Waiting on Wednesday - The Glittering Court

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

A dazzling new fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds that’s dripping with romance from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . . 

I LOVED the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.  And then her spin-off series Bloodlines was just as enjoyable.  I can't wait to see what she does with an Elizabethan romance!  This title is one of my most anticipated 2016 releases.

- Christinabean

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Published: November 2015

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Pages: 824

Copy Provided by: Bought

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Review:

This was an incredibly long book.  I had it on my reader and I felt like it took me SO LONG to finish.  I don't read as quickly as I used to when I was younger.  Nor do I have the time (I tend to read on the train to and from work).  At first I thought I was losing interest but there were a lot of different events happening as the previous settings began to come together - Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and even Fairest (I would recommend reading this to get a COMPLETE understanding of Levana).

I am going to list some of my notes as I was reading but you should read this series or else my ramblings will make no sense at all.  Plus it will probably definitely have spoilers. 

The ship that Cinder and her  crew are on is called the Rampion but with this rag tag crew, it reminded me of the Millennium Falcon!!  Some of the interplay between characters was similar to the relationships from Firefly and Star Wars.

Artemisia is a little bit like the zones in Hunger Games.

I love how Jacin calls Cress Shortcake. She is a about half sweet and half crazy and it is so cute how Jacin loves her for all of it.  He is so accepting of her crazy bits and just believes in the good in her.  How she fights and wants to be a good, strong role model for her people.

Iko is one of my favorite characters in this series and makes me laugh out loud.  For an android, she has SO MUCH personality and such devoted loyalty to Cinder.    I would love to see her as a character in a movie or TV tie in.

This was a great end to a fantastic series!  I loved how Melissa wove elements of the fairytale re-tellings into her series.  For instance, Cinder loses her foot as she ran down the staircase from the ball, Winter is emmersed in a glass case because she is dying and Jacin comes to her rescue with an antidote.  

Overall, I think this would be a fantastic series to use as an ISU. There are so many factors to draw between the fairytales we know and "modern day" society.  Marissa masterfully integrated aspects of each fairytale into her sci-fi world and made them mould together.  I don't know how she did it because it seems like an impossible feat but she did.  I will be putting this entire series on my bookshelf as a top 10 to re-read again. Now...if you are more into the comic-book side of things, you should know that Marissa Meyer is working on a graphic novel series for the Lunar Chronicles.  To be honest though, I wish someone would make this series into a movie.  What an incredible movie it would be!!  The series ended exactly the way it was meant to be. As a reader, you always want a happily ever after but you want it to unfold and be placed at the exact right place. Miss Meyer found the sweet spot in her story and allowed the reader to make assumptions and imagine their own ending. If you haven't already started reading this series, you really, really should.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Leaving Season

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (By Goodreads)

Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season: the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.

This year Middie’s boyfriend Nate is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America. And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.

But when a tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is… except for Nate’s slacker best friend Lee. Middie and Lee have never gotten along. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.

Cat Jordan’s heartbreaking story proves that no matter the season, no matter the obstacles, love can help you find yourself in the most unexpected of places.

Since there are only a few more months of school for those still in high school, I felt that this title was appropriate for those teens who are into contemporary fiction.  Sounds like a bit of  tear jerker...but everyone needs a good cry now and then.

 - Christinabean

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received

So....have you ever had those days when you feel like you have contributed your entire month's pay to the "swear jar"? Well, I have been having those days lately so when I saw this, I really felt the Need to Read.  Julie Jackson, you complete me. :)  I might use more symbols for the words since my daughter has been reading EVERYTHING out loud lately but still, should have the same effect.  Perhaps I will post some of my work later this month.  And if my days continue to be "challenging", merhaps I will be selling my rants on Etsy. 

- Christinabean

TGIF

Welcome to TGIF!

We used to do a meme on Fridays called Follow Fridays led by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read but that has changed in 2016.  So now I am initiating a new meme for us called TGIF to tell you about book-related or interesting things that we have come across over the week.

If you have something to add or want to start your own TGIF follow, please include us and link back in your intro.  Feel free to leave your posts in the comments so we too can check out the booky things you have found throughout the week!



So today I want to talk about the characters from the Shadowhunters (Netflix) series.  Has anyone else been watching it?  A new episode is released every Wednesday so this is how I spend my Wednesday lunch hours.  At first, I felt that Katherine McNamara couldn't hold a flame to Lily Collins but now, after about 10 weeks, I am starting to like her.  Now for Jace...Dominic Sherwood was not someone I was expecting to be Jace.  But I had seen him before...as Christian in Vampire Academy and he had the broody charm down pat but not the witty banter.  He is getting better.  Plus, I love the whole "two different colored eye" thing...it is rather ummm...attractive. :)

As for the other cast members, here are my thoughts.  I LOVE Harry Shum Jr as Magnus. I don't want to hear him sing but I would sure like to see him dance! (You might recognize him from Glee).  Alex was a new actor I had not recognized before.  Once he brushes his hair DOWN, he is quite handsome rather than unruly.  Now Isabelle...another new actress I was not familiar with.  She is another topic altogether.  Not what I was expecting...but at least they are saving money on her wardrobe.  They certainly don't need to use much fabric.  She has a great body...don't get me wrong but I HATE where they put the angelic rune.  It runes her outfit. Get it? hahahaha!!  Sorry....its Friday and I have yet to get caffinated.  The last character I want to talk about is Simon.  You casted this character perfectly! I love this actor in the role. He has all the right expressions and is fantastic as Simon.  I would love to hear our reader's thoughts on this series. Like it? Hate it? never heard of it? Let us know in the comments.
Happy Friday!
- Christinabean

 Its coming...the season finale of The Walking Dead, season 6 - April 6th on AMC

Waiting on Wednesday - The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever is so bad, it could wake the dead…

After producing three horror films that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it's time to make something epic. In fact, they're going to make The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. And, after a rash text message, they also have the beautiful Alicia Howtz as the lead.

Hemmed in by a one-month timeline and a cast of uncooperative extras, but aching to fulfill Alicia's dreams, Justin must face the sad, sad truth: he may, in actuality, be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever. 

Last month I started watching The Walking Dead on Netflix. Yes, I must be one of the last people on earth who hasn't seen the entire series but I'm slow sometimes...So I had come across this title a little while ago and I just HAD to put it on a WOW week because it sounds HILARIOUS!  It was released earlier this month. If you have already read it, please leave your comments below!

- Christinabean

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received

Summary (By Goodreads)

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.

When this title first came out, it seemed so interesting!  For those of us who enjoy the classics, it is a glimpse into the possible lives of the Bronte sisters.  Although it is a fictional piece, it still gives readers the opportunity to step into the minds of some of our most beloved authors.

- Christinabean

TGIF

Welcome to TGIF!

We used to do a meme on Fridays called Follow Fridays led by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read but that has changed in 2016.  So now I am initiating a new meme for us called TGIF to tell you about book-related or interesting things that we have come across over the week.

If you have something to add or want to start your own TGIF follow, please include us and link back in your intro.  Feel free to leave your posts in the comments so we too can check out the booky things you have found throughout the week!

So today I want to talk about Allegiant, #3 in the Divergent series that is coming the theaters next week.  Have you seen the trailer? Read the books? I have only read #1 of this series so I would love to hear from those of you who have read the entire series and see if it follows the same train as the movies.  Please leave your comments below!

- Christinabean



On another note...I have been slacking in my reading lately.  I'm sorry.  I have no one to blame but myself. And Netflix. Oh, and I marathoned The Walking Dead so now I'm all about zombies for the moment...and wondering if I could survive an apocalypse...is there an app for that?  I am thinking about starting up a Netflix Anonymous group....  Do any of you also have the same problem? 

Waiting on Wednesday - Seven Black Diamonds

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Lilywhite Abernathy is a criminal—she’s half human, half fae, and since the time before she was born, a war has been raging between humans and faeries. The Queen of Blood and Rage, ruler of the fae courts, wants to avenge the tragic death of her heir due to the actions of reckless humans.

Lily’s father has always shielded her, but when she’s sent to the prestigious St. Columba’s school, she’s delivered straight into the arms of a fae sleeper cell—the Black Diamonds. The Diamonds are planted in the human world as the sons and daughters of the most influential families and tasked with destroying it from within. Against her will, Lilywhite’s been chosen to join them...and even the romantic attention of the fae rock singer Creed Morrison isn’t enough to keep Lily from wanting to run back to the familiar world she knows.

Melissa Marr returns to faery in a dramatic story of the precarious space between two worlds and the people who must thrive there. The combination of ethereal fae powers, tumultuous romance, and a bloodthirsty faery queen will have longtime fans and new readers at the edge of their seats.

I'm so excited to see that Melissa Marr has come out with a new fae series!  The last time I read one of her titles was Graveminder in 2011.  Although I rated it well, I still feel her strength in writing lies in tales of the fae.  This title was released last week.  Keep your eye out for it!

- Christinabean

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received

This is my most ANTICIPATED title of 2016.  In fact, don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a few days this week on the blog since I will be busy reading. I seriously considered taking a day off just to read but I don't have much vacation time...hmm...maybe I should call in sick....

- Christinabean

TGIF

Welcome to TGIF!

We used to do a meme on Fridays called Follow Fridays led by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read but that has changed in 2016.  So now I am initiating a new meme for us called TGIF to tell you about book-related or interesting things that we have come across over the week.

If you have something to add or want to start your own TGIF follow, please include us and link back in your intro.  Feel free to leave your posts in the comments so we too can check out the booky things you have found throughout the week!

So, I am always looking for author signings and events in my area and/or other parts of Canada and I came across the Penguin Young Authors on Tour coming soon to Ontario.  For all of your East Coast peeps, you might want to clear your schedule for Monday March 28th and attend the Brampton Chapters/Indigo location at 2pm for an author signing and discussion by Alison Goodman, Rahcel Hawkins, Alwyn Hamilton, Sabaa Tahir and April Genevieve Tucholke!  

Waiting on Wednesday - Lady Midnight

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Los Angeles. It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on the brink of oblivion and Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After the blood and violence she witnessed as a child, Emma has dedicated her life to to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge.

Raised in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family, Emma is paired as a parabatai with her best friend, Julian Blackthorn. A series of murders in the city catch her attention — they seem to have the same characteristics as the deaths of her parents. Could the murderer be the same person? And her attention isn’t the only one caught: someone has been murdering Downworlders as well. The Fair Folk make a deal with the Institute: if the Blackthorns and Emma will investigate the killings, they’ll return Mark Blackthorn to his home. The catch: they have only two weeks to find the killers. Otherwise it’s open war between faeries and Nephilim.

The Shadowhunters of the Institute must race against time to catch the killers, even as they begin to suspect the involvement of those closest to them. At the same time, Emma is falling in love with the one person in the world she’s absolutely forbidden by Shadowhunter Law to love. Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. 

Lady Midnight is my most anticipated release of 2016 so far....I am actually contemplating taking the day off just to read it....good idea? 

- Christinabean