Bookish (And Not So Bookish) Thoughts

Bookish (And Not So Bookish) Thoughts is a Weekly Meme hosted by Christine @ Bookishly  Boisterous.

Happy Thursday Bookdragons! I hope everyone survived Christmas and got everything they wished for.

1. Sometimes I wish I could go back to being book-blind. What I mean is, before I was a book blogger or bookstagrammer I could walk into a bookstore without pressure, browse the aisles and pick out books that called out to me without having any prior impression of them (unless they were a continuation of a series I'd been reading). Now I'm always influenced by blogs I've read, publisher newsletters / ARC sign-ups, posts I've seen on instagram. Sometimes I wonder if I read certain books because I want to read them or because everyone else had read it and is raving. And I'm an odd duck. Yeah - the book everyone hates on? I probably love it. The book everyone gushes about? Yeah - I probably couldn't get past the first page. Sometimes I wish I could quit it all - the reviews, the deadlines, the expectations - and read for me again.

2. Christmas was pretty good all around, I can't complain. I went a bit overboard buying for myself but I managed a few surprises with my Fairyloot & Unicorn Book Boxes. Fairyloot remains a favorite but Unicorn Crate was nice also.

3. I got my grandmother's cat, Houdini, a little chick stuffed toy that chirps... and I didn't realize how sensitive it was going to be. You barely have to touch it for it to chirp. And Houdini touches it. All. Night. Long. 

4. Vikings was awesomely violent last night! I know, I know - that sounds awful of me to say but its my favorite show and they do a great job with the battle scenes. 

5. I cannot believe the people terrified by Netflix's BIRD BOX. We watched it on Christmas and I loved it! I've been in a post-apocalyptic mood lately after The Hallowed Ones and Pestilence so Bird Box was right up my alley. I didn't find it scary at all, but it takes a loooooottttttt to scare me. But 1/2 the people I talk to were scared $#!+|3$$.

6. My current read is Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman and I was hooked from the beginning. I just hope it stays that way. I've been in and out of slumps all month.

7. I seem to run on a different temperature than everyone else. My grandmother keeps saying she's warm but I'm so, so cold!

Book Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young

Blurb:

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

My Review:

Eelyn was raised as an Aska warrior: fierce, brave, and loyal to her people. But when she sees her "dead" brother fighting with the Riki - the enemy of the Aska clan everything changes. She charges after Iri, nearly getting herself killed and then captured by the Riki in search of answers. 

At first Eeyln hates the Riki, as she was raised to. She doesn't understand why her brother would choose to stay with the Riki and betray the Aska. Bought as a dyr (slave) by Iri's friend Fiske she watches the Riki with as much hate and wariness as they look upon her. But soon she begins to see that the Riki aren't that different than the Aska and she starts to see why Iri cares so much about the family that have taken both of them in.

As Eelyn's feelings for Fiske and his family begin to grow an enemy to both the Riki and the Aska resurfaces and the Aska and the Riki will have to band together to defeat their common enemy - and in doing so will change the way the Aska and Riki coexist once and for all. 

Can two warring tribes defeat their greatest enemy? And if so, where will that leave Eelyn in the end?

Sky in the Deep is fantastically written and I absolutely loved the story. Initially I requested to review this book because I'd heard great things about it and I loved the cover but the story exceeded all of my expectations.

Eelyn is a strong character and her emotions were very well conveyed; I felt betrayed when she felt betrayed by Iri, I felt her sorrow for her family and the Riki during the attacks that brought the clans together, and nervous anticipation during the battle scenes (which I thought were well written).

Sky in the Deep is like stepping into the world of Vikings, which happens to be my favorite show, so I think fans of the show will love this book. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book! It's definitely a book to have on your TBR list this spring. I only feel sad that I've finished the book and have to leave this world behind.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 of 5 Stars!

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #109

This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading a great ARC of an upcoming YA Fantasy novel...

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Blurb:

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So Far:

I requested this book because I loved the cover, have heard great things about the book, and am obsessed with anything inspired by the Vikings. The first chapter grabbed me right away but I didn't have much time to read at the end of last week so I really only got into this book on Monday but I'm loving the story. It really does remind me of the world of the Vikings even though it is set in a stylized fantasy version of it. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next and I hope to finish it tonight sometime. 

CurseBreaker Blog Tour Schedule

It's less than a month until the release of CurseBreaker which means it is time to announce the CurseBreaker Blog Tour Schedule! The blog tour will run January 1-3, 2018! Follow the tour to read exclusive excerpts, book reviews, and guest posts all about my YA Historical Fantasy / Fairytale Retelling Novel. 

About the Book:

Title: CurseBreaker 

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Fairytale Retelling

Author: Taylor Fenner

Publisher: Taylor C. Fenner Publishing

Release Date: January 2, 2018

Blurb:

A Scorned Queen, A Cursed Prince, A Girl begging for love and adventure...

History Channel's Vikings meets Norse Folklore and Mythology in this High Fantasy retelling of the Norwegian Fairy Tale, East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon.

Eighteen-year-old Helga "Hel" Daalgaard has accepted that the only love and adventure in her future live within the pages of the books her father brings for her from his travels. She's content helping around the home she shares with her parents and eight siblings; it may be a dull life but it's all she's ever known... until a polar bear arrives at their tiny cottage and offers up a strange proposal. 

After spurning his young stepmother's advances, Prince Dyre is cursed to spend his days in the body of a polar bear. To break the curse he must find a woman to fall in love with him and stay with him for a year - but the woman of his choosing can never learn that he is truly a man or Dyre will be forced into a future even worse than spending his days as a polar bear. He thinks Hel could be the one to break the curse, but if Hel ever finds out what brought them together he may lose her forever.

Nobody ever crossed Viveka, Queen of Aldavellir, and lived to tell about it. Dyre is the only man alive that has turned her down but she'll have him whether he likes it or not. She'll make it impossible for the girl he's chosen to last long enough to break the curse. After all, queens don't have to play fair.

Tour Schedule:

January 1, 2018

@ BeautyGuise - Review & Excerpt

January 2, 2018

@ Taylor Fenner's Bookish World - Release Day Blitz & How Vikings Inspired My Writing Process

January 3, 2018

@ Reader With A View - Review & Guest Post

CurseBreaker will be released on January 2, 2018!

Pre-Order CurseBreaker

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Add to Goodreads

Cover Reveal: CURSEBREAKER

Today I’m excited to share with you the cover of my upcoming YA Historical Fantasy novel, CURSEBREAKER.

CURSEBREAKER is coming January 2, 2018! A standalone YA Historical Fantasy set in Viking era Scandinavia, CURSEBREAKER is a retelling of the Norwegian Fairytale, East O’ The Sun and West O’ The Moon. Pre-order your copy today! Kindle users – stay tuned for the pre-order coming in October! And don’t miss the gorgeous cover below…

Cover design by Taylor Fenner.

About CURSEBREAKER

A Scorned Queen, A Cursed Prince, A Girl begging for love and adventure...

History Channel's Vikings meets Norse Folklore and Mythology in this High Fantasy retelling of the Norwegian Fairy Tale, East O' The Sun and West O' The Moon.

Eighteen-year-old Helga "Hel" Daalgaard has accepted that the only love and adventure in her future live within the pages of the books her father brings for her from his travels. She's content helping around the home she shares with her parents and eight siblings; it may be a dull life but it's all she's ever known... until a polar bear arrives at their tiny cottage and offers up a strange proposal.

After spurning his young stepmother's advances, Prince Dyre is cursed to spend his days in the body of a polar bear. To break the curse he must find a woman to fall in love with him and stay with him for a year - but the woman of his choosing can never learn that he is truly a man or Dyre will be forced into a future even worse than spending his days as a polar bear. He thinks Hel could be the one to break the curse, but if Hel ever finds out what brought them together he may lose her forever.

Nobody ever crossed Viveka, Queen of Aldavellir, and lived to tell about it. Dyre is the only man alive that has turned her down but she'll have him whether he likes it or not. She'll make it impossible for the girl he's chosen to last long enough to break the curse. After all, queens don't have to play fair.

CurseBreaker is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Erin Summerill!

PREORDER YOUR COPY TODAY

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About Taylor Fenner

 

Taylor Fenner grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. She's a strong believer in ghosts and the paranormal, which led to her interest in writing paranormal romance. Since then she has branched out into Urban Fantasy and now High Fantasy and Fairy Tale Retelling.

An admitted workaholic, when not working on a novel Taylor spends most of her time blogging about books, taking photos for her bookstagram account, binge watching the latest season of Vikings, and listening to music that's sure to ruin her hearing eventually.

In addition to CurseBreaker, Taylor is the author of The Haunting Love, Finding Elizabeth, Out of Darkness (Eternals Trilogy #1), Into the Light (Eternals Trilogy #2), Through the Fog (Eternals Trilogy #3), Eternal Fire: An Eternals Trilogy Novelette, and her upcoming New Adult debut, Headless, a contemporary reimagining of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

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