October 2015 Releases

So October like September seems to be a busy month regarding the publishing of  new books. So have put together a list of the book released in October that have caught my eye. I have got the release dates and the covers from Goodreads, also if you want to check out any of these books just click of the books name, it should link to the books Goodreads page. So here is  the list of the book I  am look forward to in October;

6th October 2015

Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

An Inheritance of Ashes by Leah Bobet

The White Rose (The Lone City #2) by Amy Ewing

A Thousand Nights by E.K.Johnston

13th October 2015

Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes #2) by Sarah Raasch

The Rose Society (The Young Elities #2) by Marie Lu

Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

20th October 2015

Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

22nd October 2015

Rider of the Crown (The Crown of Tremontane #2) by Melissa McShane

27th October 2015

Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade #2) by Jennifer Estep

  

Would love to know if there is any book's that you are looking forward to being released this October let me know in the comments below.

Wicked Lovely ( Wicked Lovely #1) by Melissa Marr

Synopsis from Goodreads

 Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

 

 

4/5 Stars Review

I have read this book twice now and I have to say that when I read it in my younger teens I enjoyed it more, however, I did still enjoy it this time. This book quickly sets the scene for this book, the prologue hints at issues but doesn't tell the reader exactly what is happening giving it a bit of a mysterious edge. In the first chapter the reader get lots of information,  the world with fey in is quickly explained, and Alislinn's (Ash's) gift is quickly revealed and the reader gets to see the issues that this gift creates and how she deals with it. Her suborn nature is also shown in these first few scenes especially with her first meeting with Keegan. I liked that we got to read about Keegan's 'home life' I think this helped to show more of Keegan's character, as well as show more of the Winter Queens character.

 

I enjoyed Ash's relationship with Seth, and the way in which she can confide in him and he is so accepting of her. I also liked the roller-coaster of emotions that Ash goes through in the course of the book, her determination and love, her confusion and fear. 

 

I feel as though this book could have almost been a standalone it ends so perfectly. It is a part of a series however and even if I didn't already know this there are hints of more to come. Firstly there is the mysterious Irial and also this quote hint at changes yet to come: "It's not perfect, but it will be."

As I reflect on this book as a whole it reminds me on the modern version of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare?       

Saturday's Sentence Game: Introduction

Over the summer I had some friends over and we started to play this game where we would pick a book at random from the bookcase, and read the first sentence one after the other. We were surprised at how often these sentences from completely different book would fit together. We then tried it with different page numbers to see if it would work just as well. So somebody would pick a number and we would all read the first sentence on that page number. (It's great fun you should try it with any book friends you have!)

This inspired me to create Saturday's Sentence Game, which I shall be trying to do most Saturday's at least till the end of the month (if not longer!). It shall be a way for me to share 5 books that have some kind of connection, for example they will all have dragons in or they were my favourite reads of that month etc. things like that. I shall be trying to avoid any spoilers (I have a special hate of spoilers) and taking the page numbers mainly near the beginning of the book. I will be putting the list of which books are included at the start so you can decide for yourself if to continue reading.

The first Saturday's Sentence Game will be next Saturday (3rd October) and I hope you check it out and tell me what you think.

Sequels Released: End of 2015!

So only three full months of 2015 remaining, I can't quite believe the year is almost over! There are a few book coming out in the next few months that are sequel's to some books I have read. So I thought I would share with you all these books (All these dates and cover's have come from Goodreads or Amazon):


October Releases
     
15th October - The Rose Society (The Young Elites #2) by Marie Lu (Goodreads link)
                        



27th October - Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade #2) by Jennifer Estep (Goodreads link) 


Even though these 2 October releases have made it into this list I have to say I haven't read the first books in these series!! Ah... I know I they shouldn't be here, but they both sound really good and are defiantly on my TBR list so will be reading these sequel soon.






November Releases

12th November - Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer (Goodreads link) 








13th November - Enigma (Schrodinger's Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper (Goodreads link)







December Releases

22nd December - See How They Run (Embassy Row #2) by Ally Carter (Goodreads link)
                             



Hardback Cover

Paperback Cover

This is the Hardback copy of the book the paperback book is out in February 2016. I can't decide which version to get, my copy of the first book in the series is in paperback and I like my series to be all the same kind (all hardback or all paperback). However I am not a great fan of the cover design of the paperback version and it's release two months later than the hardback!#bookwormproblems  

 

29th December - Endure (Defy #3) by Sara B.Larson (Goodreads link)
 

 

 

 

 

 

So those are my anticipated sequel releases for the rest of the year,

 would love to hear about any book sequels that you are looking

 forward to in the rest of 2015.

        

Court of Fives (Court of Fives #1) by Kate Elliott

Summary from Goodreads

On the Fives court, everyone is equal.

And everyone is dangerous.

Jessamy’s life is a balance between acting like an upper-class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But away from her family, she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for the Fives, an intricate, multilevel athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom’s best competitors.

Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an improbable friendship between the two Fives competitors—one of mixed race and the other a Patron boy—causes heads to turn. When Kal’s powerful, scheming uncle tears Jes’s family apart, she’ll have to test her new friend’s loyalty and risk the vengeance of a royal clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

 

5/5 Star Review

 

I loved Court of Fives by Kate Elliott. I originally picked up this book because I had seen it talked about as a new release for August 2015 and I am all up for a YA fantasy book. It wasn’t until I had bought it that I released that it was written by Kate Elliott the adult fantasy author. This book has just the right amount of complexity for a beginning of a YA series.

Before I get into what I loved about the writing in this book I want to mention two other things. First I adore this cover, especially the contracts between the white/gold and the black. I wasn’t till after I had started reading this book that I realised that the white on the cover is a maze which links in with the story. Secondly I loved the way which the chapter sizes evolved as the book progressed. To start with the chapter were quite short but as the book developed and the reader became more hooked in and invested in the characters, the chapters grew longer.

The book starts by introducing us to the main characters Jessamy's family and reading their interactions, between the different members in the first few chapters really helped me to learn a lot about them quickly.  The society and the families standing in that society plays a major role in this book and particularly at the start play a significant part in people’s decision making. I really enjoyed the combination on the Fives sporting event and the complex society which I feel as though we have only just brushed the surface of. There seems to be hints of greater issues within the wider society.

Another feature in this book which I think might be encountered more in subsequence books in magic. There are a few mentions and encounters with magic but I not many, which makes me wonder why it was included unless it plays a greater role later in the series.

Many of the characters in this book are hinted at having complex histories and I can’t wait to find out what they are. However, in this book we do get to know Jes’s fathers history and I found him such a confusing character. At first I loved that he was so loyal and obviously in love, but this opinion quickly changed as I read more about him. I just couldn’t believe some of his actions and some of it I can’t even put down to greed. His personality seems to change yet again about half way through the book he seem genuinely concerned which doesn’t make sense!

The ending is great. Feels? Yes! But I enjoyed the tension and I think the situation was realistic with the characters involved. Can’t wait for the next book to see the aftermath of this ending.

Such a amazing start to a series, can’t wait for book two to read more about this world which is full of social divides, adventures, romance and deathly competitions.

 

 

 

Ruins (Partials #3) by Dan Wells

Spoilers for the First Two Books in the Partial Sequence.

Summary From Goodreads

There is no avoiding it—the war to decide the fate of both humans and Partials is at hand. Both sides hold in their possession a weapon that could destroy the other, and Kira Walker has precious little time to prevent that from happening. She has one chance to save both species and the world with them, but it will only come at great personal cost.

3.75 /5 Star Review

After finishing the second book in this sequence I was intrigued about how there could be any solution to the situation which they had found themselves in. When I received this book in the post I was surprised at how small it was. I mean, I know it's 450 pages which is a sizeable book, however compared to Fragment (see my review here) it looks small. I am also not a great fan of the colours of the cover, I can understand that it suppose to be a depiction of the world after the end of the world, but I don't think the cover would draw anyone to read the book.

 

This book - just like the two before it- is fast paced and we get another issue to add to the growing pile within the first 70 pages. Throughout this trilogy we have been introduced to increasing creeper creatures and what I have nicknamed the 'snowmen' were definitely the creepiest! 

 

 I enjoyed the complex back-stabbing and secretive nature of the Trust, it was interesting to see the different ways that the surviving members were trying to save those around them. Are they doing this because they think they have the most chance of saving the people/partials? Or are they feeling guilty that they were responsible for the creation of the current problems?  I enjoyed the whole moral/ethics question's which has played an increasing part in this trilogy. It really highlights how out of control things could get if we 'play-God' too much.

 

I have to say that I wasn't a great fan of the abrupt ending, I felt as though one minute everyone was trying to kill each other and then [insert spoiler] happened and then it was over. I would have liked an epilogue to see how the characters dealt with the aftermath.

Overall I have enjoyed this trilogy, with it's main survival theme and that splash of romance, the main character's were developed  and situations were complex.       

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson

Spoilers For the other book in the Fire and Thorns Trilogy

Summary from Goodreads

The champion must not waver.
The champion must not fear.
The gate of darkness closes.

Elisa is a fugitive.

Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.

Her Royal Majesty, Queen Lucero-Elisa né Riqueza de Vega, bearer of the Godstone, will lead her three loyal companions deep into the enemy's kingdom, a land of ice and snow and brutal magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover on this, her final journey, could change the course of history.

But that is not all. She has a larger destiny. She must become the champion the world has been waiting for.

Even of those who hate her most.

4.5 Star Review

Firstly I have to mention (as with the rest of this series) the cover! It is beautiful and I love the gold lettering and the vibrant purple. We also get a MAP! I have a great love for maps and I was sad when I realised there wasn't a map in the first book in the series but am now so happy to have one. I think map are just great additions to High Fantasy books as they really help me to visualize where these characters are traveling/living.

I am always a bit warily of the end of series as many of the ones I read feature kick-ass characters and are full of action. Therefore when the series ends 'happy ever after' I can't help but think what is [insert name of kick-ass characters] going to do now? Surely they can't be happy sat on their butts for the rest of their lives after they have done [insert kick-ass moment]. I mean sometimes I am ok with this happening when the character's personality has changed or they didn't enjoy/intend being kick-ass etc. However this book ended this trilogy very well, not only did we get a ending that I was happy with there were also some great romantic quotes in this book.

There was one part of the book which I didn't really understand. It was right at the start, for maybe the first 25 pages Elisa returned to being the clingy and scared. It was almost as though the end of the second book didn't happen, like she had shrunk back into her shell after her strong display of courage and control at the end of the second book. Elisa's confidence did grow back through part one but didn't like that we had this random character change.

I loved the way in which this book was divided into different parts. Each part was like it's own adventure to achieve something different. I liked that there was still things to learn about Elisa in this book, some of which took me by surprise.

A great trilogy full of diverse characters, magic, adventure and story which shows that there is a range of ways to fall in love. But most importantly it's about finding the yourself, your place in the world and the power we all have within.

Fragments (Partials #2) by Dan Wells

Summary From Goodreads (Spoilers for Partials #1) 

 
After discovering the cure for RM, Kira Walker sets off on a terrifying journey into the ruins of postapocalyptic America and the darkest desires of her heart in order to uncover the means—and a reason—for humanity's survival.

Dan Wells extends his richly imagined, gritty world and introduces new memorable characters in this second instalment in the Partials Sequence.  

4/5 Star Review

A great sequel to Partials (see my review here) and just as action packed and mysterious. The book gets straight back into the story following Kira, Marcus and Samm as well as all the other characters that we were introduced to in the first book. There was just enough backstory, retelling of what happen in the first book so that the reader wasn't completely confused, but not loads that the reader felt they were just rereading the first book.

 

The first 50 pages open up so many questions and unanswered mysteries, that we are hooked in more and more. I am generally not a great fan of having more than one point of view (POV) however having the two POV's in this book worked really well. I liked that the POV ended up looking for the same thing and finding answers in completely different ways.

 

I really enjoyed that we are still getting twists and turns, even though we have learn a lot about the world in the first book there is still more to learn.