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Thursday 31 May 2018

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs ~ Review

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan

by Gia Cribbs



Released: May 21, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult 


No one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.

Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service. You know, the people who run the witness protection program or, as it’s officially called, the Witness Security Program? Yeah, the WITSEC folks definitely don’t want me talking to you.

But I don’t care. I have to tell someone.

If I don’t, you’ll never know how completely wrong things can go. How a single decision can change everything. How, when it really comes down to it, you can’t trust anyone. Not even yourself. You have to understand, so it won’t happen to you next. Because you never know when the person sitting next to you isn’t who they claim to be...and because there are worse things than disappearing.


Sloane Sullivan witnessed a murder six years ago, six years she's been in WITSEC (Witness Protection Program) and soon she is exiting the program, all she has to do is blend in at school, don't draw attention to herself, and she will finally be free off WITSEC, free to live out her days as Sloane Sullivan, her 19th and last identity. 

So when Jason Thomas pops up at her new school, a childhood friend in her life before the incident, she breaks all the rules, and in breaking the rules, danger soon follows.

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan was a great book that readers will read with much anticipation, page-flipping and abated breaths. It's action-packed with twists and turns that will have you yelling loudly "WHAT!!!" It was definitely an emotional ride, and so authentically real...that was why I was so scared through this story, because it was so real! This stuff happens in real life people! 

The story is told in Sloane's point of view, both past and present. The flashbacks were such great reads. That was my favourite part of the narrating, it's so realistic, as if the Author is literally writing things as she goes along her "current" life and bam a flashback...because really, that's what we do in real life. As we do things we are triggered to think of past events, reminders etc. so I really like the authenticity of the narrating.

The characters were very relatable and believable. Seeing Sloane in the past to now, made me realise how much stronger she has become due to what she has endured, she was more badass, than her cowering self from her flashbacks.

Agent Mark was truly an amazing character! He was complex, passionate, and caring. Without spoilers, all I can say is stay tuned...don't judge till the last page has been turned. 

I have one my gripe with this book... 

So it starts off as a thriller filled with suspense, danger and heart pumping action to the normal high school angst and drama, the latter dragging on more than I had wished, but once that section of the book was finished, I once again enjoyed the roller-coaster ride that is this book. 

The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a mystery, thriller, with heart-pumping action, danger at every turn and an emotional roller coaster ride. I enjoyed the great writing, the awesome and complex characters, I just didn't enjoy the middle teenage/high school angst...there's no time for this stuff when we are running from murdering criminals! I still very much enjoyed it, and do recommend it.



Buy It Now 



Associate links are used on this post

Wednesday 30 May 2018

Ruthless Magic by Megan Crewe ~ Review

Ruthless Magic

by Megan Crewe



Released: May 30, 2018
Publisher: Another World Press
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal


In the contest to keep their magic, the only options may be die... or kill.

Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses every sixteen-year-old novice. Some will be chosen. The rest must undergo a procedure to destroy their magical ability unless they prove themselves in the mysterious and brutal Mages' Exam.

Disadvantaged by her parents' low standing, Rocío Lopez has dedicated herself to expanding her considerable talent to earn a place in the Confederation. Their rejection leaves her reeling—and determined to fight to keep her magic.

Long ashamed of his mediocre abilities, Finn Lockwood knows the Confederation accepted him only because of his prominent family. Declaring for the Exam instead means a chance to confirm his true worth.

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn find themselves becoming unlikely allies—and possibly more. But the Exam holds secrets more horrifying than either could have imagined. What are the examiners really testing them for? And as the trials become increasingly vicious, how much are they willing to sacrifice to win?

The first in a new series by USA Today bestselling author Megan Crewe, Ruthless Magic combines the magic of Harry Potter with the ferocity of The Hunger Games alongside a poignant romance. Fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, look no further for your next urban fantasy fix!

Wednesday 23 May 2018

The Phoenix Cycle by Bob Collopy ~ Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to my tour stop for The Phoenix Cycle: The Best Shall Rise by Bob Collopy. Please read on for book info, a journal entry that will make you want more and a book trailer, cos who doesn't like those? Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the other stops in this tour, linked at the tour button above.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian ~ Review

Ash Princess

by Laura Sebastian 


Series: Ash Princess Trilogy #1
Released: April 24, 2018
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Genre: YA Fantasy 
Buy It Now: Amazon | Pan Macmillan


Princess. Prisoner. Orphan. Rebel.

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's land and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess - a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword.

And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

"Tense and imaginative. Ash Princess is a smart, feminist twist on a traditional tale of a fallen heroine, with plenty of court intrigue, love, and lies to sweeten the deal. Good luck putting this one down." Virginia Boecker, author of the Witch Hunter series.


Ash Princess was absolutely amazing! Fast paced, gripping and definitely a page turner. Another fantastic YA Fantasy novel, that somewhat reminds me of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir.

Theo/Thora/Theodosia is a prisoner in her own home. The rightful Queen of Astrea.

When her home was attacked ten years prior, the Kaiser overtook her home, kept her imprisoned, killed her Mother, massacred and slaved her people. 

She was happy enough to just survive...after all she is alive, despite the lashings and the ridicule...until she was forced to kill her only living parent, before she got to really know him as a Father. Then the rebel was born, and the rebellion awakened.

I was a princess made of ashes; there is nothing left of me to burn. Now it's time for a queen to rise

Ash Princess was well written. It was striking! I was turning the pages while I held my breath...waiting! Very suspenseful and I truly enjoyed the characters. It was a nail-biting kind of novel and I really enjoyed Laura's writing.

It was so wonderful reading about the characters. Theodosia, called Theo by her friends and Thora by her enemies seemed weak and insignificant in the beginning, to be honest I didn't like her all that much at the start. I felt like she was just weak and lacked any back bone, but as the story progresses, she blossomed into a wonderful Queen! Ready to do everything it takes to save her people. I suppose that's how Sebastian wrote it, so we can see how she conquered herself and her beliefs to become someone quite fierce! 

A guardian must dedicate themselves to their god above all else, but being queen means dedicating yourself to your country above else. You cannot do both. You can love the Gods, you can love me, you can love whomever you wish to love in this world, but Astrea will always come first. Everyone and everything else gets only the leftover scraps. That was Houzzah's gift to our family, but also his curse."

There is a somewhat weak love triangle between Theo, Soren (the enemy's son) and Blaise, her childhood friend. Strangely enough, despite being the Kaiser's son, I prefer Soren to Blaise, and I think Theo does too (but I could be wrong). 

Soren wasn't a strong character, he still allowed his Father to dictate some of his actions, despite rebelling (behind closed doors) but he has so much potential! I feel sorry for him, as he's just trying to navigate this dangerous world, he has morals and tries to abide by it when he can, but I hope to see him become a stronger character, and one worthy of sitting side by side with the up and coming Queen of Astrea. I really enjoyed their time together, their interaction was sweet without the instant-love element. 

The small distance between Soren and me no longer feels cramped with things unsaid. Now, it's full of unspoken promises.

The only slight problem I had with the book in the beginning, was failing to understand why a power hungry King would allow a rightful heir to live, but through the book we are shown several reasons why he kept Thora all this time.

There are some strong themes explored in this book; racism, pedophilia and brutality, but it's not strong enough that it was hard to read, it was somewhat light.

Ash Princess is definitely a strong beginning to this trilogy. It was action packed, the ending was satisfactory. It allowed me to breathe in ease, but it left enough of a cliffhanger that I'm impatiently waiting for the next books in this series. 



This book was provided to me by Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. 
Associate Links used for this post.  

Waiting on Wednesday


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted at Breaking the Spine.

Contagion

by Erin Bowman


Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication: July 24, 2018



After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission.

Most are dead.

But when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies.

Don't set foot here again.

As they try to piece together who—or what—could have decimated an entire operation, they discover that some things are best left buried—and some monsters are only too ready to awaken.



I am yet to read an Erin Bowman book, I do have 2 on my TBR pile. The synopsis is so interesting and with Author blurbs from the likes of Amie Kaufman (below), Beth Revis and Veronica Rossi...who can resist?

What book/s are you waiting on this week? Have you read any Erin Bowman books? What are your thoughts? 
“Gripping, thrilling and terrifying in equal measures, Contagion is the perfect intersection of science fiction and horror -- I couldn’t look away.” — Amie Kaufman

Saturday 19 May 2018

Weekly Wrap-Up



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kim @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 


Life Beyond Books 

I've been participating in the Bout-of-books readathon. I have been hitting my goal of 200 pages daily! Here are my update posts. Have you been participating? Please leave your link below so I can cheer you on to the finish line.

Wednesday 16 May 2018

Power of Five by Alex Lidell (Blog Tour & Review)

Tour Schedule

Welcome to my tour stop for the Power of Five by Alex Lidell. I am so excited to be a part of this tour, as Alex also wrote the well-renowned Cadet of Tildor. Today I am going to share my thoughts on Power of Five. Please do check out the other stops in this tour; click button above for tour schedule. Also enter for your chance to win on the tour giveaway, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours and Alex Lidell. 

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Author Interview with Troy Dukart; The Venerate Saga ~ Tour

Tour Schedule


Welcome to my tour stop for The Venerate Order by Troy Dukart. Today Troy has kindly answered a few questions about himself, so we can get some insight on the mind behind this novel. Please don't forget to check out the other stops in this tour, linked at the button above. Read till the end and enter our tour giveaway.

About The Author

Troy Dukart


Troy Dukart is the author of the Venerate Saga (The Venerate Order, The Venerate Redemption, sequels to follow).

Troy grew up outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities. Troy is recognized by Toastmasters International as an Advanced Communicator Bronze and Advanced Leader Bronze.

He's lived in Japan as well as California. He loves to travel.

Make sure to stop by his website and sign-up for the newsletter to stay in the know!

Saturday 12 May 2018

Weekly Wrap-Up



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kim @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 


Life Beyond Books 


I am starting to get better, about 80% there. I am still happy with that, but I just can't believe I've been sick for so long. I didn't take anti-biotics as the Doctor said I wasn't getting worse (although I wasn't getting better either). I believe some of my troubles could be the changing weather, we are getting a range of Summer, Fall and Winter weather. The last few days though has been winter all over...so I think I can safely say Winter is here early.

Book Blogger Hop ~ favourite book

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's Question?

Could you ever pick a favorite book or is it like choosing your favorite child?


I could not choose a favourite book, I think it'd be worse than choosing a favourite child as there are so many more choices LOL. 


(Suggested by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)



Next Week @ Book Blogger's Hop


What were your worst movies based off of books?

Thursday 10 May 2018

Cover Reveal ~ Chloe Shipton & The Quill of LeFay by Lynn Veevers




Today Lynn Veevers  and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for CHLOE SHIPTON & THE QUILL OF LEFAY, her new YA Fantasy which releases June 12, 2018! Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway for your chance to win $25 Amazon voucher! 

On to the reveal!



CHLOE SHIPTON & THE QUILL OF LEFAY

By Lynn Veevers


Pub. Date: June 12, 2018
Publisher: Lynn Veevers
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 263
Find it: GoodreadsAmazon

When fifteen-year-old Chloe mysteriously disappears, the rumors at Grammaire Hall point to murder, but spiritual entrapment isn’t the same as dead. In a library that’s believed to be nothing more than a myth, Chloe's spirit is separated from her body after witnessing another student's murder. Try as she may she can't remember what happened to her before she woke up as a spirit in the campus graveyard. As Chloe uncovers clues leading to the mythical library's location and her body, a secret the Magical Parliament doesn't want to get out, starts to unravel. Rogue sorcerers have infiltrated the school, intent on reinstating the Third Edict, and sorcery students are dying because of it. Destroyed long ago for horrific crimes against humanity, the return of the Third Edict would spell disaster for both magical and magicless societies. To prevent her own demise and the fulfillment of the Third Edict’s return, Chloe must find a way to reunite body and soul without giving the rogue sorcerers the weapon they need to succeed, a weapon only Chloe can activate.


Exclusive Excerpt!


The screams ripped at my heart as I listened to the desperation that permeated them, “Please don’t hurt me anymore,” the voice cried, “I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

The girl’s voice in my mind was a familiar one, and not in a good way either. Unwanted concern weaseled its way into my heart because there was genuine pain echoing in her words. I tried shaking off the unsettled emotions her pleas left in their wake and headed toward the librarian’s desk again. I didn’t want to care about whatever jam she’d gotten herself into. Suppressing the guilt that riddled me proved difficult, but for a short time, I was successful. Mrs. Martin checked out my books and the inescapable feelings of guilt kept growing as the desperate cries continued. Finally, my conscience caught up with me as I reached for the door leading outside. A defeated sigh wiggled its way through my lips, and I cast my eyes upward because I couldn’t ignore this even if I wanted to.

I needed to do the right thing, not because it was my first choice, but because I felt compelled to. My morals demanded nothing less. If someone was in trouble, you tried to help, even if you didn’t like them. That’s what my parents raised me to believe anyway, and so it didn’t make a difference that the girl’s voice belonged to Lydia Nostredame—the single biggest bane of my existence. Hate is a strong word, but my feelings toward Lydia were something dangerously close to that. My gut told me not to get involved, to ignore my conscious and leave instead. Unfortunately, my intuition was next to never wrong. Maybe I should have listened to it. However, my views of right and wrong were a force to be reckoned with, and they weren’t pulling any stops. The two opposing sides battled it out as I stood there with my hand on the knob. After a few moments of inner turmoil, my moral stance won out. So I left the door and headed back into the library. Lydia’s cries ricocheted through my head like a stray bullet looking for a mark. They became tortured screams as I hurried in the direction my mind told me they were coming from.

“Ms. Shipton,” Mrs. Martin said sternly. “We do not run through the Library!”

I cringed at the sharpness of her tone and slowed my pace to appease the librarian. As soon as that same group of snickering girls snagged the stoic woman's attention, I darted forward. Lydia’s screams had grown to a deafening intensity. Like the tolling of church bells, they drowned out every other sound. The sharp shrill of them poked at my temples, and the pain was worse than any migraine I’d ever had. My feet carried me across the familiar parts of the library and into the further reaches which were seldom ever visited—by anyone. That should have been my first clue.

“Stairs—dark, ominous stairs, of course; why wouldn’t that be the case,” I sarcastically mumbled as I came to a door.

I assumed I’d just never noticed the stairs. After all, I’d only ventured to this part of the library maybe once before. The stair’s door was only partially open but had it been closed I would have thought it was a broom closet. The stairs twisted down into the unknown depths, dimly lit, and narrowing by the second. I was starting to feel as if they might spiral on forever when I finally reached a stone floor. The smell of musty tomes and aged ink filled the stagnant air. There were rows upon rows of shelving easily fifteen feet high. Layers of dust covered sheet draped chairs and tables. Cobwebs, also thick with grime, adorned most everything in this hidden library.

“Please stop, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I swear—I don’t know anything,” Lydia screamed, but it was weaker than before.

I was close enough by then to hear her conventionally. Her voice was drenched in terror and quivering with tears. It echoed and bounced off the milled stone walls of this underground secret I quietly snuck through. Once again my gut adamantly insisted that I turn back, but I stubbornly ignored it. My tendency to be good-natured had baited and lured me into the situation entirely. There would be no turning back no matter how much my intuition screamed at me. I slinked through the columns of shelved books as the feeling of danger settled over my skin like static cling on a warm blanket. I glanced at my arm as goose bumps raced across its tawny surface and the thin layer of peach fuzz stood on end. The sensation sent an unsettling shiver running down the length of my spine. The further in I moved through the rows the thinner the air seemed to become. It felt like I was trying to breathe around a piece of food lodged in my throat. Sweet smelling smoke wafted around me in a lazy wisp as I stood at the edge of a row of books. I recognized the scent immediately as sweet grass, a common reagent used in spells. 


About The Author

Lynn Veevers



Lynn Veevers is originally from Washington State. With her mother being from Christchurch, New Zealand and her father being a well-traveled retired Navy Chief, Lynn has always had a fascination with different cultures around the world. An avid reader, she prefers books that take her to a place she's never been and teach her something new at the same time. The Young Adult Genre is her absolute favorite to read, so it comes as no surprise that it is also her favorite to write. Lynn, on average, pens two to three novels a year with the sequel to Pinnacle in the publishing process now!

Today Lynn lives with her husband and kids in Southeast Oklahoma. Her young adult and adolescent children are supportive and avid beta readers of her work and give her a straightforward and honest point of view about how authentic her characters voices and personalities are for their age group. What better reference than someone close to the same age as the main character. Her kids always have and always will be her greatest inspiration.



Giveaway Details:
One lucky winner will receive a $25Amazon gift card, International.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday 6 May 2018

Weekly Wrap Up



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kim @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 


Life Beyond Books 


I have been toying with the idea of doing ALL the memes I participate in, on Monday, but that'll mean that ALL my linking will be on ONE post. Do you put your memes on the one post, or do you post daily? I just don't know how it'll all work, so stay tuned. 

Friday 4 May 2018

Book Blogger Hop - Emerged better...

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

This week's Question?

Do you ever feel like you have emerged better for reading a book? 


(Suggested by Rubina @ Booklove)


"Better" can be interpreted in many different ways. I don't feel that a book needs to have a "moral to the story" for it to make me "better". For me, if I read a book and I enjoy the story and every moment I am immersed with the characters and world...to me that's made me better. It maybe from an expanded knowledge due to the book, or just pure enjoyment, once I finish the book, I feel that I have become a better person just because I had the opportunity to share in the Author's journey of a wonderful piece of work. 

Examples 


Source: A Spirited Mind

Who hasn't read this and have had some emotional reaction to this brilliant story.

P.S. I love you by Cecelia Ahern
I cried in this book, and years later I still recall what happened in the book, so that means it really struck a chord with me. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Like the book above I am not 100% sure why it struck so much of a chord with me, but years on I still remember the story and I remembered having major book hangover from these books. 

What books has struck a chord with you, and have you been able to pinpoint why? Also let me know, which books have given you hangovers? Please comment below...let's chat! 

Next Week @ Book Blogger's Hop


Could you ever pick a favorite book or is it like choosing your favorite child?

Thursday 3 May 2018

As She Fades by Abbi Glines - Review

As She Fades

by Abbi Glines


Released: January 2, 2018
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Buy It Now: Amazon | Book Depository




On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.

Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.

Then, Crawford wakes up... with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life. Except now, she's in Slate's territory, and their story is about to take a very strange turn.

This is my introduction novel to Abbi Glines' work, despite having one or two on my TBR pile, and I quite enjoyed this book. If anything, I felt like it finished too quickly, not in the sense that it wasn't concluded well, but I just wish I got more time with the characters, especially towards the last quarter of the book. The last part felt somewhat rushed, but it was still rounded off nicely at the end.

As She Fades is a beautiful story that rings quite true, life is precious, and despite all the plans we make, one millisecond is all it takes for everything to change. This is what happened to Vale and Crawford's best laid out plans, when they are involved in a car accident that lands one of them in a coma. 

The book starts off as one point-of-view, Vale's, but mid-way through the book, after a surprising twist, Glines then changes to alternating chapters between Vale and Slate. This is the first book that I have read that changes POV mid-way through the book, but Abbi transitioned this well and I enjoyed and welcomed Slate's POV. 

Abbi's characters are very realistic, and I enjoyed seeing Vale's growth. Vale starts seeing that her "perfect" relationship wasn't so perfect after all, and that she has somehow lost herself whilst being with Crawford, allowing Crawford to take the reign for the most part. 

Seeing as this novel is for Young Adults, I really appreciate that this is something noted in this book. I know for myself, when I was still a teen, that I had lost myself whether through boyfriends or even friends, pretending to like things I did not etc just to be "cool". So I really liked how this subject was touched on, subtly and not in your face where a teen reading this book would think it was a "lecture" or "moral of the story" which as we all know, teens do not take to those well. 

Slate, despite him being a slut for the most part, I still liked him from the beginning; he was kind, caring, charismatic and charming. Glines wrote this very well as his charm just oozed through the pages. Slate was my favourite character as he was quite multi-faceted.

I also enjoyed several secondary characters, but most especially Slate's dying Uncle. He was funny, rude, crass but honest, hopeful and knowledgeable. 

As She Fades is a nice, simple and sweet book that will make you cry and smile. My favourite aspect was the reality of the story and the characters, the plot twist didn't go astray either. I felt like the twist really had me paying more attention...I also had the urge to start from the beginning to see if I can pinpoint the "hints" before it happened. Suffice to say Abbi Glines is a good writer that creates characters that grow within your heart, and the plot is somewhat unique for a YA Contemporary Romance. 




About the Author

Abbi Glines




Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling Author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series.

Read the Sample Chapter of As She Fades by Abbi Glines


This book was provided to me by Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. 

Wednesday 2 May 2018

Waiting on Wednesday


Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted at Breaking the Spine.

Catwoman: Soulstealer

by Sarah J. Maas


Series: DC Icons #3
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: August 7th, 2018


The highly anticipated coming-of-age story of kick-ass super hero: CATWOMAN by international bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. 

When the Bat's away, the Cat will play. It's time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City's slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing's undoing.

In this third DC Icons book--following Leigh Bardugo's Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Marie Lu's Batman: Nightwalker--Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbor Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that's closest to her heart?

I have already read book 2 of this series; Batman:Nightwalker by Marie Lu and really enjoyed it. I've also read a few chapters of Wonder Woman, and can't wait to start reading it properly, as I'm just finishing off some other books. Have you read any of these books? With Authors like Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu and Sarah J Maas...how can you not be excited? What books are you looking forward to, comment below so I can check those out too. 

Bout-of-Books Readathon #22 (14/05/18-20/05/18)



The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 14th and runs through Sunday, May 20th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 22 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. Sign-up page - From the Bout of Books team. 

Welcome to another round of Bout-of-Books readathon, 22 to be exact! I've participated in this readathon a few times and enjoy it a lot. I find Dewey's slightly restrictive as it's only one day, and unfortunately this year I couldn't participate as I came down with a flu. So I was so excited when I found out that Bout of Books is happening! Come and join me! If you are going to participate please comment below and leave me a link to your sign-up page so I can visit. I will update this post soon with my TBR for the readathon, can't wait to see you all there! 


Goals

  1. Read 200 pages daily
  2. Participate in at least 2 challenges
  3. Participate in at least 1 Twitter chat
  4. Comment & Visit at least 50 other participants


Daily Update


Monday May 14th


Books & Pages Read
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs = 350pgs
Total Pages Read = 350pgs
Total Books Finished = 1

Daily Update

I don't really get much reading time during the time as I've got a 3 year old and activities to do during the day. He was at school today, so I really should've sat home and read all day, but it's my ONLY day off, so had lunch and got to pick my Mother's Day presents (PJ sets & Dressing gown). I did do a solid 5 hours reading after my toddler went to bed, this is where I read the majority of the 350 pages.

Day 1 Challenge 

Introduce yourself in #sixwords
Mum. Love of books, planners & handbags
Click here for my original Twitter post.

Tuesday May 15th

Books & Pages Read
Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo = 40pgs
Caraval by Stephanie Garber = 147pgs
The Lies They Tell by Gillian French = 30pgs

Pages Read Today = 217
Total Pages Read = 567
Total Books Finished = 1

Daily Update

Today I had a really hard time getting into any book, hence why I read a little bit of Wonder Woman and a little bit of The Lies They Tell before Caraval gripped me at night.

During the day, nothing was holding my attention long enough to really go for a reading sprint of any sort. #Boutofbooks had a Twitter chat today, I was patiently waiting for it, then I picked up Wonder Woman, and for some reason just missed it! I remembered 15 mins before the end, I did still answer the questions, but I'll definitely going out of my way to participate in the next one...again.  

Daily Challenge 

Share a book that was published the year you were born

I went to Goodreads Listopia, and didn't really know any of the books there but this one that I chose. There were a few Stephen King books, but they weren't stories I knew. I do love Roald Dahl so glad I found one of his books.



Wednesday May 16th

Books & Pages Read
Caraval by Stephanie Garber 83 pages
Tyranny of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood 20 pages
Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff 170 pgs

Pages Read Today = 273pgs
Total Pages Read = 840pgs
Total Books Finished = 1

Daily Update 

I had playgroup with my son today from 10.30am-2pm so didn't get much reading done. I did get a few hours after we came home and had dinner etc but I didn't read as long I normally do as I was exhausted and my eyes just wasn't cooperating. I did listen to the Gemina audiobook and did a few hours of reading along with the audiobook. This tale is so gripping I tried to persevere but too tired.

Thursday May 17th

Books & Pages Read
Gemina by A Kaufman & J Kristoff 138pgs
Caraval by Stephanie Garber 95pgs
Pages Read Today = 233pgs

Total Pages Read = 1073
Total Books Finished = 2 

Daily update 

I read Caraval when I had time, listened to Gemina in the car to and from my appointment and then readalong and finished it...Illuminae Files series is truly epic. 

Daily challenge 

If you like...


You'd probably like...



Friday May 18th

Books & Pages Read
Caraval by Stephanie Garber = 77pgs
Glitter by Aprilynne Pike = 150pgs

Pages Read Today = 227
Total Pages Read = 1300
Total Books Finished = 3

Daily Update

I think mid-week I finally got the groove into the readathon. I've been happily meeting my 200/day goal! I also enjoyed this Space Scavenger Hunt, something different. 

I did struggle with Novellas & Short stories, Nature and the Dog one. I originally put Marley & Me for the dog one, and changed it to this non-fiction that I really enjoyed. It's funny despite being a manual on how to look after a dog. I just loved how they wrote it, as if it was literally an instructional manual. They also have one for babies.

Daily Challenges

Space Scavenger Hunt
Mercury - Short stories/novellas

Venus - Female protagonist
Source: Wikipedia












Earth - About nature/nature word in the title

Mars - Red cover
Jupiter - Tome over 500pgs
Saturn - Cover with circle/ring on the cover/in the title
Uranus - Set in winter
Neptune - Set at sea, on a boat or under water
Pluto - Featuring a dog/dog on cover
Moon - Set anywhere other than Earth
Sun - Set in summer 
Space - Set in Space


Saturday May 19th

Books & Pages Read
Glitter by Aprilynne Pike 217pgs
Pages Read Today = 217
Total Pages Read = 1517
Total Books Finished = 4

Daily Update 

I got to more than half of this book and didn't really want to finish. It is gripping and entertaining there was just things I didn't like about it. Keep posted on my review.

Sunday May 20th

Books & Pages Read
Renegades by Marissa Meyer 20pgs
The Royces 70pgs
Carve of the mark by veronica roth 10pgs

Pages Read Today = 100
Total Pages Read = 1617
Total Books Finished 4

Daily Update

I've still got approx half hour to go, I did listen to Legion Kagawa about an hours worth but I don't know how to translate to pages but I've reached my 200 daily average goals so Im happy! I'm kind of not in the mood for reading today, and happily taking a break.

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