Saturday, December 21, 2013

Top Tens of 2013

Just  like last year I want to put up a list of my favorite books from over this past year. There have been some truly phenomenal ones, so it won't be an easy task, but I hope you guys will have fun recapping it with me.

My plan is to post one a day, leading up to New Years. If there are any others that you would like to see, then please let me know. Here's the list I'm considering:

  • Top Ten Surpises
  • Top Ten Best Series Ends
  • Top Ten Covers
  • Top Ten Debuts
  • Top Ten Favorite Reads of 2013
  • Top Ten Releases of 2014 I want to Read

I hope that everyone has been enjoying their holidays with their families, and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Starting Over by Savannah Yarbrough

Starting Over

The Shephard Series 1

Author: Savannah Yarbrough
Pages: - pgs
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: December 17th 2013
Review Source: Author

After her husband’s death in Afghanistan,
Brianna Daniels finds herself left alone to care for their chronically ill daughter. With the remnants of her family by her side, Brianna begins slowly to piece her life back together. 


Jeremiah Bartlett is at the peak of his professional career. Scarred and more than a little jaded after a bitter divorce, Jeremiah has resigned himself to never having a marriage like the one his parents shared. When a devastating call from his sister sends Jeremiah racing to her side Jeremiah finds himself face to face with a woman who’s just as damaged and frightened by the thought of opening her heart. 


Can time truly heal all wounds? Will Brianna and Jeremiah risk everything for the possibility of starting over? Or will they allow the fear of past pain tear them apart? 


Starting Over is a story of loss, healing, family, and the courage it takes to find love again.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18525586-starting-over

I got to read a very early copy of this particular story before it was ready for ARCs and publication, so I was beyond excited to be asked to read and review this for her.

One of the main things I can say about Savannah's writing is that she knows how to bring in the emotions and really stomp on your heart. I think it's difficult to get into any story, but especially a romance, if you don't feel for the characters. That isn't a problem here and I love how delicately and sweetly Savannah handled it.

We also got to see the story from both Brianna's perspective and Jeremiah's, which I think can add just a little something extra to the overall feel. They both struggle with loss and the difficult circumstances ahead of them throughout, but find a way to move forward with the hope of something more.

I truly enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading what else Savannah has in store for her other characters in this series. I know that it will be wonderful, if not a little heartbreaking along the way.

Invisible Touch by Kali Rogers

Invisible Touch

The Gallaghers 1

Author: Kali Rogers
Pages: 70 pgs
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Mystery
Release Date: December 17th 2013
Review Source: Author

Beautiful, demanding, and ambitious, ER surgeon Ramsey Taylor has built a life based on hard work and determination. As the youngest chief resident in a busy world-class hospital, she has no time for relationships outside of medicine.

But while attending a conference in Las Vegas, she meets Austin, a handsome and mysterious stranger, whose charms she can’t refuse. They share an intense, physical and emotional attraction that leaves her wanting the romance and whimsy she never allows herself. But an unusual turn of events leaves Ramsey questioning everything she ever knew—including the man who stole her heart.

Ramsey’s well-ordered life has been set on a new and unpredictable path, far away from the world she knows.

And there’s no going back.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19311198-invisible-touch?ac=1

I received an early copy of this novella for review from the author, and have found myself very intrigued for more.

Invisible Touch is a quick read, but is full of little hints that there was definitely more going on than what you, the reader, or the narrator knew was happening at the time. Ramsey was an intelligent and beautiful woman. My assumption was that at the time she met Austin, she was exhausted from a long weekend/conference and wasn't quite as observant as she'd normally be. But, that's just my opinion.

There's plenty more to uncover from this story and world that Kali has set up for her readers and I'm intrigued to find out what else is going to happen. 



Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight

Daughter of Smoke and Bone 2

Author: Laini Taylor
Pages: 513 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantsay
Release Date: November 6th 2012
Review Source: Purchase

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.


Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

What else can I say but that Laini Taylor is absolutely brilliant! I was beyond excited to get to meet her back in November of last year and to get hear talk about her writing and this particular series. It was so exciting.

We got a completely different look at Karou in this particular book, but fundamentally she was still the same character we got to know in DOSAB. Even though she found out who (and what) she was at the end of the first book, her struggles weren't over as this book began. I loved seeing her immersed in the world she'd come from and trying to come to terms with it.

We got to see Eretz, the place she had lived before, from both her perspective and Akiva's. Plus, we also got to hear from Zuzana and Mik in Prague, who are probably two of my favorite people, they were so cute!

The world building and war Laini brought into this book was phenomenal. She brought so much to life, and yet left so much for us to wait for. I'm sad that the last book is coming out next year, but I'm also incredibly excited for it too. The fact that it comes out around my birthday doesn't hurt either!

Rift by Andrea Cremer

Rift

Nightshade Orgins 1

Author: Andrea Cremer
Pages: 430 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantsay
Release Date: August 7th 2012
Review Source: Purchase

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

I was so excited when I heard that there was going to be a prequel series to Andrea's Nightshade books. Getting a look into how things came to be for those in the original series sounded like so much fun, and I am so glad that I was right.

Not only was this set during the early 1400s in Scotland, but it was also showed the lives and training of the Searchers. We got to see things that were only hinted at in Wolfsbane and Bloodrose, and I absolutely loved that. The setting and background of everything was spot on and built up so beautifully.

I also enjoyed the relationships of the characters. Along with our heroine Ember we had her mentor Barrow, her long time friend Alistair, and twin leaders Eira and Cian. I can really only mention Ember and Barrow without giving too much away. They were so sweet and I loved that Barrow treated her as an equal in her training. Their romance was just right and about who they both were as people, and not how they were supposed to be to society.

There's so much about this world that is so fascinating, and I love that Andrea gave us this insight into part of it. The sequel, Rise, came out this year and I'll hopefully be able to review that soon as well. This was probably my favorite of Andrea's books so far and I can't wait to read the next book for Nightshade.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms

Falling Kingdoms 1

Author: Morgan Rhodes
Pages: 412 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantsay
Release Date: December 11th 2012
Review Source: Purchase

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword. . . .

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

The cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous! It's haunting, mysterious, and dark, which I think is absolutely perfect. And with it's sequel finally out, I thought that it was time that I wrote a review for this book.

 I was completely drawn into this book from the very beginning. There was so much intrigue, and a pretty brutal scene right off the bat, but that just made me want to find out more. Including how each of the characters mentioned in the description would manage to interact.

Each character throughout the story is so clearly portrayed, their voices strong, and I loved that. It was easy to follow them throughout and not get lost on who was who. And even now I want to know more about them and how the rest of this series is going to play out.

Morgan has done such a fabulous job with this world and the four main characters. There are beautiful moments and brutal ones as well, it truly does have a Game of Thrones feel to it, but for teens.

And Rebel Spring, book two in this series, came out last week and I have a feeling I'll be anxious to get my hands on the next book.

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Poison

Author: Bridget Zinn
Pages: 288 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantsay
Release Date: March 12th 2013
Review Source:Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Bridget's debut was such a fun read! I'm beyond sad that she's unable to experience all of the love her book has received, but I'm so glad that it's been published and her husband put so much work into getting the word out.

And, again, this was such a fun read. Kyra wasn't a typical 16 year old, and since she was on the run, her life wasn't very easy. I loved that we got background of how she'd learned all about poison's and who she'd worked with before the events of the book.

I think one of my favorite parts was the little pig that Kyra had with her. It was there to help her and it cracked me up at how annoyed she'd get with having to keep it safe and figure out how to do what she'd set out to. And, things didn't always go as planned, which is just par for the course.

I wish we could get more from this author, I have a feeling she'd only get better over time, but I'm more than happy that we got this one. And I know that you'll enjoy it too.

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