'Queen of Shadows' by Sarah J. Maas: Mel's Quickie Review

Title: Queen of Shadows

Series: Throne of Glass #4

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: NA Fantasy

The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

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'Heir of Fire' by Sarah J. Maas: Mel's Quickie Review

Title: Heir of Fire

Series: Throne of Glass #3

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: New Adult Fantasy

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.

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'The Coldest Girl in Coldtown' by Holly Black: Mel's Review

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown 

By: Holly Black

Genre: Mature YA Paranormal/Vampires

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

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'Crown of Midnight' by Sarah J. Maas: Mel's Quickie Review

Title: Crown of Midnight

Series: Throne of Glass #2

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: NA Fantasy

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

   

'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J. Maas: Mel's Review

Title: Throne of Glass

Series: Throne of Glass #1

By: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Published: August 7th, 2012

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

  

'Caraval' by Stephanie Garber : Mel's Review

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

     

'Scarlet' by Marissa Meyer: Mel's Review

Title: Scarlet

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2

By: Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Dystopian/Fairy Tale Retellings

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

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'Seven Black Diamonds' by Melissa Marr : Mel's Review

Title: Seven Black Diamonds

Series: Seven Black Diamonds #1

By: Melissa Marr

Genre: YA Dystopian/Urban Fantasy

Lilywhite Abernathy is a criminal. Her father’s “unconventional” business has meant a life of tightly held secrets, concealed weaponry, and a strict code. But Lily’s crime isn’t being the daughter of a powerful mob boss. Her guilt lies in the other half of her DNA—the part that can coax ancient rumors from stones and summon fire with a thought. Lily is part fae, which is a crime in her world.

From the time before she was born, a war has been raging between humanity and fae. The Queen of Blood and Rage, ruler of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts, wants to avenge the tragic death of her heir—a death that was the fault of reckless humans.

Lily’s father has shielded her from the repercussions of her ancestry…until she is sent to the prestigious St. Columba’s school, straight into the arms of the Black Diamonds.

Mysterious, glamorous, and bound together in their mission but constantly at odds, Zephyr, Creed, Will, Roan, Violet, and Alkamy are a Sleeper cell of fae, planted in the human world to help destroy it from within. With covers as rock stars and celebrity children, the Black Diamonds carry out the queen’s war against humanity. And unbeknownst to Lilywhite, she’s been chosen to join them.

Now more than ever, Lily’s heritage puts her in peril, and even the romantic attention of the fae singer Creed Morrison isn’t enough to keep Lily from wanting to run back to the safer world of organized crime.

Melissa Marr returns to faery in a dramatic story of the precarious space between two worlds and the people who must thrive there.

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'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' by John Tiffany, Jack Thorne & J.K. Rowling: Mel's Quickie Review

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. 

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

 

'Bittersweet' by Tyffani Clark Kemp Tour: Excerpt @tyffanickemp @helpinghandsmel

Title- Bittersweet

Series- The Kaveesh #1

By Tyffani Clark Kemp

Publication Date- October 15th

Blurb-

She'd reconciled her life without him. His return would be Bittersweet.

Welcome to Mother Cora’s, where the offspring of the Kaveesh learn to coexist with humans.

One hundred and twenty years ago, the Kaveesh came to Earth to save the dying planet from a disease that gorged itself on anything in its wake. Buildings crumbled to dust. Soil and plant life were consumed. Two-thirds of the Earth’s population perished.

The only thing the Kaveesh asked in return was to help save their dying race. Breeding programs began and the half-breeds were born.

Lirabel is a half-breed and an overachiever. Despite a few setbacks, she’s scheduled to graduate early from Mother Cora’s and become the Half-breed Ambassador to the Humans.

Enter Jonas. They were best friends until he broke her heart and disappeared five years ago. Now, he’s back, but Lirabel couldn’t care less. There are more important things to worry about…

Like finishing her last year of school and becoming ambassador. Or the half-bred students losing control of their Kaveesh strengths who are being sent into quarantine. Or how the breeding programs are still up and running.

And somehow, Jonas’ bittersweet return is connected to it all.

  

 

Happy Release Day to Tyffani Clark Kemp! @tyffanickemp

Title- Bittersweet

Series- The Kaveesh #1

By Tyffani Clark Kemp

Publication Date- October 15th

She'd reconciled her life without him. His return would be Bittersweet.

Welcome to Mother Cora’s, where the offspring of the Kaveesh learn to coexist with humans.

One hundred and twenty years ago, the Kaveesh came to Earth to save the dying planet from a disease that gorged itself on anything in its wake. Buildings crumbled to dust. Soil and plant life were consumed. Two-thirds of the Earth’s population perished.

The only thing the Kaveesh asked in return was to help save their dying race. Breeding programs began and the half-breeds were born.

Lirabel is a half-breed and an overachiever. Despite a few setbacks, she’s scheduled to graduate early from Mother Cora’s and become the Half-breed Ambassador to the Humans.

Enter Jonas. They were best friends until he broke her heart and disappeared five years ago. Now, he’s back, but Lirabel couldn’t care less. There are more important things to worry about…

Like finishing her last year of school and becoming ambassador. Or the half-bred students losing control of their Kaveesh strengths who are being sent into quarantine. Or how the breeding programs are still up and running.

And somehow, Jonas’ bittersweet return is connected to it all.