Review: Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

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Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

Title: Hidden Huntress (Malediction Trilogy, 2)
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Swords and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Angry Robot Books (4th June 2015)
Blurb:

SOMETIMES, ONE MUST ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE

Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute. The one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power, or his mainpulation.

Cécile now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. By day she searches for Anushka, the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs of those she cares about will be high.

To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. Cécile might not just be the hunter – she might also be the hunted.

Book II of the Malediction Trilogy, this is the stunning sequel to the acclaimed STOLEN SONGBIRD.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

HIDDEN HUNTRESS by Danielle L. Jensen is the second book in the Malediction Trilogy. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus and is beyond the reach of its inhabitants, both good and bad. She has moved to live with her mother in Trianon and has started to fulfil her childhood dreams. However, she misses and worries about her friends in Trollus, so she decides to search for Anushka and find out more about the curse that keeps the trolls trapped.

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Review: Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

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Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

Title: Throne of Jade (Temeraire, 2)
Author: Naomi Novik
Genre:  Alternative History, Fantasy
Publisher:  HarperVoyager (20 February 2009)
Blurb:

Captain William Laurence, formerly of His Majesty’s Navy, has had only a few months to adjust to his new life as the captain of a fighting dragon, but now he can’t imagine a life outside the British Aerial Corps and Temeraire.

But now the Chinese have demanded the return of their Celestial dragon, and the British government cannot afford to refuse them, even if it costs them the most powerful weapon in their arsenal. Laurence and Temeraire must journey to Chine, knowing that once they arrive in the exotic east, they could be seperated forever.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THRONE OF JADE by Naomi Novik is the second book in her fantastic Temeraire series. The book continues the stories of Captain Will Laurence and the dragon Temeraire. Having settled into life with the British Aerial Corps, Captain Laurence and Temeraire’s lives are disrupted when the Chinese demand the return of their Celestial dragon. As the British government cannot afford to refuse them Temeraire and Captain Laurence are forced to journey to China to find out what future awaits them.

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Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

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Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (UK edition)

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, 3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books (21st October 2014)
Blurb:

For the first time in her life, Blue Sargent has found a place where she feels at home. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own and she is sure that this is where she belongs.

But certainties can unravel.

Visions can mislead.

And friends can betray.

The trick with found things is how easily they can be lost . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

BLUE LILY, LILY BLUE by Maggie Stiefvater is the third instalment of the fantastic The Raven Cycle; it is the penultimate book in the quartet. Blue Sargent and her Raven Boys – Gansey, Ronan, Adam and Noah – are still searching for Glendower, but the consequences of events in THE DREAM THIEVES, the second book in the cycle, play out in this book.

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Illumicrate Unboxing 3 – May 2016

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This post has been one I’ve wanted to write for a while, but unfortunately I managed to tweak my right arm which has made typing challenging. So, sorry for the delay.

The video of my unboxing for this quarter’s Illumicrate is a little different from the previous videos. If you decide to watch it I would love to hear your feedback – did you like it? If you want to skip the video then there are pics below it.

So for those of you who haven’t heard about Illumicrate before:

Illumicrate is a UK based subscription service. It is a box that contains a book and some other bookish goodies. It costs £29.99 (plus P&P if you live outside the UK). You can find out more information and sign-up for updates about the next box here: http://www.illumicrate.com/

The items in the May 2016 Illumicrate are:

  • Book Club Mug by The Art of Escapism
  • To Read List Note Pad by Goodnight Boutique
  • Bookworm Clip by My Bookish Mark
  • Ex Libris Stamp by Little Stamp Store
  • Readers Gonna Read Pin by Literary Emporium
  • When We Collide by Emery Lord + signed book plate
  • Jenny McLachlan Badges
  • The Square Root of Summer Recipe Card
  • Mystery and Mayhem Postcard
  • Strange The Dreamer by Lani Taylor Sampler

I think this is a complete list, please let me know if I’ve missed anything.

Review: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

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Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Title: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands, 1)
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Faber and Faber (4th February 2016)
Blurb:

Tell me how you want your story to go, he says, and we’ll write it straight across the sand.

Dustwalk is an unforgiving, dead-end town. It’s not the place to be poor or orphaned or female. And yet Amani Al’Hiza must call it ‘home’.

Amani wants to escape and see the world she’s heard about in campfire stories.

Then a foreigner with no name turns up, and with him she has the chance to run.

But the desert plains are full of dangerous magic. The Sultan’s army is on the rise and Amani is soon caught at the heart of a fearless rebellion . . .

An epic story of swirling desert sands, love, magic and revolution.

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

REBEL OF THE SANDS by Alwyn Hamilton is the first book in a new trilogy. It tells the story of Amani Al’Hiza an orphan who lives in a dead end town, where she is beholden to her uncle. Amani dreams of escaping the place she was born, of being able to see the places she has only ever heard about in stories. And this time she might just have a chance to escape.

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OUR SONG by Ashley Bodette | Release Day

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This is a little different to my usual post, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Our Song by Ashley Bodette is published today, May 31st 2016.

Becca:
I broke up with Trip four months ago. But with the exception of my parents, I haven’t told anyone why. Not my friends, not my little sister, not even Asher.

Asher:
I’ve been missing my best friend every day for the last nine months. Even though Becca broke up with Trip months ago, she’s still been distant, even when we’re in the same room.

Trip:
She thinks she can break up with me and then go on a “family” vacation with him? I’m going to prove to both of them that she never should have left me.

Book Links:
Add to Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | iBooks

About the Author

Ashley Bodette is a soon-to-be MA publishing graduate from Kingston University London. She started her venture into the book world as a book blogger, never imagining that one day she’d write a book. Now, you couldn’t stop her from writing if you tried.

Along with writing and providing editing and other author services, you also might find Ashley crocheting, watching British television shows on Netflix, playing piano, singing around the house, or, of course, curled up with a good book.

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | LinkedIn | Google + | Wattpad

Review: My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal

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My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal (uncorrected proof copy)

Title: My Name is Leon
Author: Kit de Waal
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Publisher
Publisher:  Viking (2nd June 2016)
Blurb:

Leon is nine, and has a perfect baby brother called Jake. They have gone to live with Maureen, who has fuzzy red hair like a halo, and a belly like Father Christmas. But the adults are speaking in low voices and wearing Pretend faces. They are threatening to take Jake away and give him to strangers. Because Jake is white and Leon is not.

As Leon struggles to cope with his anger, certain things can still make him smile – like Curly Wurlys, riding his bike fast downhill, burying his hands deep in soil, hanging out with Tufty (who reminds him of his dad), and stealing enough coins so that one day he can rescue Jake and his mum.

Evoking Britain in the early eighties, My Name is Leon is a story of love, identity and learning to overcome unbearable loss. Of the fierce bond between siblings. And how – just when we least expect it – we somehow manage to find our way home.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

MY NAME IS LEON is the debut novel by Kit de Waal. It tells the story of nine-year-old Leon, in early eighties Britain who ends up living with Maureen when his mum can’t cope after the birth of his baby brother Jake. The story focuses on Leon’s story as he struggles to cope with the changes in his life.

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Book Haul | May 2016

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I haven’t done a book haul in a while, as far as I can tell my last book haul on here was back in September 2014 – though there have been a few posts on Instagram like this one. I’m not sure why I stopped. I suppose because it’s been a while since I had a reasonable size haul – i.e. more than a couple of books. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this book haul.

In case you decided not to watch the video, you can see a picture of the books I got below.

City of the Lost (Casey Duncan, 1) by Kelley Armstrong
Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, 9) by J. R. Ward
The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, 4) by Maggie Stiefvater
Captive Prince (The Captive Prince Trilogy, 1) by P. C. Pacat
Back Powder War (Temeraire, 3) by Naomi Novik
Angel’s Ink (The Asylum’s Tales, 1) by Jocelynn Drake
The Foxhole Court (All for the Game, 1) by Nora Sakavic

Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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Title: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Genre: Contemporary, GLBT, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books (7th April 2015)
Blurb:

Simon Spier is sixteen and trying to work out who he is – and what he’s looking for.

But when one of his emails to the very distracting Blue falls into the wrong hands, things get all kinds of complicated.

Because, for Simon, falling for Blue is a big deal . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

SIMON vs. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli is a standalone young adult novel that tells the story of sixteen-year-old Simon Spier. When the book starts Simon is exchanging emails anonymously with someone named Blue, who he forms a connection with. After he forgets to log out of his email account at school these emails fall into the wrong hands and life gets complicated for Simon.

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Bout of Books 16 Day 7 & Wrap-up!

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Sunday was the final day of Bout of Books 16, and to be honest I took it pretty easy. I only read 36 pages of the illustrated HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE. Not even close to my 100 page target, but oh well.

My first goal of Bout of Books 16 was to read 700 pages – in the end I read 870 pages, which I’m very pleased with. My second goal was to take part in a Twitter chat – I took part in the Saturday one, well about half of it, but I’m still counting it! And my final goal was to take part in 2 challenges – in the end I took part in 5: introduce yourself #insixwords, Show off Your Shelves Photo Challenge, 5 favourites, If You Like this, Try This, and Share Your Favourite Moments of Bout of Books. So I achieved all my goals, and had a great Bout of Books I think.

If you’re thinking of signing-up for the next Bout of Books it’s on 22nd August 2016 to the 28th August 2016 and you can find out more here.