Blog Tour (Review): A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond #yalit #giveaway #BibPleaseReview

Title: A Song for Ella Grey
Author: David Almond
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
Written in lyrical prose, this novel for fans of epic romances and mythology retellings explores themes of love, loss, fate, and destiny set against the dramatic and diverse backdrop of Northern England.

David Almond, recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award, a Printz Honor for Skellig, and the Printz Award for Kit’s Wilderness, has crafted an enchanting modern take on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Claire and Ella and their friends are bound by ties so strong they seem unbreakable. Then the strange and handsome Orpheus strolls onto the beach, and he sings them all into an astonishing new understanding of themselves. Ella is caught the hardest, fastest, deepest—and Claire is left with the pain of looking on.

Raw, emotional, lyrical, funny, and true, A Song for Ella Grey is a tale of the joys, troubles, and desires of modern teens. It takes place in the ordinary streets of Tyneside and on the beautiful beaches of Northumberland. It’s a story of first love, a love song that draws on ancient mythical forces. A love that leads Ella, Orpheus, and Claire to the gates of Death and beyond.

My Review

I'm a fan of literary fiction, so I am happy to give my reading time to any of that genre in the YA classification that catches my eye. A Song for Ella Grey definitely did that because I used to be obsessed with Greek mythology. However, the book has me a bit at a loss.

A Song for Ella Grey is young adult literature, but I think it is written for young people that are smarter than me. While I got the symbolism and all, I didn't quite "get" the book. It was hard for me to connect to the characters as a worrisome mom. I also had a hard time following what was going on. I have officially entered the dumb grown-up phase because it went completely over my head.

Waiting on Wednesday (114): Staked by Kevin Hearne

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



Title: Staked (The Iron Druid Chronicles #8)
Author: Kevin Hearne
Publisher: Del Rey (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: January 26, 2016
When a druid has lived for two thousand years like Atticus, he’s bound to run afoul of a few vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a huge problem requiring a solution. It’s time to make a stand.

As always, Atticus wouldn’t mind a little backup. But his allies have problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it’s not water under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of the Norse god Loki’s mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares.

As Atticus globetrots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But poetic justice won’t come without a price: In order to defeat Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.


What's there not to love about a well-researched urban fantasy series about a hot druid and his hysterical giant pet dog?

What are you waiting on this week?

Audiobook Review: Charming by Elliott James #UrbanFantasy @orbitbooks

Title: Charming (Pax Arcana #1)
Author: Elliott James
Narrator: Roger Wayne
Publisher: Orbit (Hachette)
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
John Charming isn't your average Prince...

He comes from a line of Charmings -- an illustrious family of dragon slayers, witch-finders and killers dating back to before the fall of Rome. Trained by a modern day version of the Knights Templar, monster hunters who have updated their methods from chain mail and crossbows to Kevlar and shotguns, John Charming was one of the best--until a curse made him one of the abominations the Knights were sworn to hunt.

That was a lifetime ago. Now, John tends bar under an assumed name in rural Virginia and leads a peaceful, quiet life. That is, until a vampire and a blonde walked into his bar...

Charming is the first novel in a new urban fantasy series which gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.

My Review

I feel a little bad that I didn't read Charming sooner than what I did. I've recommended this book to numerous patrons and fellow librarians, yet I never read it myself. (The Kevin Hearne Seal of Approval was an instant purchase when I used to be in charge of collection development.) One of my coworkers spent several days going on about how much she enjoyed it and how I should read it since it reminded her of Hounded by Kevin Hearne. Two years later, I finally picked up the book.

I feel like I've missed out on so much by being late to the Charming party.

Review: Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish

Title: Owl and the Japanese Circus (The Adventures of Owl #1)
Author: Krista Charish
Publisher: Gallery (Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Acquired Via: Library
Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.

Ex-archaeology grad student turned international antiquities thief, Alix—better known now as Owl—has one rule. No supernatural jobs. Ever. Until she crosses paths with Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon who owns and runs the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas. He insists Owl retrieve an artifact stolen three thousand years ago, and makes her an offer she can’t refuse: he’ll get rid of a pack of vampires that want her dead. A dragon is about the only entity on the planet that can deliver on Owl’s vampire problem – and let’s face it, dragons are known to eat the odd thief.

Owl retraces the steps of Mr. Kurosawa’s ancient thief from Japan to Bali with the help of her best friend, Nadya, and an attractive mercenary. As it turns out though, finding the scroll is the least of her worries. When she figures out one of Mr. Kurosawa’s trusted advisors is orchestrating a plan to use a weapon powerful enough to wipe out a city, things go to hell in a hand basket fast…and Owl has to pick sides.

My Review

This review was originally posted at http://kimheniadis.com and used to introduce the newest reviewer, Kim, to the fold.

You know that old saying, Don’t Choose a Book by Its Cover? I usually don’t. I often pick a book by its title, that’s why I chose Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish. Owls in a Japanese circus act? What are they doing? But wait, this is an Urban Fantasy, so that can’t even be close to what it’s about. I flipped the book over and started reading the back.

Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.

Harrison and Butcher’s books are ones that I read as soon as they come out. And I’ve never heard of Linda Hamilton, but maybe they meant Laurell K. Hamilton, and I used to read her books... sounds excellent so far.

Then I read “modern-day “Indiana Jane”. What is that meme? Shut up and take my money.

Waiting on Wednesday (105): A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



Title: A Thousand Nights
Author: E.K. Johnston
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (Hachette)
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.


The cover is sooooo pretty! Plus, I love a good retelling so I can't want to get my hands on this.

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Dragons Are People, Too by Sarah Nicolas (ARC) @Sarah_Nicolas #yalit

Title: Dragons Are People, Too
Author: Sarah Nicolas
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
Never judge a dragon by her human cover…

Sixteen-year-old Kitty Lung has everyone convinced she’s a normal teen—not a secret government operative, not the one charged with protecting the president’s son, and certainly not a were-dragon. The only one she trusts with the truth is her best friend—and secret crush—the über-hot Bulisani Mathe.

Then a junior operative breaks Rule Number One by changing into his dragon form in public—on Kitty’s watch—and suddenly, the world knows. About dragons. About the Draconic Intelligence Command (DIC) Kitty works for. About Kitty herself.

Now the government is hunting down and incarcerating dragons to stop a public panic, and a new shape-shifting enemy has kidnapped the president’s son. Kitty and Bulisani are the last free dragons, wanted by both their allies and their enemies. If they can’t rescue the president’s son and liberate their fellow dragons before getting caught themselves, dragons might never live free again.

My Review

I love stories with dragons and strong female leads, so a story about a teenage dragon who happens to be a former secretive operative now on the run from the U.S. government seemed like a perfect fit. However, I had a ton of issues, and I considered DNFing Dragons Are People, Too at about 50% in but I had less than an hour left (according to the Kindle), so I powered through.

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein (ARC) @FierceReads @loriagoldstein #yalit

Title: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1)
Author: Lori Goldstein
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillian)
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

My Review

Once a Jinn becomes 16, she gets a bracelet which activates her powers and also allows her to grant one wish to each human. The wish granting and the Jinn world are ruled by the Afrit, and Azra believes that they are unfair jailers.

Azra is struggling with becoming a Jinn because she only sees the negative and feels like it equals a lifetime of slavery. She doesn't understand why the male Jinn are not allowed to travel to Earth. I really liked Azra, but I also empathized with her. I can see that she could be incredibly frustrating for other readers. I understood Azra, because I hate being told what I can and cannot do. I also would balk about having my future decided for me and my decisions limited by a ruling class.

Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway): Wildalone by Krassi Zourkova

Title: Wildalone
Author: Krassi Zourkova
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Acquired Via: TLC Book Tours
In this darkly imaginative debut novel full of myth, magic, romance, and mystery, a Princeton freshman is drawn into a love triangle with two enigmatic brothers and discovers terrifying secrets about her family and herself—a bewitching blend of Twilight, The Secret History, Jane Eyre, and A Discovery of Witches.

For every world, there is an underworld.

Arriving at Princeton for her freshman year, Thea Slavin finds herself alone, a stranger in a strange land. Away from her family and her Eastern European homeland for the first time, she struggles to adapt to unfamiliar American ways and the challenges of college life—including a young man whose brooding good looks and murky past intrigue her. Drawn to the elusive Rhys and his equally handsome and mysterious brother, Jake, she ventures into a sensual mythic underworld as irresistible as it is dangerous.

In this shadow world that seems to evoke Greek mythology and the Bulgarian legends of the samodivi, or "wildalones"—forest witches who beguile and entrap men—Thea will discover a family secret bound to transform her forever . . . if she can accept that dead doesn't always mean gone, and love doesn't always distinguish between the two.

Mesmerizing and addictive, Wildalone is a thrilling blend of the modern and the fantastical. Krassi Zourkova creates an atmospheric world filled with rich characters as compelling as those of Diana Gabaldon, Deborah Harkness, and Stephenie Meyer.

My Review

There were things I LOVED about Wildalone and there were things I hated about it. Let's start with the great:

The writing style was fabulous and the blend of the Greek mythology with Bulgarian mythology and Christianity was interesting. I also loved the setting: partly in Princeton, which was almost a town unto itself, and partly in Bulgaria. It was awesome finding out all the little things about Bulgarian culture and customs, like that they nod for "no".

Joint Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown (Spoilers)

Okay, if you haven't read Red Rising, you may want to skip this discussion/review. If you haven't read Golden Son yet, you may want to be careful while reading this review. If you have read Golden Son, we totally need to have a party and discuss All The Things.

Proceed carefully.



Title: Golden Son (Red Rising Trilogy #2)
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom.

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.

He must live for more.

Our Review

You can read Kayla's review of Red Rising, the first book in the trilogy, HERE.

BEWARE! THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR Red Rising (AND MAYBE Golden Son) BELOW!
Amber: So I decided to play hooky the last few minutes of work and finish.....

My first thoughts at the end were "Well, fuck."

At least Sevro and Mustang are free somewhere. They'll get Darrow out somehow.

Kayla: So did you see any of that coming? I knew what's-his-face would end up betraying him, but I didn't think Finchner would be killed. But then again, I didn't see a lot of things coming. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something would spin it on its head.

Review: The Just City by Jo Walton

Title: The Just City (Thessaly #1)
Author: Jo Walton
Publisher: Tor Books (Macmillan)
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
"Here in the Just City you will become your best selves. You will learn and grow and strive to be excellent."

Created as an experiment by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, the Just City is a planned community, populated by over ten thousand children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, along with some handy robots from the far human future—all set down together on a Mediterranean island in the distant past.

The student Simmea, born an Egyptian farmer's daughter sometime between 500 and 1000 A.D, is a brilliant child, eager for knowledge, ready to strive to be her best self. The teacher Maia was once Ethel, a young Victorian lady of much learning and few prospects, who prayed to Pallas Athene in an unguarded moment during a trip to Rome—and, in an instant, found herself in the Just City with grey-eyed Athene standing unmistakably before her.

Meanwhile, Apollo—stunned by the realization that there are things mortals understand better than he does—has arranged to live a human life, and has come to the City as one of the children. He knows his true identity, and conceals it from his peers. For this lifetime, he is prone to all the troubles of being human.

Then, a few years in, Sokrates arrives—the same Sokrates recorded by Plato himself—to ask all the troublesome questions you would expect. What happens next is a tale only the brilliant Jo Walton could tell.

My Review

The Just City is a fairly amazing book that I really don't know how to describe, sadly. I was drawn to the book because of all of the wonderful things I have heard about Jo Walton (I hate that I missed her panels at ALA in June) and my love of Greek mythology. What I found was a novel that made me want to be smarter to appreciate it more, and I also wish that I had read it ten years ago in college, when my brain was at its peak.

Joint Review: Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Title: Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin #3)
Author: Robin LaFevers
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
In the powerful conclusion to Robin LaFever's New York Times bestselling His Fair Assassins trilogy, Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind, doesn’t mean she has.

Book Trailer


Our Review

You can read Kayla's review of Grave Mercy, the first book in His Fair Assassins trilogy, HERE.

Amber: So, my first thoughts about Mortal Heart were that I should have re-read both Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph. I remembered little to nothing about the story so far and was pretty lost in the first couple of chapters.

But once Annith was away from the convent, I started enjoying it. My favorite parts by far involved the hellequin (and Balthazaar) and the followers of Arduinna. I really hope that LaFevers writes a spinoff with the other followers of the Nine.

What were your first impressions?

Kayla: When I started reading it, I was worried about how LaFevers would tie it in with the history of Brittany. And, like most other people, I wondered how in the world I would like Annith as much as I liked Ismae. As for the other two books, I had reread Grave Mercy and read Dark Triumph for the first time earlier this year.

I really liked that Mortal Heart had a bit more of the supernatural element to it than the other books. I loved learning about LaFever's Nine and their history. I thought that I would like to read about Arduinna's followers, but after finishing the book, I'd love to read more about Dea Matrona or Amourna. (Yes, I'm aware that it would be tricky, but I am sure there will be MEAT.)

Amber: How did you end up feeling about Annith? I really liked her. She truly cared about her sisters, and she had a lot of compassion. Both of these tempered her almost perfectness. I also LOVED the love interest. If I ever swooned over anything, it would definitely be over Balthazaar.

Audiobook Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Title: Kinslayer (The Lotus War #2)
Author: Jay Kristoff
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (Macmillan)
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
A SHATTERED EMPIRE
The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The toxic blood lotus flower continues to ravage the land, the deadlands splitting wider by the day. The machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild conspire to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously - by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY
Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM
Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

My Review

You can read my review of the first book, Stormdancer HERE.

I put off reading Kinslayer until this year because, to me, there is nothing worse than reading the middle book of a trilogy and being stuck with a huge cliffhanger for a year. So if there was a cliffhanger (and I think there was), I didn't really notice because I only had to wait like three days for Endsinger.

Review: The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen

Title: The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act (The Wicked + The Divine #1-5)
Authors: Kieron Gillen (writer); Jamie McKelvie (Illustrator); Matt Wilson (Colorist)
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: November 12, 2014
Acquired Via: NetGalley
Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever.

My Review

The Wicked + The Divine was everything I wanted in a graphic novel. The art is gorgeous, and the writing has just the right amount of snark for me. The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act combines the first five issues into one collection. The second arc will begin with issue 6 which will be published on December 17, 2014.

Review: The Fire Seekers by Richard Farr

Title: The Fire Seekers (The Babel Trilogy #1)
Author: Richard Farr
Publisher: Skyscape (Amazon)
Release Date: November 1, 2014
Acquired Via: Kindle First
The time of our immortality is at hand.

An undeciphered language in Crete. A rash of mysterious disappearances, from Bolivia to Japan. An ancient warning at the ruins of Babel. And a new spiritual leader, who claims that human history as we understand it is about to come to an end.

Seventeen-year-old Daniel Calder’s world falls apart when a freak accident brings personal tragedy—and he discovers there’s a link between the accident and a wildly successful new cult, the Seraphim. Catapulted into a violent struggle for humanity’s past and future, he’s not even sure who the enemy is, or if he’s battling a phantom that doesn’t exist. But as Daniel puts his life on the line, he is forced to conclude that our very survival as a species will depend on who, and what, we choose to believe.

My Review

When I saw The Fire Seekers as one of the Kindle First options last month, I jumped at it. I really like thrillers with a sci-fi/fantasy element, and it was an added bonus that this one was based on religious mythology. I've always been fascinated by Babel, Mesopotamia, and anything ancient like that.

The Fire Seekers started out really strong. I loved meeting Daniel and getting the build-up to where the synopsis promised the book would go. I just knew that I'd be on for a wild ride. Unfortunately, it was one that go stuck on its way to the top. I was flying through the book, and I felt myself slowly losing interest. By the halfway point, I didn't really care anymore. I would only read a page or two at a time before putting it down.

I have no idea where The Fire Seekers was going plotwise, but if you're interested in this sort of thing, I hope you like it more than I did. As for me, I'm off to see what other books are out there.

- DNF -

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond


To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an digital copy of the book for reviewing purposes from the publisher prior to the release date through the Kindle First program. This has in no way affected the outcome of the review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.

Dystopian Giveaway Hop #2 (INT)

Happy Halloween! Welcome to my stop on the Dystopian Giveaway Blog Hop. This hop is co-hosted by April & Kat at My Shelf Confessions and Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

What You Can Win

One of the best dystopian novels that I've read this year is Pierce Brown's debut novel, Red Rising. I read and reviewed this book a earlier this year, and I enjoyed it so much that I want to share it. Here's a little about the book:



Title: Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1)
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”

“I live for you,” I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

Buy Links
Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond


Giveaway

Review: Beyond the Pale by Henry Herz

Title: Beyond the Pale
Author: Henry Herz (editor)
Publisher: Birch Tree Publishing
Acquired Via: Editor
Release Date: July 7, 2014
Beyond the Pale contains eleven dark fantasy, urban fantasy and paranormal short stories by award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors:

• "Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" by Saladin Ahmed (author of Throne of the Crescent Moon)
• "The Children of the Shark God" by Peter S. Beagle (author of The Last Unicorn)
• "Misery" & "Shadow Children" by Heather Brewer (author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
• "Even Hand" by Jim Butcher (author of The Dresden Files)
• "Red Run" by Kami Garcia (author of Beautiful Creatures)
• "Pale Rider" & "The Adventures of Lightning Merriemouse-Jones" by Nancy Holder (author of Wicked)
• "Frost Child" and "South" by Gillian Philip (author of Rebel Angels)
• "A Knot of Toads" by Jane Yolen (author of Owl Moon)

The noun “pale” refers to a stake (as in impaling vampires) or pointed piece of wood (as in a paling fence). “Pale” came to refer to an area enclosed by a paling fence. Later, it acquired the figurative meaning of an enclosed and therefore safe domain. Conversely, "beyond the pale" means foreign, strange, or threatening. You are about to go Beyond the Pale.

My Review

I love love love to read short stories (the literary ones from college are my favorites!), but I don't think that I've ever reviewed an anthology. Since I was so intrigued by the authors and the premise of Beyond the Pale, I figured that I would give it a shot.

I have to be honest and say that I skipped some of the stories for various reasons. I know that Jim Butcher is everyone else's favorite here at Bibliophilia, Please, but I am yet to read The Dresden Files. (Before you string me, I bought them on Kindle and Audible, so Storm Front will be happening soon.) I also skipped Frost Child by Gillian Philip because I wasn't in the mood for fairies at the time. Jan Yolen's A Knot of Toads and Nancy & Belle Holder's The Adventures of Lightning Merriemouse-Jones were both passed over, as I could get into them. That being said, these stories will not factor into my overall rating of the book.

Audiobook Review: Shattered by Kevin Hearne

Title: Shattered (Iron Druid Chronicles #7)
Author: Kevin Hearne
Narrator: Luke Daniels
Publisher: Del Rey
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
Release Date: June 17, 2014
For nearly two thousand years, there was only one Druid left walking the Earth—Atticus O’Sullivan, the Iron Druid, whose sharp wit and sharp sword kept him alive while pursued by a pantheon of hostile deities. Now he’s got company.

Atticus’s apprentice Granuaile is at last a full Druid herself. What’s more, Atticus has defrosted an archdruid long ago frozen in time, a father figure (of sorts) who now goes by the modern equivalent of his old Irish name: Owen Kennedy.

And Owen has some catching up to do.

Atticus takes pleasure in the role reversal, as the student is now the teacher. Between busting Atticus’s chops and trying to fathom a cell phone, Owen must also learn English. For Atticus, the jury’s still out on whether the wily old coot will be an asset in the epic battle with Norse god Loki—or merely a pain in the arse.

But Atticus isn’t the only one with daddy issues. Granuaile faces a great challenge: to exorcise a sorcerer’s spirit that is possessing her father in India. Even with the help of the witch Laksha, Granuaile may be facing a crushing defeat.

As the trio of Druids deals with pestilence-spreading demons, bacon-loving yeti, fierce flying foxes, and frenzied Fae, they’re hoping that this time . . . three’s a charm.

My Review

You can read the joint review of Hunted (IDC #6) HERE. You should either go read that review or the books if you don't want to see spoilers for the series below.

I do not like Granuaile.

I feel like I have to get that out in the open in order for you to understand where I'm coming from in this review. This series has consistently been one of my all-time favorites, but I think Shattered is my least favorite of them all because being stuck in Granuaile's head made me want to skip through her parts.

This isn't just about Atticus being my boyfriend. (He is, but this isn't my beef today.)

Review: Altaica by Tracy M. Joyce

Title: Altacia (The Chronicles of Altaica #1)
Author: Tracy M. Joyce
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Acquired Via: NetGalley
Release Date: June 4, 2014
Isaura – little is known about her race, but much is whispered. Born to refugees, she grows up enduring racism and superstition within a community that fears her. She has few friends, and those she treasures. Trapped, she longs for escape to a different life.

Escape is only the beginning of her troubles. Having fled an invading army with her friends, Isaura is faced with heinous choices in order to survive. Secrets from her past emerge to torment her and threaten to destroy all she holds dear. Her struggles forge a bond with an ancient power – a power which may transform or consume her. Old hatreds and superstitions are renewed and at her most vulnerable she learns the true nature of those around her.

Her only hope lies in a foreign land – a land rich in tradition; ruled by three powerful clans. A land with a history marked by warfare; where magic as we know it does not exist. Instead what is here, in abundance, is a more primal power.

Survival carries a high price.

Welcome to Altaica.

My Review

I didn’t know what to expect from Altaica because the author and publisher were unknowns to me. I’m glad I decided to take a chance on it though, because I quite enjoyed it. However, it was almost as if there were two different books. The book was split into three parts and parts two and three were significantly stronger than part one. Also the feels of the parts were different - part one was almost just adventure, but parts two and three were definitely fantasy.

Audiobook Review: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Title: Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1)
Author: Pierce Brown
Narrator: Tim Gerard Reynolds
Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Acquired Via: Publisher
Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”

“I live for you,” I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

My Review

Red Rising is Pierce Brown's dystopian, science fiction debut novel that is set far into the future on the planet Mars. It has been compared to The Hunger Games and Ender's Game. Shockingly, I have to agree with these comparisons (though I usually won't on principle) because Brown gives us a gritty, dark novel that speculates on what human civilization can become and how powerful love can be, no matter how downtrodden the ones feeling it.

Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway): Alpha Goddess by Amalie Howard

Alpha Goddess Tour Schedule



Title: Alpha Goddess
Author: Amalie Howard
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Acquired Via: JKS Communications
Release Date: March 18, 2014
In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.

My Review

I waited a long time for a book that featured some sort of Middle Eastern mythology. Alpha Goddess focuses on Hindu mythology, but there is a bit of Iranian lore that is mixed in with the story. It's not a major thing, but it was enough to make me a happy camper. Besides the wonderful mythology, there is also the typical YA love triangle, which isn't quite as exciting. However, Sera was a realistic teen who behaved like a typical kid that young readers will easily relate to.