Showing posts with label 2018 debuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2018 debuts. Show all posts

29 Mar 2023

Review: TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

29 March 0 Comments

TO KILL A KINGDOM

Author: Alexandra Christo
Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: March 6, 2018

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Representation: N/A

Summary:
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: Abuse (including parental), Death (graphic), Gun violence, Sexual assault (nonconsensual kiss), Violence

Even though it took me a month and a half to read (yay seasonal depression!), I REALLY enjoyed this book! An interesting take on "The Little Mermaid," I thought it was creative, well-written, and kept me on the edge of my seat near the end!

I loved the elements of the original story that we could use as a through line but Christo does such a good job at making this her own story. I loved all the characters and their perspectives were so interesting! I thought it was such a great take on a story we've heard before - and are going to see in live action soon.

This book does touch on some hard and sensitive topics but does so in a way that makes them relatable to the reader. Sure, I might not be a siren, but I know what it's like to want to win a parent's approval. It was really universal in the way it was done.

Highly recommend!

Have you read this series? Are you going to pick this up?

22 Mar 2019

ARC #Review: A BLADE SO BLACK by L.L. McKinney

22 March 2 Comments

A BLADE SO BLACK

Author: L.L. McKinney
Series: A Blade So Black #1
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Imprint
Publication Date: September 25, 2018
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:


Summary:
The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

So I am really torn on this one. It had so much potential to be a great novel but all of those things fell short. There was no clarity in the direction of the story, it wasn't close to a "retelling" of Alice in Wonderland, I barely saw the connection to Buffy, and the timeline was wonky at BEST. But the character development was ready to rock and roll, I loved that Alice was a strong, black female character, and I really liked a lot of the discussion around race and racism.

9 Mar 2018

#BlogTour: CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi // #Review + #Giveaway

09 March 2 Comments
Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi!

I have a review of the book for you today plus one lucky Canadian can win a finished copy of the book in the giveaway below courtesy of Raincoast Books. Be sure to check that out all the way at the bottom! But first, let's learn more about the book...

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE

Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Series: Legacy of Orïsha #1
Source: ARC via Raincoast Books
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary:
Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion of the novel.

This was such a fantastic debut that I read all 600 (!!!) pages of ARC in one sitting (sorta - I stopped to watch ice dancing for a bit). I thought there were a lot of elements that were really well done and this was a good character study. However, I had one complaint but it definitely isn't enough to really bother me while reading.

1 Dec 2017

The 15 2018 YA Debuts I'm Most Excited For!

01 December 2 Comments
I participated in the #18debutchat last week and realized I had like zero 2018 debuts shelved so I participated and created my 2018 debut shelf on Goodreads and then decided to show off my top 5 books! But! Then! I! Picked! Out! 15! Cause I have no chill. 

So here are the 15 books I will be watching closely for their release (and two I have ARCs for!)! Make sure you add these beauties to Goodreads or preorder them if you have the funds or ask your library to bring them in!

LOVE HATE AND OTHER FILTERS

Author: Samira Ahmed
Series: N/A
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018

Summary:
A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape--perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacqueline Woodson, and Adam Silvera.


Maya Aziz is torn between futures: the one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter (i.e.; staying nearby in Chicago and being matched with a "suitable" Muslim boy), and the one where she goes to film school in New York City--and maybe, just maybe, kisses a guy she's only known from afar. There's the also the fun stuff, like laughing with her best friend Violet, making on-the-spot documentaries, sneaking away for private swimming lessons at a secret pond in the woods. But her world is shattered when a suicide bomber strikes in the American heartland; by chance, he shares Maya's last name. What happens to the one Muslim family in town when their community is suddenly consumed with hatred and fear?
Purchase:

Why I'm Excited For It

There is so much to love about this one. OwnVoices books are always something I try to read and promote so I was really excited about this one. I feel like it is going to confront so many important topics right now and I can't wait to read it! I have it preorderd on Kobo!

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE

Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Series: N/A
Publisher: Henry Holt Books For Young Readers
Publication Date: March 6, 2018

Summary:
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. 

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. 


Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy. 
Purchase:

Why I'm Excited For It

This one sounds fantastical! The boxes sent from the publishers have been really cool too! I love that it incorporates magic and fantasy with a mythos I've never read before. I can't wait to expand my knowledge of fantasy.