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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Am Reading - Cursed

Cursed

by Thomas Wheeler & illustrated by Frank Miller

What they say: The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller. 

Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.

But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?

Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…

That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.

Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.

But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade. 

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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!

Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Sentinel

Another JLA reread! I've been rereading the entire Covenant series and am nearly at the end again!

Sentinel - Covenant #5

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What they say: It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

More info!

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 - Neliem

Neliem

by Clare Di Liscia

An outcast rejected by her own people after a plague wipes out half the population on her island is offered a new life by way of marriage to a complete stranger until she finds the inner strength to be the hero she and her people deserves, and fights back testing her willpower with the aid of a mysterious dagger given to her by a dying boy. 

Amazon * B&N * Google Play * Indiebound * Kobo

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Releases 21st May!

Am Reading - Kingdom of Ash

I'm FINALLY reading...

Kingdom of Ash - Throne of Glass #7

Sarah J. Maas

What they say: 33 hours, 11 minutes

Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world. . .

Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.

And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.

As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

More info over at Goodreads

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.
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Releases 4th Dec 2018

THE PRINCE – Review & Excerpt Tour

From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, comes THE PRINCE, a new novella in her Wicked Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! 

Be sure to grab your copy today!

From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes a new story in her Wicked series…

She’s everything he wants….

Cold. Heartless. Deadly. Whispers of his name alone bring fear to fae and mortals alike. The Prince. There is nothing in the mortal world more dangerous than him. Haunted by a past he couldn’t control, all Caden desires is revenge against those who’d wronged him, trapping him in never-ending nightmare. And there is one person he knows can help him.

She’s everything he can’t have…

Raised within the Order, Brighton Jussier knows just how dangerous the Prince is, reformed or not. She’d seen firsthand what atrocities he could be capable of. The last thing she wants to do is help him, but he leaves her little choice. Forced to work alongside him, she begins to see the man under the bitter ice. Yearning for him feels like the definition of insanity, but there’s no denying the heat in his touch and the wicked promise is his stare.

She’s everything he’ll take….

But there’s someone out there who wants to return the Prince to his former self. A walking, breathing nightmare that is hell bent on destroying the world and everyone close to him. The last thing either of them needs is a distraction, but with the attraction growing between them each now, the one thing he wants more than anything may be the one thing that will be his undoing.

She’s everything he’d die for…

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon AU * Amazon Canada

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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I'm going to start with the end and ask how can it end like that?! The Prince is dramatic, angst-filled and infuriating, but in the best way!!!

Right, now back to the beginning, or the start of this novella, which is set after the end of Ivy's story in Brave.

I've yet to find a JLA book that I didn't like and I'm not starting with The Prince. It's chockablock with amazeballs! JLA really does give good or really bad fae depending on which side of the war you take! 

I can honestly say I hadn't given Brighton much thought before now, but as she always manages to do, JLA had me invested in Bri's story from the first page. I wanted to see what happened next and was desperate to see her become her best badass self. Never let it be said that you cannot pack a lot of character development and growth into a novella, because we certainly see a lot of it with Bri in The Prince.

Oh the Prince. Former dark fae, now hotel good fae, Prince Caden, is a mystery. He's got the whole broody thing down. Leader of all reformed bad boys (ish) thy name is Caden! I'm desperately hoping we get a full series about the two of them because it cannot end like that!!! Also can Tink have his own story too please?

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

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 * Twitter

Review - SEEK

SEEK by Mia Sheridan

What they say: Wealthy socialite Olivia Barton never imagined her fiancé would disappear on what was supposed to be a routine business trip. She's even more heartbroken and confused when a hired private investigator tracks him half a world away, to a seaside town in Colombia. But the country has recently been ravaged by a massive earthquake and deadly tsunami, shutting down outside communication and making travel all but impossible. Still, Olivia is determined to make it to Colombia to find the answers she so desperately seeks. What she needs is a guide—a mercenary.

The man named Thomas arrives in shadows, an unmistakable air of danger about him, promising to help lead her through the ruined, crime-infested country. But when Thomas and Olivia find themselves fighting an undeniable attraction, danger takes on a whole new meaning. Then again, in the lush jungles of South America, all the rules are different and Thomas and Olivia are about to discover that sometimes the thing you seek, isn't necessarily the thing you find.

Seek is a STANDALONE novel with a small, fun connection to the Sign of Love Collection. 

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US * UK 

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!
What I say: The sudden disappearance of Olivia's fiancé sparked her hunt for answers. After months of waiting she decides to follow a possible lead to a dangerous part of Colombia. Olivia knows she can't head off to such an unknown and perilous place without help, so she hires badass, former SEAL Thomas, to help her find her fiancé. 
Their journey is action filled and oh-so-dramatic. I enjoyed watching their relationship go from travelling acquaintances to something much more.
SEEK is twists galore. Now I don't like to get too heavy with warnings but I wanted to point out that the plot covers some pretty traumatic issues. Mia Sheridan doesn't gloss over the darker side of life and jumps headfirst into the criminal underworld. 

Although trekking through the Colombian jungle isn't necessarily the stuff that romantic dreams are made of, I did enjoy the romance and I liked them together.

The end. Talk about DRAMA! Oh the lies and half-truths! 

SEEK is full of the usual Mia Sheridan swoon worthy goodness, drama and romance. Although the plot doesn't pull on the heartstrings in quite the same way as some of Mia's books, SEEK is still sweet and saucy.
4 Stars in my Sky!

Rocco - Review

Rocco - Ruin & Revenge #3 by Sarah Castille

What they say: Mafia enforcer, Rocco De Lucchi is the best in the business.

Cold, hard and utterly ruthless, Rocco is the most dangerous of men. Feelings are a luxury he cannot afford—until a chance encounter brings him face to face with the only woman who found her way into his heart and touched his soul.

Grace Mantini has spent her whole life running from the mob. Daughter of the boss's right hand man, she is both a prize and a target. When Rocco walks back into her life, she wants nothing to do with the man who betrayed her and broke her heart. But only Rocco can protect her from the dangerous forces that seek to destroy her family. Can they escape the hands of fate closing around them? Or will love be the kiss of death for them both?

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US * UK

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!
What I say: I enjoyed Rocco (character and the book) but I found myself wondering how I can find these types of controversial characters so intriguing.
If you've read the previous books in the series you'll likely remember Rocco. I'm not sure what I expected from his story but it's dark. Rocco is mafia enforcer, so he's responsible for some terrible things. I'm not sure what it says about me but I still liked him, although I'm really not sure about the age difference (more of this later).  
I really liked Grace. She's a charming blend of vulnerable, flawed and determined, but mostly she's filled with a huge inner strength I couldn't help but admire. Whilst she finds it hard to see past her own scars, she manages to see the best in others, particularly in Rocco.

If you're after a 'softer' or 'lighter' bad boy then Rocco is most definitely not your guy. He's the real deal, the ultimate bad boy alpha to the core. This seems to work for Grace, who despite her feelings towards the mafia, can't see past Rocco. 

I wonder who will take centre stage in the next book...?

3.5 Stars in my Sky!

Waiting on Wed - Lord of Shadows

This weeks Waiting On is...

Lord of Shadows - The Dark Artifices #2 by Cassandra Clare

What they say: Sunny Los Angeles can be a dark place indeed in Cassandra Clare’s Lord of Shadows, the sequel to the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Lady Midnight.
Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late. 
Releasing 23rd May
Pre-order:
US * UK
 
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Author Spotlight:
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Why I'm waiting...

1. Um hello! It's CC!!
2. More Shadowhunters!
3. Emma!! #love

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