Zenith by Lindsay Cummings & Sasha Alsberg: ARC Review

Title: Zenith (The Androma Saga #1)
Author: Sasha Alsberg, Lindsay Cummings
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: January 16th 2018
Pages:534
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she's just Andi, their friend and fearless leader.

But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder's all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi's past.

Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.

Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

Ok, so I am really on the edge for this. I really really wanted to love this book. I have heard great things about it and when I had the chance to review through Miss Print, I jumped on the chance. This one just intrigued me from the start, but once I started to read this, it fell by the wayside and my interest was elsewhere very quickly. I had to put this one down very early on, which I don't normally do. And, if I do, I usually pick it back up and try try again, but sadly, it wasn't the case for this one.

I hope others out there enjoyed this more than me and I urge everyone to pick it up and try to read it for themselves and form their own opinions. But as of right now, its not for me. The only reason for the 2 star rating is because I really liked the idea behind this. But it's very confusing for me.

Lindsay Cummings is the #1 NYT Bestselling co-author of ZENITH, along with her duology, THE MURDER COMPLEX from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, and the MG trilogy THE BALANCE KEEPERS, from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins. She is represented by Pete Knapp at Park Literary in NYC.

Lindsay deals with chronic fatigue, writes full time from her home in the deep woods in North Texas, and loves to chat with fellow book nerds. Lindsay created the #booknerdigans hashtag.

She's still waiting on her letter from Hogwarts--it was probably just lost in the mail. You can follow Lindsay on twitter @authorlindsayc or on instagram @authorlindsaycummings

Find Lindsay: Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Website | YouTube

Sasha Alsberg is the #1 NYT Bestselling Co-Author of ZENITH: The Androma Saga.

When Sasha is not writing or obsessing over Scotland she is making YouTube videos on her channel Abookutopia. She lives in Northern Texas with her dog, Fraser.

​

For her writing, she is represented by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary and is represented on YouTube by Brian Lieberman at Studio71.

Find Sasha: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | YouTube

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free from MissPrint to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. ***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. ****Author photo obtained through author website.

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A Poison Dark & Drowning by Jessica Cluess: A Book Review

Title: A Poison Dark & Drowning (Kingdom On Fire #2)
Author: Jessica Cluess
Publisher: Random House
Publish Date: September 19th 2017
Pages: 432
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

The magicians want her to lead. The sorcerers want her to lie. The demons want her blood. Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing?

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own.

So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth.

This one took me a bit longer to read due to the holidays and all the chaos, but when I was finally able to sit down and give it my full attention, it was completely worth it. 

So this one picks up where we left off in first book. We have about the same amount of romance, if not a little more as revelations come to pass about feelings and you just end up with a love square instead of a triangle. New ships are made or destroyed. And new characters are introduced. As well as discoveries being made about Henrietta’s parents. 

I will not hide my feelings toward Rook. He wasn’t in this book that much, and that was perfectly fine with me. To me he is more of a burden and should just be counted as a friend and not someone that could be a love interest. He seems to hold Henrietta back from a lot of things. I realize that they were childhood friends and probably the only friend each had, but there comes a point where you need to move on from one another. I really think he was used more as bait from the beginning and as you read this book, you will understand my feelings toward that. 

Magnus was one of my favorites in both books. He had proclaimed how he feels towards Henrietta, and I think that if he wasn’t betrothed in the first book we would have seen the relationship bloom a bit more in this one. But as he was and he swore he would not talk about his feelings with her, we see their friendship grow and possible feelings as well. 

Blackwood is my other favorite and he proclaims his feelings toward Henrietta in this book. I think it was just building up to it in the first book, and how Henrietta was so oblivious to his feelings in the first place was beyond me. I’m glad they explored this relationship possibility in this book. And while I secretly hope for them to end up together in the next, I’m afraid that it might be doomed to fail. 

As for discoveries about her parents, you’ll just have to read this to find that out as I don’t want to give too much more away. While we find out about her father in this one we are still trying to figure out her mother and her connection to Sorrow-Fell with her stave. I have some theories about her mother, but will stay tight lipped about it until I read the next book to confirm or deny my theories.

Jessica Cluess is a writer, a graduate of Northwestern University, and an unapologetic nerd. After college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she served coffee to the rich and famous while working on her first novel. When she’s not writing books, she’s an instructor at Writopia Lab, helping kids and teens tell their own stories.Jessica Cluess is a writer, a graduate of Northwestern University, and an unapologetic nerd. After college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she served coffee to the rich and famous while working on her first novel. When she’s not writing books, she’s an instructor at Writopia Lab, helping kids and teens tell their own stories.

Find Jessica: Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads 

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. ***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. ****Author photo obtained through author website.

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A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess: A Book Review

Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom On Fire #1)

Author: Jessica Cluess

Publisher: Random House

Publish Date: September 20th 2016

Pages: 416

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?


Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

A fast-paced, historical, fantasy book that had me pulled in from the very beginning. I was very intrigued with the synopsis of this when I first learned of this fantastic book and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it to read it. I really loved the whole aspect of this story and the characters. I don’t think there was a single character that I disliked aside from Palehook. I will admit that I’m not a fan of her beloved childhood friend, Rook. But I also think he is one of the aspects that pulled this story together quite nicely. The world building and the scenes of this are wonderfully written and you get a real sense of being there with everyone. Henrietta (Nettie) is definitely a strong female lead with stubbornness and passion throughout her veins. I can identify with her on those levels. I think we see her grow slightly throughout this book as she comes to terms with who she is and what is requested of her. Blackthorn and Magnus are very strong supporting characters and have won my affection at the beginning, even with Blackthorns pride and Magnus’s cockiness. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.

Jessica Cluess is a writer, a graduate of Northwestern University, and an unapologetic nerd. After college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she served coffee to the rich and famous while working on her first novel. When she’s not writing books, she’s an instructor at Writopia Lab, helping kids and teens tell their own stories.Jessica Cluess is a writer, a graduate of Northwestern University, and an unapologetic nerd. After college, she moved to Los Angeles, where she served coffee to the rich and famous while working on her first novel. When she’s not writing books, she’s an instructor at Writopia Lab, helping kids and teens tell their own stories.

Find Jessica: Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Shutter by Courtney Alameda: A Book Review

Title: Shutter (Shutter #1)
Author: Courtney Alameda
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publish Date: February 3, 2015
Pages: 384
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Horror has a new name: introducing Courtney Alameda.

Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat—a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual: the corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film. She's aided by her crew: Oliver, a techno-whiz and the boy who developed her camera's technology; Jude, who can predict death; and Ryder, the boy Micheline has known and loved forever.

When a routine ghost hunt goes awry, Micheline and the boys are infected with a curse known as a soulchain. As the ghostly chains spread through their bodies, Micheline learns that if she doesn't exorcise her entity in seven days or less, she and her friends will die. Now pursued as a renegade agent by her monster-hunting father, Leonard Helsing, she must track and destroy an entity more powerful than anything she's faced before . . . or die trying.

Lock, stock, and lens, she’s in for one hell of a week.

I loved this book from start to finish. It had everything I could hope for in a ghost hunting book. A kickass heroin, a hot brooding Aussie, best friends and action. At moments I wanted to scream at the book and others I wanted to reach through and bitch slap her dad. I got pretty early on who we were hunting as in the entity, which wasn't a big deal. I'm glad the book played out the way it did. There was plenty of the edge of your seat nail biting moments to make up for it. I'm also really glad the ending played out like it did and it left it open in case the author decides to revisit the Helsings in the future.

A veteran bookseller and librarian, Courtney Alameda now spends her days writing thriller and horror novels for young people. Her debut novel, SHUTTER, was nominated for a Bram Stoker award and hailed as a "standout in the genre" by School Library Journal. Her forthcoming novel, PITCH DARK (Spring 2017), is a genre-blending science fiction/horror novel in the vein of Ridley Scott's 1979 film ALIEN.

Courtney holds a B.A. in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing. She is represented by the talented John M. Cusick of Folio Literary. A Northern California native, she now resides in Utah with her husband, a legion of books, and a tiny five pound cat with a giant personality.

Find Courtney: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

 Disclaimer: **Book info obtained through Goodreads. ***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. ****Author photo obtained through author website.

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Haven by Mary Lindsey: A Book Review

Title: Haven
Author: Mary Lindsey
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publish Date: November 7th 2017
Pages: 371
Source: Publisher for Review
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

"We all hold a beast inside. The only difference is what form it takes when freed."

Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere, He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.

Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.

Fast paced, action packed and hot! For fans of Twilight and Maggie Stiefvater's The Shiver trilogy. This was a seemingly quick read for me and I devoured it from start to finish. I really love Mary Lindsey and I couldn't wait to read this. The cover is completely amazing and the story had me pulled in from the beginning.

I really loved the main characters, Rain and Freddie. They both had their fair share of tragic pasts and loss. Which made them such a great pair. I felt like I was watching their relationship and romance unfold right before my eyes, almost as if I was witnessing it first hand. Also, the supporting characters helped pull the loose ends together quite nicely. I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded as I was reading. However, there was a lot of back story to this and some characters did seem like they were being rushed into the story and thrown in when we didn't need any.

If you read where I stated that this was for fans of Twilight and that got your attention trying to figure out where the werewolf in this book crosses with the vampires of Twilight, I will say, there was one scene that, as I was reading this, was almost identical to Twilight. I don't want to spoil it for you, so you will have to read it to see what I am talking about. 

But for the most part, this was a fantastic, quick read that will pull you in from the start. Thanks to Entangled Publishing for my wonderful box of Haven inspired things and a wonderful book for review!

Mary Lindsey is a multi award-winning, RITA® nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on an island in the middle of a river. Seriously, she does. When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, two Cairn Terriers, and one husband.

Inexplicably, her favorite animal is the giant anteater and at one point, she had over 200 "pet" Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The roaches are a long story involving three science-crazed kids and a soft spot for rescue animals. The good news is, the "pet" roaches found a home... somewhere else.

She also writes under the pseudonym Marissa Clarke.

Find Mary: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. ***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. ****Author photo obtained through author website.

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The Alchemyst by Michael Scott: A Book Review

Title: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)
Author: Michael Scott
Publisher: Ember
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Release Date: June 24th 2008
Purchase: Amazon | BD | B&N

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed, and in the wrong hands, it will destroy the world.

Which is exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

I really really wanted to love these books. I had bought the First Codex box set years ago with the anticipation of reading them but they got shelved and I never gave them a second glance until recently. 

The writing style of this just wasn't my cup of tea. While I loved the concept of this book, I just couldn't get past the first 3 chapters. If you want to give this a go for yourself, go into this one with an open mind.

Michael Scott is the New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, an authority on mythology and folklore, and one of Ireland’s most successful authors. A master of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and folklore, Michael has been hailed by the Irish Times as “the King of Fantasy in these isles.” The Alchemyst is the first book in the Nicholas Flamel series. Look for book two, The Magician; book three, The Sorceress; book four, The Necromancer; book five, The Warlock; and book six, The Enchantress, all available from Delacorte Press.

Find Michael: Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers: A Book Review

Title: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)
Author: Robin LaFevers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical
Release Date: April 3rd 2012
Purchase: Amazon | BD | B&N

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Try as I may, I just could not get in to this book. I thought when I purchased it a few years ago that it was going to be some kick ass heroin type book, something like vengeance. But when I started to read this, the story fell flat for me. I mean, this girl was not but 17 years old, married off to the highest bidder technically and come her wedding night the guy is so plastered and drunk that he is ordering her to strip down so they can fornicate. When he realizes she has scars on her body he becomes furious and beats her and then leaves her for death. She is whisked away in the middle of the night to a convent run by an abbesses, but not just any one, this one does the devils bidding, by training young women to help the devil kill men. 

I'm sorry, but when I got this far, I just couldn't push myself through the rest of the torture of trying to read this. The plot sounds intriguing but I just couldn't seem to pick the book up again after the first few chapters. 

Robin LaFevers was raised on fairy tales, Bulfinch’s mythology, and nineteenth-century poetry. It is not surprising that she grew up to be a hopeless romantic. She was lucky enough to find her one true love, and is living happily ever after with him in California.

Find Robin: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Beastly Bones by William Ritter: A Book Review

Title: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2)
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

I've found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I've known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality . . .

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad's Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

In true Jackaby fashion, this book does not disappoint. I read the first book over a year prior and when I picked this up to read I wasn't lost and was easily pulled back in to a world where the unexplained paranormal exists and coincides with every day life and right under our noses. 

Abigail Rook and R.F. Jackaby are pulled into a case of shape shifters, chameleomorphs to be exact. While on the case they get side tracked with yet another case that takes them to Gads Valley where bones have been unearthed, strange deaths have happened and police officer Charlie Cane resides. 

We get to see more in depth traits on all characters including Jenny Cavanaugh the friendly specter who resides with the detective and Abigail. We also get to see Abigail develop some boldness when it comes to the handsome police officer. 

I'm very anxious to read the next book and find out about Jenny's death.

Find my review of Jackaby here

 At the University of Oregon, William made questionable choices, including willfully selecting classes for the interesting stories they promised, rather than for any practical application. When he wasn't frivolously playing with words, he earned credits in such meaningful courses as Trampoline, Juggling, and 17th Century Italian Longsword. These dubious decisions notwithstanding, he regrets nothing and now holds degrees in English and Education with certificates in Creative Writing and Folklore.

He currently teaches high school Language Arts, including reading and writing, mythology and heroes. He is a proud husband and father. When reading aloud, he always does the voices.

Jackaby is his first novel. It was born in the middle of the night and written on two different hemispheres. It has survived typhoons and hurricanes, and was fostered into publication through the patient care of many hands.

Find William: Website | Twitter

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. 

***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. 

****Author photo obtained through author website.

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Ally by Anna Banks: An ARC Book Review

Title: Ally (Nemesis #2)
Author: Anna Banks
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Release Date: October 3rd 2017
Source: Miss Print ARC Adoption
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria have formed an uneasy truce between their kingdoms since the deadly plague began to rip through Theoria. Since their feelings for each other are entangled in politics and power, they must use their own trusted resources to find common ground.

But when traitors with powerful allies arise from unexpected places, Tarik and Sepora face challenges that will change both of their kingdoms forever. Will they learn whom to trust—including each other—in time to save their kingdoms, their relationship and even their lives?

I really enjoyed Ally. It was a very good sequel to Nemesis and what seems like a good closing to these 5 kingdoms. There was action, reconciliation, romance, betrayal, death, unity. Everything that makes a great conclusion to an action packed story. 

I'm really glad for the way this story turned and how it ended. I don't want to go in to too much detail because I want you to go get the book and read t for yourself and draw your own conclusions. I will say this, you won't be disappointed.

The only thing I would change is the cover to this book. It should be Tarik in his gold paint and headdress just like we had Sepora in silver on the first one.

Anna Banks grew up in a small town called Niceville (yes, really). She now lives in Crestview, Florida, with her husband and their daughter. She is the author of the novel Of Poseidon.

Find Anna: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog

Disclaimer: *I received a copy of this book for free from Miss Print ARC Adoption to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

**Book info obtained through Goodreads. 

***Book Cover Obtained through Goodreads. 

****Author photo obtained through author website.

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