Books Via Ashley

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater Books in the Series The Raven Boys The Dream Thieves Blue Lily, Lily Blue The Raven King First Book Synopsis (from Goodreads) Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who ...

Geekerella by Ashley Poston Synopsis (from Goodreads) Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first. Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Dari...

A Treacherous Curse  by Deanna Raybourn * I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* Synopsis (from Goodreads) London, 1888 . As colorful and unfettered as the butterflies she collects, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery—particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker. His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess. This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition, and rumors abound that the curse of the vengeful princess has been unleashed as the shadowy figure of Anubis himself stalks the streets of London. But the perils of an ancient curse are not the only challenges Veronica must face as sordid details and malevolent enemies emerge from Stoker’s past. Caught in a tangle of conspiracies a...

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick *I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Synopsis (from Goodreads) London, 1662: There was something the Winter Queen needed to tell him. She fought for the strength to speak. ‘The crystal mirror is a danger. It must be destroyed – ‘ He replied instantly. ‘It will’. Ashdown, Oxfordshire, present day: Ben Ansell is researching his family tree when he disappears. As his sister Holly begins a desperate search, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to an ornate antique mirror and to the diary of Lavinia, a 19th century courtesan who was living at Ashdown House when it burned to the ground over 200 years ago. Intrigued, and determined to find out more about the tragedy at Ashdown, Holly’s only hope is that uncovering the truth about the past will lead her to Ben. Review I really enjoyed this story. It's refreshing to read a well-researched historical fiction that also has an intriguing pl...

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli * I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * Synopsis  (from Goodreads) Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she's sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar. But protecting her father's kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked. Even worse, to unite the fractured kingdom she must marry Jarek, the cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom. Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard. And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy Review “ Asha lured the dragon with a story. ” Such a great first line! Right there you get the tone for the whole...

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas *This is the sixth book in the Throne of Glass series. Mild spoilers if you haven't read the rest of the series!* Synopsis  (from Goodreads) Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken. His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica-the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them. But what they discover in Antica will change them both-and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined. Review I could see how this was originally a novella, and also how it developed into a full-b...

The Fire Queen by Emily R. Queen * I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * This book will be out 26 September 2017! This is the sequel to The Hundreth Queen , which was published in June, so mild spoilers ahead! Synopsis With the rajah dead and the rebels invading the city, Kalinda flees with her guard, and lover, Deven. Their goal is to seek Prince Ashwin, who has taken refuge in a neighboring kingdom. In order to win the freedom she so desperately desires for herself and Deven, Kalinda must compete in yet another tournament for the throne. As her people become refugees and suffer awful conditions, she finds herself conflicted over her duty to protect her kingdom and those she loves, and also struggles with how to master her fledgling powers. Review One of the best things about this book? That I didn't have to wait an entire year for it! I love that King is pushing them out every four months. Please that become ...

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A Flynn Synposis ( from Goodreads ) "England, 1815: Two travelers—Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane—arrive in a field, disheveled and weighed down with hidden money. They are not what they seem, but colleagues from a technologically advanced future, posing as a doctor and his spinster sister. While Rachel and Liam aren’t the first team of time travelers, their mission is the most audacious yet: meet, befriend, and steal from Jane Austen." Review Time travel and Jane Austen. I mean, what's not  to like? I was swept up in this story from page one. The writing is great, plot is pretty straightforward: They need to infiltrate Jane Austen's circle, first by befriending her brother, then steal a manuscript and some letters between her and her sister, Cassandra. But of course things don't go as planned.  The story is told from Rachel's point of view. She's a doctor, an independent woman, and in her early thirt...

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen * I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review * Synposis ( from Goodreads ) "Emmett Atwater isn't just leaving Detroit; he's leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family. Forever. Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden--a planet that Babel has kept hidden--where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe. But Babel's ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won't forever compromise what it means to be human." Re...

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...

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...

Beneath a Burning Sky - Jenny Ashcroft *I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*  Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) "When 22-year-old Olivia is coerced into marriage by the cruel Alistair Sheldon, she leaves England for Egypt, his home and the land of her own childhood. Reluctant as she is to go with Alistair, it's in her new home that she finds happiness in surprising places: she is reunited with her long-estranged sister, Clara, and falls - impossibly and illicitly - in love with her husband's boarder, Captain Edward Bertram. Then Clara is abducted from one of the busiest streets in the city. As Olivia sets out to discover what's happened to the sister she's only just begun to know, she falls deeper into the shadowy underworld of Alexandria, putting her own life and her chance at a future with Edward, the only man she's ever loved, at risk. Because, determined as Olivia is to find Clara, there are others who will...

Carve The Mark - Veronica Roth Synopsis ( From Goodreads ) "Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows. Akos is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the frozen nation-planet of Thuvhe. Protected by his unusual currentgift, Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive — no matter what the cost. Then Akos is thrust into Cyra's world, and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?" Review Good new sci-fi. I didn't really know what to expect from the premise, but t...

Heartless - Marissa Meyer Synopsis Long before she became the terror of Wonderland, Catherine just wanted to follow her heart's desire--to open the best bakery in the Kingdom of Hearts. But the King is set on asking for her hand in marriage. Then she meets Jest, the King's new jester, and they are drawn together in a intense and secret relationship. Catherine is determined to set her own destiny and defy her parents, the king, and the people of the kingdom. But fate has other things in store. Review Catherine is a very relatable character: She wants to follow what makes her happy, even though it's a different plan than the one that her parents are pushing her to do. And then she falls in love for the first time with someone who makes her feel alive and adventurous... And someone she can never be with. We cheer for her as she fights to find her own way, even though we know that happiness is doomed. And Jest, oh Jest. The mysterious and handsome boy that Catheri...

The Forgetting  - Sharon Cameron Synposis The city of Canaan is a peaceful place, but every twelve years, it delves into chaos during the Forgetting, where everyone forgets everything: who they are, who everyone else is, what they've done. The only way to remember is to write everything down in their Books. Except Nadia remembers. As the next Forgetting nears, can she solve the secrets of the Forgetting, and protect the ones she loves? Review Cameron creates a very interesting and believable world with such a fascinating question: What if society restarted every twelve years? People don't know anything besides what is written in their books. It doesn't delve too deep into a discussion, but definitely promoted thoughts for me about why we do things the way we do in society. In Canaan, because it's the way things are they assume it's the way it's always been, since no one can remember otherwise. But do we see the same patterns in society today? What wou...

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black Synopsis Tana wakes up in the morning after a wild high school party, and goes downstairs to find she’s the only one who has survived a vicious vampire attack. As she escapes, she also helps her ex-boyfriend, who has been bitten, and a young mysterious vampire. Together they drive to a Coldtown: a place where vampires and those who are bitten are quarantined in an effort to keep the epidemic contained. Non-infected people can also enter, but once you go in, it’s almost impossible to get out. Tana is determined to get out, even if that means taking on the biggest, baddest, and most powerful vampire in Coldtown. Review Vampires aren’t really my thing, but Holly Black just made it WORK in this story and reminded me how seductive, intriguing, and terrifying they can be. In this story, vampires have become an epidemic. Once bitten by a vampire, a person goes “Cold", and if they drink human blood within that time, then they die a...

Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine Book 1 of the Great Library series Synopsis What if the Great Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed? In Jess Brightwell's world, it hasn't. Independent and above any nationality or people, the Library is present in every city around the world and rules all knowledge that's given to the people. Through Alchemy, information can be shared, but private ownership of books is forbidden. Jess comes from a family that runs a thriving black market book business. He is sent by his family to train to be in the library's service, but soon finds his loyalties tested, and comes to find that the Library has secrets of its own. Review I really enjoyed this book. I love books and libraries and alternate histories, and this has all three. In any good alternate history, the world-building has to be fantastic, and in this case it really was. It was interesting to see how the library's dominance and technology had changed the cours...

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Synopsis Molly Ayer, a 17 year old foster child, has been through twelve families in the last nine years. After stealing a library book, she is ordered to do 50 hours of community service. She is led to Vivian Daly, a 91 year old widow who needs help sorting through boxes in her attic. Molly learns that Vivian also had a rough upbringing; an Irish immigrant, orphaned in New York City when she was 9, she was put on an "orphan train", or trains that took orphans from the crowded Eastern cities out to the Midwest where they would hopefully be adopted, but were usually used as unpaid laborers. As Molly and Vivian learn more about each other, they realize they're not so different. Review This book started out a little slow, but picked up once we started hearing Vivian's story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fascinating window into a not very well known part of American history and a story of courage and re...

Walk On Earth A Stranger - Rae Carson Synopsis Leah Westfall has a gift: she can find gold. When her parents are murdered, she joins the migration west to California. Disguised as a boy, she makes the perilous journey across the continental United States, learning what it means to trust and have friends, and also learning more of who she wants to be. Review This was a really good book. I was expecting a bit more magic, but what I got was more Western. And I didn't mind at all.  I enjoyed reading about the trek west in the California gold rush in 1849. As someone who grew up in California and learned about this as part of my history in school, and also as someone whose ancestors were pioneers and made the same trek, it made me feel connected to the book and the characters. The plot was good, fast-paced, and pulled me in. A couple of times it was like EVERYTHING happened all at once. But I know that pioneer treks were hard and dangerous and people endured everything des...