Graceling Read Along: Character Profiles

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another fun instalment in honour of Caroline (from Just Another Bookish Blog) and my Graceling series read along!

Today, we'll be doing character profiles of the two main characters. I'll be doing Katsa, and Caroline will be doing Po :)

***Disclaimer: there will be spoilers for Graceling***

The Wrath & the Dawn Review: Shahrzad

Book: The Wrath & the Dawn
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath & the Dawn #1
Genre: YA fantasy
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books
Pages: 395
Release: May 12th 2015

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo / Audible

Graceling Read Along: Grace List!

Hi everyone! Welcome to another fun post as part of Caroline and my Graceling series read along! 

Today's post will be a list of all the Graces encountered in the first book, Graceling. They've been broken down into a few sections, with the main characters' Graces, to Graces that are used for a king's guard, Graces that are used inside a king's court, and other Graces. This all just gives you an idea of how wide a range Graces can be, and their uses!

***Spoilers for Graceling in the list***

Let's get started! 

Graceling Review: Katsa

Book: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: Graceling Realm #1
Genre: YA fantasy
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 471
Release: October 1st, 2008

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

Feed the Flames Review: Seiya

Book: Feed the Flames
Author: Annette Marie
Series: Steel & Stone #3.5
Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 45
Release: July 22nd 2015

In this short story addition to the Steel & Stone series, discover the fate of Seiya and Lyre following the conclusion of YIELD THE NIGHT (Steel & Stone #3). 

Seiya wants nothing more than to disappear with her brother, safe from all the enemies that would tear them apart. But now she, along with Lyre, has been taken prisoner. Separated from Ash, his fate unknown, and tormented by memories of her imprisonment in Asphodel, she must put her faith in Lyre and his carefully guarded secrets. To have any chance of escape, they’ll have to work together to find a way out before they learn what fate their captors are planning for them.

Goodreads / Amazon

Yield the Night Review: Piper

Book: Yield the Night
Author: Annette Marie
Series: Steel & Stone #3
Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 278
Published: March 27th 2015

After surviving a round-trip to hell, Piper figures she can survive anything. After all, she just lived through the devastating loss of her Consul apprenticeship and a torturous stint at boarding school. How much worse could it get?

Well, she wasn’t expecting a group of crazy radicals to burn her home to the ground and take her prisoner.

The Gaians, a.k.a. the crazy radicals, plan to rid Earth of daemons and they need Piper’s help. In exchange for her cooperation, they promise her the answer to all her problems: magic. With her own magic, she could reclaim her apprenticeship, the only future she’s ever wanted. But her magic comes at price — it could kill her.

With the life she’s always known crumbling around her and her future slipping from her grasp, she needs Ash’s help one more time. But the greatest danger of all lies within her, and no matter what she does, she may lose everything — including him.

Goodreads / Amazon / Audible

Kings Rising Review: Damen

Book: Kings Rising
Author: C.S. Pacat
Series: Captive Prince #3 (final)
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 385
Release: February 2nd, 2016

Damianos of Akielos has returned.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor's forces are massing. In the north, the Regent's armies are mobilising for war. Damen's only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen's identity - can it stand against the Regent's final, deadly play for the throne?

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

COVER REVEAL: The Midnight Star by Marie Lu

We all remember Marie Lu's extremely dark and twisted The Young Elites series, don't we? The story of Adelina, and how she slowly descends into darkness, embracing pain and fear as her strengths? Well, the cover to the final instalment is officially out!

Whoa. I actually had no idea what to expect, I'll be honest. The title alone had me scratching my head a bit, since it was a jump from the previous titles, all which dealt with a group of people rather than one mere individual. But hey, it just hints that there's going to be something seriously world-changing going down in this book, right?

The cover itself, as gorgeous as it is, reminds me a little of Star Wars, and I'm not sure about it. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the cover. I have a thing for stars (cough, blog title) and this is a beautiful image of the night sky, offset by snowy mountains. But I don't think it quite fits with the rest of the series. The atmosphere is a bit off, and lacks the menace I thought it would have. Of course, this could all be hinting at how Adelina will be making some huge, beyond-this-world changes, and the somber mood of the cover may be hinting at her potential...sacrifice. Which is code for demise. Kind of the "she lives among the stars" thing, maybe? 

Here's a look of what the covers look like together:

I'm not the only one who sees that they don't quite match, am I? I mean individually, it's fine, but as part of the series, not so much. What do you guys think of the cover? Love it, hate it, neutral?

This book comes out October 11th, 2016. Get ready to read the conclusion of Adelina's story, and to dive a little deeper into what it means to be a hero of your story, even if you've become a villain...

Add it to your Goodreads here!

The thrilling finale to the New York Times bestselling Young Elites series from “hit factory” Marie Lu. There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen. Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all that she’s achieved. Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds when a new danger appears, putting not only Adelina at risk, but every Elite and the very world they live in. In order to save herself and preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger. Bestselling author Marie Lu concludes Adelina's story with this haunting and hypnotizing final installment to the Young Elites series.

Graceling Read Along: Personal Profiles!

Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a great week, and that you're joining me and Caroline for our Graceling read along! We literally just started, so no worries if you're late! 

This is the first of numerous fun posts we have planned for the read along. In introduction to the Graceling series, we're beginning off by imagining ourselves as our own characters in the Graceling world, and have created personal profiles :)

Prince's Gambit Review: Damen

Book: Prince's Gambit
Author: C.S. Pacat
Series: Captive Prince #3
Genre: fantasy
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 404
Published: July 7th, 2015 (first published in 2012)

The second novel in the critically acclaimed trilogy from global phenomenon C. S. Pacat—with an all-new chapter exclusive to the print edition. 

With their countries on the brink of war, Damen and his new master, Prince Laurent, must exchange the intrigues of the palace for the sweeping might of the battlefield as they travel to the border to avert a lethal plot.

Forced to hide his identity, Damen finds himself increasingly drawn to the dangerous, charismatic Laurent. But as the fledgling trust between the two men deepens, the truth of secrets from both their pasts is poised to deal them the crowning death blow…

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

COVER REVEAL: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!! Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the cover of A Torch Against the Night, the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes!

AHHHH, it's utterly stunning! <3 I am more than ready to venture back into this terrifying world of the Empire. We were left with quite a bit of questions in the last one, weren't we? The devastation, the hints at there being something a little supernatural about the Commandant's methods, the breathtaking action, not to mention the relationship between Elias and Laia. There's just so much going for this series in all the right directions, and I just can't wait to get my hands on a copy! I mean, look how perfect the books look together side-by-side:

I want them to hold each of them in my hands so badly!

Along with the cover reveal, there's also an excerpt of chapter one, which you can read here! And does it ever make you want MORE of this book. Alas, we're going to have to wait until August 30th, 2016, for the full book to come out. Mark your calendars, everyone! 

You can add A Torch Against the Night to your Goodreads here!

A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts. In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.

Graceling Series Read Along Begins!

Hi everyone! As announced a few weeks ago, the amazing Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog and I are hosting a Graceling series read along. I'm very excited to say that today marks the first day!

Glass Sword Review: Mare

Book: Glass Sword
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen #2
Genre: YA fantasy, dystopian
Pages: 444
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release: February 9th, 2016

If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. 

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. 

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. 

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

Blog Tour: Crossing the Barrier Excerpt & Giveaway!

Graceling Read-Along!

Hi everyone! Do you guys remember the read-along of the Percy Jackson series I hosted with Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog last year? Well, get ready for another one! This time, we'll be reading the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore!

This is actually going to be my first time reading the Graceling series. I've heard so many great things about it, so I'm super excited to start reading it!

The read-along is going to start April 18th, and we'll be reading a book per two weeks (Graceling will start on April 18th, Fire on May 2nd, and Bitterblue on May 16th). Throughout the weeks, we're going to have some super fun posts, like character profiles, quizzes, maybe even a contest or two and some other surprises, so please do drop by to both our blogs for the full scoop on those days!

I hope you'll be able to join us! It's going to be a lot of fun :)

March Wrap Up Book Haul

Hi guys! Wow, it's been ages since I've done an actual book haul post. Mainly because I've been busy and perhaps a tad lazy. But I'm super excited to share the latest additions to my beloved book collection! I got quite a few hardbacks, so I decided to have a little bit of fun...

Can anyone guess what books I got based off their undressed covers?