Air Awakens by Elise Kova [REVIEW]

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TITLE: Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1)
AUTHOR: Elise Kova
PUBLISHER: Silver Wing Press
PUB DATE: Aug 27 2015

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“I am going to go into this world, and I don't care if you and your narrow mind cannot be a part of it.”

At the beginning of reading Air Awakens, I couldn’t help comparing it with The Last Airbender. You know, the cartoon? I haven’t watched every episode of it but enough of it to see the similarity of magic and lore. Although, I have to say while Airbender is a story that focuses on a war between elements against a corrupted army of Firebenders, and the developing friendships of characters with different elemental magic, upon reading Air Awakens, while also has the indications of war, was mainly focused on developing the bond between the protagonists. A love story, if I may say so.

I didn’t particularly like Aldrik at first. I mean, come on, the guy was an arrogant asshole to begin with. But I thought to give him a chance since I’ve read other books depicting snobby guys with layers of something more underneath. Thankfully, he didn’t fail to deliver. I didn’t love him in the end, but he’s tolerable enough and I want to see how far he can go to prove himself to Vhalla.

Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Warrior Witch
(The Malediction Trilogy #3)
AUTHOR: Danielle L. Jensen
PUBLISHER: Angry Robot Books
PUB DATE: May 3 2016

The thrilling conclusion to the breakout Malediction Trilogy by Goodreads Choice finalist Danielle L. Jensen.

Cécile and Tristan have accomplished the impossible, but their greatest challenge remains: defeating the evil they have unleashed upon the world.

As they scramble for a way to protect the people of the Isle and liberate the trolls from their tyrant king, Cécile and Tristan must battle those who’d see them dead. To win, they will risk everything. And everyone.

But it might not be enough. Both Cécile and Tristan have debts, and they will be forced to pay them at a cost far greater than they had ever imagined.

Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“A life without purpose is no life at all.”

Okay, truth be told, I’d been holding off my review for this one since I finished it a month ago. Why? It just makes the idea that this series has ended all the more real. Not like it’s not, still…

But alas, all things really must come to an end. As for the moment, I am finally saying goodbye to one of my favorite fantasy series, the Malediction trilogy.

I have grown to love Cecile and Tristan since their first book, Stolen Songbird. It was just one of those books that made you see that it was going to be an epic series and that you’ll be on the look out for each book’s release. It was THAT good.

Danielle L. Jensen, did not waste time at all from the start of the Warrior Witch. A year has passed since I read the second installment, Hidden Huntress, so I was kind of lost at the beginning, trying to refresh my memory on who was who and what happened previously. But since I still remember the gist of it, it wasn’t at all that hard to settle in.

When Cocoy Became Kikay by C.P. Santi [REVIEW]

TITLE: When Cocoy Became Kikay
AUTHOR: C.P. Santi
GENRE: Young Adult
PUB DATE: April 2015

Cocoy’s not-so-secret dream is to one day become a gun-toting, ass-kicking secret agent. But she has another dream—and this time, even her best friends don’t have a clue—she dreams of being with someone.

Problem is, she finds out that Jaime Arguelles, a.k.a. the guy she’d been secretly crushing on for years, likes girls who—well—like pink. To Cocoy’s logical mind, there’s only one solution: it’s time to go girly.

After all, how hard can it be?

As the daughter of Colonel Miguel Suarez, Maria Francisca 'Cocoy' Suarez was raised to think like a soldier. But when she loses her heart to fellow army brat Jaime, she decides to act on it, putting into use all the strategies and tactics she's learned over the years.

When she discovers that Jaime likes girly girls, she decides to employ camouflage (i.e., undergo a superficial makeover). Aided by her Aunt Lucy, and her best friends Paolo, Dags, and Joel, Cocoy sets on a pink-tinged journey of self-discovery and love.

But how far is she willing to change herself for someone?

- Source: C.P. Santi

Rating:

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If you are YA fantasy-hungry reader like me, there comes a time when you’re reading one book after the other that the stories seem to blend together and you get to the point where you don’t remember which lore belongs to which, and where this or that character belonged to what book. Nothing like a short and quick, cutie read to break away from dark fantasy books I’ve been simultaneously reading to get a fresh perspective on the next books I’ll be reading. So, thank you, When Cocoy Became Kikay. This book was roughly around 45-minutes to an hour of reading time. Perfect for a no stress read while waiting in line or so.

To be totally honest, I was a little misled with the title of the book. When I received an offer to review WCBK, I thought it was about a gay guy finally going to out himself. Turns out it was about a military brat getting in touch with her feminine side.

For a novella, this about covers every aspect you’d want to look forward to while taking part in Cocoy’s story. You see her life as a non-girly with all boys best friends, then her transformation, and of course the time she has an epiphany. Timeline was a little strained, although understandable since it’s only a few pages long.

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Legacy of Kings
(Blood of Gods and Royals #1)
AUTHOR: Eleanor Herman
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen
PUB DATE: Aug 18 2015

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to a newcomer…

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But she doesn’t account for her first love…

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince.

And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“Because sometimes it doesn’t help to chase after the thing you want. No. Sometimes you have to wait, however long it takes, until what you want most comes to you.”

I have always been a fan of retellings, especially when it comes to fairy tales. The more creative, the better. But rarely do I come across a retelling of Alexander the Great. Who would be crazy enough to give a spin to one of the most successful military commanders told in all of history? I’ll tell you who. Eleanor Herman! And boy, did she give it one hell of a spin!

It’s amazing how one simple thought can create a profound story.

Legacy of Kings is told in the eyes of multiple characters. While it’s easy to recognize characters such as Alexander and Kat, others were a bit confusing for me. Names were never my strongest suit. It may have been a while since I read this book and have only now recently wrote a review about it, but if there was a list of the characters where they belong, and who they are, I’d probably be going back and forth through it while reading.

The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Vanishing Throne
(The Falconer #2)
AUTHOR: Elizabeth May
PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books
PUB DATE: Jun 7 2016

The second book in the Falconer Trilogy is packed with surprises and suspense.

Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the portal that she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes up in the fae world, trapped and tortured by the evil Lonnrach. With the help of an unexpected ally, Aileana re-enters the human world, only to find everything irrevocably changed. Edinburgh has been destroyed, and the few human survivors are living in an uneasy truce with the fae, while both worlds are in danger of disappearing altogether. Aileana holds the key to saving both worlds, but in order to do so she must awaken her latent Falconer powers. And the price of doing that might be her life.

Rich with imaginative detail, action, fae lore, and romance, The Vanishing Throne is a thrilling sequel to The Falconer.

Source: NetGalley

Rating:

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"But after everything I've been through, I'm proud to have a body that's strong, that bears the marks of how much I endured. No matter how painful those memories might be."

Elizabeth May's The Falconer was one of many faery stories I've read. While most of them were told in modern times, or in a dark and brooding historical era, I seldom got to see one mixed with Steampunk. It was a definite factor that made me curious. I finished The Falconer with thoughts that, while I was engrossed with the action scenes, I didn't see much of what it could be other than a faery action romance sort. Moving on to The Vanishing Throne... Well let's just say I'll never look at The Falconer Trilogy the same way again! That was freakin' fantastic!

The Vanishing Throne takes up its predecessor's story to whole other level!

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Golden Braid
(Hagenheim #6)
AUTHOR: Melanie Dickerson
PUBLISHER: Thomas Nelson
PUB DATE: Nov 17 2015

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man around. And her skills as an artist rival those of any artist she’s met. But for a woman in medieval times, the one skill she most desires is the hardest one to obtain: the ability to read.

After yet another young man asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides they need to move once again, but this time to a larger city. Rapunzel’s heart soars—surely there she can fulfill her dream. But Mother won’t let her close to a man. She claims that no man can be trusted.

After being rescued by a knight on the road to the city, and in turn rescuing him farther down the road, Rapunzel’s opportunity arrives at last. This knight, Sir Gerek, agrees to educate Rapunzel in order to pay back his debt. She just has to put up with his arrogant nature and single-minded focus on riches and prestige.

But this Rapunzel story is unlike any other and the mystery that she uncovers will change everything—except her happily ever after.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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"We all have a choice, after all, to be our own person, to be the person we wish to be."

I've come to enjoy Melanie Dickerson's novels. In fact she was the first author who introduced me to Christian romance books, and immediately became one of my 'go to' authors for this genre. Even though this is only the third book I've read from her. I'm definitely watching out for more of her books.

And this here, The Golden Braid, is what I felt was missing from The Princess Spy! This was a story that simultaneously happened while all the events from The Princess Spy occurred. I've always felt like there was something I wasn't seeing with TPS and here was the answer!

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Great Hunt
(The Great Hunt #1)
AUTHOR: Wendy Higgins
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
PUB DATE: Mar 8 2016

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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The moment I glanced upon the Kingdoms of Eurona and their Rulers list, I knew I was in for a long who's who experience. Why am so bad at names?! Thankfully it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

See here's a story that, to be honest, is quite a typical one. You have your lovable female protagonist, all kind and compassionate, the makings of a worthy queen. And you have your swoon worthy brooding male love interest. All the makings of a love story you know would be that instant romance bliss which we all know is getting really old. Ah, but wait!

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Crash Into You
(Pushing the Limits #3)
AUTHOR: Katie McGarry
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen
PUB DATE: Nov 26 2013

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a romance forged in the fast lane

The girl with straight A's and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

- Source: Goodreads

Rating:

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“What people project to the world never shows what's lurking on the inside”

I am an obsessive-compulsive reader. Being so, I have to start every series from its first book to the next and the next one respectively. Rarely do I find myself starting of a series with the 2nd or nth installment first then going back.

I was first introduced to this series through Pushing the Limits, and I fell in love with Echo and Noah's story. Seeing as how the author had a compelling writing style, I just had to read all the books that were a part of the series.

Isaiah is probably one of the most loved characters from Pushing the Limits, his humorous persona and unyielding loyalty was a notable factor. So it was really exciting to find that he was the main lead for Katie McGarry's third book from the PtL series, Crash Into You.

I can't say the same for Rachel's character. She'll the 'yang' to Isaiah's 'yin'. Total opposites. She's naive and utterly clueless of things that go beyond her little world, which is understandable given how sheltered she was by her parents and brothers. But that doesn't mean she's completely far off, she has her fair share of spunk and curiosity.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Dare You To
(Pushing the Limits #2)
AUTHOR: Katie McGarry
PUBLISHER: Mira Ink
PUB DATE: Jun 7 2013

Beth’s the bad girl that no-one wanted, not even parents.

Ryan’s the high school hero that everyone wants a piece of – even if no-one knows the real him.

Their paths should never have crossed – now they’re each other’s only life line.

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s mum they’d send her mother to jail. So seventeen year old Beth protects her mum at all costs. Until the day she can’t. Suddenly sent to live with her uncle in a small town Beth’s now stuck with an aunt who doesn’t want her, and at a school that doesn’t get her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t go anywhere near a girl like Beth. . . .

Ryan Stone is gorgeous, a popular jock and the town golden boy—with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Even his friends. As Ryan and Beth dare to let each other in, they’re treading on dangerous ground – and the consequences could change their worlds forever.

Source: NetGalley

Rating:

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"I've never been in love before. I thought I had been, but I wasn't. This overwhelming, encompassing feeling is love. It's not perfect and it's messy as hell. And it's exactly what I need."

So where do I begin?

I loved Pushing the Limits, it was an emotional read for me and I really appreciated every moment of reading it. So, I just had to read Dare You To right after.

Beth wasn't a likable character in the previous book, and while I did not absolutely love her in her own story, it's nice to finally understand where she's coming from with the attitude, the cursing, and the detachment she keeps throwing off. Ryan, on the other hand, throws off a goody-two-shoes kind of vibe. The perfect kind, at least on the outside. I don't find Beth and Ryan as memorable as Echo and Noah, but I totally dig how they complement each other as a couple.

The Holders by Julianna Scott [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: The Holders
(The Holders #1)
AUTHOR: Julianna Scott
PUBLISHER: Strange Chemistry
PUB DATE: Mar 5 2013

17-year-old Becca has spent her whole life protecting her brother - from their father leaving and from the people who say the voices in his head are unnatural. When two strangers appear with apparent answers to Ryland's "problem" and details about a school in Ireland where Ryland will not only fit in, but prosper, Becca is up in arms.

She reluctantly agrees to join Ryland on his journey and what they find at St. Brigid's is a world beyond their imagination. Little by little they piece together information about their family's heritage and the legend of the Holder race that decrees Ryland is the one they've been waiting for... but, they are all, especially Becca, in for a surprise that will change what they thought they knew about themselves and their kind.

- Source: NetGalley

Rating:

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“Love is a cheap word. Anyone can say it, and few truly know what it means.”

I may have been too quick to judge this book. It had been sitting on my TBR pile for so long, it took me three years to finally decide to pick it up. I admit that when I first started reading this, I was hesitant. I don't know why, but for some reason it didn't have the same spark of interest that I felt when I clicked the 'request' button on NetGalley way back then. I thought I'd only be left disappointed and that I would be wasting time reading something I won't like. So yeah, I kept trying to find holes that would eventually lead me to stop trying and move on to something else. Lo and behold, I couldn't be more wrong. I should have picked it up sooner!

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry [ARC REVIEW]

TITLE: Pushing the Limits
(Pushing the Limits #1)
AUTHOR: Katie McGarry
PUBLISHER: Mira Ink
PUB DATE: Jun 1 2012

What if the last person you should fall in love with is the only one who can save you?

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise."Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you. It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked. The room tilted...

No one knows what really happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of the horrible night that changed her life forever.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And now Echo has to ask herself just what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again...

- Source: NetGalley

Rating:

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This book triggered the one thing most important to me in a book, Empathy. And man, did I empathize! There were moments between chapters that I was reading through teary eyes trying not to cry. That didn't last long. By the end of the book my eyes were puffy and my nose was clogged. Damn!

I gotta say Katie McGarry knows how to build her characters well. Echo and Noah's issues may not be something I experienced personally but the author's technique in telling their stories and showing their individual personalities was raw and enticing. And while I know this book focuses on both of their lives and romance between them, I can't help but notice how well the minor characters were established as well. Each one with a different voice, a different issue and has distinguishable characteristics. Very, very commendable. It's not often I find myself engrosses with not only the protagonists but all the people around them as well.