Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull: Review

RATING: 5/5 stars!

Author: Brandon Mull

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Source: bought

Publication date: March 14th, 2017

Find it on Goodreads here!

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

In the long-awaited sequel to Fablehaven, the dragons who have been kept at the dragon sanctuaries no longer consider them safe havens, but prisons and they want their freedom. The dragons are no longer our allies....

In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power.

No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help.

As Kendra and Seth confront this new danger, they must draw upon all their skills, talents, and knowledge as only they have the ability to function together as a powerful dragon tamer. Together they must battle against forces with superior supernatural powers and breathtaking magical abilities.

How will the epic dragon showdown end? Will dragons overthrow humans and change the world as we know it?

REVIEW:

I am so happy that Brandon Mull finally returned to the Fablehaven universe. I first read the Fablehaven series when I was in junior high, and it easily became one of my most favorite book series of all time. Now that I am in college, it is safe to say that I still love them now!

It was so great to see all of the old characters, and also get introduced to some new ones. Kendra and Seth were as great as ever, and the new plot dragged me in from the very first page. I am a sucker when it comes to anything dealing with dragons, so when most of the book took place in a dragon sanctuary, I knew I was going to love it. Mull's imagination was still running rampant, making this an extremely unique and wonderful fantasy story. 

Overall, DRAGONWATCH is a fantastic follow-up to the Fablehaven series! I cannot wait to see what is next!

The Sun is Also s Star by Nicola Yoon: Review

RATING: 4/5 stars!

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Source: ARC from publisher

Publication date: November 1, 2016

Find it on goodreads here!

SUMMARY (from goodreads)

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

REVIEW:

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR was such an interesting read. For one, the cover is totally beautiful. But the story inside was good enough to live up to the amazing cover. 

This story was so beautifully written, and even though there were two points of views, you could tell which character was who without having to constantly flip back to the beginning of the chapter. Daniel, the male lead, is a poet, and you could definitely tell when you were reading from his point of view. There were many passages that were so lyrical, and you couldn't help but be sucked in. Natasha, on the other hand, was so sassy and so blunt. Definitely a great female lead. 

The only criticism I had of the book was the way it ended. I do not want to give anything away, but it did not seem to make much sense to me. I could not wrap my head around why the things played out the way they did, and I was rather confused for most of it. 

Overall, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR is a great read. I highly recommend it!

Waiting on Wednesday (35): Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Today's "waiting on" is...

Shadowcaster

by Cinda Williams Chima

Expected publication date: April 4th, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen

SUMMARY(from Goodreads):

Alyssa ana'Raisa is the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of Fells, a queendom embroiled in a seemingly endless war. Hardened by too many losses, Lyss is more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, she goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn't pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.

Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon has been fighting for his king since he was a lýtling. Lately, though, he finds himself sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death.

Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters, drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.

SO. EXCITED.

What is your "waiting on"?

Waiting on Wednesday (34): Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week's "waiting on" is...

Gemina

by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff!

Expected Publication: October 18th, 2016

Publisher: Knopf books for young readers

SUMMARY(from Goodreads):

The highly anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that critics are calling “out-of-this-world awesome.”

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

Even though I still have not read ILLUMINAE, this series still looks so cool. 

What is your "waiting on"?

Waiting on Wednesday (33): Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week's waiting on is...

Frost Like Night

by Sara Raasch!

Expected publication date: September 20th, 2016

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

SUMMARY(from Goodreads):

Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything. 

 SO PUMPED!

What is your waiting on?

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard: Review

RATING: 4/5 stars!

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: bought

Publication date: February 10th, 2015

Find it on Goodreads here!

SUMMARY(from Goodreads):

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

REVIEW:

Going into RED QUEEN, I had heard nothing but amazing things. I always enjoy a good dystopia story, and RED QUEEN definitely delivered. But, like every book, it still had its flaws. Even though I found it enjoyable, there were still some things that I was disappointed in. 

While the concept was extremely original (people separated by the color of their blood? How freaking cool is that!), I found the story line to be somewhat lacking and predictable. It reminded me of so many other YA dystopias; it felt like I had read everything before. Because of this, I could clearly see where the story was going, and it definitely took away from the enjoyment of the novel. 

The book was extremely well written. The writing flowed nicely, and it gave the book a very fast pace. This made up for the predictability of the story. I knew what was going to happen, but because it was written so nicely, I wanted to keep reading. It was definitely the saving grace of the novel. 

Overall, I very much enjoyed RED QUEEN. If you are a fan of dystopia, I suggest you give it a try!

Waiting on Wednesday (32): A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week's waiting on is...

A Shadow Bright and Burning 

by Jessica Cluess!

Expected publication: September 20th, 2016

Publisher: Random House BFYR

SUMMARY(from Goodreads):

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.

Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.

As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces Henrietta Howel, a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and an entertaining world filled with magic, monsters, and mayhem.

Definitely will buy this one just because the cover is gorgeous.

What is your waiting on?