Waiting on Wednesday: Dispel Illusion – Mark Lawrence

November 13, 2019November 10, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Synopsis

Sometimes being wrong is the right answer.

Nick Hayes’s genius is in wringing out the universe’s secrets. It’s a talent that’s allowed him to carve paths through time. But the worst part is that he knows how his story will end. He’s seen it with his own eyes. And every year that passes, every breakthrough he makes, brings him a step closer. Mia’s accident is waiting for them both in 2011. If it happens then he’s out of choices.

Then a chance 1992 discovery reveals that this seeker of truth has been lying to himself. But why? It’s a question that haunts him for years. A straw he clings to as his long-awaited fate draws near.

Time travel turns out not to be the biggest problem Nick has to work on. He needs to find out how he can stay on his path but change the destination. Failure has never been an option, and neither has survival. But Nick’s hoping to roll the dice one more time. And this new truth begins with a lie.

Thoughts

Today’s waiting on Wednesday is for Dispel Illusion by Mark Lawrence. This is the third and final instalment in the Impossible Times trilogy, and I am honestly dying to read this so I can know how it all ends. This action packed series has had me on the edge of my seat quite a few times and I honestly have no idea what direction the final book is going to take. Lawrence has delivered some shock twists in this tale and I’m sure the final instalment will be just as brilliant. The story features a group of Dungeon’s and Dragons playing teenagers (think Stranger Things) as they end up on a crazy time travelling mission to save the world. It’s brilliant fun and the first two books have been quite short fast paced reads. If you haven’t had a chance to pick this series up yet, I’d highly recommend them, they’re definitely the kind of books you could curl up and binge read on a snowy weekend. Dispel Illusion is publishing in ebook on November 14th, and then later on in December in hardback. I was planning to wait on the hardback release to match my copies of One Word Kill and Limited Wish, but I’m not sure I can hold off that long!

Book Review: Suicide Club – Rachel Heng

September 13, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Release Date: March 21st 2019
Publisher: Sceptre
Pages: 372
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis

In this debut set in near future NYC—where lives last 300 years and the pursuit of immortality is all-consuming—Lea must choose between her estranged father and her chance to live forever.

Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever—if she does everything right. And Lea is an overachiever. She’s a successful trader on the New York exchange—where instead of stocks, human organs are now bought and sold—she has a beautiful apartment, and a fiancé who rivals her in genetic perfection. And with the right balance of HealthTech™, rigorous juicing, and low-impact exercise, she might never die.

But Lea’s perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead chose to live—and die—on their own terms. In this future world, death is not only taboo; it’s also highly illegal. Soon Lea is forced to choose between a sanitized immortal existence and a short, bittersweet time with a man she has never really known, but who is the only family she has left in the world.

Review

Suicide Club is a really fascinating concept – with a world that has gone health mad, the ultimate goal is to live forever. With falling birth rates and the desire to live as long as possible, the city and its inhabitants are closely monitored for any signs of rebellion. When Lea’s father walks back into her perfect world her life begins to crumble around her. She soon becomes involved with the Suicide Club – a group of people who go against everything this new immortal world stands for.

I really loved the idea of this book. It was so unique and really made some fascinating comments on the way we live as a society, constantly obsessed with having the image of this perfect life. I enjoyed the sinister Big Brother-esque feel of the story, as Lea tries to prove that she isn’t trying to kill herself.

It was quite a slow burn book and it took a while for me to get into the story. There was quite a lot of technical information explaining the developments that allowed people to live longer and the ways that society had evolved. I struggled a little getting my head around all of this but once the story picked up the pace a little more I really enjoyed it.

Lea is an interesting protagonist but I found myself more interested in some of the secondary characters. I would really have loved the opportunity to get to know some of them a bit more. I found Lea to be a bit bland, and that was my main reason for not rating the book higher.

Overall for me Suicide Club is a fantastic concept that falls down a little in execution. I would definitely be interested to read more of Heng’s work, and if you’re a fan of speculative fiction this will definitely appeal to you.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dev1at3 – Jay Kristoff

September 4, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past.

Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world.

Thoughts

This week for Waiting on Wednesday I thought I would talk about a release I’m really looking forward to, which is Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff. This is the second instalment in the Lifelik3 series, and I really enjoyed the first book. It’s a fun and action packed science fiction tale, and I really loved the mix of action and sassy characters. I’m super excited to read Dev1at3 as this time around we follow a different character – Lemon Fresh, who was my absolute favourite in book one. The book has been released pretty much everywhere except the UK, so I’ve seen plenty of positive reviews (and I’m also super jealous that everyone else has got to read it already). They’ve also changed the cover art which I’m a little annoyed about, I definitely preferred the original covers. Despite that I’m excited to see what this next instalment will bring and I’m sure it will be full of Jay Kristoff’s trademark wit and style. Dev1at3 is publishing October 3rd 2019 from HarperVoyager.

June Wrap Up!

July 22, 2019July 21, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 7 Comments

My super late wrap ups continue with all the lovely books I read in June!

1. What Lies Around Us – Andrew Crofts
This is a little book that packs a punch, following a ghostwriter who delves into the secrets behind Hollywood and Silicon Valley. It was twisty, exciting and I really enjoyed this one. Full review for my stop on the blog tour can be found here! (4/5 stars)

2. The Boy With the Porcelain Blade – Den Patrick
I thought it might be time for a reread of one of my favourite series. I raced through this dark and addictive fantasy story. It was so fun to return to a world that I love so much. Lucien is probably one of my favourite characters of all time, and I definitely think this is an underrated series. Looking forward to continuing my reread with books two and three. (5/5 stars)

3. The Colarado Kid – Stephen King
This was a fascinating little novella, the first in Titan’s Hard Case Crime series. It was the perfect read for a Sunday afternoon and I ended up reading it in one sitting with the story winding you in deeper and deeper. It’s written very much like an old detective tale and was a really fun read. I really liked that there’s no clear resolution at the end, and it’s left quite ambiguous. (3/5 stars)

4. Beautiful Disaster – Jamie McGuire
This was absolutely not for me. I was in the mood for a light and fluffy read and thought I might give it a go but I really struggled to finish it. Both the main characters were horrible and when they weren’t making each other miserable they were screaming at each other or treating the other like a possession. I also felt the whole plot was so dramatic and over the top, definitely won’t be continuing this series. (1.5/5 stars)

5. Maresi – Maria Turtschaninoff
This is a series that I’ve wanted to read for a while and I’m so glad I finally picked up the first book in the series – I completely fell in love! This is such a beautifully written tale and I adored the cast of characters and the stunning island they called home. I cannot wait to continue into book two, and if you want to read my full thoughts my review can be found here! (4/5 stars)

6. The Wolf – Leo Carew
The Wolf is pretty much my idea of a perfect book. The story of two warring kingdoms and their leaders who will stop at nothing to win. It was a thrilling read and I loved the high stakes, the political intrigue and the devious tactics the characters use to try and gain the upper hand. The Spider is definitely high on my TBR list for next month because I need to know what’s going to happen next. (5/5 stars)

7. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
I’ve been reading more and more thrillers recently and so I’ve been guessing plot twists more frequently. However the twist in this one completely blew my mind. Every time I made up my mind how it was going to end it went in a completely different direction. This is one of those super fast paced, dark thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat. (4/5 stars)

8. The Ballad of Black Tom – Victor LaValle
I saw this book mentioned on BookTube and thought it sounded like a quick, engrossing read. For some reason I struggled to connect with the story. It was well written and interesting but it ended up taking me ages to finish it and I found myself kind of slogging through it. I think because the book is so short you only really get a snapshot of the world and the magic, and I struggled to get to grips with it. (2.5/5 stars)

9. The Tall Man – Phoebe Locke
This was kind of giving me Slender Man vibes and I thought it sounded like just thing I was in the mood for. I love those mysteries where you never quite know if it’s supernatural or not. It follows several different timelines and perspectives, which can at times be a little confusing. It is a quick and dark read though, one that I think thriller fans will really enjoy. (3.5/5 stars)

10. The Kingdom – Jess Rothenberg
This is a bit of a difficult one for me. I really really enjoyed this book. It’s a brilliant science fiction tale about an AI who works in a fantasy theme park. She’s there to help guests in any way, but when she starts to develop emotions things quickly spiral out of control. It was a terrific read but I think I had built it up in my head a bit too much, so even though it was really good I still felt a little disappointed. That’s probably just me though! (4/5 stars)

11. An Illusion of Thieves – Cate Glass
This was definitely the surprise read of the month. I picked this up on a whim and ended up completely adoring this epic fantasy with a fantastic mix of characters. The plot was exciting and I raced through this and I’m already desperate for more. This will easily end up on my favourite books of 2019 list. (5/5 stars)

So those are all the books I read in June! If you’ve read any of them I’d love to know what you thought and also what your favourite June reads were!

Book Review: Limited Wish – Mark Lawrence

June 1, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Series: Impossible Times #2
Release Date: May 28th 2019
Publisher: 47 North
Pages: 222
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The author kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

One choice. Two possible timelines. And a world hanging in the balance.

It’s the summer of 1986 and reluctant prodigy Nick Hayes is a student at Cambridge University, working with world-renowned mathematician Professor Halligan. He just wants to be a regular student, but regular isn’t really an option for a boy-genius cancer survivor who’s already dabbled in time travel.

When he crosses paths with a mysterious yet curiously familiar girl, Nick discovers that creases have appeared in the fabric of time, and that he is at the centre of the disruption. Only Nick can resolve this time paradox before the damage becomes catastrophic for both him and the future of the world. Time is running out—literally.

Wrapped up with him in this potentially apocalyptic scenario are his ex-girlfriend, Mia, and fellow student Helen. Facing the world-ending chaos of a split in time, Nick must act fast and make the choice of a lifetime—or lifetimes.

Game on.

Review

Limited Wish is the second instalment in the Impossible Times series. The first – One Word Kill was a completely addictive story and I couldn’t put it down. I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of Limited Wish and I picked it up straight away. After just a few pages I was completely sucked in again and this time the stakes are even higher.

Limited Wish picks up not long after the events of One Word Kill and drops us right into the action of Nick at Cambridge University. The story follows Nick as he attempts to figure out what’s causing the time echoes that are happening around him, and solve the problem of a paradox. The story is full to the brim with action, adventure and excitement.

Mark Lawrence has yet to write a book I haven’t completely loved and Limited Wish is definitely one of my favourites. I loved returning to the characters we met in the first book – Nick and his gang as they attempt to stop the bad guys, both in real life and in Dungeons and Dragons. There’s all brilliant characters but I particularly love Simon and Mia. It’s fascinating to see the characters grow, particularly after the events of the first book in the series.

The story is full of science, time travel and mathematics. It’s incredibly well plotted and feels realistic whilst also featuring future selves, time travel and a whizz kid mathematician. I loved the mix of science fiction with teenagers just trying to make it through a party and talk to girls. It was such an enjoyable read and I definitely didn’t want it to end.

Limited Wish is full of heart and you’ll definitely grow attached to the wonderful characters. The fast paced plot also kept me guessing and there were quite a few twists that I definitely wasn’t expecting. This is absolutely a new favourite and if you haven’t had the chance to pick the series up yet, now is the perfect time. Book three in the series Dispel Illusion is coming in November so you’ll definitely want to be all caught up by then – this series is one you don’t want to miss.

April Wrap Up!

May 30, 2019May 31, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 8 Comments

I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus these last two weeks but I’m back and today I thought I would share my April wrap up. I seem to have managed to get out of the slump and managed to complete 12 books in April!

1. Daisy Jones and the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six is definitely not the kind of book I would normally read but it completely sucked me in and totally lived up to the hype. I ended up loving it way more than I thought I would and I can’t wait to read more from Taylor Jenkins Reid. My full review for Daisy Jones can be found here. (4/5 stars)

2. Muse of Nightmares – Laini Taylor
To coincide with the paperback release of this gorgeous book I was asked to participate in the blog tour. Muse of Nightmares is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer, a beautifully told fantasy story full of magic and adventure. I loved Muse of Nightmares just as much as I loved the first book in the series and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it. You can check out my stop on the blog tour here. (5/5 stars)

3. Sleep – C. L. Taylor
C. L. Taylor is fast becoming one of my favourite crime writers. Every single one of her books has had me on the edge of my seat. Sleep is a dark and twisty tale about a group of people staying at a hotel on a remote Scottish island. Everyone has secrets, but is one of them planning murder? I was completely shocked by the ending and I loved every second. Full review for this one is here! (4.5/5 stars)

4. Star Crossed – Minnie Darke
This was such a cute and fun contemporary story! Star-Crossed revolves around star signs and really brings a fresh perspective to the contemporary genre. I completely adored the characters and was hooked on the story. This was another blog tour that I participated in so if you want to find out more you can check out my stop here. (3.5/5 stars)

5. The Devil Aspect – Craig Russell
This book was so dark and creepy I couldn’t get enough. Craig Russell completely sucked me in with this story and I almost missed my train stop a few times because I was absorbed in the story. A mixture of historical fiction, horror and thriller – this story packs a punch and is full of excitement and quite a bit of gore. If you’re intrigued and you can find my full review here. (4.5/5 stars)

6. The Fandom Rising – Anna Day
Anna Day is back with a fun and exciting sequel to The Fandom. In this instalment some of the characters return to the world of The Gallows Dance and there’s an added mystery going on in the real world. It was great to return to the characters we fell in love with in book one and I really enjoyed the story. (Review here!) (3.5/5 stars)

7. Summer Bird Blue – Akemi Dawn Bowman
Starfish was one of my favourite books of 2018 so I was really excited to read Summer Bird Blue. The story follows a young girl dealing with the loss of her sister in a car crash. The story is emotional and I loved the connection with music, but I didn’t mesh with the characters in the same way I did Starfish. (3/5 stars)

8. The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes – Neil Gaiman
I absolutely adore Neil Gaiman but for some reason I’ve never picked up The Sandman graphic novels. I rectified that this month by reading the first instalment – Preludes and Nocturnes. It was dark and gripping and the art work was completely stunning. I’m really looking forward to continuing the series and can’t wait to pick up volume two! (3.5/5 stars)

9. Release – Patrick Ness
I picked this up while on holiday because it sounded like a really fascinating story about a day in the life of young Adam Thorn and a mysterious ghost that brings about the end of the world. It felt like I was reading two completely different stories and it left me feeling a bit disappointed. (2.5/5 stars)

10. The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien
I’m trying to reread some of my favourite books of all time so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to reread The Hobbit. No matter how many times I read it I still completely fall in love with the story. It’s such a well written tale and I already want to reread it again sometime soon. I’m definitely going to try and reread the Lord of the Rings books before the end of the year too. (5/5 stars)

11. The Lives Before Us – Juliet Conlin
I absolutely loved The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days by Juliet Conlin so I was so excited to pick up her new book. This is such a beautiful and moving tale set during the Second World War. It’s full of heart and and it’s definitely a book I still think about even though I finished it ages ago. I can’t wait to see what Juliet writes next! (4/5 stars)

12. Emily Eternal – M. G. Wheaton
I’m pretty sure I read this book in a single day. Emily Eternal is a science fiction story about an AI named Emily who is designed to help human trauma. The sun is dying and Emily discovers a secret that might save humanity, she must go on the run with her human friends and attempt to stop the end of the world. It’s jam packed with danger, excitement and adventure. It’s definitely a must read. (4/5 stars)

So those are all the books I read in April! I had an excellent reading month with lots of really brilliant books and I’m hoping that it will continue for the rest of the year!

Waiting on Wednesday: Limited Wish – Mark Lawrence

May 22, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Synopsis

One choice. Two possible timelines. And a world hanging in the balance.

Thoughts:

Limited Wish is the second book in the Impossible Times series. The first book One Word Kill was a book I devoured a few months ago (you can read my full five star review here) I really loved it so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series. The story is science fiction, blending time travel and alternate timelimes with 80s vibes and Dungeons and Dragons. It’s an exciting ride and lots of fun to read. Limited Wish appears to be continuing Nick’s story, but this time several years since the events of One Word Kill. This story is pretty fast paced and I’m so excited to find out what’s going to happen next. Despite being on the shorter side One Word Kill certainly packed a punch and I’m pretty sure Limited Wish will too. I also have to admit I’m kind of obsessed with the covers. If you haven’t had the chance to start the series yet, now is definitely the time as Limited Wish will be publishing in just a few weeks time – May 28th from 47 North.

Book Review: Aurora Rising – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

May 13, 2019May 12, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 6 Comments

Series: Aurora Cycle #1
Release Date: May 7th 2019
Publisher: Rock the Boat
Pages: 478
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this in my local Waterstones
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

Review

Aurora Rising was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. I adored the Illuminae Files and I was hoping this would be just as fun and exciting. If it’s even possible Aurora Rising was even more incredible than I had hoped and it was an immediate five star read.

The story follows Squad 312, a group of Legionnaires who are flung together as the academy dregs no one else wants on their team. When squad leader Tyler discovers the girl he rescued from space stowed away on his ship it sparks a series of events that they might not live to see the end of.

Aurora Rising is just the most fun and fast paced story. As can be expected with this space epic it sets a pretty relentless pace and I was constantly trying to squeeze chapters in because I was dying to know what would happen next. There’s a really brilliant cast of characters and I grew really attached to all of them. The book is full of sarky, sassy moments and plenty of banter between these wonderful characters.

The plot is really intriguing and I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story – some of the surprises were a bit obvious and I saw them coming – but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. There were some emotional moments too and the story certainly ended on an enticing cliffhanger – I’m dying to find out what’s in store next for the squad.

There is a bit more romance in the story than I was expecting and a case of insta-love that I’m not so keen on but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment too much. Overall I thought this was a really fantastic read and if you enjoy fast paced action stories or you’ve read work by these authors before, I’m sure you’ll love this one.

Book Review: How To Stop Time – Matt Haig

May 10, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 5 Comments

Release Date: July 6th 2017
Publisher: Canongate Books
Pages: 325
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly gave me a copy of this book when I was an Intern.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

“The first rule is that you don’t fall in love, ‘ he said… ‘There are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'”

A love story across the ages – and for the ages – about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live

Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he’s been alive for centuries. Tom has lived history–performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life.

So Tom moves back to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher–the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city’s history first hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behavior of the Society’s watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can’t have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past, or finally begin living in the present.

How to Stop Time is a bighearted, wildly original novel about losing and finding yourself, the inevitability of change, and how with enough time to learn, we just might find happiness.

Review

I was really struck by the eye-catching cover for How to Stop Time and so when I picked it up and read the synopsis I just knew I had to read it. I really loved this book and absolutely raced through it. The writing is so addictive that I honestly couldn’t put it down. I loved the premise of this book, mainly because it was a unique spin on the being who lives for centuries idea. Tom is not immortal, he simply ages slower than the rest of humanity. It’s a rare condition, and this idea makes the book seem all the more believable.

I loved reading about Tom in different time periods, as he interacts with some of those most well known in history, each time period really comes alive and Haig’s writing really brings out the sights, sounds and smells of those periods. I think it’s definitely a mark of a fantastic story and a fantastic writer that each time period is so distinctive and vivid. The book is of course split into two different points, one from Tom’s past as he adapts to live in different periods, and his present day life as a history teacher in London.

This book was really the kind of book that sucked me in for hours on end, and definitely stayed with me after I finished reading it. There’s been plenty of hype about this book, and in this case I can say it is absolutely justified. It’s beautiful and will make you happy and sad in equal measure. Tom is a wonderful protagonist and this is a stunning book. This is my first time reading a book by Matt Haig, but after this whirlwind it definitely won’t be my last.

Scallywagathon TBR!

May 6, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

This is going up slightly late but Scallywagathon is a pirate theme readathon that is happening this week May 5th – May 12th. This time around the theme is pirates in space and the aim of the readathon is to follow a path on the map and complete the associated reading prompt. You can find out lots more about the readathon over at their Twitter!

So I’m starting with challenge number 5 and following a path from there. These are the books I’ve chosen and I’m so excited to read all of them!

5. Navigate the stars – A book that has stars on the cover.
For this I’m going with The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston. I read and loved Geekarella so I’m really excited for this companion novel!

The Prince and the Pauper gets a modern makeover in this adorable, witty, and heartwarming young adult novel set in the Geekerella universe by national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year’s ExcelsiCon isn’t her last, she’ll consider her career derailed.

When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That’s easier said than done when the girls step into each other’s shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these “princesses” race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

7. Blow Down the Man: Read a book by a female author
For this I’m going with Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. I’ve heard incredible things about this and I recently saw someone talking about it saying if you love the Darkling from the Grisha trilogy then you’ll absolutely love this. Can’t wait!
A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

C. Afeared – A book you’ve been afraid to read
I’m going with King of Fools by Amanda Foody. I absolutely adored Ace of Shades and I’ve seen a few people say there are some heartbreaking moments in this. I am not prepared.

Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all…

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive…

Or die as legends.

10. Assessing the booty – Read a recently hauled book.
For this I’m going with Aurora Rising by Ami Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I started yesterday and I’ve already read a big chunk of it – I’m loving it so much.

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

The Bibliophile Chronicles

Tag: science fiction

Waiting on Wednesday: Dispel Illusion – Mark Lawrence

Synopsis

Thoughts

Book Review: Suicide Club – Rachel Heng

Synopsis

Review

Waiting on Wednesday: Dev1at3 – Jay Kristoff

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Thoughts

June Wrap Up!

Book Review: Limited Wish – Mark Lawrence

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Review

April Wrap Up!

Waiting on Wednesday: Limited Wish – Mark Lawrence

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Thoughts:

Book Review: Aurora Rising – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

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Review

Book Review: How To Stop Time – Matt Haig

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Review

Scallywagathon TBR!