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

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!

// 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:

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.

Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee

Release Date: 3/3/2020
Genre: YA Retelling (Contemporary, Anna Karenina)
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Page Count: 448
As her friends go through the normal struggles of being a teen, Anna seems to sail gracefully through life. Until she meets Alexia, a notorious playboy who is everything Anna is not. When she finds herself drawn to him, she must decide what she is willing to give up to be with him, and how well she truly knows herself.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: 3/3/2020
Series: The Last Hours #1
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Page Count: 544
I swear, the Shadowhunter Chronicles will never end. This is the start of the next Shadowhunter series, taking place in Edwardian London, and following the children of Will and Tessa Herondale- James and Lucie- as well as Cordelia Carstairs, whose name may sound familiar if you’ve read the The Dark Artifices series.

Follow Me: [Bookstagram] [Twitter] [Tumblr] [Goodreads]

Okay, I know Valentines day was a week ago and everyone has already made their list of favorite romances, but I want to do it to.

And to be extra special, I did it in slideshow form. Because I clearly have way too much free time.

Romance plot lines can make or break a book. The majority of YA books include one, but they’re not always great. So, I made a list of YA books with adorable romances (spanning a few different genres) that are perfect if you’re looking to be swept off your feet!

Featured Books:

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]
By Your Side by Kasie West – [ Purchase ]
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]
Velvet by Temple West – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller – [ Review ] [ Purchase ]

Keep reading for a few bonus recommendations!

I also include a transcript of the slideshow below for anyone with screen readers or trouble loading images!

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Before I get into the review- be sure to read to the end for information on my latest giveaway!!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! *

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4.8/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Sky Weaver is the f/f enemies-to-lovers pirate fantasy I’ve always wanted. This book is breathtaking, and an absolute must-read.

“There was something so soothing about chaos. Something almost beautiful.”

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, PTSD, Animal Abuse, Assault, Torture, Rape Mention, Racism, Kidnapping/Abduction //

Release Date: 11/12/2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 400
Premise:

The Sky Weaver is the third and final book in the Iskari series. It can technically be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first two books, The Last Namsara and The Caged Queen, as well! This time, we follow two characters. Safire (a familiar face if you’ve read the first two books) is the commandant to her cousin, the King. Her job is to maintain peace and order in Firgaard. Eris has an ability to walk through worlds, which helps her as a thief, but has also made her irreplaceable to the ruthless pirate to whom she owes a debt. Forced to work for him, Eris is sent to the palace to steal a royal jewel, however, when she meets Safire, she finds something more valuable– a worthy opponent in her games.

“You’re not that difficult to figure out, princess. Order, routine, control… these are the things that excite people like you. Not spontaneity. Not beaches and sunsets.”

Read more for all of my thoughts on The Sky Weaver!!

Before I get into this review, I want to talk about the giveaway! I’ll be giving away a copy of Crier’s War to one person. The giveaway ends on October 8th, so enter now for a chance to win!!! All details on how to enter are down below, after the review!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! *

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: The second I heard this book was LGBTQ+, I put it on my TBR, but I never expected to love with the writing, world, and characters as much as I did.

“Justice was a god, and Ayla didn’t believe in such childish things.
She believed in blood.”

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

Release Date: 10/1/2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 448
Premise:
The Automae, once created to be the playthings of humans, now rule Rabu, with humans as their servants. Ayla’s family was killed by the Automae when she was a child, and now she serves the House of the Sovereign waiting for her chance to get her revenge and take away his family. Crier is the Sovereign’s daughter, Made to be his heir, but after her betrothal to Scyre Kinok, she realizes that there is much about her kingdom, their history, and herself, that she doesn’t know.

“‘Humanity is how you act, my lady,’ said Jezen. ‘Not how you were Made.’”

Read more for all of my thoughts on Crier’s War, plus all of the info on the giveaway!!

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