Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Publication Date: March 12th 2015
My rating: 4 stars  

Lady Kestrel's engagement to Valoria's crown prince calls for great celebration: balls and performances, fireworks and revelry. But to Kestrel it means a cage of her own making. Embedded in the imperial court as a spy, she lives and breathes deceit and cannot confide in the one person she really longs to trust ... While Arin fights to keep his country's freedom from the hands of his enemy, he suspects that Kestrel knows more than she shows. As Kestrel comes closer to uncovering a shocking secret, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Winner’s Crime a few months back, I had adored The Winner’s Curse and Kestrel and Arin and I couldn’t wait to dive back into their gorgeous but crazy world once again, but the early reviews I read had me super worried that my heart would be in for a tough time, I’d had my fair share of heart breaking reads as of late, so I just kept on pushing back picking up the book, until I finally succumbed. And I did end up loving it, but I wasn’t really affected by it as much as I thought I would be.

With the decision that Kestrel made in The Winner’s Curse, she knew there would be consequences, but did she think that she would never see Arin again? That her feelings would just disappear? I for one couldn’t wait for Arin to make an appearance just so that Kestrel could realise what she had given up. Yes what she did was for the greater good for a lot of people, but oh Kestrel look at what you lost in the process too? Once again I absolutely adored Arin, he was super sweet and really did take everything to heart, I felt super sorry for him at times, as all he wanted was the truth, but so many people wouldn’t give it to him. It was clear as day who he was meant to be, but all the lies that he was fed (which I know some were necessary), made him doubt what he believed to be true. The rejections he had to deal with honestly broke my heart. Then there was Kestrel, I did admire everything she had done, and I know her back was against the wall especially with the emperor making constant threats (this guy just made me so mad, I honestly wanted to just punch him a few times). But I hated how she treated Arin, she was so close to telling him the truth on so many occasions, but held back instead. She did however go on to prove where her real loyalties lied, and I’m glad that she did risk a lot to do this. But ugh I just want Arin and Kestrel to be together!

Rutkoski once again did a wonderful job with The Winner’s Crime; her writing weaved such a beautiful story, despite so much deceitfulness and violence going on, there was a tender poignant story going on beneath it all. And also despite my heart being in my throat a couple of times and the constant dread in the pit of my stomach, I always held the hope that things will end okay (I still will count this meagre amount of hope I have left to the next book). Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Crime is a book that readers can gobble up in one sitting, its cunning characters will have readers constantly guessing where people’s real loyalties lie, but the love and despair that comes through this story will leave you hoping for more.

Review: Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication Date: March 10th 2015
My rating: 3 stars

The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways. As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny?

Once again Hartman wrote such a rich descriptive read in Shadow Scale, her writing was detailed yet beautiful, I can fully place myself in Seraphina’s world and experience this crazy and dangerous journey with her.

If you thought a lot happened in Seraphina, there was a lot more to wrap your head around with Shadow Scale. With the constant threat against Queen Glisselda, Seraphina was forced to go out and find some sort of defence as suggested by her uncle Orma. The defence being all the half dragon characters that resided in Seraphina’s mind; they had been put there to protect Seraphina, and Seraphina was able to tend to them from time to time, but actually finding them in real life and convincing them to come back with her to protect the Queen was a whole another story. But I was eager for Seraphina to be successful in her mission. And Seraphina had the best support possible in her friend Abdo, he couldn’t speak because of the scales that covered his tongue, but he could communicate into Seraphina’s mind instead, I appreciated this way of communication between Seraphina and Abdo because of the journey in front of them, they needed any sort of help possible.

Of course I didn’t think that Seraphina’s task would be the easiest one, but I didn’t think such a horrid character could twist and worm her way in. Once I did get to learn more of her back story I did sort of feel for her, but then she kept on latching on to the other characters and nearly wrecking all of Seraphina’s work. And it was like wherever Seraphina went, she was there when you least expected her to be, I would let my guard down assuming she couldn’t have thought far ahead right, but no of course she had found a way to worm her way in. That I got to the point where I couldn’t trust anybody. I had to be constantly on the lookout for her character. She was such a sneaky character, but it seemed that she got powerful as the story progressed; she was able to topple even the oldest and strongest of characters. Would there be any way for Seraphina to accomplish what she had been sent out to do?

Despite this other being around and being hell bent on destroying everything, I enjoyed meeting the quirky personalities of these half dragons along the way. Hartman really upped her game in introducing such a variety of characters, they were all so unique in their own ways that with so many being introduced along the way I didn’t have a hard time keeping up. Also even though we didn’t get to spend as much time as I’d hoped with these characters, a few quickly did go on to become favourites. Shadow Scale was a fantastic follow up story from Hartman; my only complaint was that we didn’t get to see much of Orma or Prince Kiggs as much as I’d hoped for. Regardless of this, the world building and Hartman’s writing was so exquisite, I have to commend her for the amount of detail and rich descriptions she weaved into her story. Although Shadow Scale takes on a different track from Seraphina, fans of the first book will not be disappointed.

Monthly Recap: March

Hi all, is everyone ready for Easter? I know a lot of people will be enjoying their four day weekend this weekend (I have to work two of those days, but I'm extremely looking forward to eating my way through a lot of chocolate and starting some great books on Monday. I'm sorry I haven't been around commenting as much lately, I was meant to have this week off, but I've had to go into work, and then I decided to join the gym this week too and go before I start work, so have been extra tired, that I haven't even picked up a book since Monday! But I promise to catch up soon, I miss visiting all your blogs, and appreciate all the lovely comments you've been leaving. Before this week though I did manage to read quite a few books and I'm ahead in my Goodreads goal, so that's all good! Here's how March was for us! 

Number of Books read:

Jasprit: 15

Rachel: 18

Highest Rated Book(s): 
Jasprit: 
My only 5 star read of the month 

Rachel:
5 Stars

Lowest Rated Book(s):

Jasprit: 
One DNF 

Rachel: 
One DNF 



Books reviewed:

Jasprit: 
(click on titles for review link)





 

Rachel:

(click on titles for review link)


    

     

Best read of last month:

Jasprit: Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman. I loved Blankman's debut read Prisoner of Night and Fog, and although I don't normally read historical fiction, these books really bought out the history nerd within me. Again with this book I was captivated from the very first page and was an emotional mess, but the things my heart had to go through were so worth it!

Rachel: 

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes.  Big Little Lies was a mystery that was slowly revealed through the eyes of three very different women. Into the Darkest Corner was a suspenseful, addictive read! The tension ratcheted up with every passing chapter. Loved the experience!

Book which surprised me the most: 
Jasprit: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno, I'm normally usually a fan of books which features a romance with two brothers involved, but both of these guys were to die for, and Cotugno's writing just lured me into this one. You can read my review for this book later this month.

Rachel: 

Into the Darkest Corner. Didn't expect to be that addicted to the story.  I kept gasping in shock or terror while listening.

Fictional crush of the month:

Jasprit: Sawyer from Most Likely to Succeed, I adored Sawyer in the two previous books in the Superlatives series, but I loved that he had the chance to shine and tell his own story, also I just wanted him to get the happy ending that he deserved!

Rachel:

I adored Simon from Vision in Silver (The Others series) and I swooned over Cole in Brash by Laura Wright. He was a sweet for a tough UFC fighter!

Three books I'm most looking forward to this month:

Jasprit:
(Click on titles for Goodreads link)

This month I'm planning on tacking books from my own pile once more. Scarlet was voted by you guys as the book that I needed to pick up last month, I started it last week, but got completely side tracked, so I'm planning on tacking it this month. Along with In the Afterlight and Kiss of Deception, two books which I've had high hopes for.

Rachel:

(Click on titles for Goodreads link)

   

   

Let us know how you did last month. Link us up an we'll come by to check it out!

Cover Reveal: Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

 

I'm excited to share this Cover Reveal for K.A. Tucker's CHASING RIVER because I adore this series. CHASING RIVER is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, and the third novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. CHASING RIVER is set to be released July 7, 2015! If you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet now is the time!

To celebrate, BURYING WATER is just $1.99 for the month of April, and there is an excerpt for Chasing River included!

Grab BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN while you wait for CHASING RIVER!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | IndieBound | Books-a-Million

About CHASING RIVER: Armed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude. Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn't let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move. Maybe it's because he saved her life, or maybe it's because he's completely different from everything she's left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone. And River isn't the kind of guy she'd want to catch.

And don’t forget BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series…

 

BURYING WATER is just $1.99 for the month of April!

About BURYING WATER: The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away. Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him? Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried. The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo ** IndieBound

About BECOMING RAIN: Luke Boone doesn't know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it-the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he's finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it's not exactly legal, Luke's never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain. Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she's one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she's just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast's most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she'll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle's footsteps. As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she'll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she'll even want to.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Books-a-Million | Google

About K.A. Tucker: Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.      

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Blog Tour: Love Lucy by April Lindner

Hi guys today I get to share my review of Love Lucy by April Lindner with you as part of the Blog Tour hosted by The Fantastic Flying Bookclub! Before my review here's a little about the book.

Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: January 27th 2015

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too. In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

I adore books which feature travel, I’ve always wanted to travel the world so as I haven’t been able to do so yet, living vicariously through books which feature travel have kept me going so far. So I was extremely giddy when I found out Love Lucy was set around our MC travelling Europe.

Lucy’s dad let Lucy go on this fantastic journey opportunity of a life time however only if she agreed to study business afterwards.  Lucy however was not into business; she was a super actress, one of the best. But of course Lucy’s dad knew best, there was no possibility that Lucy could even hit the big time, so business could definitely provide Lucy with the best opportunities. And so what if Lucy didn’t like business, at least she’d get to travel the some neat places before she started her course. Lindner described the places Lucy visited beautifully, it made me feel like I was there as a tourist myself and I did want Lucy to have the best time ever whilst she was out there, she would be stuck doing something she didn’t want to later, so why not make the most of the time she had. However on this trip none of Lucy’s friends were able to go, they were either too busy, or had plans for their own family vacations. So Lucy ended up taking one of her mum’s friend’s daughters with her. I’m assuming Charlene was fun at the beginning, but when we’re given the chance to get to know her she just comes across as a sullen girl who wants no fun. Charlene met a great guy but ended up deciding not to spend more time with him and instead stick to the schedule Lucy and her had planned. Lucy even insisted a couple of times that she could stay if she wanted to and that she wouldn’t mind, but Charlene decides no and ends up being moody for the rest of the trip. Moody enough even when Lucy meets the dream guy in Jesse. Lucy’s never felt like this way about a guy before, so Charlene could at least be happy for her, but no Lucy’s forced to ducking around just to make every last moment with Jesse count. Also Jesse actually makes Lucy believe in herself once more, wasn’t it right to do something you wanted to do and what you was good at rather than something your parents wanted you to do? I appreciated that Jesse encouraged Lucy to want to do things herself.

When Lucy had to leave it did sort of remind me of the book Just One Day, (a book which I loved) Lucy had the best time of her life with Jesse, but now she had to go back and start over. I did feel for Lucy and for the loss of not being with Jesse, but I don’t think I was affected by this loss as much as I was with Just One Day. It was a struggle for Lucy to get through each day, but I had hope that soon things would get better for Lucy, after the summer Lucy had she deserved it.

I’m not going to reveal how things ended up for Lucy, but it really was an unexpected sort of events. I’m glad that Lucy was able to meet some good friends along the way. They gave her the support and encouragement exactly when she needed it the most. And even though this other guy was thrown in to the mix later on I knew and was pretty sure Lucy did where her heart really belonged to. Love Lucy really was a different read to what I was expecting, but I loved getting lost in Italy with Jesse and experiencing some great adventures with both him and Lucy.

 

April Lindner is the author of three novels: Catherine, a modernization of Wuthering Heights; Jane, an update of Jane Eyre; and Love, Lucy, due out in January, 2015. She also has published two poetry collections, Skin and This Bed Our Bodies Shaped. She plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets—two Labrador retriever mixes and two excitable guinea pigs. A professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University, April lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

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