Ladies & Gents..
SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You already know I get unreasonable this time of year. I end up shooting out more reviews than normal, but hear me out. You amazeballs know me, you know how I love BEA, it is the most exciting time of year for me. The ability to network, speak too, read/review and immerse myself in everything book related takes a hold of me like no other. And you know I keep you updated with all the goss - never fret my babes, we continue to be a non-spoiler site (but tell me I don't hype it up to the point you may freak!)
Last year, I ended up reviewing a solid 32 books for you guys! I still can't believe the selection was so incredible last year - last time I did over 30 reviews from BEA was in Chicago but last year KILLED it. SO GOOD!
I still can't freakin' believe how GOOD 'A Curse So Dark and Lonely' was!!!!! I know, I'm still having dreams about it.
Now I wanted to give you guys a run-through about this year - they've definitely changed up quite a few things (always for the better might I add) so I'm excited to feel out the new and improved BEA!
ALSO if you HAVEN'T bought your BOOKCON tickets!!!! GUYS!!!!! Get on the ASAP!
BOOKCON is the one time a year where all book lovers, all of us can get together and share everything books.
Think about it, what other place can publishers, bloggers, vloggers, authors, special guest-speakers, librarians/teachers and anyone who loves the smell of a new book can get together to be around something as beautiful as stories.
SO BUY YOUR BOOKCON TICKETS! You will see me there!!!
Also Kara, Emma, Nate and Miles.. my favorite sister blogs, can't wait to see you at BEA! It's always great!
AND I HOPE YOU BABES ARE READY!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE IT'S IN 34 DAYS!!!!!!
BEA HERE I COME!!!!! AGAIN AND TIL' THE END OF TIME!!!
(this PSA has been brought to you by Sabina's excitement.. apologies for the visual yelling but you do know how she/me gets)
XOXO and ALL THAT JAZZ!
Bunch
KING OF SCARS - NIKOLAI DULOGY (FINALLY!!!) by Leigh Bardugo
KING OF SCARS - LEIGH BARDUGO
SYNPOSIS :
Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.
RATING : 3.5/5 STARS (let me explain why it's not higher.. don't be mad at me)
“Most of us can hide our greatest hurts and longings. It’s how we survive each day. We pretend the pain isn’t there, that we are made of scars instead of wounds.”
Oh friends, it has been a long while since I read the concluding events in Ruin and Rising! Honestly? I probably really would have benefited from doing a reread. Yet, I will be the first to admit that I was complete Darkling trash back in the day, and I have grown a lot as a person and realized that he is someone that shouldn’t be romanticized, but I was so damn hyped for this story and to see how the people of Ravka are doing after that final battle and living under a brand new king. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I was truly let down.
Also, I want to emphasize that a three star rating isn’t a bad rating! I still enjoyed this and I loved seeing some of the character that I love with my whole heart and soul, and also falling in love with a new character, too! But this was just so ungodly slow for the first half, which is something I’ve never felt while reading anything by Leigh before. I know that we had a lot of be caught up on, but I just couldn’t immerse myself into the world or story until after the halfway point.
I really recommend that you don’t read King of Scars (or this review, honestly) if you have not read all the other books in the Grishaverse! But as a quick recap before I get into my thoughts and feelings: People are still fearful of Grisha and are capturing and killing them regularly. Grisha are also still becoming addicted to jurda parem, and many different variations of it, which enhances their powers but at a cost.
“The books do not tell the whole story”
And this story is told in many points of views, but there are pretty much only three locations that this story takes place, until they will (hopefully) all weave back together! Zoya and Nikolai are off with a new character trying to discover what lives inside Nikolai. Meanwhile, back at the palace, family friends are teaching a young boy how to impersonate Nikolai himself, so no one will know that he is away! And then we have Nina off on a completely new mission, where she finds out so much about herself and what is happening to Grishas in areas that are still living in fear of them.
But this is a story about grief and loss and how living with those two things can impact your life beyond words. This is a story about being the person everyone wants you to be, while ultimately choosing the person you truly are. This is a story about feeling like your life is predicted for you, but realizing that you are capable of doing any and everything you want.
“Call me Grisha. Call me zowa. Call me death, if you like.”
➽ Zoya Nazyalensky - One of the strongest Grishas ever (Squaller, of the Etherealki Order) and is an incredible fighter and leader. She was also the Darkling’s favorite, but is now my favorite.
➽ Genya Safin - My second favorite character! Genya, as the Darkling's gift, used to be the servant to the Queen, and was treated so very terribly. She is much happier now, but still is living with the torture that the Darkling inflicted upon her.
➽ David Kostyk - A very skilled Fabrikator who helped make things to hold amplifiers.
➽ Tolya Yul-Bataar & Tamar Kir-Bataar - Twin Grishas who own my heart.
➽ Isaak - The common boy solider who is impersonating Nikolai while he is away! (I fell so in love with this new character so easily, truly!)
➽ Nina Zenik - Heartrender (of the Corporalki order) who used to be a part of the Dregs in Six of Crows! Now on a top secret mission, that is about to be jeopardized because of new information! Also, she is on a mission for herself to finally lay someone to rest at home.
➽ Hanne - Fjerdan who Nina meets and instantly feels connected with. Hanne is just trying to live in a world where every opportunity has been taken from her because she is a daughter and not a son.
➽ Leoni & Adrik - both are Grishas who are accompanying Nina on her new mission!
➽ Yuri - A monk who is with Nikolai and Zoya, who is also one of the leaders of Cult of the Starless, who worship the Darkling.
➽ Nikolai Lantsov - The current King of Ravka, who is expected to marry and produce an heir because so many foes are looking to overtake him. But he is dealing with the torture that the Darkling has left in his body.
“A handsome monster husband who put a crown on her head? It’s a perfect fairy tale to sell to some starry-eyed girl. She can lock you in at night and kiss you sweetly in the morning, and Ravka will be secure.”
Nikolai’s monster is something that no one really knows how to control, but he is constantly being drawn to The Shadow Fold, which was the breeding ground of unspeakable shadow horrors and where the Darkling harnessed so very much of his immense power. We are also introduced to three new characters that I’m not going to really talk about because of spoilers, but they were amazing. I loved learning more about amplifiers, since there are so few people who have had them in this world and seeing the power that they bring is pretty intense and such a cool development in this story. Again, without saying too much, I loved all the scenes involving The Fold.
“We are all connected, King Nikolai. The Grisha, the Fold, the power inside you. The Fold is a wound that may never heal. But perhaps it was not meant to.”
But chapter twenty-five is the best chapter in this entire book, and that’s because Zoya is the best character in this book. Like, I get that it is called King of Scars, but this book was way more about Zoya and her beautiful story and everything that she has overcome than Nikolai’s. Especially since this book also spends half of the time focusing on Nina and what she is up to on her mission, I just feel like this is not Nikolai's book; it was half Zoya’s and half Nina’s. Which is fine, I’m not saying I disliked that, I just feel like it was a weird flex because going in you expect it to be all things Nikolai and it really couldn’t be further from the truth. Plus, it really doesn’t feel like his character progressed all that much either, where Zoya and Nina both had tremendously big events happen that will alter their future and the very future of Ravka.
Okay, but now I’m going to say the thing that’s probably going to make you all dislike this review, but I don’t really ship Nikolai and Zoya together. Like, I think the story would have been way more powerful if they were just friends. But this weird romance is laced throughout the story, even though there is no confirmation or reward or actual romance, it just felt weird to read. Especially with that annoying ending. I don’t know, I just really don’t ship them together, yet, but I probably will eventually. And I totally would have shipped them if we would have gotten more of them actually starting a romance instead of us just being like, “okay, yeah, this is totally the direction that Leigh is leading us!” Plus, that ending? I really don't want another unnecessary love triangle.
And I want this review to be spoiler free, so I’m not going to go into details, but you’re either going to love or hate the ending. And, friends, I for sure hated it. One of my favorite things in literature is when a spin-off series comes out, and the overarching threat is the ramifications of the what happened to that book’s conclusion and/or villain. Having a cult that views the Darkling as a saint and worships him? That was the setup of my dreams, friends. And the ending just felt like such a cop-out and made me so angry and it really left such a disappointing taste in my mouth.
“All fuels burn differently. Some faster, some hotter. Hate is one kind of fuel. But hate that began as devotion? That makes for another kind of flame.”
Overall, I just didn’t love this the way that I truly anticipated that I would! Maybe I hyped it too much? Maybe I shouldn’t have reread The Wicked King right before starting this? Maybe I’m just being salty over the Darkling? I don’t know, friends, but this let me down. I am highly anticipating what will come with the next book, and I hope to have a much higher rating and happier review! Also, Ninth House is going to be everything and I still cannot wait for that 2019 release!
Content and trigger warnings for drug addiction, loss of a loved one, grief depiction, captivity, slavery, implied past sexual assault (numerous times & numerous characters), torture, bullying, fatphobic comments (always in a negative light), mention of past death of a baby, attempted pedophilia, suicide, and war themes.
GIVEAWAY UPDATE!
Hello my favorite dolls!
YOU ALREADY KNOW that the GIVEAWAY is ending in exactly a week! We need you book babes to follow my IG/Facebook/Twitter page and send an email to 'thebookdolls@gmail' with a small paragraph about why you should win the 15-books-of-choice giveaway so that I can officially enter you in!
Now remember, you don't need to email me more than one. I've been getting over 500 emails since the last giveaway and sometimes they're repeats.
You know I love you guys but I want to be very clear - it's gotta be fair. If you want to be the winner of the 15 books of your choice giveaway, you've gotta be fair my beautiful readers!
So only one entry loves
BUT
fear not - if you do not win, you know that this is quarterly and look out for the Summer Giveaway as well.
I do want to take a moment just to thank you guys. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of love, readership, loyalty to this blog (for the past 5 years) you've given me.
I love you all to pieces, thank you!
NOW may the BEST WRITER win!!!!
And remember, I'll publish your amazing entry onto my blog so everyone can know exactly why you should win those 15 books and why you love reading so much, that I HAD to choose you!
TIL NEXT TIME!
Bunch
YOU ALREADY KNOW that the GIVEAWAY is ending in exactly a week! We need you book babes to follow my IG/Facebook/Twitter page and send an email to 'thebookdolls@gmail' with a small paragraph about why you should win the 15-books-of-choice giveaway so that I can officially enter you in!
Now remember, you don't need to email me more than one. I've been getting over 500 emails since the last giveaway and sometimes they're repeats.
You know I love you guys but I want to be very clear - it's gotta be fair. If you want to be the winner of the 15 books of your choice giveaway, you've gotta be fair my beautiful readers!
So only one entry loves
BUT
fear not - if you do not win, you know that this is quarterly and look out for the Summer Giveaway as well.
I do want to take a moment just to thank you guys. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of love, readership, loyalty to this blog (for the past 5 years) you've given me.
I love you all to pieces, thank you!
NOW may the BEST WRITER win!!!!
And remember, I'll publish your amazing entry onto my blog so everyone can know exactly why you should win those 15 books and why you love reading so much, that I HAD to choose you!
TIL NEXT TIME!
Bunch
WEEK OFF VACA - NOT JUST YET! sooo LET'S REVIEW SOME BOOKS!
Hey ladies! Sorry about the no update today, it was my grandma's birthday and we were celebrating! She's 79, woot woot grams! Last year I know I took a few days off around this time but this year is way more mellow, I wanted to take some requests, I've got a huge list of books to read and I don't think I take requests as much as I would like too. Since normally this is my yearly week off - I haven't scheduled any reviews past Monday (I have two coming!)
So I would love to read 3-5 books of your choosing, some that maybe you loved, maybe you hated or maybe you never read and want me to give you the true rundown! Email, Insta, Snap me! You know the drill dolls!
xoxo
So I would love to read 3-5 books of your choosing, some that maybe you loved, maybe you hated or maybe you never read and want me to give you the true rundown! Email, Insta, Snap me! You know the drill dolls!
xoxo
Binch
SURPRISE PARANORMAL REVIEW - K. A. Linde's Blood Type/Match Series
So for those of you that have been following my snapchat, I know I said that I've become a new person. That it's been a while since I've read paranormal/fantasy (and by a while I mean a month.) You know how addicted I am to J.R. Ward and everything that crawls in the dark! But I was on a path to try to read more stand alone new adult romance novels like you beauties requested.
BUT BUT BUT..
hear me out!
I have secretly, off schedule been presented a series by K.A. Linde called Blood Type (Blood Match is the second and Blood Cure is the soon to be here third.) Ladies and gentlemen, listen to me when I tell you that I just got such old school vampire feels that I read both books in a day.
Yep, in a day y'all.
Now I can literally rave about my (very rarely given) 5 star review that's about to go down but I want you to first check out the synopsis of both books and I'll get into it after!
BLOOD TYPE - K. A. LINDE
A startling new vision of paranormal romance: When a human ventures into the world of vampires—a decadent milieu of blood-bonds and betrayal—she discovers that not all is what it seems.
For Reyna Carpenter, giving up her body isn’t a choice. It’s survival.
In a civilization laid waste by poverty and desperation, Reyna accepts a high-paying position with the wealthy and hungry vampire elite. Her new job is as the live-in blood escort for the intimidating, demanding, and devilishly handsome Beckham Anderson. He’s everything she expected from a vampire, except for one thing—he won’t feed off her.
Reyna soon discovers that behind Beckham’s brooding, wicked façade lies a unique and complex man. And that, in a dark and divided world, she is more valuable than she ever would have believed.
For with each passing night, Reyna can’t shake the sensation that it’s Beckham who’s afraid of her.
For Reyna Carpenter, giving up her body isn’t a choice. It’s survival.
In a civilization laid waste by poverty and desperation, Reyna accepts a high-paying position with the wealthy and hungry vampire elite. Her new job is as the live-in blood escort for the intimidating, demanding, and devilishly handsome Beckham Anderson. He’s everything she expected from a vampire, except for one thing—he won’t feed off her.
Reyna soon discovers that behind Beckham’s brooding, wicked façade lies a unique and complex man. And that, in a dark and divided world, she is more valuable than she ever would have believed.
For with each passing night, Reyna can’t shake the sensation that it’s Beckham who’s afraid of her.
BLOOD MATCH - K. A. LINDE
As the provocative, sensual Blood Type series continues, the rare bond between Reyna and Beckham is threatened by betrayal, greed, and twisted secrets.
A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided.
Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell.
Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham.
She just has to find the will to survive this game.
From the pawn, rises a queen.
A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided.
Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell.
Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham.
She just has to find the will to survive this game.
From the pawn, rises a queen.
JOINT REVIEW - 5/5 STARS
My little chickadees, bare with me when I explain to you that if you need a straight shot, no chaser of hot and I mean beyond hot vampire/human love affair extravaganza than search no more. Here it is, in the flesh, the book that has somehow slipped past me for too long before I got my hands on it. I was fortunate enough to have it recommended to me by my sister blog (where the books fly) and it's so amazing that I couldn't wait more than 3 days since reading it to share it with you.
So let's get right into it,
I'm not a huge fan of protagonists as I've stated many many times. I feel that a lot of authors don't know the correct way to portray a woman in a fierce lighting while somehow letting her remain somewhat submissive. In other words, they're either badass or a damsel in distress, Reyna is neither yet both. The complexity in her character shine through even as the book is told in third person. I was shocked to actually resonate and understand the character as well as her choices (even those that she regrets.) She's a human caught in a world where vampires have become the supreme being, she's poor and broken with a equally heartbreaking past. In fact, she may be one of my top 5 protagonists ever and you know I don't say that lightly. Next up is the man, you know THE MAN, this beautiful incredible and seriously alpha male man. My oh my, I may have even looked at my own boyfriend and asked him why can't you be more like Beckham?! I'm not even kidding. Don't get me wrong, he starts off rough but in the best ways, it was almost instant love. I knew it, I felt it, moment he stepped into the page. I knew where my heart was going and it was straight into this new book boyfriend's arms.
There are a lot of issues as well, don't think that this book is a straight road. Soon as one thing calms down, seems like another is happening. I love the rollercoaster ride and am just grateful that the 7 hours I spent reading both books together weren't boring even for a minute. Reyna and Beckham are everything and I know if you're into that "dislike than like, vampire/human" madness than this book is FOR YOU! Which by judging on our past on this blog alone is basically 80% of you amazing women. I wish I could tell you more but oh my gosh -how I don't want to spoil it. I will warn you though, it leaves you on a cliffhanger of a lifetime. It has been so long since an author could surprise me and MY GOODNESS did K.A. Linde surprise me, I don't want to give anything away but OH MY GOSH, has to be the most surprising and unexpected cliffhanger I may have ever come across, so many things, so fast. I'm still feeling it but even with all this emotion, all this suspense and all the surprises.. this book is worth reading NOW! And don't worry ladies, Blood Cure is just one month away and than we will all hold hands and find out exactly where this journey that Reyna and Beckham are taking us on goes.
Side note - I had been fortunate enough to receive Blood Type from a friend and once I was done, she was going to give me Blood Match but because I finished around 9pm, I knew I couldn't get Blood Match fast enough and I bought it. Yep ladies, I bought it so damn quickly and pressed that button so hard, Amazon may have charged me twice! I regret nothing - money. well. spent!
NOW GO READ IT SO WE CAN HOLD HANDS TOGETHER IN THIS BEAUTIFUL MADNESS!
xoxo
Binch
Jennifer Armentrout - My Obsession
Hello my beautiful dolls!
You're all WAY to good to me. Let's point that out.. RIGHT NOW! But I got my hands on a very limited ARC and I need you to brace yourselves and I need you to guess.
I've decided to give you a hint.. Jennifer Armentrout (the godmother of paranormal) has literally given me the book of all books. I've read it, I've lived it and I am officially.. IT!
Now you know me, I'm just the worst when it comes to surprises! I make you girls guess forever!
But not this time babes! Not this time!
It'll be revealed on July 26, 2018. So brace yourselves.. summer is coming ;)
Oh, was that another hint?
You know the drill ladies, drop an email and comment below!
Don't forget to subscribe and follow this blog for constant updates!
xoxo
Bina
You're all WAY to good to me. Let's point that out.. RIGHT NOW! But I got my hands on a very limited ARC and I need you to brace yourselves and I need you to guess.
I've decided to give you a hint.. Jennifer Armentrout (the godmother of paranormal) has literally given me the book of all books. I've read it, I've lived it and I am officially.. IT!
Now you know me, I'm just the worst when it comes to surprises! I make you girls guess forever!
But not this time babes! Not this time!
It'll be revealed on July 26, 2018. So brace yourselves.. summer is coming ;)
Oh, was that another hint?
You know the drill ladies, drop an email and comment below!
Don't forget to subscribe and follow this blog for constant updates!
xoxo
Bina
Seekers by Veronica Rossi
Seeker by Veronica Rossi
Publication Date: May 16, 2017 by Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
[Special thanks to the publisher for the review copy!]
Goodreads Summary:
When Daryn claimed she was seeing visions during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth.
She wasn’t losing her mind; she was gaining the Sight—the ability to see the future. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.
Until Sebastian.
Sebastian was her first—and worst—mistake.
Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael, the last surviving demon of the Kindred, guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It’s up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped.
Daryn must rely on instincts, intelligence, and blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil?
The very fate of humankind may rest in the answer.
My thoughts:
Riders was an ultimate cliffhanger, so I had to read Seeker as soon as I had my hands on a review copy.
I finished reading about three months ago, and I had to reread some parts as I write this review because I forgot to take notes.
Seeker is rich in emotion. I felt truly connected to Daryn as she blamed herself for what happened with Bas. I also loved her reunion with the riders. They’re totally #squadgoals, and they treat each other like family. It was heartwarming to read the parts where they passed Daryn’s list around.
THAT LIST. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
Daryn made this list of Reasons, and it became a squad thing. It was funny and clever and touching. It’s the kind of list you’d make to believe in hope even when it seems there is none.
Trust, even when it’s difficult. Especially when it’s difficult.
I shouldn’t really quote from an ARC, but these words create one of the greatest ironies I’ve ever read. Trust is fragile, and I understand the struggle of some people with it. Trust issues, as they say. I honestly feel lucky not to have them, because people who do have built high walls.
I’m one of those people who try to break down those. Or I find a gate through, at least.
Reading this book made me question Daryn’s train of thought many times, but the decision she made in the end made sense to me. I got her logic, and while I wanted more from her and the riders, I’m happy with how the duology ended.
I loved Riders more, but Seeker has beauty on its own. It’s about hope and forgiveness. It tells a story of a girl who got back up again after a great fall. The flawed characters and their unified desire to do what’s right make this book empowering.
xoxo Binch
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