Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Ten Thousand Skies Above You
(Firebird #2)
by Claudia Gray
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Publication Date: November 3rd 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 432
ISBN: 9780062278999
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: Edelweiss

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Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book. (Goodreads)

Ten Thousand Skies Above You is the second book in the Firebird series by the amazing Claudia Gray. The moment I finished A Thousand Pieces of You, I knew Ten Thousand Skies Above You would be one of my most anticipated reads for 2015. I absolutely couldn't wait to get started on this book and get back into this awesome world that Gray created. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect once I started reading the book, and I worried that it wouldn't compare to the first book that I loved so very much. Thankfully, I worried for nothing. This book was great!!

In Ten Thousand Skies Above You, we follow Marguerite as she jumps through the multiverse trying to save Paul, whose soul has been 'splintered' and scattered throughout multiple dimensions. Marguerite is willing to do anything to save Paul, even when it means being forced to do things that she really doesn't want to do for the enemy that she hates. And with every jump into a new dimension, Marguerite starts to question everything she thought was right in her world.

I love so many characters in this series. Marguerite is such a very strong character, willing to take all the risks and do whatever she needs to do for the ones she loves. Paul, who I have loved since the first book, is almost perfection, and it was interesting to see him so differently, yet so much the same, in all the different dimensions that Marguerite visited. We also get to see different versions of Marguerite's parents, sister, and Theo, all of who I loved in the first book. It was interesting to see how completely different they were, yet still so much the same as well, in each dimension.

Can I just take a moment here to say how completely perfect Marguerite and Paul are together? Seriously, they are definitely one of my most favorite couples of all time, and I'm so totally in love with Paul. Just had to get that out there, in case you couldn't tell from my random gushing. Wink.

The storyline for the book follows along nicely with its predecessor, and kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation throughout most of the story. I loved the setting for the story, with all of the different alternate dimensions and how completely different they were from each other. I also enjoyed reading the flashback parts that were included in the story as well, especially when one character I love the most was sadly absent throughout most of the story. This allowed him to still be included in the story, and I loved that. The book ends with a pretty big cliffhanger ending, one that has me in much anticipation for the third book in the series to see what in the world is going to happen next!!

Overall; Ten Thousand Skies Above you was definitely worth the wait, and now that I've read the book, it's definitely one of my favorites of 2015! I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book and final book in the series, which currently has no release date, but will hopefully be next year! I must know what will happen next for Marguerite. If you've not yet checked out this series, PLEASE DO SO!

Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novel

November 3: 
Top Ten Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novel
(2015 Edition)

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - Red Queen definitely earned a spot on my Favorites of 2015 list! This book was awesome, and I can't wait to get my hands on its sequel, Glass Sword, will be out in February 2016!! I'm soooo excited!

2. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - AH! An Ember in the Ashes was SO GOOD!! It was yet another book on my Favorites of 2015 list, and its sequel, A Torch Against the Night, is due out in April 2016, and I CAN'T HARDLY WAIT!!



3. The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle - I loved everything from the eerie storyline to the stunning cover for this book. It was a great book to read for Halloween!! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!!

4. This Monstrous Thing by MacKenzi Lee - This Frankenstein retelling totally won me over. This book definitely has to be on my list of favorites for 2015 as well. I can't wait to read more by Lee as soon as humanly possible!!


5. Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley - Magonia was Maria's YA debut book this year, and it totally captivated me!! Getting to meet her in person was really awesome as well. I can't wait for the Magonia sequel, due out in 2016!

6. The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne - I participated in a blog tour for The Wrong Side of Right earlier this year, and I really enjoyed it, and the book as well! I am really looking forward to reading more by Jenn Marie Thorne soon!


7. The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi - I really loved the characters in this book! And the storyline was lots of fun as well. I'm really looking forward to Gibaldi's next book, Autofocus, out in June 2016!!

8. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga - I loved this story so much, even if it did break my heart at times. I'm very much anticipating Warga's next novel, out in 2016!!


9. Shutter by Courtney Alameda -Shutter was one of the first books I read in 2015, and it was a really fast-paced, action-filled book! I am really looking forward to Alameda's sophomore novel, Pitch Dark, set to release in 2016!

10. Everything That Makes You by Moriah McStay - Everything That Makes You was one of those 'What If' stories that I absolutely love!! I really can't wait to read more by McStay, and hopefully soon!

Review: Soundless by Richelle Mead

Soundless
by Richelle Mead
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Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9781595147639
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: First To Read

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From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever... (Goodreads)

As soon as I heard about Richelle Mead's Soundless, I knew I would have to check the book out. I've read all of Mead's Vampire Academy series, as well as the first book in the Bloodlines series, and really enjoyed those books. I was really looking forward to reading something new by her, especially when I discovered that it was about Chinese folklore. I was definitely intrigued!

Fei was a very, very interesting main character. She came from a village where everyone was deaf, and where most people were rapidly losing their vision. Due to the precarious conditions of the mountain around her village, it was only reachable via zipline, and supplies were limited and were spread thin throughout. When Fei is awoken one night with the ability to hear, she knew things in her life were about to change, and not for the better. With the help of her newly acquired hearing, and an unlikely partner, she sets out on a journey to get her village the help it so desperately needs, but soon discovers that things are not at all what she expected.

I really, really enjoyed the storyline for the book. I had never  before heard of the folklore that it was based on, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I also really enjoyed the writing style for the book. Since everyone in Fei's village was deaf, they all communicated through sign language, and Mead did a great job of reflecting that in the writing in the story. It was really interesting to read it this way, and even though I thought I would, I didn't have a hard time keeping up with who was speaking throughout the story. It was really interesting.

Overall; I found Soundless to be a very quick, enjoyable read. It was nice to read something by Mead that wasn't vampire related, even though I really enjoyed those books as well. I'm super excited for Mead's next series, The Glittering Court, that was just announced last week and due to release in 2016!! It sounds awesome, so add it, and Soundless, to your to-be-read list today!!

October Wrap Up & Book Haul

*Books Read in October*

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
A Madness SO Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond
Soundless by Richelle Mead
Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren*
Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts*

*Books not pictured

*October Book Haul*

A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond
Dark Tide by Jennifer Donnelly
Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa
A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
Persuasion by Jane Austen
This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith


Ugh, so October was completely insane for me.
BUT, I did manage to read 7 books, so not too bad!!
I also hit my goal of reading 100 books this year, so that was pretty awesome!! :)
November is going to be another busy month, but I'm going to try my best to
actually get caught up. Wish me luck!!

How many books did you read in October???

Waiting on Wednesday #219 - The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

The Beauty of Darkness
(The Remnant Chronicles #3)
by Mary E. Pearson
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Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ISBN: 9780805099256



Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | The Book Depository

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens. (Goodreads)

AHHHHHHHHHH!!
The Beauty of Darkness, book #3 in The Remnant Chronicles series, finally has a cover!
And OMG is it stunning, or what???
This book is definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2016.

2016?!?!?!
That's SO FAR AWAY.
Haha!

If you've not yet read this series, DO IT, NOW!!
You won't regret it.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Halloween Reads

October 27: Halloween themed freebie
(My choice - Top Ten Halloween Reads)

Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
are two of my most favorite ghost stories. These two books are the first that
come to mind when recommending a Halloween read!

Ten by Gretchen McNeil is intense and full of suspense and the perfect book
to read to get you in the mood for Halloween!!

Let's not forget about Zombies, which is exactly what you get when you read
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers!! This book was intense!!

 I read A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis just a few weeks ago,
and I loved how creepy the story was! It definitely put me in the Halloween spirit!!

It's been a while since I read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, but I remember it being

very unique and different. Very spooky and great for this time of year!

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee is a Frankenstein retelling that I absolutely LOVED!!
Again, I read this a few weeks ago, and it's another book that was total perfection

to read at Halloween time!! This book was SO good by the way. Check it out!

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle is actually set during Halloween time,
so again, a perfect book to read for Halloween! Lots of creepiness as well!

I've not yet read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness &
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

but I imagine these would be perfectly scary read for Halloween!
I had hoped to squeeze this in for Halloween Reads week this month,
but unfortunately I've been too busy. :(

__________

There you have it, Bookworms! Just a few of my favorite Halloween Reads!
Leave a comment with your link so I can check out YOUR Halloween reads!
I'm always excited to find new books.

Have a great Halloween, Bookworms!!

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Ice Like Fire
(Snow Like Ashes #2)
by Sara Raasch
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Publication Date: October 13th 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 479
ISBN: 9780062286956
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss/Own

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It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world. (Goodreads)

I read Snow Like Ashes last year, and really, really enjoyed the uniqueness of the story. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Ice Like Fire, even though I worried that the sequel would not be nearly as good as the first book. Well, it totally was!! I enjoyed this book just as much as, if not more than, Snow Like Ashes!! It definitely did not disappoint!

All the familiar characters that we knew from the first book are back in this sequel, along with a lot of new, interesting characters as well. I still imagine Meira as a young Xena: Warrior Princess, with her chakram and her fierceness, but there's also a new side of her in the book, the side that must act like the queen that she is. It was interesting to see this different side to Meira, as she was so fierce in the first book, but, I'm thrilled to say that she's a really awesome queen as well.

There are so many secondary characters that I love in this series. There are really too many to mention, but my list has grown as we are introduced to some new characters as the story goes along. It's hard not to totally love some of these characters.  But, there are also some character that you will really, really dislike, but who are also very well written.

Like the previous book, it really felt like there wasn't a dull moment when reading this story. There was so much action and suspense in the storyline, it really kept me on my toes wondering what would happen next. And again, the setting for the book was so unique; Raasch did a wonderful job with her descriptions. I could visualize the world she created perfectly in my mind, and they were so awesome!!

Overall; I really did not expect to enjoy Ice Like Fire more than Snow Like Ashes, but I totally did! I loved being back in world Raasch created, with its unique setting and awesome characters. I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the third book in the series, which is set to be published in 2016!! If you've not yet check out this series, I definitely suggest that you add them to your reading list!

Review: First & Then by Emma Mills

First & Then
by Emma Mills
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Publication Date: October 13th 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9781627792356
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: For Review

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Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself. (Goodreads)

As soon as I discovered First & Then by Emma Mills, I knew I had to read this book. It is described as Pride & Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights, which happens to be two of my most favorite things. I have to admit, my curiosity was piqued, as I really love Jane Austen, and football, so I knew this book would make for an excellent read. AND IT DID!!

There were so many characters that I loved in the story, and all for different reasons. I found the main character, Devon, to be very likable, and I love how much she loved football, even if it was just to watch her best friend/crush play under the Friday night lights. Foster, Devon's cousin, is one of those characters that you just can't help but love, because he grows on you more and more throughout the story. And then there's Ezra, who is the strong and silent, yet somewhat awkward type, who is so much like Mr. Darcy, I instantly fell in love with him. These three characters really are the highlight of the book, and it made me love it so much more.

I am becoming a big fan of retellings of my favorite books lately, as I love seeing a book I loved retold in a different light, with a different persons perspective. And honestly, there just aren't enough Jane Austen retellings in my life. I adore Jane Austen, and Pride & Prejudice just happens to be my favorite read of hers. I really love how much influence Austen has in this book. I was hooked, and I read this book in just a few hours time.

Overall; I really love contemporary novels, and when you pair them with Jane Austen, you just can’t lose! First & Then was such a fun read! I loved the characters and the setting, and pretty much everything else about this book. I will definitely be checking out more books by Emma Mills in the future!!

Review & Giveaway: A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond

A Song for Ella Grey
by David Almond
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Publication Date: October 13th 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9780553533590
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Retelling
Source: For Review

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"I'm the one who's left behind. I'm the one to tell the tale. I knew them both...knew how they lived and how they died."

Claire is Ella Grey's best friend. She's there when the whirlwind arrives on the scene: catapulted into a North East landscape of gutted shipyards; of high arched bridges and ancient collapsed mines. She witnesses a love so dramatic it is as if her best friend has been captured and taken from her. But the loss of her friend to the arms of Orpheus is nothing compared to the loss she feels when Ella is taken from the world. This is her story - as she bears witness to a love so complete; so sure, that not even death can prove final. (Goodreads)

I have to admit, I was very intrigued when I was first invited to read A Song for Ella Grey. I've never read the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, though I'd seen it referenced in a few books before, and I've always been curious. As far as I know, there aren't many retellings of the myth out in the YA genre, so  I was even more excited to check this out!

The narrator of this story is Claire, Ella Grey's best friend. While we are reading the words from Claire's point of view, she feels more like a secondary character than a main character. Ella Grey and Orpheus are the stars in this book, and Claire is their storyteller. Getting to know these characters was a very interesting experience, they were all so captivating and mysterious.

I really enjoyed the writing style for the novel. It has a lovely lyrical feel to it, and I found the writing to be very beautiful. While I don't know much about the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, I was able to follow along with the retelling very well, and now I'm even more curious to check out the myth as well.

Overall; I can't say I've read many books like A Song for Ella Grey, but I really enjoyed reading the story David Almond created. I'm definitely going to check out the original myth now, as soon as I possibly can. I'm super excited to check it out as well!

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