Series Review: Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep

Series: Mythos Academy
Author: Jennifer Estep
Books: Touch of Frost, Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost, Midnight Frost, Killer Frost
Series' Rating: 3.75/5 stars- worth going through if you are a urban fantasy/mythology fan
Book #1's Rating: 5/5 stars- wtf man I am so in love with this!
Book #2's Rating: 5/5 stars- I hunger for the next book
Book #3's Rating: 4.5/5 stars- balancing between a 5 and 4... somewhat rushed and strained
Book #4's Rating: 5/5 stars- WHY DO YOU DO THIS SUDDENLY
Book #5's Rating: 4.5/5 stars- this series is starting to be dragged out far too long
Book #6's Rating: 5/5 stars- impressive wrap up and conclusion
Synopsis for Touch of Frost (as found on Goodreads):

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy; a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why; especially since I should have been the one who died...

Review:

*Some clarification on the rating: as the series stretched over quite a bit of time, I rated each book as I went so most of the ratings are pretty high. However, as a series altogether, I would consider it a little lower. I'll explain why further in the review, but yeah my numbers are a little crazy.

I tried with the covers guys. Really. But formatting is not my thing. -.-

Mythos Academy is a weird series to review. Just because it's spanned over a quite a bit of time and I've read it as the series was being written. I started Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost back when I wasn't as experienced with YA and I was at the tender age of "freshman" years. (I'm Canadian... I have no idea why I used freshman years as an example. Let's roll with it.)

I have fond memories of it, but looking back at the books, I don't think I would've been as fond of it if I read the series now. I would say the series is very rocky at the beginning, the characters don't come off the most original, the relationships are weird and it's filled with cliches, and ridiculous high school drama, etc. (*that is a whole another talk that I will not get into)


Am I ashamed to admit I was totally biased? A little. But I'm showing that rating because that was what I thought. To me at that moment, how much I enjoyed the book completely outweighed the execution and mistakes in the book. And to me that is what is most important- the fact that you enjoyed the book, not picking it apart because "oh she's so stupid yada yada" or "OMG he's a cliche she's a cliche the author used this trope" whatever. Those things are important but it's you in the end that is what matters.

And if I didn't read books because "I hate anything sexist, representing females in the wrong light, etc." girl, sadly I would have... little next to nothing to read. (*which again is a whole another rant about more things that I feel very strongly about that I will not get into)

But I came to my senses around the fifth book. At this point, I think it was almost 2 years since I started the series. The rational side of me finally kicked myself and said "look it's being too long and blah and blah and UNNECESSARY SHIT." And when I reached the end I was like "WAIT HOW THE FLIPPITY FLIP WILL IT END THIS MOVED THE PLOT BY ABOUT 0.1%"



Needless to say, I walked in the sixth book with lowered expectations...
and maybe it was because of those expectations but holy crap. It reminded me why I continued with the series in the first place.

Like holy shit I thought the sixth book was going to just be a bunch of deus ex machinas for the sake of the series ending and like it wasn't somehow a bunch of maybe irrelevant clues came together and everything just happened and it worked without a bunch of crazy plot holes and it was exciting and it was tense and Gwen was actually badass ohmygosh.

And I was just screaming NO at my mom even thought we needed to go to the vet for my dog and I was like DON'T MAKE ME LEAVE MY BOOK 

It just worked. The entire plot came together and.. worked.

*brain explosion

I think if you read the first and second book and you liked them and you have the heart to go through another 3 that aren't as plot heavy for the FINAAALE and if you really love mythology based novels, I really think you should stick through this series. It is quite good once you can look aside a couple things.

(P.S. I didn't do a fangirl reaction because I couldn't reaallly remember some of them. heh. but you can tell at certain parts there was fangirling. LIKE THE GODDAMN ENDING FOR THE FOURTH BOOK OMG WHY)

Book Review: The Dark World by Cara Lynn Shultz

Book: The Dark World (Book #1 in the Dark World trilogy)
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Rating: 5/5 stars- impressive balance between "reality" and fantasy
Synopsis (as found on Goodreads):

Paige Kelly is used to weird--in fact, she probably corners the market on weird, considering that her best friend, Dottie, has been dead since the 1950s. But when a fire demon attacks Paige in detention, she has to admit that things have gotten out of her league. Luckily, the cute new boy in school, Logan Bradley, is a practiced demon slayer-and he isn't fazed by Paige's propensity to chat with the dead. Suddenly, Paige is smack in the middle of a centuries-old battle between warlocks and demons, learning to fight with a magic sword so that she can defend herself. And if she makes one wrong move, she'll be pulled into the Dark World, an alternate version of our world that's overrun by demons-and she might never make it home.

Review:

Let me just say this was a very impromptu review. I wasn't expecting to review it. Period. I was expecting this book to be good, even great BUT THEN IT BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER

I don't understand how Cara Lynn Shultz does it. Her ability to balance teenager reality world with paranormal I want to murder everything world continues to amaze me. She did it once with Spellcaster (one of the most pleasant surprises I had during 2012) and again in The Dark World. I don't understand why I didn't expect this to be absolutely blow up in your face awesome. 

I will say that I liked this EVEN MORE than Spellcaster. And I LOVED Spellcaster. Well no I still love it. Wrong tense.

I will say if you don't like a heavy central romance in a YA novel, you won't like Cara's books. Spellcaster is based basically completely on a romance (aka your true love is cursed to die for generations to come have fun motherfuckers) and while The Dark World doesn't come off immediately as romance based, the romance quickly takes centre stage and it becomes basically the point of the series.

In fact, I am like 100 million times more in love with Logan Bradley than Brendan Salinger. 

Just. Shit.

He's practically perfect in his flawed way. He's so sappy sweet and poetic, yet doesn't fail to be a cocky confident sassy guy, and knows when to deliver a punch. He has character depth (more than Brendan Salinger) and his background story is a little clichéd but it rounded out his insecurities. AND ugh so much more that I don't want to spoil.

Normally I would call a girl TSTL when she's LITERALLY depending on the guy to protect her but here's the weird thing: I really liked Paige as a protagonist. She might not be an amazing fighter but a) she's trying to learn how to be badass with a sword b) her courage and loyalty more than makes up for everything and c) she is flawed just like Logan. She is exactly how being a teenager is like. I can relate to those aspects so easily.

except for yenno seeing ghosts and HAVING A HOT DEMONSLAYER BOYFRIEND ugh

The chemistry between the two is INSANE. The hilarious random witty one liners, and the all consuming loyalty and love.  The one liners just prove to me the amazing charming writing Cara can deliver. It reminds me a little of Rick Riordan. (I went there guys. I went there.) It does get a little corny, a little cliche, but I LOVED IT. I'm weird. Some cliches work for me sometimes and others don't sometimes. To me, it really depends on the characters and the way the author has written their relationship and for me, everything works in this novel.

The end though. HOLY SHIT MY HEART WAS LIKE IN MY HANDS FOR THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS. I thought Cara would take the cliche route, and I was like PANTING and then wait what.
OMG.
WHAT.
0.0
AND THEN. oh yes in the midst of everything.
it ended.





In all seriousness guys, this is totally a book worth checking out and I think who really enjoy demons and fun sassy somewhat corny romance will adore this. It's the perfect balance between demons and badass-ery and like a sweet side of contemporary/chick-lit. Am dying to find out about book 2.

Series Review: The Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks

Series: The Syrena Legacy
Author: Anna Banks
Books: Of Poseidon, Of Triton, Of Neptune
Series Rating: 4.5/5 stars- funny, witty, with a charming love interest, except it does go downhill as you go on
Book #1's Rating: 5/5 stars- pitch perfect in it's balance of humour and sweeping romance
Book #2's Rating: 4.25/5 stars- could've been better, could've been more
Book #3's Rating: 4.5/5 stars- this book literally gave me panic attacks
Synopsis of Of Poseidon (as found on Goodreads):

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Review:

Let's hop into it. The feels are like crazy.

FANGIRL REACTIONS:
*********************************************************************************
Of Poseidon: 

wait this is funny

Wait this is hilarious

Ohmygosh

Ohemgee

GALEN <3

I SHIP YOU GUYS
WAIT HOLY SHIT I WAS RIGHT BUT WHAT HOW

Of Triton: 

wait NOO what

DAMN RIGHT 

CALL THEM SHARKS EMMA YOU GO GIRL

oh SHIZ.

wait that's it.

Of Neptune:

Umm

Umm

HELLO PLEASE LEAVE REED DOOR'S THAT WAY THANKS

ANXIETY

ANXIETY

MORE ANXIETY

EXTREME ANXIETY

HOLY SHIT EMMA PLEASE JUST REALIZE

ANXIETY LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH

*screams of frustrations

LEAVE OMG NOOO

NOOO

*rocks self in corner "I'm going insane OMG please just be okay this is agony"

ANXIETY

*finally breathes

*weeps (whether from sadness or happiness I'll let you guess) 

*********************************************************************************
You have no idea how much I freaked out. I'm one step closer to my mom sending me to the asylum.

I feel like that was a review on it's own.

I still remember when I first read Of Poseidon. I had picked the book up on a whim after hearing some good things about.
I remember diving in and realizing by like page 10 that this was funny. Funny in a charming witty way. At least until disaster struck.
And that's really what I loved most about Of Poseidon: it balanced its humour with the plot, the world, the character development in perfect sync. Nothing overlapped each other, nothing came off to strong or too week- it was pitch perfect in the way it was executed.
Also it didn't hurt that Galen was hot as BLEEP.

Needless to say, I was so excited for Of Triton and when I got it... I instantly knew that I might have to contain myself a bit.
Because the book was so thin. It was like half the size of Of Poseidon.
And just as I thought... it was too short. Sigh.

I walked in with lower expectations with Of Neptune because 1) Of Triton had been short and 2) Of Triton could've been the end of the series and I was confused on why we needed a third novel in the series.
However, I did really like Of Neptune though.

What I wished Anna Banks had done was make this a duology. If we took about the first quarter of Of Triton and added it to the end of Of Poseidon and twisted things around a bit to execute a different cliffhanger without changing basically any plot, and then jammed the rest of Of Triton and Of Neptune together with minor changes to make a smoother transition, then I think that would've made a kick-ass series. I just think it was a little stretched out to make a trilogy.

Look don't get me wrong, I really liked this series, but I just want some changes to be made so I could love it even more. We started to lose some of that charming witty humour half way through the series. The balance that was there in Of Poseidon disappeared. While I still loved the characters and the world, the plot began to feel strained. I wanted a richer character development. If we were going to have a second book, I wanted it done right. I wanted a little more humour and a little more depth to back up everything that was happening.

In the end, it still a really enjoyable series. I'm pleased to own it, I'm happy about the joys and tears it gave me, and I think of most "mermaid" books I've read, this is hands down one of the better ones. I recommend checking this series out if you're really into "mermaid" books.

August 2014

Monthly Wish List for this month and what I've read and seen this past month.

Book List: 

*synopses may be spoilery if you have not read the previous books in the series. All synopses were found on Goodreads

Book: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: THE GREAT HOLY STEPHANIE PERKINS
Release Date: August not fucking soon enough 14th
Synopsis: (you really don't need one just read it)

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

Note from Carmen: I dunno about you but I sense some fangirling. Maybe a lot. Maybe because someone waited FOR THREE FUCKING YEARS FOR THIS. THE EMOTIONAL DRAIN.



(See I'm so excited about it so much I bothered to find a gif for my feels.)

Book: Opposition (Book #5 in the Lux Series)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: August 5th
Synopsis:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

Note from Carmen: I really hate the cover change. I'm sorry. My OCD is nagging me about how it won't match with the rest of the series. BUT I AM EXCITED.
*********************************************************************************

July Obsessions

Books:
The Winner's Curse (Book #1 in the Winner's Trilogy)

NOTE: [Can I just say that when I found out Marie Rutkoski wrote this I screamed. I really liked her other book, The Shadow Society, and I was so sad it was a standalone. Then I found out they were the same author and I screamed.]

Fractured (Book #2 in the Guards of the Shadowland trilogy) (That ending was. NOT. FUCKING. OK.)
Silver Shadows (Book #5 in the Bloodlines series) (Adrian Ivashkov. Do you need more words?)

Other Stuff:

Emma Approved (It's so intense now...)

Things I Read/Watched and Didn't Review in July:

Hero (Book #2 in The Woodcutter Sister series)

Embrace (Book #1 in The Violet Eden Chapters)

Going Rogue (Book #2 in the Also Known As duology)

Rebel Springs (Book #2 in the Falling Kingdoms series)

Chantress (Book #1 in the Chantress series)

Uninvited (Book #1 in the Uninvited series)

Things I Can't Forget (Book #3 in the Hundred Oaks series)

Evertrue (Book #3 in the Everneath trilogy)

Racing Savannah (Book #4 in the Hundred Oaks series)

Fates (Book #1 in the Fates series)

The Geography of You and Me 

Royally Lost

Surrender (Book #2 in the Possession trilogy)

Now and Forever

Update + Announcement!

HEY Y'ALL.

OMG I actually went there.
(Why didn't I delete it. Ehhhh I don't edit. No ok seriously. I want you guys to read my posts as if I'm actually talking to you guys and I can't exactly take back spoken words can I. Whatever. I shall embrace my weirdness! :D)

OK so heh guess who slack off.
But I have a legitimate excuse. I got my wisdom teeth out and it's all I've been able to do to actually like breathe and eat.



So I know it's been ages and there's been like a billion things I promised to review and I didn't... but I will. Like actually.

First thing first: I will have my August list up. This will be the final post before that.

Deux: My review for The Syrena Legacy and Mythos Academy will be up after that within a week of each other.

Third: SO I'M PLEASE TO SAY... that I will be blogging EVERY DAY for ONE WEEK during the THIRD week of August! They will be more random posts, and not alllll necessarily about books. Evil plans are in motions. MUWAHAHA. I might talk about Top Ten of this or Top 5 of this... I dunno :P (I originally wanted to call this Auglist but um yeah it might not all be all LISTS so... plus it was kinda lame)

Fourth: Lately I've been deciding whether or not I've been wanting to do book haul photos and stuff. I have done it once, but I feel like it wasn't very me... HOWEVER, if you guys are really interested, I'd be really happy to do book haul posts, although I think I would primarily keep the small-ish hauls only on tumblr and the bigger ones here.

(Who knows maybe I'll do shelfies one day :P)

ALRIGHT well that's all for today. I'm sorry for not posting as I said I would, but I'm trying. :) Seriously guys just friend me on Goodreads. You'll never miss a beat. Lots more swearing too.

Web Series Review: The Autobigraphy of Jane Eyre

Web Series: The Autobiography of Jane Eyre
Episodes: 95
Rating: 4/5 stars- poignant with a strong sense of longing

Review:

A quick disclaimer: this review comes to you from a girl who has not read the original Jane Eyre book. (ok so sue me for not reading it SORRY) I have read an adaptation of it so I know what happens.

I started The Autobiography of Jane Eyre about a month or two after I finished the Lizzie Bennett Diaries. I was in a bit of a drawback after finishing that series and after rewatching one of the episodes (take a guess which one I rewatched) I saw that someone had commented that there was another web series called The Autobiography of Jane Eyre that was also excellent. I had read an adaptation of the novel, and thoroughly enjoyed it. So I figured I'd give it a go. This was around the time when The Autobiography of Jane Eyre was only about... 14-15 episodes in? Somewhere around that.

I blew through all the episodes in day (those of you who've watched it know that the beginning episodes are VERY short so it was quick), and I was intrigued and yeah I just wanted to see Rochester's face.

Can you blame me.

The actors in this series are simply amazing. Alysson Hall is ridiculously talented at playing Jane Eyre. She completely encompasses the quiet shy persona of Jane, yet there's a richness and depth to her in this modern adaptation. She and Adam (the original actor for Rochester- more on that later) had the most incredible chemistry on screen. I was addicted to seeing them on the same scene.

Honestly their chemistry was so incredible that literally any other character who shows up (despite the fact most of them are amazing) and I will scream for them to leave to so I can see Jane and Rochester together.

I sense some shipping guys.

Despite that I did enjoy the other characters, and they all really had good chemistry as a cast. I especially love Suzanna.

Another thing I really loved about this series was how it was shot. It wasn't on the high end of productions with like super fancy lights, as say LBD or Emma Approved. It felt very genuinely as if someone just picked up a camera and decided o keep a video diary/vlog. It was a very down to earth and personal touch to it and it made it unique.

Also the setting. Granted they didn't really have much choice in country and province (I assume) but I'm so happy they shot in Vancouver. Because a) I'm a Vancouverite and yeah I'm biased and b) the forests just complimented the gothic-y feel of the original Jane Eyre.

I do have a few things that I think was a bit of an issue. I thought pacing could be a bit slow sometimes. I dread every video without Rochester. (Seriously why would you do that to me.) I thought we spent too much time with some of the other characters. (Maybe that's just my Rochester bias speaking sigh). Again, not really to big of an issue, kind of just personal preference that pacing is a bit faster, but fans of the book seem to really enjoy it sooo... I'll promptly shut up.

My only really giant big issue is the ending. OK first and foremost, I understand that because of certain situations, the actor who played Rochester ended up leaving the series before they finish shooting it all. That's understandable. I just wished that they found a way around it instead of seemly spontaneously ending the series. I would've excepted that he had an accident so bad that he got total facial damage and needed a completely new face. I WOULD'VE PROBABLY BEEN SOMEWHAT OKAY WITH THAT. (Depends on the replacement actor actually.)

I feel like we needed one more episode between the second last video and the ending. Something with more substance to explain the things between Jane and Rochester. With some of the dialogue that the end of the book has and the feeling you get when they meet again, stuff like that. They could've hidden his face or something. Honestly I would've even accepted just PHONE DIALOGUE AT THIS POINT.

I felt like my computer swallowed a secret episode somewhere. It's like swinging on monkey bars and suddenly realizing one bar is missing so you have to reach out a bit further to make the connection. Not awful but not great either.

I loved the ending video but I wanted something BEFORE it.

Overall, I will say this was a great series to follow. I enjoyed the first half much more (are you sensing more Rochester bias cause I am) and although I'm a bit disappointed with the ending... I still think this series has a lot of strong points that overshadow that one really major thing.

July 2014

Monthly Wish List for this month and what I've read and seen this past month.

Book List: 

*synopses may be spoilery if you have not read the previous books in the series. All synopses were found on Goodreads

Book: Silver Shadows (Book #5 in the Bloodlines series)

Author: Richelle Mead

Release Date: July 29th 

Synopsis:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Note from Carmen: LIFE WHY DO YOU HATE ME RICHELLE MEAD WHY 

Book: On the Fence

Author: Kasie West

Release Date: July 1st

Synopsis:

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

Note from Carmen: OKOK I know, it sounds really cliché, but I've heard good things about her other books, and if you guys know me by now, I love a good dose of well done clichés. 

Book: Landline

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Release Date: July 8th 

Synopsis:

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

Note from Carmen: It's definitely adult fiction but: RAINBOW. ROWELL. 

Book: Midnight Thief (Book #1 in the Midnight Thief series)

Author: Livia Blackburne

Release Date: July 8th 

Synopsis:

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Book: The Queen of Tearling (Book #1 in The Queen of Tearling series)

Author: Erika Johansen

Release Date: July 8th 

Synopsis:

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.

The Queen of the Tearling introduces readers to a world as fully imagined and terrifying as that of The Hunger Games, with characters as vivid and intriguing as those of The Game of Thrones, and a wholly original heroine. Combining thrilling action and twisting plot turns, it is a magnificent debut from the talented Erika Johansen.

Note from Carmen: This is coming out way earlier than I expected. Although I've heard many bad things from it (because it was marketed like crazy a while back and apparently it didn't live up to the marketing), I'm still excited because I do tend to like unpopular things sometimes. And also the cover is GORGEOUS. 

Book: Extraction (Book #1 in the Extraction series)

Author: Stephanie Diaz

Release Date: July 22nd

Synopsis:

"Welcome to Extraction testing."

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. 

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers ofHunger Games and Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.

*********************************************************************************

June Obessions

The Fault in Our Stars (movie)

Stuff I Read/Watch and Didn't Review in June:

Let the Storm Break (Book #2 in the Let the Sky Fall trilogy)

Better Off Friends

Every Never After (Book #2 in the Never trilogy)

Alienated (Book #1 in the Alienated series)

Shine (Book #3 in the Shade trilogy)

Origin

Death Sworn (Book #1 in the Death Sworn duology)

To All The Boys I've Loved Before (Book #1 in the To All The Boys I've Loved Before duology)

Scorched (Book #1 in the Scorched series)

Rebel Belle (Book #1 in the Rebel Belle series)

The Greatest Love (Kdrama)