Tag: arc review

Bone Crier's Moon Blog Tour

Giveaway + Review: Bone Crier’s Moon (Bone Crier’s Moon #1) by Kathryn Purdie – So. Addictive. (Blog Tour)

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Bone Crier’s Moon is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I can’t believe that I finally get to talk about it! As part of the blog tour, I’ll be sharing my review, my dream cast, and my favorite quotes!

[ Related: The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza (Blog Tour) (ARC Review) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Animal Death, Animal Sacrifice, Murder, Kidnapping/Abduction //

Title: The Winter Duke
Author: Kathryn Purdie
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen
Release Date: March 10th 2020
Page Count: 480
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Synopsis: 

Bone ​Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.

Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.

Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | Kobo | Google Books | Indiebound

Read an excerpt from Bone Crier’s Moon here!

Quick Stats

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: Bone Crier’s Moon is possibly my favorite book of the year (so far). It’s addictive and fun, with fantastic characters and a fantastic world. I can’t wait for book 2, Bone Crier’s Dawn!

Read more for my review, dream cast, and my favorite quotes!!

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Giveaway + Review: The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett – Court Intrigue + Amazing Queer Rep! (Blog Tour)

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I’m really excited to talk about The Winter Duke today! As part of the blog tour, I’ll be doing my normal review, plus discussing my favorite quotes, and creating a dream cast!! There’s quite a bit to talk about, so let’s get started!

[ Related: Havenfall (Havenfall #1) by Sara Holland – Magic & Mystery (Blog Tour) (ARC Review) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, War Themes, Murder, Illness //

Title: The Winter Duke
Author: Claire Eliza Bartlett
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 3rd 2020
Page Count: 432
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBT, Queer, Magic, Retellings, Romance
Synopsis: 

An enchanted tale of intrigue where a duke’s daughter is the only survivor of a magical curse.

When Ekata’s brother is finally named heir, there will be nothing to keep her at home in Kylma Above with her murderous family. Not her books or science experiments, not her family’s icy castle atop a frozen lake, not even the tantalizingly close Kylma Below, a mesmerizing underwater kingdom that provides her family with magic. But just as escape is within reach, her parents and twelve siblings fall under a strange sleeping sickness.

In the space of a single night, Ekata inherits the title of duke, her brother’s warrior bride, and ever-encroaching challengers from without—and within—her own ministry. Nothing has prepared Ekata for diplomacy, for war, for love…or for a crown she has never wanted. If Kylma Above is to survive, Ekata must seize her family’s power. And if Ekata is to survive, she must quickly decide how she will wield it.

Part Sleeping Beauty, part Anastasia, with a thrilling political mystery, The Winter Duke is a spellbinding story about choosing what’s right in the face of danger.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | Kobo | Google Books | Indiebound

Read an excerpt from The Winter Duke here!

Quick Stats

Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Winter Duke surprised me in so many ways. This book is heavy with court intrigue and betrayal, and will leave you feeling chilled yet thrilled.

Read more for my full review, dream cast, and my favorite quotes!!

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havenfall blog tour

Havenfall (Havenfall #1) by Sara Holland – Magic & Mystery (ARC Review)(Blog Tour)

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Today, I’m very excited to be talking about Sara Holland’s newest book, Havenfall! I was lucky enough to be a part of the blog tour, so today I will not only be bringing you a review, but also talking about some of my favorite quotes!

[ Related: Underrated YA Fantasy Books Everyone Needs to Read! (Slideshow) (Recommendation Nation) ]

Havenfall Cover

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Murder, Illness, PTSD, Kidnapping/Abduction //

Title: Havenfall
Series: Havenfall #1
Author: Sara Holland
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Release Date: March 3rd 2020
Page Count: 320
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis: 

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds–each with their own magic–together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie’s brother. It’s where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it’s where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens–a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She’ll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she’s letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie–no one can be trusted, and no one is safe . . .

Sara Holland takes the lush fantasy that captured readers in Everless and Evermore and weaves it into the real world to create a wholly captivating new series where power and peril lurk behind every door.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | Google Books | Indiebound

Read an excerpt from Havenfall here!

Quick Stats

Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: Havenfall will pull you into a world of betrayal, romance, mystery, and magic.

Read more to see my full review of Havenfall, plus my favorite quotes!!

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Caitsbooks Reviews The Stars We Steal

The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne – All Drama, Not Much Plot (ARC Review)

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All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change

Overall: 3.25/5 Stars
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 3/5
Awesomeness Factor: 3/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Stars We Steal is a fun, enjoyable book with plenty of drama, easy to read in one sitting (which I might have done).

“I was chasing dreams like starlight.”

[ Related: Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne (Review) ]

// Content Warning: Assault, Torture Mention, Phobia, Murder Mention, Homphobic Comments, Illness //

Release Date: 2/4/2020
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Page Count: 400
Premise:

This book is really The Bachelor/Bachelorette but in space. Okay, well it’s actually a retelling of Persuasion, but I know almost nothing about Persuasion (I know- sacrilege) so I can’t speak to how good of a retelling it is. But instead of talking about the stories and ideas this book is inspired by, let’s talk about the story this book is really about.

The Stars We Steal follows Princess Leonie (who prefers to be called Leo) who is entering the Valg, where the wealthiest bachelors and bachelorettes enjoy a month on a luxury spaceship and try to find their future spouse. Leo knows she needs to marry someone wealthy enough to save her family from financial ruin, but she would prefer to not marry anyone. At least, that’s the case until her first love, Elliot- now a successful captain- returns to join the Valg.

“Like a compass aligning itself. He was my true north.”

Want to read all of my thoughts on The Stars We Steal? Read more!

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Below (North #1) by Alexandria Warwick – This Book Is Gorgeous (ARC Review)

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Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.

Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 3.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: Below is cold and dark, a story rich with culture and told in beautiful prose.

“The night is long, but the sun will soon greet you.”

[ Related: 20 Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2020 (and 120+ More)(Recommendation Nation) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Torture, Animal Death, Suicide Mention //

Release Date: 2/4/2020
Publisher: Wolf Publishing
Page Count: 308
Premise:

When Apaay’s sister, Eska’s face is stolen by the legendary creature known as the Face Stealer, she travels to where no one dares to go, the Face Stealers lair, to take it back. But her journey does not go as planned, and she finds herself trapped in a labyrinth by a girl, Yuki. Yuki promises her freedom if only Apaay can find Eska’s face, and a face Yuki is searching for. But the labyrinth, and those inside, are not what they seem. Including the Face Stealer himself.

“Does one crush a flower in winter?”

Want to see all of my thoughts on Below? Read more!

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