Books Via Ashley

The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton Synopsis (from Goodreads) The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes. The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Regan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted. Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided. Review Holy. Freaking. Crap. THIS BOOK. ...

The Rogue Queen by Emily R. King *I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* WARNING: Spoilers for The Hundredth Queen  and The Fire Queen ! Synopsis (from Goodreads) Despite the odds, Kalinda has survived it all: Marriage to a tyrant. Tournaments to the death. The forbidden power to rule fire. The icy touch of a demon. . . . Kalinda soon realizes that the demon has tainted her with a cold poison, rendering her fire uncontrollable. But the lack of control may be just what she needs to send the demon back to the darkest depths of the Void. To take back the empire, Kalinda will ally with those she distrusts—and risk losing those most loyal to her—to defeat the demon and bring peace to a divided nation. Review This book picks up right where the second book ends. For me, it was a little slow in the beginning and made it hard for me to get back into the world, but once that action got going I was drawn in. These books have ro...

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...

The New Dark by Lorraine Thomson *I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Synopsis  (from Goodreads) Sorrel lives a quiet life in the tiny settlement of Amat. It’s all she’s ever known... Until a gang of marauding mutants destroys the village, snatching her brother Eli, and David, her boyfriend. Sorrel sets out after them, embarking on a journey fraught with danger. Can she survive? The only thing that keeps her going is Eli and David. They are out there somewhere. They must be alive. And if she has her way, she will find them. Review The premise is very interesting: it's a post-apocalyptic world, only a couple generations after whatever events happened Before to turn it into the Now. Sorrel is a girl whose entire life has been changed and she sets out to save her little brother and her kind of boyfriend. Along the way her worldview expands; she makes enemies and unexpected friends, and she finds that not all humans are good ...

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 ...

Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) "At just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace. "The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires." Review I received this book in my May FairyLoot box. I'm conflicted. I liked lo...

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...

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...

The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King I was able to get this book before its release date through Amazon First. This book comes out June 1, 2017. Synopsis ( from Goodreads ) "As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple. But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik. Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidde...

Behind The Throne  - K. B. Wagers Synopsis ( From Goodreads ) "Quick, sarcastic, and lethal, Hailimi Bristol doesn't suffer fools gladly. She has made a name for herself in the galaxy for everything except what she was born to do: rule the Indranan Empire. That is, until two Trackers drag her back to her home planet to take her rightful place as the only remaining heir. But trading her ship for a palace has more dangers than Hail could have anticipated. Caught in a web of plots and assassination attempts, Hail can't do the one thing she did twenty years ago: run away. She'll have to figure out who murdered her sisters if she wants to survive." Review What. A. Book. As an avid Star Wars and Science Fiction lover, I was enthralled from page one. The plot is a tense political drama--someone wants to overthrow the Empire and they have to find out who before they get killed. To be honest, it's a simple plot, but it was very well paced and definitely ...

The Reader by Traci Chee Synopsis (from Goodreads) "Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father is viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. . . . But when Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who’s taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father left behind, something she comes to realize is a book." Review The main reason I picked up this book was that it got a LOT of hype. I thought it was a good book, but I'd say more for younger YA. I think if I were 12-14, I would have REALLY loved this book. The premise is interesting: In a world where reading doesn't exist, Sefia has a rare book. However, I found at times the story was a bit too  meta... stories within stories within stories, and how reading is literally magic. The pacing was quite slow. I also found the feel or tone of the story jumped around. Fi...

Uprooted  - Naomi Novik Synopsis The people of Agnieszka's village live a simple life on the edge of the mysterious corrupted Wood. A sorcerer, called the Dragon, keeps the evil at bay, but at a steep price. Every ten years, he takes a girl from the nearby villages to live with him. Everyone knows at the next choosing that he will take Kasia, the best, brightest, and most beautiful, and Agnieszka's best friend. But when the Dragon comes, it is Agnieszka that is chosen instead. Review I really enjoyed this book. The story catches you quickly and then takes you in an unexpected direction. Loosely based on Polish culture and mythology, it has the feeling of an old Brother's Grimm fairytale. The writing is beautiful, the characters complex, and the world magical and tense. Even though her name sounds like a sneeze, I liked Agnieszka. We see her growth as she goes from a backwoods girl who never expected anything much out of life, to her realizing she has an enormous...

Truthwitch - Susan Dennard Synopsis Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to tell truth from lie. That also means she must keep it a secret, as various nations would use her power for themselves. Iseult is a Threadwitch, but her powers go deeper than even she understands. These two are best friends, bonded as Threadsisters. Then a robbery attempt goes horribly wrong and the girls have a dangerous Bloodwitch on their tail. Safi and Iseult must team up with Merik, a prince who is fighting to save his people, to escape capture and stop the war that looms on the horizon. Review What can I say? This book made it into my Top 16 and it was the penultimate book I read last year. That's gotta tell you something about how much I loved it. This book just kept checking everything on my list. A complex world in political turmoil, check . A very interesting and fun magic system, check And we're shown the society and technology has been built around it, check . Plus, there is a...

The Forbidden Wish - Jessica Khoury Synopsis Zahra is a powerful jinni, hidden away in a lost city for five hundred years, until one day she's found by a thief named Aladdin. Promised freedom by the jinni king if she completes a special task, Zahra finds herself falling in love with Aladdin. But love between humans and jinni is forbidden, with terrible consequences. Will she chose love or freedom? Review This is a wonderful retelling of Aladdin . Jessica Zhoury's vibrant writing drew me in, creating a lush, magical world populated with interesting characters and complicated history. The story is written as if Zahra is talking to her long-dead friend Roshana, who was once a powerful queen, and it works. Zahra is a beautiful character: fully sympathetic, strong and powerful, but with insecurities and regrets. She has lived a long time, seen kingdoms rise and fall, and struggles to redeem a love she once betrayed. Overall, Zahra fights to protects those she loves. Be...

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...

And I Darken - Kiersten White Synopsis Lada, daughter to Vlad Dracul, Prince of Wallachia, is abandoned by her father in the Ottoman court to be held as ransom, along with her younger brother, Radu. Lada hates the Ottomans and patiently plots her vengeance. Radu, however, just wants a place to feel safe and call home. They become friends with the future Sultan, Mehmed. Together they form a strange triangle of friendship and love where their loyalty to their nation, and each other, is tested. Review I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I've read and liked another one of Kiersten White's books and had high hopes for this one. The premise that the publisher gives is so interesting: Vlad the Impaler, but a girl, and her descent into being a ruthless, cruel killer. But the book never got there. I felt like the entire book was just build up to the second book. I feel like everything that did happen in the book could have easily been condensed into a third ...

The Woman in Cabin 10  - Ruth Ware Synopsis Lo Blackwood, a travel journalist, has the assignment of her career: one of ten slots on the maiden voyage of the luxury passenger ship, the Aurora .  From the moment she steps on board, Lo is swept up in the plush interior and free-flowing alcohol, hob-nobbing with rich and important people. The night after departure, Lo is awoken by scream and a loud splash. She is sure she witnessed someone being thrown overboard, complete with blood smeared on the deck. And yet, when security comes, the blood is gone, and all passengers are accounted for. Lo is sure of what she saw, but as she begins to investigate, things begin to spiral out of control. Review This book is like a Hitchcock thriller, or Agatha Christie. There's a girl who disappears but no one else has seen her and no one is missing. Who was she and where could she have gone? Who is hiding something? The main character doesn't quite trust her own mind and has an...

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...