BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Wintersong

It's been a long time since I've read a book like Wintersong. Actually - I'm not sure I ever have read a book quite like this before. Read on to see what I mean then enter to win a copy of Wintersong!

Wintersong, by S. Jae-Jones
Publish Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher and Irish Banana Tours
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

I love retellings. Seeing how authors create their own spin on familiar stories and picking out the similarities and the differences is thrilling. Lately, we've seen many of the classic fairy tales and Disney-fied stories made into wonderfully angsty YA books. But never have I seen anyone who tried to retell the Labyrinth. Me - SOLD. 

Instead of David Bowie's Jareth, we get an ageless, nameless Goblin King who needs a new bride from time to time in order for spring to keep showing up on the Earth above. He sets his sights on Kathe, a vapid, materialistic beauty from a small German village. But her older sister Elisabeth has something to say about that. 

In place of Jennifer Connelly's Sarah is Elisabeth, the plain jane on-her-way-to-being-a-spinster girl who fades into the background as she takes care of everyone around her, including her sister and younger brother Josef. The one thing that is hers is her music. She's a brilliant composer and plays several instruments. Elisabeth convinces The Goblin King to let her take Kathe's place, and she joins him in the underworld forever. 

S. Jae-Jones is a beautiful writer. Music plays a major theme in Wintersong - it's the common thread that binds Elisabeth and The Goblin King together. The words on the pages flow like music on the air.  It's lilting and prosaic and so colorful and vibrant. It was so easy to feel all the emotions of the characters - and there were a lot of emotions to be felt.

The Goblin King had walked into the tiny room of my life and upended its contents. I was left picking up the pieces, struggling to fit them back together into one semblance of what I had known before. M life was divided into two neat and perfect halves: Before and After. 

Elisabeth goes from exuberant and joyful to grief-stricken and despondent and back again, depending on her interactions with The Goblin King. The Goblin King is hopeful that his marriage to Elisabeth will result in some actually feelings on his part and that she might awaken his boring life. And then there was the romance. Some scenes between Elisabeth and The Goblin King were seriously sexy. And I could feel it all in the words S. Jae-Jones gave us. 

Truthfully, there were times when I felt a little like I was slogging through all those beautiful words. They seemed to slow the story down from time to time Also, I should say I wasn't crazy about the ending. I'm a sucker for traditional HEAs, and while some might view the ending of Wintersong as one, I definitely was looking for more. 

Despite that, Wintersong was an interesting retelling of a story I love. I'll definitely be looking for more from S. Jae-Jones in the future. 

S. Jae-Jones, called JJ, is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and the author of Wintersong, forthcoming from Thomas Dunne in February 2017.

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, she lived in New York City for ten years before relocating down to Dixie, where she is comfortably growing fat on grits and barbecue. When not writing, she can be found rock-climbing, skydiving, taking photographs, drawing pictures, and dragging her dog on ridiculously long hikes.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

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COVER REVEAL: The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2)

It's coming! The Great Pursuit, the follow up to Wendy Higgins' The Great Hunt, will come out on March 7, 2017 from HarperTeen. And, I'm SO excited to show you the cover today! It's so gorgeous, and will look awesome on my bookshelf next to The Great Hunt.

The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2), by Wendy Higgins
Publish Date: March 7, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.

Are you intrigued? Are you excited?! Here's another reason to get excited - if you or your bestie hasn't read The Great Hunt yet, now you can get it for only $3.99 for your Kindle or Nook.

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NY Times bestselling author of the SWEET EVIL series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology THE GREAT HUNT, and her independently published Irish Fantasy SEE ME.

After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until achieving her dream job as a full-time writer.

Wendy lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue.

REVIEW: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2)

The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2), by Marie Rutkoski
Publish Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Format: paperback, purchased
Genre: young adult fantasy romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

I don't think there's a book in the history of ever that made me as crazy as The Winner's Crime. I was wooed by the characters in The Winner's Curse. I was made to feel badly for their situations and to celebrate their triumphs. I especially fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. And all this made The Winner's Crime all that more frustrating. 

Our characters - Kestrel and Arin especially - are struggling to define what is "right" and "good" and especially "true." Kestrel is now engaged to prince Verex even though her heart still belongs to Arin. But, Kestrel knows that she has a better ability to save him and his people if she continues to play the role that has been thrust upon her by the evil emperor. And that includes pretending that she couldn't care less about Arin. 

My heart broke over and over and over again for Kestrel. She may be the strongest female character I've ever read about. She made so many difficult choices in The Winner's Crime, all in the name of love. She loves Arin, and wants him and his people to be happy again. She feels that her people have gravely wronged his people (which they SO have), and she wants to make it right. She may be only a 17-year-old girl, but she's brilliant and clever and driven by a moral compass that always points true. 

Arin is trying to match up what he knows about Kestrel in his heart with what he sees with his eyes and hears with his ears. He's terribly confused because these things don't match up. And Arin is increasingly more and more heartbroken. He and Kestrel are both completely miserable through this entire book, but I felt like it all had to happen that way. HEAs can't come easily if you want them to be truly fulfilling. Arin had to go through all his doubt and hatred of Kestrel in order to appreciate her and love all that more later. 

We encounter several awesome side characters in The Winner's Curse. Roshar, Verex, Tensen, Risha - they all add so much more richness to this already abundant storyline. Over the course of the book, we visited so many different parts of this world that Marie Rutkoski created - all of them very different and interesting. The characters and worlds and the complex story of love and betrayal and trust absolutely captivated me. And that ending.. 

REVIEW: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1)

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1), by Marie Rutkoski
Publish Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Square Fish, an imprint of Macmillan
Format: paperback, gifted
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

"The Winner's Curse is when you come out on top of the bid, but only by paying a steep price."

Goodness, but this book was brilliant. 

If I'm going to read YA, I prefer it to be YA fantasy. There's something amazing about how authors create something out of nothing. These worlds, their customs and rules, the characters' names - they're mostly all born in the author's head, and it just astounds me the creativity that is required to not only dream them up and have them make sense, but to draw a reader in and make it all seem completely and totally real. 

The Winner's Curse was like that. 

It takes place in a war-torn world where the Valorians have fought, defeated, and subsequently enslaved the Herrani people and taken over their land. In the beginning, 17-year-old Kestrel, who happens to be the General's daughter, pays a very high price at auction for a strapping 19-year-old Herrani boy. Thus begins a very Romeo-and-Juliet-esque relationship between two kids who are on very opposite ends of a war that is not quite as over as everyone thinks. 

Once again I find myself gripped by a story with a seemingly impossible happily ever after. While those types of stories definitely frustrate me to the point of distraction, they make for incredibly engrossing reads. The biggest question running through my mind was, Who is going to give first? Kestrel and Arin are on opposite sides of a war. In order for them to even think about being together, one of them has to betray their people. So, who would it be? 

Marie Rutowski did an amazing job making this world and the characters' stories come to life. For as much as I loved this book, I did have to step away from it for a day or so in the middle. I was so involved in the story and in the characters lives and choices that I became really freaking angry over some of them. I felt everything they did, and when the events of the book threatened to overwhelm them, I felt that too. The break I took served me well, and when I dove back in, there was no stopping me until I was finished. 

Kestrel was a great character. On the surface, she seems too high brow to have any kind of real strength. But, like many characters in this book, that's just a facade. She is able to shift personas depending on who she is with - her strict father, her stuck-up best friend, her newly bought slave. She does what she has to in order to survive and remain true to herself, and those choices are most certainly not always easy. 

Arin is another character that seemed to be one thing at first, and then turned out to be something else entirely. Perhaps he and Kestrel are drawn together like they are because he too is willing to do whatever he has to in order to survive. Perhaps it's the fact that Arin has an incredible sense of loyalty, which ultimately, is what causes him more problems than he ever bargained for. He is very loyal to his people, but he also becomes loyal to Kestrel, and they stand on two very opposite sides of a wide chasm. 

Before I was even halfway done with The Winner's Curse, I found myself ordering the last two books in this series. I knew I couldn't wait to see how their story ends. And I have a sneaking suspicion that it will get worse before it gets better.

EARLY REVIEW: The Great Hunt (The Great Hunt #1)

The Great Hunt (The Great Hunt #1), by Wendy Higgins
Publish Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

I seriously loved The Great Hunt. I loved everything about it. The world. The characters. The story within a story. This is YA fantasy at its best. Of course it comes from Wendy Higgins. She developed an incredible world with demons and angels and rock stars. And now, this new world has monsters and magic and heroes.

Fairy tale retellings are awesome. There's usually a princess and she usually kicks ass. The Great Hunt isn't any different. Aerity is 17 and she is exactly the kind of character I love to read about. Unlike some fairy tale princesses, she doesn't kick ass with her fists or with magic. But, this girl is an oak. She is strong. She does not waiver. She does what needs to be done for the good of her people. Even if that means marrying someone she doesn't love.

Her dad - the king - is dealing with a terrible monster who is killing people all over the kingdom. He needs warriors to defeat it. And in order to entice them, he needs to dangle the ultimate prize - his daughter's hand in marriage. Aerity is not a fan of this plan. She wants to rage at her father and tell him no. She has her own ideas of how her life was to go, and marrying some stranger was not part of them. She agrees, though, without argument. Because she believes its her duty.

But, despite that, she's still a girl. And when she catches sight of Paxton Seabolt among the warriors who gather to fight the monster, she swoons a little. He's hot and brave and likes to brood - all hallmarks of the very best heroes. And she really, REALLY wants him to win.

Pax is pretty fantastic. I love the way he loves his younger brother. He watches out for him and takes care of him and wants only the best things for him. Except Aerity - although Pax protests much, he really does want her for himself. But, Pax is hiding a terrible secret, and knows that because of it, he could never have Aerity - not really. So, like Aerity, he's determined to do his duty for the good of the kingdom and slay the beast, even though he has no plans to claim his prize.

The ending made me crazy. It doesn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger, but it does end with many questions yet to be answered. Some things are decided and some aren't, but the one thing you can count on is that you will be DYING for the second book in this series by the time you finish.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Titans

I am so excited to participate in the TITANS tour, organized by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for checking out my review and entering the giveaway to win a copy of Titans (5 winners - US only). Don't forget to visit all the stops on the tour for excerpts and other information.

Titans, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: ARC, provided by the author
Genre: young adult contemporary/fantasy/sci-fi
To Buy:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

The wind tears through my hair the way I always imagined, whispering for me to close my eyes, but I won't. I don't want to miss a single second of this. I've never felt so free. So fast. So bold. So beautiful.

Titans isn't my usual fare - there's no kissing, no great romance, no relationship angst. But there IS love - the love a girl has for her family, her friends, and for her horse. Victoria Scott is absolutely at her best when she's writing about the very special bonds that humans have with their animals - if you've read her Fire & Flood series, then you know what I'm talking about. Titans recaptures that magic and lends its own unique fantasy and sci-fi aspect when you consider the fact that Astrid's horse isn't actually... alive.

Astrid is a character that all girls can rally behind. She might only be 17, but she's willing to make hard choices and make big decisions, all to help pull her family out of the crushing debt that is threatening them. Astrid defies her parents in order to ride a mechanical horse in a series of races - races that grown people have died in in the past. This girl is very nearly fearless. 

I say "nearly" because Astrid is most definitely afraid of some things - losing and letting her family down, for one. Trusting her horse, which she names Padlock, is another. Astrid trusts precious few people in this world. She knows it's something that must be earned, and she's convinced that there's no way a hunk of metal can do that. 

But, come on. This is VICTORIA FREAKING SCOTT. Which means, this horse is special with a capital 'S'. Padlock might be an old model, but he has something no other horse on that track has. He has a bond with Astrid that flies in the face of science. And THAT is truly the best part of this whole book. 

"Padlock, I want to tell you something." My voice is barely a whisper, and already my throat is thick with lingering emotion. "I'd never be disappointed in you. No matter what happens this season, I'm proud to call you my Titan."

There are a host of colorful side characters - there's Astrid's artistic BFF Magnolia, her manager Rags and his work partner Barney, her sponsor Lottie, and her biggest competition Hart. I developed an affection for each of these characters as they help Astrid and Padlock in their own unique ways. And then there's the deliciously awful villain Arvin Gambini. I promise, you will burn with the desire to see him pay in the most humiliating way possible. 

The world building in Titans was done beautifully. We're given the picture of this downtrodden Detroit neighborhood, beaten back by layoffs and a sluggish economy. There's a very definitive line drawn between the haves and the have-nots. Astrid is the poster child for the have-nots, and her efforts to beat back the rich people who taunt and oppress her and her family will have you cheering for her along with everyone else in the book. She is most definitely the underdog in this race, so every victory is super special, and every defeat will squeeze your heart. 

"Strength is forgetting everything I've taught you and becoming a machine. It's reaching inside yourself and finding you are not someone to be toyed with. It's taking every doubt you have and crushing it beneath your heel."

Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe of the Harvey-Klinger Literary  gency. She’s the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series, and TITANS published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Israel, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.

Find Victoria: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook |Instagram | Goodreads

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REVIEW: Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows #1)

Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows #1), by Sophie Jordan
Publish Date: February 9, 2016
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

It's been a long time since I've had a burning desire to read YA. I'd read one here and there, but it wasn't like it used to be for me. But, recently, I had that niggling burn again to lose myself in some good YA fantasy. And so, I picked up Reign of Shadows. 

I have to tell you, it was everything I wanted. There was a lush world with an intriguing back story and fearsome creatures. There was a princess in disguise and a roguish bad boy (who isn't really all that bad, of course). There were secrets and misunderstandings and a crazy cliffhanger in the end. 

I'd never been given a taste of anything else. I'd certainly never confronted a boy that smelled of ferocity and life and vitality. A boy with a deep, rumbling voice that made everything in me tighten in a way that I couldn't comprehend. It was new. Different. It was feeling.

I flew through this book. From the very beginning, Luna's story captivated me. This 17-year-old girl who has never known anything but the tower in which she lives is suddenly thrust into the big, bad, dark world with a boy she only just met and a vague destination. It sort of reminded me of the Disney movie Tangled - without all the hair. 

I wasn't afraid of death.

It's that I would die with so little to show for my life. A long stretch of days spent trapped in a tower. 

I was afraid that was all I'd ever have.

Luna is an awesome heroine. Even though she's been sheltered her whole life, her guardians have done their best to prepare her for a life outside. But, nothing could protect her from the harsh realities out there. The scarcity of food, the danger from The Dark Dwellers, and the crap for company in the form of Fowler. But, Luna presses on and never gives up. She makes hard choices and deals with the consequences. 

Then there's Fowler. He's been making hard choices for years, and the effects of him NOT dealing with the consequences are eating him up inside. Luna is an unexpected complication to his plan to reach the only alleged place on the planet where there is real sunlight. But, there's still plenty of good and noble things left in him, and he proves it over and over again. Even though he was difficult sometimes, it was still impossible not to love him. 

The Dwellers, the 4 foot tall bats - the darkness itself - this world is full of scary and awesome dangers. I'm sure there's still more to come. After all, we have yet to meet the evil Chancellor in person. 

Reign of Shadows was an incredible beginning to what is sure to be an exciting series. I can't wait to see what happens next.  

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4), by Marissa Meyer
Publish Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: young adult fantasy/sci-fi romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

ALL THE STARS. This book gets all the stars. I don't even think I can tell you how much I loved it in this review. What I can tell you is that Winter was the perfect ending to this sweeping epic tale of love and loss and friendships that will last forever. 

It's impossible to recap everything that happened in this 827-page book. Where things left off at the end of Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) was with Cinder and all her friends trying to piece together a plan to get to Luna and reclaim the throne for Selene, effectively putting an end to Levana's tyranny. 

With the first three books in this series taking place on Earth, it was so awesome to finally shift the story to Luna. Marissa Meyer paints the moon with a bright and colorful brush. They way she describes the different sectors and how they're organized into industries and how their domes protect them from the atmosphere - it was wondrous and intriguing and so perfectly described. 

Except for a few chapters that were set on Thorne's Rampian spaceship, the entire story is set on Luna. But, from nearly the beginning, the group is split up into different groups, both by choice and by accident. They each have different roles to play in their revolution as they try and rally the beaten down Lunars to their cause. 

Of course, things do not go smoothly. For any of them. There was a part of the book, about 40% in, where it seemed like nothing was going right for anyone, and I had absolutely no idea how any of them would make it out of their various predicaments alive. To quote Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own, "It's the hard that makes it great." The way all the characters dig deep inside themselves to find those unique characteristics to pull them through their trials was so awesome. 

Winter was big on emotion. There was a TON of it - of all sorts. I laughed a lot - mostly at the things that came out of Carswell Thorne's mouth. I shed a few tears. It wasn't hard to do since there were times when things looked really bleak for our heroes. 

And, of course, I swooned. Oh, there was so much swooning. Each of our four couples - Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne and Winter and Jacin - have these moments where the events swirling around them stop and they have a chance to profess their love for one another. OMG, I loved those parts so much. 

As you might expect from the title, there is a lot of focus on Princess Winter and how she is dealing with the sickness that is a result of her choosing to not use her mind control powers on other people. Her choice to be a good, honest person when everyone else around her is not comes with serious consequences, and she takes them all on. She was amazing, and her relationship with Jacin is both complicated and sweet. 

But, the big event - THE event - is Cinder's revolution. There is a crazy amount of action in Winter. There are little skirmishes that take place between various groups of people throughout the book, but the big battle at the end for all the marbles was everything it needed to be. It was hard. It was deadly. It was nail biting. And not everyone made it through unscathed. In a word - it. Was. PERFECT.

In Winter, you will love. It's impossible not to with heroic hotties Kai, Wolf, Thorne and Jacin taking center stage. In Winter you will hate. You will hate BIG TIME because Levana is one of the evilest villains I have ever encountered in any book ever. In Winter you will be proud. Because Cinder is the best heroine ever. She doesn't always do the right thing, and she admits she's scared and doesn't know if she can be who she needs to be. But, her heart is ALWAYS in the right place. And her heart is big. I promise you will never regret having read Winter.

About the Audio Version
Rebecca Soler should read all books everywhere forever. Hands down, she is my favorite narrator. I can imagine that Winter was a difficult project for her to undertake. First of all, it's hella long. At just over 24 hours in length, it's the longest audio book I've ever tackled. And, secondly, there are so many characters! Besides the eight main heroes, there was also Levana, her right hand man Amery, Cinder's bestie Iko, Kai's advisor Torin, several Earthen delegates (from Australia, the UK, Texas and Africa), and scores of other minor side characters. And, somehow, Rebecca Soler gave them all a unique voice. How does she do that?!

I never got tired of listening to this book. I was constantly looking for extra opportunities to sneak in a chapter. It was incredibly entertaining and masterfully produced. I do own Winter in hardback. But, I chose to purchase the audio version and listen to that instead, as I have all the other books in this series. I've just enjoyed the audio versions so much - I'm sad to see it all ending. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Rebecca Soler's other narrations, though. 

Harper Winter 2016 Blog Tour: The Great Hunt

Hi everyone! It's my turn to turn the spotlight on yet another of HarperTeen's amazing books coming out in the winter of 2016. And, to make it even better, I get to talk about the newest book from my friend Wendy Higgins, THE GREAT HUNT.

You guys - I have read this book. And, IT IS INCREDIBLE. And, I am dying here, because I need the next book, like, yesterday. I could gush for literally HOURS about it, but for now, I'll let Wendy tell you all about it. This is going to be a long post, full of so much awesomesauce - make sure you read all the way to the end. You don't want to miss entering the three - yes, I said THREE - giveaways at the end. (Don't forget to look for the secret word for today! Hint: it's in orange.)

Okay - I'll shut up for now. On to the good stuff.

The Great Hunt, by Wendy Higgins
Publish Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: young adult fantasy
To Pre-Order: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

Thank you so much for talking with me today, Wendy, on my stop of the Harper Winter 2016 Blog Tour. I can imagine this is an exciting time for you, as you just said a final farewell to your first published series, and now you are getting ready to launch a brand new series. 

Back when you were getting ready to publish SWEET EVIL, did you ever see yourself here? What has been the biggest surprise to you in your career so far?
WH:  Thank you, Krista! First off, I never thought I would be a published author, so this entire career change has been a surreal dream-come-true. The largest surprise, by far, was when Sweet Reckoning hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. Until that moment I still felt like getting published had just been a lucky fluke. I cried ALL the tears that day!

THE GREAT HUNT is very different from the Sweet Trilogy. Was it difficult to make the transition from writing about familiar names and places to writing about the fantasy world of Eurona?
WH:  It was a very difficult transition for me. VERY. Writing high fantasy requires so much detail, but I’m not a detail person, so for me it took many revisions. In each revision I added more detail and layering. I’m still not 100% confident about it, but I do love the story and I hope that shows in the telling.

Describe Paxton Seabolt, THE GREAT HUNT’s hero, in five words.
WH:  Quiet, Intense, Loyal, Distrustful, and Rugged

The Great Hunt is based on the Brothers Grimm’s The Singing Bone. Why that fairytale? Is it a favorite of yours?
WH:  Honestly, no, I don’t like that story, hahaha. I find all of the Grimm stories too strange and creepy for my tastes. I always wanted to be that cool goth girl who loved wicked stuff, but I just wasn’t. Kuddos to all the Grimm girls out there! Two years ago, when the Sweet Trilogy was heading to an end, I knew I needed to be working on something new but I had no story ideas. Fairy tale retellings were just on the rise, so I picked up my dusty Grimm’s copy and started flipping through. I was intrigued by the title “The Singing Bone,” and when I read the intro I was like, “OH MY GOSH…” Immediate inspiration. I kept reading and got the heebie-jeebies. So really, The Great Hunt was only inspired by the beginning of that tale.  :)

If you had to liken Princess Aerity to a Disney princess, which one most closely resembles her and why?
WH:  Jasmine from Aladdin comes to mind first, because she’s this lonely girl stuck in a castle, surrounded by silks, dreaming of adventure, flying, and love.

The Great Hunt is a duology – when does the second book come out? Does it have a title yet?
WH:  No title yet. It comes out one year after the first, so Winter 2017.

Does your husband read your books? 
WH:  My husband has read all of my books to date except The Great Hunt, but he’s waiting for the final copy so he can consult the maps, lol.

One final question. Rollercoasters – yay or nay?
IWH:  t depends…I love regular old-school, up&down rollercoasters, but I’m not a fan of the ones that go upside down.

Thank you so much, Wendy, for taking the time to answer my questions about you and your new series. I’m so excited to see what else you have planned for us!
WH:  Thanks, Krista! *smooches*

Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NY Times bestselling author of the SWEET EVIL series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology THE GREAT HUNT, and her independently published Irish Fantasy SEE ME.

After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until achieving her dream job as a full-time writer.

Wendy lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue.

#1 – A Harper Teen Winter 2016 Catalog prizepack of 40+ books*
*All YA titles in the winter2016 catalog with the exception of The Siren by Kiera Cass, Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige and Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard.*

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#2 – 5 Finished Copies from the Harper Teen Fall 2015 Catalog
5 books are: The Lies About Truth, Walk on Earth A Stranger, Dreamland, Dumplin’, and Da Vinci’s Tiger

Entry rules for prize #2:

Collect the daily words and phrases from each blog stop during the Harper Winter 2016 Tour (a total of 45). Once you’ve collected them all, email the saying to: HarperTeenTour@gmail.com

1.) Winner must have a valid US mailing address to receive the prize

2.) Winner must be over 13

3.) Only one (1) entry per person for Prize #2 – duplicates will be deleted.

4.) Only a completed phrase will be accepted as an entry – do not email each word/phrase daily. Wait until you have the complete saying and then email in.

5.) All email submissions must be received by 11:59 PM EST 11/30/2015.

6.) Winner will be selected 12/1/2015 and will have 48 hours to claim their prize before another is selected.

7.) Participating blogs and bloggers are not responsible for unsent, damaged, and/or stolen prizes sent by the publisher.

Your secret word for today is: Make

#3 - Print ARC of THE GREAT HUNT + signed Wendy Higgins swag 
This final giveaway is one of my own. I am so anxious to have others experience how incredible this book is, that I'm giving away a print ARC of THE GREAT HUNT. To sweeten the pot, Wendy Higgins has generously donated some signed swag from all of her books (thank you, Wendy!). This giveaway is international.

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BOOK NEWS & GIVEAWAY: Titans

Get ready world, because Victoria Scott has a new book coming in the winter of 2016, and it sounds AMAZING.

Titans, by Victoria Scott
Publish Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: young adult fantasy

(From Goodreads) In a heart-stopping new novel from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott, one girl bets her entire future on a race that she has no hope of winning.

How much can you rely on the family you're born into? What can't you accomplish with the family you make?

Astrid Sullivan's family can't catch a break. Her grandfather played cards and her dad bet on the Titans--half-horse, half-car that race around impossible tracks. They've lost their home, their savings, and each other.

So when Astrid makes some new friends who give her the chance to participate in this year's Titan races, she wonders if it's worth risking everything. She never thought she'd even touch a Titan, and this one is first gen when the models racing are Titan 3.0s. There's no way for her to win...but with her family slipping away and her dad without work, Astrid can't help but feel like the only person she can bet on is herself.

Titans delivers Victoria Scott's signature blend of incredible action and impossible odds, and will leave readers' hearts racing.

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EXCERPT & FOCUS ON Lych Way (The Undertaken #3)

Learn more about The Undertaken series by Ari Berk. The final book - LYCH WAY - was released recently, which means this exciting series is now complete! And, now you can read an excerpt from LYCH WAY - check it out below!

Lych Way (The Undertaken #3), by Ari Berk
Published February 25, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: young adult paranormal/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) If Love and Death die, what is left?

Silas Umber has returned from Arvale, his family’s ancestral home, having disturbed the tormented spirits of his ancient line. Frantic to retrieve the shade of his beloved Beatrice, he turns his back on the spectral chaos he has left behind, unaware that the malevolence he unleashed has followed him back to Lichport.

As his family and friends suffer and fall at the hands of the vengeful Huntsman from Arvale's sunken mansions, Silas must reach deep into his complicated bloodline to summon powers and wisdom beyond those required of a simple Lichport Undertaker. But the dark and painful secrets of his birth threaten to overwhelm him, and if he can’t lay the ghosts of his own past to rest, if he refuses to make the required sacrifice, Silas may lose everything and everyone he has grown to love and worked to protect.

With the stunning conclusion to the Undertaken trilogy, Ari Berk returns to the series that Publishers Weekly calls "thought-provoking gothic fantasy," School Library Journal praises as "reminiscent of the classic gothic works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shirley Jackson," and VOYA applauds as "a captivating world that seduces with each page turn."

Now, you can read Chapter 2 of LYCH WAY (The Undertaken #3). Check it out, and then go get it so you can read the rest!

REVIEW: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1)

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1), by Rachel Harris
Published September 18, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: paperback, borrowed from a friend
Genre:  young adult contemporary romance/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

With all the new adult and adult books I've been reading lately, I really was jonesing for something lighter and less serious. Awhile ago, I borrowed My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century from my super good friend Anna from Annaberry Reads, and when I saw it on my shelf, I knew that this was the book to break things up for me. I was SO right. My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was light and funny, silly at times, and not heavy-laden with tons of deep issues and drama. 

Cat is a Hollywood baby, being the only child of two famous parents. Her self-centered mother left her and her dad years ago, and now Cat's dad is preparing to re-marry. His fiance and Cat have never clicked, so this trip to Cat's dream city, Florence, for her 16th birthday party, is sort of a last-ditch effort to bond. Cat, however, has no desire for togetherness with the soon-to-be-step-monster. While out wandering around on her own, she steps into a gypsy tent, and steps out in the 16th century. Cat soon meets up with her long-since dead relatives and falls in love with an Italian artist. It's fun while it lasts, but soon, Cat really wants to get home, but she's not sure how to get there. 

I think one of my favorite parts of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is that Cat's problems are very real ones for a kid her age. Her parents are divorced, and it's just been she and her dad for years. Now, he's looking to remarry, and Cat isn't happy about it. She acts like a teenager about it, too. She gives her dad's fiance attitude and a hard time for no good reason. She dreams of blowing them off to explore Italy on her own. The thoughts that run through her head and the words that come out of her mouth are exactly like I think should come from a 15-year-old. In so many books, teens don't sound or act like teens. Happily, that is not the case here. 

The glimpse into medieval Florence was fun. Harris obviously did her homework. Everything from the wardrobe to the setting to the customs of the time seemed accurate and interesting. 

Lorenzo was positively dreamy. He was appropriately chivalrous and swoony and romantic with Cat. He's an artist, so he's not as buttoned up as most men of the time. Reading about how his feelings about Cat grew and changed was so sweet and romantic. I loved the chemistry between these two so much. 

My main problems with My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century surrounded the mechanics of how Cat was sent back in time. I thought the description on how it happened very convoluted and vague. If you're going to send a character back in time, obviously, some fantastical magic will come into play. But, it would be best if the magic was believable and explainable. It seemed a little to loosey goosey in this case for me. Also, I have a hard time believing that Cat's cousin would believe her story so readily.

Although I understand why Cat couldn't stick around in the 16th century, it was still seriously sucktastic when she left Lorenzo behind. Of course, we always want our couples to have HEAs, and in this case, unless Cat stays there or Lorenzo goes with her, that wasn't going to happen. As a true romantic, that seriously bummed me out. I did appreciate the twist at the end to try and smooth that over, though. 

If you're tired of all the post-apocalyptic YA or angsty NA or complicated adult books you've been reading lately, take a break and check out My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. It's a really quick, light read that will save you from the doldrums of what you're used to. 

REVIEW: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3), by Marissa Meyer
Published February 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre:  young adult sci-fi/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Can I give Cress 5 MILLION stars? I mean, why not? It's my blog, right? Well, if I were to break my own rules for one book, this would be the one that would make it worth it. I have to tell you, I have never been as captivated by a book series as I am with The Lunar Chronicles. 

Cinder and her band of merry men... and women... and androids have devised a plan to bring the evil Queen Levana down, but to make it work, they need the help of Cress, the lunar shell imprisoned on a satellite by herself. When things go horribly wrong in their rescue attempt, Cress and Thorne have to work together to survive the brutal desert, Cinder and Wolf have to overcome grief and frustration to find the help they need to get back on track, and Scarlet has to fight for her life. Meanwhile. Kai is struggling more than ever before as his wedding day draws near. 

Marissa Meyer's mastery of this incredible story arc continues to amaze me. We are now three books deep in a four-book series - books that have each cleared 500-pages - and, a lot has happened. One would think that with better than 1,600 pages of story and POVs from more than a half-dozen characters that the reader would be confused most of the time. 

Confusion is definitely not something that I'm experiencing. The genius of this story about a cyborg girl who needs to inherit an entire world in order to save another one is astounding. That concept in and of itself is something I would read. But, when you factor in the fractured fairy tale elements from Cinderella, The Little Red Riding Hood and now, Rapunzel, it adds a whole new layer of awesome for the reader to absorb.

Cress is a fantastic character. She's been sheltered her entire life, so her only experiences are limited to what she watched on TV. She's very shy and meek. And, yet, when she is faced with a deadly situation - being stranded in the desert with no shoes and limited water, her strength bubbles to the surface, and you find it is impossible to not only love her but respect her response to the adversity placed before her. 

Captain Thorne - *sigh*. What a character you developed into in Cress. Whereas, in Scarlet, when we first met him, Thorne was painted as a superficial womanizer with little to no redeeming qualities. Cress took us beyond that mask, and the Thorne underneath it is most definitely someone to swoon at. His connection with Cress was adorable at first, and endearing and impressive later. I love Thorne HARD. 

Of course there was a lot of perspective from Cinder as things are heating up for her in her attempts to stop Kai's wedding, thwart Levana's attempts to take over Earth, and reveal her true identity to the people of Luna. All in a day's work for a simple cyborg mechanic, right? Thankfully - THANKFULLY - in Cress, she gets some help from Kai. They finally share some screen time, and oh how sweet that was. 

Once again, I opted to listen to the audio version of Cress, instead of reading the hard copy book. The narrator, Rebecca Soler, once again delivers a stunning performance. I think at least part of my infatuation with The Lunar Chronicles series has to do with her masterful delivery of all the characters. Even if you've already read the books, I recommend you listen the audio version - I think you'll gain a whole new appreciation for the series.

Cress has everything you could possibly want in a book. There's action, mystery, twists, turns, surprises, and epic love. The wait for Winter in early 2015 will be absolutely agonizing. But, that also means that I will have time to re-read the first three installments of this series a few more times. 

REVIEW: Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1)

Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1), by Victoria Scott
To Be Published February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: ARC, obtained from the publisher
Genre: young adult sci-fi/fantasy
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

I've heard Fire & Flood described as a cross between The Hunger Games and Survivor. I, personally, feel like that's putting this incredible book in too small of a box. Certainly, there are elements of the best-selling book and the popular TV show in this story about a girl who enters an extreme race in order to save her brother's life. But, Victoria Scott has infused her unique style and some truly unique elements which make Fire & Flood something truly special.

Tella's brother is dying. There's not much hope when she receives a blue box with an earpiece that invites her to be a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. If she wins, her brother will live. Despite the fact that the mall is her temple and she never leaves home without her mascara, Tella sets out for parts unknown, determined to do what she has to. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies and experiences things that will change her forever.

Victoria Scott has an incredible ability to create complex and compelling characters, both main characters and the ones on the periphery. Tella is the main character, and the enigmatic Guy becomes the object of her affection. Harper, Caroline, Ransom, Titus - all of the members of Tella's gang in the race have distinct personalities, and I loved discovering more about them as the book went on. Tella is an amazing character. On the surface, she seems superficial and certainly not cut out for spending two weeks in the rain forest. But, it doesn't take long for her drive and determination to override the lack of flush toilets. She truly loves her brother and will put other things aside for him. 

My dad didn't think I could do this... But, maybe he doesn't know his little girl as well as he'd like to believe. Because when it comes to doing something for my family, I'm not just his daughter. I am strong. I will be strong for my brother. 

The Brimstone Bleed seems to amplify personality traits that they usually keep buried. Harper is confident, so in the Bleed, she easily becomes the leader. Titus was probably a bully in real life. In the Bleed, be becomes an outright villain. Guy was probably always the strong, silent type. In the Bleed, he was incredible, capable and mysterious.

In a race where there can only be one winner, Tella is unusually compassionate. In the beginning, she came off as superficial and materialistic. Until she got around her brother - then, she softened and seemed willing to do whatever he wanted of her. That softness really came out when she had no choice but to put aside her "stuff" and fight to survive. She was quick to form bonds with other Contenders. She also has a particularly soft spot for the Pandoras. 

Ah yes - the Pandoras. This is easily my favorite part of Fire & Flood. Each Contender starts the race with an egg. The egg hatches and the animal that comes out is genetically enhanced in unique ways to assist the Contender with winning the race. These animals are amazing. There's a lion who breaths fire, a raccoon that can produce spikes and a cheetah who can produce night lights from its eyes. But, Tella's Pandora, who she names Madox, is the most amazing of them all with some surprising abilities that make him coveted by all the other Contenders. 

These Pandoras are one of the most unique things I've seen in a book in a very long time. Let's face it - most plot devices have been done before. Many times over. I have NEVER seen anything like the Pandoras before. Bravo, Victoria Scott - you have one wicked creative mind. 

All the characters in Fire & Flood were so colorful and incredible. But, Guy - holy smokes was he cool. He wasn't drop dead gorgeous like so many boys in books. But, he had a quiet strength that more than made up for it. And, the way he cared for Tella - even from the very first moment they saw each other - was endearing. The romance between them was slow to develop, but it was perfect for the story. 

I feel like I could go on and on about all the things I loved about this book. Bottom line, this is a fantastic page-turner full of amazing characters and a uniqueness that you don't even realize you're craving. Do yourself a favor and read it as soon as you can.