Magical but slow-paced - The Crowns of Croswald Review

*Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: The Crowns of Croswald

Series: The Croswald Series

Author: D.E. Night

My rating: 3 hearts

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

Pub. date: July 21st 2017

Publisher: Stories Untold Press

Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret… 

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Prepare to be hooked - A Darker Shade of Magic Review

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic

Author: V.E. Schwab

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pub. date: February 24th 2015

Publisher: Tor Books

Synopsis: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. 

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Magical and fun - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

Title: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

Author: J.K. Rowling

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pub. date: November 18th 2016

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Synopsis: J.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut is captured in this exciting hardcover edition of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay.

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone…

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. Featuring a cast of remarkable characters, this is epic, adventure-packed storytelling at its very best.

Whether an existing fan or new to the wizarding world, this is a perfect addition to any reader's bookshelf. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Characters as Dancers: Hexen's Cross Edition

Which dance style would fit the characters from Hexen’s Cross the best? In this post, I will match some of the characters from Hexen’s Cross by J. Kowallis with the dance that would be perfect for them. Read on to find out why Taran should dance ballet and why Coll would be an amazing tango dancer! Or, you can check out my five-star review of the book (by the way, you totally need to read it).

Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Author: Sarah J. Maas

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: May 2nd 2017

Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books

Synopsis: A nightmare, I’d told Tamlin. I was the nightmare.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places. (synopsis from Goodreads)

An incredible and unique world - Song of Blood and Stone ARC Review

*Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader's Copy from Netgalley in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Song of Blood and Stone

Series: Earthsinger Chronicles

Author: L. Penelope

My rating: 4 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: May 1st 2018

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Synopsis: A treacherous, thrilling, epic fantasy about an outcast drawn into a war between two powerful rulers. 

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda lives in a land where cold whispers of invasion and war linger on the wind. Jasminda herself is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her gift of Earthsong is feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive--an injured spy who threatens to steal her heart. 

Jack's mission behind enemy lines to prove that the Mantle between Elsira and Lagamiri is about to fall nearly cost him his life, but he is saved by the healing Song of a mysterious young woman. Now he must do whatever it takes to save Elsira and it's people from the True Father and he needs Jasminda's Earthsong to do it. They escape their ruthless captors and together they embark on a perilous journey to save Elsira and to uncover the secrets of The Queen Who Sleeps. 

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation. 

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war. (synopsis from Goodreads)

A fresh take on old mythology - Hexen's Cross ARC Review

*I received an Advance Reader's Copy from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Hexen's Cross

Author: J. Kowallis

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: May 1st 2018

Synopsis: The magic calls her. 

A prophecy binds her. 
The ancestors guide her. 

Dr. Taran Grim, a young professor of occult studies, knows the written history of witches better than anyone in her field. And she should. She’s one of them. 

After a mysterious stranger arrives at her office inquiring about the mythical staff of Woden, Taran’s curiosity reveals a millennia-old prophesy directly tied to her. The answers wait in Bryden, England and the only person who can help her gain access to the hidden valley is the descendant of Ruhmactir, and a member of the shape-shifting Geri clan: Collens “Coll” Donovan. 

But the Donovans have secrets of their own, and Taran’s underdeveloped magic is wreaking strange havoc on her life. If she can’t manage her magic and strike a truce with Coll, they’ll fail to prevent the prophesied event known as Deireanhexe: the end of the hexen race. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The magic of libraries - Assassin of Truths ARC Review

*Disclaimer: I received an Advance Readers Copy from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Assassin of Truths

Series: The Library Jumpers #3

Author: Brenda Drake

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pub. date: February 6th 2018

Synopsis: The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers.

And it’s not your normal bump-in-the- night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. The kind that include an evil wizard hell-bent on taking her down.

Gia can end his devious plan, but only if she recovers seven keys hidden throughout the world’s most beautiful libraries. And then figures out exactly what to do with them.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of falling in love. But when an impossible evil is unleashed, love might be the only thing left to help Gia save the world. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes

Title: Falling Kingdoms

Author: Morgan Rhodes

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: December 11th 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Synopsis: In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword... (synopsis from Goodreads)

Magical and mysterious - Shadowsong ARC Review

*Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Shadowsong

Series: Wintersong #2

Author: S. Jae-Jones

My rating: 4 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: February 6th 2018

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Synopsis: Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her. 

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands? (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Wintersong (Wintersong #1) by S. Jae-Jones

Title: Wintersong

Author: S. Jae-Jones

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: February 7th 2017

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Synopsis: Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Apprentice (The Black Mage #2) by Rachel E. Carter

*I received a review copy from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*
Title: Apprentice

Series: The Black Mage

Author: Rachel E. Carter

My rating: 4 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: January 24th 2017

Synopsis: She survived a trial year at the Academy of Magic, but that was the easy part…

Now sixteen-year-old Ryiah is an apprentice of Combat, her school’s most notorious faction. When she finishes, she will be a war mage, but in order to do so, she has to survive four years traveling across Jerar, training with a master she hates, her old nemesis, Priscilla, and Prince Darren, her sometimes-rival sometimes… more?

Ry’s new apprenticeship is nothing like what she prepared for. War is on the horizon and her lessons aren’t just for practice anymore.

It’s time to fight. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Destined by Jessie Harrell

Title: Destined

Author: Jessie Harrell

My rating: 4 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: November 17th 2011

Publisher: Mae Day Publishing

Synopsis: When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Children of Neptune by Makenna Snow

*I received a review copy from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Children of Neptune

Author: Makenna Snow

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Pub. date: June 5th 2017

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Jet can talk to animals with her mind, but she gets tongue-tied with someone her own age. She can use her ancient powers to hydroshift, but she's still figuring out how to be smooth out of the water. 

Sheltered behind the palace walls, Jet trains to become queen of a secret island. All that changes when she's forced to accept a mission she isn't prepared for — fitting in at high school. Jet's powers, never before tested, are pushed to their limits. 

Jet learns that handling high school life is just as complicated and dangerous as the mystery that brought her there. Jet's journey leads her to friendship, romance, and her first taste of freedom. But betrayal threatens to take all that away. 

Jet faces an enemy that could cost her everything she loves. She must succeed…or die trying. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Fantasy Book Recommendations

Recently, I've found a lot of new amazing books that I haven't really seen around much, so I decided to make a post featuring them. That way, I can give these amazing books more attention and at the same time hopefully help you guys find a new great read.

Review: First Year (The Black Mage #1) by Rachel E. Carter

*I received a review copy from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: First Year

Author: Rachel E. Carter

My rating: 4.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: January 24th 2017

Synopsis: Magic. Romance. Rivals. Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Falling Kingdoms, and Tamora Pierce.

Before the age of seventeen, the young men and women of Jerar are given a choice —pursue a trade or enroll in a trial year in one of the realm’s three war schools to study as a soldier, knight, or mage…

For fifteen-year-old Ryiah, the choice has always been easy. Become a mage and train in Combat, the most prestigious faction of magic.

Yet when she arrives, Ry finds herself competing against friend and foe for one of the exalted apprenticeships. Everyone is rooting for her to fail—first and foremost among them is Prince Darren, the school prodigy who has done nothing but make life miserable since she arrived.

Will Ry survive, or will her dream go down in flames? (synopsis from Goodreads)

Blog Tour & Interview: The Dragons of Nova (The Loom Saga #2) by Elise Kova

I'm so excited to share the Blog Tour for The Dragons of Nova by Elise Kova with you guys today! The tour is hosted by Chapter by Chapter, and you can find the full tour schedule here. This book is seriously awesome, a definitive must read! I was lucky enough to get to interview Elise for this tour, so keep reading for the interview and more information about the book!

Review and Excerpt Tour: Roar (Stormheart #1) by Cora Carmack

I am so excited to share the Review and Excerpt Tour for Roar by Cora Carmack with you guys today! This book was an epic adventure and impossible to put down! It beat even my admittedly very high expectations. Roar is a book you don't want to miss! Keep reading for my review, an excerpt, a giveaway, and some other fun!

Review: The Struggle (Titan #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: The Struggle

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

My rating: 5 hearts

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: March 20th 2017

Synopsis: A bloody path has been chosen… 

The war against the Titans continues, and they remain determined to wreak havoc on the world, but Seth has become something all gods fear. Now the most dangerous, most absolute power no longer resides in those who have been freed from their tombs. 

The Great War fought by the few is coming… 

All may doubt and fear what Seth has become. All except the one woman who might be his final chance at redemption. Josie will do anything to prove that Seth is on their side, but fate has a nasty way of changing lives, of changing people. 

In the end, the sun will fall… 

The only way they can save the future and save themselves is by facing the unknown together. It will take more than trust and faith. It will take love and the kind of strength not easily broken. No matter what, their lives will never be the same. 

For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in… (synopsis from Goodreads)

ARC Review: Myths of Mish (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #2) by Katie Hamstead

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not in any way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Myths of Mish

Author: Katie Hamstead

My rating: 4 hearts

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: March 28th 2017

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Synopsis: Hansel and Gretel Herrscher survived the witch in the woods, but the experience has made Hansel paranoid for the past ten years. He sees dark magic at every turn. When Gretel has a marriage arranged to a much older man, and Hansel discovers he's about to be sent halfway across the galaxy, he knows something sinister is afoot. 

Wilhelmine Nordon has plenty of experience with Hansel's quirkier side. So when she catches him and Gretel running away in the middle of the night, she follows to keep them from getting killed. The siblings have never left the capital of Mish on their own, so they need a babysitter. Except when she's discovered, Hansel gives her his usual cold shoulder, and Gretel secretly begs her to take them back. 

The problem is, Hansel's paranoia turns out to be well founded, and they're all being hunted. (synopsis from Goodreads)