Blog Tour and Review: Iniquity (Ascent #1) by Melody Winter

I am so excited to bring you the Blog Tour for Iniquity by Melody Winter! The Blog Tour is hosted by Expresso Book Tours, and you can find the full schedule, along with links, here. Keep reading for more info, my review and a giveaway!

Top 10: My most recent 5-star ratings

Here I will list the ten most recent books that I gave 5 stars, the most recent one being number one, and so on. With links to my review (if I have written one).

Thursday Quotables: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies

 

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

Review: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Lady Midnight
Author: Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 emotional, badass, swoony hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Pub. date: March 8th 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Synopsis: The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Book Blitz: Thirst: Blood of my Blood by R. P Channing

 

I'm excited to bring to you the Book Blitz for Thirst by R. P Channing. Stay tuned for an excerpt!

In My Mailbox #2

So, I've done same book shopping lately. Or, well, a lot. Some of these, I've already read, but borrowed, and bought just now because I wanted a reread. Others I'm planning to read in the near future, and I've started two of them. And mom bought me the collector's edition of Divergent. Also, I'm waiting for Forever with You by Jennifer L. Armentrout to arrive in my mailbox.

Review: Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3) by Wendy Higgins

*Warning: May contain spoilers, but I will insert a –SPOILER ALERT—before the spoiler, so you can read this review and just skip the spoilers, if you want*

Title: Sweet Reckoning
Author: Wendy Higgins
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publication date: April 29th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Summary: It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom. (summary from Goodreads)

Review: Every Last Breath (The Dark Elements #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Every Last Breath
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Summary: Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell… (summary from Goodreads)

Review: Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2) by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
My rating: 4.8 hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Publication date: April 30th, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Summary: Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life? (summary from Goodreads)

Review: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1) by Wendy Higgins

*WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SOME SERIOUS FANGIRLING OVER A SERIOUSLY HOT GUY NAMED KAIDAN ROWE*

 

Title: Sweet Evil

Author: Wendy Higgins

My rating: 4.7 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Release date: May 1st, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary: Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns? (summary from Goodreads)

Thursday Quotables: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies

 

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

 

My choice for Thursday Quotables is City of Ashes, the second book in The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare. I know I quoted City of Bones only two weeks ago, but there is simply so many fantastic quotes in Cassie's books, so here are some of my favorite quotes from City of Ashes:

 

 

As usual, tons of sarcasm, this time from Jace.

 

 

This is one of my favorite quotes ever. It's so sweet, and I really agree with Clary on this one.

 

 

And this is just hilarious. You only find conversations like this in something written by Cassandra Clare. As usual, her books invite you to cry, laugh, yell and have regular fangirl attacks (just wait until I start re-reading City of Glass. That's what I call an emotional roller-coaster).

 

So, what quotes made you cry or laugh this week? Did you love the quotes as much as I did, or do you have other favorites from City of Ashes, or from Another book? Your comments always make me smile, so comment away!

Thursday Quotables: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

This week, I picked City of Bones as my Thursday Quotables, because I am currently re-reading it, and I'm falling in love with the characters all over again, so here are some of my favorite quotes (although not all of them, but if I were to put all my favorite quotes from CoB here, this post would never end):

 

I just love Simon's sarcasm!

 



Now to some more sarcasm, this time by lovely Clary.

After all that sarcasm, we need something really meaningful. This quote has me crying everytime. I just want to jump inside the book and hug Jace. Or kiss him. I just don't know how Cassandra Clare can come up with all these perfect quotes. It's part of what makes her series so great. Re-reading TMI will definitely be as good an experience as it was the two first times I read it.

So, what did you think of the quotes? Did you love them as much as I did, or did you have another favorite part in the book? Or did you have another Thursday Quotables? Comment your thoughts!

Swoon Worthy Saturday: Jace from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Hosted by Stay Bookish

 

*SPOILER ALERT: CONTAINS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ City of Glass*

 

My pick for Swoon Worthy Saturday this week is Jace Herondale from The Mortal Instruments.

 

About Jace:

• Throughout the series, he has four different last names; Wayland, Morgenstern, Herondale, Lightwood
• He hates ducks, cucumber, bergamot and Earl Gray tea
• He's lefthanded
• He plays piano
• He knows many languages; French, Latin, Italian, Rumanian
• His biological family is Stephan and Céline Herondale. His adoptive family is the Lightwoods (Robert and Maryse, Alec, Isabelle and Max)
• His parabatai is Alec Lightwood
• His haircolor is blond and his eyes are golden
• He's tall
• He's portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower in City of Bones, and will be portrayed by Dominic Sherwood in the TV-show Shadowhunters, which premieres in 2016

Swoon Worthy Moments:

 

“And now I’m looking at you,” he said, “and you’re asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has. I never dared give much of myself to anyone before – bits of myself to the Lightwoods, to Isabelle and Alec, but it took years to do it – but, Clary, since the first time I saw you, I have belonged to you completely. I still do. If you want me.” 

Am I the only one who had a mayor swoon moment? I have to say this; I love Herondales and their beautiful speeches. They're perfect.

“There is no pretending," Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then.”  

*fangirling*. Oh my God. I wish there were guys like this in real life.

So, what did you think? Do you think Jace is Swoon Worthy, too, or do you have any other Swoon Worthy guy this week?



 

Swoon Worthy Saturday: Roth from The Dark Elements by Jennifer L. Armentrout

by Stay Bookish

 

My pick for Swoon Worthy Saturday this week is Roth, aka Astaroth, Crown Prince of Hell, from The Dark Elements written by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

 

About Roth:

 

• 18 years old
• Over 6 feet tall
• Physical appearance: ark hair the color of obsidian that curls over his forhead and just below his ears, broad cheekbones, arched eyebrows over golden eyes with thick lashes and pupils that are vertical slits when he first wakes up, bottom lip fuller than his top lip, long fingers, deep voice, tattoos (the snake Bambi, who moves on his body, 4 lines in another language on the side of his body, circular tattoo on his right pec, the dragon Thumper on his stomach, with the tail below Roth's pants, the three kittens Nitro, Thor and Fury, who are white, black and black and white).
• Has a pierced tounge, among other things
• Smells sweet, musky, sugary wine, chocolate, wild
• His true form: polished onyx skin thinnedover bone, pupils stretched vertically and irises red-sometimes golden. Skin hardens, tips of dark wings have horns curved and sharpened to points, wings are 10 feet on each side, no horns.
• He has no soul, knows when someone is going to Hell, can smell human emotions, can become invisible and make others invisible by holding their hand, persuasive, and his touch causes demons to catch on fire.
• He drives a silver Porsche, likes muffins, reads Tales of Poe, gardens on the roof top, hums Paradise City.

 

Swoon Worthy moments:

 

"Free will, huh? Damn. It is a bitch." And then he smiled - he smiled - at me, a real smile, revealing those deep dimples. "I lost myself the moment I found you.”

Who doesn't swoon when reading that? That's just perfect.

"You've never been kissed before, have you?" 

"That's so not your business." I folded my arms as Roth waited for an answer. "I think it's obvious. I can't kiss anyone. You know, the whole soul-sucking thing makes it difficult." 

"Not if you're kissing someone who doesn't have a soul." 

I made a face. "And why would I kiss someone who doesn't-" 

He moved unbelievably fast. I didn't even have a chance to react. One second he was standing a good three feet away from me and the next his hands were gently clasping my cheeks. There was an instant when I wondered how something so strong and deadly could hold anything so carefully, but then he titled my head back and lowered his own."

If this doesn't have you swooning all over the place, I don't know what will.

Review: Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Title: Days of Blood and Starlight
Author: Laini Taylor
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Yound Readers
Release date: November 6, 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Summary: Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.


In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream? (summary from Goodreads)