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Today I am discussing books that I didn't think I would love quite as much as I did. I get sent a lot of books for review and don't always request them so when I find a hidden gem, it always makes me happy! This list is full of those for me so be sure to add them to your TBR if you think we have similar taste!
Thank you to Theresa for suggesting this as a list!
Author: Laurence MacNaughton
Series: Dru Jasper #1
Source: Finished copy via Publisher
Publisher: Pyr
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Can her magic save the world — before his curse destroys it?
Magic is real. Only a handful of natural-born sorcerers can wield its arcane power against demons, foul creatures, and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are descendants of an elite order. The best magic-users in the world.
Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them.
Sure, she’s got a smidge of magical potential. She can use crystals to see enchantments or brew up an occasional potion. And she can research practically anything in the library of dusty leather-bound tomes she keeps stacked in the back of her little store. There, sandwiched between a pawn shop and a 24-hour liquor mart, she sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by. But everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red.
Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to transform into a demonic creature that could bring about the end of the world.
Then she discovers that the Harbingers, seven fallen sorcerers, want to wipe the planet clean of humans and install themselves as new lords of an unfettered magical realm. And when they unearth the Apocalypse Scroll, the possibility of a fiery cosmic do-over suddenly becomes very real.
There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse and save the world from a fiery Doomsday – and it’s about to fall into Dru’s magically inexperienced hands...
Author: Skye Melki-Wegner
Series: N/A
Source: Finished copy via Publisher
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary:
In a world where music is magic, the echoes can kill you.
Chester has been traveling from village to village, searching for his kidnapped father. One night while fiddling to earn a few coins, he accidentally connects to the Song—the music that fuels every aspect of the world. It’s illegal to interact with the Song—only a licensed Songshaper may bend music to his will—and when Chester is caught, he’s sentenced to death.
But just before the axe is about to fall, someone in the crowd—a member of the infamous Nightfall Gang—stages a daring rescue, whisking Chester into the Hush, a shadowy nightmare mirror-world where Music can be deadly and Echoes can kill.
Susanna, captain of the Nightfall Gang has been watching Chester. She needs his special talent to pull off an elaborate plan. And she’ll risk everything to succeed. Even Chester’s life.
Author: Rebecca Schaeffer
Series: Market of Monsters #1
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Dexter meets This Savage Song in this dark fantasy about a girl who sells magical body parts on the black market — until she’s betrayed.
Nita doesn’t murder supernatural beings and sell their body parts on the internet—her mother does that. Nita just dissects the bodies after they’ve been “acquired.” Until her mom brings home a live specimen and Nita decides she wants out; dissecting a scared teenage boy is a step too far. But when she decides to save her mother’s victim, she ends up sold in his place—because Nita herself isn’t exactly “human.” She has the ability to alter her biology, a talent that is priceless on the black market. Now on the other side of the bars, if she wants to escape, Nita must ask herself if she’s willing to become the worst kind of monster.
Author: Amelinda Berube
Series: N/A
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity in this compelling ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on reality slips when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her.
Something is wrong with Marianne.
It's not just that her parents have finally split up. Or that life hasn't been the same since she quit dancing. Or even that her mother has checked herself into the hospital.
She's losing time. Doing things she would never do. And objects around her seem to break whenever she comes close. Something is after her. And the only one who seems to believe her is the daughter of a local psychic.
But their first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing's rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. Whatever is haunting her, it wants everything she has--everything it's convinced she stole. Marianne must uncover the truth that lies beneath it all before the nightmare can take what it thinks it's owed, leaving Marianne trapped in the darkness of the other side.
Author: Marisha Pessl
Series: N/A
Source: Indigo Teen
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Summary:
Once upon a time, back at Darrow-Harker School, Beatrice Hartley and her six best friends were the cool kids, the beautiful ones. Then the shocking death of Jim—their creative genius and Beatrice's boyfriend—changed everything.
One year after graduation, Beatrice is returning to Wincroft—the seaside estate where they spent so many nights sharing secrets, crushes, plans to change the world—hoping she'll get to the bottom of the dark questions gnawing at her about Jim’s death. But as the night plays out in a haze of stilted jokes and unfathomable silence, Beatrice senses she’s never going to know what really happened.
Then a mysterious man knocks on the door. Blithely, he announces the impossible: time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions. Now Beatrice has one last shot at answers... and at life.
And so begins the Neverworld Wake.
Thank you to Theresa for suggesting this as a list!
IT HAPPENED ONE DOOMSDAY
Author: Laurence MacNaughtonSeries: Dru Jasper #1
Source: Finished copy via Publisher
Publisher: Pyr
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Can her magic save the world — before his curse destroys it?
Magic is real. Only a handful of natural-born sorcerers can wield its arcane power against demons, foul creatures, and the forces of darkness. These protectors of the powerless are descendants of an elite order. The best magic-users in the world.
Unfortunately, Dru isn’t one of them.
Sure, she’s got a smidge of magical potential. She can use crystals to see enchantments or brew up an occasional potion. And she can research practically anything in the library of dusty leather-bound tomes she keeps stacked in the back of her little store. There, sandwiched between a pawn shop and a 24-hour liquor mart, she sells enough crystals, incense, and magic charms to scrape by. But everything changes the day a handsome mechanic pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, his eyes glowing red.
Just being near Greyson raises Dru’s magical powers to dizzying heights. But he’s been cursed to transform into a demonic creature that could bring about the end of the world.
Then she discovers that the Harbingers, seven fallen sorcerers, want to wipe the planet clean of humans and install themselves as new lords of an unfettered magical realm. And when they unearth the Apocalypse Scroll, the possibility of a fiery cosmic do-over suddenly becomes very real.
There’s only one chance to break Greyson’s curse and save the world from a fiery Doomsday – and it’s about to fall into Dru’s magically inexperienced hands...
Purchase:
Why Did I Love It?
I'm not usually a Urban Fantasy fan so when this series was sent to me, I was a little skeptical. But I flew through the first three books in just a couple weeks! I loved how everything worked, the demons, the Buffy-esque aspects, and the romance. I thought it was so fun and I have recommended it to so many people since I finished reading!
THE HUSH
Author: Skye Melki-WegnerSeries: N/A
Source: Finished copy via Publisher
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary:
In a world where music is magic, the echoes can kill you.
Chester has been traveling from village to village, searching for his kidnapped father. One night while fiddling to earn a few coins, he accidentally connects to the Song—the music that fuels every aspect of the world. It’s illegal to interact with the Song—only a licensed Songshaper may bend music to his will—and when Chester is caught, he’s sentenced to death.
But just before the axe is about to fall, someone in the crowd—a member of the infamous Nightfall Gang—stages a daring rescue, whisking Chester into the Hush, a shadowy nightmare mirror-world where Music can be deadly and Echoes can kill.
Susanna, captain of the Nightfall Gang has been watching Chester. She needs his special talent to pull off an elaborate plan. And she’ll risk everything to succeed. Even Chester’s life.
Purchase:
Why Did I Love It?
I'm a huge fan of books that incorporate music AND magic, so this was right up my ally. I was sent this unsolicited but I am so glad I opened it up and started reading it. It was so interesting, fun, and twisty. I didn't see a lot of the aspects coming because the world building was immaculate. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for something fun and unique.
NOT EVEN BONES
Author: Rebecca SchaefferSeries: Market of Monsters #1
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Dexter meets This Savage Song in this dark fantasy about a girl who sells magical body parts on the black market — until she’s betrayed.
Nita doesn’t murder supernatural beings and sell their body parts on the internet—her mother does that. Nita just dissects the bodies after they’ve been “acquired.” Until her mom brings home a live specimen and Nita decides she wants out; dissecting a scared teenage boy is a step too far. But when she decides to save her mother’s victim, she ends up sold in his place—because Nita herself isn’t exactly “human.” She has the ability to alter her biology, a talent that is priceless on the black market. Now on the other side of the bars, if she wants to escape, Nita must ask herself if she’s willing to become the worst kind of monster.
Purchase:
Why Did I Love It?
This was very very good. It started out very strong and remained very good throughout the majority of the book. I thought it did hit a bit of a wall at 60% but the pay off at the end was well worth the mudding through. However I didn’t realize it was the beginning of a series until the very end so I’m vvvvvv disappointed I have to wait a long time to continue this journey!
THE DARK BENEATH THE ICE
Author: Amelinda BerubeSeries: N/A
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity in this compelling ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on reality slips when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her.
Something is wrong with Marianne.
It's not just that her parents have finally split up. Or that life hasn't been the same since she quit dancing. Or even that her mother has checked herself into the hospital.
She's losing time. Doing things she would never do. And objects around her seem to break whenever she comes close. Something is after her. And the only one who seems to believe her is the daughter of a local psychic.
But their first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing's rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. Whatever is haunting her, it wants everything she has--everything it's convinced she stole. Marianne must uncover the truth that lies beneath it all before the nightmare can take what it thinks it's owed, leaving Marianne trapped in the darkness of the other side.
Purchase:
Why Did I Love It?
This was super creepy and super good and also gay. So all things you want in a book, really. I think it handled mental health really well and it’s set in the best place I ever lived: Ottawa. I generally don't read books that fall into the "horror" genre, unless they are psychological thrillers, so this was a good ease into the genre for me! I am not sure how many more I'll read (unless Berube is writing them!) but I definitely enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.
NEVERWORLD WAKE
Author: Marisha PesslSeries: N/A
Source: Indigo Teen
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Summary:
Once upon a time, back at Darrow-Harker School, Beatrice Hartley and her six best friends were the cool kids, the beautiful ones. Then the shocking death of Jim—their creative genius and Beatrice's boyfriend—changed everything.
One year after graduation, Beatrice is returning to Wincroft—the seaside estate where they spent so many nights sharing secrets, crushes, plans to change the world—hoping she'll get to the bottom of the dark questions gnawing at her about Jim’s death. But as the night plays out in a haze of stilted jokes and unfathomable silence, Beatrice senses she’s never going to know what really happened.
Then a mysterious man knocks on the door. Blithely, he announces the impossible: time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions. Now Beatrice has one last shot at answers... and at life.
And so begins the Neverworld Wake.
Purchase:
Why Did I Love It?
There were some really good parts to this and others (around how mental health was dealt with) that left me wanting more and/or a sensitivity reader. But this was still interesting. I thought the world building was really cool and I loved the "mystery" element to it. If you're looking for something a little different, but still falling into the contemporary genre, this is the book for you!
These are really good i will check them out
ReplyDeleteThese types of books are not generally my cup of tea, but you make them sound really intriguing! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
ReplyDelete