Release Spotlight: The Captive Kingdom (Jennifer A. Nielsen)

Today I'm excited to spotlight the return to the fantastical Ascendance series, THE CAPTIVE KINGDOM by Jennifer A. Nielsen! This fourth addition to the former trilogy looks to be another exciting and violent adventure, and I look forward to reading it soon. If you don't yet have your own copy on order, see below for all the details!

Title: The Captive Kingdom

Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: October 6, 2020

Jennifer A. Nielsen returns to the world of The False Prince in this fourth book of the Ascendance Series!

In a peaceful Carthya, Jaron leads as the Ascendant King with Imogen beside him -- but the peace he fought so long for is not destined to last.

On a routine sea voyage, Jaron's ship is brutally attacked, and he is taken hostage. The mysterious captors and their leader, Jane Strick, accuse Jaron of unthinkable acts. They are also in possession of some shocking items -- including the crown and sword that belonged to Jaron's older brother, Darius. The items unearth a past Jaron thought he had put behind him.

Though it seems impossible, Jaron must consider: Could Darius be alive? And what does Strick want from Jaron? Against his will, Jaron will be pulled back into a fight for the throne -- and a battle to save his kingdom. 

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Check out the rest of the series:

Book 1: The False Prince (review)

Book 2: The Runaway King

Book 3: The Shadow Throne

Purchase:

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Release Spotlight: A Deadly Education (Naomi Novik)

Today I spotlight the highly-anticipated magical Young Adult novel A DEADLY EDUCATION by Naomi Novik! Set in a deadly magic school where "survival is more important than any letter grade," I've been excited to read this first Lesson of the Scholomance for a while and hope to get my hands on a copy soon. See below for all the details on this fantastical story and purchase your copy today!

Title: A Deadly Education

Author: Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Release Date: September 29, 2020

Lesson One of the Scholomance

Learning has never been this deadly

A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere. El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students. 

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Release Spotlight: Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch (Julie Abe)

Today I'm excited to spotlight the magical Middle Grade EVA EVERGREEN, SEMI-MAGICAL WITCH by Julie Abe! Misbehaving magic is one of my favorite tropes and I adored Kiki's Delivery Service, so I've really been looking forward to this one for a while. See below for all the details on this fantastical story and purchase your copy today!

Title: Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch

Author: Julie Abe
Publisher: Little, Brown BYR
Release Date: August 4, 2020

A charming new middle-grade fantasy adventure, about a young witch whose pinch of magic just might be more than enough, perfect for fans of Kiki's Delivery Service and Aru Shah and the End of Time.

Sometimes all you need is a pinch of magic...

Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before she turns thirteen years old. If she doesn't, she'll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it's a simple enough test:

ONE: Help your town, do good all around.
TWO: Live there for one moon, don't leave too soon.
THREE: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.

The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And to add insult to injury, whenever she overuses her magic, she falls asleep.

When she lands on the tranquil coastal town of Auteri, the residents expect a powerful witch, not a semi-magical girl. So Eva comes up with a plan: set up a magical repair shop to aid Auteri and prove she's worthy. She may have more blood than magic, but her "semi-magical fixes" repair the lives of the townspeople in ways they never could have imagined. Only, Eva's bit of magic may not be enough when the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town she's grown to love. Eva must conjure up all of the magic, bravery, and cleverness she can muster or Auteri and her dreams of becoming a witch will wash away with the storm. 

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Release Spotlight: Defy or Defend (Gail Carriger)

Today I spotlight the release of Defy or Defend, the second book in the Delightfully Deadly series by favorite author Gail Carriger! This adult standalone features a sidekick character from Gail's Finishing School series, now all grown up and doing what she does best. If you haven't yet had a chance to check out this delightful book, do so below and order yourself a copy posthaste!

Title: Defy or Defend
Author: Gail Carriger
Release Date: May 3, 2020

A vampire hive descending into madness. A beautiful spy with a sparkly plan. The bodyguard who must keep them from killing each other.

New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Gail Carriger brings you a charming story of love, espionage, and Gothic makeovers set in her popular Parasolverse.

SPY

Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, code name Honey Bee, is the War Office's best and most decorative fixer. She's sweet and chipper, but oddly stealthy, and surprisingly effective given the right incentives.

VERSUS KNIGHT

Sir Crispin Bontwee was knighted for his military service, but instead of retiring, he secretly went to work for the War Office. Mostly he enjoys his job, except when he must safeguard the Honey Bee.

Neither one is a vampire expert, but when the Nottingham Hive goes badly Goth, only Dimity can stop their darkness from turning bloody. And only Crispin can stop an enthusiastic Dimity from death by vampire.

In a battle for survival (and wallpaper), Dimity must learn that not all that sparkles is good, while Cris discovers he likes honey a lot more than he thought.

Spinning off from the Finishing School series, featuring deadly ladies of quality, this story stands alone, but chronologically follows Poison or Protect before the start of the Parasol Protectorate Series. It's Cold Comfort Farm meets Queer Eye meets What We Do In The Shadows from the hilarious author of the Parasol Protectorate books, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Jodi Taylor, or Meljean Brook.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains fraternizing vampires and one very curious young lady, who asks about seduction, sometimes in detail but mostly in retrospect. May also involve excessive use of velvet, melodramatic poetry, and the strategic application of interpretive ballet.

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Check out the first in the series!

Book 1: Poison or Protect

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Release Spotlight: Race the Sands (Sarah Beth Durst)

Today I spotlight the latest from award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst: RACE THE SANDS! I only discovered this standalone fantasy in the last month (how this thrilling read slipped under my radar I have no idea) but have since looked forward to devouring this paperback original with great anticipation. If you haven't yet checked out this fantastical story, do so below and purchase your copy today!

Title: Race the Sands

Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: April 21, 2020

In this standalone fantasy, a pair of strong and determined women risk their lives battling injustice, corruption, and deadly enemies in their quest to become monster racing champions.

Life, death, and rebirth—in Becar, everyone knows that who you are in this life will determine what you are in your next life. The augurs can read your fate in your aura: hawk, heron, tortoise, jackal, human. Armed with that knowledge, you can change your destiny with the choices you make, both in this life and your next. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and you will always be a kehok for the rest of time.

Unless you can win the Races.

As a professional trainer, Tamra was an elite kehok rider. Then a tragic accident on the track shattered her confidence, damaged her career, and left her nearly broke. Now Tamra needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok . . . and a rider willing to trust her.

Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she can’t become good enough to compete without a first-rate trainer.

Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win—if he can be tamed.

But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races—and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special. 

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Release Spotlight: What I Like About You (Marisa Kanter)

Today I am excited to spotlight the deliciously fun and flirty read that is What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter! I had the pleasure of devouring an early copy and am happy to report that it's a funtastic story made of books and cupcakes and a sweet awkward romance that you do not want to miss. You can check out my full review later this month on my stop of the official blog tour (list of all participating blogs at the end of this post), but in the meantime read on for more about this delightful book and links to get your copy today!

Title: What I Like About You

Author: Marisa Kanter
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Release Date: April 7, 2020

Can a love triangle have only two people in it? Online, it can... but in the real world, it's more complicated. In this debut novel Marisa Kanter explores what happens when internet friends turn into IRL crushes.

There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He’s an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything…

Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn’t Halle—she’s Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn’t: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

That is, until Halle arrives to spend senior year in Gramps’s small town and finds herself face-to-face with real, human, not-behind-a-screen Nash. Nash, who is somehow everywhere she goes—in her classes, at the bakery, even at synagogue.

Nash who has no idea she’s actually Kels.

If Halle tells him who she is, it will ruin the non-awkward magic of their digital friendship. Not telling him though, means it can never be anything more. Because while she starts to fall for Nash as Halle…he’s in love with Kels. 

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And be sure to check out the blog tour happening all this month!

Release Spotlight: Rage (Cora Carmack)

Today I spotlight the second book in the Stormheart series by Cora Carmack: RAGE! I found the first book, Roar, to be a highly engaging fantasy (even more the second read!) (see my review here), and Rage was no different (review here). If you haven't yet heard of this epic series, check out both books below!

And be sure to come back Thursday to read an exclusive excerpt and enter to win an Amazon gift card!!

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Title: Rage 
Series: Stormheart #2
Author: Cora Carmack
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: 8/27/19

Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan. 

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent. 

This feels like more than rage. 

It feels like war.

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Check out the first book!

Book 1: Roar

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound | My Review

Release Spotlight: Reticence (Gail Carriger)

Today I'm thrilled to spotlight the fourth and final book in Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series, RETICENCE! Set in Gail's alternate historical paranormal parasolverse and featuring bookish and brainy Percy, one of my favorite characters, after Comptence's revelations it promises to be the most playful and witty of them all! If you haven't yet checked out this delightful series, do so below!

Title: Reticence

Series: The Custard Protocol #4
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: 8/6/19

Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion to NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series.

Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and her best friend are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he'd never admit that he belongs among them. He's always been on the outside - dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life.

Except hats. He's done with hats. Thank you very much.

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Check out the rest of the series!

Book 1: Prudence

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Book 2: Imprudence

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Book 3: Competence

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound | My Review

Release Spotlight: MAYBE THIS TIME (Kasie West)

Today I spotlight the second 2019 Kasie West release: MAYBE THIS TIME from Scholastic! I was able to read an early copy and really enjoyed the year-long setup and strong character depth (feel free to read my full review here). Kasie continues to be one of my favorite authors so I highly recommend you check out her books if you haven't already - and there's no book like her present, info and links below!

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Title: Maybe This Time
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 7/9/19

One year. Nine events. Nine chances to . . . fall in love?

Weddings. Funerals. Barbecues. New Year's Eve parties. Name the occasion, and Sophie Evans will be there. Well, she has to be there. Sophie works for the local florist, so she can be found at every big event in her small hometown, arranging bouquets and managing family dramas.

Enter Andrew Hart. The son of the fancy new chef in town, Andrew is suddenly required to attend all the same events as Sophie. Entitled, arrogant, preppy Andrew. Sophie just wants to get her job done and finish up her sketches so she can apply to design school. But every time she turns around, there is Andrew, getting in her way and making her life more complicated. Until one day she wonders if maybe complicated isn't so bad after all . . .

Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places.

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And check out Kasie West's other Scholastic titles!

P.S. I Like You

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book Depository | My Review

Lucky in Love

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book Depository | My Review

Listen to Your Heart

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book Depository

Release Spotlight: Shadow & Flame (Mindee Arnett)

Today I spotlight the second and final book in the Rime Chronicles duology by Mindee Arnett: SHADOW & FLAME! Pitched as "Pitch Black meets Pony Express," I highly recommend it for fantasy and action lovers. If you haven't yet heard of this epic title, check it out below!

And be sure to check out the Blog Tour as well, where you can win signed copies of the duology + swag! Just head here.

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Title: Shadow & Flame
Author: Mindee Arnett
Publisher: Balzer & Bray (HarperCollins)
Release Date: 6/4/19

From acclaimed author Mindee Arnett comes the thrilling conclusion of the stunningly epic, action-packed, and romantic fantasy adventure about a powerful girl possessed of strange magic, the outcast prince she loves, and the kingdom that has torn them apart.

Kate and Corwin are on the run, desperate for allies in a new world of war among the kingdoms of Rime. As the book opens, Kate suffers a massive loss, one that will shape the struggle for freedom of all wilders and magic folk—that is, if Kate can learn to control her own power.

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Check out the first book!

Book 1: Onyx & Ivory

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Release Spotlight: HONOR BOUND (Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre)

Today I'm thrilled to spotlight the second book in The Honors series by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre: HONOR BOUND! First book, Honor Among Thieves, was my favorite read of both 2017 and 2018 (what can happen when you read an early copy, twice ;), and with its strong main character, sweet sentient spaceship, and their intimate but non-sexual relationship all set in space, it came the closest to being that book written just for me (you can check out my full gushing review here). Needless to say, I'm seriously excited to finally read the sequel!! If you haven't checked out the series yet, do so below!

Title: Honor Bound

Series: The Honors #2
Author: Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: 2/19/19

Savvy criminal turned skilled Leviathan pilot Zara Cole finds new friends and clashes with bitter enemies in the second book of this action-packed series from New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre that’s perfect for fans of The 100 and The Fifth Wave.

Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives.

Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But they’ll have to settle for the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. The secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction.

Soon Zara will have to make a choice: run from the ultimate evil—or stand and fight.

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Check out the first book!

Book 1: Honor Among Thieves

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound | My Review

Release Spotlight: COMPETENCE (Gail Carriger)

Today I'm delighted to spotlight Gail Carriger's latest novel, COMPETENCE! Set in her alternate historical paranormal parasolverse, it's the third in the Custard Protocol series but first from the point of view of the Tunstell twins. I had the pure pleasure of reading an early copy (you can peruse my paragraph review here), and it was a playful and witty adventure and my favorite of the series so far! Needless to say I highly recommend it, so if you haven't checked it (and the rest of the series) out yet, do so below!

Title: Competence

Series: The Custard Protocol #3
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: 7/17/18

From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes the delightful sequel to Imprudence.

Accidentally abandoned!

All alone in Singapore, proper Miss Primrose Tunstell must steal helium to save her airship, the Spotted Custard, in a scheme involving a lovesick werecat and a fake fish tail.

When she uncovers rumors of a new kind of vampire, Prim and the Custard crew embark on a mission to Peru. There, they encounter airship pirates and strange atmospheric phenomena, and are mistaken for representatives of the Spanish Inquisition. Forced into extreme subterfuge (and some rather ridiculous outfits) Prim must also answer three of life's most challenging questions:

Can the perfect book club give a man back his soul?

Will her brother ever stop wearing his idiotic velvet fez?

And can the amount of lard in Christmas pudding save an entire species?

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Check out the first two books!

Book 1: Prudence

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Book 2: Imprudence

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Release Spotlight: ONYX & IVORY (Mindee Arnett)

Today I spotlight the new fantasy from Mindee Arnett: ONYX & IVORY! Pitched as "Pitch Black meets Pony Express", it also has a Tegami Bachi feel that saw me signing up for the Street Team (the Relay Riders) at their inception! If you haven't yet heard of this epic title, check it out below!

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Title: Onyx & Ivory
Author: Mindee Arnett
Publisher: Balzer & Bray (HarperCollins)
Release Date: 5/15/18

They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.

The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.

With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.

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