Review - Summer Heat

Summer Heat - Cruel Summer #1

by Rachel Van Dyken

What they say: Spoiled Princess is what he used to call me.

We were an inferno of hate and passion wound up with a dash of chaos.

For four years I watched him mow my lawn.

For four years I watched my friends make fun of him.

For four years I hated myself for wanting him, but even more for the way I treated him.

And then I had him.

For one night, we put all labels away and I spent the best night of my life in his arms.

Then the next day, with my secret night under lock and key, I looked the other way while my friends shamed him.

But now the jokes on me, because the scrawny lawn boy who I secretly loved from afar is now the director of Hollywoods most exclusive summer camp.

And I'm on his staff.

Now it's his turn to punish me.

His turn to make me pay.

His turn to take his revenge after years of humiliation.

He's no longer a boy you can ridicule.

But a college graduate who can have any woman he wants.

I want him to look at me the way he did that one night we had together, but right now

the look in his eyes tells me he's going to enjoy having me under him for two straight months.

I don't know where his hatred ends, his passion begins.

All I know is he wants revenge.

And I'm his lucky target. 

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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: Summer Heat is the first in a new three parter from RVD. I enjoyed the angst and drama and all the Fame meets Dirty Dancing vibes!

Stuck-up or spoiled princess, Ray finds herself at the mercy of her former rival and the guy she belittled for years. Except she's not either of those things and is no longer the same girl who treated Marlon so badly at high school. 

Marlon has really come into his own in both looks and talent. There's no way he'll let the rich girl who tormented him and stole his scholarship when she didn't even need it, ruin his summer. It's payback time!

The flirty banter and general snipping made me smile but I'm not sure how Ray didn't recognise Marlon straight away - I can only imagine he looked hella different! This is not something I usually say as I often get annoyed when writers include too much back story or flashbacks but I would have liked a little more info on their childhood and what happened at school - perhaps in the next instalment...

Oh the cliffy! I read this one a while ago and am still stewing over the ending and the wait to see what happens next!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Review - Fire and Bone

Fire and Bone - Otherborn #1

by Rachel A. Marks

What they say: “Gossip Girl meets Percy Jackson in the glitz and grit of L.A...."

In Hollywood’s underworld of demigods, druids, and ancient bonds, one girl has a dangerous future.

Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party — one that turns out to be a trap.

Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted — especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld.

As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out who to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing's for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.

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Buy:

UK * US 

I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: Confession time: I've been meaning to write this review for ages *hangs head in shame* so before I'm sent to blogger jail I thought it was about time I posted this...

An unexpected invitation turns Sage from homeless teen to key player *ahem* pawn in a supernatural war. Sage went from the care system to finding herself living on the streets. It's a huge surprise to discover that supernatural beings are real and that she's the daughter of a Celtic Goddess.

As the daughter of a deity, Sage is expected to join a house. Think Hogwarts houses meets Divergent factions. The different houses scheme and manipulate to get their way. I loved all the backstabbing and drama. Sage has trouble trying to find her way without allowing herself to be manipulated by pretty much everyone. She discovers that it's really difficult to fight fate...

I loved the Celtic mythology Marks seamlessly incorporates into the story. It was a joy to read about the druid politics and supernatural hierarchy.

The romance: triangle warning!!! Keiran, the Raven King - oh the drama!

The action really picks up as the story progresses then builds to a crescendo with one heck of a cliffy ending.

3.5 Stars in my Sky!

The Deadly Sun - Book Tour & Review

The Deadly Sun (The Sanction Series #1)

by H.J. Lawson

Genre: YA Dystopian/Scifi

Release date: August 21st 2017

Skylier is desperate to escape her underground confines and save her mother’s life.

On a school visit, she hears something she’s not supposed to and now she realizes that not only was her whole life a lie, but that she is in grave danger.

She doesn’t know who to trust and her enemies are everywhere. Now she is in a race against time to save not only her life, but her mother's and those she cares about.

And if she fails, she'll suffer a fate worse than death...

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I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: The concept of this one is both clever and unexpected. Along with her friends and family Skylier lives hidden from the dangerous rays of the toxic Sun. In this dystopian society where the Sun literally can kill, Skylier's spent her entire life in the dark so when Selection Day comes around Skylier has the chance to Cueva for Purenet but only has two equally unpleasant options (don't worry no spoilers here)...

There are lots of characters in the story so it takes a while to work out who everybody is and what side they're on. Certain character names such as Madam Uri and Enid made me think of The Handmaid's Tale whilst other parts had a Uglies meets The Moon Dwellers meets The 100 vibe going on.

I must have a suspicious mind because I kept expecting Madison or even Callie to do something terrible. The squabbling between Lowell and Hayden made me laugh and I liked Rian and Dax but don't get me started on Xander and President Snow *ahem* I  mean the Chancellor!

There are so many twists and turns that you may feel a little dizzy at times but I enjoyed the pacing and getting to know H.J. Lawson's exciting new world, but that ending! Holy cliffy batman!!!

4 Stars in my Sky!

Upcoming books in the Sanction Series!

The Rising Tides (The Sanction Series #2) – Releases August 21^st 2017

The Sanction Games (The Sanction Series #3) – Releases November 21^st 2017

Series Buy Links:

Book One – The Deadly Sun

Book Two - The Rising Tide

Book Three - The Sanction Games

Author Spotlight:

I was born in Lancaster, England. Growing up in a single parent household with five other siblings was difficult but at the same time character building.

As a young child I found a passion for drawing and writing, which has stayed with me into adulthood. I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire, England with a BA(Hons) in fashion design.

At aged twenty seven, my husband and I packed up our belongings for our lifelong dream to move to California. Our America dream was completed with the birth of our daughter. 

A new job opportunity opened up New York, and we decided to relocate to Long Island, NY, where we currently reside.

My books are a mixture of thriller, action, and dystopian. If you’re looking for a good place to start, take a look at War Kids series of thrillers, available now. You can grab copies in either ebook or paperback. To get an email whenever I release a new title, sign up for the VIP newsletter by click this link.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

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Ice Like Fire - Tour, Review & Spotlight

Ice Like Fire - Snow Like Ashes #2 by Sara Raasch

What they say: It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world. 

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Buy links:
Waterstones * Amazon UK * Amazon US

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: *Just a heads up, there may be a few little spoilers from book one!* Wowzers! I've just about recovered enough to write my review! Ice Like Fire follows on from Snow Like Ashes which you do need to read first. Meira has a far bigger destiny than she could ever have imagined and a LOT more responsibility! 

The world building is probably even more detailed than the previous instalment, which is awesome. There are a lot of places and names to remember, and I have to admit I did reread book one first because I wanted to make sure I could really visualise everything. There is a helpful map included in the front of the book (or at least in the issue I read) in case you need a reminder of the different kingdoms.

Meira is a very different character from the girl we first met in book one. She's not just a girl wanting to prove herself as a fighter, because now she literally is responsible for rebuilding a kingdom and repaying a debt. 

Meira and Winter owe a huge, big fat debt to Cordellan (the Rhythm kingdom) and so the hunt for the lost Primoria magic is on. Finding it is one thing, but opening the chasm is quite another. Meira and Theron head off on a diplomatic peace mission whilst looking for the keys. 

I wasn't expecting things to be easy for Meira and Theron and the chasm is a big source of conflict for them throughout the novel. Meira has seen the damage the Decay (dark magic) can do and is reluctant to unleash it into the world.  Theron only sees the potential powerful tool the magic could be in achieving peace. The magical chasm begins to form a literal chasm between them. I do really like them together and wasn't sure what to make of their bickering. 

Mather, Mather, Mather! This is where I'm extremely conflicted. I actually like both guys, although I was definitely leaning slightly more towards Theron by the end of Snow Like Ashes, but then Mather won me over in this book. Whilst Meira and Theron head off on their journey, Mather is left behind with Sir. He still feels the responsibly of running the kingdom and has a hard time with his altered position. Mather grows up a lot in Ice Like Fire and I felt like he really starts to find his place. He becomes a true hero by the end of the book and I found myself completely torn between him and Theron.

I wasn't expecting THAT ending - holy cliffy batman! It's twists galore and it really feels as though something HUGE is coming. I cannot wait to discover what happens next!

4.5 Stars in my Sky!

Special Author Spotlight Biography from Sara herself:

My Official Bio: Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES is out in the UK in paperback on October 22^nd 2015, and the sequel, ICE LIKE FIRE, comes out November 19th 2015. Neither features her hand-drawn pictures.

Unofficial Things About Me: I have a cat named Ezio, and it totally throws off the vet, as I always have to explain “E-Z-I-O. Pronounced like ‘et-zee-oh.’ It’s from a video game. My husband and I are nerds.” I have three tattoos, two of which are literary quotes (“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” and “To each his own magic”). I’m allergic to way too many things and this makes me sad. But it forces me to cook a lot of yummy things from scratch, which makes me happy.

Previous book in the series:

Snow Like Ashes - Game of Thrones meets Kristin Cashore’s Graceling meets Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass in this striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self, from debut author Sara Raasch.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom.

This title has been making quite a stir in the USA, if you like YA fantasy then this is the book for you! But please only request this title if you are able to make time to review it on your blog, as we have really limited numbers! It will be a case of first come, first served I’m afraid.

See my review here! 
Buy link.