying to keep control. The last thing I wanted was to lose it in front of Xavier.

“How long do I have?”

“Two weeks.”

Two weeks. I had two weeks to put a plan into motion that would change lives irrevocably.

My classmates’ faces popped into my mind. I hadn’t bothered getting to know anyone or even learning names. I told myself it was easier that way, easier being a relative term.

But did any of them have a white aura? When I was at school, I always blocked them out. Otherwise, the barrage of auras became a colorful assault on my senses. School was difficult enough as it was. I didn’t need the added distraction. Moving around so much had left gaps in my education, so even though I was pretty smart, I perpetually struggled to maintain decent grades. Why I even bothered anymore was a mystery, though. I would probably end up a waitress just like my mother. It was hard to develop a career or even think about college with our transient lifestyle.

I squared my shoulders and looked Xavier in the eye, faking the bravado I lacked. “I guess I’ll see you in two weeks.”

Author Spotlight:

Jessica lives in Virginia with her college-sweetheart husband, two rambunctious sons, and two rowdy but lovable rescue dogs. Since her house is overflowing with testosterone, it’s a good thing she has a healthy appreciation for Marvel movies, Nerf guns, and football.

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