Saturday, 5 February 2022

In the Serpent's Wake (Tess of the Road #2) by Rachel Hartman - Book Tour

 


Hello everyone!!

Today I am really excited to share with you In the Serpent's Wake  by Rachel Hartman. It is the second book in Tess of the Road series and it is  a YA Fantasy book that was released on February 1st 2022.

Purchase In the Serpent's Wake :
Add In the Serpent's Wake to your Goodreads TBR here


Synopsis of the book: 

From the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Seraphina comes a piercing new fantasy adventure that champions our resilience and humility.

MIND OF THE WORLD, OPEN YOUR EYES.

At the bottom of the world lies a Serpent, the last of its kind. Finding the Serpent will change lives.

Tess is a girl on a mission to save a friend.
Spira is a dragon seeking a new identity.
Marga is a woman staking her claim on a man’s world.
Jacomo is a priest searching for his soul.

There are those who would give their lives to keep it hidden. And those who would destroy it.

But the only people who will truly find the Serpent are those who have awakened to the world around them—with eyes open to the wondrous, the terrible, and the just.

About the Author

Rachel Hartman is the author of three young adult fantasy novels: SERAPHINA, SHADOW SCALE, and TESS OF THE ROAD. Her fourth novel, IN THE SERPENT’S WAKE, will be published February 1st, 2022. Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list and have received many awards, including the Morris Award, the Sunburst Prize, and the Monica Hughes Award. Rachel lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and whippet.









Check out the rest of the tour schedule here

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina

Friday, 4 February 2022

Fire Heart by Emma Hamm - Book Tour


" They handed her a sword and bid her to take a throne..."

Fire Heart by Emma Hamm is a YA/NA Fantasy Romance and it is the first book in The Dragon of Umbra series. The book was released on January 2022.


Purchase Fire Heart here
Add Fire Heart to your Goodreads TBR here



TITLE: Fire Heart
SERIES TITLE: The Dragon of Umbra, Book 1
RELEASE DATE: 01.31.22
GENRE: YA/NA Fantasy Romance
STEAM LEVEL: Mild
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Violence, abuse, uncomfortable sexual content

Synopsis of the book: 
Lorelei is half elf in a kingdom where that bloodline is synonymous with "slave". The Umbra King holds everyone captive with his pet dragon who knows no mercy. She hides in the shadows and steals to stay alive, until a rebel group gives her an offer she can't refuse.
The King seeks a bride. If she can get close enough, she could drive a dagger into that wicked man's heart. But the bridal games are more difficult than most. Lorelei must prove herself not only beautiful, but talented, poised, and deadly as the king. However, the closer she gets to saving her kingdom, the more she realizes a singular problem stands in her way.
The dragon.
The King's bodyguard is more than a slathering beast. He's a man. And the longer she's near him, the more she realizes that perhaps the king isn't the most dangerous person in the kingdom. Perhaps she had to guard not only her body, but her heart. For a dragon mates for life, and they're hard pressed to give up their treasures.

If you like King Arthur, Sara J Maas, Raven Kennedy, Audrey Grey, you will like this one too.

There is a giveaway running until February 13th and you can learn more about it and also enter on my Instagram post @booknotes_athina .

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina

Thursday, 3 February 2022

Vespertine (Vespertine #1) by Margaret Rogerson - A Review


 “Sometimes, if you want to save other people, you need to remember to save yourself first.”
― Margaret Rogerson, Vespertine

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson is a YA Fantasy book which is the first book in a series. It was published on October 2021 by Margaret K. McElderry Books.

I really enjoyed reading Vespertine but not at the beginning as I found it a little slow. It was also heavy with world-building which was of course necessary. I liked the story and the magic system as it was something unique for me. Reading this book felt like a Joan of Arc kind of story.
Character- wise I like the relationship dynamics and banter between our main character Artemisia and the Revenant. 
I will definitely pick book 2 when it comes out. 

Rating: 4 Stars

About the book:

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past. 

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself. 

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first. 

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

2022 New Releases Weekly - February 1st

Hello everyone!! 

Well, it's time for this week's new releases post. This time we look at books published in the week of February 1st. There are a lot of books that are in my most anticipated list, but as I said before this list is of course incomplete as it includes only books that I am interested in and the majority of them are in the Fantasy genre.


Let's Start...

Court (Crave #4) by Tracy Wolff

No one survived the last battle unscathed. Flint is angry at the world, Jaxon is turning into something I don’t recognize, and Hudson has put up a wall I’m not sure I’ll ever break through.

Now war is coming, and we’re not ready. We’re going to need an army to have any hope of winning. But first, there are questions about my ancestors that need answers. Answers that might just reveal who the real monster is among us.

And that’s saying something in a world filled with bloodthirsty vampires, immortal gargoyles, and an ancient battle between two gods.

There’s no guarantee that anyone will be left standing when the dust settles, but if we want to save this world, I have no choice. I’ll have to embrace every part of me...even the parts I fear the most.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: Crave
                 Crush
                 Covet
Publisher: Entangled teen

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin

The Iron Sword (The Iron Fey : Evenfall #2) by Julie Kagawa

As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery…

Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey.

Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.


Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: The Iron Raven
Publisher: Inkyard Press

Castles in Their Bones (Castles in their bones #1) by Laura Sebastian

A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor

In Rosiee Thor's lavish fantasy novel with a Jazz Age spark, a politically savvy teen must weigh her desire to climb the social ladder against her heart in a world where magic buys votes.

Flare is power.

With only a drop of flare, one can light the night sky with fireworks . . . or burn a building to the ground -- and seventeen-year-old Ingrid Ellis wants her fair share.

Ingrid doesn't have a family fortune, monetary or magical, but at least she has a plan: Rise to the top on the arm of Linden Holt, heir to a hefty political legacy and the largest fortune of flare in all of Candesce. Her only obstacle is Linden's father who refuses to acknowledge her.

So when Senator Holt announces his run for president, Ingrid uses the situation to her advantage. She strikes a deal to spy on the senator’s opposition in exchange for his approval and the status she so desperately craves. But the longer Ingrid wears two masks, the more she questions where her true allegiances lie.

Will she stand with the Holts, or will she forge her own path?

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Midnight Horizon ( Star Wars : The High Republic) by Daniel Jose Older

Two hundred years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, in the era of the glorious High Republic, the Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy!

Another exciting young adult adventure featuring Jedi and Jedi Padawans as they fight the nefarious villains known as the Nihil!

The New York Times bestselling series continues....For light and life!

Genre: YA Science Fiction
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press




In The Serpent's Wake (Tess of the Road #2) by Rachel Hartman

From the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Seraphina comes a piercing new fantasy adventure that champions our resilience and humility.

MIND OF THE WORLD,
OPEN YOUR EYES.

At the bottom of the world lies a Serpent, the last of its kind.
Finding the Serpent will change lives.

Tess is a girl on a mission to save a friend.
Spira is a dragon seeking a new identity.
Marga is a woman staking her claim on a man’s world.
Jacomo is a priest searching for his soul.

There are those who would give their lives to keep it hidden.
And those who would destroy it.

But the only people who will truly find the Serpent are those who have awakened to the world around them—with eyes open to the wondrous, the terrible, and the just.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: Tess of the Road
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins


These are some of the new releases of this week.
Are you excited about them?
Do you have other ones on your radar that I should know of?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina




The Fashion Orphans by Randy Susan Meyers & M.J. Rose - New release Tour

 

"Simply captivating!"
–Jennifer Probst, New York Times Bestselling Author
The Fashion Orphans, an all new stylish and beautiful novel from New York Times bestselling author M.J. Rose and bestselling author Randy Susan Meyers, is out now!

Two estranged sisters find that forgiveness never goes out of style when they inherit their mother’s vintage jackets, purses . . . and pearls of wisdom

Estranged half-sisters Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro have only two things in common: mounds of debt and coils of unresolved enmity toward Bette Bradford, their controlling and imperious recently deceased mother.

Gabrielle, the firstborn, was raised in relative luxury on Manhattan’s rarefied Upper East Side. Now, at fifty-five, her life as a Broadway costume designer married to a heralded Broadway producer has exploded in divorce.

Lulu, who spent half her childhood under the tutelage of her working-class Brooklyn grandparents, is a grieving widow at forty-eight. With her two sons grown, her life feels reduced to her work at the Ditmas Park bakery owned by her late husband’s family.

The two sisters arrive for the reading of their mother’s will, expecting to divide a sizable inheritance, pay off their debts, and then again turn their backs on each other.

But to their shock, what they have been left is their mother’s secret walk-in closet jammed with high-end current and vintage designer clothes and accessories— most from Chanel.

Contemplating the scale of their mother’s self-indulgence, the sisters can’t help but wonder if Lauren Weisberger had it wrong: because it seems, in fact, that the devil wore Chanel. But as they being to explore their mother’s collection, meet and fall in love with her group of warm, wonderful friends, and magically find inspiring messages tucked away in her treasures — it seems as though their mother is advising Lulu and Gabrielle from the beyond — helping them rediscover themselves and restore their relationship with each other.

Grab your copy today!

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3D5dp0d

About M.J. Rose
M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice… Books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Rose is a the Co-President and founding member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz. She runs the blog, Museum of Mysteries.

In 1998, her first novel Lip Service was the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.
Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek, and New York Magazine.

She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L'Official, Poets and Writers, and Publishers Weekly.

Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the '80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

Connect with M.J. Rose

About Randy Susan Meyers
The drama of Randy Susan Meyers' novels is informed by her years spent bartending, her ten years working with violent offenders, and too many years enamored with bad boys. Two of her three novels (The Murderer’s Daughters and Accidents of Marriage) were finalists for the Mass Book Awards (2010 & 2015) and included as a “Must Read Book” by the Massachusetts Council of the Book. Her next novel, The Widow of Wall Street releases April 11, 2017.

Raised in Brooklyn New York, Randy now in Boston with her husband and is the mother of two grown daughters. She teaches writing seminars at Boston’s Grub Street Writers’ Center.

Randy Susan Meyers' worked with violent offenders and families in crisis for over two decades.. Two of her novels (The Murderer’s Daughters and Accidents of Marriage) were finalists for the Massachusetts Book Awards.

She teaches at Boston’s Grub Street Writers’ Center.

Connect with Randy Susan Meyers
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3sDPXFT
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3sIa6uk
Instagram: https://bit.ly/32JAx82
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/3HonIPo
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Jtn2uc
Website: https://randysusanmeyers.com/

Connect with Blue Box Press
Website: https://theblueboxpress.com/
Instagram: https://bit.ly/36zQAni
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2IxR9pC

Monday, 31 January 2022

January 2022 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

January is over so it is time to share with you my monthly reading wrap up. In this month I read 6 books in total. 2 of them were ebooks and the rest were physical books. I also found two of new favourite books among them.



Let's see them together, shall we?

Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

This is a fantasy book that is also a myth retelling. It s the first book in The Celestial Kingdom Duology and was published on January.

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This was my first read on 2022 and it was also a 5 star read that I loved. It is a debut fantasy and it is inspired by Chinese mythology and more specifically by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese Moon Goddess.
I loved the writing style of the author, it is so whimsical and beautiful and the world - building and magic system are just phenomenal. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Check out my full review here

 

The Heir by Benet Stoen

It is a YA fantasy book and it is the first book in The Royal Three trilogy. The book was released on July 2021.

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive an free ebook of this book by the author. All opinions are my own.

This is a gender-bent Hades and Persephone re-imagining with political intrigue, complex characters and many shocking plot twists. 
I liked the writing style and the story and how it progressed. It is slow at the beginning but then picks up and you just want to turn page after page to find out what happens.

Rating: 3,5 Stars

Check out my review here


The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S. A Chakraborty

This is a fantasy book with elements of historical fiction and it is the first book in The Daevabad Trilogy. The book  was published in 2017.

I had The City of Brass in my shelves since when it was published and I finally managed to read it. I loved it and I regretted not having done that earlier. 
First of all, I love the story and the writing style . S.A. Chakraborty describes everything perfectly. My favourite thing of all though, is the world and the world - building that she does.

Rating:  5 Stars

Check out my full review here



Gilded (Gilded #1) by Marissa Meyer

This is a YA fantasy book that is also a fairy tale retelling. It was published in November 2021.

I read as part of the #booktalkwithwifey readalong on Instagram  and I really enjoyed it. It was dark and also whimsical and atmospheric. The main character wasn't my favourite but that didn't stop me from liking the book. 

Rating 4 Stars








Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier

This is a YA Fantasy book that was released also on November 2021 and it was part of the December Fairyloot box.

I read it as part of their readalong and I loved it. I didn't have high hopes for it but thankfully it surprised me and became a 5 star read for me. All the plot twists made it even more gripping and I kept turning the pages. I loved the characters and the writing style.

Rating: 5 Stars








As Kingfishers catch fire by Gerard Manley Hopkins

It is a selection of his poetry and it is part of Penguin's Little Black Classics.  I didn't like it as it was expected since I don't like that kind of poetry. 
I just read it as part of my challenge to read all the books in this series.

Rating: 1 Star









See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina



Sunday, 30 January 2022

Frozen Hearts & Death Magic by Day Leitao - Book Tour

 


Hello everyone!!

Today I am really excited to share with you Frozen Hearts & Death Magic by Day Leitao. It is the first book in the Of Fire and Fae series and it is a YA Fantasy Romance. It was released on January 22nd.

Purchase the book here
Add it on your Goodreads TBR here


Here are 5 Reasons to read Frozen Hearts & Death Magic:

  1. If you like books with fae and stories like The Cruel Prince.
  2. If you like multi-POV stories, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, family drama, royal intrigue, and mysterious magic
  3. It has many plot twists and because the book is inspired by telenovelas, the twists are really good.
  4. It has a really good world-building
  5. It has different and well-thought magic systems.
Synopsis of the book:

It all started with a kiss. A forbidden fae kiss. 

Naia was raised in the shadow of her twin brother, the crown prince, who has iron magic much more powerful than hers. But Naia has wishes of her own.

They awaken when she finds a white fae almost dying in the woods. She only heard of them in stories; the dreaded race that razed cities to the ground, killed her grandparents, almost rid Aluria of humans—until they disappeared. Now, twenty years later, are they back? Is there another war coming? But the fae is evasive and secretive. He’s also alluring and fascinating, more beautiful than anyone she’s ever seen. And then it happens: she kisses him—and nothing will be the same again.

In another kingdom, Leah, a necromancer princess, has to find a husband in less than four days, during the Gathering, when royals from all over Aluria meet. Her family makes it very clear that she can pick any prince she wants—except one: Naia’s brother. And it turns out that he’s the one; the one who makes her heart beat faster.Meanwhile, war looms over the land. One of the kingdoms is amassing immense power. The White Fae might be returning. Amidst it all, Naia and her brother struggle with newfound magical powers, family secrets, and most of all, their own treacherous hearts.



About the author

I’m originally from Brazil but I’ve been living in Canada for over 10 years now. I have some influence from Brazilian writers and Brazilian culture, but I also read popular books in English. I watched some Anime as a kid, my favorite being Yamato.

I’ve always loved to write stories, and I like to always include romance, action and humor in my writing. I think stories can touch us deeply. I live in Montreal, Canada, with my son.

My books include the Ya fantasy series Kingdom of Curses and Shadows, Portals to Whyland, and the sci-fi standalones The Sphere of Infinity and Star Spark.

Check out my blog for some news, updates, and nonsensical ramblings.


Check out the tour schedule here


See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina


Thursday, 27 January 2022

The City of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - A Review

 


"I have always envied the ability to forget that some people have for whom the past is like a change of season or old shoes that it is enough to condemn in the back of a closet so that they are unable to redo the lost steps".

The City of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a collection of short stories all taking place at the same setting as the novels of The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. The collection was published posthumously in 2020 and was translated in English in 2021. I have read the Greek translation of the book.

Gathered here for the first time - and some never before published in English - these stories showcase the talents of Carlos Ruiz Zafón, a writer beloved by millions of readers and a master who has left us too soon.

The Cemetery of Forgotten Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of my favourites. It is so atmospheric and just perfect. So, when I heard that a short story collection was coming out I was really excited and of course after reading it I just loved it. It was good to be back in Barcelona and meet old and new heroes. 
The writing as always with Carlos Ruiz Zafon's books was excellent. It is a pity that we will not read more by him.

Rating: 4 Stars

About the book:
The echo of the great characters and motifs of the novels of The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series resonates in the stories of Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

A boy decides to become a writer when he discovers that his inventions hold the power to entice the rich girl who has stolen his heart...

An architect flees Constantinople with plans for an impregnable library...

A strange gentleman tempts Cervantes to write a book that has never existed...

And Gaudí, sailing to a mysterious rendezvous in New York, delights in a spectacle of light and steam, the stuff that cities should be made of.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

2022 New Releases Weekly - January 25th

 Hello everyone!!

Well, it's time for this week's new releases post. This time we look at books published in the week of January 25th. There are a lot of books that are in my most anticipated list, but as I said before this list is of course incomplete as it includes only books that I am interested in and the majority of them are in the Fantasy genre.


Let's start...

Goliath -  Tochi Onyebuchi

In the 2050s, Earth has begun to empty. Those with the means and the privilege have departed the great cities of the United States for the more comfortable confines of space colonies. Those left behind salvage what they can from the collapsing infrastructure. As they eke out an existence, their neighborhoods are being cannibalized. Brick by brick, their houses are sent to the colonies, what was once a home now a quaint reminder for the colonists of the world that they wrecked. 

A primal biblical epic flung into the future, Goliath weaves together disparate narratives—a space-dweller looking at New Haven, Connecticut as a chance to reconnect with his spiraling lover; a group of laborers attempting to renew the promises of Earth’s crumbling cities; a journalist attempting to capture the violence of the streets; a marshal trying to solve a kidnapping—into a richly urgent mosaic about race, class, gentrification, and who is allowed to be the hero of any history.

Genre: Science Fiction /  Dystopia
Publisher: Tordotcom

Into the Midnight Void (Beyond the Ruby Veil #2) -  Mara Fitzgerald

Emanuela has finally gotten what she wanted. Since escaping her catacomb prison, she's started running things her way. Under her rule, citizens no longer give up their lives at the first, tiny appearance of their omens. As long as they aren't caught bad-mouthing their queen, they can live out their days like everyone else.

But when cracks in her magic start to show, Emanuela begrudgingly allies herself with her enemies, including her frustratingly alluring archnemesis, Verene. Together, discover deeper truths about the mysterious blood magic Emanuela and Verene both wield. There is a higher, otherworldly authority outside the veils, and in order to save Occhia and the other realms, Emanuela may just have to rip another crown off someone's head.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: Beyond the Ruby Veil
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections  -  Eva Jurczyk

What holds more secrets in the library: the ancient books shelved in the stacks or the people who preserve them?

Liesl Weiss has been (mostly) happy working in the rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she's left to run things, she discovers that the library's most prized manuscript is missing.

Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book but is told repeatedly to keep quiet to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian goes missing as well. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues' pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long—and about the people who preserve and revere them—shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life.

Genre: Fiction /  Mystery
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

On January 26th , Saga returns...

Saga (Issue #55) - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

At long last, Hazel and her star-crossed family are finally back and here to kick off a NEW STORY ARC! So, where the hell have they been? As thanks for fans’ endless patience, the SAGA team is proud to return with a double-length issue—44 pages of story for the regular $2.99 price point—without variant covers or gimmicky renumbering. Just more pulse-punding adventure, heart-wrenching character drama, and gloriously graphic sex and violence, as SAGA begins the second half the series and the most epic chapter yet!

The SAGA series has sold over 6.8 million copies to date across all formats, has been translated into 20 languages, and has garnered multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards, plus a Hugo Award, British Fantasy Award, Goodreads Choice Award, Shuster Award, Inkwell Award, Ringo Award, and more. It has been featured in such mainstream media outlets as TIME, Entertainment Weekly, The Atlantic, NPR, and beyond, and has become a pop culture phenomenon.

Genre: Science Fiction Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics

And on January 27th...

Pandora - Susan Stokes -  Chapman

A pure pleasure of a novel set in Georgian London, where the discovery of a mysterious ancient Greek vase sets in motion conspiracies, revelations and romance.

Perfect for readers who loved The Binding and The Essex Serpent.

London, 1799. Dora Blake is an aspiring jewellery artist who lives with her uncle in what used to be her parents' famed shop of antiquities. When a mysterious Greek vase is delivered, Dora is intrigued by her uncle's suspicious behaviour and enlists the help of Edward Lawrence, a young antiquarian scholar. Edward sees the ancient vase as key to unlocking his academic future. Dora sees it as a chance to restore the shop to its former glory, and to escape her nefarious uncle.

But what Edward discovers about the vase has Dora questioning everything she has believed about her life, her family, and the world as she knows it. As Dora uncovers the truth she starts to realise that some mysteries are buried, and some doors are locked, for a reason.

Gorgeously atmospheric and deliciously page-turning, Pandora is a story of secrets and deception, love and fulfilment, fate and hope.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harvill Secker

These are some of the new releases of this week.
Are you excited about them?
Do you have other ones on your radar that I should know of?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina



Sunday, 23 January 2022

The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S. A. Chakraborty - A Review

 


“Greatness takes time, Banu Nahida. Often the mightiest things have the humblest beginnings.”
― S.A. Chakraborty, The City of Brass

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty is a fantasy book with elements of historical fiction and it is the first book in The Daevabad Trilogy. The book  was published in 2017.

I had The City of Brass in my shelves since when it was published and I finally managed to read it. I loved it and I regretted not having done that earlier. 
First of all, I love the story and the writing style . S.A. Chakraborty describes everything perfectly. My favourite thing of all though, is the world and the world - building that she does. The story is told through two POVs, Nahri and Ali and they might start in completely different places but then they converge. My favourite scenes were those where Dara was present. I loved everything about him.
There is a lot of political intrigue that adds to the overall story and setting. And of course the magic of the djinn and how it differs between the many tribes is incredible. And I don't have to mention the ending of the book.

Tomorrow I am starting book 2, The Kingdom of Copper and I highly recommend that you start reading this trilogy asap.

Rating: 5 Stars

About the book:
In the markets of eighteenth century of Cairo, thieves, tricksters, con artists and outcasts eke out a living swundling rich nobles and foreign invaders alike.

But alongside this new world, the old stories linger. Tales of djinn and spirits, of cities hidden among the swirling sands of the desert - full of enchantment, desire and riches - where magic pours down every street hanging in the air like that.

Many wish their lives could be filled with wonder, but not Nahri. She knows the trades she uses to get by are just tricks and slights of hand, there's nothing magical about her. She only wishes to one day leave Cairo, but as the saying goes...

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina