One Year Blogging Anniversary!

Yes, that's right! It's officially been one year since I started blogging! Now, I know that means I'm still a complete newbie, but hey, I think this is something to be proud of. When I first joined, I wasn't sure whether I would be fully committed to blogging or not. But needless to say, I am absolutely dedicated to this, and am very far from quitting!

I just want to take a moment to thank YOU, my wonderful readers. After all, what is a blog without readers? If it weren't for each and every one of you, I'd probably have lost heart in blogging eons ago. So thank you guys so much! You are all fantastic. I've met some amazing bloggers this year and done some amazing things with you guys, and I can't wait to see what we'll end up doing next!

Sadly, I have no special giveaway or anything, but what I will say is that I'm going to be fiddling around with my blog (like adding a much-needed/anticipated header!) just to freshen it up a bit. So be warned! Construction ahead!

Thank you all for making this past year amazing, and cheers to another fantastic year of blogging to come!

~Erika

Six of Crows Review

Book: Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series: Six of Crows

Status: Book 1 (ongoing)

POV: 3rd person by various people, past tense

Setting: Kerch

Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Henry and Holt

Pages: 465

Release: September 29th, 2016

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone... A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.  A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.  Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. (Goodreads)

Cover Reveal: THE CROWN

Okay, so I'm about a week and a half late in this, but better late than never, right?

Right. So who's ready to see The Crown, the final book to Kiera Cass's Selection series? Because here it is!

It's pink/purple!

I really do like the dress. However, if I'm going to be honest, I'm not quite sure about the cover model. She's kind of staring you down in a way. I suppose it fits Eadlyn's character, but...yeah. And I feel like the crown that she's holding is a bit too camouflaged by the rest of the background, since I didn't see it the first time I looked. Speaking of the background, isn't it pretty? I love all the twinkle lights, just like with The Heir! Overall, yet another gorgeous cover to the Selection series!

This book comes out May 3rd, 2016. Who do you guys think she'll end up with? I have a few theories, but I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has captured the hearts of readers from its very first page. Now the end of the journey is here. Prepare to be swept off your feet by The Crown—the eagerly awaited, wonderfully romantic fifth and final book in the Selection series. In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.  (Goodreads)

The Iron Warrior Review: Ethan

Book: The Iron Warrior

Author: Julie Kagawa

Series: The Call of the Forgotten (aka The Iron Fey sequel series)

Standing: Book 3 (final book)

POV: 1st person by Ethan, past tense

Setting: Nevernever (faery world)

Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 384

Release: October 28th, 2015

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all. He killed me. Then, I woke up. Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever. Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.  (Goodreads)

The Infinite Review: Kai

Book: The Infinite

Author: Lori M. Lee

Series: Gates of Thread and Stone

Standing: Book 2

POV: 1st person by Kai, past tense

Setting: Ninurta, Lanathrill

Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Skyscape

Pages: 387

Release: May 10th, 2015

The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe. Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever. To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city. In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known. (Goodreads)

Percy Jackson Reread: Final Discussion Saturday!

The final day of Caroline and my Percy Jackson reread has come. To finish off, we'll be talking about why, and how, Percy Jackson has impacted our lives on reading.

I went through phases of reading as a child. I'd pick up a book, become obsessed with it and read it, then completely forget about it. I was first introduced to Percy Jackson when I was 11. My teacher read it out loud to the class over a period of time, and I was hooked. I tried to find all the books I could, but at that time, not all the books had been released yet. But rather than move on and forget about Percy Jackson like I had to so many other series before, I remembered the series, and was dying to know what happened. 

This was also the first time I ever experienced the pains of waiting for a book, and the giddy excitement of walking into a bookstore and finally seeing it, and then finally being able to read what happens next. Turns out I really love the feeling of reading a much-anticiapted book, and it's not something you can easily forget. The Percy Jackson series was the first series that got me super excited about book releases, and clearly I still haven't gotten over them.

The big question: why did the Percy Jackson series impact me so much? I think the main reason was that at the time, Percy was my age, and he was a hero. I realized that you didn't have to wait until you turned 16 to be a hero, that you could be heroic. Add that he was smart, funny, and had a good heart, and he was the perfect role model to look up to. Percy begins the story off telling about how he never truly fit in, and we find out that he actually does fit in, just never in the way you expect. For me, that stuck home, because I felt like the odd one out more often than not, and having a story about how being odd was what made you a hero really resonated with me. Plus, I had no idea mythology was so cool, and the magic and swords made everything all the more better for me. Percy Jackson remains to be my number one children's series, because without it, I probably wouldn't have loved reading so much, and I would never had discovered my undying love for mythology and other fantasy stories!

Thank you guys so much for tagging along with our reread for the past 5 weeks! I hope you've enjoyed our Mythology Wednesdays, Review Fridays, and Discussion Saturdays. Hopefully, if you haven't read this series yet, our reread has convinced you to pick it up!

Cover Reveal: SOLDIER

Who's ready to see the third cover of Julie Kagawa's Talon series? I know I am!

LOOK AT THAT BEAUTY.

First off, it's chain-mail. If you guys don't know yet, the first too books were dragon scales, and seeing as Garret isn't a dragon, the chain mail is super appropriate! I was wondering how they would do this cover, and it seems I'm not to be disappointed!

Secondly, anyone else noticing the dragon inside the "O"? The last two books had different dragons in them (Talon had a side dragon, Rogue had three hydra-like heads, and now this one has an epic front-side one). My guess is that the Elder dragons are going to be making their move soon...

And last but not least, the blood. This isn't going to be a happy, combat-free book. Nope, there will be battles, and there will be blood shed. Epicness everywhere!

What do you guys think of the cover? Let me know!

A fighter dedicated to saving humankind from dragons in strictest secrecy. That was what Garret Xavier Sebastian thought he was part of as a soldier of the Order of St. George. What he learned from a fiery dragon hatchling twisted all he believed in and set him on a collision course with certain death-but not without a chance to put things right. Betrayed and on the run again, Ember and rogue dragon Riley discover an unthinkable truth about Talon and St. George. They'll need Garret's skills and insider knowledge of the Order to negotiate an impossible deal-and if they fail, there will be no way to stop all-out war. (Goodreads)

The Last Olympian Review: Percy

Book: The Last Olympian

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Standing: Book 5 (final)

POV: 1st person by Percy, past tense

Setting: Manhattan

Genre: Children's fantasy, mythology

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pages: 381

Release: May 12th, 2009

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.  (Goodreads)

Percy Jackson Re-read: Final Mythology Wednesday!

Hi all! So this is it: the final week of our Percy Jackson re-read...

This week, my topic is Pandora's Pithos!

Pandora's Pithos

This is sometimes called Pandora's box or Pandora's jar. The story goes that Pandora was the first female created, and was given as a gift to Epimetheus from the gods. The gods also gave Pandora a pithos, with strict orders to never open it. But curiosity was a killer, and she opened it.

There are a few variations on what Pandora released into the world. Some tales say that she released monsters and overall general evilness to the world. In that version, Pandora releasing evil into the world was used as a form of punishment for Prometheus, as he helped humans. Other tales say that Pandora released all the gifts intended for mankind, leaving them with nothing spectacular but their own bodies.

Regardless, the one consistent thing that wasn't released was the Elpis, the spirit of hope. Hope stayed in the pithos, and which can be taken in tons of symbolic gestures, but the overall message is that hope is a lot stronger than we have a tendency to give it credit for. 

And that's it! Hope you guys enjoyed these past few weeks of mythology, and don't forget to check out Caroline's blog for some equally cool stuff this final week!

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Percy Jackson Re-read: The Last Olympian

This is it, guys! The final book to Caroline and my Percy Jackson re-read! We're finishing the series off with The Last Olympian!

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.  (Goodreads)

This is the epic finale to this equally epic series! Prepare to be blown away!

Also, don't forget to check back for the final week of blog post goodies, on both my blog and Caroline's!

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The Battle of the Labyrinth Review: Percy

Book: The Battle of the Labyrinth

Author: Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Standing: Book 4

POV: 1st person by Percy, past tense

Setting: New York City, modern day

Genre: Children's fantasy, mythology

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pages: 361

Release: March 6th 2008

Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse. In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.  (Goodreads)