Wednesday, August 29, 2018

SADIE / GRACE AND FURY / KILL THE FARM BOY



Sadie



Wow. This book really sucked me in. And I know it's going to stick with me for a long time.  The format is different and it really brought the story to life. We get both West McCray's podcast and Sadie's first person POV. I loved the contrast. 

This story is gripping and heartbreaking, and I plowed through it. Hard to say much without spoiling something, so I'll just highly recommend it. First book I've read by this author, but definitely not the last. Hooked. 






Grace and Fury

(Grace and Fury #1)

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything. 

What I thought:

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the two sisters. I liked the world building and how each of the two main characters has to adapt to be more like the other. That said, the story started off slow for me and I *cringes* found the writing to be a bit flat. There are plenty of twists and turns but I wanted them to be a little twistier. 

And if everything had stayed the same, I probably wouldn't have finished, but... but, but, but then we get a better look at [name I can't say because possible spoiler] and now I need to know what happens. So I'm calling this a good start to what I hope will be a great series. And I need the next book now. :D 

Rating: *** (3 1/2 stars)

*I received an ARC of this title, either from the publisher or via Netgalley. It in no way affected my review.
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Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a hero, the Chosen One, was born . . . and so begins every fairy tale ever told.

This is not that fairy tale.

There is a Chosen One, but he is unlike any One who has ever been Chosened.

And there is a faraway kingdom, but you have never been to a magical world quite like the land of Pell.

There, a plucky farm boy will find more than he's bargained for on his quest to awaken the sleeping princess in her cursed tower. First there's the Dark Lord who wishes for the boy's untimely death . . . and also very fine cheese. Then there's a bard without a song in her heart but with a very adorable and fuzzy tail, an assassin who fears not the night but is terrified of chickens, and a mighty fighter more frightened of her sword than of her chain-mail bikini. This journey will lead to sinister umlauts, a trash-talking goat, the Dread Necromancer Steve, and a strange and wondrous journey to the most peculiar "happily ever after" that ever once-upon-a-timed.

What I thought: 

I had high expectations for this book, but in the end (and at the beginning) this one wasn't for me. Very tongue-in-cheek and over-the-top just to be funny, only it wasn't. At least not to me. I'm down for cock jokes and bathroom humor. Toss in a talking goat and I'm totally on-board, but the story still needs to be fleshed out, and this was flat. Your mileage may vary. 

Rating: ** (2 stars)

*I received an ARC of this title, either from the publisher or via Netgalley. It in no way affected my review.
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RATING SCALE: 
 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 
 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 
 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 
 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.
 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.
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Click on the covers to link to Goodreads and leave your book recs in my comments. 
Comments make me smile. :) 
Oh, yeah, and find me on twitter: @ChellyPike and find more reviews here: https://chellywrites.blogspot.com
Happy reading,
Chelly

Monday, August 20, 2018

THE WICKED KING by Holly Black



The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2)








AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (takes deep breath) AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...Holy WTF just happened. That ending, OMG that ending. Noooooooooo and yes, definitely yes. Holly Black, why are you doing this to me? And can you do it again? Because, seriously, I love this series so hard. 

I loved the complicated dynamics of Jude being Jude. There are so many layers and the scenes in this story are so well done on a technical level. Every level, actually. Holly Black's writing floors me every time. There's a magical quality to it. Each tiny piece of the puzzle clicks perfectly into place and there's an image imprinted into my brain. And I can't stop seeing it.

But I read this book too soon. The wait for the next one might kill me. I can't stop thinking about it.  Is there a support group. There should be a support group. 

                      *Huge thanks to  Little, Brown Books for an ARC of this title. 
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RATING SCALE: 
 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 
 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 
 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 
 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.
 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.
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Monday, August 6, 2018

STAR-TOUCHED STORIES by Roshani Chokshi




Star-Touched Stories (The Star-Touched Queen #2.5)

















Thank you to St. Martin's Press for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour! 
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RATING SCALE: 
 5* = OMFG loved it. Will read it again. Touch my book and I will cut you. 
 4* = Really good. Highly recommend. Miiiight reread. Maybe. Don't touch my book. 
 3* = Good. I liked it. Go ahead and touch it. 
 2* = Not for me, finished but struggled. Didn't connect. Here, have a book.
 1* = DNF. Couldn't do it.
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