Review: The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1) by Evelyn Skye

The Crown's Game

(The Crown's Game #1)

by Evelyn Skye

May 17, 2016

416 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.
 

Join the This Is Where It Ends: Every Moment Counts Challenge!

 

Hi everyone! Today I'm here to tell you about a fun challenge you can participate in for Marieke Nijkamp’s young adult debut, This Is Where It Ends! The book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for the past 11 weeks so to celebrate, Sourcebooks Fire is running a challenge called:

 

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS CHALLENGE

 

Below is everything you need to know about this challenge and I shared my review of the book HERE if you're interested in checking it out :)

 

 

From June 15-August 7, people are encouraged to create as many “moments” as possible, sharing their progress along the way. For all the details, visit this link:

 

http://books.sourcebooks.com/whereitends/

 

 

Special bonus for participants: Sign up HERE and you'll be entered to win an ‘Every Moment Counts’ prize packs that includes chalkboard + chalk and custom This Is Where It Ends lanyards!

 

 

 So hurry up and join this challenge :D

Stacking the Shelves #97

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

 

Before I get to my haul, please welcome a new model to the blog, Pickles! If you follow me on social media then you already know my hubby and I recently adopted a new cat. I wasn't sure if he'd let me take book pictures with him but when I gave it a try, this was the turnout ;) So needless to say, you'll be seeing more of him around! And of course more of Ripple too!!

 

So I bought Warrior Witch and A Court of Mist and Fury because they're obviously  must-buys! I've also heard great things about Amanda Quick so I got her newest, 'Til Death Do Us Part when it was on sale~

 

Thank you Raincoast Books for Defending Taylor! I love the Hundred Oaks series by Miranda Kenneally!

 

The Wanderers is a Twitter win from Nicole (she's an editor at Skyhorse Publishing). Thank you so much!

 

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Meet the Newbies - Interview & Giveaways: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

 

Meet the Newbies is a blog event created by Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books. It is dedicated to introducing you to the “newbie” published debut authors. In this event, expect to learn more about the authors, their books, and silly fun facts! You can find out more here!

 

 

Hello everyone! Kali Wallace, author of Shallow Graves, is on the blog today to talk about her debut novel! Read on to learn more about her debut and enter the giveaways ;)

 

Shallow Graves

by Kali Wallace

January 26, 2016

360 pages
 

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Breezy remembers leaving the party: the warm, wet grass under her feet, her cheek still stinging from a slap to her face. But when she wakes up, scared and pulling dirt from her mouth, a year has passed and she can’t explain how.

Nor can she explain the man lying at her grave, dead from her touch, or why her heartbeat comes and goes. She doesn’t remember who killed her or why. All she knows is that she’s somehow conscious—and not only that, she’s able to sense who around her is hiding a murderous past.

Haunted by happy memories from her life, Breezy sets out to find answers in the gritty, threatening world to which she now belongs—where killers hide in plain sight, and a sinister cult is hunting for strange creatures like her. What she discovers is at once empowering, redemptive, and dangerous.

Debut author Kali Wallace interweaves folklore and myths from all over the world in this stunning novel about the heartbreaking trauma of a girl’s life cut short and her struggle to reconcile her humanity with the monster she’s become.


Author Most Likely to Tragically Fall into a Volcano

Nickname: Cave Bear
First Day of School: January 26, 2016
Homeroom: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
Grade: Horror
Extracurricular Activities: President of the Late Pleistocene Megafauna Appreciation Society
Favorite Class: Naptime
Favorite Quote/Motto: "Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love, and a Hard­Boiled Egg." ­ motto of the Glorious People's Republic of Treacle Mine Road

Review: The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

by Lily Anderson

May 17, 2016

352 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.

Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.

The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side.
 

WoW #98: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

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

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire
(Bright Smoke, Cold Fire #1)

by Rosamund Hodge

September 27, 2016
448 pages

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . .
 

This sounds so interesting and that cover! Wow!!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Excerpt: Life Before by Michele Bacon

Life Before

by Michele Bacon

June 7, 2016

288 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Seventeen years is a long time to keep secrets, so Xander Fife is very good at it: everyone believes he has a normal family. If he can just get through this summer, he'll start his real life in college with a clean slate--no risk, no drama, no fear.

Xander’s summer plans include pick-up soccer, regular hijinks with friends, an epic road trip, and—quite possibly— the company of his ideal girlfriend, the amazing Gretchen Taylor.

Instead of kicking off what had promised to be an amazing summer, however, graduation day brings terror. His family's secrets are thrust out into the open, forcing Xander to confront his greatest fear. Or run from it.

Armed with a fake ID, cash, and a knife, Xander skips town and assumes a new identity. In danger hundreds of miles from home, one thing is clear: Xander's real life is already in progress and just getting through it isn't enough.

Stacking the Shelves #96

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

The Forbidden Wish was highly recommended so I got myself a copy~

 

I have been extremely lucky with giveaways lately: The Great Hunt is from Dani @ Dani Reviews Things and Books are my Fandom, After the Woods is from Natalie @ Literary Rambles and The Way I Used to Be is from Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Thank you Dani, Kim and Amber for sending these to me :D



What did you add to your shelves this week?

Tabby Talk: Review Lengths and Contents

Tabby Talk is a discussion post I thought I'd do occasionally where I'll share my random thoughts on something and include my cat in them ;)

Hi guys! I wanted to do a quick post on something that's been on my mind for quite some time now. I need to know what you guys think!

So lately I've been wondering if my reviews are too long. I always start off wanting to keep things short but somehow always end up with five or six paragraphs of review content. Oops? I can't help but wonder if that's too long? I'm guilty of skimming other people's reviews sometimes so do people read my reviews from beginning to end?

I also feel like my reviews are just a bunch of rambling. I mean, I always try to make sure the words, paragraphs flow but lately I've been feeling like what I've been putting down are just a bunch of word vomits lol.... Does any one get that feeling too?

I'm wondering, as a book blogger, do you control the length of your reviews? I personally freestyle my reviews (hence why they get long) but do you follow a certain format to make sure you hit every key point you want to make? How do you structure your reviews (with subheadings such as Likes, Dislikes, etc.)? Please share your thoughts with me!
 

Exclusive - Book in Pictures & Giveaway: The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

Guys today I'm lucky to have Marci Lyn Curtis on the blog to share a really fun post with you all! As the title suggests, Marci will be sharing pictures with us to describe her debut novel, The One Thing! Before we see the pictures and use our imagination, here's a little bit about the book ;)

 

The One Thing
by Marci Lyn Curtis

September 8, 2015

336 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.

Then Maggie's whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's ever met. Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the infuriatingly attractive lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben's brother.

But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future... before she loses everything she has grown to love.

WoW #97: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

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

 

 

Three Dark Crowns
(Three Dark Crowns #1)

by Kendare Blake

September 20, 2016
416 pages

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose...it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.
 

I loooooove her Anna Dressed in Blood duology so I'm excited to read more by her :D

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

 

Girl Against the Universe

by Paula Stokes

May 17, 2016

400 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

 

Goodreads Summary:

Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.

 

Blog Tour - Q&A: Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins

Hi guys! Today I have a little fun Q&A with Stephanie Perkins, the editor or the upcoming anthology Summer Days and Summer Nights. I'm really excited to pick up a copy just in time for summer ;)

Summer Days and Summer Nights

edited by Stephanie Perkins

May 17, 2016

400 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Event Recap: Raincoast Books present TeensRead Fall 2016 Preview

 

Hi guys! So last Saturday I got to go to the TeensRead Fall 2016 Preview event hosted by Raincoast Books. It's always fun to talk books so thank you so much to the team at Raincoast for the invite <3

 

It was a beautiful day so I took the local transit except I didn't realize just how hot the day really was. I ended up looking pretty disheveled when I arrived at the venue :( So sorry about my sweaty, red-faced look!

 

I got myself some snacks and a drink to cool down and the event started. Melissa got up in front of the webcam (since we're live on Google Hangout with the Toronto bloggers) and gave a rundown of the event. Then one by one the  ladies introduced the upcoming Fall YA titles. I was quite excited since I hadn't heard of the majority of them. Fernanda also introduced some MG titles! It was great to see how excited people were :D In addition to all that, special guest author Eileen Cook talked and answered questions about her newest book With Malice (coming to a bookstore near you June 7th!). She's super funny and cool! I swooned over sharing a name with her and she signed my ARC!! We have the best name :P

 

Of the titles that were presented last week, these below are the ones I'm most excited for! (click on the cover for more info on each title):

 

 

  

  

 

Behind Closed Doors and Other Wordly (I love the poster we got!) were crossover titles so not quite YA but exciting nonetheless!

 

And here's a complete list of all the titles the ladies presented (click on the picture to enlarge for a better view):

Which ones are you excited for? Any titles you didn't know about that's caught your eyes?

 

Each blogger also got a tote bag full of goods~ I posted my haul in my StS post yesterday so if you're interested to see what I got, go right HERE.

 

A million thank yous to the ladies at Raincoast Books for hosting such an awesome event! I can't wait to be able to read all these exciting new titles :D

Stacking the Shelves #95

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

 

Ahhh I'm so super excited for Stiletto!! Thank you so much HBG Canada for this advance review copy <3

 

 I also got a copy of The Raven King so I can finally read the series?? SOON.

 

 

I received these goodies from the TeensRead Preview Event hosted by Raincoast Books! Big hugs and kisses to the Raincoast ladies. Thank you so much for inviting me!

 

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Blog Tour - Excerpt: The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

by Lily Anderson

May 17, 2016

352 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.

Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.

The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side.

Review: Wandering Wild by Jessica Taylor

Wandering Wild

by Jessica Taylor
May 3, 2016

304 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Raised by Wanderers, sixteen-year-old Tal travels the roads of the southern wild in her Chevy by day and camps in her tent trailer at night. Hustling, conning, and grifting her way into just enough cash to save her fifteen-year-old brother, Wen, from bare-knuckle fighting was once enough to keep her dreams of traveling the whole world at bay. Everything changes when the Wanderers set up camp in a little town called Cedar Falls.

There, Spencer Sway, a boy Tal tried to hustle at a game of billiards, keeps popping up into her life—and worst of all—into her scams. Buttoned-up, starched-and-ironed Spencer talks of places where Tal’s truck can’t take her. His promises of traveling across oceans are almost enough to shatter her love of the Wanderer life.

When a boy shows up at camp, ready to make good on a nearly-forgotten arranged marriage to Tal, Tal and Wen make a pact: No matter the cost, they will use their limitless skills of grift to earn the bride price and buy back her future—even if Spencer Sway gets used along the way.

WoW #96: Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

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

Diplomatic Immunity

by Brodi Ashton

September 6, 2016
368 pages

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Aspiring reporter Piper Baird decides to write a scathing exposé on the overprivileged students at an elite Washington, DC, school, only for her life to change when she begins to fall for the story's main subject, in this new realistic contemporary romance from Brodi Ashton, the author of the Everneath trilogy.

Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity...it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?
 

The story, the setting, the characters all scream "DO NOT MISS" at me ;)

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Blog Tour - Q&A and Review: True Born (True Born #1) by L.E. Sterling

Hello everyone! Today I'm very excited to show my support for a fellow Canadian, author L.E. Sterling! She's here to share with us a little Q&A on the first book in her True Born trilogy! Don't forget to also check out my review below!

True Born

(True Born #1)
by L.E. Sterling
May 3, 2016

304 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Welcome to Dominion City.

After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated...and their genetics damaged beyond repair.

The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…

And then there's Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.

When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic Nolan Storm and the beautiful but deadly Jared Price. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?

As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood.

Q&A

 

BCP: Hello Ms. Sterling! Thank you so much for being on the blog today! Now True Born talks about genetic damages that result in grouping the survivors into different categories (Splicers, Lasters and True Born). Can you tell us what sort of research you did to come up with these groups?

Book Blitz - Quiz & Giveaway: A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly

A Criminal Magic

by Lee Kelly
February 2, 2016

432 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

THE NIGHT CIRCUS meets THE PEAKY BLINDERS in Lee Kelly's new crossover fantasy novel.

Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive - and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal.

It's 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city's magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters' crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer's shine.

Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC's most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family's home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.

Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic - and when their paths cross at the Shaws' performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.

A CRIMINAL MAGIC casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties.

 

 

Quiz

What Role Would You Play in A CRIMINAL MAGIC?

Lee Kelly’s A CRIMINAL MAGIC takes place during the Roaring Twenties, the age of guys, dolls, molls and crime bosses. But in this story’s Jazz Age, magic instead of alcohol is prohibited. Sorcerers work hand in hand with gangsters in every aspect of their illegal dealings – from hiding robberies and murders to underground performance magic shows – as Prohibition Unit agents struggle to uphold the letter of the law.

If you were around during the Prohibition of magic, which type of player would you be? Take our quiz and find out!

1. Which one of these vacations most appeals to you?
a. A week at an all-inclusive resort in Hawaii with my family, with beautiful beaches, golf courses and lots of down time.
b. A long weekend in Las Vegas with a handful of my closest friends.
c. A ten-day backpacking trip by myself through New Zealand.

2. Most Friday nights I can be found:
a. On a date with my boyfriend or girlfriend, probably going to a movie or spending a nice night at home.
b. At the biggest party on campus.
c. It totally depends on my mood – sometimes I just want to spend the night reading, other times I want to go to a club or sneak into a VIP party with my friends.

3. Which of these quotes do you most agree with?
a. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
b. “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napoleon Hill
c. “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt

4. Out of the following, what is your favorite color?
a. Blue
b. Red
c. Green

5. The way I’d describe my wardrobe is:
a. Classic, with lots of staples in neutral colors, so that I can mix and match everything.
b. Bold, lots of flair, with a lot of the latest trends represented.
c. Eclectic, I guess -- it’s hard to categorize as I like a lot of different styles.

6. My favorite social media site is:
a. Facebook
b. Twitter
c. Tumbler
 

Review: Kay's Lucky Coin Variety by Ann Y.K. Choi

Kay's Lucky Coin Variety
by Ann Y.K. Choi

May 3, 2016

288 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

A bittersweet coming-of-age debut novel set in the Korean community in Toronto in the 1980s.

This haunting coming-of-age story, told through the eyes of a rebellious young girl, vividly captures the struggles of families caught between two cultures in the 1980s. Family secrets, a lost sister, forbidden loves, domestic assaults—Mary discovers as she grows up that life is much more complicated than she had ever imagined. Her secret passion for her English teacher is filled with problems and with the arrival of a promising Korean suitor, Joon-Ho, events escalate in ways that she could never have imagined, catching the entire family in a web of deceit and violence.

A unique and imaginative debut novel, Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety evocatively portrays the life of a young Korean Canadian girl who will not give up on her dreams or her family.

Stacking the Shelves #94

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

 

My pre-order of Love, Lies and Spies came in but I forgot to haul it so here it is~ It's so pretty, I can't wait to dive in!

 

 

Thank you Jessica @ A Great Read for the amazing package! We love the signed books and the poster!!

 

 

This is a twitter win from the author! Thank you so much Kathryn! I love the cute swag :D



What did you add to your shelves this week?