July 29, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday(180): What We Saw

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
Release date: September 22nd 2015
Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.

But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?

This story—inspired by real events—from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time. 

Why I'm Waiting?
It sounds interesting and I´ve read some good reviews about it on goodreads.

What book are you waiting this week?
Leave your WOW links 

July 28, 2015

Review: Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker


Title: Witch Hunter (Witch Hunter #1)
Author: Virginia Boecker
Publisher: Orchard Books
Release date: June 4th 2015
Source: Netgalley
Format: eARC

Rating: 4/5

Buy onAmazon | B&N | BookDepository
Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Grey doesn't look dangerous. A tiny, blonde, wisp of a girl shouldn't know how to poison a wizard and make it look like an accident. Or take out ten necromancers with a single sword and a bag of salt. Or kill a man using only her thumb. But things are not always as they appear. Elizabeth is one of the best witch hunters in Anglia and a member of the king's elite guard, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and bringing those who practise it to justice. And in Anglia, the price of justice is high: death by burning.

When Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself, she's arrested and thrown in prison. The king declares her a traitor and her life is all but forfeit. With just hours before she's to die at the stake, Elizabeth gets a visitor - Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in Anglia. He offers her a deal: he will free her from prison and save her from execution if she will track down the wizard who laid a deadly curse on him.

As Elizabeth uncovers the horrifying facts about Nicholas's curse and the unwitting role she played in its creation, she is forced to redefine the differences between right and wrong, friends and enemies, love and hate... and life and death.
The first book in an incredible new series set in a fantastical medieval world.

Witch Hunter is on my Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015 list, so I could not wait to read it, I had high expectations and it didn´t disappoint me, it's a good book with paranormal elements.

Elizabeth Grey lives in a world where there have always been witches, wizards, necromancers, healers, etc. but some years ago when she was young there was a plague created by magic that killed half of the inhabitants of Anglia and so the king decree that anyone who was found practicing witchcraft will be sentenced to the stake.

Elizabeth is a 16 years old girl of small in stature and have the appearance of someone weak, but her appearance is misleading, since she´s strong, fast and the only female on the elite group of witch hunters and the second best witch-hunter of the kingdom, only surpassed by her best friend Caleb. So when Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft due that she possess prohibited items, is immediately accused of treason and sent to prison where she will wait for her execution at the stake, but the day she should be burned, she´s rescued by Nicholas Perevil, - the most powerful wizard and leader of the Reformists (those that are opposed to the laws and persecution of witches) - to which a seer told him that he must rescue Elizabeth Grey, because only she could save him from a curse that is killing slowly.

So Elizabeth makes a deal with Nicholas to help each other and they must hide from all their allies that she´s a witch hunter, and knowing that her life would be in danger. And now Elizabeth is on the other side of the law, fleeing her friends and fellow witch-hunters and helping to break the laws of their king, she must do everything to survive, since she initially believes that all magic is harmful, but as she spends more time with Nicholas (a wizard), John (a healer), Fifer (a witch) and George (a reformist), realizes that not all is black and white, as there are good and evil in both sides and she must do what´s right and not necessarily what the law says, the one that she followed religiously when she was witch hunter.

Witch Hunter is a fantasy book, but the atmosphere is very similar to medieval England at the time of witch hunts in that country. With good and likable characters,- I specially liked John - and a good villain. This novel has a lot of intrigue, mystery and betrayal. I am pleased that Elizabeth is not all-powerful, as on occasion she need to resort to the help of her new fellow wizards/witches to survive and how is revealed whom the real villain is. It has a good ending and I want to know that more about Elizabeth Grey and her friends, can´t wait for its sequel.

Book trailer

July 27, 2015

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.
Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella (4.5/5 stars)

What I´m going to read next?


What are you reading today? 
Leave me your links!

July 21, 2015

Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created bThe Broke and the Bookish

Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters
Example: features minority/religious minority, socioeconomic diversity, disabled MC,  neurotypical character, LGBTQ, etc.
(in no particular order)

These are the diverse books that I´ve read so far, I definitely need to read more diverse books.

Non-Caucasian Protagonists
The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa: The main character of the series Allison Sekemoto is Asian. I really loved this trilogy.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson: The main character of the series, Elisa has overweight and has dark skin.
Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu : Day´s main ethnicity is Mongolian.

How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski : I read this book a long time ago, but if I remember correctly Rosalita is Italian/Mexican.

LGBTQ
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan 
Proxy (Proxy #1) by Alex London
Far From You by Tess Sharpe

Made of Stars by Kelley York 

Disabled Main Character

I seriously couldn´t remember a lot YA books with a main character with a disability, this one was the only one I could remember after, I stare my computer for a while.

Simone Elkeles also have a trilogy with Mexican-born male leads.

Disfigured Main Character
Again, I had to search in the listopia on goodreads to find a book that I had read that apply to the criteria.

What are your favorite books so far this year?
Leave me your link in the comments.

July 20, 2015

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.
Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker (4/5 stars)
Paper Towns by John Green
Reviews to come.

What I´m going to read next?

What are you reading today? 
Leave me your links!

July 14, 2015

Last Ten Books That Came Into My Possession

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created bThe Broke and the Bookish

Last Ten Books That Came Into My Possession
(bought, library, review copies)
(in no particular order)

This is a sort of sneak peek to my Stacking the Shelves for the month of July.
FOR REVIEW
One by Sarah Crossan

BOUGHT
Hero (Woodcutter Sisters #2) by Alethea Kontis
A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird #1) by Claudia Gray
The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson

Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

All Played Out (Rusk University #3) by Cora Carmack
Worth the Risk (The McKinney Brothers #2) by Claudia Connor
Half a King (Shattered Sea #1) by Joe Abercrombie

What books have you bought lately?
Leave me your link in the comments.

July 13, 2015

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.
Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading
The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead (4.5/5) (Review)

The Jewel (The Lone City #1) by Amy Ewing (3.5/5) (Review)
Currently reading

What I´m going to read next?


What are you reading today? 
Leave me your links!

July 10, 2015

Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing


Title: The Jewel (The Lone City #1)
Author: Amy Ewing
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: September 2nd 2014

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy onAmazon | B&N | BookDepository
The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale in this darkly riveting debut filled with twists and turns, where all that glitters may not be gold.

The Jewel means wealth, the Jewel means beauty—but for Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Born and raised in the Marsh, Violet finds herself living in the Jewel as a servant at the estate of the Duchess of the Lake. Addressed only by her number—#197—Violet is quickly thrown into the royal way of life. But behind its opulent and glittering facade, the Jewel hides its cruel and brutal truth, filled with violence, manipulation, and death.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life . . . all while trying to stay alive. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess's control, and a forbidden love erupts. But their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom. 

The Lone City is a city divided by caste or social class and they´re divided in 5 circles surrounded by walls, the poorest are living in the Marshes, then is the Farms, then Smoke, the penultimate circle is Bank and finally in the center is the Jewel, which is where the royalty live.

And all girls who were born in the Marsh or the Farm are subjected to a blood test at puberty and if test is positive they´re sent to a holding facility where they are trained in Auguries (to manipulate color, shape and growth of objects or plants) and when they reach certain age they´re auctioned to the highest bidder as surrogates of Royalty. There their duty is to obey their masters, they are treated as property and are prepared to be the surrogate of  the baby to their masters.

Violet is a 16 years-old girl, that´s is auctioned as lot # 197, and from the moment of her sale she can only be referred to as 197 or the surrogate of the House of the Lake. And despite living in luxury, because she´s dressed and lives in opulence, is well fed and have a lady-in-waiting that serves all her needs, Violet still is a prisoner until she can get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby to the House of the Lake, then her future is uncertain. So Violet must find a way to escape her fate.

Violet is very naive and she lives in a brutal dystopian world, with a combination of old and new, where royalty has all the power and can dispose of the life of their subjects at any time. There is a clear power play among the royalty that directly affects the security of Violet.

My biggest problem with the story was the romance, because is insta-love and I didn´t believe for a moment.

A character that intrigues me a lot is Lucien, he´s the lady-in-waiting of the Electress, his intentions toward Violet are unclear, is he an ally or someone who just wants to use her for his own purposes.

Overall, it´s a good dystopian book (if you don't take into account the insta-love) with an interesting and unique story (although some elements reminded me Archetype -. I have not read The Selection, nor The Handmaid's Tale, so that I can not comment if they´re similar), it has some interesting and unexpected twists and that ending hooked me to read its sequel - The White Rose. This trilogy definitely has so much potential.

Book trailer

July 9, 2015

Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead


Title: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6)
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Release date: February 10th 2015

Rating: 4.5/5

Buy onAmazon | B&N | BookDepository

You can read my review of The Golden Lily - here, The Indigo Spell hereThe Fiery Heart - here Silver Shadows - here
THEY WILL BE TESTED

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.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

This more than a review of The Ruby Circle, is me rambling about it.

Okay, and just to clarify Bloodlines is the spin-off of the Vampire Academy series, so after reading 12 books of Moroi, Damphirs and 8 books (of those 12) on the alchemists, the story comes to an end (hopefully not), no more books about Adrian Ivashkov, Sydney Sage, Rose Hathaway and/or Dimitri Belikov (unless I reread them). I will miss them....

There were many times throughout the series that I said that one of my favorite characters and my fictional boyfriend is Adrian Ivashkov (I love him since Frostbite), so I'm not very partial or impartial in regard to him, to all the other characters I can find fault on them but I just can´t any on him, and it was difficult for me to read this book, I did not want it to end, I was divided between read it slowly and enjoy it or hurry up and you just know how it ends.

I loved this book!!, I liked the action scenes because Sydney and Adrian fight with their powers such as human magic and spirit magic respectively, I also loved that Adrian does many things with spirit that I didn´t know he could do; also it has a good dose of romance, it has a good ending, but it didn´t felt so extraordinary, it was a little bit anticlimactic. But it's a good ending.

SPOILER - DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN´T READ THE RUBY CIRCLE - SPOILER

During this series the idea of ​​making some kind of vaccine? or potion? using spirit to help somehow the damphis and Morois with their battle against the Strigoi, made some progressing the previous book, but in The Ruby Circle I felt that there wasn´t a follow up.

I liked the fact that Dimitri is a relative of certain Moroi I adore and love, I found it very funny, but in my opinion it lacks a little of follow up.

Declan is character that´s introduced in this book and he becomes a very important little person in the life of Adrian and Sydney.

I liked the epilogue because it takes place a year and a half after Jill´s rescue and we can see most of the couples of the series having a Christmas dinner, catching up on their lives. But I felt that something was missing in the ending (IMHO)

Some of the details that I found in this book that also needed some kind of follow up were subplots that were left unfinished (or at least I did not read when they were resolved), such as the vaccine or potion of protection that Sonya Karp was working on, the new laws that  Queen  Lissa was promoting, I never knew whether or not they passed. And the army of Morois that are presented in this book, whom are preparing for combat damphir-style, but also including their powers, in order to promote another law, that the Moroi need to be taught to fight in their school years.

But overall, I really loved The Ruby Circle, is captivating is action-pack with, romance and we get to see a lot of cameos such as Rose, Dimitri, Lissa and Christian. I LOVED this series.

July 8, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday(179): The Veil

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

The Veil (Devil's Isle #1) by Chloe Neill
Release date: August 4th 2015
Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil's Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused.

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack—in full view of the French Quarter—Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs, even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

But when the Veil threatens to shatter completely, Claire and Liam must work together to stop it, or else New Orleans will burn…

Why I'm Waiting?
Lately I been reading more UF/PNR books, that´s why I´m very intrigued by The Veil and can´t wait to read it.

What book are you waiting this week?
Leave your WOW links 

July 4, 2015

Stacking the Shelves (47): June

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga´s Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. 

These are the books I got in June.

FOR REVIEW
Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout
A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery
Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals #1) by Eleanor Herman

Thanks to the publishers, Edelweiss and Netgalley for the eARCs.
FOR MY KINDLE
Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

What books did you get?
Leave me your link in the comments.