REVIEW: THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENEE AHDIEH.

Title: The Wrath and the Dawn
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1
Edition: Hardbound
Publication: May 12th 2015 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought
Pages: 404
Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

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ISBN: 0399171614 (ISBN13: 9780399171611)

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My heart just cannot fucking handle all the emotions The Wrath and the Dawn gave me. It's astonishingly good that I cannot - for the love of me - wrap my mind around how fucking extraordinary this book is! I hate myself so much for waiting this long to get into it but also proud of that I picked it up at my own pacing. I am also trying my best not to capslock for intensity but damn, I'm gonna fail right about now BECAUSE TWATD WAS FREAKING SOLID PUNCH IN THE GUT!

Shahrzad plans to kill the monster that murdered her best friend. Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan, marries and kills his bride by hanging each dawn. In order to avenge her best friend's death and stop the killings, she volunteered to be his bride. She knew she only had a day to live but Shahrzad being the clever person she is, made way for her death to be postponed for a day. She tells the King a story and ended it in a cliffhanger so she could continue the story the next day. And the next. She has to kill the Caliph and she has to do it fast. But unbelievable turn of events occurred and she's now faced with dilemma: the monster isn't the monster she thought he was and very much conflicted with her feelings.

I felt strings of emotions I never knew I am capable of feeling. I don't even know how to summarize this without spoiling but guuuuuuuuuuys, TWATD is definitely one of the best YA Fantasies I have ever read in my life! HANDS DOWN THE MOST THRILLING EVER! I know I've used "left me on edge" before so let me rephrase this as "made me shut the book and take a breather" kinda book! Ahdieh surely knows how to build up scenes and is confident to know exactly where to drop the bombs! Her writing is music to me and gosh, I was shrieking and giggling and crying and it was all wonderful. The story was certainly bloody and dark and I want more.

I have nothing but praises for this story. It legit made me fall in love with it. The absolute perfection of each character (HI, KHALID MI BABY LOVES), how blood weaves its way to love and how love produces magic, how each chapter holds so much anticipation and action? OUT OF THIS WORLD KIND OF GOOD! Aware of all the feels even, I am at a loss for words, really.

I heard that it's inspired by Thousand and One Arabian Nights but I haven't read that one yet. So the best way I could describe this is Beauty and the Beast-ish x 1000000 of amazing feels. Khalid has a very dark past but he's not a jerk at all and didn't use it as an excuse to be a jerk. He's very much to swoon for. He's interesting to the core, charming, passionate and self-less. Most especially, he's a true leader.

Khalid took me by surprise a lot and Shahrzad was simply mesmerizing! A beautiful queen indeed. She knows how to come out of situations she hasn't anticipated and she's very clever! She's stubborn and doesn't let anyone own her plus, she carries herself pretty well. She's not afraid to admit if she's hurt or if she wronged people. She's brave to have accepted her vulnerability and wise enough to have used her weaknesses as her strengths. I loved how her character developed and the progress of her relationship with her husband was perfectly executed.

ALSO, I CRIED LIKE A BABY AT PAGE 350. MY GOSH.

The Wrath and the Dawn is currently sitting at Number 1 in my Best Books of 2018. Thrilling and intense, it isn't that so hard to fall in love with this book! Absolutely enchanting and perfectly intoxicating!

"Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky."

"You have a beautiful laugh. Like the promise of tomorrow."

"There is no one I would rather see the sunrise with than you."

"I know love is fragile. And loving someone like you is near impossible. Like holding something shattered through a raging sandstorm. If you want her to love you, shelter her from that storm…And make certain that storm isn’t you."

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: BATMAN: NIGHTWALKER BY MARIE LU.

Happy New Year, everybody! Hope you had a blast lasy NY Day! I surely did! Today I will share my first review of the year! Thank you JM of The Bookfreak Revelations for hosting this tour and PRH International for sending in my review copy!

Title: Batman: Nightwalker
Author: Marie Lu
Series: DC Icons #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: January 2nd 2018 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 272
Category: Fantasy, Romance, Heroes, Retelling

Synopsis:
Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city's elites are being executed as their mansions' security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family's fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he's forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city's most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

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ISBN13: 9780399549786

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It is fitting that Batman: Nightwalker is my first read of 2018. New Year, new stuff.. right? It is also my first 2018 Blog Tour review and my first ever Marie Lu book so HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ME, INDEED!

I was so happy to have been given an ARC of Nightwalker because I was really looking forward to getting this one. The first book in this series was by Leigh Bardugo and I have absolutely fell in love with her take in Wonderwoman's story. It did set the bar quite high, if I am being honest. But the authors of this series are no doubt going to blow my mind to bits, and I have never been right in my life in this level. My first Marie Lu book was absolutely phenomenal.

To be honest, I am not THAT of a DC fan. I am a Marvel kinda person but I am familiar with Bruce Wayne. Lu gave me a different side of Bruce and I am so relieved that this book is finally out in the wild! Lu wrote it in a very uplifting way and it is such an eye-opener. The politics in the story is honestly? THE TRUTH! It is happening right now in our government and Lu remarkably took this chance to dissect it like no one has done before.

What truly made me fall in love with this book is Lu's inclusion of diverse characters. I was sooooo happy and fascinated to have met a Filipina character - yes, a side character that felt so Hermione-ish to me - a character that resonated with me as a Filipina. Aside from that, Lu was able to explore each of the characters in a way that reflected not only their physical attributes but their intentions and hearts. I saw how Lu gave these characters their own timeline to shine. IT WAS JUST BASICALLY AN AMAZING BOOK THAT I LOVED SO DEARLY YOU REALLY NEED TO GET THIS.

Younger Bruce is still the Bruce I know todat. He's still the loving person I adored. It melted my heart how much he is willing to sacrifice for those that matter to him. In this book, we can definitely see his vulnerability but despite the fear, he still trusted his heart. Everything in his story is well-balanced and I really, deeply wish Lu would write a sequel. BECAUSE AN ENDING LIKE THAT REQUIRES A SEQUEL.

Also, my love for Alfred with never ever dwindle. EVER.
AND I SCREAMED WHEN DETECTIVE GORDON WAS INTRODUCED! LIKE, IT WAS THE BEST THING TO HAVE GRACED THESE PAGES EVER HAHA!
Lastly, what could Madeleine and Kady (Illuminae) do if given a chance to work together?

Batman: Nightwalker is such action-packed novel that I could not literally put down! Marie Lu has proven how amazing she writes and her take on Batman is one version that will stick with me for a long time! Highly recommended for those people who love stories with hackers/underground notorious groups/droids and BATMAN! REWARD YOURSELF AND GO PICK THIS ONE UP NOW!

Thank you PRH International for the galley!

"Just because one can doesn't mean one should."

REVIEW: FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS BY JULIE C. DAO.

Title: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
Author: Julie C. Dao
Series: Rise of the Empress #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: October 10th 2017 by Philomel Books
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 384
Genre: High-Fantasy, Retellings

Synopsis:
An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

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

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

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ISBN13: 9781524738297

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Based on my reading experience, it's been tricky for me to delve into retellings with so much anticipation because it could be such a hit or a miss kind of read. Going in practically blind, the first half of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns* didn't grasp me. It was a bit slow because this the part where the build-ups happened and I felt like there are plenty of descriptions or scenes unfolding that are all unnecessary. But I took my time and kept reading.

This book is going to hit shelves October this year and I have a lot of things to say about it. First off is that I. FREAKING. LOVED. IT!!! It was absolutely epic! The second half of the book was just entirely opposite of the first because this part was where all THE things happened. I started reading it around five in the afternoon and I literally wasn't able to put it down until I devoured it around midnight! The pacing shifted and there were a lot of pillow-punching and screaming happened. It kept me on the edge because of all the scheming and revelations! It was brutal, intriguing and mind-blowing.

I know it's a MULAN gif but it's the closest I could find hihih

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns gave us a totally amazing retelling of the Evil Queen. Xifeng was abused by her Guma all her life but trained her to go after her great destiny: to be the Empress of Feng Lu. She's beautiful and she knows it's her weapon. She also knows something evil is inside her, conniving and wanting to control her. But the urge to go after what she was destined to is strong so she left Guma and went with the love of her life, Wei, to the Imperial Castle. Nothing stopped her in getting what she wanted. Her character was just so broken and greedy her need to be powerful exceeds her need to be saved. But despite the darkness lurking inside her waiting to be released, I adored her focus and her determination to lift herself up and become not only the fairest but the most powerful. There's no way you would be able to say that something else made her the villain because from the start, it was all her. She embraced it without seconds thoughts. The moments she was at war with herself were all lost battles because deep inside her, she knew what she wanted. Even Guma's confessions didn't stop her. It was a very dark story of a beautiful girl wanting the world kneeling in front of her.

The world building set in East Asia was phenomenal. This was one aspect I was so excited to learn about and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was everything I hoped it would be. Rich, delicious and absolutely a masterpiece.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is one heck of a debut novel I will forever remember. Bloody, lyrical and luscious, this well-delivered Evil Queen back story is the one you have all been waiting for! I can promise you that it is glorious!

*Let me know if you did cry because of the title.

Thank you so much, Penguin Random House International Sales, for sending me the ARC months in advance!

"Isn’t’ it better to give up a fraction of your freedom to gain tenfold in happiness, even for a short time?"

REVIEW: SPINDLE FIRE BY LEXA HILLYER.

Title: Spindle Fire
Author: Lexa Hillyer
Series: Spindle Fire #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: April 11th 2017 by Harper Teen
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 368
Genre: Retellings, Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis:
A kingdom burns. A princess sleeps. This is no fairy tale.

It all started with the burning of the spindles.

No.

It all started with a curse…

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood—and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape…or the reason for her to stay.

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Spindle Fire is more like a Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland crossover retelling. You can get the Alice feel in the world building which is absolutely stunning. I appreciated how Hillyer took over Sleeping Beauty story and put her own surprising twists in it that are all still original. The story kept me devouring the pages until the very cliffhanger-y (but perfect) end.

Aurora is alluring but she has no sense of touch and cannot speak for these senses are tithed to the faeries. Aurora have given enough of her senses already so her sister Isbe's eyesight was tithed instead of Aurora's youth. Malfleur cursed the child but Violette tried reversing the curse. Instead of death, Aurora would be in a deep sleep and only a true love's kiss could awaken her. Isbe's blindness made her senses hightened. The siblings loved each other and have compensated the disability by being there for each other and by communicating using finger taps. On the day when Prince Philip and his brother would visit Aurora (to plan for their wedding), the princes were murdered. Aurora and Isbe then overheard the council that they will move Isbe to a convent because Isbe is no longer needed. Isbe ran away and Aurora tried to search for her. But she got lost and only seeked refuge in a cottage in the middle of the forest. Here, she saw a golden spinning wheel and accidentally pricked her finger. She was overwhelmed by the pain and woke up screaming. She realized she had her senses back and she was rescued by Heath. Apparently, she's in a dream-like place called Someil. While one the other side, Isbe learned everything about the curse and convinced Gil to rescue her sister. But the sleeping sickness is spreading fast. She has to convince the youngest brother of Prince Philip to marry Aurora and she's confident he's the one who could save her. After traveling to land and sea, they failed. Aurora didn't wake up when the prince kissed her. Isbe was so broken hearted about it and.... (LOL)

Okay, it's a little bit challenging to write a summary for Spindle Fire haha because it was like two parallel universes. Universe A is where Isbe is and Univers B is where Aurora is. Their stories are being narrated at the same time so while Isbe is trying to save her sister, Aurora is trying to unlock Belcoeur's history and trying to save people trapped in a dream world called Someil. The curse put her there. That alone is kind of mind blowing. But what I truly adored here are the sibling's relationship, the back story and THAT FREAKING ENDING.

Malfleur and Belcoeur's story would be something I'd be thrilled to read. I wish Hillyer would right like a separate novel for these two. They have so much difference as siblings but deep in my heart, I know, they still love each other. And OMG really, I cannot fathom the pain they went through because of that Blackthorn guy.

I loved the familiarity of Sleeping Beauty and I also absolutely loved Hillyer's take on it. But there were times (a lot) I got confused, like, whose head I am in right now? There were a ton of POVs that I truly got confused especially along the middle part. The back story and the plot twists were squeezed and forced to happen in 368 pages? I don't mind reading 400 pages especially if the story asks for it and Spindle Fire felt like it had to be longer. And I wish though that Hillyer focused MORE on the siblings up and down relationship instead of the romance? It could have developed at the second book. I mean, there's so much info dump in here but the development lacked and execution was rushed.

Spindle Fire is surely a refreshing take on Sleeping Beauty! Enchantingly dangerous, Spindle Fire is packed with loyalty and courage you wouldn't find anywhere else but in your family. Fans of retellings would definitely enjoy this!

Thank you, HarperCollins International Sales for the galley!

"Light too can be a curse. It can illuminate things no one should ever have to witness."

REVIEW: BLOOD OF WONDERLAND BY COLLEEN OAKES.

Title: Blood of Wonderland
Author: Colleen Oakes
Series: Queen of Hearts Saga #2
Edition: Paperback
Publication: January 31st 2017 by HarperTeen
Source: Gifted ARC
Pages: 336
Genre: Alice in Wonderland, Retelling, Fantasy

Synopsis:
The queen will rise.

Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. The vicious father she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and turned the kingdom against her.

Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted Wood with only her war steed at her side, Dinah is faced with a choice. She could leave Wonderland forever or return and fight her father for her throne—a fight she knows would only result in bloodshed.

When a chance encounter with one of her father’s long-lost enemies brings Dinah more allies than she ever could have imagined, war starts to feel inevitable. But before Dinah can lead her people into combat, she must confront certain truths about her heart and her destiny—no matter how dark those truths may be.

Revolution is rising in Wonderland.

Dinah’s battle has begun.

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Blood of Wonderland is one of my most anticipated releases this year and it is also my second one for 2017. I love Queen of Hearts and any other Alice in Wonderland retelling. Splintered set the bar quite high but this series didn't disappoint.

Blood of Wonderland took of right where Queen of Wonderland finishes. Dinah is running for her life after she was setup by her father and she ends up in a magical forest. Then she gets helped by a Spade. She's training and meets up with this character who reveals such mind-blowing secrets I really could wrap anything into.

Dinah is not the type of character you usually see in books. I loved that fact that she's described as plain because plain is beautiful. It is seldom that I encounter main characters that are not described as you know, magazine models. And her development is amazing to watch. She developed on her own which proves we don't need a man to be the best versions of ourselves.

Oakes owned this retelling by twisting the characters using her voice and it is really a fascinating thing to be able to point out the author's tone in all this. The consistency of the story is fluid and the plot twist is just insane! And the romance? AFTER I READ IT, I HEARD MY HEART SHATTER ON THE FLOOR. Like, I was kind of expecting it but damn, man! The ache was real!

Blood of Wonderland is a sequel time worthy. It's so gritty it makes Alice retellings even more fantastic!

Thank you JB for the ARC!

"I am the Queen of Hearts, she thought, and I will take my throne."

REVIEW: QUEEN OF HEARTS BY COLLEEN OAKES.

Title: Queen of Hearts
Author: Colleen Oakes
Series: Queen of Hearts Saga #1
Edition: Paperback
Publication: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen
Source: ARC gifted by Kai of Amaterasu Reads
Pages: 320
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance

Synopsis:

As Princess of Wonderland Palace and the future Queen of Hearts, Dinah’s days are an endless monotony of tea, tarts, and a stream of vicious humiliations at the hands of her father, the King of Hearts. The only highlight of her days is visiting Wardley, her childhood best friend, the future Knave of Hearts — and the love of her life.

When an enchanting stranger arrives at the Palace, Dinah watches as everything she’s ever wanted threatens to crumble. As her coronation date approaches, a series of suspicious and bloody events suggests that something sinister stirs in the whimsical halls of Wonderland. It’s up to Dinah to unravel the mysteries that lurk both inside and under the Palace before she loses her own head to a clever and faceless foe.

Part epic fantasy, part twisted fairy tale, this dazzling saga will have readers shivering as Dinahs furious nature sweeps Wonderland up in the maelstrom of her wrath.

Familiar characters such as Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter make their appearance, enchanting readers with this new, dark take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

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I finished reading Queen of Hearts in less than ten hours and it was actually just a quick read. I flew quickly through its pages because the pacing was right and I cannot put it down because I needed answers. I wanted to get these questions in my head resolved as soon as possible but this book just basically left me hanging. I need book two because not knowing anything is driving me insane!

I've had my fair share of retelling disappointments in the past and it is seldom I find one that actually delivers. This one practically surprised me. I didn't like most of its bland parts but I didn't mind? Maybe because I loved how the twists are owned by the author despite of this being an Alice in Wonderland retelling. I sensed Oakes in this novel. I loved how Dinah, our Queen of Hearts, has been presented as our heroine in this side of the story. Maybe that's one reason why I loved this, I've been wanting to read a back story of villains. Not that am tired of reading about our princesses but sometimes, I want to know our evil queens deeper, like Maleficent and Regina from Once Upon a Time TV series. It gives a kick to the entirety of the novel because at least I get to understand the WHYS of their characters. Most of the time, I fall in love with the antagonists because of their history, character development and how other people twisted their minds and heart. Morbid as it may sound, but I like my antagonists that way.

Princess of Wonderland, Dinah, appeared to be weak in the beginning and surely, a whinny brat but I guess her rage and grief helped her become what she is at the end of book 1. She was developed in a tough way because of her endless resentment and then fought against those who belittled her. What I truly do not understand is why her father treats her with so much rage from the depths of his hellish heart. That one wasn't crossed out in this novel so understand why I am eager to read book 2. I would also like to know who the hell is Faina Baker. I mean, this story tickles your curiosity to an extent that borders in frustration and awe.

Oakes gave me a kind of romance that also borders in failure and success. I feel like this is going to be on the downside of things since it was obviously unrequited. It might add up to the list of why Dinah's heart is full of hate. But I can wait to see what's gonna be the outcome of this all in the next books. Wardley might have a change of heart or Dinah might meet someone new. Who knows. So the torturous waiting begins.

Overall, this retelling of Alice in Wonderland lived up to my expectations. Splintered set the bar quite high but sure enough, Queen of Hearts filled me with so much anticipation for the sequel. THAT ending was freaking brutal. Queen of Hearts might have molded more questions than answers, but I believe a good story allows you to fonder and wonder.

Thank you so much Kai of Amaterasu Reads for the ARC!

"My fight to live does not begin now. I have been fighting all my life, I just didn't know it."

"She was learning as quickly that what was right and what must happen weren't always the same thing."

REVIEW: THE SHADOW QUEEN BY CJ REDWINE.

Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: CJ Redwine
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: February 16, 2016 by Balzer + Bray
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 387
Genre: Young adult, Retelling, Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

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Short review: I love The Defiance Series and/but The Shadow Queen is just an okay book for me.

Long one: Wait, congrats to CJ Redwine for hitting the NYT Bestseller list for TSQ!

I won't make this longer (I hope) but well, I did enjoy reading The Shadow Queen because I go crazy over fantasy novels. I just didn't love it enough for it to garner a higher rating. For fans of retellings, I could recommend this one but for someone like me who's a little afraid to venture in the retelling team, it is up to you. I mean, go and try it if you want to but no book pushing from me.

The Shadow Queen is a little predictable. I know that it is a retelling of Snow White but I wish that there's a little more ownership somewhere there. The names are so hard to read to begin with and the story fell flat from time to time. I wasn't sure if there should have been a Russian-inspired theme in there but I didn't feel it. The magic incantations were also kind of pretentious? It was like trying to read Parseltongue and you just can't.

What I truly enjoy most is Irina. I wanted to get to know her deeper and what caused her to be THAT evil. Even though I know, I still kind of want a novella or something from her POV.

The Shadow Queen was a little tricky for me to read since retellings could be a hit and miss for me. There's just no gripping emotion for me in this book or swooning or anything. In short, it was insipid.

Thank you so much HarperCollins Internation for the ARC!

"You don't go into battle because you're sure of victory. You go into battle because it's the right thing to do."

"Why show them what they've never bothered to see?"

"The only people who aren't prey are those smart enough and strong enough to become the predator."

"A warrior doesn't focus on the odds stacked against her. She focuses on her heart, on her will to face the evil in her world and defeat it and then she finds a way to do it."

"She fought an entire group of soldiers because she didn't look at her odds of winning, she looked at her reasons for fighting."

BLOG TOUR (17): ACOTAR BY SARAH J. MAAS.

Hi, guys! I've been missing in action for the past month because I have started working!! (FINALLY!!) Am no longer taking in calls because am a full-pledged IT now and am in the morning shift thus the blog absence. I've been learning SQL and other things so I have to put books aside. Anyway, I couldn't pass up the chance to review ACOTAR because S-J-MAAS, yo!! I was supposed to interview her but I didn't finish ACOTAR on time. Boooo, work! LOL! But here is my review for today's blog tour stop!

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Series:  A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Edition: Kindle
Publication: Bloomsbury Children's / May 5, 2015
Source: eARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley
Pages: 432
Genre: High Fantasy, Romance, Retelling
Trailer: Intro.

Synopsis:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Sarah J. Maas proved once more that she can outrank her previous books (like, over and over again). She keeps impressing me and giving me outrageous feels book after book. Truly, she exceeded what I was hoping to get from ACOTAR in surprising ways.

ACOTAR is inspired by Beauty and the Beast but you can tell how Maas owned this story. She amazingly created a vast fae universe (my imagination led me to the world of Avatar with all that floating stones and blue people) and breathing became a struggle. It was beautiful beyond words. My brain couldn't even grasp how vivid Maas describe this world -- it vomits colors, magic, beauty. The journey was such incredible I want to go back right after I finished reading the acknowledgements.

However (how am beginning to hate this word), slow paced stories consistently push my buttons. That's how I easily get bored and irritated. Even though Maas' Throne of Glass series can be slow at times, the slowness didn't tickle my impatience. I have always loved how the slowness factored to the development of each book. But ACOTAR somehow poked that horrible part of me that halfway through it, I almost DNF-ed it. It felt dragging and I was almost out of hope that something important would happen within the first half of the book. As usual, the last several chapters turned the table upside down but it didn't impasse the doom of my boredom.

I wasn't utterly impressed with the plotline but I was flabbergasted by the execution! Maas described each emotion in heightened sense of its context and she wasn't afraid to embrace human's fragility and even use it in an advantage I didn't anticipate.

ACOTAR's characters are all equally compelling and I think I fell for all of them.
Feyruh who is human in the Fae world but developed so much more because of her drive to fend for her family; Tamlin (OH, I LOVE YOU SO) who is the cursed High Lord of the Summer Court, he is mightly and loving despite the mask he could never take off; Lucien who is Tamlin's Emmisary, he's full of sarcasm and wit. He doesn't sugarcoat things and his loyalty to Tamlin is unquestionable; Rhysand the High Lord of the Night Court who is handsome but full of deceipt. He's very clever; Amarantha, the Queen of Pythian, the evil one driven by hatred for humans. And then Alis the ever loving fae house help who captured my heart because of her kindness. I loved Tamlin more even after I learned everything about him, he loves truly and even if he's bounded to the curse, it didn't stop him from being the just Fae I am inlove with. Plus, Maas wasn't joking when she said this story was full of sexy times. DAMN, SEXY TIMES. It's so, so alluring.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a story where magic is expounded in its different forms. Stunningly written and downright ravishing, ACOTAR is the go-to novel for all!

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury and Throne of Glass PH for the eARC!

"We need hope, or else we cannot endure."

"Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy."

"What would be enough to make you happy?"

"Everything became a blur of color and sound, and he was the only object in it, tethering me to sanity, to my body, which glowed and burned in every place he touched. I was filled with sunshine. It was like I'd never experienced summer before, like I'd never known who was waiting to emerge from that forest of ice and snow. I'd didn't want it to end -- I never wanted to leave this hilltop."

"I was as unburdened as a piece of dandelion fluff, and he was the wind that stirred me about the world."

"It was either a sunset or a sunrise. The sun filled the clouds with magenta and purple, and its orange-gold rays blended with my path to form a band of shimmering metal. I wanted to fade into it, wanted the light of that sun to burn me away, to fill me with such joy that I'd become a ray of sunshine myself. This wasn't music to dance to - it was music to worship, music to fill the gaps of my soul, to bring me to a place where there was no pain."

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REVIEW: UNHINGED BY AG HOWARD.

Title: Unhinged (Splintered #2)
Author: A. G. Howard
Edition: Paperback
Published: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 394
Source: ARC provided by the Publisher
Category: Fantasy, Retelling, Romance
Trailer: Here.

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Synopsis:

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

*MIGHT BE SPOILERY*

Unhinged is absolutely mystical!

In this review, I will be showcasing 3 feels because I loved AG Howard's sequel for Splintered, Unhinged so much. Aside from THAT tantalizing book cover *licks cover*, there is more to it than a pretty face! I couldn't express enough how much I adored Splintered and wrapping up Unhinged tonight absolutely lifted my entire existence, I kid you not! Gosh. AG Howard definitely knows how to tease her readers and this follow up novel for her debut, Unhinged is truly darker yet beyond romantic mixed up in one book!

ALL THE CREEPY FEELS.

WHERE IN THE WORLD THESE CREEPY CREATURES CAME FROM?? My imagination? Howard's head? Wonderland? Who wouldn't get scared with THE clown alone? I couldn't even include the Sisters and Red! The Clown seriously kept me awake the entire night because I kept thinking it would just appear outside my window! I LOVED HOW THESE SIMPLE CREATURES GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS! These are the things I wanted to see more from Unhinged (aside from my beautiful Moth!). How one book could make you feel scared to the core! Very marvelous and liberating indeed!

ALL THAT YEARNING FEELS.

Why?? Why couldn't I see Wonderland again? Why couldn't I see even a glimpse of it? Why am I left so tempted to bounce and fall down the Rabbit Hole? I LOVED HOW HOWARD TURNED THIS PART UPSIDE DOWN! I thought I would be able to go back to such magical world yet she held up the trip! I felt like she focused on Al's dilemma on which world to choose. I totally appreciated how I was held back from visiting my favorite place in this world because THIS IS PUSHING ME TO YEARN HARD FOR ENSNARED!

ALL THE FEELS FEELS.

I wasn't totally ready.

I wasn't ready to be torn apart. I wasn't ready to be loved and unloved at the same time. I wasn't ready to be left hanging by being locked away forever from Wonderland. I wasn't ready to sacrifice the ones I loved most. I wasn't ready to be left alone. And I wasn't ready to be crazy.
Seeing things from Al's eyes made me ache that my bones hurt. From page one until the last, I DEEPLY felt every emotion she has to go through. True enough, the entire book is quotable that I nearly finished 3 sticky notes for tabbing everything. From jealousy to doubt, from love to longing, from disgust to trust. I felt like I am reading my feelings and it was simply so surreal to see what you feel exactly how you feel it. As if Howard have forseen what I am going to feel and wrote it for me instead. That is how much I am attached to this book. It is as if I am holding my printed my emotions.

Jeb's emotion matured in the sequel, too. I never have anticipated that he would actually be MORE bold when it comes to his love for Al. Even though he was also torn for ALMOST choosing between his career and relationship, it was clear that he would do everything he could to give Al a better life. No matter how painful it is to not spend time with her. I truly adored his intentions and how he tried to prove that he is the right man. And even though his trust was tested, he once again have proven how much Al meant to him that he's always ready to overlook mistakes. Nothing can beat THAT.

Well, I missed Morpheus. His existence in the book left me longing for more. His sarcasm and snarky comments made me yearn for his character to flutter through my wide open door. His pain and hope drove him to do things beyond his control and I loved every bit of it. He is ridiculously funny, annoying, loving and selfless. His ways of expressing what he feels can sometimes get into your nerve but that what makes him Morpheus. That is what made me root for him. He's annoyingly beautiful. He's annoyingly perfect.

Unhinged seeps into your bloodstream which will make your heart stop beating. It is written so beautifully that love can be magic and magic can be love. In amid of darkness, Unhinged shares hope that pushes relationships to grow and trust to develop. I cannot wait to get my hands on the last installment! I AM SOOO THIRSTY FOR MORPHEUS!!

Thank you Tina of Abrams and Chronicle UK for my review copy!

"Nothing can break the chains you have on my heart. For you ARE Wonderland."

".. since when is only half of something the best of anything?"

"I am MAD and I embrace it."

REVIEW: CRUEL BEAUTY BY ROSAMUND HODGE.

Title: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe)
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Edition: eARC
Published: January 28, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Source: Edelweiss
Category: Romance, Fantasy, Retelling
Trailer: Here.

Amazon ▲ Book Depository ▲ Goodreads ▲ Barnes and Noble ▲ National Book Store

Synopsis:

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Going back to reading after a two-month rest is quite hard. I never thought the laziness would drag off longer than what I anticipated. After I received my eARC of Cruel Beauty, it took a while for me to finish it because I was THAT lazy. I wasn't also THAT excited about this book compared to other titles I've been fangirling about that the entire story surprised me and the characters blew me away. Going back might be hard but just simply never this fun! Am so glad I picked this one up that my come back review is on a positive note and my reading spirit is happy.

A lot of people have been looking forward to reading this Beauty and the Beast retelling. It is one of my favorite Fairy Tales and I must say that Cruel Beauty surely put a fantastic twist to it. Aside from the creepy elements Hodge put to it, the Greek mythology touch made it more interesting. Not only that, Hodge owned it that the voices in the story made it a unique one as if it wasn't a retelling at all.

I loved the House. It reminded me more of Howl's Moving Castle to a point that I almost imagined it moves. Every door, every part of it and the Hearts are not only magical but masterpieces. It fits perfectly to the world Hodge created and lifted it to a level of fantasy world I wanted to see for myself. The discovery of the truth behind the Gentle Lord's secrets made me cringe and gave me goosebumps. It was all creepy and interesting and lovely and absolutely thrilling.

What I couldn't wrap my mind to is Nyx Triskelion's character. Of all the wives, how come she's so special she survived the Heart of Fire and the Children of Typhon? Is she stubborn and unpure enough to surpass them? Was it because she was trained to destroy the Gentle Lord? HOW IN THE WORLD WAS THIS COMPARED TO GRACELING? SHE ISN'T EVEN CLOSE TO LADY KATSA! NOT EVEN A LITTLE! And how come she let herself feel something for Shade that easily? I just don't simply agree to those but the fact that she's brave, loyal and so true to herself turned me a fan at the end. She made sure, no matter what it would cost her, she would remember and save the one she truly loves which is truly heroic.

I was caught off guard by Ignifex character though. I was seriously hating him at the beginning. How I hated his power, his bargains and how really cruel he could be to others. Especially the admission of how he loved Nyx the whole time. It was just ridiculous for me. But when he started saving Nyx and spending time with her, the hate turned to love. I never thought he would be protective and open. His quest to remember his name is one of my favorite parts. Doing the impossible things with the person who matters most to you will make it bearable and worthwhile. And I appreciated how he gave up himself to save Arcadia. I loved how he turned from annoying villain to loving hero. I want Ignifex for myself. And his true name? IT FITS HIM.

Cruel Beauty is a delicious read that will make you salivate the whole time reading it. It is surprisingly good with a fantastic twists in between. The elusive love proves how one can be changed once the perfect time arrived and having the person you want to fight for will make you think that the "right one" is just a label. Hodge planted in my head that love is love no matter what kind of person THE person is. Not only Cruel Beauty takes you to a universe where you breathe magic but it is a universe where loving the wrong person gets a happily ever after ending.

 

"If you desired someone, if he comforted you, if you thought he might leech the poison out of your heart, was that love? Or only desperation?"

"I wasn't born to be saved."

 "We still could have snatched happiness from our tragedy if we had made the right choices, the right wishes. If we had been kinder, braver, purer. If only we had been anything but what we were."