Review ~ "Windwitch" by Susan Dennard

Title: "Windwitch"
Series: The Witchlands, #2
Author: Susan Dennard 
 
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Published: January 10, 2017
Publisher: TorTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: I received this arc from the publisher for being a part of the Witchlanders

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Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

Review ~ "Queen of Shadows" by Sarah J. Maas

Title: "Queen of Shadows"
Series: Throne of Glass, #4
Author: Sarah J. Maas

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Published: September 1, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 648
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought

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The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Review ~ "Fire Falling" by Elise Kova

Title: "Fire Falling"
Series: Air Awakens #2
Author: Elise Kova

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Published: November 19, 2015
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 378
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought

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Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

Fire Falling is the second book in the Air Awakens Series.

Review ~ "Truthwitch" by Susan Dennard

Title: "Truthwitch"
Series: The Witchlands, #1
Author: Susan Dennard

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Published: January 5, 2015
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover 
Source: Bought 

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On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery,” a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Review ~ "The Nightmare Affair" by Mindee Arnett

Title: "The Nightmare Affair"
Series: The Arkwell Academy, #1
Author: Mindee Arnett

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Published: March 5, 2013
Published: Tor Teen
Pages: 367
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Magic
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

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Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

When I first heard about this book, all I could think about was how creative and different it sounded. This girl is a Nightmare? What!? What's that!? Does that mean she's evil? Does she give people nightmares, or does she eat them? But then I read the synopsis and found out that she feeds off of dreams. I was immediately interested and knew I had to read this book ASAP. The idea seemed so unique, as I've never read anything with a Nightmare, or anything like it, in it.

As we know that Dusty is a Nightmare, and learn what that is, we find out how being one can get you into a little bit of trouble. The "the person you're feeding off of wakes up and sees you" kind of trouble. It doesn't help that this person is Eli Booker, one of the most popular boys from Dusty's old school. And it doesn't help that the people in charge of her new magic school decide to have him transfer to her new school. Awkward. Needless to say, this is not going to be a good year for Dusty.
 
Dusty was such a fun character. She had so much spunk, but also knew when to calm down. She had a fiery personality that was really enjoyable to read. She was incredibly fun to read, especially when she got into arguments with other characters. Her best friend, Selene, a siren who wants to get rid of the stereotype, was another fun character. And of course there's Eli, who is the typical popular guy who knows he's super hot. However, he's not completely terrible, especially later on in the book.

The book kept me at the edge of my seat for the entire read. But then again when the main characters are looking for a murderer, and they're finding clues through dreams, that's going to be pretty interesting. I found the identity of the murderer to be a bit predictable, however, I found the journey to be entertaining. I could never expect what would happen next!

Overall, this was a great book with a new, fascinating paranormal being, and I can't wait to read about Dusty and Eli's adventures in the sequel!

Review ~ "Air Awakens" by Elisa Kova

Title: "Air Awakens"
Series: Air Awakens, #1
Author: Elisa Kova

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Published: August 27, 2015
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 377
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought

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

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

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

Review ~ "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas

Title: "A Court of Thorns and Roses"
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1
Author: Sarah J. Maas

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Published: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

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A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Review ~ "Falling Kingdoms" by Morgan Rhodes

Title: "Falling Kingdoms
Series: Falling Kingdoms, #1
Author: Morgan Rhodes
 
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Published: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 412
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
 
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Treacherous betrayals, secret alliances, unforeseen murders, and forbidden love— The world of Mytica will hold you captive: AURANOS - Privileged Princess Cleo is forced to confront violence for the first time in her life when a shocking murder sets her kingdom on a path to collapse. LIMEROS - The king’s son, Magnus, must plan each footstep with shrewd, sharp guile if he is to earn his powerful father’s trust, while his sister, Lucia, discovers a terrifying secret about her heritage that will change everything. PAELSIA - Rebellious Jonas lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making. Witches, if found, are put to death, and Watchers, immortal beings who take the shape of hawks to visit the human world, have been almost entirely forgotten. A vicious power struggle quickly escalates to war, and these four young people collide against each other and the rise of elementia, the magic that can topple kingdoms and crown a ruler in the same day.

Review ~ "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

Title: "Red Queen"
Series: Red Queen, #1
Author: Victoria Aveyard
 
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Published: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Orion
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia
Pages: 383
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
 
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This is a world divided by blood - red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart...

Review ~ "Heir of Fire" by Sarah J.Maas

Title: "Heir of Fire"
Series: Throne of Glass, #3
Author: Sarah J. Maas

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Published: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 562
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

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She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one. Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed. The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

Review ~ "Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J. Maas

Title: "Crown of Midnight"
Series: Throne of Glass, #2
Author: Sarah J. Maas

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Published: August 15, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 418
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

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"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached. It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend." From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil. Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart. Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Review ~ "The Orphan Queen" by Jodi Meadows

Title: "The Orphan Queen"

Series: The Orphan Queen #1

Author: Jodi Meadows

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Published: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 393
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

Read May 26 to 28, 2015

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Wilhelmina has a hundred identities. She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne. She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone. She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others. Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.