Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Source: ARC from ALA

Rating: I really liked it

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 three years and then be granted her freedom.  Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. 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.

 

The Skinny: A fantastic addition to YA literature

Throne of Glass is the type of book that reminds me why I love to read. The sheer pleasure and joy of escaping into another land and acting out in ways that are impossible in my daily life are the reasons why I love to read. This book made me want to get up and punch something and learn how to do a roundhouse kick. I was so full of raw energy after finishing the story that I felt the need to do something incredibly cool and amazing. I settled for writing this review and watching the Olympics Taekwondo match.

Celaena is an incredibly strong-willed and confident character, and I enjoyed meeting her. She is smart, loyal, and mature, and I immediately connected with her and understood her choices. She is such a well-written character that I felt myself rushing to finish the story so that I could discover what happens. What a horrible problem! Conflicting feelings about wanting to savor every word while battling the need to learn more. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a story and a character.

Sarah is a fantastic writer and the world she created is rich and complex. The characters are multilayered and attractive. The love triangle is handled so well that I did not feel the usual pangs of frustration. In fact, I actually enjoyed this love triangle and looked forward to its development. I am so desperate to read more about this world. I recently discovered that Sarah wrote several novellas that take place prior to the events in Throne of Glass. If you are trying to decide what to read next, then you have definitely discovered it. Throne of Glass is everything that I have ever wanted in a book: great writing, great characters, and a great story.

She is attending the OC Children’s Book Festival next month! I am so excited to get my book signed.
 http://kidsbookfestival.com/authors
YAY

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill (Blog Tour)

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

Publisher: New American Library

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Source: Publisher

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Indiebound

Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.
Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.

The Skinny: A great addition to an amazing series!

The Chicagoland Vampire series is one of my favorite stories. The writing is so smart that fans of all genres will enjoy it. From the complex characters to the fun dialogue, the Chicagoland Vampires series is wonderful. One of the best parts about this series is that Chloe Neill is fearless when it comes to developing risky storylines. She looks at controversial plots and firmly commits to them in an effort to craft unique and enjoyable stories.

In Biting Cold, we meet up with Merit and friends at the moment when Drink Deep concludes. I don’t like to post spoilers, so I will only say that so much happens that readers will be stunned with each passing chapter.

This book is like the grand finale of a fireworks show. There are several storylines that Chloe seamlessly weaves together to create the best book in the series. We are reunited with a favorite character, and it really feels like we are coming home for dinner. The interactions with this character are simultaneously familiar and new. While reading Biting Cold, I realized how much each of the characters has matured and developed. Merit is no longer the new vampire on the block and her assertiveness is admirable. Several of the other characters also exhibit traits that were not seen prior to this addition and the character development is incredible. Everyone has experienced a situation or trauma that forces change, and the ways in which Chloe describes how everyone copes are realistic.

If you are new to the Chicagoland Vampire series, I highly recommend that you start reading. If you are already a fan, I can assure you that Biting Cold will not disappoint. It will satiate your desire to see some characters and give you so much more than you ever imagined. The ending is perfect, and I eagerly await House Rules, which I am certain will be just as wonderful as Biting Cold. 

Chloe sent me some great CV and Dark Elite prizes, so fill out the form for your chance to win! I will be splitting up the items so that many people have a chance to win something. 
This giveaway is only open to readers in the US.

Good luck! I really hope you win.   

The fun doesn’t stop here. Want more chances to win? 

Below, you’ll find a key word. Each participant in the Biting Cold Blog Tour has one, and when you put them all together in order, you’ll find a quote from a Chicagoland Vampires novel.  That quote is the passcode you’ll need to enter the Biting Cold Scavenger Hunt Giveaway, which will begin on August 11, 2012 on Chloe’s web site. The giveaway will end at midnight on August 17, 2012.

What are the Scavenger Hunt Giveaway prizes?

• A complete set of Chicagoland Vampires audiobook CDs (generously provided by Tantor Audio)
• A $25 CafePress gift card you can use in the Chicagoland Vampires store
• Autographed copies of DRINK DEEP and CHARMFALL
• A Chicagoland Vampires tote bag with other Chicagoland Vampires swag, including a mouse pad, bookmarks, and stickers!

MY

Flight From Berlin by David John

Flight From Berlin by David John

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: July 10, 2012

Source: Publisher

A cynical English reporter and a beautiful, headstrong, American Olympic hopeful are caught in a lethal game of international espionage during the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Flight from Berlin, a riveting debut thriller from breakout novelist David John. Combining the suspense and atmosphere of Alan Furst’s spy novels with the exciting narrative drive of Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon adventures, John delivers an unforgettable masterwork of thrilling suspense set against the backdrop of one of the most monumental summers in history—a contest of champions, including the remarkable Jessie Owen, that captivated the world as the specter of Nazi Germany continued its rise to threaten the globe.

 The Skinny: A fascinating story that combines history and suspense

This is such an appropriate story at this time. Flight From Berlin is set during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When Eleanor, an Olympian, meets Richard, a reporter, they discover that a Jewish athlete is forced to compete for Nazi Germany during the Olympic games. While they initially believe that the conflict is based on the athlete’s plight, they eventually discover that Hitler is intending to use the games as a method to publicize the Nazi agenda. In addition to the heavy historical aspect of the story, there is a romantic element that unfolds between Eleanor and Richard.

I love historical fiction, I am obsessed with the Olympics, and I have studied Nazi Germany at great length, so I am the perfect audience for this story. Flight From Berlin is so well-written, because it is not too heavily focused in one area. In this story, we are exposed to espionage, history, romance, and mystery. Every area is perfectly balanced and well-developed. This story will appeal to individuals who do not typically read historical fiction, because it is a great story.

John’s writing is captivating, and he is an excellent storyteller. The characters are relatable, the setting is descriptive, and the pacing is perfect. This is the type of novel that inspires readers to study the topic after concluding the story. This novel is so riveting that I highly recommend it. John’s ability to weave together real characters with a fictional story is remarkable, and I can’t praise this story enough.

 Be sure to check out the other tour stops!

Tuesday, July 10th: nomadreader

Wednesday, July 11th: Stephany Writes

Thursday, July 12th: The Year in Books

Wednesday, July 18th: Unabridged Chick

Saturday, July 21st: Doing Dewey 

Monday, July 23rd: Bibliosue

Tuesday, July 24th: Paperback Princess

Wednesday, July 25th: Tiffany’s Bookshelf

Thursday, July 26th: Joyfully Retired

Monday, July 30th: Savvy Verse & Wit

Wednesday, August 1st: Oh! Paper Pages

Thursday, August 2nd: “That’s Swell!”

Wednesday, August 8th: My Bookshelf

DAVID JOHN was born in Wales. He trained as a lawyer but made his career in publishing, editing popular books on history and science. In 2009 he moved to Germany to write Flight from Berlin. He lives in Seoul, South Korea, where he is researching his second novel.