Book Shelf: The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2) by Julie Kagawa

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

The Iron Traitor is the highly anticipated, but immensely shocking follow up to The Iron Prince and is an unpredictable story of adventure, magic and romance. The lush world of fae, danger and heartbreak is as tantalizing as ever in this latest installment!

Julie Kagawa is a master of words; plain and simple. Even though at times The Iron Traitor read more like a "filler novel" than I expected, it was still a very deliciously well told and adventurous read! Continuing to draw readers into her magical world of the Nevernever, Kagawa continues her exploration and development of her characters as Ethan, Keirran, and Kenzie delve back into the lands of Faery in the search of a way to save Keirran's love with the help of a few friends, both old and new!

I adore Julie Kagawa's writing and her ability as a storyteller never fails to captivate me. The Iron Traitor wasn't quite as fast paced as some of her previous books; rather plodding along nicely, with plenty of different hurdle's and difficulties arising for the characters though minor in comparison to others in the series.

The world Kagawa has created within this series, and the previous one is a wondrous one and I continually find myself getting lost in her world and writing. Lush, rich and harshly magical, I never know what to expect and what Julie Kagawa is going to weave into the story.

Ethan is quite likable as the main character and I enjoyed seeing things progress through his eyes. When I first began this series I was unsure how the change of protagonists from Megan to Ethan from the other books would work, but oddly I don't find myself comparing the two as much as I expected. Considering his early introduction into the world of Faery, Ethan is very capable and this becomes abundantly clear with each book.

In The Iron Traitor, Ethan's relationships with the other characters continue to develop in interesting ways. I like Ethan and Kenzie together; I'm intrigued to see what happens considering her health situation--I'm looking forward to seeing how that all unfolds in future books. Kerrian is a complete mystery to me and I'm still working out his loyalties and motives--he and Ethan could potentially have a strong friendship but right now plot twists could derail that.

It's a blast from the past with Megan, Ash and Puck all making appearances. Plus Razor continues to be an adorable addition to the story with his mannerisms and cuteness. Featuring a shocking betrayal and jaw-dropping ending that takes cliff hanger endings to another level, The Iron Traitor races towards a climactic ending that will leave readers shaking their heads and praying for more even as they turn the final page!

Julie Kagawa must have something big up her sleeve if The Iron Traitor is anything to go by and I for one will be marking my calendar for the release of the next book!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by HarlequinTEEN Australia (Thank you Polina!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you love deliciously written stories, the fae or the first series, then this is right up your alley!
Cover: I think it could be the most beautiful of all the Iron Fey novels yet!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Without a doubt!

Waiting on Wednesday #54

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.


This week I'm waiting on.....   Banished by Liz de Jager  

Releases on: February 27th 2014
Add on Goodreads!

Sworn to protect, honour and slay. Because chaos won’t banish itself…

Kit is proud to be a Blackhart, now she’s encountered her unorthodox cousins and their strange lives. And her home-schooling now includes spells, fighting enemy fae and using ancient weapons. But it’s not until she rescues a rather handsome fae prince, fighting for his life on the edge of Blackhart Manor, that her training really kicks in. With her family away on various missions, Kit must protect Prince Thorn, rely on new friends and use her own unfamiliar magic to stay ahead of Thorn’s enemies. As things go from bad to apocalyptic, fae battle fae in a war that threatens to spill into the human world. Then Kit pits herself against the Elder Gods themselves – it’s that or lose everyone she’s learnt to love.

Thoughts:
Man, does this sound awesome or what?!? Kit sounds like a kick-ass heroine and I'm always down for the Fae. Love me some faeries! Throw in a Fae prince, a bit of romance and a war and this sounds like it could be a hell of a read!

 

What do you think of Banished? Sound good?
And what are you waiting on this week?

 

Book Tour: Chasing Forever Down by Nikki Godwin-Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Chasing Forever Down by Nikki Godwin blog tour thanks to Oops! I Read Again Tours! I'm super excited to be a part of this tour. Nikki writes fantastically fun books--I must say I'm a fan. Below you'll find an excerpt from Chasing Forever Down featuring one of my favorite characters--A.J as well as the tour wide giveaway :)

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Hopefully you saw my review of Chasing Forever Down posted yesterday, but if not here's a snippet  of what I thought.....

"Featuring a fantastic cast of characters, a fun storyline and plenty of excitement, Chasing Forever Down is a really great little read. I wasn't ready for the story to end when it eventually did so, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of Hayley and the guys in the next book!"

From Chasing Forever Down.......
“Whoa!” Alston yells out. 

I look back. His lips keep moving, but I can’t hear anything over the roaring of A.J.’s jet ski. 

“– the hell!?” is all I catch. I throw my arms into the air and shake my head as Alston moves toward me. 

“What the hell are you doing?” he asks once he’s within earshot. He motions at A.J., but I know he’s talking to me. 

“Jet skiing,” I say. “You know, most people wear lifejackets. I thought that was normal.”

He points at A.J. “You’re seriously getting on that with him? Are you crazy? No one has ever ridden with A.J. Well, except that one time Reed did. He still has the scar to show for it.”

My blood boils as hot as this raging summer sun. This whole jet skiing with A.J. deal was a ploy, just like I thought. He’s probably rocked his mechanical bull moves on that yellow jet ski for a thousand girls. I bet he blew cigarette smoke on them and wrapped his arm around their pretty tan shoulders and told them how wave jumping with him would be the most badass experience of their lives. And at that point, the girls decided to take turns riding with Alston or they found another chiseled beach bum to waste their time with. None of them ever dared to get on the back of Jailbird Gonzalez’s jet ski.

But I do.

After seventeen-year-old Haley Sullivan meets a mysterious stranger who plays by his own rules, she's more than determined to learn every trick of the trade from the master himself. But her dream-chasing mentor disappears after that night, and according to the local newspapers, he's been dead for years. Knowing he's very much alive, Haley enlists best friend Linzi to join her on a scavenger-hunt-style road trip that ultimately lands them in the surf town of Crescent Cove, California. Mystery guy is no mystery here, though – he's Colby Taylor, the west coast's biggest professional surfer.

If Haley wants to talk to the wave rider again, she'll have to get past his four intimidating bodyguards who are highly skilled in the business of sending starstruck fangirls back to where they belong. Haley is up for the challenge if it means chasing her dreams and escaping the perfectly corporate future that's been planned for her. But dealing with these bodyguards isn't exactly what Haley imagined it'd be. Sure, being thrown off a jet ski sucks, but falling in love with one of them might just be worse.

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

Visit Nikki:

Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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I want to say a big thank you to Diane of Oops! I Read Again Tours for putting this tour together and for allowing me to be a part of the fun. Chasing Forever Down is a great start to the Drenaline Surf series and I can't wait to read more. Be sure to pick up a copy to discover it yourself today!

Book Shelf: Chasing Forever Down (Drenaline Surf #1) by Nikki Godwin

After seventeen-year-old Haley Sullivan meets a mysterious stranger who plays by his own rules, she's more than determined to learn every trick of the trade from the master himself. But her dream-chasing mentor disappears after that night, and according to the local newspapers, he's been dead for years. Knowing he's very much alive, Haley enlists best friend Linzi to join her on a scavenger-hunt-style road trip that ultimately lands them in the surf town of Crescent Cove, California. Mystery guy is no mystery here, though – he's Colby Taylor, the west coast's biggest professional surfer.

If Haley wants to talk to the wave rider again, she'll have to get past his four intimidating bodyguards who are highly skilled in the business of sending starstruck fangirls back to where they belong. Haley is up for the challenge if it means chasing her dreams and escaping the perfectly corporate future that's been planned for her. But dealing with these bodyguards isn't exactly what Haley imagined it'd be. Sure, being thrown off a jet ski sucks, but falling in love with one of them might just be worse.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Chasing Forever Down is the first book in Nikki Godwin's Drenaline Surf series and see's a seventeen year old Hayley chase her dreams when she embarks on a spur of the moment journey to discover the whereabouts of the mysterious stranger she met the night before. What abounds is an expected journey of discoveries in this fun, light hearted tale of sun, surf and friendship.

I have to say Chasing Forever Down was a really fun book to read. I'll be honest, I wasn't drawn in as immediately as I was reading Nikki Godwin's other story, American Girl on Saturn, but once Chasing Forever Down did catch my attention, I was well and truly hooked.

Following seventeen year old dreamer Hayley Sullivan after she meets a mysterious stranger at a party only to have him then disappears on her, Chasing Forever Down details the adventure Hayley, and her friend Linzi find themselves on as they race halfway across the country to find this mysterious man his family believes is dead but who is very much alive; living the high life as the west coasts most popular surfer, Colby Taylor.

This book was really different in terms of what I've read before. Whilst it seems like a very basic idea, Godwin does a good job of twisting things. Think the story sounds typical....girl chases boy, finds boy, ends up with boy.... and on and on? Wrong! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, while the story begins with Hayley meeting Colby, and then looking for him after he disappears on her, Chasing Forever Down actually centers around the other people in Colby's life--his "bodyguards".

As Hayley attempts to reach Colby through each of the young men surrounding him, she slowly gets to know them and learns about the lives they lead outside of Colby; surprising herself when she discovers something unexpected.....real friendship and happiness.

I will say that there were so many characters in Chasing Forever Down, almost too many at times to keep track of. That being said, I think Nikki did a really good job giving them individual personalities and allowing them to all play their own roles in the story.

Something I've noticed with Nikki's books is that she's very adamant about writing strong, solid friendships between her male and female characters and this is something I just love seeing! I really loved how Hayley went to find Colby Taylor, but ends up finding deeper friendships and a feeling of home through those around him in Chasing Forever Down.

As far as the characters go, A.J. was lovable as a cheeky, tattooed and reckless hooligan who worms his way into Hayley's heart and soon becomes her best friend, Vin was perfect as the mysterious con artist who actually has a whole other side and life to him, Reed was great as an all-round nice guy and Topher stole my heart with his larrikin ways. Kale, Alston, Linzi...they all provided comic relief to the story and enhanced the reading experience.

I don't want to give away too much, but Godwin does a great job adding that perfect touch of romance to the story. With so many male characters, in the beginning it's not evident just who will become Hayley's love interest (or is it?!?) but it's still a lovely written romance that develops over time and isn't too much too soon.

Featuring a fantastic cast of characters, a fun storyline and plenty of excitement, Chasing Forever Down is a really great little read. I wasn't ready for the story to end when it eventually did so, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of Hayley and the guys in the next book!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Oops! I Read Again Tours and the author (Thank you Diane and Nikki!)
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
My Recommendation: If you like fun and flirty stories then this is perfect for you
Cover: Honestly, I'm not that impressed. The cover could be better
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Yes, I'm very much looking forward to the second book

 

Blog Tour: Lights of Aurora by Theresa McClinton-Excerpt & Giveaway

Today the blog tour for Lights of Aurora, the second book in Theresa McClinton's Stone Legacy    series stops by. I have a great excerpt and the tour wide giveaway to share!

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Bright lights tore through her closed eyelids. Ashley coughed and sputtered water from her nose and throat. She rolled to her side and clawed at the scalding stone beneath her while her frozen body jerked back to life.

Still shivering, the sudden change in temperature made her dizzy. Her palms burned from pressing against the sun-beaten ground. She pried open her eyes as chanting from what had to be thousands of people drummed in her ears.

Then it hit her. The smell. Bitter and noxious in the intense heat, it infused every cell of her body. It was the same odor Sarian carried. Now she understood why. After he roamed the underworld, he must have brought its stench back with him.

She pushed herself off the ground, peering at waves of people who jumped in place, all of them with their backs facing her. Her head spun, stacking the scene two, and three times over each other before her vision finally settled in the middle.

She swayed like a drunkard in front of what must have been an entire city of people gathered in that very spot. None of them had on more than a simple loincloth to cover their genitals. It couldn’t have been much of a shield against the elements.

Stone ruins littered the cracked ground, but none of them offered shade to the unrelenting sun.

Air had never felt so hot.

She shielded her eyes and squinted to see the top of a great temple in front of her. The air danced and made the structure seem like a mirage.
Her gaze slowly drew upward. The sky wasn’t a sky at all, but soil with coils of roots writhing above them. It was endless, and whatever sun was there, however it existed in such a place, was also trapped beneath the earth.

It was Yaxche, the tree of life.

The people’s hands flailed in the air as they moved in unison, bobbing on the balls of their feet while their fingers stretched toward the sky.
She tore her attention away from the scene and searched for Arwan, but he was nowhere around. There weren’t many places to hide except behind a few sun-scorched boulders.

A roar of shouts rose from the people. Her gaze darted back to the peak of the temple where something that resembled a man stood with his hand raised in the air, blood coating his forearm.

A human heart throbbed in his clenched hand.

Ashley stumbled back, and she fell to the ground with a slap. Her eyes widened. The sacrifice…it couldn’t be Arwan. She shook her head, willing herself to believe it couldn’t be true. She would find him. They would get Jayden’s soul back and then hightail it out of there. That was the plan, anyway.

Drums pounded all around her while the crowd continued to chant and dance. Another sacrifice had been made. She’d heard the roar of the people, but did her best to block them out.

She crawled along the dusty ground in search of somewhere to hide, and a place to scout for Arwan. Beside a large rock, she squatted, but didn’t dare to touch it. The rock would scald
her, and she had no idea if her healing ability would work here—or any of her abilities, for that matter.

Dust that was once caked between her fingers flaked off and fell to the ground. Her skin, already burned underneath, was now an angry red. The sting in her eyes worsened when she squinted at the far sides of the city. There were no hills. No trees. No shelter of any kind. Just more temples, all smaller than the one in front of her.

Was it possible Arwan didn’t make it through? He had kept some serious secrets from her already. What if one of them made the difference between life and death?

The shouts from the crowd went silent. She froze. The quiet hissing of their breaths was the only noise, and she could feel them focused on her.

A single drum pounded the air in a slow, rhythmic beat. She didn’t want to look—maybe because she knew what she was about to face. She lifted her head to find thousands of people staring at her with bloodshot eyes.

Slowly, she stood and moved from where she was crouched. There was no use trying to pretend it was safe. She was an unwelcome guest in the first layer of hell, and everyone knew it.

The unforgiving sun scorched their faces. Strips of flesh hung from their necks and foreheads. Boils bloated their skin, oozing liquid and pus. No wonder the underworld’s stench was so horrible. Death and rot loomed in the unrelenting sun, only magnifying the stink of their infected wounds.

They were all seething; teeth bared from under dry, cracked lips. It was like they hadn’t had a drink in years.

They looked thirsty.

So thirsty.

Up thousands of narrow, stone steps on the peak of the temple stood a man, pointing directly at her. He pointed at her with his bony finger. The skin on his arm was stripped away, and his esophagus showed through a gaping hole in his throat.

His entire bottom jaw was completely gone.

After the discovery of her ancient Maya bloodlines, eighteen-year-old Ashley Coreandero is faced with a daunting responsibility. She must protect the stone of Muuk’Ich while Sarian, the underworld general, relentlessly drives her to the brink of insanity.

As the winter solstice approaches, it brings an onslaught of unexpected side effects. Ashley must seize control over her supercharged powers, while dealing with the overwhelming suspicion that her boyfriend, Arwan, is hiding a secret so dark it could destroy them both.

With the arrival of a surprise houseguest, Ashley’s deepest fears about Arwan are confirmed. And when middleworld deities intercede, the group of gifted Maya descendants are confronted with hardships they never saw coming—including an enemy more deadly than they have ever faced.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned—but when that woman has no soul and a taste for revenge, they will need the powers of every surviving ancestor simply to stay alive.

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | All Romance eBooks

 

Lights of Aurora is currently $0.99 on Amazon! Be sure to pick up your copy while it is on sale!

Check out the other books in the series here!

 

 

A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa began her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and feature articles to delve into the whimsical world of fiction.

Since then, Theresa has been married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and has been repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having traveled to over a dozen countries—not to mention an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, Theresa will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.

Visit Theresa:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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Book Shelf: Acid by Emma Pass

The year is 2113. In Jenna Strong's world, ACID—the most brutal controlling police force in history—rule supreme. No throwaway comment or whispered dissent goes unnoticed—or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a horrendous crime she struggles to remember. But Jenna's violent prison time has taught her how to survive by any means necessary.

When a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed, and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID, and try to uncover the truth about what really happened on that terrible night two years ago. They have taken her life, her freedom, and her true memories away from her. How can she reclaim anything when she doesn't know who to trust?

Strong, gritty writing, irresistible psychological suspense, and action consume the novel as Jenna struggles to survive against the all-controlling ACID. Seriously sinister stuff.

More info on Goodreads....

Review:

Emma Pass’s debut novel Acid is a richly action based novel that will take readers on an intricate ride from its opening chapter!

Launching into Acid, I was really unsure what to expect. The fierce cover had my attention and if that wasn’t enough, the tagline sure had me all fired up for a blazing story. Unfortunately, Acid wasn’t quite the addictive read that I hoped it would be, but still proved to be entertaining on a number of different levels and managed to keep me reading on. There’s was nothing wrong with this book, far from it, but for some unknown reason, Acid failed to captivate me as I hoped.

Detailing a futuristic London where a military based company named ACID controls the country, Acid features heroine Janna Strong, a fierce young woman imprisoned for killing her parents. Emma Pass does a good job with her intricate and action based storyline; managing to mix non-shop action with secrets, lies and the mystery surrounding the workings of ACID and the truth behind Jenna’s past.

I have to say, I was really impressed with Jenna as a heroine. Not only is she extremely kick-ass; brave, fierce and capable, she’s also genuinely likable and displays moments of vulnerability throughout Acid. Jenna was basically a normal girl within the world of Acid, but who had to toughen up and learn to protect herself when she was sent to prison for killing her parents. As a result of this, Jenna is self-proficient and bodily able, and this really helps her during the story as she finds herself on the run and unsure who to trust.

During the course of the book, Jenna manages to uncover some startling truths about not only herself but the governing body that runs her country. In a world where mind altering is possible and facial changes are an everyday thing, no one is as they seem and scenarios and situations may not always be as they appear.

Overall Acid was a solid read. As Jenna races to find out just what ACID is up to, making friends, finding love and discovering the truth behind her parents deaths along the way, readers are sure to enjoy Emma Pass’s debut novel!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Random House Australia (Thank you Dorothy!)
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you enjoy action and dystopian reads, then this is for you.
Cover: I seriously adore this cover! It's kick-ass!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: As far as I'm aware this is a stand alone novel, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to read more by this author in this future.....

Waiting on Wednesday #53

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.


This week I'm waiting on.....  

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
Releases on: July 8th 2014
Add on Goodreads!

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner—and danger is a way of life.

Thoughts:
I love a good fantasy read and this sounds right up my alley. If that simple, but stunning cover didn't capture my attention, that descripton has me itching for it's release.

What do you think? Will you be reading Midnight Thief?