WAITING ON WEDNESDAY

 

waiting on wednesday

 

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

 

SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK:

 

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SERPENT AND DOVE BY SHELBY MAHURIN

 

SERPENT

 

PUBLISHER: Harper Teen

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 03rd September 2019

 

PAGES: 528

 

 

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BLURB:

 

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

 

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I know they say do not judge a book by it’s cover but that cover was mesmerising! It drew me in and then the blurb just sealed the deal. I cannot wait to start reading this book.

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

GHIBLIATHON TBR

 

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Sorry this is up a little later than expected but I was having trouble posting my TBR.

There is a new readathon in town and it is based off of the stunning Studio Ghibli productions. I love Studio Ghibli and HAD to participate. Ghibliathon runs from the 10th to the 16th of June. The prompts are based off of Studio Ghibli films and I am fully loving this concept.

 

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THE READING PROMPTS:

 

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22E843D2-4CA2-4C54-BFC9-126365AD94AB

 

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MY TBR:

 

 

Pom Poko – Read the Group Book:

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

howls1

 

The Wind Rises – An Adult Romance

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

passion unleashed

 

Arrietty – A Borrowed Book

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillian

sword and verse

 

The Cat Returns – A Portal Fantasy

Akarnae by Lynette Noni

akarnae

 

Porco Rosso – A Character Under A Curse

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

BLANCA AND ROJA

 

My Neighbour Totoro – An Otherwordly Creature

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill

tea dragon

 

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I am so excited to be sharing my love of Studio Ghibli AND reading at once.

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE

 

girls of paper and fire

 

PUBLISHER: Jimmy Patterson Books

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 06th November 2018

 

PAGES: 400

 

 

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SUMMARY:

 

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for…and the most cruel.

But this year, there’s a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it’s Lei they’re after–the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king’s interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king’s consort. But Lei isn’t content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable–she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.

TW: violence and sexual abuse.

 

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REVIEW: 

 

A whirlwind of a book that had me hooked from the very first chapter. WHY! The brutality of the world was offset with the beauty with a stunning metaphor for the thorn behind the rose. The parallels to issues in our current world were tied in extremely well, allowing the reader to reflect on these issues whilst not taking away from the overall reading experience. I closed this book feeling conflicted and fulfilled. There are so many questions unanswered that has me highly anticipating the sequel.

The protagonist, Lei, is taken from her home as she has stunning eyes and she is to be a Paper Girl – a concubine to the king. Lei is now enmeshed in this brutal world and her journey is both beautiful and cruel. She grows as a character with the reader along for the journey.

In this world there are castes. With fully humans being the lowest caste and full demon beings the highest. The mixture of animals and human were intriguing and the prose allowed for the readers imagination to take flight.

Overall, I was wrung out after finishing this book and it will stick with me for some time to come. I loved that the main character grew in strength and she wasn’t instantly as strong as she needed to be. There was a progress that allowed for believability. Bring on Girls of Storm and Shadow.

 

 

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I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMUTATHON ROUND 3

 

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I am back and blogging from my hiatus in the first half of this year. What better way to come back than a readathon? I am taking part in the 3rd Round of Smutathon hosted by Riley and Lainey. This readathon is running from the 3rd to the 9th of of June.

 

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This round is very different to the previous two rounds as there is a BINGO BOARD!

 

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This is so exciting for me and I am all here for it! I have selected a book for each of the prompts and am going to try to get through as many as I can in this week.

 

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MY TBR:

 

 

 

Forbidden Romance:

 

Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon: 

rafe

 

 

LGBTQ+:

 

The King of Bourbon Street by Thea De Salle:

king of bourbon street

 

Fake Dating:

 

Roomies by Christina Lauren: 

ROOMIES

 

New to You Author:

 

A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone:

a lesson in thorns

 

 

Author of Colour:

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang: 

bride test

 

Enemies to Lovers:

 

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting:

meet cute

 

 

Out of Your Comfort Zone:

 

Corrupt by Penelope Douglas:

corrupt

 

Vacation Romance:

 

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren:

unhoneymooner

 

Different Worlds:

 

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare:

duchess deal

 

Read a Host’s Fave Romance:

 

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning:

darkfever

 

Friends to Lovers:

 

Big Rock by Lauren Blakely:

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One Word Title: 

 

Vicious by L.J Shen:

vicious

 

Finish a Book in One Day:

 

Last Dragon Standing by G.A Aiken:

last dragon standing

 

Second Chance:

 

Blood Rights by Kristen Painter:

blood-rights

 

Takes Place in a Foreign Country:

 

Highland Crown by May McGoldrick:

highland crown

 

Bad Boy / Bad Girl:

 

Bad Saint by Monica James:

bad saint

 

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I am so excited about all of these books and looking forward to some fabulous HEA. Are you joining in on Smutathon? If so, what are you planning on reading?

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: THE SHADOW OF THE FOX

 

SHADOW

 

PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen

 

DATE PUBLISHED: 02nd October 2018

 

PAGES: 409

 

 

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SUMMARY: 

 

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.

There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.

With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.

 

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REVIEW: 

 

This book reads like you are watching an epic anime. The action is present from the very first scene, and so is the blood shed. This book weaves together seamlessly, and it is so difficult to put down once picked up. I wanted to devour this in one sitting. Warning: You may need to put your life on hold before jumping into the will ride that is Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox.

Yumeko is a character I instantly found endearing. Not only because, unlike her fellow Kitsumi, she had a strict moral compass that she would not waver from. But, because she was a flawed character and they are some of the best to read. Her journey, both physical and emotional, was believable and had me as a reader invested.

The action in this book was constant. I could not go a paragraph without having my heart constantly in my throat. I was so invested in the characters that I simply needed them to survive. The pacing was perfect. I never felt bored or that there were filler text, which can be a problem in fantasy novels.

Asian inspired fantasy novels are really shining through in the current book community and I couldn’t be happier for it. I love the level of diversity in these novels and learning something new about another culture whilst immersing myself in a fantastical world. I am waiting on baited breath for the sequel to this epic, heart-stopping, completely enthralling novel.

 

 

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I received a digital review copy of this title from Netgalley.

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Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati