Books Via Ashley

The Fifth Doll by Charlie N. Holmberg * I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * This book releases 25 July 2017 from 47North Synopsis  (f rom Goodreads ) Matrona lives in an isolated village, where her life is centered on pleasing her parents. She’s diligent in her chores and has agreed to marry a man of their choosing. But a visit to Slava, the local tradesman, threatens to upend her entire life. Entering his empty house, Matrona discovers a strange collection of painted nesting dolls—one for every villager. Fascinated, she can’t resist the urge to open the doll with her father’s face. But when her father begins acting strangely, she realizes Slava’s dolls are much more than they seem. When he learns what she’s done, Slava seizes the opportunity to give Matrona stewardship over the dolls—whether she wants it or not. Forced to open one of her own dolls every three days, she falls deeper into the grim power of Slava’s ...

The Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night * I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * This book releases 21 July 2017 from Untold Stories Press. Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever. Review An imaginative new world filled with magic, dragons, dwarves, royalty and mystery! I loved the creative new way that the magic works. For royals, they get magical stones on their 16th birthdays that have certain powers. For others who aren't ro...

Back in January I wrote about which books I was most excited about this year. I only went up through June because there just wasn't much information about books that were being released after that. But now it's July (wait, whaaat?!) and the last half of 2017 has some pretty amazing books releases! July Because You Love To Hate Me  - Various Authors Release: 18 July Anthology of short stories about everyone's favorite villains. The Last Magician - Lisa Maxwell Release: 18 July A girl with magic must go back in time to save the future. No Good Deed - Kara Connolly Release: 18 July A retelling of Robin Hood where an Olympic archer goes back in time. Read my review here . August Shimmer and Burn - Mary Taranta Release: 9 August In order to save her sister, a girl must smuggle magic into a plague-ridden kingdom. Wonder Woman: Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo Release: 29 August A story of Diana, Princess of the Amazons, before she becomes Wonder Woman....

No Good Deed by Kara Connelly *I received a free ARC  from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * This book releases 18 July 2017 from Delacorte Press. Synopsis  ( from Goodreads ) Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England. Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood? Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she pic...

The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman * I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) Thirty years ago, something terrible happened to Luna’s mother. Something she’s only prepared to reveal after her death. Now Luna and her sister have a chance to go back to their mother’s birthplace and settle her affairs. But in Brooklyn they find more questions than answers, until something impossible – magical – happens to Luna, and she meets her mother as a young woman back in the summer of 1977. At first Luna’s thinks she’s going crazy, but if she can truly travel back in time, she can change things. But in doing anything – everything – to save her mother’s life, will she have to sacrifice her own? Review Before reading any further, please turn this on as a soundtrack. I didn't really know what to expect when I picked up the book. I though the synopsis was interesting and it pulled me in. I did not ex...

Roar by Cora Cormack Synopsis Aurora comes from a long line of Stormlings--People who can control and tame the powerful storms that plague their world. She's all set to be the next ruler, except for one problem: She hasn't shown any sign of Stormling magic. To protect her secret and the crown, she arranges marriage to a prince from another kingdom who has strong Stormling powers. But he's keeping dark secrets of his own. One night Aurora follows him to a black market for magic, where she discovers that people who weren't born with storm magic now possess it. Seeing there's another way for her to gain magic and save her kingdom, Aurora flees her home and joins up with a team of storm hunters. But there is more danger than just the storms out in the wilds. Review I received Roar in my June FairyLoot box. First off, the STORMS! Terrible, strong, vicious storms, that can think . Stormlings are people who can control certain types of storms, and this ability ...

Hunted by Meagan Spooner Synopsis When Yeva's father loses all his wealth, he moves her and her two older sisters out to their cabin in the woods. There, her father begins to obsessively hunt a mysterious creature that belongs in myths and fairy tales. When he disappears, Yeva knows she must find the Beast, and kill him. But as she's drawn into this strange, magical world, she discovers things aren't quite what they seem. Review A fantastic and dark Beauty and the Beast retelling, mixed with Russian folklore, where Beauty is actually hunting the Beast. The story takes place was in medieval-ish Russia, though we're never told that outright, just through historical hints and the names of characters and the stories told. The woods and forest are the main setting, and they are beautiful and haunting in their icy winter glory, with magical creatures hidden just out of sight. All the characters were so well done. Even minor characters were fleshed out just enou...