The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan Review

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

I have always been a fan of Rick Riordan's novels, ever since I picked up Percy Jackson and the Olympians in fourth grade. It only took me nearly two months to finish this book, but I've finally made it through the finish line. I don't know what it was about this book, but I kept getting distracted by other things while reading it, causing me to forget that the book was even a thing that I could open and read. I really enjoyed all the characters - especially Magnus, with his supreme sass and shifty remarks. There were no specific problems with any of the characters that didn't benefit their development or the plot line itself. Oh, and all the Game of Thrones references thrown into the mix - thanks Rick :) But I wasn't as blown away by this series as much as I was when I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians; take it, that was about eight years ago, but I can still remember all the feelings that were brought up with reading those emotional rollercoasters *ahem* books. The world for me was a little hard to get in to, maybe because I wasn't really passionate about reading the book when I first started it, but as I read on, I was roped in as I always am with Rick's books, and had powered through the first third of the book without even realizing it. You definitely need to be in the mood to read a Rick Riordan book, and can't just wake up one day and be like "Oh jeez, I guess I'll read this book today and see how it goes." No. Don't do that. I beg of you, please do not do that. It will take away from the book because you will feel as if you are pushing yourself to read this. *rant over* Overall, this was such an interesting story and I can really commemorate Rick on his world building and attention to detail throughout the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is already a fan of Rick Riordan's writing as well as fans of The 100 by Kass Morgan and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I will definitely be finishing this series and will be reading The Trials of Apollo series by Rick as well. Once you're hooked on Riordan, there's no turning back ;)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber ARC Review

Caraval By Stephanie Garber

Wow. This is definitely one of the best if not the best book that I have read in 2016. I honestly am at a loss for words after finishing this novel. I received an ARC copy of Caraval from BEA this year, and I finally decided to sit down and read it, and I am so glad that I made that decision. I managed to fly threw this enticing novel in just two days, and I could not put it down. The writing was absolutely exquisite, it pulls the reader in as the words are woven into an elegant story full of risks and romance. The world of Caraval is something that you won't find anywhere else in the YA genre - the constant struggle to determine what is true and what is an illusion causes the reader to solve the puzzle alongside the characters that we come to adore and root for. Our main characters are thrown into each others lives and have to band together in order to survive Caraval and win the game before time runs out and what Scarlett wants the most is taken from her without wasting a moment. I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this novel, they were so different than any other character that I have been exposed to, and they each were their own person that had their own goals, and didn't always depend on the other in order to accomplish the goals that they were trying to achieve throughout the story. The twists and turns that are present in the novel are even more full of illusions that I had ever expected, and I was completely mesmerized by how the author was able to weave this world so delicately that everything fell into place just as it should have. This novel is truly made of something that can not be found anywhere else, and I highly recommend it to fans of The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Caraval will be available for purchase on January 31, 2017 and will be available for pre-order as well.

Oh, and just one more thing...

The Transfer by Veronica Roth Review

The Transfer by Veronica Roth

This is the first of four short novellas by Veronica Roth that center around Four from the Divergent series. Each of the novellas are available for individual download as ebooks, or can be purchased as a collection bind up, Four, in hardback. Okay, so I have no serious problems with this novella, but I can't seem to really connect with Four as much as I try. I feel as if Four is a character that can either be liked or not, and there is no in between with him. This novella is just one of the many steps I am trying to take in order to find out how I really feel about Four and the way that he acts. Taking into consideration that I read this without having read the last book in the Divergent trilogy, I can't really have the full perspective on Four as I would like to. This novella focuses on how Four decided to transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, and on the events beforehand that cause him to finally be able to choose on who he wants to be and how he wants to get away from his old life. I really liked being inside the mind of Four because we don't get that in the first two books of the Divergent trilogy, which became a nice change in POV. It really makes you rethink Four as a character and reevaluate why he is the way that he is. I'm glad that I was able to see the reasons why Four chose to be in Dauntless and be able to get a glimpse inside his life before he took his life into his own hands and stopped being afraid of his father. I definitely look forward to reading the rest of the novellas that focus on Four.

“You're the one who has to live with your choice, everyone else will get over it, move on, no matter what you decide. But you never will” 
― Veronica Roth, The Transfer

United by Melissa Landers Release Day Blitz + GIVEAWAY

United, the third installment in the Alienated series by Melissa Landers, is here!

Here's a message from the author:

Hey there, booklovers!

I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce the release of UNITED, the final book in the Alienated trilogy. Our star-crossed lovers Aelyx and Cara have overcome some heavy obstacles to be together—riotous mobs, alien hybrids, and worst of all, high school on two planets. Now to stay together they’ll have to unite their people against a common enemy, a threat more deadly than they ever imagined. (NBD, right?) I’ve written an ending to this trilogy that makes my heart happy, and I hope you’ll love the conclusion as much as I do!

What do reviewers have to say about the series?

“The author’s storyline is out of this world.” –VOYA on Alienated

“The unusual plot and world building are ingenious.” –Library Media Connection on Alienated

“If [the third novel] is as entertaining as this tale, it can’t come soon enough.” –Kirkus Reviews on Invaded

“A fun genre-blending series that will only gain traction as it continues.” –Booklist on Invaded

If you love hot aliens, snarky humans, and wild sci-fi adventure, make sure to pick up a copy of UNITED today. It’s now available in stores and online.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/25XrSct

iBooks: http://apple.co/1sGfH1Z

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1tqvT7u

Book Depository (free international shipping): http://bit.ly/1XpeAjN

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/1Uc75wb

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a set of all 3 mini-posters in the Alienated series—signed by me! The giveaway is open internationally.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

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Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.