Top 10 Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books of 2017

This meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s topic is Top Ten Tuesday #131: Where I share my most favorite books of 2017!


10: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson: This was one of my anticipated book of 2017! Fae, painting and romance in this gorgeous debut with the cover made by Charlie Bowater!

9: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee: Two boys, their Grand Tour around Europe and their hidden feelings for each other! What could possibly go wrong!? I would also love to see this book becoming a movie!

8: The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo: I LOVED this collection of stories from the Grishaverse! And the illustrations too!

7: Tower of Dawn & A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas: I really don't need to explain myself here!

6: A Conjuring of Light by Victoria Schwab: I still get the feels from this series! Also knowing that there'll be a continuation of this world also makes me excited for more Kell, Rhy and Lila!

5: Zero, Repeat, Forever by G.S. Pendergast: Beauty and the Beast meets the 5th Wave in this gorgeous, emotional world! Also, dandelions are pretty, there is sign language and my heart is torn in pieces! (I also want a tattoo with this design!) Also, I couldn't keep the song "Forevermore" playing in repeat in my mind while I read this book!

4: Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews: I binge read ALL the books by this amazing author duo and now I'm in a book slump concerning the Urban Fantasy genre!

3: A Soul to Take by Emily Taylor: Beauty and the Beast meets Black Butler meets futurist Victorian like world! I really had high hopes for this book and my dear Emily didn't disappoint!

2: The Silenced Tale by J.M. Frey: My dear characters here are going into battle! In a Con! There is magic, mystery, adventure and romance! And an ending like an explosion!

1: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: One of the most lavish, fantastic books I've read this year! You can't help but fall in love with Laini's writing and pose!

Release Day+ARC Review+Trailer Reveal+Giveaway: "Brave" (The Wicked Powers #3) by Jennifer Armentrout

Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.

It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine... and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.

Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life-altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far-reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart. If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves--and, ultimately, to save herself.

Because behind ever evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen… 

PRE-ORDER ON

AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS

TRAILER 




 CREDIT: Created by Franggy Yanez Photo - http://www.franyanezphoto.com/ Talent: Justin Edwards (the cover model)

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

What an ending! I never expected to see this series ending so soon, because...well I wanted more! More Tink, more Ren and more Ivy!

So let's begin: Ivy suffers from PTSD and honestly I think that she and Feyre would be best buddies. It is hard and emotionally draining and that led Ivy to some bad decisions, which in turn turned Ren to also make some life-altering decisions.

The evil Fae are gathering together and help will be needed in order to put the Prince back to the Otherworld. Add in a sexy new Prince, Tink swooning and being amazing and lots of sass and funny moments and you're in for a good adventure!

I won't tell spoilers but truly a scene with Tink towards the ending was simply hilarious! I really can't wait to see how PassionFlix will make those characters come to life! Plus, there will be a novella too!

And if there will be any spin-off series about Ivy and Ren, I'd definitely read it!

And don't miss the other two books of the series!

WICKED

TORN

About the author:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications.  Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. She is also the creator and sole financier of the annual Write Your Way To RT Book Convention, a contest that gives aspiring authors a chance to win a fully paid trip to RT Book Reviews.

GIVEAWAY INFO 

 · PRIZE: SURPRISE SIGNED PRIZE PACK (containing multiple signed books & swag) 

· OPEN INTERNATIONAL 

· ENDS 12/22/17 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour+ARC Review+Giveaway: "Pulse" by Danielle Koste

PULSE

by Danielle Koste

---

Genre
Sci-fi, Paranormal, Romance

Preorders / Release
Nov 30th, 2017 / Jan 1st, 2018

BUY ON

AMAZON | B&N | BOOK DEPOSITORY | INDIGO | KOBO | ADLIBRIS

---

---

BLURB

Rowan Platts is addicted to success.

When she's presented with the chance to work on a top secret project fronted by her idol, renowned virologist Dr. Margot Miller, Rowan signs her life away without second thought. The realization she’s gotten in over her head comes only after the subject of their study is revealed: a boy with a bad attitude and an uninhibited taste for human blood.

He's a medical anomaly. Having the ability to crush metal with his bare hands and hear a heartbeat from across the room, it would make Rowan’s career if she was the one to discover what made him so unusual.

Easier said than done, with a subject who prefers snapping necks over answering questions.

PULSE on goodreads 

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

You do realise that you actually miss a specific genre when you finally get a chance to read it again! For the lovers of supernatural and vampires, I give you PULSE! Danielle Koste manages within a standalone(?) novel to recreate an atmosphere of mystery gritty details, gory scenes and a hint of romance.

Rowan is a scientist who is eager to learn and to please. When the DOD brings to the laboratory she works a mysterious subject, she and her colleagues will realise that some legends can be scientifically real.

I liked how Danielle didn't sugarcoat anything. The boy-man(?) is actually scary, there are no sweet nothings whispered and of course he doesn't glitter in the sun! Instead, there is action, sarcasm, some really hot scenes and lots of science!
Add in this gorgeous cover, which is a give away with its simple, yet bloody design and you have it! I can't wait to see what more Danielle can create! And I do hope that this book will have a sequel too!

---

About the Author

Danielle Koste is a born and raised Canadian, but currently lives with her significant other in the equally snowy and cold Stockholm, Sweden. While working a day job and learning the language of the locals, she spends her free time honing the craft she's always had a passion for.

When procrastinating, Danielle likes to enjoy other forms of rich story-telling, besides the obvious abundance of novels filling up her apartment and Kindle. Movies, music, and video games are among her favorite time-wasters.

---

---

Website / Goodreads / Patreon / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr

---

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: "Hot Shot" (North Ridge #3) by Karina Halle

                                                

Hot Shot by Karina Halle 

Release Date: January 2^nd, 2017 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Cover Design: Hang Le

Delilah Gordon has a secret.

She’s been in love with her best friend and the boy next door, Fox Nelson, since she was six years old.

And while most of her friends and family know about her unrequited crush, the one person who remains oblivious is Fox himself. To Delilah, it’s better this way. She’d rather pretend that they’re just friends, even though her feelings for the moody rugged mountain man are anything but tame.

Fox Nelson has a secret too.

As a wildland firefighter or “hot shot,” Fox parachutes into danger every day he’s on the job, risking all to fight wildfires that threaten ranches, forests and thousands of lives. But while Fox’s job is only for the brave, inside he feels anything but. The more he grapples with his raging demons, the more he realizes Delilah is the only one who can put out the flames.

As the two friends grow closer – and more intimate – than ever before, the more complicated their relationship becomes.

And Delilah has one more secret to reveal.

A secret that will change both their lives…forever.

          

Pre-Order Today! 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2BCI9qf 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ji45QJ 

iBooks: http://apple.co/2nvRmym 

Nook: http://bit.ly/2ipmM3T 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ir12os 

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2j1no0t

                               

Grab Wild Card for FREE, limited time only! 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2fG5PnV 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2fGzpcM 

iBooks: http://apple.co/2vgLICr 

Nook: http://bit.ly/2vc6zHg 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2hicmWm

Maverick: 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2zR0zTA 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2AurxDC 

iBooks: http://apple.co/2ntkHJL 

Nook: http://bit.ly/2iqLrVU 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ksZfDL

Meet Karina:

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinahalle/ 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vo9pq4 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorhalle/ 

Join her Reader Group: https://goo.gl/wpCBSS 

Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here: https://goo.gl/Ve4eCh http://authorkarinahalle.com

ARC Review: "Brightly Burning" by Alexa Donne

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Seventeen-year-old Stella Ainsley wants just one thing: to go somewhere—anywhere—else. Her home is a floundering spaceship that offers few prospects, having been orbiting an ice-encased Earth for two hundred years. When a private ship hires her as a governess, Stella jumps at the chance. The captain of the Rochester, nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, is notorious throughout the fleet for being a moody recluse and a drunk. But with Stella he’s kind.

But the Rochester harbors secrets: Stella is certain someone is trying to kill Hugo, and the more she discovers, the more questions she has about his role in a conspiracy threatening the fleet. 

PRE-ORDER ON

AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I couldn't be happier than getting the chance to review this lovely book! Knowing that Netgalley rarely grants requests to INT readers, I was very excited!
The book follows Stella, a young girl who is also a mechanic, a teacher and lives into a spaceship orbing around a frozen Earth.
There are also many spaceships orbiting around Earth and lots of the have manes that can either remind you of 19th century England or they have names of the classics! When Stella takes the chance to become a governess to the Rochester, she will meet its enigmatic captain and the ship's secrets.

There were some alternations to the plot in order to diverge a little from the original. It felt fresher and more alive; the descriptions are great and you can't help but love Stella's POV. She is sweet yet sensitive and wants nothing more but to escape and learn about the world/space.
Some surprises were quite nice in the book, which gave it an air of mystery and the language used in the dialogue did throw me at some parts back to the original Jane Eyre.

The ending was very satisfying and I liked very much!

About the author:

Alexa Donne is a Ravenclaw who wears many hats, including fan convention organizing, teen mentoring, college admissions essay consulting, YouTube-ing and podcasting. When she’s not writing science fiction and fantasy for teens, Alexa works in international television marketing. A proud Boston University Terrier, she lives in Los Angeles with two fluffy ginger cats named after YA literature characters.

Top 10 Tuesday: Ten Bookish Settings I'd Love to Visit

This meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s topic is Top Ten Tuesday #130: Bookish setting I'd love to visit! And I do have some in mind!


10: La Pradera from "Wild Beauty" by Anna-Marie McLemore: I would love to see this magical garden in real life! 

9: The world of Leigh Bardugo: Be it Ravka, or Ketterdam, I'd love to employ a certain privateer and take me there!

8: Lysse Chipping from "The Untold Tale" by J.M. Frey: Be it for good wine or adventure this world is a beauty of its own!

7: The world from "The Kingmaker Chronicles" by Amanda Bouchet. Inspired by the Greek mythology and full of magic this world is wild, exciting and beautiful!

6: Atlanta from the "Kate Daniels" series by Ilona Andrews: Mostly I'd love to meet Kate and Curran because I know that I'd have no power in this world!

5: The world of Radiance by Grace Draven: There is beauty in the darkness, magic and sweet humor!

4: Hogwarts from "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling: No explanation needed!

3: The Library of Zosma and the Lost city of Weep from "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor: I ADORED this book! And I would certainly visit the biggest library in the world!

2: The Night Court from "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series by Sarah J. Maas: I'd begin with Velaris and then travel all the Courts, except the Spring and the Autumn court. I am allergic to pollen, jerks and sadistic fathers.

1: The Night Circus from "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern: I'd sell a liver or a limb to see this magical circus from close! I remember trying to picture everything in my mind and I just couldn't quite grasp it! Not to mention that the descriptions are phenomenal! 

Honorable mentions go to:

Book Blitz+Giveaway: "The Fourth Element" series by Kat Ross

The Fourth Element Trilogy: Boxed Set
Kat Ross
Publication date: September 22nd 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Gladiator meets Romeo and Juliet in this “spellbinding fantasy” trilogy (Kirkus Reviews) set in ancient Persia!
They are the light against the darkness.
The steel against the necromancy of the Druj.
And they use demons to hunt demons….
Nazafareen lives for revenge. A girl of the isolated Four-Legs Clan, all she knows about the King’s elite Water Dogs is that they leash wicked creatures called daevas to protect the empire from the Undead. But when scouts arrive to recruit young people with the gift, she leaps at the chance to join their ranks. To hunt the monsters that killed her sister.
Scarred by grief, she’s willing to pay any price, even if it requires linking with a daeva named Darius. Human in body, he’s possessed of a terrifying power, one that Nazafareen controls. But the golden cuffs that join them have an unwanted side effect. Each experiences the other’s emotions, and human and daeva start to grow dangerously close.
As they pursue a deadly foe across the arid waste of the Great Salt Plain to the glittering capital of Persepolae, unearthing the secrets of Darius’s past along the way, Nazafareen is forced to question his slavery—and her own loyalty to the empire. But with an ancient evil stirring in the north, and a young conqueror sweeping in from the west, the fate of an entire civilization may be at stake…
So begins an epic story of adventure, romance and betrayal that leads to undiscovered magical realms and a final confrontation with a demon queen bent on destroying them all.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

99¢ for a limited time only!

Author Bio:

Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She's the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day, the Fourth Element fantasy trilogy (The Midnight Sea, Blood of the Prophet, Queen of Chaos), and a new gaslamp mystery series that opens with The Daemoniac and continues with The Thirteenth Gate. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. For more information about Kat's books, come visit her at katrossbooks.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: "The Silenced Tale" (The Accidental Turn #3) by J.M. Frey

The Silenced Tale
J.M. Frey
(The Accidental Turn #3)
5 of 5 stars

Published by: REUTS Publications
Publication date: December 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Forsyth Turn never wanted to be a hero. And yet, even in the Overrealm, a hero is what he’ll be.
After their last adventure in Hain, Forsyth expected to return to the life he’d built with Pip and Alis, his days of magic and heroics behind him. But then Pip starts suffering night terrors laced with images of glowing ivy and Elgar Reed calls with fears of bizarre threats and a man garbed all in black.
But there is no magic in the Overrealm. Forsyth refuses to believe that anything other than mundane coincidence is at work—until Elgar’s stalker leaves him a message too eerie and specific to ignore. Now, he has to face the possibility that Pip’s dreams and Elgar’s fears are connected . . . and that maybe they weren’t the only ones to escape the pages of The Tales of Kintyre Turn.
And if that’s the case, it’s going to take more than a handful of heroes to save the day this time. It’s going to take an army. Luckily, Reed fans are legion.
A stunning conclusion to the series, The Silenced Tale is a genre-bending whirlwind that breathes life into the idea that the power of story lies not just with the creator, but with the fans who love it.

BUY ON

AMAZON

Add to Goodreads

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

The thrilling conclusion to this amazing series is here! I can't express my love enough for this book which, along with the series, should be given more attention. It's not your usual story, the author hints lots of social issues through her writing in a brutal, yet sarcastic way and there is a wonderful cast of characters!

So, after the end of the second book and its adventures, Forsyth, Pip and their sweet daughter return to their normal lives. But Elgar Reed, the author of the books Forsyth came from, is plagued by nightmares and a stalker. Soon a hunt will begin where a known villain is alive and kicking and slowly magic is seeping into our world.

There are many POVs here; Reed Forsyth and some of Pip. I love how Reed slowly tries to learn more about his own characters and how hard he also tries to be there for Forsyth and his family. Pip is, as usual, a smart, strong woman who will do anything for her family, despite the fear of losing them.
And Forsyth! My beautiful, sweet, cinnamon roll gets a hard edge on his character! I didn't expect some things to happen, which actually had me trembling while reading! Some action scenes were very powerful!

There is a certain scene in a Con, where magic seeps in! Imagine all the cosplays suddenly getting magic powers! That's all! No more spoilers!

There was also a huge surprise in this book, which I didn't expect and I grew to love. The ending? It gutted me because I am not prepared to leave these amazing characters behind! Luckily Frey will also have a collection of short stories, so there'll be that!

In the end, anyone should read this series! It's enjoyable, quirky with a good dose of action, romance and humour!

Pre-order on REUTS for $0.99 and receive your copy the weekend before it’s released!
Catch up with The Untold Tale and The Forgotten Tale!

Author Bio:
J.M. Frey holds a BA in Dramatic Literature, where she studied playwriting and traditional Japanese theatre forms, and a Masters of Communications and Culture, where she focused on fanthropology.
She is active in the Toronto geek community, presenting at awards ceremonies, appearing on TV, radio, podcasts, live panels and documentaries to discuss all things fandom through the lens of Academia. She was an invited panelist on the SPACE Channel's premier chat show InnerSPACE, has lived in Japan, and lent costumes to the Ontario Science Centre for their exhibition on Steampunk in Spring 2011.
She loves to travel (disguising it as research), and has visited nearly every continent. She also has addictions to scarves, 'Doctor Who', and tea, all of which may or may not be related.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter