Review: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

Title: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: August 27th 2013
Source: Edelweiss
Format: egalley

Rating: 5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

You can read my review of The Girl of Fire and Thorns - here & The Crown of Embers - here

The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

This book was amazing! I LOVE IT ! This is one of the best epic fantasy trilogy /series I've read.

After the cliffhanger ending of the previous book, I could not wait to read this book and find out what would happened to the characters , I was biting my nails because I wanted to know what would happen to Hector and I thank the author because she include several chapters from Hector point of view, I was dying to know what was happening to him!.

In The Bitter Kingdom, Elisa has a new challenge, she must travel to the kingdom of Invierne on a rescue mission with her faithful friends and a new friend who is acting as a guide. And during her journey she continues to practice with the magic of her Godstone, trying to discover new powers and practicing self- defense. But in her mission she will discover something about her Godstone and her enemy, that can help her or destroy her.

The main characters of this book are Elisa and Hector, they´re great heroes. Queen Elisa is a 17 year-old girl, she´s the bearer of the Godstone, and in this book she discover a little more about it and she can do defensive magic with it, but she doesn´t rely only on the magic of the stone, she also learns to fight with daggers and self-defense... she is a strong and intelligent heroine. And Hector, he´s an amazing hero, he´s strong, loyal to death, honorable, intelligent, skilled with swords and daggers.

The secondary characters are very likable; Mara , Belén and Storm are my favorites and the latter was a big surprise because in him Elisa found a great ally and friend.

The Bitter Kingdom is the perfect ending to this wonderful trilogy. Overall, this book was EPIC !, with more romance than its predecessors, more action, adventure, suspense and more intrigue. I highly recommend this trilogy! Is a MUST READ.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.

Waiting On Wednesday (88): The Fiery Heart

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 Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead
Release date: November 19th 2013

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

Why I'm Waiting?

Because I LOVE Adrian and this series.  I can´t wait to read Adrian´s POVs. 

What book are you waiting this week?

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Review: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Title: The Beginning of Everything 
Author: Robyn Schneider
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release date: August 27th 2013
Source: Edelweiss
Format: egalley

Rating: 4/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.

I really enjoy reading young adult novels from a male point of view, so that was one of the main factors that attracted me to this book, another was the name by which this book was originally handled - Severed Heads, Broken Hearts (that´s the name of my eARC), I was really intrigued by it..

When I started reading this book I had a preconceived idea about it, mainly by what is implied by the synopsis that is somewhat correct, but I had imagined a different Ezra. Ezra is a 17 year-old that has it all in life, popularity, since he´s the captain of the tennis team, class president, boyfriend of one of the most popular girls at school, prom king, besides he´s very attractive and comes from a wealthy family. And one day on his junior year, he has a car accident that leaves him unable to play tennis for the rest of his life, he also break up with his girlfriend and separate from his friends.

You and I can imagine that Ezra will become a bitter, angry with life, etc., etc.., but strangely that´s not what happens because he accepts very well the fact that he no longer can play tennis for the rest of his life, and accepts the consequences that result from the accident, because he feels that no longer fits with his friends. And on his first day of senior year he´s reunited with Toby his childhood best friend and he also meets Cassidy, he is attracted to her. Cassidy is very clever girl, full of fun, very witty and quirky. With them Ezra finds new friends and new experiences.

Overall, I really liked this book because it is fun, isn´t predictable, it has romance, friendship and self-discovery because Ezra had to redefine his entire future, now that playing tennis no longer defines his life. The ending is a little bittersweet but I liked it. This is a coming of age novel.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday (17): Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters
(in no particular order)

1. Finnick Odair from Catching Fire - He´s one of the most memorable secondary characters from the books that I´ve read so far.

2. Brimstone from Daughter of Smoke & Bone - I love Brimstone, he´s the father figure, mentor of Karou.

3. Buruu from Stormdancer - this is a very lovable character. 

4. Grimalkin from The Iron Fey series - I love him, he´s a know-it-all cat.

5. The Weasley twins from Harry Potter series - They´re both  pranksters and I love them for it.

6. Kanin from The Immortal Rules trilogy - He´s Alison´s  maker/mentor.

7. Jackal from The Eternity Cure - Jackal has a love-hate relationship with Alison.

8. Storm from The Crown of Embers - Storm is an intriguing character.

9. Eddie Castile from Bloodlines series - He´s my favorite secondary character fron Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series.

10. Oberon from The Iron Druid Chronicles - Oberon is the best friend/sidekick of the main character and he´s a dog. An hilarious dog.

Who are your favorite secondary characters?

Leave me your links!

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

Currently reading

What I´m going to read next? 

 

What are you reading today? 

Leave me your links!

Have a great week!

Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Title: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)
Author: Rae Carson 
Publisher: September 18th 2012
Release date: Greenwillow Books

Rating: 5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

You can read my review of The Girl of Fire and Thorns - here

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

After reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns I couldn´t wait to read the second book of this great trilogy and although the previous book doesn´t have a cliffhanger, I wanted to know what would happen to Elisa now that she is the queen and see where her godstone would take her, because as the bearer of the godstone she needs to do an act of service on his behalf.

In The Crown of Embers, Elisa has no respite, because now as the queen of a nation that is not where she was born, there are people who do not want her in power for not being a native of Joya d'Arena and they consider her just a kid because she is 17 years-old. Besides her enemies The Inviernos, to whom she defeat in the previous book choose a different tactic to take over her kingdom and Elisa herself. So in this book Elisa not only has to fight against foreign enemies (The Inviernos), but she will also have to fight against enemies from her own kingdom and all this between attempts on her life, keeping her people happy, etc.. And with all these problems she manages to fall in love again, but she might not have her happily ever after because she must not follow her heart but her head; she must form an alliance with someone who suits her reign.

In this book we learn more about characters we saw very little in the previous book, as Hector, Mara and Belén, of these my favorite character is Hector, I love him! he´s very loyal, honorable, intelligent, strong and literally will give his life for his queen. He´s everything you expect from a true hero. I'm Team Hector! And we also meet new characters like Storm and this book I don´t know what to think of him.

This book is even better than its predecessor, has a lot more action, romance (yes!), intrigue, betrayal, suspense and has a super-mega cliffhanger. And I cannot wait to read the next and final book of this amazing trilogy. This book is a stunning epic fantasy novel and I highly recommend it.

Review: Facade by Nyrae Dawn

Title: Facade (Games #2)
Author: Nyrae Dawn
Publisher: Forever
Release date: July 2nd 2013
Source: Netgalley
Format: egalley
Reading level: Ages 18 and up

Rating: 4/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

Facade is the second book in the series Games, but it can be read without reading the previous book because Facade is more like Charade´s companion novel (the first book in the series) and it is also the first book I´ve read written by Nyrae Dawn. I had read several very good reviews of other books by this author, so when I had the opportunity to read to review this book, I took it.

Facade is a New Adult novel, so it is recommended for adults. And this book tells the story of Adrian and Delaney, they´re going through difficult times. Delaney is a of 18 years old young woman that have her father in prison and her mother does not want her around,  so she only have her older brother Maddox, he´s travels with her when she decides to move to another city trying to search the persons that her father hurt and try to help them; in this new city he meets Adrian is a depressed, heart broken guy and and with huge weight of guilt that to keep living and take his mind occupied, he does drugs, he likes to party every night and use no strings attached sex as a means to distract himself for a moment and everybody that knows him only know an Adrian that does not exist, they know only a facade, not even his best friends Colt and Cheyenne (the protagonists of the first book ) really know him.

So when he meets Delaney and she gets to see under his game and get to see parts of the real Adrian, he's not sure he wants to let her know the real Adrian.

This book is told from the point of view of Adrian and Delaney, so I could see where the story was going and is quite predictable or at least that´s what I thought, that I had figured out the story, but there is one detail that I could not predict (I cried ... is the saddest part of the whole book), just for that little detail my rating went from 3.5 to 4, because I don´t like it when the plot is predictable, I rather like to slowly uncovering the plot..

Overall, Facade is a realistic contemporary novel, it broke my heart, it's really sad but with a happy ending. I recommended it for fans of New Adult novels.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Book Cover Battle #50: The Scorpio Races

This section or meme is call Book Cover Battle, the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK, I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

This week book cover battle is

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Click on the image to go to Goodreads

US (Hardcover)                    US (Paperback)

Spanish                              UK

Czech                              Dutch

French                              German

Italian                              Lithuanian

Swedish                              Polish

This time I like several book covers such as both Us covers, Spanish, UK, French, German and Polish covers but my favorites are the US paperback and the Polish cover.

What do you think? Which is your favorite? 

Waiting On Wednesday (87): The Iron Traitor

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 Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2) by Julie Kagawa

Release date: October 22nd 2013 

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Why I'm Waiting?

I love this series and I can´t wait to read more about Ethan and Keirran.

What book are you waiting this week?

Leave your WOW links 

Review: Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Right of Way
Author: Lauren Barnholdt 
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release date: July 9th 2013
Source: Edelweiss
Format: egalley

Rating: 3/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Can a road trip repair a romance gone wrong? Find out in this standalone companion to Lauren Barnholdt’s Two-way Street.

Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.

Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.

Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…

Right of Way is the companion novel of Two-way Street and therefore I wanted to read it to find out what happened with Jordan and Courtney, if they end up together, how they were, and so on. In this book, Peyton the female protagonist is Courtney´s  cousin and story begins the day after a wedding she attended and there she meets with her ex-boyfriend Jace, a boy with whom she had a long distance relationship since he lives in Florida and she in Connecticut. She had plans to travel with a friend but that friend didn´t arrived, so she is left stranded in Florida with no way to return home, so Jace offers to take her to Connecticut and so begins the road trip begins! Peyton is not too happy at first, but she sees no other alternative.

This book is entertaining and I´ve liked lately contemporary books about road trips. The story is told from the point of view of Jace and Peyton (Alternating between them) and it begins in the present when they are no longer dating, but it also has several chapters that take place months before, when they met for the first time on Christmas vacations and how they met and we can see a little of their instant romance and they´re also another chapters that takes place after they broke up and we see how they go about their lives in their respective cities and how they keep obsessing with each other.

Overall, it's a light and fun read. And the character that I liked most was Jace, and he is super cute, sweet and a little more mature than Peyton, she is insecure, a little self-centered and very immature. What I didn´t like was the open ending (I don´t like open endings) and I felt it a little rushed, I would have liked a little more information about what happen next.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.

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

Currently reading

What I´m going to read next? 

What are you reading today? 

Leave me your links!

Have a great week!

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Trust In Me by J. Lynn

Trust in Me (Wait for You #1.5) by J. Lynn

Release date:  October 22nd 2013

BLURB

It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

GIVEAWAY

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting On Wednesday (86): Thornhill

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

Thornhill (Hemlock #2) by Kathleen Peacock 

Release date: September 10th 2013

Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found.

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow.

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

Why I'm Waiting?

I loved Hemlock and I can´t wait to read this book.

What book are you waiting this week?

Leave your WOW links