The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows *Blog Tour*

Today is my stop on the Canadian Blog Tour for The Orphan Queen. If you missed the other stops on the tour be sure to catch up on them for lots of awesome content and reviews!

March 2 - Emilie @ Emilie's Book World

March 3 - Sabrina @ Hiver Et Cafe

March 4 - Siobhan @ Conversations of a Reading Addict

March 5 - Jessica @ Bookish Serendipity 

March 6 - Kathy @ A Glass Of Wine

March 9 - Amanda @ Stuck In Y.A. Books

March 10 - Jess  @ Read My Breath Away

March 11 - Christa @ More Than Just Magic

March 12 - Kelsey @ Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf

March 13 - Ciara @ Lost At Midnight Reviews

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
Release Date - March 10, 2015
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 400 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

Fantasy that allows it's character to be a central focus along with the world building and development are always my favourite. These novels tend to enchant and mesmerise while making you feel something. Jodi Meadows' The Orphan Queen hits that sweet spot of balancing character and magic; emotion and world building.

The courtly intrigue found within these pages offers the perfect backdrop to Wilhelmina's story. It's filled with all the drama one might expect from a royal court. It's structure allows for an environment rich with gossip and backstabbing. While it's a muted court due to the circumstances, it's no less satisfying with dances, and finery.

The secondary characters are as intriguing as Wilhelmina. The most intriguing is perhaps Black Knife. A masked vigilante whose true identity is a secret. He's a real threat to Wilhelmina and her Ospreys, but he is not irredeemable. He's a 'bad boy' who isn't psychotic like the current flavour seems to be. The reasons behind what he does make complete sense, and offers a very different perspective on him once the truth is revealed. His character is the one I am most excited to follow forward on this journey because his world shifts and changes as a result of events in this novel.

The other characters are just as wonderfully crafted. There are the Ospreys themselves, the group of young and tough orphans that will pull at your heartstrings. The aloof, sour tempered but polite prince, Tobiah. The flirty, and accommodating guard, James. Wilhelmina's friend Melanie, and Patrick the leader of the Ospreys. You will come to love and care about these characters. The characters, for me, made the story with the world building complimenting them.

Wilhelmia has to learn some truths about her family, and the events that lead to her being an orphan. This leads to her questioning everything, including the price of magic. Her development is slow, but ultimately will be rewarding as she, and other characters, learn that nothing is black and white. Plenty of these characters are having their viewpoints tested and twisted and that can only lead to rich character development.

As much as I loved the characters, and elements of the world building, I am not sure that I am completely sold on the magic just yet. It does seem like we are only just beginning to discover the secrets behind this magic, and that makes it feel less developed than the other elements. It is a minor thing however that didn't impact my over-all enjoyment of the novel. I am eager to discover more as the next instalments look to expand on the world and it's magic.

The romance is not something I want to say too much about as there are a few potential romantic interests explored throughout the novel, and saying too much would be a spoiler.  It's a well done romance, with plenty of tension between Wilhelmina and the guy. So much that it leaps off the pages. There are lots of sparks and that is because you care about all the characters and therefore you become invested in journeys.

The ending of the book will leave you both a little in awe and incredibly angry at Jodi for the killer ending, and the immediate need for the second novel in the series. It's one that I personally have a love/hate relationship with and I cannot wait to see the aftermath of the events that close out the novel.

A delicious blend of magic, romance, and resilience. A heroine who is immediately engaging and a 'bad boy' who melts your heart along with the hearts of the other characters. Fans of fantasy novels that read a little like a contemporary one will devour this and bemoan the wait for more of this dangerous and delightful world.

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman cover reveal

You may have seen that Epic Reads unveiled the INCREDIBLE cover for Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman! It's a 'stop and take notice' kind of cover, and I am so excited I wanted to share it here along with some more details about the book.

Here is the amazing sounding synopsis of the book (in case you don't already know what it is about....)

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Alexander the Great as a teen?! YES! This novel sounds like it's blending fantasy elements, a historical setting and the potential for romance. Basically, it's everything you could want in series! Yup, this is only book one in the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Be sure to add it to your Goodreads, and you can follow Eleanor Herman on Twitter.

Now, if you haven't already seen it check out the INCREDIBLE cover..

Thankful...

It seems I missed my blogiversary. It was January 28th that I posted my first review (Lucy Christopher's Stolen) and I've been blogging for FOUR years now. It is crazy that I've been doing this for that long already.

I've reflected back on the last four years and the overwhelming feeling I have is one of being thankful. I am incredibly thankful that I get to be part of this amazing community of amazing bookish people and for all the experiences and friendships I have because of book blogging. So many bloggers inspire me all the time and to them I am forever thankful for making me want to strive to be better. For challenging me and providing a (mostly) positive space to spare my book obsession. You all are truly amazing.

I met the amazing ladies who make up the Ottawa Blogettes because of blogging. Emilie, Jess, Katie, Ciara, Kim, Meaghan and (honourary memeber) Katherine - you all are smart, lovely, amazing women and I am so happy that I get to call each of you a friend. You've gotten me to read books I never would picked up without your urging and I love our chats. Thank you for EVERYTHING.

I am thankful that I met Christy (from The Reader Bee) and Kelly (from Kellyvision). You both let me vent, freak out with me, and just generally get me. I wish both of you lived closer to me than you do because it is unfair we do not get to have wine drinking nights together. I  heart both of you and am so, so, so, so thankful blogging brought us together. Thank you is not enough.

I've worked with amazing publishers who never cease to surprise me with their generosity, passion and thoughtfulness. Words cannot express how thankful I am to all of them. Getting to know them is a wonderful perk of blogging and one that will never stop surprising and amazing me.

Suman and Kaiti - you two lovelies are incredible and I thank you for SO much that has been the last four incredible years.

Part of what makes blogging so incredible is the experiences it's opened me up to. Because of blogging I've gone to Book Expo America. I've gotten to be surrounded by people who love and adore books as much as I do. I got to experience what is essentially a book lover's heaven. I've been fortunate to meet some incredible authors and some of my most favourites. One of my favourite memories of the last four years is getting the chance to talk to Jodi Lynn Anderson at a BEA party. I adore her and her books and the fact that I got to express my love for Tiger Lily to her in person is still mind blowing to me. I will be forever thankful to blogging (and the publishers) who made it happen.

I've also gotten to work with some supportive, kind and amazing authors. Especially Katherine Longshore, Dawn Ius, Kim Liggett who have been way more incredible than I could have ever imagined. I cannot wait to meet each of you and flail in person over your amazingness! Each of them has trusted my blog in some way or another and I am forever thankful for that trust.

I am excited to continue this blogging journey and hope to implement a few new fun things in the near future on the blog! My last thank you (at least for this post) is to YOU! The person reading this. It still humbles me that anyone would bother reading what I think about books. Each and every one of you make me smile daily and I hope to encourage more interaction as I would very much like to get to know you all as well.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS! *HUGS*

Waiting on Wednesday ....... P.S. I Still Love You

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

My pick this week is P.S. I Still Love You

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing. 

The first novel in this book was cute, and sweet. I am excited to see what happens next in Lara Jean's story and am ready to fall in love with her all over again.

Expected release date - May 26, 2015

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Release Date - March 3, 2015
Publisher Website - Raincoast/Macmillan
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 416 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

**SPOILERS FOR THE WINNER'S CURSE**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For unknown to Arin Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

The end of The Winner's Curse found Kestrel risking everything for the person she loves and engaged to someone else as a result. It left Arin professing that the god of lies loved her and me dying to read the next novel immediately. The Winner's Crime once again has Kestrel risking everything for love. There is more than enough heartbreak to leave you both crushed and desperate for the, sure to be, stunning finale.

Marie Rutkoski's subtle and skilled writing weaves a magical spell. She's created a world that feels entirely fantasy like without it really being fantasy. She weaves together the romance, betrayal, and danger to create a tension filled, unputdownable read. This series is one that immediately draws you into it's world, and it's characters and that is because of Marie's writing.

This story's heart is it's love story. There are different kinds of love stories within these pages. The love of your country, the love between a parent and child, the love of friendship and the romantic kind. Arin and Kestrel's love story is both beautiful and aching. The teasing, just out of reach nature of their relationship leads to a deliciously torturous 'will they-won't they' dynamic to their interactions. The stakes of their love are real and severe and all of this adds up to an unforgettable romance that is breathtaking. This particular chapter of their story is remarkable as it is a love story without actually being a love story. The all too brief moments they share in this book will not be enough for those who fell in love with them in The Winner's Curse, but the moments that are included felt more meaningful as a result.

The engagement at the end of The Winner's Curse left me torn. I expected a love triangle to plague the pages of this novel, and I was eager to dislike the crown prince upon introduction. Prince Verex however is the exact opposite from what I was expecting. That triangle I feared? Not even an issue. This story has way more going on than needing to create more drama with a flimsy love triangle. There is the potential for Kestrel and Verex to be happy together, and perhaps under different circumstances they could be. I, personally however, think it's obvious where her heart lies at this moment.

This particular chapter of the story is a study in communication and perception. In particular how perception and lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings. There were so many times I wanted to just force these characters to talk and communicate. Our self doubts lead to our viewpoints and often prevent us from considering other views than our own. We don't consider other explanations than the one we've convinced ourselves of. This novel is fraught with scenarios where misunderstandings lead to rash decisions and angst. As all of this unravels Marie crafts a stunning story of rebellion, and secrets that is equally as impressive as this series' first novel.

As much as the love story captivates, it's the other elements that are allowed to shine in this sequel. Seeing Kestrel live with the consequences of her actions, and having it actually impact her and form her character. Seeing the ever building tension that will undoubtedly lead to war. The characters are like chess pieces in an elaborate and brutal chess game. The giving and taking of hope and faith that each of these characters experiences only adds to the brutality and heartache that you feel. This is a story that doesn't offer any reassurances and I appreciate that.

A romantic, compelling, and complex story that reminds you of the importance of trust and communication and how they cannot thrive in an environment of tension and rebellion. Marie Rutkoski once again leaves you desperate to continue Kestrel's journey with her and wishing upon all the gods that this romance has a happily ever after, even as a war and rebellion are brewing that make the promise of such an ending exceedingly unlikely.

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle
Release Date - February 24, 2015
Publisher Website - Scholastic
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 352 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Blood Will Spill, Hearts Will Break: With a fierce rivalry raging between two warring families, falling in love is the deadliest thing Sophie could do. An epic debut set outside modern-day Chicago.

For Sophie, it feels like another slow, hot summer in Cedar Hill, waitressing at her family’s diner and hanging out with her best friend Millie. But then someone moves into the long-abandoned mansion up the block--a family of five Italian brothers, each one hotter than the last. Unable to resist caramel-eyed Nicoli, Sophie finds herself falling for him -- and willfully ignoring the warning signs. Why are Nic's knuckles cut and bruised? Why does he carry an engraved switchblade? And why does his arrogant and infuriating older brother, Luca, refuse to let her see him? As the boys' dark secrets begin to come to light, Sophie is confronted with stinging truths about her own family, too. Suddenly, she's torn between two warring dynasties: the one she’s related to and the one she's now in love with. She'll have to choose between loyalty and passione. When she does, blood will spill, hearts will break. Because in this twisted underworld, dishonor can be the difference between life and death. 

Take Romeo and Juliet, mix with family secrets and lies, add in some sinister honey and you get Catherine Doyle's Vendetta. A gritty, tension filled read that is heavy on the romance and plot but lighter on the character development.

Part of what I enjoyed the most were the stakes and risks. The situations the characters find themselves in feel dangerous. The world these characters inhabit is fraught with the potential for any of the characters to die. A cast of characters this big has me hoping that the sequels will live up to the brutal promise of the first installment. The Mafia influence almost demands there be tension and risk and so far it's been pulled off wonderfully. The crime family element is the strongest in the novel and a lot of that has to do with the way the author has crafted the story.

Honey is sweet. Eat too much though and it can turn from simply sweet to sickeningly so. Honey is known for it's seductive qualities, as much for the dangerous potential of the bees that make it. Catherine Doyle pays tribute by keeping this dangerously seductive nature in her story. The way it's used and the entire back story to it is both chilling and interesting.

The characters are all dark and gritty like the world Catherine's created. Surprisingly, morality comes into play more often than you'd think. This novel is filled with moral codes, and questionable ethics. In a novel that is focused on the Mafia, it's surprising that this element would even be a factor. It is woven in through the characters, particularly Nic.  Nic is the (mostly) sweet brother. The one who is actually kind and nice to Sophie. He has a hair trigger temper and his emotions are easily read. He wears them for everyone to see. Luca, however, may be the more fascinating brother (with Valentino being a close second) because everything is happening under the surface with these two characters. It's Luca and Valentino that you want to unravel.

Character development for Sophie is not a huge element in this novel. The novel is more plot driven than character driven, but there are wisps change as this chapter of her story comes to a close. It's the aftermath of the big events in this novel that will allow her to grow and change. A lot of this novel is spent getting Sophie to the point where she knows the secrets her family has been hiding. While it seems there are still plenty to unravel, I hope more character development is present in upcoming books.

The romance may be a little polarizing for some people. Sophie ignores a lot of pretty big warning signs when it comes to Nicoli. As the story progresses you can see why she might be tempted to overlook them, and there are plenty of hints that perhaps Sophie's life has always been leading up to this. Her family is more involved than it appears and I think more secrets are left to be unraveled. The connection between Nic and Sophie is based primarily on lust at first, and this fact is embraced in the story. It felt like it developed fast, but only in the way teenage relationships tend to. They are filled with heightened emotions and felt authentic here. The drama and excitement of the situation only increased these emotions. Seeing the aftermath in the sequels will be the most interesting part, I feel, because of the potential. There are hints of a possible love triangle as well which I am curious to see if that is the direction the story will go in.

YA fans looking for something a little different than the usual dystopian, paranormal, contemporary fare will delight in this blend of romance, danger, and family ties. An engrossing story that will change the way you view honey, and definitely leave you curious enough to check out the coming sequels.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Only one book this week. I am part of the Canadian blog tour for this one and it's been making it's way through the Ottawa Blogettes!

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows (goodreads)

What books made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!