Review: Queen of Tomorrow (Stolen Empire #2) by Sherry D. Ficklin

 Queen of Tomorrow
(Stolen Empire #2)

by Sherry D. Ficklin

July 14, 2015

280 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.

When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.

Stacking the Shelves #50

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

One of my local bookstore was closing and it had a huge sale where everything was 50% off. As you can see, I kind of went a little crazy! #sorrynotsorry Ripple and I don't know which one to read first ;)

Clockwork Angel graphic novel
Clockwork Prince praphic novel
On the Fence by Kasie West
The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes
Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard
The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Ensnared by A.G. Howard
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
After the End by Amy Plum
Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke
Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Compulsion by Martina Boone
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Sorry, no Goodreads links this time :P

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Review: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Of Beast and Beauty

by Stacey Jay

July 23, 2013

391 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

WoW #51: Queen of Tomorrow (Stolen Empire #2) by Sherry D. Ficklin

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

 

 

Queen of Tomorrow

(Stolen Empire #2)

by Sherry D. Ficklin

July 14, 2015
280 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.

When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.
 

I absolutely adore this series and think it deserves much more attention than it is getting!! The story's oh so intense and gripping not to mention the main character, Sophie/Catherine, is such a fantastic heroine!

 

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes
(Snow Like Ashes #1)

by Sara Raasch

October 14, 2014

416 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Stacking the Shelves #49

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

I won this book from Soumi @ Pages From My Thoughts. Thanks Soumi and St. Martin's Press for sending it to me!

 

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

 

This was a Twitter win from Christine @ Padfoots Library. Thank you for the little card, it's so thoughtful! Ripple's already dived into the book ;)

 

Nothing Like Love by Sabrina Ramnanan

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Maybe Someday

by Colleen Hoover

March 18, 2014

385 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.

WoW #50: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

 

 

The Heart of Betrayal

(The Remnant Chronicles #2)

by Mary E. Pearson

July 7, 2015
470 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

 

I'm so super excited for this one!! I even stopped myself from requesting it because I want to read the pretty finished hardcover copy~ I can't wait to get it in my hands and pet it :D

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: Velvet by Temple West

Velvet

by Temple West

May 12, 2015

416 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.

After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.

Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

Stacking the Shelves #48

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

 

 

Alexa from Alexa Loves Books hosted the 2015 Love-a-Thon back in February and I won one of the prize packs. Thank you to both Alexa and Erin Lindsay McCabe for mailing these to me! They're both super sweet!

I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott

Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

 

I received some review books and I'm really excited to try them cause they're not my usual reads! Thank you Raincoast Books :D

 

The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig

Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Introducing the Hidden Huntress Fan Art Competition!!

Hello everyone! Today I'm super excited to announce the Hidden Huntress Fan Art Competition presented to you by Angry Robot Books!

Hidden Huntress, book two of the Malediction Trilogy, was released on June 2nd, and now that you've all had a chance to read it, we're really, really excited to share with you our new fan art competition!

We all have a vision in our head of the Malediction world, but what does it look like to you? Can you imagine Tristan, in all of his handsome glory? Or how about the gorgeous glass gardens hidden away in Trollus? We'd like you to put pen to paper and show us your idea of Danielle L. Jensen's rich and beautiful world.

The competition will be hosted by four different blogs and each blog will have a different topic for you to draw! The blogs and topics are:

BookCatPin - Witches (including Cecile)
The Reader & The Chef - Trolls
The Social Potato - Humans
The Qwillery - Architecture (Trollus, Trianon, the castle and the opera house)

WoW #49: A Book of Spirits and Thieves (Spirits and Thieves #1) by Morgan Rhodes

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about!

 

A Book of Spirits and Thieves

(Spirits and Thieves #1)

by Morgan Rhodes

June 23, 2015
368 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Modern-day sisters discover deadly ancient magic in book 1 of this Falling Kingdoms spin-off series!

Worlds collide in this suspenseful, page-turning Falling Kingdoms spin-off series, which explores a whole new side of Mytica—and an even darker version of its magic.

Crystal Hatcher, Modern-day Toronto: It’s a normal afternoon in her mother’s antique bookshop when Crys witnesses the unthinkable: her little sister Becca collapses into a coma after becoming mesmerized by a mysterious book written in an unrecognizable language.

Maddox Corso, Ancient Mytica: Maddox Corso doesn’t think much of it when he spots an unfamiliar girl in his small village. Until, that is, he realizes that she is a spirit, and he is the only one who can see or hear her. Her name is Becca Hatcher, and she needs Maddox to help get her home.

Farrell Grayson, Modern-day Toronto: Rich and aimless Farrell Grayson is thrilled when the mysterious leader of the ultra-secret Hawkspear Society invites him into the fold. But when he learns exactly what he has to do to prove himself, Farrell starts to question everything he thought he knew about family, loyalty, and himself….

Fate has brought these young people together, but ancient magic threatens to rip them apart.

This just sounds so epic and amazing! Guess I better start reading the Falling Kingdoms series eh? ;)

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson

 

It's getting close to the release date of The Heart of Betrayal and I am beyond excited! Finally some more of Lia, Rafe and Kaden~ I wanted to share my review of The Kiss of Deception today :)

 

The Kiss of Deception
(The Remnant Chronicles #1)
by Mary E. Pearson

July 8, 2014

489 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

Stacking the Shelves #47

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

 

 

I won these awhile ago from MaryAnn @ Chapter by Chapter! I've had my eyes on these for some time so I'm ecstatic to have them now! Thank you to MaryAnn and the publisher for sending them to me :)

 

Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Blog Tour - Interview with Danielle L. Jensen of Hidden Huntress (The Malediction Trilogy #2)

For today's stop on the Hidden Huntress Blog Tour, I have Danielle here to answer a few questions with me! If you haven't started this series yet but would like to know more about the first two books, here are my reviews of Stolen Songbird and Hidden Huntress :)

Hidden Huntress

(The Malediction Trilogy #2)

by Danielle L. Jensen

June 2, 2015
464 pages

Goodreads  Amazon  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

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 learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to 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. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

Review: Hidden Huntress (The Malediction Trilogy #2) by Danielle L. Jensen

Hidden Huntress

(The Malediction Trilogy #2)

by Danielle L. Jensen

June 2, 2015
464 pages

Goodreads  Amazon  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

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 learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to 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. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

WoW #48: Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

 

 

Anne & Henry

by Dawn Ius

September 1, 2015

304 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

In this wonderfully creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.
Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.  

 

This sounds like fun so I really want to try it :D

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker

The Witch Hunter

(The Witch Hunter #1)
by Virginia Boecker

June 2, 2015

368 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.

Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.

Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

2015 "Real" Book Challenge May Wrap-Up

2015 "Real" Book Challenge hosted by Swoony Boys Podcast and Fic Fare.

I managed to read these 'real' books in May.

I have been trying to exercise and be more fit for the wedding so I haven't been reading as many real books. It's just easier to read an ebook when I'm running on the treadmill, you know? ;) Hopefully I'll be back to reading real books right after the wedding since I bought a bunch recently!

How many 'real' books did you read in the month of May?