Waiting in Wednesday #17

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

Tiffany's Pick:

Release Date: September 13, 2016
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Published By: Knopf Books for Young Readers

In the tradition of The Lovely Bones comes a haunting tale of two girls—one dead, one alive.

TATUM is the only person at school who knew the truth about the affair her best friend, Claudette, has been having with Mr. Paracini, their married teacher. And at the time, confiding in an adult seemed like the right thing to do. But now, everyone in town has turned against Tatum, painting her as a liar and a rat. As the bullying from her classmates escalates, it seems that nowhere is safe for her anymore.

MOLLY, a hitchhiker, was brutally murdered in the early 1970s, but there is no afterlife for her. Instead, she has found herself marooned with a crowd of other people who have also died tragically. Molly is able to fade back to earth for a few fleeting moments, and when she fades, she finds herself hitchhiking once again, and telling the unsuspecting drivers who stop for her things about their future that only she can see.

One foggy night, Tatum sneaks out for a drive. The teenage hitchhiker she picks up doesn’t talk much, until she suddenly turns to Tatum and says: “You’re going to die. It will hurt and you’ll be alone. And no one will help you.”

And then she disappears. As the two girls’ stories converge, Tatum and Molly will discover that they must first figure out how to help the other in order to save themselves.

Why I'm Waiting:

    Honestly I have adored everything I have read by Jeyn Roberts.  I dislike that there are books still waiting for their follow ups but that being said I always want the next book that she releases.  Her stories always have wonderfully crafted worlds with characters that have some depth to them.  Despite wanting a couple other books first I am looking forward to this one as well :)

Happy Reading! Ciao:

What are you waiting on this week? I would love to hear it! Make sure you link up your post as well so I can stop by.

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude *Promo Post* @SarahEJude #MQM

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude easily fits into the overlapping worlds of horror, suspense and romance. Freakier than gore, it’s not the usual fright-fest and instead pulls from Ozark lore that builds in tension as the secrets of traditions are unearthed.

Satisfyingly spooky, The May Queen Murders pulls readers into a maze of what ifs and whodunit while developing a diverse lot of suspicious characters.
An ALAN January pick, this novel should please fans of multiple genres and ages.

About the Book:

Title: The May Queen Murders
By: Sarah Jude
Pages: Hardcover, 304 pages
Release Date: May 3rd 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Stay on the roads. Don’t enter the woods. Never go out at night. 

Those are the rules in Rowan’s Glen, a remote farming community in the Missouri Ozarks where Ivy Templeton’s family has lived for centuries. It’s an old-fashioned way of life, full of superstition and traditions, and sixteen-year-old Ivy loves it.

The other kids at school may think the Glen kids are weird, but Ivy doesn’t care—she has her cousin Heather as her best friend. The two girls share everything with each other—or so Ivy thinks.

When Heather goes missing after a May Day celebration, Ivy discovers that both her best friend and her beloved hometown are as full of secrets as the woods that surround them.

Find The Book:

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound

Exclusive Content:

Q: What particular May Queen myth inspired The May Queen Murders? What’s the story behind it for you? Why were you fascinated by it?

A: How do you choose which girl is the embodiment of spring? It’s a duality—historically, the girl picked as May Queen was virginal and yet it’s a fertility rite. Spring is the season of new growth, animals bearing young, the end of winter’s barren expanse.

The May Day festival has been more prominent over in the UK than the US, but there are pockets of communities that had a May Queen crowning. Often she led a parade and is much celebrated. While there has never been any proven sacrifice or ritual murder associated with May Day, the old movie The Wicker Man--not the Nicholas Cage version but the old one with Christopher Lee—portrays that rumored side of May Day.

When my editor took the book to the acquisitions meeting, she cited that movie as something it reminded her of, and honestly, it was an inspiration point.

The real story for me lies in the secrets people hold and how your face on the outside can contradict what your face is inside. The process of choosing a girl seemed a ripe setting to exacerbate already growing rivalries.

Sometimes the people you are closest to are the ones you are also most at odds with, so exploring that was definitely a touchstone of writing THE MAY QUEEN MURDERS.

About the Author:

Sarah Jude lives by the woods and has an owl that lands on her chimney every night. She grew up believing you had to hold your breath whenever you passed a graveyard or bridge spanning water.

Now she writes about cemeteries, murder, and ghostly apparitions.

She resides in Missouri with her husband, three children, and three dogs.

Find The Author:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Blackhearts by Nichole Castroman (Review)

Genre:	YA, Historical Fiction, Retelling
Publication Date:	February 9, 2016
Pages:	384
Published By:	Simon Pulse
Website	Nichole Castroman on Goodreads
My review copy:	e-galley for review

Buy it:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Chapters

Synopsis

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

Quotes

The devil hang him.  If Master Drummond wants venison for his son's return, he should come down here and buy it himself.  If the butcher tries to touch me again, I'll stick him like the pig he is.

He wasn't the only observant one in the household, and Anne could see a battle being waged.  He was torn between wanting to please his father and wanting to make his own path.

He hesitated.  Ever since he'd set eyes on her, he'd had no peace.  Why should he grant her something that eluded him?

My Thoughts

  Blackhearts was a spectacularly written, and beautifully told story.  When starting this book I had prepared for something very different from what I received.  This being said, I did have issues putting this book down.  I all but devoured every single word written and allowed the real way to fall away.  Castroman truly has not only held up the the expectations I had for this book, but she has blown them straight out of the water.  This is the romance that Blackbeard wanted, and it is also the breaking point that pushed him to become the pirate we all know.  

  I thought the plot of this book would follow the early years or time of Blackbeard, I didn't realize that it would go back to where it all began.  This is not just some twisted tale, it is the roots of a much larger tale.  From the synopsis I understood that we would be taken back to his teenage years, but I expected more time at sea, more of a start to the nitty gritty.  This was not so much the action packed book I had anticipated, but more a historical fiction/romance.  Despite not being what I expected,  I appreciated that the story was told from more than one point of view.  I loved the difference in Anne and Teach, getting more from each and yet seeing the bigger picture build through each of their eyes.  This helped keep the pacing up and made each step forward more exciting and detailed.

  Anne is wonderful.  She has her tragic background.  Her father loved her but did not claim her, and upon losing him she lost everything.  Despite this like the strong character that she is, she does what it takes to survive.  Though she does not do it laying down and she is not without her plans.  Anne does not wish to exist being treated as less than she is, even if that means she has to take dangerous steps to achieve her end.  I instantly liked Anne and everything that set her apart.  This was headed by her inability to give up no matter what the circumstance was.  I think that many will have a hard time finding fault in this great character.

  Teach appeared to be be every bit the pompous ass.  Though he was also taught very quickly that looks can be deceiving, and in doing so learned that what he was believed to want, he no longer wanted.  It took time for me to accept that Teach made such a change so quickly.  I understand what a pretty face can do to a man but there was so much change and drastic.  In the start he thought Anne's inability to hold her tongue needed to be taken care of, as it would be if a maid could not do so in a house.  However, not long after he begins to see something in her, something his betrothed does not have: intelligence.  It was only when Teach kept good to his word and I could see clearly that her cared for Anne that I started to fall for him myself.

  When you combine Anne and Teach you get that witty chemistry that people love to read.  Though they do not fall for each other right away, they have far too much in common to do anything but love each other.  I knew it would come at some point, but I didn't see the strength that it would hold when the two finally admitted it.  There were times that I felt they fell entirely too quickly, though I also understand that sometimes that's how it goes.  They did get to know each other deeper and had a greater understanding of each other before they fell as deep as they did.  

  Though this was not the retelling that I was expecting, it was still a spectacular read.  I would like to send a heads up for those that are going in expecting a captivating pirate retelling; Blackhearts is more of a start, and a historical fiction/romance.  This being said I would highly recommend picking it up for its beautiful writing and captivating tale.  I will warn you that the end does not feel like the end and does leave you wanting more.  This being said I will be watching this author and making sure I do not miss one word of her phenomenal writing.

Posted by Tiffany

Because of You by RaShelle Workman (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	January 18, 2016
Pages:	226
Published By:	Curiosity Quills Press
Website	RaShelle Workman Website
My review copy:	e-galley in exchange for honest review

Buy it:
Amazon 

Synopsis

There's a first time for everything... and sometimes that means a first time at a second chance.

It's been seven years since Maddie Martin's parents died. Their killer wasn't just a random stranger, but her best friends' father. Kyle Hadley. The boy she's been in love with since she was old enough to understand the emotion, the boy she promised all of her firsts to. Worst of all, Kyle's father got away with it, and Maddie hasn't seen Kyle since.

That changes on her first day of college. Seeing Kyle again brings back all of her childhood feelings of friendship and love for him, but it also brings back the anger, sorrow, and pain she's been trying to bury because of his father.

***

Kyle Hadley has no idea why Maddie quit talking to him, especially when he needed her most. But he got over it, refusing to waste his life mourning the only girl he ever loved. There are too many women, too much of life to experience to bother thinking about Maddie. Except he does. And when he sees her again, he knows it.

But there are problems beyond Kyle and Maddie and their old feelings. The two of them are in danger and one or both might end up dead.

Quotes

  I have a thing for firsts.  First day of school.  First crush.  First tattoo.  Once, a long time ago, I made a promise to a boy that all of my firsts would be with him.  But that was before...

  I chase after Maddie.  Something happened.  Something's wrong.  I saw it in her features.  When she collapses, I run to her.  One emotion runs through my body   fear.

  I walk toward him like he's gravity and I'm the moon.  I can't resist his pull.  I don't want to.  I move into his atmosphere and bask in his radiance.  He smiles at me.  And I'm whole.  The feeling shocks me.

My Thoughts

  When everything that you know is taken away from you, and the one person you've always loved may be another person you can't trust what happens?

  Having read this author many times before I was excited to try something new.  I know that Workman has written in this genre before, but I have only read her paranormal works.  I wasn't let down.  I was highly addicted very quickly to this read and finished it in under a day without a thought.  Because of You became the read that I didn't see coming, with an originality that I enjoyed.

  This book put into play the question of how you stay you when everything changes.  The answer was simple...  You don't really, but at the same time some things never change.  Sometimes you just can't help who you love, and the feelings that never went away.  Maddie and Kyle's lives were shattered in their own ways and despite their close childhood, they lost each other.  I was very aware that the romance was going to happen with them, it was just more of a when.  However, there was always the question of what really happened, and what was really going on.  I enjoyed the pacing and that despite the fact I suspected what it was, I could never really be sure.

  The main characters Maddie and Kyle were not quite your typical characters.  Sure they had the tragic backgrounds, but they also had a background together that started it all.  Maddie and Kyle were inseparable and lost when they lost each other.  Their reunion was not what you would expect and neither quite knew what to do.  I both enjoyed and cringed at moments.  Neither knew how to feel about seeing each other again and it led to some painfully awkward moments.  For Maddie it was not knowing how to handle seeing the only boy/man she has loved, and at the same time the son of the man she believes killed her parents.  For Kyle it was denying that the girl that left and never looked back with his heart, was there and in front of him again.

  I instantly liked Maddie as she was easy to relate to and feel for.  No, I never lost my family the way she did but she was real.  Maybe a little sheltered and a little naive but written perfectly.  Though she had changed from the little girl Kyle once knew, losing her parents and Kyle had left her wounded.  Despite her improvement she still had some healing to do.  I enjoyed that Workman didn't write her into this girl that had perfected herself and moved on.  Though Maddie was a good person and had a lot of inner strength, she still struggled with controlling her feelings.    There was a lot of character growth and building throughout with Maddie and I enjoyed every step.

  With Kyle, admittedly I liked him right from the start.  Sure her was painted as a ladies man, an "I don't give a damn man," but it was so easy to see how Maddie effected him.  However, I was irritated by his inability to actually question the girl he loved so much on what really tore her away from him.  I understood that he just wanted her back, and that it easy to leave all of the random girls behind but I wanted more of a stand from him.  I wanted him to be everything that he was to Maddie, but I also wanted him to express more frustration with her.  He had lost just as she had and despite being with family that raised him a little better, he knew there was something that wasn't quite right.  But there I would not hesitate to swoon over this man myself a little.

  Because of You by RaShelle Workman was the kind of read I needed.  It was easy, sweet, deep and well developed.  This is the type of book that you pick up when you want to get lost for a few hours and just get lost.  The writing is wonderful and has me looking forward to rekindling my love for previous works of this author, as well as some of the ones I haven't had the chance to pick up yet.  I would recommend this book to anyone that likes new adult but wants something a little lighter.

Posted by Tiffany

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay (Review)

Genre:	Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication Date:	December 9, 2014
Pages:	400
Published By:	Delacorte Press
Website	Stacey Jay Website
My review copy:	From publisher for honest review

Buy it:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Chapters

Synopsis

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Quotes

  I am only a child, too innocent to realize there is no salvation without sacrifice, no light without darkness, no triumph that doesn't carry the seeds of its own destruction bouncing in its pocket.

  I freeze   jaw dropping, blood draining from my face   unable to tear my eyes away, though I know I should.  But, warrior's clothes be damned, I'm a seventeen-year-old girl, and what seventeen-year-old girl could look away from a sight like that?

  I realize who he is and my heart jerks. "I can't die," I whisper, not knowing if this is a dream or something more, something real, a dance to a place from which I might never return.

My Thoughts

  Stacey Jay has not let me down, and I have been a huge fan ever since Juliet Immortal.  Princess of Thorns was a must read that sadly got put on the back burner for just a little too long.  Like, a year too long.  Jay never fails to amaze me with her stunning writing, filled with romance and adventure.  This story pulls from Sleeping Beauty.  Twisting her story a little in the start, and carrying on with her children.  Don't for a moment take this as simple.  Jay has taken this and made it something of her own, and there was not a magical moment that I did not enjoy.

  What I have loved about every book I have read by Jay is, the setting is set up wonderfully.  There is always just enough information to help me see everything vividly, while not having to deal with an information dump and have to sort through it as I go.  There is also multiple points of view, and I always love the depth that is given to a book by hearing from more than one voice.  This for me also helps carry the pace.  With more than one voice to read, I always find myself wanting to hear the next view, or the next piece of the puzzle.  

  

  For the majority of the book Aurora is posing as a boy...  Her brother to be exact.  She is basically by definition a deadly little package, and is a far cry from the damsel in distress that her mother was painted to be.  In fact her mother made sure that she would be the opposite.  Aurora's 'gifts' are also her curse, a little fact that hit her just a little too late.  I think because we get to see so much of Aurora's regret and inner battles she is an easy character to like.  She's strong and knows what she wants to do, what she has to do and what her heart wants.  The problem for her is that all of these things seem to be working against her, and she just wants to have a chance.

  I have to say the romance is not really a romance throughout this book.  Niklaas spends the majority of the book inadvertently courting Aurora.  Though this is humorous and makes for many laughs, it also means that there was no real love between the two.  However, this also created the perfect scenario for two people getting to actually know each other.  Niklass doesn't have the chance to be someone he isn't and charm Aurora, because he thinks he is just speaking to another guy.  

Posted by Tiffany

Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto (Review)

Genre:	YA, Steampunk, Fantasy
Publication Date:	February 2, 2016
Pages:	384
Published By:	Balzer + Bray
Website	Michelle Modesto Goodreads
My review copy:	From Edelweiss for Review

Buy it:Amazon ~ B&N ~ Chapters

Synopsis

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

Quotes

He kept glancing at her face to make sure he wasn't hurting her.  Each time their eyes met, he stole a little piece of her that she'd been trying to take back for the last three years.

  Olive looked at her mother, who was staring curiously at Westie.  The little girl frowned and strangled her doll.  It was handmade, similar to the dolls Westie's mother used to make her, and had a pink dress with a crisscross pattern all over it.  The girl twisted its head until it popped off.

  She replied in her own tongue, self-conscious about saying the Wintu words properly.  "I have a whole lot of dark things growing in my heart these days, but I'm here to tackle just the one."

My Thoughts

  Revenge and the Wild was nothing like what I expected, but I'm not really sure what I was expecting looking back.  However, this isn't a bad thing because I can say with all surety that this is a book that many will enjoy.  Not just enjoy but hopefully devour just like I did.  This book is a unique mash up of different genres, that were put together in such a way that reading it was as easy as the river flow.  Modesto managed to stir up steampunk, fantasy, historical fiction and makes it into something seriously awesome.  

  There was a plethora of amazing and unique characters in this book.  The diversity was quite wonderful and made the book much more fun to read.  The setting is a unique old Wild West type town and is filled with not only the diverse people but a diverse group of creatures.  Vampires, trolls and leprechauns to name a few.  What amazed me beyond this was the authors ability to seamlessly mold all of these elements, without having information dumps and providing the right amount of detail each time.  I was lost in this fantastically written world, with detailed characters and a pace that didn't let me down even once.   

  Westie is an amazing heroine.  Seriously I completely adored her.  She is typical in the sense that she is stubborn, hard headed and sometimes gets ahead of herself, but she is true.  There is no hidden agenda with Westie, and the reason for her actions are clear.  This is not to say that she doesn't occasionally hide or hold back some of her emotions, but when she acts there is a clear cut reason.  From time to time her judgment isn't perfect but her heart is in the right place... Okay so revenge may not always be right but when cannibals eat your family, it's kind of an exception I would say.  Beyond her judgment and actions, she is also seriously kick ass.  This is a girl that knows how to hold her own and would find disappointment in a lace parasol, but you add some hidden weaponry to it and she is in.

  The romance in this one never takes over but floats close to the surface.  Despite Westie feeling that she is nothing special because of her mechanical arm, she gets a lot of notice.  However, no matter how many admirers she only really has eyes for one.  The one that she believes will have nothing to do with her romantically.  The best part about this is that this story was written without a single drop of instant love.  Not one admirer of Westie didn't develop those feelings over time or for a reason.  She's kind of a bright light that attracts more than it wants, because all she wants is Alistair.  Alistair that seems to feel more than he ever lets on and yet he supports Westie so much more than she realizes.  Alistair does not see himself as better than Westie, but seems to value her above himself for her courage and heart.

  This was a spectacular debut.  Michelle Modesto has set the bar high for the remainder of the debuts that I will be picking up this year, and the year has just begun.  This book exceeded any and all expectations, this includes the ones I developed as I read.  I will be picking up a finished copy asap because this is the type of book I will go back to when I need that fresh jump start.  For fans of books that will give you a little bit of everything or if you just want a great read, I highly recommend that you pick this one up!

Posted by Tiffany

Echoes of Winter: SOARING by @KKAllen_Author [Anthology + Giveaway]

About The Book:

Thirteen never before seen YA short stories just in time for the holidays!

Title: Echoes of Winter: A Wintery YA Short Story Collection
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Fantasy / YA
Pages: 913
Published: November 27, 2015
Publisher: BrixBaxter Publishing

On an Alaskan cruise in the dead of winter, Emma and Luke find each other under the aurora borealis, a phenomenon that bonds them in the most unlikely of ways.

While Luke teaches Emma what it means to soar, she gives him a reason to stay grounded, but as their journey nears its end memories of a forgotten past surfaces, challenging their future—if a future for them still exists.

Goodreads | Amazon

About The Author:

K.K. Allen is the Contemporary Fantasy author of stories inspired by nature, magic and love.  

She loves manatees, learned to swim for the mere purpose of pretending she was a mermaid, and adores the beach so much she promises to one day live on one (in a tent if she has to) in Hawaii and serve snow cones on the side of the road. 

K.K.'s Summer Solstice Series includes The Summer Solstice Enchanted, The Equinox, and The Descendants.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

From the other Authors:

Book 1: Twelve Days to Christmas by L.A. Starkey

Book 2: Christmas Seasoning by DB Nielsen

Book 3: Merry Chris Witch by CK Dawn

Book 4: Wrapped in the Past by Chess Desalls

Book 5: Butterflies in the Snow by D.E.L. Connor

Book 6: The Darkest Night of the Year by Tim Hemlin

Book 7: Cold Hearth by Kelly Hall

Book 8: Code X by W.J. May

Book 9: Good Saint Nick by Lu J Whitley

Book 10: Soaring by K.K. Allen

Book 11: A Spirit’s Last Gift by Kathy-Lynn Cross

Book 12: Winter Trials by K.S. Marsden

Book 13: The Edge by Fleur Camacho

The Giveaway:

Click on image to enter giveaway.

Event posted by:

Happy Holidays!

The Deep East by Julie Anne Nelson (Review) @literaryjules

Genre:	YA, Paranormal, Fantasy
Released:	December 10, 2015
Pages:	392
Published By:	Young Mountain Publishing
Website	Julie Anne Nelson Goodreads
Review Copy:	Gifted from Author

Buy it: 
Amazon ~ B&N 

Synopsis

Cecily thought her fighting days were over. She’d surrendered to her fate. She’d left her home, her family, her love, and her sister sevens. She’d given everything, but nothing in her life prepared her for what she’d find in the Source. And for those she left behind, a greater darkness emerges, and their success or failure carries the fates of all.

Quotes

  I stared up at the sky; only it wasn't the real sky, certainly not the sky I knew when I was just a girl in Dunlowe, dreaming of living in a world less cruel.  In the real clouds that danced across the real sky above my old home, I'd dreamed of the possibility of life and love with no Pastor Rowe and his hateful words, no sevens who were feared since the day they were born, and no cages.

  The cold infected Dusty and he shivered, grateful for the wolf's warm fur.  "I used to believe in something, in everything.  Now I know there is nothing left to believe in.  Not any more."

  He turned back just as the army reached them and let out a battle cry that Zoe was proud to join.  A fight.  Another fight.  And another.  And the people of Dunlowe would still never surrender.

  Maybe the ship held more enemies, but Abigail chose to hope for better, because a false hope was better than no hope at all.

My Thoughts

  You will not find writing like Julie Anne Nelson's very often.  This is an author that has such a beautiful written word, and such a powerful voice that you will not be able to resist falling for her books.  With each book, each twist and each loss, my attachment to the characters, and the story that's being told only grows stronger.   The Deep East proved to be a difficult chapter to process, with so many twists blind siding me but it also proved Nelson's talent as an artist.  There was not one moment, one twist (no matter how wicked) that I didn't devour but that isn't unusual for an author of this calliper.

  Like with the previous two novels, Nelson chose to write The Deep East with multiple narratives.  This is actually one of the things that I love the most about these books and their creator.  Each character has their own clear voice, and despite hearing from each of the sevens and a couple of other characters, I never get lost or confused.  What you end up getting is a story that has more depth and makes you turn the pages faster to find out what happened to that character.  This also gives you a chance to see all of the strings that are being pulled and how they all are connected.  How one coming undone can strengthen others, even if this means losing something you didn't think the team could go on without.  

  Each and every one of the sevens seems to be on their own journey now.  They each have a purpose that they need to live up to or accept, and I would be lying if I said this was easy to process.  The Deep East is the first book in which the sevens were not one, and though I love everyone's individual growth, I also miss the strength that came in numbers.  This being said, each girl is coming into their own strength or showing their true colors.  Some girls, my heart soared for because I couldn't wish more for them and was proud that despite it being difficult they accepted their fate... Embraced it actually.  While there were moments that my heart sank and I couldn't believe that one of the sister sevens would stray so far from those that had loved and supported them when no one else did.  Sadly, I do accept this as part of the progression of both the story and characters, but that doesn't mean my heart is not bleeding a little.

  I also really enjoyed all of the relationships and how they are there, but never overtake the journey that each character is on.  However, there was once again loss with each gain.  Some lost more than others and my heart twisted for them.  It was like the people that really deserved that spark of love, of happiness in their lives were the ones that had it ripped away from them.  This is just another way that Nelson keeps you invested.  Many people have conflicted feelings when loosing a character that they have grown to love (and you will grow to love these characters), but Nelson does it in such a way that your heart will break but there is also acceptance.  Acceptance is an odd way to describe not only the loss of a character but the destruction of a true love.  The thing is that with these books you know that there is a reason.  There is a reason for every moment of joy and every moment of pain, you just have to wait and find out what it is.  

  The Deep East made me question so many things that I thought I knew about this series.  That being said it also changed my mind and heart about certain characters, and twisted it with others.  There is no way to guess where things are going to go, because at any moment what you thought was true could be found to be a lie, and the people that you believed could only carry a good heart, actually have a taint that you could never have imagined.  Julie Anne Nelson is an inspiration as an independently published author and will always remain one of my most treasured authors.  If you haven't started The Seven's series I can't stress enough that you are missing out.  From The Wild Wood to The Deep East you will fall in love with the characters, the plot, the adventures and without a doubt the author and her beautiful writing.

Posted by Tiffany

The Descendants by @KKAllen_Author (Review)

Genre:	Young Adult, Mythology
Publication Date:	November 17, 2015
Pages:	426
Published By:	Author
Website	K.K. Allen Website
My review copy:	ARC for honest review

Buy it: 
Amazon 

Synopsis

Winter in Apollo Beach is anything but a wonderland for Kat and her friends as their Enchanted community comes face to face with Erebus and his latest act of evil that strikes close to the heart. There's no turning back. Erebus has his sights set on Kat and using her to access the mysterious energy source. Kat will do anything to keep her friends and family safe . . . even if it means surrendering herself to the God of Darkness.

Meanwhile, Kat is finally picking up the pieces of her broken heart and moving on until all goes awry at the Arctic Winter Masquerade Ball. Everything she's worked for is shattered when she lands in the arms of someone who will divert her path . . . and heart . . . once again.

Quotes

  What is it with the Summer family and tragic fires?  My grandfather died in a house fire, I was almost killed by a bonfire, and my poor dad survived a chemical explosion.

  I was so selfish when it came to Alec.  I wasn't ready to be with him, but I didn't want anyone else to have him.  If I had just been honest with myself, and with him, none of this would be happening right now.

  Nothing could have prepared me for this moment because this moment was never supposed to come.  I'd accepted the possibility of Erebus claiming my body as his, but I never imagined he could take her.

My Thoughts

  Allen really outdid herself with this one. It's hard going into a third book with expectations and no way of knowing if you will be happy with how it all ends.  This also makes reviewing this book super hard on me because there is so much that I would like to share that I just can't without ruining all three books.  Even my quotes remained diverse in order to protect the amazing twists and turns that this book took, in order to ensure you get the best possible experience. 

  

  I mentally divided this book up.  The first half, and then the second half.  Saying this may be a waste of breath as many people do it, but I found a clear line with The Descendants.  The first half seemed set to really pulling out Katrina and her relationships.  I wont say with who but it wasn't just the romance part, but also family.  This is also where Allen caught us up on the year that had passed between books (flashbacks included).  The second half was where all of the action happened, and we really saw the what and why.  However, I don't want you to mistake my words and believe that any part of this was a slow read.  Allen does things in such a way that you are drawn to each page, and desire to know what happens on the next one.  I have never had a complaint about pacing with these novels and this was no different.  I just found that Allen made sure the needed relationships and mystery was added before she tore into the juicy bits of all of the secrets.

  What we all really want  to see as we read and come to love a character is their growth.  Katrina grows in each book.  Sometimes she gets more depth in an area she already showed improvement on, and other times she just takes that next step towards becoming something greater.  Katrina has the sensibility to question things before she leaps, but she is also human and sometimes makes decisions based on what her heart says, not her head.  She also has this beautiful ability to forgive people and see past the hurt that has been caused, and accepting that sometimes people make the wrong decision but find their way back to the right.  I love that she is both strong willed, devoted to those around her and had developed a sense of community for a place she was learning was really home.  Katrina is a character that I would love to read more of, or maybe see where life takes her when she's older...

  I was happy how everything turned out romantically in this one.  There were moments that I though I might not enjoy the romance, then some irritation built, but that wasn't so much Katrina and being indecisive but more the circumstances.  With much of the start of this one often coming back to the romance and how Katrina was going to handle things, I had a lot of time to decide how I wanted them to turn out.  There were times that my heart went out to one person or the other, and other times that I thought Katrina was going to lose more than it was worth.  Thankfully I was often wrong, but that is another kudos to this author, or maybe it's due to my reading anxiety when I really want things to go the way I want them to....

  The Descendants was worth the wait.  With an ending that wrapped everything up but left things wide open for another book, I am sure that I am only one of many that will eagerly await more from this author.  These books created a place that I would love to see and characters that will not be easily forgotten.  I have no problem recommending these books to people that enjoy mythology and want something different.  Being honest I would just recommend them to anyone that wants a good read, and something that steps out of the norm (oh and still wants a stunning cover).

Posted by Tiffany