Review: The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson

The Sandcastle Empire

by Kayla Olson

June 6, 2017

464 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

When all hope is gone, how do you survive? Before the war, Eden’s life was easy—air conditioning, ice cream, long days at the beach. Then the revolution happened, and everything changed.

Now a powerful group called the Wolfpack controls the earth and its resources. Eden has lost everything to them. They killed her family and her friends, destroyed her home, and imprisoned her. But Eden refuses to die by their hands. She knows the coordinates to the only neutral ground left in the world, a place called Sanctuary Island, and she is desperate to escape to its shores.

Eden finally reaches the island and meets others resistant to the Wolves—but the solace is short-lived when one of Eden’s new friends goes missing. Braving the jungle in search of their lost ally, they quickly discover Sanctuary is filled with lethal traps and an enemy they never expected.

This island might be deadlier than the world Eden left behind, but surviving it is the only thing that stands between her and freedom.
 

WoW #155: Ally (Nemesis #2) by Anna Banks

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

Ally
(Nemesis #2)

by Anna Banks

October 3, 2017
320 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria have formed an uneasy truce between their kingdoms since the deadly plague began to rip through Theoria. Since their feelings for each other are entangled in politics and power, they must use their own trusted resources to find common ground.

But when traitors with powerful allies arise from unexpected places, Tarik and Sepora face challenges that will change both of their kingdoms forever. Will they learn whom to trust—including each other—in time to save their kingdoms, their relationship and even their lives?
 

I read Nemesis last year and have to know what's next for the characters! I'm a stickler for things matching so while this cover's pretty cool I'm still sad it doesn't quite match the first book lol...

 

(I've actually been lucky enough to have gotten an ARC of this book thanks to the lovely people at Raincoast Books <3 I schedule my WoW posts a few months in advance but I didn't want to replace this one since I'm still excited for Ally and want to share with readers :D)

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Book Blast with Giveaway: This is How it Happened by Paula Stokes

Hi everyone! Today I'm here to share some fun stuff for author Paula Stokes's newest contemporary novel, THIS IS HOW IT HAPPENED! It's a story that Kirkus Reviews called “a sobering exploration of absolution.” More about the book, including a sneak peek and a giveaway, below!

This is How it Happened

by Paula Stokes

July 11, 2017

384 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Somehow I’ve become a liar. A coward. Here’s how it happened. When Genevieve Grace wakes up from a coma, she can’t remember the car crash that injured her and killed her boyfriend Dallas, a YouTube star who had just released his first album. Genevieve knows she was there, and that there was another driver, a man named Brad Freeman, who everyone assumes is guilty. But as she slowly pieces together the night of the accident, Genevieve is hit with a sickening sense of dread—that maybe she had something to do with what happened.

As the internet rages against Brad Freeman, condemning him in a brutal trial by social media, Genevieve escapes to her father’s house, where she can hide from reporters and spend the summer volunteering in beautiful Zion National Park. But she quickly realizes that she can’t run away from the accident, or the terrible aftermath of it all.

Incredibly thought-provoking and beautifully told, Paula Stokes’s story will compel readers to examine the consequences of making mistakes in a world where the internet is always watching…and judging.

Stacking the Shelves #150

 

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

I basically never use #booksfortrade but when I saw Kelly had an arc of Kasie West's older book, I had to try. We managed to work something out and I also got a signed copy of The Truth About Forever (my favourite Dessen book!) from her. Thanks so much Kelly <3
 

I actually got these books a while ago but forgot to include them so here they are! Thank you so much Raincoast Books! I loved Nemesis last year so I can't wait to find out how the story continues in Ally!

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Review: The Matchmaker's Playbook (Wingmen Inc. #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

The Matchmaker's Playbook

(Wingmen Inc. #1)

by Rachel Van Dyken

April 5, 2016

290 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule.…
 

WoW #154: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress #1) by Julie C. Dao

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

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
(Rise of the Empress #1)

by Julie C. Dao

October 10, 2017
384 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman in this dark and mystical East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and a world that hangs in the balance. Fans of Heartless, Stealing Snow, and Red Queen will devour this stunning debut.
 

No words but EXCITEMENT!!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

DNF Review: Congress of Secrets by Stephanie Burgis

 

Congress of Secrets

by Stephanie Burgis

November 1, 2016
340 pages

Goodreads   Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

In 1814, the Congress of Vienna has just begun. Diplomats battle over a new map of Europe, actors vie for a chance at glory, and aristocrats and royals from across the continent come together to celebrate the downfall of Napoleon…among them Lady Caroline Wyndham, a wealthy English widow. But Caroline has a secret: she was born Karolina Vogl, daughter of a radical Viennese printer. When her father was arrested by the secret police, Caroline’s childhood was stolen from her by dark alchemy.

Under a new name and nationality, she returns to Vienna determined to save her father even if she has to resort to the same alchemy that nearly broke her before. But she isn’t expecting to meet her father’s old apprentice, Michael Steinhüller, now a charming con man in the middle of his riskiest scheme ever.

The sinister forces that shattered Caroline’s childhood still rule Vienna behind a glittering façade of balls and salons, Michael’s plan is fraught with danger, and both of their disguises are more fragile than they realize. What price will they pay to the darkness if either of them is to survive?

Stacking the Shelves #149

 

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

I'm on a romance kick so thank you Thomas Allen & Son for sending me these. I think Ripple likes ;)
 

 

Some more awesome mail from Thomas Allen & Son, Simon & Schuster Canada and a #Loveathon win :D Thank you so much to the publishers and hosts for sending these to me!

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Review: Dark Breaks the Dawn (Dark Breaks the Dawn #1) by Sara B. Larson

Dark Breaks the Dawn

(Dark Breaks the Dawn #1)

by Sara B. Larson

May 30, 2017

307 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

After a thousand years of peace, the battle between Light and Dark has resumed.

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Éadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shape-shift, and rely on the alluring, but mysterious Lord Tanvir. Not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.
 

WoW #153: Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicles #2) by Jay Kristoff

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

Godsgrave
(The Nevernight Chronicle #2)

by Jay Kristoff

September 5, 2017
384 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.


Set in the world of Nevernight, which Publishers Weekly called “absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness,” Godsgrave will continue to thrill and satisfy fantasy fans everywhere.
 

Nevernight was pretty epic and now I can't wait for Godsgrave!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Blog Tour - Guest Post & Excerpt: Internet Famous by Danika Stone

 

  

Hi everyone! Today I'm thrilled to be supporting Canadian author Danika Stone, author of titles such as All the Feels and Edge of Wild. She's here with some tips to build up your social media presence and to share an excerpt of her upcoming release Internet Famous! Big thank you goes out to Raincoast Books for including me on this blog tour!

 

 

Internet Famous

by Danika Stone

June 6, 2017
320 pages

Goodreads   Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

High school senior and internet sensation Madison Nakama seems to have it all: a happy family, good grades, and a massive online following for her pop-culture blog. But when her mother suddenly abandons the family, Madi finds herself struggling to keep up with all of her commitments.

Fandom to the rescue! As her online fans band together to help, an online/offline flirtation sparks with Laurent, a French exchange student. Their internet romance—played out in the comments section of her MadLibs blog—attracts the attention of an internet troll who threatens the separation of Madi’s real and online personas. With her carefully constructed life unraveling, Madi must uncover the hacker’s identity before he can do any more damage, or risk losing the people she loves the most… Laurent included.

Stacking the Shelves #148

 

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

I have an incredible haul this week! All of the below came on the same day lol... I bought some and received some from publishers. Big thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Simon & Schuster Canada, Raincoast Books and Thomas Allen & Son! Lots of love and thank you to Becky and Melissa for the giveaway win of The Names They Gave us <3

 

Thank you to Tor Teen for this pretty set! I'm currently running a giveaway for these books so check back a few posts and enter!!

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Review: Just Once by Julianna Keyes

Just Once

by Julianna Keyes

October 29, 2013

290 pages

Goodreads  Indigo  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Kate Burke is done making bad decisions. Thirty years old and belatedly determined to grow up, the successful travel writer and one-time party girl returns to work at the remote Ponderosa Pines Ranch to reassess her life.

Although her kitchen/cabin staff is lacking and the workload never relents, Kate’s main challenge is Shane Maddox, the ruggedly handsome and doggedly stubborn ranch foreman. Instantly at odds, they battle over everything from ceiling fans to bothersome bats—studiously ignoring the sparks they generate with each confrontation.

They can’t explain their explosive physical chemistry, but after a few frustrated weeks they can’t deny it either. Their solution? Just once. They’ll get past their inconvenient lust and move on.

Kate’s been trying to think with her head instead of her hormones, but is this just another bad decision in a lifetime of careless choices? Has she really changed at all?

Set in the striking and serene hills of southern Colorado, Julianna Keyes’ debut novel offers a sizzling and satisfying tale of unexpected chemistry and the power of second chances. Her characters will get under your skin and into your heart. Just once may not be enough for you either.
 

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Steeplejack Series by A.J. Hartley

Steeplejack

(Steeplejack Series #1)

by A.J. Hartley

June 14, 2016

336 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Anglet Sutonga, makes a living repairing the chimneys, towers, and spires of Bar-Selehm. Dramatically different communities live and work alongside one another. The white Feldish command the nation’s higher echelons of society; the native Mahweni are divided between city life and the savannah. And then there’s Ang, part of the Lani community who immigrated there generations ago and now mostly live in poverty on Bar-Selehm’s edges.

When Ang is supposed to meet her new apprentice, Berrit, she finds him dead. That same night the Beacon, an invaluable historical icon, is stolen. The Beacon’s theft commands the headlines, yet no one seems to care about Berrit’s murder—except for Josiah Willinghouse, an enigmatic young politician. When he offers Ang a job investigating the death, she plunges headlong into new and unexpected dangers.

Meanwhile, crowds gather in protests over the city’s mounting troubles. Rumors surrounding the Beacon’s theft grow. More suspicious deaths occur. With no one to help Ang except Josiah’s haughty younger sister, a savvy newspaper girl, and a kindhearted herder, Ang must rely on her intellect and strength to resolve the mysterious link between Berrit and the missing Beacon before the city descends into chaos.

Firebrand
(Steeplejack Series #2)

by A.J. Hartley

June 6, 2017

336 pages

Goodreads   Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

New York Times bestselling author A. J. Hartley returns to his intriguing, 19th-century South African-inspired fantasy world in another adrenaline-pounding adventure

Once a steeplejack, Anglet Sutonga is used to scaling the heights of Bar-Selehm. Nowadays she assists politician Josiah Willinghouse behind the scenes of Parliament. The latest threat to the city-state: Government plans for a secret weapon are stolen and feared to be sold to the rival nation of Grappoli. The investigation leads right to the doorsteps of Elitus, one of the most exclusive social clubs in the city. In order to catch the thief, Ang must pretend to be a foreign princess and infiltrate Elitus. But Ang is far from royal material, so Willinghouse enlists help from the exacting Madam Nahreem.

Yet Ang has other things on her mind. Refugees are trickling into the city, fleeing Grappoli-fueled conflicts in the north. A demagogue in Parliament is proposing extreme measures to get rid of them, and she soon discovers that one theft could spark a conflagration of conspiracy that threatens the most vulnerable of Bar-Selehm. Unless she can stop it.
 

WoW #152: Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2) by Kerri Maniscalco

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

Hunting Prince Dracula
(Stalking Jack the Ripper #2)

by Kerri Maniscalco

September 19, 2017
432 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
In this hotly anticipated sequel to the haunting #1 bestseller Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer...or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.
 

SJTR was one of my favourite 2016 reads so I'm of course eagerly awaiting this sequel!!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone

The Unlikelies

by Carrie Firestone

June 6, 2017
336 pages

Goodreads   Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Five teens embark on a summer of vigilante good samaritanism in a novel that's part The Breakfast Club, part The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and utterly captivating.

Rising high school senior Sadie is bracing herself for a long, lonely, and boring summer. But things take an unexpected turn when she steps in to help rescue a baby in distress and a video of her good deed goes viral.

Suddenly internet-famous, Sadie's summer changes for the better when she's introduced to other "hometown heroes." These five very different teens form an unlikely alliance to secretly right local wrongs, but when they try to help a heroin-using friend, they get in over their heads and discover that there might be truth in the saying "no good deed goes unpunished." Can Sadie and her new friends make it through the summer with their friendships--and anonymity--intact?

This rich and thought-provoking novel takes on timely issues and timeless experiences with a winning combination of romance, humor, and wisdom.

Stacking the Shelves #147

 

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

 

 

I forgot to share these but BookOutlet had a sale a couple weeks (months?) ago... I trust the rest is self-explanatory lol XD (Sorry for the blurry quality. Pickles had such a cute expression in this photo I had to use it. You can click on the photo to take a closer look at the titles.).

What did you add to your shelves this week?
 

Review: Blue Tide by Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Blue Tide

by Jenna-Lynne Duncan
January 9, 2017

320 pages

Goodreads   Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

An award-winning YA adventure-packed romance steeped in Middle Eastern culture and set in the Asian Pacific amongst dangerous oceans and tropical islands.

Seventeen-year-old refugee Lux plots her escape from the island where her family is stranded, denying that her home was lost in the Floods. Lux is determined to get her old life back by any means possible. But before her feet even leave the sand, she's taken hostage by a vengeance-driven pirate nearly as young as she is.

Her capture is the key to his freedom...

Captain Draven's scarf veils more than his face. Underneath, he struggles between morality and survival. When Lux sees deeper into his motivations, she's torn. She can commit mutiny to escape to a home that may no longer exist, or she can try to help Draven escape the clutches of the person responsible for the deaths of half the world. Staying would mean entrusting her life to a pirate. Helping Draven would mean losing her heart to one.