Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine @simonteen #pulseit

Title: The Impostor Queen
Author: Sarah Fine
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: January 5, 2016
Acquired Via: Publisher
The elders chose Elli to be queen, but they chose wrong in this beautifully crafted novel in the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Victoria Aveyard.

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

My Review

You guys are in for a treat in January. I read The Impostor Queen when I was being a bad reviewer and should have been reading something else. Be warned: not only did I disregard the book that I was supposed to be reading, I was also reading this book any time I had a free moment to look down at my phone or iPad. It is that good.

Waiting on Wednesday (125): The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine #WaitingonWednesday #WoW @simonteen #pulseit

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: The Impostor Queen
Author: Sarah Fine
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: June 14, 2016
The elders chose Elli to be queen, but they chose wrong in this beautifully crafted novel in the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Victoria Aveyard.

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.


I enjoy Sarah Fine's writing, so I'm all about getting my hands on The Imposter Queen. I mean, can anyone really read too much fantasy?

What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (70): Marked by Sarah Fine

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: Marked (Servants of Fate #1)
Author: Sarah Fine
Publisher: 47North
Release Date: January 13, 2015
In a broken landscape carved by environmental collapse, Boston paramedic Cacia Ferry risks life and limb on the front lines of a fragile and dangerous city. What most don’t know—including her sexy new partner, Eli Margolis—is that while Cacy works to save lives, she has another job ferrying the dead to the Afterlife. Once humans are “Marked” by Fate, the powerful Ferrys are called to escort the vulnerable souls to either eternal bliss or unending fire and pain.

Unaware of Cacy’s other life, Eli finds himself as mesmerized by his fierce and beautiful partner as he is mistrustful of the influential Ferry clan led by the Charon—who happens to be Cacy’s father. Cacy, in turn, can no longer deny her intense attraction to the mysterious ex-Ranger with a haunted past. But just as their relationship heats up, an apparent hit takes the Charon before his time. Shaken to the core, Cacy pursues the rogue element who has seized the reins of fate, only to discover that Eli has a devastating secret of his own. Not knowing whom to trust, what will Cacy have to sacrifice to protect Eli—and to make sure humanity’s future is secure?


Sarah Fine has been on my radar for a long time, but something always captures my attention before I quite get to her books. I know her most recent Of Metal and Wishes is getting a lot of positive reviews. Also, Kayla really liked her joint book with Walter Jury, Scan. (You can read her review HERE.) Sanctum is going to be my book borrowed from the Kindle Lending Library this month, and it's looking like Marked will also be available to borrow when it releases.

What are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Scan by Walter Jury & Sarah Fine

Title: Scan (Scan #1)
Authors: Walter Jury & Sarah Fine
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin)
Release Date: May 1, 2014
Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush his school, killing his father and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans.

All Tate knows—like how to make weapons out of oranges and lighter fluid—may not be enough to save him as he’s plunged into a secret interspecies conflict that’s been going on for centuries. Aided only by his girlfriend and his estranged mother, with powerful enemies closing in on all sides, Tate races to puzzle out the secret behind his father’s invention and why so many are willing to kill for it.

A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

Guest Post

The Easiest and Most Difficult Scenes to Write in Scan
Walter Jury
(SPOILER ALERT--this post contains some spoilers.)

My favorite scene to write was the final set piece. Without giving away any plot points, it is a major action sequence that involves Tate and his primary pursuer in a very fun location that, while it is described in detail, still allows for the imagination to run wild. With Tate's skills that we establish early on, we get a real sense of how high the stakes are and how far he can progress with his Dad's tutelage and influence guiding him.


Blog Tour (Review): Scan by Walter Jury & Sarah Fine

Scan Tour Schedule



Title: Scan (Scan #1)
Authors: Walter Jury & Sarah Fine
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin)
Acquired Via: JKS Communications
Release Date: May 1, 2014
Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush his school, killing his father and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans.

All Tate knows—like how to make weapons out of oranges and lighter fluid—may not be enough to save him as he’s plunged into a secret interspecies conflict that’s been going on for centuries. Aided only by his girlfriend and his estranged mother, with powerful enemies closing in on all sides, Tate races to puzzle out the secret behind his father’s invention and why so many are willing to kill for it.

A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

My Review

Okay, YA writers, the line has been drawn in the sand. If you're going to write about aliens, Scan by Walter Jury and Sarah Fine is what you're going to need to aspire to. Holy shit, is this book a wild ride! I literally stayed up all night reading it because it wouldn't let me go. Seriously. There's no stepping away from it, so be sure you don't have to feed your kids or anything. (Put food on the bottom shelves of the refrigerator or scatter cereal on the floor if so. Whichever.)