Monday, September 25, 2017

Review: Roar

Roar (Stormheart, #1)
Title: Roar
Author: Cora Carmack
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: June 13, 2017

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.

She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.


Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

I first picked up a copy of Roar at ALA midwinter back in January, because I've read some of Cora Carmack's NA romances, and I've loved them. Lucky for me, Ya fantasy is my favorite genre. So while I may have been surprised when I read the jacket copy, I wasn't disappointed.

Months went by and I never got a chance to read it. In fact, it wasn't until a couple months after I bought a finished copy that I finally dove into it. And all I can say is wow. Just wow.

I absolutely love the characters in this book. Roar is Princess Aurora of Pavan. She also goes by Rora. So to keep things straight, I'll just call her Roar. When she starts out, she's very accepting of her fate to marry the prince of Locke, Cassius. But when she hears him say something to his brother, she's determined she's never going to marry him. The only problem is that she doesn't possess any of the storm magic her family is known for to keep her kingdom safe from the incredibly deadly storms.

Roar goes through such an incredible journey throughout the entire book. I cannot wait to see how things play out in the next book.

Cassius. Oh Cassius. He's a great character. He would be terrible as a love interest. He's manipulative and cunning, but these make him a very compelling character. He has so many secrets, that I'm certain we haven't seen the last of them. I can't wait to see how his character might develop and to see what more he's hiding.

The worldbuilding was incredible. Deadly and violent storms with a mind all their own, intent on destroying people? Yep. Not to mention all different kinds of magic. I could talk a lot longer, but unfortunately, I don't have the time.

Overall
I'm glad I finally read this one. The next book is going to be one of my most anticipated reads of 2018.

5 stars


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Mini Reviews: A Goodreads Cross-Post Part 2

You may have noticed a theme in my last Cross-Post over here. That theme being the fake-relationship trope. Yes, I have read enough of these lately to create a fake relationship goodreads shelf. And I need morrrrreee! So if you have recommendations, please just comment. Or email me. Or message me on twitter. Just, you know, give me all the fake relationship recs.

In the spirit of how I did my last post, I will not be giving the synopsis or buy links. Click on the cover picture to go to the goodreads page.

Monday, September 18, 2017

Review: Rebel Rising

Title: Rebel Rising
Author: Amanda J Clay
Release Date: September 18, 2017

A princess with nothing left to lose is a dangerous thing.

Princess Elyra Ballantyne has lost everything important to her—her father, her position, her freedom, and the one she loves. As rebellion festers beneath the city walls, and corruption spreads throughout the palace, she’s left with two choices: accept Minister General Pantone’s rule or rise up, learn to fight, and take back her country.

Rebel Rising is the second book in the top-selling Rebel Song series.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Updates Ahoy!

It feels like most of what I've posted lately are life updates. So it goes.

But I swear I'm getting back into things. I even have a review written and at least three more in the works. Go me!

Okay, so for those of you who know that I am located in Florida, I did want to tell you that I'm okay and my house is okay after Hurricane Irma. I did have the unfortunate experience of coming home after evacuating to find that my home had been broken into. So that's an ongoing thing now. 

The other bit of news I have is that I decided (instead of beginning to query) to post Spy Project up on Swoon Reads. I don't think it's 100% there, but I'm not completely sure what to do with it. So I'd love feedback. 

I've talked a lot about Spy Project over the last year or so. It's one of my favorite manuscripts. So you guys can officially know now that my working title for this one is Cloak & Dagger. I hope that if it ever does get published, it gets something that stands out more lol.

Anyway, if you're at all curious, you can find Cloak & Dagger over on Swoon Reads (right here). I'll also be adding it to the menu at top, much like Iron Curse was there.

I will be back on Monday with a new review!

Friday, September 8, 2017

Another Life Update

So yea. I thought I was going to be back more last time, but I wasn't. Oops?

So since I hardly posted anything, here's another update on a day in the life of Christina.


Yea, I really need to work on that stuff...

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Blog Tour Review: Before She Ignites

28524058Title: Before She Ignites
Author: Jodi Meadows
Pages: 496
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: September 12th, 2017

Before

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland. But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.

After

Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect. No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

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