Book Blitz ~ Thunderlight by Adrienne Woods

I'm so excited to be a part of the Thunderlight by Adrienne Woods Book Blitz hosted by YaReads BlogTours!

Book Details

Title: Thunderlight (The Dragonian Series #2)

Author: Adrienne Woods 

Publication date: November 21st 2014
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis

'Vibrant, scale swathed wings… Abilities that can be harnessed by a chosen few… Dragons…

All this may seem like old news, but for seventeen year-old Elena Watkins the world of Paegeia is not finished revealing all its secrets. 

During a summer break intended for relaxation, she discovers that her harrowing adventure to retrieve the King of Lion sword wasn’t the destiny foretold by the cryptic Viden, a dragon with the ability to see a person’s true fate. 

The words inked onto the page of the mysterious Book of Shadows remains black and Elena must return to Dragonia Academy to discover their true meaning.

Upon her return to the magnificent castle she has to face a challenge of a different kind, keeping her boyfriend Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of Tith and love of her life, away from the dangerous new student, Paul Sutton. As a Wyvern, Paul has made it his mission to claim Elena as his rider but he is proving to be more perilous than at first glance.

Everyone knew that Wyverns were bad news, and just as evil as the darkness that lurked inside Blake Leaf, the Rubicon forced to fight against his inner nature every day. But Elena can see a small light lurking in the darkness, a destiny still unfulfilled; to prove that Wyverns can be claimed.

Will Lucian’s dark secret about Wyverns and Elena’s need to prove their true nature cause their love to be torn apart? And which of Elena’s friends will be sacrificed this time if she is wrong?'

Want to read Thunderlight?

Thursday Quotables ~ Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Hosted by BookshelfFantasies

It's Thursday Quotables today! Thursday Quotables is all about sharing a favorite quote, line, or passage from your reading each week. You know it's a good read when you come across a bunch of memorable quotes!

Today's quote comes from Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe. Earth & Sky is a YA sci-fi fantasy novel centred on seventeen-year-old Skylar, who has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong.

The quote I'm picking to share is one that describes this sensation Skylar experiences. I loved the sentence construction, the choice of words...everything! 

ARC Review ~ When by Victoria Laurie

When
By Victoria Laurie 

Rating: 4.6


'Why am I seemingly the only person on earth who can see these numbers? Why did fate choose me for such a cruel gift? 

It's a question I've asked myself a million times, and I'm still looking for the answer. I think there may not be one, because knowing when someone will die has never changed anything. I've never saved anybody or given them more time. 

I'm just the messenger.'

Small black gravestones against a pale white landscape...

Etched onto people's foreheads are little black numbers only Maddie Fynn can see. 

Far from being lucky in nature, these numbers are people's death-dates. Just by looking at someone - either in person, or through a photo - Maddie can tell how long they have left to live. Years, months, weeks...days. 

But not everyone wants to know what the future holds.

Knowing when people are going to die is horrible enough. But having to tell them is even worse. 

In order to make money to support her and her mother, Maddie takes on clients - selling her 'death readings' to the curious, the desperate, the hopeful. And it all goes relatively well...until the day her abilities get her into a whole world of trouble. 

Because a client's son has gone missing. 

And the date he was last seen? The exact date Maddie gave. 

She knows the when...but not the how or why.

The law enforcement are on the case, and there's no room for supernatural abilities in their law books. As more and more young people keep disappearing and turning up murdered, all roads seem to lead to Maddie.

Each of the victims is connected to her in some way. But who's pulling the strings?

And what - or who - do they want?

A tangle of mystery and layered emotions, When is a book to look out for.

If you love a good mystery - with a touch of the paranormal, and a romance that doesn't overpower the plot - then When is definitely for you. Be sure to grab your copy of When when it's released on January 13th 2015...and join Maddie on her race against the clock!

**A big thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book**

Teaser Tuesday ~ Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Hosted by: MizB at Should Be Reading

It's Teaser Tuesday! Teaser Tuesday is when I pick up one of my latest reads, choose a random page, and share two terrific teasers from it with all of you. So strap on your seat-belts & prepare yourself for teasers that are sure to blow you away!

This week's teasers come from Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Red Queen is the first book in the Red Queen Trilogy, a thrilling new fantasy series. Red Queen will be released on February 10th 2015 by Orion Publishing. 

Music Monday ~ The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Hosted by: Total Book Geek

It's Music Monday! Time to pick a book & pair it with some winning tunes...

This Monday's pick is Katja Millay's Sea of Tranquility. You can check out my full review of the book here.

Sea of Tranquility is a deeply emotional & intriguing YA novel about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances. Today I will be sharing a few of the songs from the playlist I've put together for this fantastic book.

Steampunk Saturday: Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School #3) 
By Gail Carriger 

Rating: 5


'"Sovereign, sovereigns, or seduction," said Sidheag calmly, before Sophronia could stop her.

Dimity nodded in agreement. "It's our second lessons after the school motto: Ut acerbus terminus."
Felix looked confused. "What does it mean?"

"'To the bitter end,'" said Sophronia.'


Return to a world of steel-bladed fans and floating dirigibles.

As Sophronia continues her second year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy, the Empire's premier school for proper young killing machines, who knows what adventures await her?

From waltzing lessons held on thin planks high up in the air, to being taught the finer points of flirtatious looks, Sophronia and her friends are sure to learn everything there they need to know in order to become the finest of young ladies. 

But no number of handkerchiefs, scented oils, and sewing shears will be able to prepare them for what is ahead.

Prepare for pack politics and train theft.

When Sidheag takes off on a daring journey to return to her werewolf pack in Scotland, Sophronia and the gang accompany her. They stow away on a mysterious train, only to discover an enemy they never wished to come face to face with again - and a secret that threatens the very foundations of society. 

A secret that could very well throw London, and the world, into chaos. 

Nothing's really what it seems...

Working against the clock, Sophronia and the gang must decide who is friend and who is foe, whilst dealing with tea, top-hats, metal dogs, and world domination. 

Waistcoats & Weaponry is the latest thrilling book in the Finishing School series and will have you wishing you could attend Mademoiselle Geraldine's, too! 

Melodies by Pamela Srey ~ Review

Melodies (The Bianca Grey Series, #1)
By Pamela Srey 

Rating: 3.9

'You come from a broken home and you know nothing of who you are or where you came from. He wouldn't understand some of the things you have to go through. It's not a good idea to share your world with him, Bianca. It just isn't.' 

A story of teenage self-discovery, Melodies is an intriguing read.

This book has all the makings of a good contemporary romance novel. If you stick to it and get past the first few chapters, you're rewarded with a multilayered story that definitely becomes more engaging the further into the book you get.

Melodies was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I loved the art and music elements, as well as the underlying lessons.

Bianca's love of art reminded me of Ashley in Aimee L. Salter's Every Ugly Word. This concept of characters using art as a means to escape the troubles of their life, is a bittersweet one. I thought that this was used consistently throughout the book, and made Bianca seem more three-dimensional as a character.

Pete's music is another definite plus. I loved the songs he composes! The lyrics are heartfelt and beautiful to a fault...and I totally have a weakness for guys who play an instrument ;)

But it's the underlying lessons that shine most brightly.

I think the most important lesson Melodies has to offer, is the lesson of what it means to love and to be loved. Chasing after love leads to confusion - especially when neither party is mature enough to understand what love is and what it means.

Bianca grows to realise that as much as she likes Pete, it's not going to be easy for her to just throw the word 'love' around. Mainly because she's never truly seen it, never experienced it. She doesn't even have much self-love. She's still trying to find herself and her place in the world, and being in a relationship with someone who wants more than she can give isn't the best idea for the moment.

She needs time to heal. Time to grow. And time to figure out who she is, and what her feelings are. Not everyone's ready to fall in love forever at seventeen. Bianca's journey highlights the importance of sometimes waiting before making life-changing decisions.

This book has a bit of a shaky start.

Although Melodies didn't quite 'knock it out of the park' when it came to certain areas of concept execution, it was still an enjoyable read. I think the first few chapters tended to lack a stream of consciousness - there's a little too much explanation rather than action (e.g. describing mundane tasks and routines in detail, and giving a little too much backstory when it comes to secondary characters).

The basis of the story did have a few plot holes. You kind of wonder why no one at any point calls the authorities. What kind of school allows kids to pour gasoline on one another?! I question the need for the teenagers to do all of the tracking down of criminals and bullies on their own. Maybe if Pete had just dialed 911, things would have been a lot simpler!

On the topic of the teenagers in this story, I will give one small critique: they do tend to come across as college students. Their vocabulary, their drinking and clubbing, and even their ability to take trips away and stay in fancy hotels without parental supervision - it's all a little surreal. Maybe there are teenagers who do this! If so, they must have really chill (and loaded with $$) parents.

I really do feel like all of these ideas would have made so much more sense in a more NA/contemporary romance story with college students. The stalking, the nasty pranks, the trips away, the 'I'm totally in love with you' scenarios...it'd be a lot more believable if the characters weren't all seventeen/eighteen year olds.

I do feel for Pete's parents. They seem like wonderful people and you kinda wish he'd have confided in them a bit more! Maybe then he could have avoided some uncomfortable situations.

But overall, Melodies is a read that leaves you wanting more.

Which is mainly thanks to that cliffhanger! You're left wondering what happens next for Bianca, and whether or not she and Pete are meant to be. I guess we'll just have to wait to find out - but hopefully, fingers-crossed, everything works out.

**A big thank you to Pamela Srey for giving me the chance to review her great book :) **

The Boy with the Hidden Name by Skylar Dorset ~ ARC Review

The Boy with the Hidden Name (Otherworld #2)
By Skylar Dorset 

Rating: 5+

'I look at my aunts, hesitate, and then say, "What-"

My aunts have gone back to knitting, even more furiously than before.

"You're going to be late for school," Aunt True says, and that is the end of that attempt at conversation.

My aunts hate it when I ask questions. It tends to destroy the world.'

You can't hide from your destiny forever.

Selkie Stewart has been through the adventure of a lifetime. Now, all she wants to do is be a normal girl who does normal things - such as eating ice-cream and complaining about unreliable faerie quasi-boyfriends.

The only thing standing in her way? The Seelies who are planning to take over the world when the clock strikes twelve. 

With the end of Thisworld drawing closer with every tick of the clock, Selkie has not choice but to leave all thoughts of a normal life behind as she sets out on a journey to find the key to saving the world.

Because if anyone can find something, it's Selkie. Whether she knows it or not.

Plans, prophecies and painful predicaments lie ahead.

Selkie needs to find the other three fays - and fast - if they want to fulfil the prophecy and keeping the invading Seelie at bay. But the only person who might know where those three fay are is Benedict Le Fay's mother. 

The same woman that Ben left Selkie to search for. A woman not exactly known for her trustworthiness, and who has been missing for many years.

With mixed feelings where Ben is concerned, Selkie joins her friends on a trip to the Unseelie Court to search for Ben's mother and Ben. 

But the line between friend and foe isn't clear cut, and there's more than one Otherworld creature who would gladly manipulate or even kill Selkie to stop the prophecy from being fulfilled. 

Never trust a faerie...especially with your heart.

With the fate of the world on her shoulders, Selkie's only hope is the prophecy. She needs to be the girl everyone seems to believe she is, no matter what it takes. This fight is no longer about her, or about the Seelie Court. It's about the people she loves and the people she can't leave behind. 

But one little secret will change everything.

Because those around her have kept a part of the prophecy secret - a part that not only predicts the loss of someone she loves, but that also fractures Selkie's faith in her own destiny.

Is Selkie the one who'll save the world? Or is she the one who'll brings it to its knees?

With spot-on humour, Wonderland-esque logic, and magical twists and turns, Skylar Dorset's The Boy with the Hidden Name is an example of YA fiction at its best.

Cover Reveal ~ Lost Blood by Emma Raveling

It's time to reveal the amazing cover of author Emma Raveling's Lost Blood! A big thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for organizing this book reveal. 

Lost Blood is an upcoming Mature YA Urban Fantasy novel. The cover was designed by the talented Michelle Preast.

______

Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter ~ Review

Every Ugly Word
By Aimee L. Salter

Rating: 5+


'My physical scars aren't the reason I'm here. He can't fix those. But he can help me by letting me out. 

(...) He will let me out today. He must. If I can get home in time, I can fix...everything.'


What if you gazed into the mirror...and someone else was staring back at you.

When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson looks in the mirror, she sees her twenty-three-year-old self. 

Older Ashley lives on the other side of the mirror. She's Ashley's lone confidant...the only person who knows the truth behind the lies that make up Ashley's life.

Always enduring. Always alone.

With bullies for classmates and a callous mother, Ashley escapes through her art. Pictures come to life on the page - haunting images that speak volumes about the ugliness Ashley endures day to day. 

However, her art doesn't only reflect the bad. It reflects the longing, too. In particular, her longing for her best friend Matt to finally fall in love with her. To see her, as she truly is.

But as the bullying reaches new levels, will Matt stand by Ashley's side? Will she find the courage to confide in him - not only about the bullies her hurt her, but about her biggest secret...Older Ashley?

'She knew. She knew this was coming and she didn't tell me.'

Older Ashley has been through it all already—she endured the bullying, too, and survived the heartbreak. Yet, little by little, Ashley begins to question Older Ashley's advice and her true motives. 

What isn't Older Ashley telling her? 

As events tumble out of control, Ashley may be forced to confront her biggest fear: that neither Ashley has the answers. And that she's going to have to face whatever is coming alone.

You can't go back. You can't wish it away.

A rollercoaster filled with unforeseeable twists and turns, Every Ugly Word is a raw, emotional tale that will have you hanging on to every perfectly written word. 

Exploring what it means to be broken, and what it means to be truly brave, Aimee L. Salter provides readers with a story and characters that will live in your heart long after the final page.


My thoughts on the book:

I cried bucket-loads.

For those who know me well, this will not come as a surprise! I'm the kind of person who only needs to be given the slightest incentive in order to start bawling - whether I'm re-watching Tuck Everlasting, or I'm flicking through family photo albums.

And Every Ugly Word gives you hundreds of reasons to tear up. From the beautifully conveyed emotions, to the heartbreaking character of Ashley. Poor Ashley - I just wanted to hug her so bad! She goes through situations no person should have to go through. 

And yet, she shows such strength.

True, it's not your typical 'strength'. But it's a quieter type of bravery. One that is perfectly described in the book itself:

"What makes a decision brave, Doc?"

(...) "I suppose I would define someone - or a decision they made - as brave when they choose a path that could have either serious gains or extreme consequences. When they're choosing that path not out of recklessness, but out of hope. For something better."

The true stand out feature of this book are the concepts.

Everything about this book's concepts intrigued me. Especially the use of 'Older Me' (Older Ashley) and the mirror. 

It added an edge to the story - moments where you questioned the main protagonist, where you questioned the reality that was being told to you. 

Apart from the 'edge' it added, the mirror and Older Ashley caused me to tear up the most. Because it spoke to me on so many levels to read about this lost, hurting girl who found solace in her reflection. In an older, wiser version of her whom she believes will give her the answers she needs, and the love no one else can give her.

It reminded of the lyrics to Justin Timberlake's Mirror (to listen to Madilyn Bailey's cover version of this song that I listened to whilst typing up this review, see here!)

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back here to you once I figured it out
You were right here all along...'

This book deserves more than five stars.

Words don't really give it justice. I could type and type about its merits but there's no way I could convey to you all how amazing this book is. It's unique - a book that you walk away from changed, with a different perspective on life. A book that touches you. 

I highly recommend picking up a copy today. I want to give a big thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book - and to Aimee L. Salter for writing it! :) 

Swoon Worthy Saturday ~ Jennifer Armentrout's Roth

Hosted by: Stay Bookish

It's Swoon Worthy Saturday! Saturday is a day for swooning. Swoon Worthy Saturday is a weekly meme where in we present a fictional boy who has swept us off our feet, given us butterflies, made our heart do acrobatics and driven us absolutely crazy!

This Saturday's pick is the gorgeous Roth from author Jennifer L. Armentrout's The Dark Elements series. There are so far four books planned in the series, with the second book Stone Cold Touch just recently released on October 21st.

Keen Cover Friday ~ The Heir by Kiera Cass

Hosted by: Keepbooked 

It's Keen Cover Friday! Keen Cover Friday is when we post a book cover that totally attracts and captures our eyes the moment we laid them on that cover and one that might make others swoon over its beauty just as much as we did.  

And this week's must-see book cover belongs to Kiera Cass' The Heir.  

Once Upon A Dream ~ Briar Rose by Jana Oliver Review

Briar Rose
By Jana Oliver

Rating: 4.3 


'Over the years this curse will remain vigilant, growing in  strength, changing course as needed. 

Then, when the time is right, it will fulfill its calling. Sate its near-human desire for  revenge.  

No mercy. No second chances. Only more tears to feed  the bitterness.'


A riveting re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, Jana Oliver's Briar Rose gives the classic fairytale a modern twist like never before.

Fairytale re-tellings are tricky things. Mainly because, honestly, everyone knows these fairytales. We've been read them as children, in order to ignite our little imaginations or to send us off to sleep with minimal bribing involved.

And although there are hundreds of fairytales, from different cultures and different times, there are a set of classics. Sleeping Beauty, being one of them.

The thing with classics, though, that makes re-tellings difficult is that the re-telling should bring to mind the fairytale it has been inspired by without copying it.

Often, this doesn't happen. What does happen is that we see the main elements of the fairytale re-ordered and served back to us with a different topping to 'spice things up.'

Briar Rose, however, ticks all the boxes.

This book manages to include several Sleeping Beauty elements, whilst flawlessly combining a bunch of the author's own concepts to create an engaging tale.

Parts of it reminded me of Jodi Picoult's Between The Lines. A modern day protagonist, who longs for romance and reads far too many fairytales, is sucked into a fairytale and discovers it all isn't sunshine, rainbows and My Little Ponies.

I will admit...it wasn't the basic structure of the story that won me over. It was pretty obvious where the story was headed, who would end up with who, etc.

But what made the story intriguing was:
- Its characters
- Its concepts
- Its humor

Jana Oliver has a knack for creating beautifully flawed characters. None of them is perfect - from our female protagonist with her slightly-but-not-really adorable vain streak and horrible taste in guys, to a line of guys who are either too charming, too hot-and-cold, or too self-absorbed.

Each character is three-dimensional. All have flaws, and most have a few redeeming qualities thrown in so that you don't have to hate every character you meet!

The concepts were amazing. The whole metal thing, with the creatures and the magic...I was hooked. Some voodoo magic + creatures with magic dust + some A.G. Howard's Splintered-like horror (featuring a bunch of metal caterpillar creatures in a pit that would have perfectly suited a gothic, darker Wonderland) = a whole lot of awesome.

And the humor. Oh the humor!

I like how it was a refreshing mix of everyday comedy and YA humor. The jokes aren't funny outright, but are delivered with a subtle hand that makes them all the more humorous.

So if you love fairytales & you're looking for a badass re-telling, Briar Rose is for you!

Whatever It Takes ~ Disruption by Jessica Shirvington Review

Disruption (Disruption #1) 
By Jessica Shirvington

Rating: 4.9


'"Ditch the driver and meet me back here at nine and..." I gave him a look up and down, settling on his shoes."...wear appropriate shoes.

"What are appropriate shoes?" he asked, standing. 

"Shoes you can run for your life in," Gus answered helpfully. Then added, unnecessarily, "Welcome to the Maggie-verse."'

 
This book is totally badass in every way possible.

Spotting the book on the library shelf, I feel in love with its shiny gold cover (plus Jessica Shirvington is an amazing author, so it was an instant pick). People will always tell you, 'Never judge a book by its cover.'

Well, judging from Disruption's cover, it was going to be an incredible read. And the story most definitely lived up to its beautiful cover. It was incredibly engaging from the first few pages and I couldn't put it down.

So if you're a fan of the TV show Revenge you'll love this book.

I was trying to pinpoint what this book reminded me of, and I finally realized it whilst typing this review up - Revenge. Girl's dad is involved with some dealings that then get him taken away from his daughter, who swears that she'll get her revenge (or in this case find her father) no matter what it takes...yeah, there are a lot of similarities between the two.

However Disruption comes out on top by a mile, with its unique concepts, technology, kickass fighting demonstrations, and cliffhanger. Actually, I reckon Disruption should have its own TV series...actually, make that a movie. A big blockbuster film with a great soundtrack & a dreamy actor who plays Quentin ;)

Hey, a girl can dream!

Ah the web we weave when we begin to deceive!

Never did the above saying make more sense than in this book. A major theme in Disruption is guilt. Guilt is our female protagonist Maggie's constant companion.

And the more guilt she feels, the more lies she uses to cover it up, aaaaaaand so the vicious cycle continues!

One thing that did confuse me in this book. Maybe I missed a part where it was explained to the reader, but...where are the rest of the world, exactly? 'Cause all I'm reading is 'United States of America', 'USA Individual Identification Act', etc, etc etc.

Did England get wiped out? Is the USA separated from the world by a big shield? Does everyone else have these M-Bands, courtesy of the USA?

To sum up, I have no why - if the USA are the only ones using these M-Band - no other country has stepped up saying, "Uh...these are a bad idea, guys. Like...really bad."

No one? No UN meeting to discuss the ethical controversies surrounding these M-Bands? Everyone's just ok with the government monitoring everything about us and turning us into pheromone-crazed tech-heads?

The future looks grim indeed. 

If someone you loved was in danger, how far would you go to save them? Find out how far Maggie is willing to go by grabbing yourself a copy of Disruption today!

'"To do what you're doing, to risk everything the way you are. He must be an amazing man. He's lucky to have you."
(...) I shook my head sharply. "I've done nothing to help him."
"But you will won't you?"
"Whatever it takes."

He nodded, as if we were pleased with my response. "I have no doubt."

Good to hear, I suppose. Considering he was the 'whatever' it was going to take.'

Books That Need More Attention Hop ~ Ondine Quartet by Emma Raveling

I'm so happy and honored to be a part of the Books That Need More Attention Blog Hop! 

What is this, you may be asking?

This hop is about books you love that not enough other people have found out about. With our busy lives and lengthy 'to be read' lists, sometimes those special books that can truly alter our reading experience slip through the cracks, unnoticed. 

And this hop is about making sure you bookworms know about the books worth reading that you might not have picked up yet! 

As a part of the Books That Need More Attention Hop run by the amazing Valerie Fink, I'm blogging today to bring to your attention a truly unique & exciting YA series.

The Ondine Quartet by Emma Raveling.

This feature includes a whole lot of excitement - from a fun Q&A with the author, to lots of great giveaways!

So hang on to your hats...and let's get started!

A Nightmare Alice ~ Ensnared (Teaser) by A.G. Howard Review

Ensnared (Teaser: Splintered #3)
By A.G. Howard

Rating: 5


'"Worst case, you're driven to madness. Are you willing to risk losing so much?"

"I've already lost everything and I've already gone mad." I meet his bulbous gaze. "Need a demonstration?"'


A whole new Alyssa is ready to take on Red & she's not backing down.

Fans of A.G. Howard's brilliant Splintered series - get ready to fall in love with the new, darker and far edgier Alyssa that has come out to play!

The first three chapters included in the teaser draw readers straight back into the world of Splintered, as Alyssa and her father find themselves having to work together. A most unlikely team, to be true! 

Prepare yourself for intriguing memories, talking beetles, dolls, and butterfly rides, as Ensnared's magic takes flight in this sneak-peek that is sure to leave you wanting more.
 
This teaser is most definitely a promising start to what is sure to be a true gem of a book! 

'The first pixie was right. I'm the epitome of Alice. A nightmare Alice. An Alice gone mad, who thirsts for blood. When I find Queen Red, she'll beg me to stop at her head.'

This Girl Is On Fire ~ Heir of Fire Review

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
By Sarah J. Maas 

Rating: 5+


'It wasn't the carved oak furniture, or the faded green drapes, or the warmth of the fire that made her stop dead. It was the dark-haired woman seated behind the desk. Maeve, Queen of the Fae.

Her aunt.

And then came the words she had been dreading for ten years.

"Hello, Aelin Galathynius."'



'That girl, that princess, had died in a river a decade ago. Celaena was no more Aelin Galathynius than she was any other person.'

Although Chaol Westfall may be reeling from the shock of discovering that Celaena is Terrasen's rightful queen, Celaena has no true feelings on the matter.

Her past - and who she used to be - are buried deep inside her. And she plans on keeping it that way.

Too much has happened for her to ever consider taking up a crown. Wendlyn offers nothing more than a chance to drink herself into oblivion, as she tries fruitlessly to forget what sent her there in the first place. 

Nehemia. Chaol. And a tyrant on a throne that is not his own.

'Celaena was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir to the throne and rightful Queen of Terrasen. It made her his mortal enemy. It made her Dorian's enemy. The future he'd once dreamed of was irrevocably gone.'

Back at the palace, Chaol struggles to deal with the truth behind Celaena's parting words. And they're made no easier to handle by the appearance of a person who looks all too familiar. 

Aedion Ashryver, the King of Adarlan's General of the North.

And Celaena's - Aelin's - cousin.

Chaol has a heavy choice to make. Can he trust anyone with Celaena's secret...even someone who shares the same blood as her?

'She'd been running for so long that she didn't know what it was to stand and fight.' 

Although the humans of Wendlyn may not know a queen is in their midst, some powers certainly do. Especially Maeve, Queen of the Fae and Celaena's aunt. 

Coming face-to-face with the woman her mother, when alive, had kept her hidden from is not a wise move to make. But Celaena needs answers. Answers that could change the fate of the kingdom and that could allow her to return to Adarlan at last.

But everything has a price. And Maeve isn't going to give those answers to her for free.

'I wish you to become who you were born to be. To become queen.'

Celaena is to reside at Mistward, under the experienced eye of Prince Rowan, nephew of Maeve and bound to the fae queen's service. There, he will test her until she has proven worthy of gaining the answers she desperately seeks.

But these tests, unlike the ones that made her King's Champion, are not concentrated on mere mundane methods of combat and killing. 

They require Celaena to use her magic.

Which is easier said than done. No matter how hard she tries, she cannot seem to summon up even a spark - something that infuriates Rowan to no end. 
  
The light inside her is barely flickering. For what does she have live for? For what purpose does her existence serve? Such questions Celaena must answer for herself.

'She has no hope, Prince. She has no hope left in her heart. Help her. If not for her sake, then at least for what she represents - what she could offer all of us, you included. (...) A better world.'

Rowan Whitethorn has better things to do than babysit a spoiled princess who refuses to tap into her own magic. He may not know much about Celaena, but what he does know doesn't exactly inspire him to aid her. 

Yet the more time he spends with Celaena, the more he comes to realise that the girl before him is only one side she shows the world. Every now and then he gets glimpses of a fiery, passionate woman who would do anything for those she holds dear.

And he can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she has the potential to be the queen she was meant to be - if only she'd find the strength to face her fears head-on.

'You do not have a heart, Manon. We are not born with them, and we are glad of it.'

Over in the Western Wastes, Manon Blackbeak - the heir of the Blackbeak Witch Clan - has only one goal. 

To win the War Games, so she can one day become Queen of the Waste.

She is a killer, but the skills that got her that title won't help her in the Games. To do that, she will have to train Abraxos, her chosen wyvern, and get it to make the Crossing successfully.

But time is against her, as is the stubborn Abraxos. But Manon has never backed down from a challenge before and she'll be damned if she will this time, when it really counts.

'Behold my power (...) Behold what I grapple with in the deep dark, what prowls under my skin.'

Will Celaena accept her past and find a way to start a court that will change the world? What secrets will lie in Maeve's much sought-after answers? And what tricks does the evil king on his stolen throne have up his sleeve?

Only time will tell.

'She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir of two mighty bloodlines, protector of a once-glorious people, and Queen of Terrasen.

She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius - and she would not be afraid.'


**A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book and to Sarah J Maas for writing it!**

The Girl Who Never Was ~ Review

The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1)
By Skylar Dorset

Rating: 4.7



'Maybe no one should claim me at all(...) Maybe I'm just me. Why has no one considered that ever, in my entire life? I'm more than just a pawn in some stupid prophecy.'


Hold on to your magical sweater & get ready for the ride of a lifetime!

This book was fantastically, wonderfully, confusingly perfect. 

I cannot describe it in any other way but this: reading The Girl Who Never Was is like picking up an apple, biting into it, and discovering that it's actually filled with your favourite ice-cream (for those who are curious, my favourite ice-cream is Gelatissimo's lime gelato. I'd take that over an apple any day!)

Weird. Intriguing. And amazing!

But more importantly, it's filled with 'double take' moments. Times where I had to turn back the page and re-read a section a few times before it fully sunk in. Because let's face it - not all of us were born as faerie princesses/faerie travelers/wizards/ogres.

Some us are utterly (and miserably) mundane.

And for us mundane beings, it's sometimes hard to understand a book whose plot is deeply embedded in many, many riddle-like explanations.

I don't believe that the heroine receives even one straight answer to any of her (a.k.a the reader's) questions during the entire book.

I feel the heroine's frustration. Because hip hip hooray - every other character knows what's going on! Isn't that swell...for them. But hey, I'm here too. And I don't have the faintest clue what the hell is going on.

Does she have a mum? Oh, wait, her mum's trying to kill her? Ok...but hang on, how come when she meets her mother, she doesn't kill her? What's the deal with escaping inescapable places? Do promises count for anything with faeries? Why aren't all debts stitched?

In the words of the King of Siam from The King And I, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

The list of confusing questions goes on and on. But what remains is a weird sense of understanding.

This may just be the first book ever where being confused has made sense, besides A.G. Howard's Splintered series. It's like...we're never meant to know everything. And that what we know isn't true and is ever-changing.

There are no rules.

And we, as readers, have a strict set of rules when it comes to what we expect books to do and/ contain. But the thing is, this world that the author has created has no rules. It takes on a life of its own and even the main characters are left confused as the tables are turned time and time again.

It's part of the weird and wonderful magic this book possesses. I finished the book feeling a mixture of emotions - ranging from "What the hell just happened?" to "I want more!"

That said...I want more!

That cliffhanger had me as angry as a cat dunked into the middle of a pond. Not at the book - but at that lovely character who decided to forget everything they'd gone through and threw everything away for nothing.

I mean, I finished that book at 1am...so perhaps I wasn't totally rational at that point. But I really did think that the character of the character who 'turned', so to speak, really did a 180 spin during that last chapter.

Has that ever happened to you guys - where a character just out of the blue changes dramatically in the course of a few chapters? It reminded me of the drastic change in Adam in Ignite Me. And it annoyed me a little, especially since I was really starting to like that character, too!

Not to mention I just looked up Book #2 on GR to find out it comes out in December! So close and yet so far!

So if you're a fan of Alice-In-Wonderland-ish, fae-inspired stories, I really recommend giving this book a shot. In the meantime, happy reading! <3