BOOK BLAST: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1) by Lori Goldstein + GIVEAWAY!

We're really excited today to be helping to spread the word about this awesome sale going on RIGHT NOW! The eBook of Lori Goldstein's Becoming Jinn is on sale for just $2.99!

We also have a giveaway for you, so make sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post!

About the Book

Title: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1)

Author: Lori Goldstein

Publication Date: April 21st, 2015

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Synopsis: One of the Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror of 2015 by VOYA Magazine

Wishing doesn’t make it so, Azra does.

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit. 

To the humans she lives among, she's just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she's learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny. 

Mentored by her mother and her Zar "sisters," Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. 

Azra’s tale comes to a thrilling and heartfelt conclusion in the sequel, CIRCLE OF JINN, releasing May 17, 2016 and available for preorder now.

Praise for Becoming Jinn

"The genie theme is original and appealing. Azra is likable; her struggles--even factoring in the genie issue--are real and relatable. This well-written title . . . will not stay on the shelf.”

-- VOYA Starred Review

"The only thing it left me wishing for was the sequel!" 

-- New York Times best-selling author Anna Banks 

"A fresh, gently subversive tale with a new strain of paranormal problems at its core." 

-- B&N Teen Blog

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N 

About the Author

Born into an Italian-Irish family (hence the short temper and the freckles), Lori Goldstein grew up in a small town on the Jersey shore and now makes her home outside of Boston in a place close enough to the ocean that on the right day, she can smell the sea from her back deck, and yet it still takes an hour to get to the beach. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and worked as a writer, editor, and graphic designer before embracing her love of fictional people. When not writing or reading (preferably from a sandy local), Lori can be found chatting books, obsessing over The Vampire Diaries, and perfecting the art of efficient writing through Twitter.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook |  Instagram | Tumblr | Wattpad

The Giveaway!

One Winner will get a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card

Open Internationally | Must be 13 + To Enter | Sweeps/Giveaway accounts are NOT eligible to participate.

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Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay - Paul's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Random House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Princess of Thorns
Author: Stacey Jay
Recent Release Date: December 9, 2014

My Pre-reading

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?

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Review: I can't get enough of both fairy tale retellings and epic YA fantasy with awesome world building. This book is both, although its connection to a fairy tale is pretty loose. It is more connected to the original Sleeping Beauty that had ogres, but I am not as familiar with it as I am with the Disney-fied version that's fed to all of as as children. This book makes me want to delve into the original Sleeping Beauty tale, which it seems Jay was faithful to. Aurora is Sleeping Beauty's daughter in this book, which was confusing for me at first since Princess Aurora IS Sleeping Beauty in the Disney film. I advise doing a little research into the original tale before reading this book, but the book stands alone if you do not. 

This book reminds me of Ella Enchanted. The protagonist is fairy-blessed, but like all magic, the good comes with the bad. Her blessing has unintended results. I really enjoyed the way the "curse" plays out. 

There are 3 (or rather 2.5) POVs in this book. The "third" POV is almost unnecessary, but it gives an interesting look into the perceived villain's thoughts. 

With the protagonist masquerading as a boy,gender is at the forefront. I love when stereotypes are addressed and bring a conversation forward.  

I really enjoyed the world building. The ogres are much different than what you'd expect. I want to see more of the fairies. The politics of the world were also interesting and easy to follow. 

 I would love to see more books set in this world. I give this book a 4/5 and highly recommend it. I will definitely be looking into more books by Stacey Jay. 


--PAUL

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay - Paul's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Random House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Princess of Thorns
Author: Stacey Jay
Release Date: December 9, 2014

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?

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Why?: I LOVE Fairy Tale Retellings! This seems more like a sequel, but I'm sure the original fairy tale will have at least a few differences. Now that I think about it, and after quickly wikipedia-ing, I realize that I'm not that familiar with the original Sleeping Beauty story. So, I may have to find it or just research it a lot online while or after reading this. 

Expectations:I'm expecting an awesome fantasy fairy tale retelling with a strong female protagonist. I'm hoping for some awesome world building and some unexpected twists.    

Judging a book by its cover: I really like the thorns in the font of the title. I also like the ambiguity of the character on the front. I'm assuming it is the princess, but it may be a male character. The white hair reminds me of both Daenarys from Game of Thrones and the Winterians from Snow Like Ashes. 


--PAUL

Silvern (Gilded #2) by Christina Farley - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Amazon Children's Publishing/SkyScape  on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Silvern (Gilded #2)
Author: Christina Farley
Publication Date: September 23, 2014

My Gilded Review
My Gilded Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Jae Hwa Lee has destroyed Haemosu, the dangerous demi-god that held her ancestors captive, and now she’s ready to forget about immortals and move on with her life. Then the god of darkness, Kud, sends an assassin to kill her. Jae escapes with the knowledge that Kud is seeking the lost White Tiger Orb, and joins the Guardians of Shinshi to seek out the orb before Kud can find it.

But Kud is stronger and more devious than Haemosu ever was. Jae is soon painfully reminded that by making an enemy of Kud, she has placed her closest friends in danger, and must decide how much she can bear to sacrifice to defeat one of the most powerful immortals in all of Korea.

Why?: I read and really enjoyed Gilded, so I'm excited to what's going to happen next to Jae and her friends. And also, Kud was kind of terrifying in Gilded even though he's barely in it, so I'm looking forward to this book keeping me even more on the edge of my seat than Gilded did!

Expectations: Since I enjoyed Gilded so much, I have pretty high expectations for Silvern. Definitely a lot more of the Korean mythology. I also expect the stakes to be higher and the situations more dangerous, especially because Kud is way worse than Haemosu ever was. And I also hope that Jae learns her lesson quickly in this book and doesn't make as many ridiculous mistake as she did with Haemosu.

Judging a book by its cover: I absolutely love everything about this cover. I love how the tiger looks ethereal and shiny and like it's coming out of another world. I love the colors and how the title looks. I like that the title and the borders are silver to match Silvern. I cannot wait to have a copy of this book on my shelves, and I would totally pick it up based on the cover alone!


--Ashley

The Boy With the Hidden Name (Otherworld #2) by Skylar Dorset - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Sourcebooks Fire on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Boy With the Hidden Name (Otherworld #2)
Author: Skylar Dorset
Publication Date: December 2, 2014

My The Girl Who Never Was Review
My The Girl Who Never Was Pre-Reading

Synopsis: This is not your average trip to Fairyland...

Selkie Stewart has just saved her quasi-boyfriend, Ben, from a fairy prison run by the Seelie Court. If they weren't the two most-wanted individuals in the Otherworld before, they definitely are now. Along with Ben and the rest of their ragtag group of allies-Selkie's ogre aunts; a wizard named Will; Ben's cousin Safford; and Kelsey, Selkie's best friend-Selkie is ready to embrace her destiny and bring the Court down.

Until she hears the rest of her prophecy: Benedict le Fay will betray you, and then he will die

Why?: I absolutely loved The Girl Who Never Was and after that ending, I knew I had to read The Boy With the Hidden Name ASAP! I have so many unanswered questions, especially about Ben (because wtf are you doing, Ben), and I have to know if Selkie and her friends succeed in their mission! Prophecies are tricky things, so you never know what will happen....

Expectations: After loving The Girl Who Never Was, I have pretty high expectations for this book. I expect this book to be fast-paced and full of action and romance, and a little bit of mystery. I except a lot of my questions to be answered, since I'm pretty sure this series isn't a trilogy. I expect to see old, familiar faces and meet some new people along the way. I'm so excited to jump into this book!

Judging a book by its cover: There are just so many things that I love about this cover! I love that it's exactly the same as the cover from The Girl Who Never Was, only upside down. Now it features Ben on top and Selkie upside down. I love the colors. I love the way the title looks. I want this book on my shelf ASAP!


--Ashley

The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1) by Skylar Dorset - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Sourcebooks FIRE on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1)
Author: Skylar Dorset
Publication Date: June 1, 2014

Synopsis: "Today is my birthday."

In Selkie's family, you don't celebrate birthdays. You don't talk about birthdays. And you never, ever reveal your birth date.

Until now.

The instant Selkie blurts out the truth to Ben in the middle of Boston Common, her whole world shatters.

Because her life has been nothing but a lie—an elaborate enchantment meant to conceal the truth: Selkie is a half-faerie princess.

And her mother wants her dead.

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Review: I had ridiculously high expectations for this book. Like, way unreasonably high. And honestly, The Girl Who Never Was delivered on all accounts, and then some! I absolutely adored this book, and when I finished it I was so glad that I had an early copy of The Boy With The Hidden Name so that I could pick it up immediately. 

This book does start off a little slow, but it makes sense and definitely picks up the pace pretty quickly. Selkie starts off as a pretty average girl living a pretty average life, so I was ok with the plot not really doing much of anything at first. It's a nice introduction to the characters before we get into the crazy stuff. And then once she tells Ben her birthday... everything changes and kept me on the edge of my seat! 

The world building in The Girl Who Never Was is done very well, and I enjoyed learning more about the faerie world as Selkie did. She's just as clueless as the reader, which was nice. Information dumps are often done in the form of conversation, so it didn't read slowly or anything. I found it interesting how certain parts of our world are more magical than others and how Skylar incorporated places with real faerie stories/hoaxes into the book. I think it made it more relatable to us regular people. 

I also thought that the romance was done very well. Sure, Ben measures time differently than Selkie and has probably been around much longer than she has, but they still work really well together and watching their friendship turn in to something more was fun and exciting. It's an important part of the book, but it isn't always front and center, and takes a backseat when there are other significant things going on. Selkie's feelings do influence her decisions, but they also tend to help get her out of sticky situations.

If you are looking for a really great fantasy book, look no further than The Girl Who Never Was! It has everything I look for in a great fantasy, and is written with excellent prose. Skylar has a way with words that makes them come alive and jump off of the page, and I can't wait to see what she has in store with the rest of this series! A 4/5! 


--Ashley

Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Month9Books in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Goodreads

Title: Crown of Ice
Author: Vicki L. Weavil
Publication Date: September 9, 2014

My Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Thyra Winther's seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can't reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she's doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai's childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra's willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts -- to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup's devotion and the fire of a young man's desire, the thawing of Thyra's frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

Crown of Ice is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

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Review: I had never heard of the original fairy tale, "The Snow Queen," before Jackson Pearce's Coldspell. I know there are probably hundreds of fairy tales I've never heard, but I was really surprised I didn't know this one. And now that I do, I find myself picking up every retelling of it that I can find. Crown of Ice is probably one of the best I've read, and I'm so glad I stumbled across it! 

One of my favorite things about this book was how true it was to the original fairy tale. Characters' names are close to or the same as the original characters (e.g. Gerda, Kai vs. Kay, etc.) and there are details that only someone who has either read the fairy tale recently or knows it very well would pick up on. Kai, for example, is exceptionally smart and excels at math in the original story and in Crown of Ice, Thyra chooses him because of his mathematical skills. The shattered mirror also plays a huge role in both stories, which was interesting. 

But where there are similarities, Vicki takes this classic fairy tale and makes it entirely her own. Thyra must complete the mirror before her 18th birthday or she faces an eternity of being a wraith. The wraiths are horrible and terrifying and sad and I am not surprised that Thyra does NOT want to become one. Voss is also incredibly scary and pretty much does whatever he wants. His creatures are pretty interesting though, and I enjoyed seeing them throughout the castle and the grounds. 

This book is definitely very dark, but I think it's set apart from other darker YA fantasy novels in that there's a glimmer of hope underneath everything. Thyra hopes that she will complete the mirror in time, Kai has hope that everything in his life will turn out alright and he'll be able to go away for school, Gerda has hope that she will find Kai alive, and even Voss hopes to live as an immortal once the mirror is completed. Hope abounds, and it made even the darkest moments of this book not so bad. The story is well-paced as well, which definitely helped hold my attention. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are just so many excellent things about it, and I think any fan of "The Snow Queen" would really enjoy Crown of Ice. Even if you aren't familiar with the fairy tale, this book is worth picking up for the fantastic world-building and gorgeous imagery. I would recommend it to fans of YA fantasy books and fairy tale retellings. It is a standalone, which is nice, but I would not be opposed to reading another book set in this world. 4/5!


--Ashley

Everyday Angel #2: Second Chances by Victoria Schwab - Ashley's Review

*I received an eARC of this book from Scholastic on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Everyday Angel #2: New Beginnings
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publication Date: August 26, 2014

My Everyday Angel #1: New Beginnings ReviewMy Everyday Angel #1: New Beginnings Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Meet a guardian angel like no other, from a writer like no other. Bold, rising star Victoria Schwab returns with the second book in this whimsical, inspiring, and clever middle-grade series.

There's more to Aria than meets the eye. She's a guardian angel. And to earn her wings, she'll have to help three different girls....

This time, Aria comes to Caroline Maso

When Aria arrives, she can see Caroline is suffering. But, to Aria's surprise, so is Lily. What is the story behind Lily's cruel actions? And can Aria help guide Caroline out of the darkness ... and into better, brighter future?

At her all-girls' prep school, Caroline is being bullied. She eats lunch alone and is picked on by her classmates every day. The ringleader of the mean girls is Lily Pierce. But Lily isn't an ordinary bully: she used to be Caroline's best friend.

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Review: I absolutely love Victoria Schwab's books. I pre-order them whenever they're available, and I read them as soon as I get them. Her Everyday Angel books are no exception - they're just as wonderful and powerful and the characters are just so well-developed that I always forget they're written for middle grade audiences. 

Aria is my favorite, and I'm glad the books are mostly focused around her. She's the only recurring character, although the girl and situations from the first book are mentioned in passing, so it was really easy to dive head first in to this one even though I'd read New Beginnings a while ago. Aria is a little different in this book - she's learned some things about the world and she's maturing. But her personality is still the same, and she's still spunky and colorful and incredibly helpful. 

I also really enjoyed that this book deals with bullying and friendships and how quickly relationships can change. I think it's an important lesson for young girls (and boys) to learn. Sometimes friends stop being your friends and bullies are mean, but just because one person or group is a bunch of bullies doesn't mean everyone is a bully. I felt so bad for Caroline, and then I actually started to feel bad for Lily too. I love how Victoria can just turn a villain into a misunderstood character, and no one is ever really bad or really good in her books. 

This book, and this series, is definitely written for a younger audience. The girls are very young and not interested in romantic relationships (which would feel ridiculously out of place if there were any in this series), and they're mostly still very close with their families. There are a lot of really good life lessons in these books for kids who might be struggling with any number of things, and it's presented in such a way that it isn't preachy or boring or anything like that.

I would definitely recommend Second Chances to anyone who has read New Beginnings, and I would recommend the series to fans of MG books that have a little bit of a paranormal twist but are mostly contemporary. I also think young girls would really enjoy these books - I know I would have loved them when I was in elementary school and going to the Scholastic book fairs! - and I'm sure there are some young boys out there who would like them too. I personally am looking forward to the last book in this series to see if Aria finally gets her wings! 4/5.


--Ashley

The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1) by Skylar Dorset - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Sourcebooks FIRE on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: The Girl Who Never Was (Otherworld #1)
Author: Skylar Dorset
Publication Date: June 1, 2014

Synopsis: "Today is my birthday."

In Selkie's family, you don't celebrate birthdays. You don't talk about birthdays. And you never, ever reveal your birth date.

Until now.

The instant Selkie blurts out the truth to Ben in the middle of Boston Common, her whole world shatters.

Because her life has been nothing but a lie—an elaborate enchantment meant to conceal the truth: Selkie is a half-faerie princess.

And her mother wants her dead.

Why?: I love a good fantasy book. This one has enchantments, faeries, half-faeries, probably other magical creatures, and it just sounds like something that's right up my alley. Oh, Selkie's mother wants her dead, so throw in some intense scenes and probably Selkie running for his life and trying to figure out WTF is actually going on. Yup. Count me in.

Expectations: This book sounds really epic, so I've got some pretty high expectations for it. I've never read anything by Skylar, so my high expectations are based solely on the synopsis. I also expect a lot of world-building and answers to questions, with even more questions coming up. I can't wait to start this book!

Judging a book by its cover: I actually really love this cover. I love how the boy is reaching through the puddle to hand the girl a rose, and how the title goes around parts of them and over other parts. I really like the colors too. I would definitely pick this book up off a shelf in a bookstore, and it's what initially drew me to the book in the first place.


--Ashley

The Gateway Through Which They Came (The Gateway #1) by Heather Marie - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Gateway Through Which They Came (The Gateway #1)
Author: Heather Marie
Publication Date: August 25, 2014

Synopsis: To seventeen-year-old Aiden Ortiz, letting the dead walk through his body to reach the other side comes with the territory. Being a Gateway isn’t an easy job, but someone’s gotta send Bleeders where they belong. Heaven. Salvation. Call it whatever you want. Dead is dead.
But when his search for Koren Banks––the girl who went mysteriously missing seven months ago––leaves him with more questions than answers, he finds himself involved in something far more sinister and beyond his control.

With the threat of the Dark Priest's resurrection, and his plan to summon his demon brothers from hell, Aiden is left to discover his identity before the Dark Priest's curse infecting his blood consumes him, and before the world as he knows it succumbs to the darkness of hell on earth.


Why?: When I read this synopsis, I knew this book needed to go on my TBR list ASAP. It sounds creepy and magical and what does that even mean that the dead use people as Gateways?! I have been really excited about this book for a while, so I jumped on the chance to read it when I could.

Expectations: I expect this book to have a lot of really creepy scenes, especially since it seems to feature the dead so heavily. And with the threat of hell on earth. I also expect there to be quite a bit of world-building, since this sounds unlike any world I've ever read about. And maybe a little romance? I won't be upset if there isn't any though.

Judging a book by its cover: I actually really like this book. It sort of screams FANTASY to me, and I think that's pretty cool. I'm also a fan of the hand coming out of the guy's chest - I guess that's supposed to be a soul using his body as a Gateway? The colors and the purple all fit together very well too, and I like how everything gives off this really haunting vibe. I'd totally pick this up if I saw it on a shelf somewhere.


--Ashley

Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday - Ashley's Review

*I received an eARC of this book from Egmont USA on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Of Monsters and Madness
Author: Jessica Verday
Publication Date: September 9, 2014

My Pre-Reading

Synopsis: A romantic, historical retelling of classic Gothic horror featuring Edgar Allan Poe and his character Annabel Lee, from a New York Times best-selling author.

Annabel Lee is summoned from Siam to live with her father in 1820's Philadelphia shortly after her mother's death, but an unconventional upbringing makes her repugnant to her angry, secretive father.

Annabel becomes infatuated with her father's assistant Allan, who dabbles in writing when he's not helping with medical advancements. But in darker hours, when she's not to be roaming the house, she encounters the devilish assistant Edgar, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Allan, and who others insist doesn't exist.

A rash of murders across Philadelphia, coupled with her father's strange behavior, leads Annabel to satisfy her curiosity and uncover a terrible truth: Edgar and Allan are two halves of the same person - and they are about to make the crimes detailed in Allan's stories come to life. Unless Annabel stops them.

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Review: I love a good retelling of a classic story, especially when the author puts his or her own spin on it! Edgar Allan Poe, Annabel Lee, and what sounds like Jekyll and Hyde? Definitely right up my alley.

However, I kind of really hate when the synopsis for a book gives away too much. I wish that going in to this book, I didn't know Allan and Edgar are two halves of the same person. I wanted them to be two distinct people, maybe cousins or brother, who just happen to look strikingly similar. I didn't want to know that there's a Jekyll and Hyde retelling going on - we could have just left it at a "classic Gothic horror" and been ok. I think it ruins the surprise and some of the suspense. I just felt like I needed to get that out of the way before I talk about the actual book though. 

Going in to this book, I really expected to have to watch Annabel die. I mean, that's how the original poem goes, right? And I just recently read another retelling of Annabel Lee and it completely broke my heart. Luckily in this case, I didn't spend most of the book crying in a corner. Instead, I was wrapped up in the mystery of a string of grisly murders and swept away by the whirlwind romance between Annabel and Allan. I was hooked from the very beginning. 

It was really interesting to read about Annabel's transition from non-traditional upbringing in Siam, where she works with her mother and practices basic medicine, to the more proper and traditional society of 1820's Philadelphia. She is now forbidden to practice any sort of medicine, her true passion, and she must learn to behave like a proper lady. I'm pretty sure if I was in her situation, I would not have taken things with as much grace as she does, so props to her. It seems like her father stifles her, but that's not really the case; she just learns and grows in different ways than she was previously used to.

Jessica's writing is beautiful and haunting and all of the things that make a good Gothic horror-mystery-romance work. Everything just feels very dark, even when it isn't, and I found myself hoping Annabel wouldn't make the obvious choices and mistakes. I had quite a few things figured out way earlier than Annabel (especially because of the synopsis....) but it was still interesting to read as she begins to uncover the truths that her father, grandfather, and her fathers assistants are keeping hidden. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It's a strange mash-up of two classic stories that someone manages to work exceptionally well. I can't wait to read more about Annabel, Allan, Edgar, and this world, and I hope there's a sequel in the works! Especially after that ending! If you're a fan of retellings, I would recommend this to you. Especially if you don't mind spoilers from the synopsis. If spoilers bother you as much as they do me.... there's still quite a few mysteries that aren't ruined and it's well worth the read! A 4/5.


--Ashley

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee - Paul's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Amazon Publishing/SkyScape on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Publication Date: August 5, 2014

My Pre-Reading

Ashley's Pre-Reading

Synopsis: In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

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Review: Books that merge fantasy and sci-fi are my favorite. Gates of Thread and Stone does this excellently. There is magic, but there is also technology. The gap between the magic and technology has diminished and the history of the world is full of wonder. There are allusions to some semi-apocalyptic event, but little is revealed about it. There are godlike beings and people with magical powers. There's also this amazing mode of transportation known as Grays. They are run by magic stones, but made of metal. They come in all types of animal shapes. The horse Gray reminded me so much of Robot Unicorn Attack:

Besides the amazing world-building, the story and characters are also so captivating. Kai has an unknown past and has a slight obsession over her friend and companion, Avan. I liked the way Avan was shown to have ambiguity when it came to his orientation. The romance was a main part of the story, but it made sense as the story was from a romance-interested teen girl with a crush. The progress of their relationship was natural. And Kai keeps her focus on rescuing her brother. 

Kai's ability to bend the threads of time had a lot of potential. It seems like it could have been used more, but I could see that happening in the sequel which is supposed to come out sometime in 2015. There was a lot more introduced that I could see being delved into more in the sequel, like the gargoyles. 

My favorite aspect of this book was the world-building. Towards the end of the book, there was almost constant exposition. I guess this is bound to happen when a protagonist has a blank past and it is explained, but there were so many reveals at once.

I really enjoyed this book and although it was a slow read for me, I give it a 4/5. I highly recommend it to fans of books that blend sci-fi and fantasy. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel.  


--PAUL

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Torn Away
Author: Jennifer Brown
Publication Date: May 6, 2014

My Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives -- but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she's never considered before -- one in which her mother wasn't perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that's something no tornado can touch.

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Review: I have never experienced a devastating tornado. Growing up in Florida, tornadoes usually only show up during hurricane season, and even then they're very small and don't completely destroy entire towns. We don't even have tornado sirens (I didn't even know such a thing existed until I was in college and my friends from the Midwest were confused by the lack of them).  My limited knowledge of them comes from tornado drills in elementary - high school where all we did was hide under a desk and get away from the windows and the Twister "ride" at Universal Studios. 

That being said, this book still hit me really hard. I couldn't empathize with Jersey at all, but Torn Away is still completely heart-breaking and very real. As the tornado hits Jersey's town, I felt like I was there; I was terrified for her when she rushes to the basement and when she wakes up the next morning and her entire town is just... gone. Jennifer Brown does an excellent job of making Jersey's experiences relateable even for someone who has never been through anything like them, and made me grateful I've never experienced a natural disaster of this magnitude.

I think this book also does a pretty good job of dealing with estranged family, but I actually really hated her dad's family. I wanted to punch her step-sisters in the face pretty much every time they showed up, I hated her grandparents, and I hated her step-dad the most for having her end up there in the first place. It was hard for me to read those sections, and while I think that was the point, I just can't imagine how any family would be so horrible to someone without an sort of explanation. 

There's a little bit of a romance in this book, but I'm glad it took a back-seat to the rest of the plot. It's nice to see that Jersey has friends and people she can rely on, and that she might be developing feelings for one of those characters, but I'm glad that it's left open-ended and that there was some room for imagination on the readers' part by the end. It's not a happily-ever-after by any stretch of the imagination, but maybe one day it could be. 

I loved Jennifer's writing and I was hooked from the very beginning (despite the inevitable tears), and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read this book. I think anyone looking for a realistic, contemporary YA book who isn't afraid of reading about tough subjects like death, destruction, and awful family problems, should really consider reading Torn Away. There were some places where the book fell a little short for me, so I'd give it a 3/5. But it was still a great (heart-breaking) read.


--Ashley

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee - Paul's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Amazon Publishing/SkyScape on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Publication Date: August 5, 2014

Synopsis: In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

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Why?: Okay, so pretty much everything about this book sounds amazing! A Labyrinth! Secret Magic! Secret Magic that involves manipulating TIME! 

Expectations: I kind of don't want read any reviews or find out more about this book because from the little I know, I think I'm going to love it. I'm expecting a really interesting take on a unique magic system. I am also expecting an awesome labyrinth.

Judging a book by its cover: This cover is gorgeous! The clothing style and the dirty alley is intriguing. And the magic threads that create the title font are so cool. This is one of those covers that definitely draws me in. 


--PAUL

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Amazon Publishing/SkyScape on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Author: Lori M. Lee
Publication Date: August 5, 2014

Synopsis: In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

Why?: Well first of all, that cover! Secondly, magic, a city of walls and secrets, a girl who can manipulate the threads of time, and a Labyrinth are all things that I believe make up the beginnings of a fantastic book. The whole thing just sounds like an epic adventure and like my type of book. I really just want to skip the other books that I need to read first and jump right into this one!

Expectations: I love the concept of this book so much that I have pretty high expectations for it. Probably unreasonably high, considering this is Lori's debut and that I haven't read any reviews for the book. I've been so excited to read this book since I first heard about it and I just hope that it's as good as I think it will be!

Judging a book by its cover: I could stare at this cover all day. Seriously. It's just so pretty! I love the way the light goes across the front and merges with the words, I love how the girl looks and how you can't tell what her face looks like, and I love the colors. The cover is what drew me to this book in the first place and I can't wait to have a physical copy for my shelves.


--Ashley