Review: Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away. 

So I am finally back reviewing books. YAY! However I have never stopped reading. While my reading has gone down some, I have still managed to read 40 books so far this year and I haven't reviewed any of them yet. But I plan to catch up on most. Starting with this gem right here. Caraval has been one of them most anticipated books in a very long time. Everyone has been talking about it, weather it was in the blogging world or on twitter. Let me tell you this! Rightly so!! This book was like no other. It was filled with magic and a unique world like never seen before. I was drawn into it in no time and was unable to put this book down. I couldn't help but fall in love with all the characters and be intrigued by the game itself. If you haven't heard of Caraval by now, you must have been living under a rock. So I wont go into much detail but I want you to know that I have loved this bool very much. And even tho its been a while since I have finished it i still remember it as if it was yesterday, even tho there was about 39 others since...

I can not wait for the second book, which by now is not too far away. So before its time for Legendary and you haven't yet dug into this one, you really should!

Blog Tour: Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

 

 

The thrilling, shocking and romantic sequel to the bestselling YA debut FLAWED is finally here. When we embrace all our flaws, that’s when we can finally become PERFECT…

Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured all her freedoms gone.

Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with the complicated, powerfully attractive Carrick, the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground.

Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the Flawed. And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?

Today I have a very special post for you all. I am so happy to be part of the Perfect Blog Tour. Since the release of P.S. I Love You I have been a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern. Although my heart always belonged to Young Adult I loved her books. You can imagine how happy I was when Flawed was released. Somehow worried my expectations have been to high I have thrown myself at the book anyway. And wow, it was one of my favourite books last year. One that always stuck with me, you could always tell Cecelia's experience in writing and I was so glad to discover that she could also deliver in young adult. When I received the chance to read the seguel and be part of the blog tour, I couldn't say no, even tho my blog has been rather quiet lately. Well I am so glad I did. There has been so much going on in my life that I have fallen into a deep reading and blogging slump. Perfect has been the one to get me out. I can not put this down. Yes I am still reading it, but I had to force myself to stop to get this post ready for tomorrow. As emotional and as exciting as the first one this is a massive page turner. Once again Cecelia's incredible talent and experience shines through on every page. I am still shocked and amazed at the world that has been build. One I could visit over and over again. Celestine finds herself running from the guild in this sequel, hiding and fearing for not only herself but the people she cares about. The Flawed believe that she has the power to bring the guild down but how much will she have to risk of herlself to help everyone else. I am so excited to continue on this amazing journey. If you haven't read Flawed you need to pick it up, I believe you will love it weather you read young adult or not. And while you are at it pick up Perfect too. You will want/need it! And if you have read Flawed than you are probably just as excited about Perfect as I was, let me tell you that you will not be disappointed. I think I love Celestine even more then I did in the first book. What makes this series so extremely excited is the many characters, many exciting and complicated characters. Most of the time I have no idea who Celestine can trust, there is twists and turns at every corner. This is one of my favourite books in a long time, it made me fall in love with reading all over again. 

Cecelia Ahern continues to impress me and I hope she will continue to deliver some Young Adult in the future. 

 

As a special treat today Cecelia Ahern has told us who her top 5 literary outcasts are and I can reveal those to you right now.

 

1.The Grinch

2. Katniss Everdeen

3. Jack Reacher

4. Scrooge

5. The Second Ms de Winter

 

Blog Tour: Waking in Time by Angie Stanton

This is my first post in quite some time and I am very proud to welcome you to my turn on the Waking in Time Blog Tour. Not only have I read and loved this book very much and I can't wait for you all to read it but I also have a very special post by Angie Stanton, in which she will tell you all about how she got started writing. Enjoy! 

 

How I Accidentally Became a Writer

Angie Stanton – Author of Waking in Time

 

I get this question a lot. “How did you become a writer?”  And the answer? 

 

By accident. 

 

I never wanted to be a writer. In fact, I hated writing. I loathed English class and am terrible at punctuation.  To my credit, I did love reading, so at least I had that going for me. So how did I get to this place where I write books for a living? Well… I’m a daydreamer. 

 

Ever since I was a kid my mind has been filled with made up stories. I was the youngest of three with two older brothers, living in a renovated one-room country schoolhouse located seven miles from town. The closest friend my age lived a mile away and didn’t move in until the seventh grade. I rode the bus 35 minutes each way to school, usually sitting alone starring out the window as we passed farm houses, cow pastures, and cornfields. I became an expert at entertaining myself and imagining fabulous things happening in my otherwise mundane young life.

 

Fast forward to adulthood and that daydreaming never stopped. I guess it was a way to cope with the craziness of raising kids and juggling work and sick parents. One day I realized one of my made up stories was becoming rather elaborate and thought I should write it down. I brought out paper and pen and gave it my best effort, but it was as lifeless as my high school book reports. I tossed it all away, confirming my belief that I had no writing skills, but months later when the story in my head continued nagging me, I tried again. For some magical reason, this time what I wrote wasn’t horrible. It was just good enough to give me the courage to continue. 

 

Soon after, I joined a writers group and then a critique group. All with the goal of finishing my story, never imagining that it would lead to anything more. After several stops and starts, that story became my first published novel Love ‘em or Leave ‘em, which has been translated into German and French. My husband and I call that book the little book that could. It keeps chugging alongfinding new readers every day.

 

Now it’s years later and my eighth novel, Waking in Time, is hitting bookshelves. It’s crazy how a lonely child’s daydreaming led to a life in publishing. I wouldn’t change a thing.  

 

Waking in time will be out tomorrow! And it's absolutely worth a read. 

 

When I heard that this book is like a young adult The Timetravelers Wife I just knew I had to read this. I was very lucky to receive an early copy and to be invited on theis amazing blogtour for this book. This book follows Abbi who has just moved into the dorm at college and soon finds herself travelling through time. Every time Abbi falls asleep she travels further back. Every time waking up in the same room with a different room mate. In all her confusion she finds someone who appears to know all about her and who is helping her to find a solution for the time traveling. But every time she travels he is younger. Will she ever be able to figure it out and return home. But what will she learn through her timehopping? And who is the mysterious boy she seems to find "whenever" she goes? 

I seiosuly enjoyed this book. And I can certainly see the similarities to The Time Travelers Wife, but in no way is this just a young adult copy of the book. It has its own twists and turns. Add to this a complicated love and you have yourself a book that is impossible to put down. I adored Abbi and I admire how she just gets on with things, no matter what time she travels too. I love the idea of how friendships are sort of build backwards... but you will have to read this to understand what I mean. And reading this book is what you should do. It's all about family, friends and love, past and present included. What a beautiful book and what an outstanding unique idea. Finishing off with a surprising end this is set to be a big success. 

Please don't miss out on the rest of the Waking in Time blog tour... 

 

Why I have been absent for so long...

This is going to be my most personal and honest post. But I would like to explain why I haven't been posting and tweeting. The past 3 months have truly been the hardest in my life. At the start of December I have discovered my husband of over 11 years has been unfaithful. It broke my heart, it made me ill. I have lost all fun in life. Yet, I still wanted to make my marriage work. This wasn't the healthiest decision. Not only that it was completely pointless. One month later my husband just disappeared. Leaving behind only a letter. His things gone and his next stop the girl (much younger then either of us) he has been unfaithful with. Let me tell you I have never had my heart broken like this. It was a physical pain. I wasn't well and most of all I couldn't stay there. I have moved to the uk 11 years ago purely because I wanted to be with my husband. Without him I didn't want to stay there, I needed my family and my friends. I needed distance. My 7 year old daughter needed a sane mother. I have now been back in Germany for 6 weeks or so. Living with my mum and dad. Trying to pick up the pieces of my life. And then I got knocked down again. I got poorly, needing an operation. Nothing seems to be going my way. I didn't feel like reading or blogging at all. Forcing myself to at least read a little. I feel better now. Both physical and mentally. But the road to a new life is still a very long one. However I really want to return to my love of books and I want to review the amazing stuff I get to read. So I will be back! I promise. And soon. My first blogpost might be an amazing blogtour that I am on or even sooner. I can't wait to have all the bloggers and readers back in my life. I have missed it all so much.... 

Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill (A Clash of Kingdoms Novel #1)

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force. 

Now this was fun! I love it when a book is so much fun and this one really did impress me. This book has so many twists and turns that I cant really tell you more about it without spoiling it. So in this case the blurb will have to be enough.

What I can tell you though is that this book will surprise you over and over again. While I thought I had it all figured out from the start it has proven me wrong over and over again. You cant knock a book that has you gobsmacked several times.

My favourite part about this book is the characters tho. Britta being the main one and also the most interesting. She has grown up with only her father around and Cohen who her father was teaching to track. Alongside Cohen she has learned her fathers skills. When Britta is left to fend for herself she proves how strong and capable she really is. I also love Britta with Cohen, I love the history they have together. It makes for such a interesting reading. A nice change from reading about people meeting for the first time. They have a special kind of bond that will get tested by some very strong accusations.

However this book is a little slow in parts, not quite boring but not really super exciting either. Its really the twists and surprises that make this book a special one. But sometimes that's also ok, between some heavy reads it is nice to have a book that hasn't got so much stuff going on. Which you can just pick up and enjoy without  clearing your schedule.

All in all this has been a fun read that surprised me and left me wanting more. I recommend this to anyone who wants to just put their feet up and enjoy a little escape.

But while the story isn't at its full potential yet I think it has the power to become something great still. I am going ahead and setting my expectations quite high for the next book.

Ever the Hunted will be released on 27th December.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in advance.

Review: The Dreamer by E.L. Mellow (Dreamland #1)

 

It’s night. Always night. Dreams guard against the evil forged by nightmares. Infinite shooting stars illuminate a moonless sky. A city stands alone, surrounded by a darkened field. On its fringes, a man watches one star separate from the masses and fall. What survives the crash will unveil a secret centuries long hidden.Molly hasn’t slept well since the night of her twenty-fourth birthday. Being struck by lightning might have something to do with it, but then again, her chicken did look a little undercooked at dinner. Whatever the culprit, her life quickly catapults from mundane to insane as, night after night, Molly is transported through her once dreamless sleep to a mysterious land illuminated by shooting stars.

There she meets the captivating but frustrating Dev, and together they discover Molly possesses a power coveted by his people—the ability to conjure almost anything she desires into existence. Seduced by the possibilities of this gift, Molly shifts her attention from waking life toward the man, the magic, and the world found in her dreams.

But Molly must ask herself—does something truly exist if you only see it when you close your eyes?

Faced with the threat of losing everything—her job, best friend, boyfriend, and most importantly, that little thing called her sanity—Molly will learn just how far she’ll go to uncover what is real and what is merely a figment of her imagination.

I wanted to love this one so so much. And I kinda did for most part. But then we got to the end...

This is the first book in a 3 book series and it has been recommended to me. Its the story of Molly who on her birthday, while walking home after a date with her boyfriend, gets hit by lightning. She is lucky, very lucky, other then a burn she is all fine. But Molly who never remembered any of her dreams, suddenly has very vivid ones. Not only that but they continue every time she falls asleep. The dreams feel incredibly real. In her dream world Molly is captivated by Dev who is very much feeling the same about Molly. Soon they discover that Molly has the power to conjure anything she wants and maybe even more. Caught between two worlds and two men, Molly has to face the fact that it may all be more then just a dream.

Sounds amazing? Yes. And in a way a lot of it was. The idea to bring together dream and reality is my favourite part. Its a genre that hasn't really been explored enough, at least not by me. And I very much loved the world that has been created, it makes for a beautiful setting. The zip lines in Molly's dream world make me want to visit it. I want to travel this way, everywhere.

While I really liked Molly, hard working and reliable, with an incredible relationship with her friend. I liked the mysterious dreamy Dev even more. Yum, who doesn't like a book hottie. But I also liked her reality boyfriend. And here is where one of my issues starts, I am not a fan of a book that makes cheating look so good. I just don't approve, no matter how hot the new guy is. I cant help it, it makes me cringe. There is Molly with an amazing boyfriend and someone is about to get hurt. Booo! This is me now moving on and not making a big deal out of this...

Its not my only issue... my main one is the end. I get it, this is a series and there is two more books to come, the story will continue. BUT, why didn't anything happen? Its like this one was just the introduction, I want a finale and maybe a cliff hanger. I felt unsatisfied at the end.

I wanted this book to be so much more. And it really had the potential, I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. I will however still read the next one. I have come to like the characters and I want to know what is next in store for Molly and Dev. And most of all for the 'dream world'.

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #49

WeeklyWrap Up...

I have finished 2 books again this week which is my average. Both have been incredible books in very different ways. The first one was Blood for Blood which is the second book after Wolf by Wolf and also the last book. Loved both so much, they are so different and really touch on a complicated topic. But wow!! The second one is Hold Back the Stars, which has broken me over and over and over again.

 

There would be blood. Blood for blood. Blood to pay. An entire world of it.

For the resistance in the Third Reich, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun. Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against Hitler’s army, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

But in the midst of the chaos, Yael’s past and future collide when she comes face to face with a ghost from her past, and a spark with a fellow rider begins to grow into something more. Dark secrets reveal dark truths and one question hangs over them all—how far can you go for the ones you love?

 

‘We’re going to be fine.’
He looks around, but there’s nothing out here: nothing but the bottomless black universe on their left, the Earth suspended in glorious technicolour to their right.

Carys and Max have ninety minutes of air left.
None of this was supposed to happen.
But perhaps this doesn’t need to be the end…

Adrift in space with nothing to hold on to but each other, Carys and Max can’t help but look back at the well-ordered world they have left behind – at the rules they couldn’t reconcile themselves to, and a life to which they might now never return.
For in a world where love is banned, what happens when you find it?

Hold Back the Stars is a love story like no other.

Stacking the Shelves... 

There has been some amazing book post this week starting with 100 Hours on Monday thanks to Harper Collins! Excited!! I love this author and this sounds great and very different.

 

On Thursday I honestly squeeeeeeled when I opened my post, Traiter to the Throne!! OMG!! And it's signed. Thank you Maximumpop for another aaaaaamazing giveaway. Rebel of the Sands was one of my favourite books last year so this one is very very highly anticipated! 

 

 

On Friday another book arrived and OMG look how super cute it is. Everything is pink and I love it. Thank you so much Hachette Children for this stunning book.

 

There has been even more post on Saturday, Relativity arrived which I am on a blog tour for in January. I don't know why but I haven't been on one for a while so I am very excited :) thank you Little Brown for my post.