Waiting on Wednesday - Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

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 long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down? 

Is it just me or does this summary sound rather vague? Well, if you have been reading along and keeping up with the series like I have, there are so many secrets and discoveries within these novels that it is hard to reveal too much without spoiling the entire thing!  If you haven't started the Throne of Glass series, you really should. Aelin is an AMAZING heroine.  I am a huge fan of Sarah J Maas' series, both the Throne of Glass series as well as A Court of Thorns and Roses.  DON'T miss this one. You'll be sorry...

- Christinabean

Waiting on Wednesday - The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

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: Goodreads

New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible—if you want it enough.

Welcome to Manhattan, 2118.

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Does anyone else feel like this could be a Gossip Girl 2.0 in the future?

- Christinabean

Waiting on Wednesday - A Torch Against the Night

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 Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.

This is the second book in the Ember in the Ashes series. I have the first book but I have yet to read it (my TBR pile is overflowing). There have been rave reviews about the series though so I don't doubt that this is a great series! 

- Christinabean

Arcana Rising Release!

First of all, let me apologize to my followers for not posting more frequently. Unfortunately, blogging is not a full-time gig for me and I'm super busy at my regular, paying job but I have lots to tell you about today. Mainly....

The Arcana Chronicles has been on my radar for AGES!! I can't believe that Book #4 - Arcana Rising was just released yesterday!!

Synopsis: 

Losses mount and deadly new threats converge in this next action-packed tale of the Arcana Chronicles by #1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole.


When the battle is done . . .
The Emperor unleashed hell and annihilated an army, jeopardizing the future of mankind--but Circe struck back. The epic clash between them devastates the Arcana world and nearly kills Evie, separating her from her allies.


And all hope is lost . . .
With Aric missing and no sign that Jack and Selena escaped Richter's reach, Evie turns more and more to the darkness lurking inside her. Two Arcana emerge as game changers: one who could be her salvation, the other her worst nightmare.


Vengeance becomes everything.
To take on Richter, Evie must reunite with Death and mend their broken bond. But as she learns more about her role in the future--and her chilling past--will she become a monster like the Emperor? Or can Evie and her allies rise up from Richter's ashes, stronger than ever before?

Buy Links:

Amazon: bit.ly/ArcanaRisingKindle
iBooks: bit.ly/ArcanaRisingiBooks
Kobo: bit.ly/ArcanaRisingKobo
Nook: bit.ly/ArcanaRisingNook
Google Play: bit.ly/ArcanaRisingGooglePlay

Author Bio: Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers Series, and five award-winning historical romances.

A master's grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.

Her books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.

You can learn more about her and her work at www.kresleycole.com or www.facebook.com/KresleyCole

Kresley Cole's Social Links:

Website: www.kresleycole.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KresleyCole

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kresleycole 

Looking to start the series? 

 

A HUGE thank you to the publisher for a copy of Poison Princess (my next read). Please keep your eye out for a review shortly!

Waiting on Wednesday

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)

Winter Kim and her sister, Rose, have always been inseparable. Together, the two of them survived growing up in a Korean orphanage and being trafficked into the United States.

Now they work as digital stunt girls for Rose’s ex-boyfriend, Gideon, engaging in dangerous and enticing activities while recording their neural impulses for his Vicarious Sensory Experiences, or ViSEs. Whether it’s bungee jumping, shark diving, or grinding up against celebrities at the city’s hottest dance clubs, Gideon can make it happen for you, for a price.

When Rose disappears and a ViSE recording of her murder is delivered to Gideon, Winter won’t rest until she finds her sister’s killer. But when the clues she uncovers conflict with the neural recordings her sister made, Winter isn’t sure what to believe. To find out what happened to Rose, she’ll have to untangle what’s real from what only seems real, risking her life in the process. 

Paula Stokes is a new author to me and this novel sounds interesting. I might wait and see how some of the reviews turn out from it before diving in though. TOR is the publisher, whom I love. They have also churned out some great authors in the past that I follow (such as Kendare Blake).

- Christinabean

Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner

Published: April 2016

Publisher: Margaret McElderry Books

Pages: 320

Copy Provided by: Riveted

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Meet rumor with quiet, treason with cunning, and vicious with vicious.

Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren have lived together since they were children. They are called sisters. They are not. They are called equals. They are not. They are princesses. And they are enemies.

A brutal war ravaged their kingdoms, and Rhea’s father was the victor. As a gesture of peace, King Declan brought the daughters of his rivals to live under his protection—and his ever-watchful eye.

For ten years they have trained together as diplomats and warriors, raised to accept their thrones and unite their kingdoms in peace. But there is no peace among sisters, and all plans shatter when the palace is attacked. As their intended future lies in ashes, Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren must decide where their loyalties lie: to their nations, or to each other.

Alliances shift and the consequences are deadly in this stunning fantasy debut from K. D. Castner.

Review:

I love how publishers now are allowing free reads on their websites. I mean it has been going on for years but I love how older titles get a fresh new set of eyes.  It is not just the newer releases.  A bit like book rejuvenation, don't you think?  I originally started reading this title on Riveted, a book site for YA readers by Simon & Schuster. If you haven't already checked it out, you should. They offer free reads or sneak peeks to new and old titles in their library.

What drew me to this book originally was the cover. It is so sultry and seductive with the greyscale background and the red dress.  The premise too was intriguing.  He sounds like a good king trying to establish goodwill between the warring nations. However, good intentions are not always successful.  This title draws you into the lives of each girl and how they feel about being taken from their homelands and their families only to be raised by their conqueror.  And each of the princesses' reactions is not as you would think.  Are the princesses happy about growing up in the palace of an adversary or have they been secretly plotting its downfall for years? I personally found Rhea's personality to be VERY weak compared to what I was expecting.  Her father is king and she lacks the same drive and skill to support the throne. Iren was entirely too cunning for my liking, Cadis was so likeable (opposite to what I pictured her to be in my head) and Suki...well, I was ready to write Suki right off the page (and a bit crazy). 

Although this was just the first novel in the series (there must be more), I thoroughly enjoyed it and would consider purchasing it to add to my collection. I do love the quote "Meet rumor with quiet, treason with cunning, and vicious with vicious." and I have yet to decipher which princess matches to each...especially since there are only 3 associations.  Unless of course that was meant for Rhea to apply to Iren, Cadis and Suki (meet crazy with more crazy?).

So the 4 girls grow up and train together and then chaos ensues and rebels invade the castle and now they are left to figure things out. So who set up the attack? Who is in on it? Which princesses will take advantage of it and try to get back to their homes? 

So as much as I like having free reads, one of the problems is that they are often time-limited.  I have missed reading the last 30 pages of this book because my free read expired with Riveted before I was able to finish it off.  (shaking fist at the sky...darn you Riveted!!  I just needed a few more hours!!).  I have played with the idea of purchasing it from Chapters each day on my way home from work but I also have it on hold at the library....Remember....set time aside to read your titles or you will be left in the lurch like me!!

UPDATE!!  I was first in line at the library and it came in this past week for me to finish.  YAY!!  It was an excellent read and I would recommend it to anyone who has also enjoyed the Falling Kingdoms series. It is not as intricate of a story as Morgan Rhode's novels but it has oh so much potential if Ms. Castner sets it up right!  A further update...it seems to have a similar idea to Erin Bow's The Scorpion Rules. I am also reading that title so perhaps we shall see....

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 (Goodreads)

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne, is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on 30th July 2016 

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.

Now, is it really a surprise that I would have this title? I think EVERY book blogger should have this title...anyone out there going to see the play?  I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

- Christinabean