Showing posts with label Holly Black. Show all posts

September 28, 2018

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown BYR
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Pages: 370
Format: Hardcover/Own

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.


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March 13, 2018

Tucson Festival of Books Recap

So as many of you read, I went to the Tucson Festival of Books this past weekend. It was quite a lot of fun. I got to meet a number of authors and get a bunch of books signed. There was also some awesome entertainment as well. Can I just mention how awesome most authors are!? Every one I asked to take pictures with were super excited about it and loved that their fans came to see them! We have so many amazing, friendly authors in our community guys! :)

So the first signing I went to I saw Holly Black, Zoraida Cordova & Jessica Spotswood. 

Holly Black!
I got to take a picture with her and get her to sign my copy of The Cruel Prince! I also love her blue hair! 

Zoraida Cordova!
Also took a picture with her! And she signed the copy of Labyrinth Lost that I impulse bought for the signing! Lol. When she was signing my book she also noticed I had The Cruel Prince with me and talked with me about how much she loved reading it. I love when authors totally talk about other authors books! It's so cool seeing them fan girl over each other! 

Jessica Spotswood!
So I didn't get any books signed by her. I didn't see any copies of Born Wicked in the bookstore when I went through or else I would have grabbed that 100% for her to sign. But she was so cool in letting me take a picture with her anyways! And I even got bookmarks from her! Authors love giving away swag! :D Also really like the pink in her hair! So cool!

Kristen Simmons!
So this was my big FAN GIRL moment! I definitely think this is my favorite picture with an author from the whole festival! KRISTEN SIMMONS!!!! Guys, I LOVE the Article 5 series. If you were to ask what some of my favorite dystopian books are, that series would be there! She was so incredibly happy to see fans come to the festival! She was also very excited to talk Article 5 with me! We talked favorite character, favorite guy (Chase overwhelmingly!), and even how some guy at a different event told her how much he hated Chase. I don't know how you could hate Chase, but everyone has an opinion right?!?! LOL. And she was super excited to take a picture with me! Definitely my favorite author interaction of the day! 

Ok guys. So I actually only brought the Article 5 series with me to the festival. I also impulse bought Pacifica. But I figured this was my chance to get it signed! So why not!!! I'm so glad I did. I also got a cool Pacifica themed bookmark. And if you'll notice, the mentioned conversation about Chase being the favorite guy inspired the inscription in Three! I'm seriously so excited to have all these signed!!! :D 

OK OK. So enough about the books I got signed. I wasn't the only one who went. LOL. James also came with me. So little fact. He went not planning on meeting any authors or getting any books signed. But he did. He was actually walking to meet up with me after the Holly/Jessica/Zoraida signing when he spotted a booth with an interesting looking sci-fi/dystopian book (yes, we both like sci-fi/dystopians, though he likes more adult ones, than YA ones). So once we found each other he insisted we go back and check it out. So we did and he ended up buying a copy and getting it signed. Guys! My super anti-social fiance was social! I'm so proud of him! :D So here's what he got. 

It's an alternate world sci-fi/dystopian. I know it's kinda small, but the inscription says Enjoy The Journey! I might even actually give this book a read at some point too. It sounds interesting. But guys, this is James like first real signed book! Yay!!! :D I'm so excited he has a signed book. And the author is even from Tucson. That's so cool!

Of course my little one went with me as well! And she even got her own first signed book. Me and James were actually walking around when we ran into this author promoting her book and handing out spider balloons to go with her book! So we stopped and got them. I went and got the book signed for Ana while James got the balloon to go with it. :D

It's a cute little book! And it's made out specially to Ana! I'm so happy she has a special signed book as well! 

Now for some cute pictures. So another little fact about James. He isn't super keen on taking many pictures. The one on the side of the blog. I had to convince him to take that at a hockey game as a sweet memory of us going. Same thing with this picture. Lol. I'm honestly happy if I can just get one picture with him and he's smiling. :)

So he ended up not looking at the camera when it finally took the picture but he has such a nice smile in it I love it anyways!
This guy right here makes me so happy! I'm so glad he came with me and we both got books signed! And at the time we took this picture, we were also super proud parents! Our little Ana is just like daddy and not super social, but she was across from us in the tent for tots listening to storytime and singing and dancing! Proud parents smiling right here! 


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March 10, 2018

Stacking The Shelves [#90]/Sunday Post [#22]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. Its a weekly post to showcase what books you got, recap the week, and talk about what will be coming up this week on the blog!


So my book buying this week is because on Sunday I'm going to the Tucson Festival of Books! Holly Black & Kristen Simmons are just 2 of the authors I'm planning on seeing and getting books signed from. I'm also planning on seeing Veronica Roth, Melissa Marr, Zoraida Cordova & possibly Jessica Spotswood.


So as mentioned above, I'm preparing to go to the Tucson Festival of Books on Sunday. I'm so excited! I was gonna go Saturday too but James ended up being scheduled to work. So with only one car I don't have a way to get there Saturday. Which I have to admit is a bummer. Victoria Aveyard & Gloria Chao are doing all their panels and signings Saturday so I'm a bit bummed I wont get to meet them. But I'm definitely excited for the authors I do get to meet Sunday!! 

If you guys remember, last week I mentioned Ana's (my daughter's) eye issue. Well, we had our first official appointment with her eye doctor Tuesday. We've found out she's farsighted. According to her eye doctor, her turning her eye in really far like she does is a very clear sign of her being a bit more farsighted than most children are her age. However she's very glad we caught this early on because it's much easier to treat and potentially fix now at 3 than if we waited or didn't catch it until 5 or older. I also have to say I really like this office and doctor. My insurance doesn't cover it, but its worth the cost out of pocket. The doctor is incredibly friendly and does EXTREMELY well with kids. She even knows how to do the tests and incorporate toys into them which I can tell really helped Ana feel comfortable. And all the techs were fantastic too. Anyways, she has been prescribed glasses. We're just waiting on the phone call to go pick them up, which should be sometime this upcoming week. She picked out some really good looking dark blue glasses. :) 

Another fun fact, I also mentioned James transferring from a carrier to a clerk at his post office. It's still not official yet, but he's been working extra hours doing clerk work and its going really well. He's even got compliments from the lead clerk at his post office about how well he's doing with learning everything and how she thinks he'll be a great clerk when the switch is made official. So that's definitely boosted James confidence about his decision. :)

Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman
Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5) by Gayle Forman



Of course there's lots of time to sign up still! I'd love for more people to participate with me. :)


In related challenge news. Last week I announced that Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard had won the vote for the first read-along book for the challenge. I have the info/sign-up post up for those who wanna participate! And remember, you don't have to participate in the Dystopia Reading Challenge to participate in the read-along. Picture link leads to info post. 


Review of SINdicate by J.T. Nicholas
Review of American Panda by Gloria Chao

These are my current reads so I'm planning to finish and review them this week!

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March 08, 2018

Cover Reveal: The Wicked King by Holly Black

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.


Expected Publication Date: January 2019

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December 13, 2017

Can't-Wait Wednesday [#7]

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight the books we are eagerly awaiting. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1)
Author: Holly Black
Expected Publication: January 2, 2018

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.


I think this book sounds pretty good. And so far a lot of the early reviews I've seen for it seem positive!
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March 23, 2013

Stacking The Shelves [#47]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

Bought:
Library:
Weekly Recap:
Reviews: 

Memes & Other Posts:
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September 16, 2012

Review: Red Glove by Holly Black

Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: April 5, 2011
Pages: 325
Source: Paperback/Library

The cons get craftier and the stakes rise ever higher in the riveting sequel to White Cat—now in paperback!After rescuing his brothers from Zacharov’s retribution and finding out that Lila, the girl he has loved his whole life, will never, ever be his, Cassel is trying to reestablish some kind of normalcy in his life. That was never going to be easy for someone from a worker family that’s tied to one of the big crime families—and whose mother’s cons get more reckless by the day. But Cassel is coming to terms with what it means to be a transformation worker, and he’s figuring out how to have friends.

Except normal doesn’t last very long. Soon Cassel is being courted by both sides of the law and is forced to confront his past—a past he remembers only in scattered fragments, and one that could destroy his family and his future. Cassel will have to decide whose side he wants to be on, because neutrality is not an option. And then he will have to pull off his biggest con ever to survive….


Review: I thought this was a great sequel to White Cat! I felt kinda bad for Cassel with the whole Lila being cursed to love him thing. That would suck. Actually loving someone and not knowing if they actually love you back because they were cursed to love you. That's unfair. I also felt for him losing his brother. I mean granted, it wasn't like they were the closest but still, losing a family member is hard. I loved this whole investigation into who actually murdered Cassel's brother, though I did not like the way the Feds felt the need to do it. They blackmailed him! It was like are you kidding me! I loved how he fought back though!

I was so lost as to who killed Cassel's brother. I mean, its been a while since I read White Cat so I might have missed the subtle hint but ya. I do have to say I wasn't surprised when I found out who did it. It made sense. I also loved how Cassel pulled off a huge con just to protect that person. I was definitely impressed with his con skills in that one! I was so shocked though when we found out who else was a Worker though! I so did not see that coming! Though one thing definitely made sense when it was revealed. And last but not least. Lila. The end.. Just wow. That's all I have to say about that. 

4 Stars!

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June 30, 2012

Stacking The Shelves [#9]

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

Bought:
Borrowed from Library's Digital Catalog:
  • Hooked by Catherine Greenman
Library:
I've decided to do my weekly recap on Saturday's now... So here's what's happened on the blog this week!

Reviews: 

Cover Reveals:

Memes & Other Posts: 

What did you guys get this week? Leave me links in the comments and I'll stop by!
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April 28, 2012

Book Haul [#1]

Ok, so like I said in my video, I am no longer participating in In My Mailbox, instead opting to do a general Book Haul. So to whoever started these all the credit goes to you.

Bought: 
Library:
NetGalley:

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April 16, 2012

Review: White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat (Curse Workers #1)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: McElderry
Publication Date: February 18, 2011
Pages: 310
Source: Paperback/Library

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

Review: I really enjoyed this book! So it's taken me forever to finally get around to reading it but I'm so glad I did! I can definitely see why so many people love this series! The whole idea of Curse Workers is unique! The story was written very well, it made me want to keep reading! I loved learning the types of Workers and what each could do! I love the whole story in general! I knew right from the beginning that someone was probably messing with Cassel. I mean, I just found it odd that his entire family is made up of Workers but yet he wasn't one? I just found that odd and I couldn't believe it! After seeing how the pieces were slowly falling into place I knew his family was up to something. I just didn't know the extent of it. I was pretty shocked at how far they went though.

Lila... I really didn't think she was dead. I mean, Cassel did not seem like the type that would kill someone, so I found it odd that he was made to believe that. I knew deep down Lila was alive, I just didn't know how or where. I didn't put all the pieces together with the cat and Lila until I learned where the cat was and that Lila was a Dream Worker. Though once I figured that out things started making sense. I must say, things got way more interesting though once Cassel learned he is a Worker and that Lila got turned back into a person! I loved the planning to expose Anton and his betrayal to the Zacharov family and the entire scene that went down due to it. That was pretty cool. I was kinda annoyed though about what Cassel's mom did at the end to Lila though!

4 Stars!
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April 15, 2012

TBR Intervention Challenge [#27]

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by Dani@RefractedLight, Anayami@Whatever You Can Still Betray & April@Books4Juliet.

The goal of this challenge is to help each other (fellow readers and bloggers) manage our enormous and constantly growing TBR (To-Be-Read) List. The rules are simple and everyone is encouraged to participate. It does not force you to commit to more than what you can manage to read in a week or so, but participants are encouraged to read at least one book within a week. You are free to choose the book you want to read and commit to this challenge. You may post your entry every Saturday, at the frequency of your choice--EVERY WEEK or EVERY TWO WEEKS. However, we will sponsor this event regularly every Saturday.

Here are the rules:  

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.

3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.

4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

Last weeks TBR book:
White Cat (Curse Workers#1)
Author: Holly Black


I finished it. I enjoyed it! I'm finding all this Curse Worker stuff really interesting! Review to come soon!













This week I'm committing to read: 
Dearly, Departed (Gone With The Respiration #1)
Author: Lia Habel

Summary from Goodreads:
Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

So I've had Dearly, Departed on my shelf for about 5 months now and every time I look at it I wanna pick it up and read it but I just haven't been able to fit it in.  


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April 08, 2012

TBR Intervention Challenge [#26]

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by Dani@RefractedLight, Anayami@Whatever You Can Still Betray & April@Books4Juliet.

The goal of this challenge is to help each other (fellow readers and bloggers) manage our enormous and constantly growing TBR (To-Be-Read) List. The rules are simple and everyone is encouraged to participate. It does not force you to commit to more than what you can manage to read in a week or so, but participants are encouraged to read at least one book within a week. You are free to choose the book you want to read and commit to this challenge. You may post your entry every Saturday, at the frequency of your choice--EVERY WEEK or EVERY TWO WEEKS. However, we will sponsor this event regularly every Saturday.

Here are the rules:  

1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).

2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

Last weeks TBR book:
Hallowed (Unearthly #2)
Author: Cynthia Hand

I really enjoyed Hallowed!!! It was definitely not what I was expecting but that made it even better for me! Especially with the shocking revelations that came out!!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand











This week I'm committing to read:
White Cat (Curse Workers #1)
Author: Holly Black

Summary from Goodreads: 
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers—people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, all by the slightest touch of their hands. Since curse work is illegal, they’re all criminals. But not Cassel. He hasn’t got the magic touch, so he’s an outsider—the straight kid in a crooked family—as long as you ignore one small detail: He killed his best friend, Lila. Now he is sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat. He also notices that his brothers are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of one huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.

Ok, so I dont even know how long I've had this on my TBR shelf anymore. But its been a while. Lol. I keep starting it, but then getting distracted by something else. Then I think in my head I wanna pick it up again cuz I was really enjoying it but I never do. Lol. So this week I'm gonna restart it and hopefully finish it finally! 

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March 12, 2012

Teaser Tuesday [#31]

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! just do the following:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
4. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

1. "From somewhere overhead, another message crackled: "ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY MUST BE REPORTED TO YOUR NEAREST PATROL STATION."

2. "Passports," Aron announced solemnly as we approached a new checkpoint at the base of the giant archway that led to the city streets. He reached beneath his shirt, just as Brook and I did, pulling out our IDs."

pg. 15 of "The Pledge" by Kimberly Derting

1. "What the hell were they doing here? Killing our people isn't part of the plan," Anton is shouting."

2. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

pg. 197 of "White Cat" by Holly Black
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