Waiting on Wednesday #15

September 20th 2016

This week I have chosen a BEAUTIFUL book...

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess!!!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces Henrietta Howel, a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and an entertaining world filled with magic, monsters, and mayhem.

1. This book first caught my attention when Adam Silvera posted that he wanted this book so badly that he would burst into flames to get it (or something along those lines) and so I was curious... and then I laughed when I read the synopsis and saw what this beauty was going to be about!

2. YAY FLAMES

3. VICTORIAN LONDON.

4. Demons, Bloodthirsty, Sorcerers, Deception, Magic, Monsters, and Mayhem! AHHHH

5. NOT THE CHOSEN ONE. THANK YOU!!!!! FINALLY

6. I've heard about a love square? I'm okay with this. When well written I actually love it.

7. Spellbinding is like my bread and butter. Say it and it will catch my attention and make me most likely want to read that book.

8. Also, Jessica Cluess is so sweet. I have interacted with her on twitter a few times and it makes me THAT much more excited to read the book! (Which by the time this has posted I will have most likely read this! A review should be going up soon!)

BUY IT HERE: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post our most anticipated releases!

Waiting on Wednesday #14

September 20th 2016

This week I have chosen Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake!!

Goodreads Synopsis: Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

1. This is MY type of book. Naturalists. Elementals. Poisoner. I love the concept of triplet queens.

2. FIGHT TO THE DEATH HELL YEAH

3. I just want to see all of the queens battle it out.

4. I love the name Arsinoe. SO unique!

5. Yay for dark books which are my favorite.

6. I'm really just excited for Arsinoe. And everything else but ESPECIALLY Arsinoe!

BUY IT HERE:  Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post our most anticipated releases!

The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Rose & the Dagger
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Page Count:
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Retellings
Rating: 4.75 Stars!
Source: The library <3
Links: Goodreads  IndieBound Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository
Synopsis: The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

Review:

"I swore I would spend my life showing those I loved how I felt, and never resorting to words. I promised I would do for others what I'd failed to do for her. Not to profess love. But instead act upon it."

The Rose and The Dagger is everything good about The Wrath and the Dawn except to me, executed 10000000x better.

Now don't get me wrong, they are both beautifully written and constructed books with rich fleshed out characters, swoon-worthy romance, and magic beyond any other....

But ROSE was SOOOOO much more my style. They are both such different, unique books and if you had a little more background info before ROSE, I almost feel like you could read this without the first one. (Okay, I lie, this is probably not the case, I just love ROSE infinitely more.)

There is something about this book. The writing is as addicting and lively as WRATH but there was something so much more appealing about it to me. I ADORED every last word.

"Sometimes the family you choose is stronger than blood."

In this book Irsa, Shazi's younger sister plays a much more central role, and I LOVED her in WRATH, so this was such a shining moment of brilliance in my opinion. Everything that involved Irsa was so right.

This whole book meshed with me so damn well. From the new characters to the old characters and all of the changes that are held within the walls of this novel... ITS SO BEAUTIFUL.

Words fail to explain the beauty and the serenity of Ahdieh's words. Even if you do not like her books, you cannot deny that her writing is definitely distinguishable from all other authors today. She has a very unique and powerful voice. Poignant. Strong.

The characters in Renee's world are BEYOND BELIEF in their strength, and reality. Which totally sounds contradictory but it makes sense in the best of ways.

I loved the focus on the magical book and Shazi and Irsa's Baba's obsession with it. It offered another level to the novel besides the expected war between Khorasan and the rest of the country. (For whatever reason I am completely blanking on the name at the moment.)

AND GUESS WHAT?!? I LIKED TARIQ IN THIS NOVEL. I LIKED HIM. I couldn't care less about him in WRATH but I thought he offered such beautiful contrast and strength in this novel that I was so happy to have him a part of it all.

There are so many swoons in this book! It is not as romance heavy or as steamy as WRATH and that may be why it's more my style because this had the PERFECT amount of romance for me! Khalid and Shazi are just perfect <3 but the real love story lies with her younger sister. <3 <3 <3

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough to everyone. To me, it was VASTLY better than WRATH and feel it deserves ALL the praise!

To close this review, here are some QUOTES!

Beware of  spoilers of plot points. Nothing THAT insane, but yes, spoilers.

"I wish you would not be so stubborn." "And I wish you had not jumped before and arrow last night. But wishes are for genies and the fools who believe in such things."  I laughed so hard at this. But also *paiiiiiiin*


"Be the beginning and the end, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran. Be stronger than everything around you. Make all our many sacrifices woth it."  HELL YES.

"Make sure she never feels lonely. That she always feels loved." *CRIES*



"It does not take courage to kill. It takes courage to live." *LOOOOOVE*

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!

Waiting on Wednesday #13

September 20th 2016

This week my choice for WoW is Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco!

Goodreads Synopsis:  Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

1. I love the idea of forensic anything in books and gory things such as these because it reminds me of TV shows I love... Criminal Minds, CSI, Psych, White Collar etc.

2. YES INVESTIGATE SERIAL MURDERERS DO IT AUDREY

3. TWIST AND TURNS WILL DELIVER.

4. I just know this is going to be SO suspenseful! :D

BUY IT HERE: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post our most anticipated releases!

Waiting on Wednesday #12

September 13th 2016

This week my pick is a debut novel entitled The Reader (Sea of Ink And Gold #1) by Traci Chee

This books title and gorgeous cover were the first things that drew me to it. And then I read the synopsis and KNEW I NEEDED this book!

Goodreads Synopsis: Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

1. Brutal murder. I'm always on board to read about it to fuel the story.

2. Kidnapping. AHHH.

3. A BOOK HELL YEAH.

4. VENGEANCE.

5. This sounds so magical and Sefia sounds badass as hell (once she finds her footing, I believe. Because I could see her being weak at the beginning and growing into her badassery.)

6. I mean the title is perfect.

7. Also, I've heard the book is pretty diverse which will always make a fella happy. :)

BUY THIS BOOK: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository 

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post our most anticipated releases!

ARC Review: The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Title: The Sun Is Also A Star
Author: Nicola Yoon
Page Count: 344
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Rating: 5
 Amazon IndieBound Goodreads Barnes & Noble The Book Depository
Source: I won an ARC via Barnes & Noble Teen Book Fest Trivia Night!

Synopsis: Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Review: This book made me believe in love at first sight again. It's absolutely beautiful.

I was hesitant for the first 30ish pages. but then it made sense. Everything clicked. I got the story and how it was being told. and I adored everything that came after.

Natasha trusts only science and facts

and Daniel is such a hopeless romantic.
Together they make a breathtaking constellation.

This book has so many important topics: Undocumented Immigration; Parental Overprotection; Multiverse Theory; The impact you have on others lives, no matter how small a matter may seem.

This book is important because it accurately portrays societal stereotypes put on various ethnic groups based on outward appearances and expectations.

and I love the ending of this book. it was as perfect as I could have hoped for.

the hopeless romantic in me swooned over this day that changed their lives forever.

Continuing my thoughts after the initial stream of thoughts was written:

Okay. I must admit, I was super wary going into this book because I was afraid I wasn't going to like it as much as I liked Everything, Everything. I had no need to worry because this book blew me away. In TSIAAS we follow Natasha, a Jamaican American who is facing deportation in 12 hours, and Daniel, a Korean American boy whose family is too strict and too set on him becoming a doctor.

Except, Daniel doesn't want to be a doctor. He writes poetry. He's just too afraid to defy his family.

and Natasha's mother might tell her that "Everything happens for a reason." but Natasha doesn't believe in that. She believes in things she can see, science,facts, the works. Natasha decides to take matters into her own hands and attempt to stop the deportation.

And in a single moment there lives are changed forever because Natasha and Daniel meet at one fateful moment. And everything that comes after tells a story of love, loss, and growing into oneself.

I had a dream the night after I read this that I was being deported. I, a white male, being deported. That's insane and would never happen. But this book made me feel it. Made me feel the pain that these families are going through. Granted, not nearly as strong as they feelas they are being kicked out of the land they call home. It's not a fair thing. But this book presents so many important glances at how this could possibly feel. And boy was it palpable. It's a terrifying ordeal and I feel so strongly for Natasha and for Daniel.

I love the way this story is told. Through first person for both Natasha and Daniel and then it weaves into third person for these "breaking of the third wall" kind of situations. We get to hear stories from all of these people and how their lives are interconnected with Tasha and Daniel's. It's a very clever way to tell a story and I loved reading it.

I cannot say that I actually understand how Natasha and Daniel feel, because I have never been a situation even remotely close to the ones that they experience. Although I can say that I sympathisize with them, and by God I try my best to understand. I felt emotions I haven't felt this strongly since I read More Happy Than Not.

I did tear up a few times. It hit me hard, this story. It was beautifully written and told so honestly. You could very well tell that Nicola Yoon's words came from a place of true stories. You can just tell that she has a personal connection to these stories. And that's what makes it so special.

I love this book. It has immense depth, and gorgeous stories. If I had to make a critique it would be stupid and would be the amount of times "says" was used. But I honestly don't care enough about that. It was just slightly annoying.

Love, love, love this book. You will too.

STALKING JACK THE RIPPER by Kerri Maniscalco Blog Tour!

Welcome to Roecker Reviews

The 5th Stop on this wonderful Blog Tour!

And I'm super excited to be a part of this...

and here I am to tell you about Stalking Jack The Ripper and why I am SO excited for this novel!!!

First off, THE BEAUTIFUL COVER!

Although I think it would be prettier if you cut off the presented by James Patterson banner across the top... I still the cover is GORGEOUS!!!

AND SYNOPSIS TIME:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

While this synopsis is short, it dazzles and excites while enticing readers into this world! I'm so damn excited to meet Audrey Rose and the rest of the characters in SJTR because from everything I've heard... they are unforgettable!

Here are the many reasons I am excited for SJTR:

1. Characters. Each and every one. I'm excited to meet feminist badass Audrey Rose, the suave Thomas and everyone else that we shall meet within!

2. I'm excited that this book follows bloody things and forensic medicine because I've always LOVED TV shows that have been like this and I am even more stoked if it has any of the humor from Psych or White Collar mixed with the bloody and creepy of Criminal Minds and CSI. That's my hope and the whole idea of the book gives off that vibe!

3. I'm in LOVE with mysteries. I mean Scooby Doo was my favorite thing in THE WORLD growing up so any form of mystery that will be held in this book will make me happy. And this is much bloodier I'm sure. SO YES FOR MYSTERIES AND BLOOD!!!

4. It doesn't hurt that Kerri Maniscalco is one of the sweetest humans in the world and I'm actually excited to see how dark this book can get because Kerri gives off such a bright positive energy and I have a feeling the words in this page us will surprise us in all of the best of ways!

5. VICTORIAN ERA

 

(I actually have no idea what she is saying nor do I care but I thought the dress was appropriate.)

6. I mean the hype really helps making me excited!!!! :D

7. I'm honestly just so so so excited for this book and I hope you are too!

Literally exactly how I feel about this book right now!

Here are the links to platforms to preorder this bloody book!

Goodreads   |   Amazon   |   Barnes& Noble   |  Indiebound

Here are the links to Kerri Maniscalco's platforms!

Twitter   |  Facebook   |   Instagram   |   Website   |   Tumblr   |   Pinterest

Are you excited for Stalking Jack The Ripper? Let me know why in the comments! And continue following the blog tour as it goes every day until release day (September 20th)!!! :D

Waiting on Wednesday #11

September 6th 2016

This week I have chosen Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

This book is the 5th book in the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J Maas and if I didn't feature it at some point I would be kidding myself.

Goodreads Synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

Things I am Hoping For:

1. More Lysandra.

2. More Manon

3. Less Rowan.

4. More badassery and less focus on the "hot" boys.

5. Aelin to be herself again.

6. Chaol to be more like himself again.

7. Dorian and Manon NOT to EVER be together because NOTP.

8. More Elide

9. More witches.

10. I kind of want someone important to die. Let's see if something like that happens!

BUT IT HERE: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we post our most anticipated releases!