Review: Carry On

Read if you like: chosen one plots that subvert EVERYTHING, romance that makes you cry (and smile at the same time?), and awesome side characters you want to be besties with.

Carry On | Rainbow Rowell

Genre: YA Fantasy
Released: February 25th 2016
Pages: 518
Format: Paperback
Source: Gift

A #1 New York Times-bestseller
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.

That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.

Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

Carry On - The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.

Oh my gods, THIS BOOK.

I didn't even know if I would LIKE this and it has somehow become tied with ACOWAR for my favourite book of this year. This book is real magic. I will read it again and again.

5 stars

#FreeInKU - Queen Takes Knights

Read if you like: women who can hold their own, alpha males in HEALTHY relationships, and hot-as-hell romance.

Queen Takes Knights | Joely Sue Bukhart

Series: Their Vampire Queen

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance, Reverse Harem
Released: October 17th 2017
Pages: 190
Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited

A lost virgin vampire queen. Two vampire knights sworn to protect her.
It’s about to get very hot… and bloody…

Ever since her mother was murdered by monsters five years ago, Shara Isador has been on the run. Alone, scared, and exhausted, she’s finally cornered in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Out of hope with nowhere else to turn, she’s ready to end it all when two men come to her rescue.

They say she’s a lost queen descended from Isis, and they’re her Blood, vampire knights sworn to protect her. It all seems like a crazy nightmare, until the alpha offers his blood. Then she realizes she’s never wanted anything more. Except maybe his body… and his friend’s, too.

But they’re not the only ones searching for a lost queen. Shara must learn how to wield her new powers quickly and conquer her fears if she intends to keep them all alive.

Paranormal romance with not one but TWO alphas who aren't domineering, controlling, or problematic. This book is awesome. Steamy, awesomely dangerous, and a story that is genuinely interesting with a plot twist. And consent is SO important in this. I love it so much and need the next book!

5 stars

The Casquette Girls Review + Blog Tour

 

The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden 

Published November 17th, 2015 

Published by Skyscape 

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy 

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Find out more about signed copies HERE!

Seven girls tied by time. Five powers that bind. One curse to lock the horror away. One attic to keep the monsters at bay. 

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne wants nothing more than her now silent city to return to normal. But with home resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normalneeds a new definition. As the city murder rate soars, Adele finds herself tangled in a web of magic that weaves back to her own ancestors. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, who can she trust when everyone has a secret and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless . . . you’re immortal.  

About the Author

Alys Arden was raised by the street performers, tea leaf-readers, and glittering drag queens of the New Orleans, French Quarter. She cut her teeth on the streets of New York and has worked all around the world since. She either talks too much or not at all. She obsessively documents things. Her hair ranges from eggplant to cotton-candy-colored. One dreary day in London, while dreaming of running away with the circus, she started writing The Casquette Girls. Her debut novel garnered over one million reads online before being acquired by Skyscape in a two book deal. Rep’d by ICM. Website Twitter: @alysarden Facebook Blog

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The Casquette Girls: The Casquette Girls | Alys Arden

Published by: Skyscape, November 17th 2015

Genre: YA, Gothic, Paranormal, Witches, Vampires

Pages: 565

Format: Ebook

Source: Skyscape, via Netgalley

Seven girls tied by time.
Five powers that bind.
One curse to lock the horror away.
One attic to keep the monsters at bay.

**

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne wants nothing more than her now silent city to return to normal. But with home resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normalneeds a new definition. 

As the city murder rate soars, Adele finds herself tangled in a web of magic that weaves back to her own ancestors. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, who can she trust when everyone has a secret and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless . . . you’re immortal.

This book WAY exceeded my expectations. I thought it'd be a pretty cool gothic story but it's so much more. You need to add this to your to-read list immediately.

The first thing I loved about The Casquette Girls was the amazing writing, and how detailed the world building is. You can literally feel the author's love for New Orleans when you read this, and it made me fall in love with the city too (It's now added of my list of places to visit!) Along with the setting, the rich gothic tone of this book sucked me in. Plus there's a guy described as part James Dean part Italian Vogue and that always helps.

The book only got better the more I read it, and while I could have done without the love triangle (I still don't trust or like Isaac...) I ADORED Nicco, my precious Italian child. I actually loved most of the characters, both past and present, and instead of just being implanted in a setting and reacting to it like in most books I read, these characters felt like they were part of the city, like they'd truly lived there their whole lives. They were as strange and wonderful as all the part of New Orleans I loved. AND the minor characters were as vibrant and interesting as some of the main characters! AND the romance is sweet and dangerous and everything I ever wanted (Nicolo, my love!!) AND the plot is tense and suspenseful and mysterious, and there's betrayal and plot twists (that I totally called way earlier!) and witches and girls being amazing friends. This book is perf. 
(EXCEPT FOR THE ENDING. DO NOT READ THAT EVER.)

If you're looking for a YA gothic that literally feels like you're reading Dracula in places, this is the book for you. If you're not looking for that, read it anyway.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world-building ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★☆

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The Forever Song (Review)

Blood of Eden: The Forever Song | Julie Kagawa

Published by: Harlequin Teen, April 15th 2014

Genre: YA, Dystopia, Paranormal, Post Apocalyptic

Pages: 393

Format: Hardback

Source: Purchased

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

WHY does this series have to end? It could easily have gone on for another three books. I don't care if the Eden story has wrapped up, give me three books of the trials of getting the cure out there. Give me three books of Jackal sitting around insulting people. Actually, you know I'd rather have the latter. Seriously, gimme.

This series is utterly devastating, thrilling, and punches you in the stomach at every given opportunity. Julie Kagawa doesn't miss a chance to throw in something high impact, bloody and violent, or emotionally charged. I love almost everything about this series, and this book, and were I invested in the relationship between Allison and Zeke I would have literally no issue with it whatsoever.

This final book builds on the wreckage of The Eternity Cure, pushes everyone (especially me) to their breaking point, and drags you around an emotionally draining maze of a plot. Avoid at all costs (but seriously - read this series.)

I LOVE this series, and my love of it kinda snuck up on me. I'm so upset that it's over, that Allison will have no more adventures, no more revengendas. I'm not entirely ready to say goodbye to these characters. (So please, Julie, give me a Jackal spinoff. We all know you're not opposed to writing spinoffs *looks pointedly at the iron fey*)

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★☆

--

"'No one gets to decide what kind of monster I am but me.'"

"'You cannot stop it, little bird, You can only beat your wings against the bars of your cage, and you don't even realise you are trapped.'"