Book Blitz: Gabriel by Nikki Kelly

   Hello amazing people who have stumbled onto my blog! Welcome to the Gabriel Book Blitz! Today you're in luck, I have for you an interview with Nikki Kelly, herself! And a giveaway for a matching set of Hardcovers of Lailah and Gabriel! Good luck, and I hope you check out this series!

Gabriel by Nikki Kelly

Release Date: October 27th, 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friendss 

Series: The Styclar Saga, #2

Format: Hardcover, 384 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   The handsome Angel from Lailah gets center stage in this continuation of Wattpad sensation Nikki Kelly’s romantic and action-packed series about mortals, vampires, and angels.

   Gabriel is an Angel Descendant. He's also an ally to a generation of vampires who want to break away from the demon who controls them. His faith in the power of good over evil wavers, however, when he discovers that Lailah, the woman he considers his only true love, may be both angel and demon. Is their love enough to overcome the dark forces who are ready to go to war with Gabriel, the vampire Jonah, and the angel and vampire forces? And can Gabriel compete with Jonah, who is also in love with Lailah?

   Once again, Nikki Kelly looks deeply into the heart and soul of good and evil to create a romantic, action-packed reading adventure.

What did you do on your research trip to France? 

   Mainly, I visited all the locations used in the book! I also spent some time writing while I was there of course! I think the nicest thing about my research trip was that I ended up using my Auntie and Uncle's barn conversion as a base for the property our gang find themselves staying in! Everything in the story form the barn, the village itself and various locations (including the snowy mountains) are completely real - you could even go and visit them all yourself!

Was the writing process for Gabriel a lot different than Lailah? 

   The writing process for GABRIEL was shorter, because this time around I was writing full time! But the actual 'writing' part was much the same. I start with a premise, have an idea in my head of the beginning/ the ending/ a specific character etc etc. and start writing! I only ever do rough outlines, it's all pretty much in my head, which is another reason why I have often said I feel like this story was implanted in my brain sometimes and I am the mere mortal who gets to put pen on paper to bring it to life!

What can we expect from Gabriel (the novel) ? 

   Gosh, A LOT! The story picks up right where it left off, and continues to be told form Lailah's POV - The main cast are back, but we get to meet some lush new ones too! I am still a great fan of the twist - suffice to say, just when you think you know, really you have no idea! ;) Oh, and also, did I mention... #NoMercy ;)

Would you say that you’re similar to Lailah in any way? 

   Naturally, Lailah and I have a few of the same traits, I think every character in my stories have a little something piece of me, whether intention or not! But I think we can all relate to Lailah's plight, I think most of us go through a time in our lives where we are working out who we are and making choices that carve out who we ultimately end up becoming.

What are you currently reading? 

   I have a new baby, so my hands are a little tied at the moment! But I can tell you what I will be reading next *grabby hands* Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo !!!

Any advice for aspiring authors? 

   If you have a story to tell, don't stop until it's told... and Never.Ever.Give.Up

How much of your personal experience is tied into this series? 

   A very large percent! A good example — In GABRIEL Ruadhan tells Lailah 'You only fail, if you never try.' That is the very advice my Mom gave me, and one of the reasons I am living my dream today... I think it all goes back to that great advice you hear again and again about writing - about writing what you know. So in this case, for example, I know very well the true meaning and the importance of that message...  Even down to the mythology in the story -- it's all based loosely on my own belief system (you'll see plenty more of that in Book2 and especially in Book3)

Check out the rest of the series!

Lailah by Nilki Kelly

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends 

Series: The Styclar Saga, #1

Format: Hardcover, 416 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

   On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

   In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

   Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

   NIKKI KELLY was born and raised only minutes away from the chocolately scent of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England. Lailah was first launched to Wattpad, an online readers and writers community. Within six months, the novel had over one million reads. Lailah is Nikki’s debut novel, and the first book in The Styclar Saga. She lives in London with her husband and their dogs, Alfie (a pug) and Goose (a Chihuahua).

   LAILAH is my debut novel, and first launched in serial form to wattpad, a readers & writers community. Within just 6months, LAILAH had over a million reads and thousands of comments and votes.

   Since then, The Styclar Saga has gone on to pick up a traditional deal with Feiwel & Friends, and LAILAH, the first book in the series is due for release on October 7th 2014.

   These days I spend my time balancing my amazing job of writing fantasy fiction, with my other, very important role of Chocolate Connoisseur. I like to multitask and do the two together. It makes me happy.

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   Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think of the series!

Book Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Release Date:  October 20th, 2015
Read: July 29th- August 18th, 2015
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Series: The Illuminae Files, #1
Format: ARC, 608 pages
Source: McNally Robinson/ Two Thumbs Up Program

Description from GoodReads:

   This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

   This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

   The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

  But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

   Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Review:

   Am I not merciful?

   After BEA 2014, Illuminae was all the rage. Everyone needed their hands on the ARC, the same went with the hardcover ARC that was released a few months later. It was the latest book craze, so when I found a copy while picking up my latest book to review from McNally Robinson, I died a little bit inside. I could not wait to read it.
  When I first started reading Illuminae I was mesmerized by the beautiful pages and the uniqueness of the way it was written. I couldn't stop staring at the pages and continuously flipping through them. It was definitely a new experience, reading Illuminae.
   Unfortunately the beauty of the pages were not enough to keep me entertained throughout the book. I found the story itself to be bland and not have anything special about it, and at times I found the characters to be a bit ridiculous. While the story could be interesting at times, the only thing I found special about Illuminae was the way it was printed.
   Illuminae may not have been for me, but like I said above it was a unique experience and so I hope everyone will give Illuminae a try. 

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"If I breathed, I would sigh. I would scream. I would cry."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Space, Space Travel, Robots

Waiting on Wednesday: (50)

Shallow Graves 

Kali Wallace

Katherine Tegan Books

Expected: January 26th, 2016

Description from GoodReads:

   For fans of Holly Black and Nova Ren Suma, a gripping, hauntingly atmospheric novel about murder, revenge, and a world where monsters—human and otherwise—lurk at the fringes.

   When seventeen-year-old Breezy Lin wakes up in a shallow grave one year after her death, she doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past. In life, Breezy was always drawn to the elegance of the universe and the mystery of the stars. Now she must set out to find answers and discover what is to become of her in the gritty, dangerous world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she finds is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

   Tense, complex, and wholly engaging, Shallow Graves is a stunning first novel from Kali Wallace. 

Why I Want It:

   If I woke up a year after my death, to find out I was murdered I think I'd freak the heck out and go on a rampage, then to find you you have a power? 

   Death, murder, cults and mysteries, honestly I just think this book will be a must read. 

   What are you waiting on this week? Will you be picking up Shallow Graves? Let me know what you're waiting on in the comments! 

Ohana Talks: Top 10 2015 Releases I Meant to Read but Haven't

  2015 is almost over and there are still so many books I have yet to read, including a rather large list of 2015 releases. Because of the large list, I've decided to put together a post with my top 10 that I've been looking forward to! So today I'm going to tell you about my top 10 releases of the year, that I haven't read yet but meant too!  

Red Queen 

Victoria Aveyard

HarperTeen

Red Queen Trilogy, #1

Published: February 10th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   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...

   There was a lot of word about Red Queen before it was released, so much word that everyone was completely pumped within a month and dying to read it. I was one of those people, and even though months have passed I'm not dying to read it as much as I was in January, I'd still like to read it. 

The Wrath & The Dawn

Renne Ahdieh

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

The Wrath & The Dawn, #1

Published: May 12th, 2105

Description from GoodReads:

   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?

   Who doesn't want an Aladdin retelling? That is what drawer me in!

The Last Time We Say Goodbye

Cynthia Hand

Harper Teem

Published: February 10th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   There's death all around us.

   We just don't pay attention.

   Until we do.

   The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

   Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

   As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

   Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

   I adored Cynthia Hand's other series, Unearthly, so when I heard of this one I just knew I was going to love it!

The Stars Never Rise

Rachel Vincent

Delacorte Press

The Stars Never Rise, #1

Published: June 9th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

   When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

   To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

   Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

   The Stars Never Rise was another one of those books that I adored the authors other works, I've read all of Rachel Vincent's books except her recent releases from this year. That is going to change, starting with this one!

All the Bright Places

Jennifer Niven

Knof

Published: January 6th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

 

   Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

 

   When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

 

   Every person that I know that's read All the Bright Places has cried, so I've felt like I need a good cry. So All the Bright Places is my go to for that! 

Insidious

Dawn Metcalf

HarlequinTeen

The Twixt, #3

Published: August 25th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   True evil is rarely obvious. It is quiet, patient. 

   Insidious. 

   Awaiting the perfect moment to strike. 

   Joy Malone finally knows who she is, where she comes from and how to live in two worlds at once. And now she can introduce her family and friends to her mysterious boyfriend, Indelible Ink. But when Ink's twin sister, Invisible Inq, calls in a favor, Joy must accept a dangerous mission to find a forgotten door between worlds—a door hiding a secret that some will kill to keep. 

   Unseen enemies, treasonous magic and an unthinkable betrayal threaten both the Twixt and human worlds as Joy races to expose an ancient conspiracy and unleash the unalterable truth—some secrets cannot remain secret forever. 

   After the ending in Invisible I'd just like to see more of that happy ending we got! 

An Ember in the Ashes

Sabaa Tahir

Razorbill

An Ember in the Ashes, #1

Published: April 18th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   Laia is a slave. 

   Elias is a soldier. 

   Neither is free.

   Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

   It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

   But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

   There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

   This was another one of those books that everyone was hyped for, so I obviously I became hyped too!

Every Last Breath

Jennifer L. Armentrout

HarlequinTeen

The Dark Elements, #3

Published: July 28th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

   Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

   Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

   Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell… 

   This one I have a reason for not reading yet, the first two books are some of my all time favourite books but with the publishing house being bought over it caused a few problems. So by not reading Every Last Breath I'm low-key protesting the cover change and the height change. I will eventually read it though, once I get over my little protest.

Fairest

Marissa Meyer

Feiwel & Friends

The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5

Published: January 27th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

   Mirror, mirror on the wall,

   Who is the fairest of them all?

   Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

   The only reason I haven't read this one yet is because I'd like to buy it and read it, and I just haven't gotten a chance at buying it yet!

Dead of Winter

Kresley Cole

Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

The Arcana Chronicles, #3

Published: January 6th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

   Heartbreaking decisions 

   Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, the Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

   Uncertain victory 

   Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

   Two heroes returned 

   There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first...?

  My sister and I actually bought Dead of Winter together but she read it before me, and now she's obsessed and won't give it up! I'll eventually get it from her to read, but for now I'm out of luck!

   Those are the 2015 releases I haven't gotten a chance at reading yet! What about you? Are there any 2015 releases you haven't gotten a chance to read yet?

Recommendation Fridays: Fire & Flood Series by Victoria Scott

   I came across Fire & Flood because I loved Victoria Scott's Dante Walker series. It was full of sass and awesome sauce. So when I found out about Fire & Flood I could not have ran to the closest pre-order site to order. My copy may have a different cover than the one they advertise now, either way it's still my precious baby. 

   At this point Victoria Scott has mastered the art of playing with your heart, thus making the series one of the biggest tear-jerkers yet.

   The Fire & Flood series is everything you needed in a epic race, inspiring characters, Animals with powers beyond imagination. Definitely a series you'll need to pick up. 

   

The series would probably be best for people who like the following books:

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Dystopian, Survival

 

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Release Date: January 27th, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Series: Fire & Flood, #1

Format: Paperback, 320 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   Time is slipping away.... 

   Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

   Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

   The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 24th, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Series: Fire & Flood, #2

Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   What would you do to save someone you love? What about risking...everything?

   In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and a terrifying march across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't stop—and in Salt & Stone, Tella will have to face the unseen dangers of the ocean, the breathless cold of a mountain, and the twisted new rules in the race.

   But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you've relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

   The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the beginning of the race there were 122 Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the fourth and final part of the race, just forty-one are left...and only one can win.

Check Out Ohana Reads' Review Here

   What do you think? Will you be picking up the series anytime soon? Let me know!

Book Review: The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

Release Date: September 22nd, 2014
Read: September 4th-16th, 2015
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Series: Prisoners of Peace, #1
Format: ARC, 384 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for honest review

Description from GoodReads:

   In the future, the UN has brought back an ancient way to keep the peace. The children of world leaders are held hostage—if a war begins, they pay with their lives.

   Greta is the Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy, a superpower formed of modern-day Canada. She is also a Child of Peace, a hostage held by the de facto ruler of the world, the great Artificial Intelligence, Talis. The hostages are Talis’s strategy to keep the peace: if her country enters a war, Greta dies.

   The system has worked for centuries. Parents don’t want to see their children murdered.

   Greta will be free if she can make it to her eighteenth birthday. Until then she is prepared to die with dignity, if necessary. But everything changes when Elián arrives at the Precepture. He’s a hostage from a new American alliance, and he defies the machines that control every part of their lives—and is severely punished for it. Greta is furious that Elián has disrupted their quiet, structured world. But slowly, his rebellion opens her eyes to the brutality of the rules they live under, and to the subtle resistance of her companions. And Greta discovers her own quiet power.

   Then Elián’s country declares war on Greta’s and invades the prefecture, taking the hostages hostage. Now the great Talis is furious, and coming himself to mete out punishment. Which surely means that Greta and Elián will be killed...unless Greta can think of a way to save them. 

Review:

 
   Why would I come back to you?
   The Scorpion Rules was a present from Simon & Schuster Canada, it was a surprise too! When the ARC along with the fancy honey candle came in the mail I didn't know what to expect because I hadn't heard of the novel before. So to GoodReads I went, and it looked really interesting! Especially since the story takes place in Canada, you don't see that often.
   When I first started reading The Scorpion Rules I thought that it would have a rebellion sort of twist to it. Unfortunately I was wrong and it was political twist. Where anything else would have been fine, I just can't do political, and because the book was completely surrounded in it. I just couldn't enjoy the book because of it.
   Where I didn't enjoy the novel, I did enjoy the character Greta. Strong, learning, willing to sacrifice for the better good. She I did enjoy.
   Even though Erin Bow is a Canadian Author, I probably won't be giving the sequel a chance.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

" All we are is dust in the wind"

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy, War, Politics, Canada, LGBT

Book Review: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: September 1st, 2015
Read: September 26th-30th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Series: Throne of Glass, #4
Format: Hardcover, 648 pages
Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

  The queen has returned.

   Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

   She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

   She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Review:

Contains Minor Spoilers:

   You light up the darkness.

   After reading Heir of Fire last March, I broke. It ripped me to shreds. I had to put myself back together again after it. Then once I fixed myself, I pre-ordered Queen of Shadows and the wait was on. For a while in August people had gotten their copies early and I thought for sure someone was gonna spoil it for me, but I lucked out and everything went perfect for me.
   Finally my copy came in the mail and I had just started rereading Throne of Glass, so it was perfect timing. Then when I finished Heir of Fire, I was ready to die, or in other words read Queen of Shadows.
   First of all, since Heir of Fire I can't picture Aelin without Rowan. So when the book started without them together my heart cried a little bit. Just kidding, it full on sobbed. Anyway my heart fixed itself about a third of the way through the book. From there on the sauciness only got better and I couldn't believe it. I found myself giggling hysterically every time Aelin and Rowan were alone together, or cried, crying happened too. They had so many perfect moments together, that it was beautiful. The Rowaelin ship, honestly its so precious you just won't understand until you read Queen of Shadows, just wait and see. But yo could also never forget the hot damn moments, because HOT DAMN.
   Where there was a lot of sass between Aelin and Rowan, there was an equal amount of testosterone flowing when Aedion and Rowan were in a room together, both wanting to assert dominance. Let's just say I was practically a pig and was continuously snorting whenever these scenes popped up.
   Aedion! So if you read my Heir of Fire Review then you'd know that in Heir of Fire I found him creepy and a little possessive of Aelin at times, even when he didn't even know if she was alive or not. I'm happy to say that my feelings towards him changed with Queen of Shadows. Where he was still very possessive of her, he did it within reason because he knew she could take care of herself. Then there's that little fact of his parentage, oh boy. I do hope Maas takes that further, it will be tremendously exciting to see what unfolds from there!
   I got the chills when it came to reading Dorians parts, the first time I read chapter one I didn't even realize it was him until I reread it. Poor Dorian, I feel like that's what dementia does to a person on some levels. So I deeply concerned, to be trapped with no control of yourself.
   FINALLY WE GOT SOME KICK ASS GIRLS. After Crown of Midnight with Nehemia dying, we were left with no female companion for Aelin. Don't get me wrong I loved Nehemia and no one could have replaced her, but I felt bad for Aelin she really just needed a girlfriend. Queen of Shadows gave me the companions that I knew Aelin needed, she got not just one but two girlfriends. (Maybe even three? Who knows yet.)  I don't think Aelin could have done better in picking friends if I didn't say so myself.
   Awe my babe Manon, I've become obsessed with her since I originally finished Heir of Fire. She's badass and fierce in all the ways Aelin is not. She went through a rather large character development in the book that hopefully has lead her to be her own person now and stand up to her Grandmother. I loved how she turned out, and I'm SUPER excited to see what Maas has in mind for Manon and her (Maybe?) special someone.
   One of my favourite scenes in the book would have to be the battle scene between Aelin and Manon, it showed the two sides coming together showing us just how deadly they were, their strengths and weaknesses. Honestly I can't wait to see if they battle again in the future or if they fight side by side. With the direction Manon took in Queen of Shadows I wouldn't be surprised if the latter happened, I'm rather hoping for it.
   WHAT A PLOT TWIST THAT WAS AT THE END. I couldn't believe it when we learnt the truth about the King, I don't think Aelin or Dorian did either with that ending. As much as I wanted to forgive the King for what he'd done, you just couldn't. One mistake can't fix the damage he'd done. I was glad to hear of what happened though, honestly it made a bunch of sense if you think through the series.
   Sarah J Maas stole my heart with Queen of Shadows, it has definitely become my favourite of the series and if I wasn't hooked before for whatever reason I am now. Maas has mastered the art of keeping you second guessing what you think you know, and what you assume is going to happen, the perfect balance that locks you into the book and never letting you go. She has mastered it to an art that iT ACTUALLY GAVE ME CHEST PAINS.
   2016 can't come fast enough, I now live off of Sarah J Maas books and need to feed my addiction. The sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses is ret to release May 3rd, 2016 an the 5th novel in the Throne of Glass series is set to release Fall 2016. Let's just hope I can survive until then.

Rating:

Favourite Quotes:

"She was a wolf. She was death, devourer of worlds."

"He'd never realized how precious the calm moments were." ~ Rowan

"We're not going to hell, Aelin. But wherever we go, we'll go together." ~ Rowan

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, High Fantasy, Magic, Fairies, CHEST PAINS.