Winter by Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mark her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long. 

Other books in series:  Cinder, Scarlet, Cress

Source:  audio via library 

SPOILER WARNING:  Being as this is the fourth book in a series I want to make it clear there will be spoiler moving forward in some way no matter how small.  If you haven’t read the series STOP HERE!

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

I know I procrastinate on final books in series but I dropped the ball on this one big time.  I first had to go back and reread via audio books 1-3 to refresh my memory of past books.

I think one of my favorite things about this series is that Ms Meyer finds a great balance of characters.  While one book is supposed to be about certain character there were so many other throwbacks to past books and their events that I never felt like anyone was forgotten along the way.  They were all main characters and though Winter wasn’t centered on Cress or Cinder (examples only – not playing favorites I swear!) they were still very much a huge part of Winter’s story and I loved that.  I definitely want to remain as spoiler free as possible for everyone but I can admit it did not end the way I thought which shocks me because I’ve gotten pretty good at guessing the outcomes, but I still have Stars Above to read so I’m curious if what I was imagining could still happen. . .

I did read this via audio (the hardback is massive!) so there was a small drawback for me on that because I wasn’t a huge fan of the narrator but more so for the voice she gave Winter.  It was hard to imagine her being a teen when it felt like the voice was of a 5-6 year old.

Story wise though?  I would love a whole spin off series centering on Thorne and Cress though  They are an absolute delight and I think there would be so many adventures they could get up to, so many new experiences for Cress, and I’d just love to check in with everyone

Such a wonderful and heart wrenching conclusion to a unique series.  There was loss, but also hope given and with hope anything is possible.

5/5

 

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Say No to the Duke by Eloisa James (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #4)

Could she possibly refuse a duke’s hand—in favor of a sardonic, sinful rake?
Lady Betsy Wilde’s first season was triumphant by any measure, and a duke has proposed—but before marriage, she longs for one last adventure.
No gentleman would agree to her scandalous plan—but Lord Jeremy Roden is no gentleman. He offers a wager. If she wins a billiards game, he’ll provide the breeches.
If he wins…she is his, for one wild night.
But what happens when Jeremy realizes that one night will never be enough? In the most important battle of his life, he’ll have to convince Betsy to say no to the duke.

Source: finished copy from the publisher, HarperCollins/Avon (thanks!)

Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis (Heartbreaker Bay #7) GIVEAWAY

If you’re planning on falling in love…
When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…
Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you. 

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sophie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

Source: finished copy courtesy of publisher, Harper Collins/Avon. Thank You!

A Wind in the Door by Madeline L’Engle

A Wind in the Door by Madeline L’Engle

Just before Meg Murry’s little brother, Charles Wallace, falls deathly ill, he sees dragons in the vegetable garden. The dragons turn out to be Proginoskes, a cherubin composed of wings and eyes, wind and flame. It is up to Meg and Proginoskes, along with Meg’s friend Calvin, to save Charles Wallace’s life. To do so, they must travel deep within Charles Wallace to attempt to defeat the Echthroi – those who hate – and restore brilliant harmony and joy to the rhythm of creation, the song of the universe.

SOURCE:  finished copy borrowed from library

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger. 

“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract”.

Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

SOURCE:  checked out from local library

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

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, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

SOURCE:  ARC from publisher

Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis (Heartbreaker Bay #4.5)

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend. What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time. For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again? As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

Source: eARC from the publisher, Harper, for review purposes. Thanks!

Book Avengers: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Hello and welcome to our April Book Avengers post!  Today we are featuring Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen.  This is book one of Jersen’s Malediction trilogy.  What did we think?  Keep reading to find out what we thought and what we selected to pick from for May!

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

 you want something done right . . .

When the ruthless pirate king learns of a legendary treasure map hidden on an enemy ship, his daughter, Alosa, knows there’s only one pirate for the job—herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her passage on the ship, confident in her ability to overcome any obstacle. After all, who’s going to suspect a seventeen-year-old girl locked in a cell? Then she meets the (surprisingly perceptive and unfairly attractive) first mate, Riden, who is charged with finding out all her secrets. Now it’s down to a battle of wits and will . . . . Can Alosa find the map and escape before Riden figures out her plan?

SOURCE:  ARC from publisher for review

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovelies over at The Broke and the Bookish.

It’s been a minute since I’ve participated in any Top Tens but I figured let’s get 2017 kicked off with a bang! Now, on to the important stuff and why you guys stop by. . .

January 3, 2017: Top Ten 2017 Debuts I’m Excited For