August 22, 2016

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Date.
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
Hi, I´ve been absent from this blog due that I was on vacations with the family, but hopefully I´ll post entries more regularly. My last It´s Monday was on August 1st, so these are the books that I´ve read since my last post.
Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness #1) by Laura Kaye (3.5/5 stars)
The Serpent King de Jeff Zentner (4.5/5 stars)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (4/5 stars)

Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (4/5 stars)
Invincible (Chronicles of Nick #2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (4/5 stars)
Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks) by Miranda Kenneally (4/5 stars)


Currently reading
It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

What are you reading today?
Leave me your links!

August 10, 2016

Waiting On Wednesday: Wintersong

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

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Release date: February 7th 2017
Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world. 

Why I'm Waiting?
Because it´s the retelling or reimagination of the Labyrinth movie and I like retellings.

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

August 9, 2016

Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

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


Top Ten Books I Just HAD To Buy... But Are Still Sitting On My Bookshelf
(in no particular order)

This is my top 10 of physical books that I had to buy....
 Infinity, Invincible and Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon
I own book 1 to book 6 of the Chronicles of Nick series and I still haven´t read them.

Summer trilogy by Jenny Han
I own the trilogy and I hope to read The Summer I Turned Pretty soonish.

The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
I own the three books odf the trilogy and I still haven´t read them.

I LOVED Daughter of Smoke and Bones but I haven´t had time to read it´s sequels.

City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare 
City of Lost Souls had been sitting on my bookshelf since 2012 and I though that I would read it nearer to the release date of the final book, and I finally bought City of Heavenly Fire but I still haven´t read them.

I Hunt Killers and Game by Barry Lyga
I bought it because I read several good reviews about it and I liked the creepy cover of I hunt killers.

Opal, Origin and Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I plan to read them back to back.

Shade, Shift and Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
I bought them on 2012, when the last book of the trilogy was released, with this pretty covers....but I still haven´t read them.

I own book 1 to book 8 of the Charley Davidson series and I still haven´t read them.....maybe this year I´ll read at least book 1.

Hard Bitten, Drink Deep and Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
I own book 1 to book 10 of the Chicagoland Vampires series and I´ve only read the first three books of the series.

What books did you just have to buy, but you haven´t read yet?
and
Which book do you recommend me to read first?
Leave me your links!

August 5, 2016

Review: Empire of Dust by Eleanor Herman


Title: Empire of Dust (Blood of Gods and Royals #2)
Author: Eleanor Herman
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: June 28th 2016
Source: Netgalley
Format: eARC

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy onAmazon | B&N | BookDepository

You can read my review of Legacy of Kings - here
In Macedon, war rises like smoke, forbidden romance blooms and ancient magic tempered with rage threatens to turn an empire to dust

After winning his first battle, Prince Alexander fights to become the ruler his kingdom demands—but the line between leader and tyrant blurs with each new threat.

Meanwhile, Hephaestion, cast aside by Alexander for killing the wrong man, must conceal the devastating secret of a divine prophecy from Katerina even as the two of them are thrust together on a dangerous mission to Egypt.

The warrior, Jacob, determined to forget his first love, vows to eradicate the ancient Blood Magics and believes that royal prisoner Cynane holds the key to Macedon's undoing.

And in chains, the Persian princess Zofia still longs to find the Spirit Eaters, but first must grapple with the secrets of her handsome—and deadly—captor.

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy to reimagine the world's most brilliant ruler, Alexander the Great, in the second book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Empire of Dust is the second book in the  Blood of Gods and Royals series, which is a re-imagining historical mixed with fantasy, where one of the main characters is Alexander the Great at the age of 16 years old.

The story is told from multiple (seven) point of views being one of them of course Alexander, but we also have other POVs, one of them being Hephaestion, best friend of Alexander, but because of various things that happened in the previous book, Alexander cannot completely trust him, which keeps him away from all his decisions when previously he was his main confidant. Another main character is Katerina and she has a special relationship with Alexander and has Queen Olympias as her enemy which wants her dead. Meanwhile Jacob, Katerina´s best friend and romantic interest (on the previous book), has become a Aesarian Lord, which is a sort of group dedicated to eradicating magic (something very like the Inquisition), and go through all the kingdoms imprisoning people that are suspected of having magic. We also have Princess Zofia, which was Prince Alexander´s fiancee, but in this book she´s a fugitive since she escaped her future to join her beloved and on the road she was captured by Ochus, and she´s also trying to find mythical creatures with hope to change her future (her story unfolds in Persia).

And we also have two more POVs, the villains: Queen Olympias, Alexander´s mother, which has many secrets and will do everything to protect them. The other villain is Cynane, half-sister of Alexander which wants to rule her own Queendom and if she can´t govern Macedon, she will do anything to get the help needed to become queen of another Kingdom.

And because it has seven POVs (that without counting a chapter by Darius of Persia), there are different plots, Alexander having won his first battle prepares for the subsequent battle in case the established truce will not last, and in the meanwhile he discovers that there is a traitor in his council. In addition to sending Katerina and Hephaestion as ambassadors to Egypt. Meanwhile Jacob discovers something about himself that he could put his career and life in jeopardy as an Aesarian Lord. And Princess Zofia is in a race against a prophecy that she doesn´t want to come true, because it could endanger the life of her loved one. Also Queen Olympias after being betrayed, continues with her plans to free her beloved from a spell that holds him prisoner, even if to do so she must kill. And because there are so many plots, there were times when it felt that the plot didn´t progress fast enough, at least my favorite plot.

And I do not remember if I discuss it in my review of the first book, but I still don´t see the point of the story of Princess Zofia and is my least favorite of all points of views, but something happens in this book in Macedon which relates with her history and I cannot wait to see what happens. And my favorite point of view is Alexander and I feel that this book he had an enormous growth because despite only being 16 years old, he governs Macedon (in the absence of his father) and he makes major changes in his kingdom.

And it has a great ending!! It hooked me to read the next book in the series.

August 4, 2016

Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab


Title: This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: June 7th 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC

Rating: 4/5

Buy on Amazon | B&N | BookDepository
There’s no such thing as safe.

Kate Harker wants to be as ruthless as her father. After five years and six boarding schools, she’s finally going home to prove that she can be.

August Flynn wants to be human. But he isn’t. He’s a monster, one that can steal souls with a song. He’s one of the three most powerful monsters in a city overrun with them. His own father’s secret weapon.

Their city is divided.

Their city is crumbling.

Kate and August are the only two who see both sides, the only two who could do something.

But how do you decide to be a hero or a villain when it’s hard to tell which is which? 

This is the first book I´ve read written by Victoria Schwab and let me tell you, I really liked it a lot, it has a very original story, that is dark and raw and it has no romance (although part of plot reminds me Romeo and Juliet).

Verity is a city divided by two leaders, Callum Harker has control of the north, in which he protects those who pay for his protection, since he controls the monsters that inhabit the north; while in the south Henry Flynn protects its inhabitants from the monsters with his militarized group. And for the past six years, both sides of Verity had lived in a truce, that seems to be coming to an end.

Verity is a city plagued by monsters; There are 3 types .... the Corsai that eat human flesh, the Malchai, they drink blood and the Sunai that feed on souls, these last ones are very rare and its known that there are only three and they all live in the south of the city.
Corsai, Corsai, tooth and claw,
Shadow and bone will eat you raw.
Malchai, Malchai, sharp and sly,
Smile and bite and drink you dry.
Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,
Sing you a song and steal your soul.
Monsters, monsters, big and small,
They're gonna come and eat you all!
This rhyme that children sing in both parts of the city defines the monsters best and rhyme reminded me a horror movie I just don´t remember which.

Kate Harker returns to Verity after spending years in different boarding schools, she is tired of living away from her legacy and returns to Verity to prove to her father that she´s a Harker, rough, ruthless and violent, so she will do whatever it takes to convince her father of it. Meanwhile August Flynn, the adopted son of Henry Flynn, he knows that he isn´t a human, but he does his best to emulate them. August wants to help his father and he´s willing to do what is asked from him. The lives of this characters crosses and both are drawn into a conspiracy that could end the truce between the two sides of the city.

This Savage Song a beautifully written book, with a very interesting story, intriguing, dark with creepy moments, set in a city plagued by monsters, which is divided by humans.

Book trailer

August 2, 2016

Ten Books You'd Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card

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

Ten Books You'd Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card
(in no particular order)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling (illustrated edition)

What book would you buy if you had a gift card?
Leave me your link in the comments.