Cassie James's Blog: Itz All About Books!! - Posts Tagged "netgalley"

Just reviewed Raelia by Lynette Noni https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Blood of the Hydra by Michelle Madow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Thanks to Michelle Madow for giving me an arc for a honest review. Blood Of The Hydra is a whirlwind of adventure, romance and magic. Michelle Madow has outdone herself with this Installment, she proves herself to be a master storyteller. Blood Of The Hydra began with action, The group was immediately plunged into the job of fighting monsters escaped from the weakened Kerberos. In search of a weapon to defeat the monsters, they discovered a method to keep them in limbo for a year giving them enough time to strength Kerberos. The group journeyed to Greece to acquire the ingredients. On the course of the quest, they make a few friends, two demigods Ethan and Rachael also meeting Zeus in the process. From the Land Of The Lotus Eaters to milking the immortal cattle of Helios and confronting the Hydra, their adventure is one that keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Filled with humor and heartfelt romance, This is my favorite Installment.... For now. I especially loved when Nicole was thinking that it would be "nice if everyone in the real world could put aside their prejudices and simply enjoy each other's company", that touches my heart. The moments where the group took photos at Helios's island remind that despite the severity of the situation, they are still teenagers. Nicole and Blake's relationship is something I was expecting and I was not disappointed, they many 'Aww' inspiring moments especially that moment towards the ending. Danielle is not a character I could have guessed I would end up liking, I saw a different side to her that impressed me enough for her to become a total badass in my opinion. But what I loved most about this book is the Magic, I love anything that has to do with magic and this book is full of it. Michelle knows how to write her stuff. Blood Of The Hydra is definitely one of the best the YA genre has to offer.



View all my reviews

Withering Rose by Kaitlyn Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


First of all, I would like to thank Kaitlyn Davis for giving me an Arc for an honest review.
Reading Withering Rose was a blast. Not only is it funny, the romance between Omorose and Cole is just so adorable. This is a book I can describe as unputdownable (I finished it in a matter of hours), The world building is fantastic and the adaptation of Beauty and The Beast is portrayed in a delightful manner. This book is worth your time.
One of the moments I loved most was when they had an egg fight, I couldn't stop giggling at the sweetness of the moment. While Cole may at first appear cold and standoffish, You will eventually come to understand. Another element that made this book unique to me is the magic, it is carefully written and crafted. Watching Omorose bloom from a Wallflower to the fierce Queen she was always meant to be is something that made this book one of my favorites. Seeing Asher and Jade again was something I really loved. I look forward to reading more books of this author in the future.



View all my reviews

Stealer by A.M. Yates

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Thanks to the publisher for giving me an arc for a honest review.
The main thing I love about this books is the pace, It is fast and highly engrossing. The action is entrancing, I found myself unable to put it down. Dee is the sort of heroine I love to read about, Strong willed and snarky despite the fact that she appeared weak at first. Crescent might be a little bit confusing at first but you will get into it eventually. The combination of the plexus is quite frankly a disaster but what makes this book fun is seeing them all work together towards the same goal despite their differences. A. M. Yates did a great job with this book, this series is already one of my favorites. Stealer has an ending that will leave you wanting for more. P.S Get ready to meet a sarcastic glowing worm.



View all my reviews

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from the wonderful author (Which in no way influences my thoughts on it) in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to start with the things I love about it.
-The idea of the Ancients. There is one thing I love in Authors and it is originality, and that is one thing this book has in abundance.
-The distinctions between Witches, Magicians and Sorcerers. It was brilliantly executed and well constructed, Not all authors could pull it off but Jessica Cluess did it in a fascinating way.
-The Magic, Oh my gosh the magic. The magic is simply perfect, portrayed in a manner that paints a clear picture in one's mind. It is highly descriptive an entertaining, I have read a lot of magic books and I have to say this is in my top three spots of 2016.
-Humor and Relationships. When reading this book, I found myself laughing many times. It is rare to find a book that is this well put together. And the relationships in the book is intriguing and fascinating in a way that makes you yearn for more time with the characters.
- Action. Oh yes. From the very first pages till the very end, the action is gripping and I can recommend this book to action lovers because this is one book that is full of action.
-Worldbuilding. I have to commend Jessica Cluess for pulling it off. The world of A Shadow Bright and Burning Is one that I can say will appeal to YA Fantasy lovers. It will hook you in and make you reluctant to let go.
-The Characters. Henrietta Howel is feisty, loyal, funny and brave. She is the kind of heroine that grabs one's attention and becomes your favorite. Julian Magnus, He is by far my favorite in all the boys. Funny, loving and supportive, He is the perfect guy a girl can wish to have. Brooding Blackwood who comes across as proud and condescending but actually has a soft heart. Rook, Rietta's childhood best friend who has gone through so much with her. There are many other characters that make this book so much fun, but you are going to have to get it to meet this wonderful group of people.
-Monsters. I love monsters, yes I am obsessed with books that have big, bad, hairy, ugly monsters and this books has many monsters that makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. Shadows, Familiars and many more.
-The Romance. It is sweet, intense and it makes you curious about who will end up with Henrietta eventually. All I will say about this is that the romance is something you will want to read, it is not to be missed.
For those that are more curious about the plot, here is a brief precise summary: Witches are allegedly evil, Magicians are tricksters and Sorcerers are powerful, in charge, proud and well jerks and there hasn't been a female sorcerer since the time of Joan of Arc. Henrietta Howel a school teacher is allegedly prophesied to be the savior of the world from these seven big bad scary dudes called the ancients. Made up of very powerful and scary monsters, the Ancients are rumoured to be gods. Summoned to Earth by a stupid but powerful witch and an even stupider magician, they have terrorised Earth for years being a plague on humanity. Henrietta is sent to London with her childhood friend Rook to learn how to control her powers. Training under the tutelage of Agrippa and his charming male apprentices, she finds out that everything is not as it seems and she has a secret that could send her whole world crashing down.
Yup that's just about it, want more? Get the book when it is out.
Everything in the book all lead to an explosive ending that left me shocked, I was pleasantly surprised at many things that transpired in the ending. I am sure you will love it. My thoughts on ASBAB is that it is a book that you do not want to miss, I guarantee that you will fall as hopelessly in love with it as I did. Thanks to Jessica Cluess for writing one of the best books I have read in 2016.

P.S The book cover is significant(You will find out at the ending).



View all my reviews

The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Thanks to the publisher Keymaster Press for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in anyway influence my opinion on this book



The Alchemists of Loom is truly exceptional. Elise Kova's books keeps getting better and better. Just as the Air Awakens series sucked me in, The Alchemists of Loom has quickly made itself an unforgettable read. With an exceptionally strong heroine, a unique and brave hero and several notable characters such as the steadfast Florence, The infallible Leona and even the abominable Dragon King, The Alchemists of Loom is definitely the most engrossing of books that has ever graced my presence. The action, feelings, words, emotions all blend together to form an enthralling masterpiece that rendered me speechless at the utter awesomeness of it. I can assure tAoL is unlike anything you have ever read.
The Characters:
Arianna.
Arianna is strong, brave, loyal and very smart. To those lucky enough to be her friends, she would move mountains to ensure their wellbeing. She is a weapon in her own right. She has trust issues and has very impressive gut instincts. She has many secrets in her past that haunt her, I wouldn't say she is a good girl but she is definitely one epic person. Her ability to improvise is enviable and her magic quite formidable. The details of her past are not entirely clear but it was not a walk in the park. She portrays herself to have a tough infallible shell but underneath it is a woman who is capable of being loved and loving. She adopts the moniker of the White Wraith as a testament to the fact that she is thought to be dead and has risen from the dead. She is ultimately one of the best heroines I have ever read about.

Florence.
Florence is very loyal, brilliant and protective and those are qualities I love about her. With her tragic past, I am quite happy with the wonderful, brave and strong woman she became. Her tact for explosives and weapons was quite impressive. Watching her become who she is meant to be is one of the things l truly loved. Throughout the journey from Dortam to The Alchemists Guild, I was expecting her to breakdown but she surprised me by persevering and taking charge when needed. She will definitely be a fan favorite.

Cvareh.
Cvareh is not quite what I expected, He Is better. He is different from Aldrik Solaris and I love him just as he is. There are no words I can use to describe how special he is. All I can say is that you will love him, root for him, crave him and you will be pleasantly surprised by him at many turns.

Despite these characters not being human, I am still wholly in love with them. There are still some other notable characters but you have to read the book to meet them.
The diversity of the characters is one of the things that make this book such a great read, I lost myself in it so many times that extracting myself from the Loom world began to feel like torture. The worldbuilding is phenomenal and very impressive. Some worlds are not entirely easy to understand but that of The Loom Saga is very well constructed and portrayed in a way that even a newbie to fantasy will be able to get along. It shows that a lot of work went into this book and it should be very well commended because it was well pulled off. This book aced every expectation I have from a fantasy book. The action is fast paced in a way that doesn't lag and begins to feel boring, Nope it keeps you on the edge of your seat. With each fight, each victory, each loss, each improvisation to plans, you will find yourself exhibiting strong emotions towards the fate of the characters.
As per the relationship between Cvareh and Arianna, I can assure that it is intense, hot, endearing and laced with such a sensational vibe that every moment they have together is meaningful and leading the both of them towards a precipice of trust. I found myself falling in love with both of them at many turns to the point they began to feel like friends. The camaraderie between the gang despite their different agendas, backstories and methods was also quite amusing.
My favorite quote of tAoL has got to be:

“It was like smelling his favorite meal when he hadn’t eaten for months. It was like finding the accent to a fine coat. He didn’t need her, but gods he wanted her.”

Those words are raw and emotional and that was one of my best moments in this book. This book may be classified as an Adult book but it will definitely appeal to many age rates. The mixture of fantasy and steampunk made an interesting combination that made this book unrivalled. The concept of Ravens, Alchemists, Rivets, Harvesters and Revolvers is a very unique one that made The Alchemists of Loom stand out. I praise Elise Kova for her originality and ingenuity that continues to amaze me. The ending of this book had some unexpected but pleasant surprises that left me quite anxious for the next book in the series. I find no fault whatsoever in every facet of this book, I give it a thousand stars.
With tAoL, Elise Kova proves that she is a master storyteller that can weave stories into bewitching tales that entertain to no end. I wholly recommend The Alchemists of Loom to everybody out there that wants to read one of the best books out there.



View all my reviews

Shadow Fall by Audrey Grey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thank you to Blaze Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion on it.





From the highly captivating prologue, I knew that this book will become one of my favourites. I have been excited about this book for a while because it seemed like something I'd like and I was right. I am in love with this wonderfully written awesome book. Just when I thought that I've read the best of 2016, this came along and shook my world. Shadow Fall reminded me of why I love YA Dystopian books. Audrey Grey weaves a fresh new world that is unrivalled, with a cast of stellar characters that you just can't help but love. Shadow Fall is a perfect blend of action, romance, mystery, adventure, intense moments and every page is simply a wonder.
Maia is simply a delightful, strong, snarky character, despite the numerous hardships she endured in the pits (A place worse than the underworld) she still emerged reasonably sane. Riser is intense, dark and there's just something about him that grabs my attention and makes him such a memorable character. Prince Caspian is delightful and even better than I expected. There is history between this three characters and a lot of baggage that makes understanding them a lot of fun. There are other notable characters such as Flame, the sarcastic rebel who accompanies Maia and Riser. Nicolai, the mysterious benefactor that offers Maia the chance to save her brother and get revenge over the unjust murder of her father by the emperor. Merida, a friend of Maia who went when through a lot of ordeals with her. Delphine, Caspian's betrothed who is a classic rich mean girl who is one of the Chose. Even the deplorable Emperor who never stopped proving how maniacal and depraved he was. All the characters were well constructed with plots that always entertain.
Shadow Fall is literally Hunger Games meet The Maze Runner meet Red Queen meet Divergent. This spectacular YA Sci-fi Dystopian book has many qualities from this aforementioned books that makes it stand out. The words flow together perfectly making each scene as exciting as the previous one. Maia's transformation into Lady Everly March was a really major way for her to become the amazing woman she is meant to be. Her adventures throughout the books was nothing short of being epic.
The Shadow Trials was one of my favorite aspects of this book despite how it ended, I could feel every emotion intensely as the characters experienced trials after trials. The bonds of friendship, family, love for all of mankind was something I admired about this book. There are simply not enough words to describe this masterpiece Audrey Grey has created.

With three major characters that never stops putting me on the edge of my sit, Very well constructed and well written plots, adventures that left me gasping with each twists and turns, a romance that is just too freaking amazing, a villain that makes me want to introduce him to dementors, an ending that left me frozen with shock, I declare Shadow Fall one of the best books I have ever read. Any fan of Sci-Fi, Dystopian, YA even Fantasy, this is one book you do not want to miss. I will eagerly await future installments in the series.

P.S: Isn't that cover simply divine? I want to cuddle with it!!!



View all my reviews

The Secret City by C.J. Daugherty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion on this book




I absolutely loved The Secret Fire so much. Taylor and Sacha quickly become favorite characters of mine. Continuing their story in The Secret City was a blast.
After that explosive ending of book 1, I was glad to get back into their story. I had many expectations for this sequel and I was not disappointed. With it's usual fast sensible pace, The Secret City began with Taylor settled in at St Wilfred's and practicing control over her powers. This installment in the series is just as exciting as the previous one, Maybe more so because of the ticking clock over Sasha's fate. All the characters had perfect plots that made me happy.
From the Dark Practitioner attacking St. Wilfred's to discovering a magical book on Demonology to Sacha and Louisa battling a zombie monster in an underground library to the final showdown with a demon, the adventure in this book was nonstop and exhilarating. I loved the surprising twist at the ending, it made up for all the horror they went through. The action was super awesome, the relationship between Sacha and Taylor really developed into a sizzling hot bond, a few twists and turns in the plot made it amazing overall.
The Secret City is very well written and it is one book that I can gladly recommend to every one who loves YA Fantasy books. I will gladly look forward to more books by this two wonderful authors in the future.



View all my reviews

All Laced Up by Erin Fletcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to Entangled Publishing for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't influence my opinions on it.




From the blurb of this book, I guessed this will be a fun read and I was right. All books by Entangled Publishing are favorites of mine and this has joined the long list.
First of all, I don't like Hockey. Not at all but All Laced Up changed that perception, the sport is told in a vivid way that made it fascinating to read about. While the book is not ALL about hockey, a major part of the plot revolves around it.
Lia and Pierce are two people that never ceased to entertain me at all times. One thing about this book that made it outstanding is the fact that it is realistic and that made me appreciate it even more. Lia had always misunderstood who Pierce Miller really is but when she makes criticism on his performance online through an anonymous account, it sparks numerous conversations between them. This gave her the chance to see the type of person he was underneath the facade that others see. I love Pierce, he is not a jerk like some other guys are. He is just someone who took things for granted, Lia helped him become the great person and hockey player he is meant to be.
Lia is not a perfect girl, she has a lot of emotional baggage and she also tends to assume the worst about Pierce at times but I love her and all her flaws. Seeing their relationship grow was awesome and the camaraderie between them superb, I felt really enthralled by their story.
These characters were really developed and very understandable. Other characters I loved were Mr. Kozlov, Embry, Carson, Jackson and many others. The plot of the book is mesmerizing and very well written and the ending is absolutely perfect. I could not put this book down until I reached the very last page.

“I know you picked the username Superfan to be ironic, but it turns out I’m the super fan of you.”

That's one of my favorite quotes.

This is a book of humor, friendship, chasing after your dreams, confidence, family, letting go, love and believing in yourself. Erin Fletcher has impressed me a lot, I am very glad to have gotten the chance to read this book and I happily recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.



View all my reviews

Fall of Thrones and Thorns by Jennifer Ellision

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my thoughts on this book




I requested for this book knowing that I will have to read the first two books in the series and I'm glad I took that chance.
I was enthralled by the story of Bree from the very first chapter of the first book and that fascination never abated till I read this explosive satisfying ending to the series. I have read many fantasy books but I am always very glad when I discover ones like this that are outstanding. Jennifer Ellision weaves a transfixing world that held me in it's clutches and made a great impression on me.
Fall of Thrones and Thorns began where the last book ended, on the shores of Nereid. Accepting Bree's new identity as the princess of Nereid wasn't an easy transition for the group. This book is a thrilling ride of non stop adventure and action. I really loved seeing how Bree handled her situation, how Aleta accepted forging a new future for herself by herself, how Caden came to accept the fact that there are bigger forces at work. There are no words I can use to express just how much I love this book and the series.
This book is everything I'd expect from a finale of a series. All the events from previous installments in the series all lead to this final book. There is never a moment of rest, there is a lingering feeling of finality that makes one aware that the end is near. Every character took steps towards becoming the great heroes they're meant to be. The camaraderie between the gang is one thing I always loved about this series.
The ending was very satisfying although the journey towards it was full of unexpected twists and turns but I commend Jennifer Ellision for giving this series a perfect ending. I gladly recommend this book to Young Adult Fantasy lovers, fans of Queen of The Tearling, Throne of Glass, Snow Like Ashes, Air Awakens etc.



View all my reviews