The Encouraging Thunder Award!

Hi guys! Lucy from Things Lucy Reads nominated me for this award! Thank you so much!

How it works:

1. Thank your nominator.
2. Display the logo.
3. Talk about your purpose in blogging.
4. Nominate others.

My purpose:

It should be quite obvious that I love reading. But seeing as I had little friends who read the same books as me, I decided to start this blog as an outlet of all my bookish emotions. I've never looked back since! I've met some absolutely amazing people who feel the same way about books as me! I love connecting with fellow fangirls, and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who loves specific books!

My nominees:

1. Carrie at Book Goddess
2. Tasya at Literary Huntress

And anyone else who wants to do it! :D
(I'm in a bit of a time crunch right now, so I'm only nominating two people, sorry!)

The Secret Fire Review: Taylor and Sacha

Book: The Secret Fire
Authors: C. J. Daughtry and Carina Rozenfeld
Series: The Alchemist Chronicles
Standing: Book 1
POV: 3rd person by Taylor and Sacha
Setting: London and Paris, present day
Genre: YA fantasy, paranormal

Source: ebook, Netgallery
Pages: 432
Publisher: Atom
Release: September 3rd, 2015

Favourite line: "Life is dangerous. If you want to survive, you get strong."

Rating: 4 stars

Blurb (Goodreads) French teen Sacha Winters can't die. He can throw himself off a roof, be stabbed, even shot, and he will always survive. Until the day when history and ancient enmities dictate that he must die. Worse still, his death will trigger something awful. Something deadly. And that day is closing in. Taylor Montclair is a normal English girl, hanging out with her friends and studying for exams, until she starts shorting out the lights with her brain. She’s also the only person on earth who can save Sacha. There’s only one problem: the two of them have never met. They live hundreds of miles apart and powerful forces will stop at nothing to keep them apart. They have eight weeks to find each other. Will they survive long enough to save the world?

A Court of Thorns and Roses Review: Feyre

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Standing: Book 1
POV: 1st person by Feyre, past tense
Setting: Prythian
Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical Copy
Pages: 416
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release: May 5th, 2015

Favourite Line: "Because I wouldn't want to die alone... Because I'd want someone to hold my hand until the end, and awhile after that. That's something everyone deserves, human or faerie."

Rating: 5 Stars

(Goodreads) A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore. When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Percy Jackson Series Readalong!

I am a huge Rick Riordan fan. His Percy Jackson series holds a very special place in my heart, as it was one of the first series I fell in love with as a child. Since then, I have shamelessly read everything he's ever written, regardless of the fact that it's not YA.

Aaaand, since his newest series, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, which is based on Norse mythology and is coming out very soon (October 6th, 2015!), what better reason to jump back into a world of mythology by reading Percy Jackson? Which is why me and the fabulous Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog have decided to host a Percy Jackson read along!

We're going to be doing some fun stuff, including posts about myths, discussions, and tags! We'll be starting with the first book, The Lightning Thief, on October 4th, 2015, and from there, we'll be doing a book a week!

Hope you guys will join us! :D

Cover Reveal: YELLOW BRICK WAR

It's no longer the yellow brick road, but the yellow brick war. Yes. You heard me right! Yellow Brick War is Danielle Paige's 3rd book to her Dorothy Must Die series, and I believe it is the final book, meaning it there will be bound to have an epic showdown!

And here's the cover:

I particular like how there are visible black smudges along the yellow brick road. It indicates that it's not quite the same road we all know, but then again, this story isn't the same Wizard of Oz story we know! And, like always, the font is bold and eye-catching, especially the word War. 

This book comes out March 15th, 2016. I know, it's not for a while, but in the meantime, you can read the series either for the first time, or re-read it again! That's the joy of reading; the fun never stops!

What are your thoughts? Have you read this series before? Are you looking forward to it?

Add it to your Goodreads here!

Blurb:
In this dark, action-packed third book in the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Amy Gumm—the new girl from Kansas—must do everything in her power to save Kansas, kill Dorothy, and make Oz a free land once more.

Amy Gumm’s mission to take down Dorothy Gale is not going according to plan. Dorothy has found a way to bridge the worlds of Oz and Kansas, and if the power-hungry dictator of Oz has her way, Kansas will be destroyed forever. Now, Amy has to team up with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked to save her home, restore the balance between the magic and nonmagic worlds, maybe get the guy—and kill that not-so-sweet Kansas farm girl once and for all.

In the third installment of the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Danielle Paige’s twisted versions of beloved Oz characters are back, including the biggest, baddest, most famous of all: the Wicked Witch of the West.

Welcome to the other side of the rainbow. Here there’s danger around every corner, and magic shoes won’t be able to save you. 

The Perilous Sea Review: Iolanthe

Book: The Perilous Sea
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy
Standing: Book 2
POV: 3rd person by Iolanthe and Titus
Setting: Sahara and London, 1883

Source: Physical copy
Pages: 414
Release: September 16th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bay

Favourite line: "But I am not meant to be kept safe...I am meant for fearsome risks and epic clashes."

Rating: 5 stars

Blurb: (Goodreads)
After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

Cover Reveal: OBLIVION

GUYS GUYS GUYS. The cover for Jennifer L. Armentrout's Oblivion (companion novel to the Lux series) is here!!!

I must say, this is yet another drastically different cover from all the other covers in the Lux series. We have a much more full body image in comparison to the half-body images on the other covers. And this cover is also so much bolder, with the orange, red, and black. Daemon himself seems very...unsuspecting on the cover. Like he has no idea what Katy is about to do to his world...

I'm not going to lie, this cover is nothing like I expected it would be. Then again, I wasn't sure what to expect since the covers of the series has gone through so many changes. This cover is indeed fresh, in a very bold sense, as it captures Daemon's own bold and powerful character, but it's also...different. I don't dislike it; I'm just generally surprised that the publishing team decided to go this route. *Shrugs* Oh well. Not that this will affect the story, of course!

This book comes out December 1st, 2016, so it's not too far away! And if you haven't read the Lux series, you still have tons of time, so do it!

Blurb (courtesy of Goodreads)
Experience the epic love story of OBSIDIAN as told by its hero, Daemon Black…

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it. 

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are. 

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game. 

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen...

Red Queen Series News!

We all remember the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, yes? In which some of us are eagerly awaiting the sequel, Glass Sword, book 2 in the supposed trilogy?

 Well, for you who think three books isn't nearly enough, I have good news! There are now going to be 4 books to the series! No longer a trilogy, but a quartology (is that a word?)! Which means we get to continue to live in the world of Red Queen another year longer (for better or worse, worse being the agony of waiting...but at least we have another 3 years of fangirling to go through before it all comes to an end!).

So yeah. Just thought I'd share, since I know there are some Red Queen fans here. You can find all the details about this here :)

And if you haven't read Red Queen yet, go do it! To help, I'll even give you the Goodreads blurb:

This is a world divided by blood - red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart... 

You can also read my review on Red Queen if you're still deciding! :)

Stay with Me Review: Calla

Book: Stay with Me
Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Series: Wait for You
Standing: Book 3
POV: 1st person by Calla, past tense
Setting: Plymouth Meeting, Philadelphia. Modern day.
Genre: NA romance

Source: Physical copy
Pages: 448
Release: September 23rd, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Rating: 5 stars

Blurb (Goodreads)
At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she'd left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom. 

Wait for You Review: Avery

Book: Wait for You
Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Series: Wait for You
Standing: Book 1
POV: 1st person by Avery, past tense
Setting: Shepardstown, West Virginia
Genre: NA romance

Source: Physical copy
Pages: 332
Release: February 26th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Favourite Line: "Everything was okay. Maybe not perfect, but life wasn't meant to be perfect. It was messy and sometimes it was a disaster, but there was beauty in the messiness and there could be peace in the disaster."

Rating: 5 Stars

Blurb (Goodreads)
Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

The Girl at Midnight Review: Echo

Book: The Girl at Midnight
Author: Melissa Grey
Series: The Girl at Midnight
Standing: Book 1
POV: 3rd person by mainly Echo and Caius
Setting: all over the world, present day
Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical copy
Pages: 357
Release: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Favourite lines: "But war makes monsters of us all, and the people who least deserve it pay the highest cost."

"Well, maybe it's time the dreamers started calling the shots."

Rating: 5 Stars

Blurb (Goodreads)
Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire. 

The Return Review: Seth

Book: The Return
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Titan (Covenant spin-off series)
Standing: Book 1 (Covenant series Book 6)
POV: 1st person by Seth and Josie, past tense
Setting: mainly South Dakota, present day
Genre: NA paranormal, mythological

Source: Physical Copy
Pages: 347
Release: February 16th, 2015
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Favourite line: "What I'm saying is--you are not the sum of only half your actions. You can't disregard everything else."

Rating: 5 Stars

Blurb: (Goodreads)
The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Book 1 in the new adult paranormal TITAN series, spin-off to the best selling COVENANT series.

The Fate of Ten Review

Book: The Fate of Ten
Author: Pittacus Lore
Series: I Am Number Four
Standing: Book 6
POV: 1st person by John and Six, present tense
Setting: New York City and Mexico, present time
Genre: YA paranormal

Source: Physical Copy
Pages: 416
Release: September 1st, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins

Rating: 5 stars

Blurb (Goodreads)
The sixth book in the thrilling, action-packed, New York Timesbestselling I Am Number Four series! For years the Garde have fought the Mogadorians in secret. Now all of that has changed. The invasion has begun. If the Garde can't find a way to stop the Mogs, humanity will suffer the same fate as the Lorien: annihilation.

There is still hope. When the Elders sent the Garde to Earth, they had a plan—one which the Garde are finally starting to understand. In the climax of The Revenge of Seven, a group of the Garde traveled to an ancient pyramid in Mexico known to their people as the Sanctuary. There they awoke a power that had been hidden within our planet for generations. Now this power can save the world . . . or destroy it. It will all depend on who wields it.

World After Review: Penryn

Book: World After
Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days
Standing: Book 2
POV: 1st person by Penryn, present tense
Genre: YA post-apocalypostic, paranormal

Source: Physical copy
Pages: 320
Release: November 19th, 2013
Publisher: Skyscrape

Favourite lines: "You're a hero, Penryn, whether you like it or not."

"Don't talk. You'll spoil my fantasy of rescuing an innocent damsel in distress as soon as you open your mouth."

Rating: 5 Stars

Blurb: (Goodreads)
In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

The Revenge of Seven Review

Book: The Revenge of Seven
Author: Pittacus Lore
Series: I Am Number Four
Standing: Book 5
POV: 1st person by John, Six, and Ella, present tense
Genre: YA paranormal

Source: Physical Copy
Pages: 416
Release: August 26th 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins

Favourite Line: "When the elevator dings and the doors slide apart, the four Mogadorians sent downstairs are greeted by Nine screaming and shoving a sofa into them."

Rating: 5 stars

Blurb: (Goodreads)
The Garde have suffered an unbearable loss. Number Five has betrayed them. Eight is gone forever. Ella has been kidnapped. The others are now scattered.

In Chicago, John makes the unlikeliest of allies: Adam, a Mogadorian who turned his back on his people. He has invaluable information about Mog technology, battle strategies, and weaknesses. Most important, he knows where to hit them: their command base near Washington, DC. During the assault, however, John and Adam learn the unimaginable truth: it is too late. The Mogadorians have commenced their ultimate invasion plans.

With a front-row seat to the impending invasion, Ella finds herself in the hands of the enemy. For some reason she's more valuable to them alive, and they'll stop at nothing to turn her.

Meanwhile, Six, Nine, and Marina make their way through the Florida Everglades, hot on the trail of the traitorous Five. With the development of a new Legacy, Marina finally has the power to fight back—if her thirst for revenge doesn't consume her first. 

TBR Tag!

Hi all! Lucy from Things Lucy Reads tagged me to do this! Thank you so much!

Questions:
1. How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I generally keep it on my computer. Goodreads is great, but I like having them all in one list, rather than having to load the next page and whatnot. I have a list of upcoming books, and then I have a random jumbled mess of books. I sometimes use Goodreads, but I normally just refer to my computer's list.

2. Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

Print! I'm not really an ebook person.

3. How do you determine which book on your TBR pile to read next?

Usually, if it's part of an ongoing series, I'll read that one first. If there's a fandom eagerly awaiting the next book, I want to be part of it! Other completed series I tend to wait a bit, as the fandom has died down and no one has any major feels I can talk to about, so it won't really make that much of a difference.

4. A book that's been on your TBR list the longest?

Gosh... I honestly don't know. They're all jumbled, and it's been so long...

5. A book you recently added to your TBR?

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas.

6. A book on your TBR strictly because of cover?

Slayers by C.J. Hill. There's a dragon on it. Enough said.

7. A book on your TBR you never plan on reading.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard...or at least I'm saying that now. I'm not really in the mood for historical zombies, but that could just be my mood right now.

8. An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?

That's basically all my upcoming fall releases! We have The Iron Warrior, The Immortal Heights, Ice Like Fire, The Rose Society, Winter, Untamed, the list goes on and on. I'm sure you can relate.

9. A book on your TBR that everyone has read but you?

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. But it's coming this month, I swear!

10. A book on your TBR you're dying to read?

The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa! (Yes, I already mentioned it, oops!)

11. A book on your TBR that everyone recommends you?

I'm cheating again, but A Court of Thorns and Roses. I'm reading it this month, so be on the lookout for it, okay?

12. How many books are on your Goodreads TBR?

Oddly, only 23. Like I said, as much as I'm always on Goodreads, I normally don't use it for keeping track of my TBR pile.

My nominees:
YOU! (Or anyone who wants to do it!)

Unmade Review: Kami

Book: Unmade
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: The Lynburn Legacy
Standing: Book 3 (final)
POV: 3rd person from mainly Kami
Genre: YA paranormal

Source: Physical Copy
Pages: 364
Release: September 23rd, 2014
Publisher: Random House Books

Favourite line: He didn't change the world for her, but he offered her the opportunity to see the world differently and she chose to take it."

Rating: 4 stars

Blurb: (Goodreads)
Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.

Just a Few Inches Review: Carrie

Book: Just a Few Inches
Author: Tara St. Pierre
Series: Standalone
POV: 1st person by Carrie, past tense
Genre: YA contemporary, bit of sci-fi

Source: ebook, author (thank you, Tara!)
Pages: 301
Release: June 1st 2015

Favourite Line: "As much as I want additional height, these shoes aren't the answer. I'd rather try to stand tall on my own."

Rating: 4 stars

Blurb (Goodreads)
All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

- - - - - 

"Just a Few Inches" is a Young Adult novel that deals with issues of body image, self-esteem, and teenage relationships. It is intended for readers age 13 and up.