Book Review: QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) by Sarah J. Maas

Blurb:

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.

My Review:

Queen of Shadows is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series and I'm still really loving this series. Aelin has returned to Adarlan from Wendlyn seemingly just in the nick of time. Aedion is about to be executed by the King, Dorian has a wyrdstone collar around his neck, Chaol is essentially running the rebel group, and she has asked Rowan to stay behind in Wendlyn even though she'd love to have him at her side. 

As we meet new characters, like Elide, Nesryn, and Lorcan and hold our breath as the fire-breathing bitch-queen works to free magic, aid the rebellion, save her friends, and reclaim her throne the reader is once more drawn into the fantastical world Maas has created in the Throne of Glass series. Now that I've read most of this series I actually find myself liking the Throne of Glass series a smidge more than the ACOTAR series.

I like how we get to see the story through the eyes of so many of the characters, not just out snarky, badass heroine. 

Overall, each book in this series is a stepping stone to the explosive finale I can't wait to read when Kingdom of Ash comes out in October and I'm glad I took the time to go back and read  the first four books having only read Empire of Storms previously. 

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 of 5 Stars!

Don't forget my 3-Year Blogiversary Giveaway ending soon!

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{Taylor Fenner's Bookish World 3-Year Blogiversary} Celebrating 3 Years of Book Blogging

Hey Bookdragons! It's July 26th. On this day in 2015 I started blogging exclusively about books on what was originally called Taylor Fenner - Author and Book Blog. I was still switching over from my writing blog to a true book blog with reviews and all that comes with it. Then after being inspired by Katy in Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux Series, Taylor Fenner - Author and Book Blog became Taylor Fenner's Bookish World. 

This past year has been intense, so much has happened in so little time. My grandmother was diagnosed with spinal stenosis which has caused her to be in and out of nursing home rehab. I moved in with my mom. My boyfriend and I broke up and made up and broke up... well you get the picture. I published my first YA Fantasy to great success and am preparing to debut my New Adult Urban Fantasy, Headless, this fall. I finally sought help for my mental health issues. It's been a tough one but I'm strong, I'm still standing with the help of reading about some truly badass female characters in YA this past year. Book blogging has become my obsession, my therapy, my escape.

Over the past 3 years I've met some truly amazing book blogger, bookstagrammers, and booktubers in this community and I can't say how happy I am to have people who understand my love of books. The people in this community inspire me and drive me to keep going every single day. 

I wanted to mark this "blogiversary" in a special way by spotlighting indie authors, hosting giveaways, and giving back.

I've learned a lot these past three years but one thing hasn't changed, my love of books and my loving of sharing with you new books to discover and love for yourselves. 

A Look Into The Past Three Years...

~2015~

My First Book Review!

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh was the first book I reviewed on my blog. I'd been reviewing books on Goodreads since 2012 but this was my first time on my blog and my book blog actually started because I couldn't think about what else to blog about writing-wise and threw up this book review.. As you can see I hadn't started bookstagramming yet and I'm kind of ashamed of this picture. 

~2016~

New Posts, New Ideas

In 2016 I grew as a book blogger. Beginning at the end of 2015 I started my "What I'm Reading"-Wednesday Posts, my Book Mail Posts, and other fun book-themed posts. I explored topics about bookish tattoos, whether parents needed to be more visible in YA novels, and why some books had similar cover art.

I also joined Netgalley during the summer in 2016 and got my first review copies from publishers!

~2017~

The Year of the ARC

In 2017 I had grown my blog enough to start getting a few physical ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) books from publishers. This year I also actively started bookstagramming, covered book controversies being discussed in the blogger community at the time, counted down my top 10 favorite couples in YA, started participating regularly in blog tours, started my Book Tag Saturdays, participated in the fall 2018 YASH as an author, and started doing Top Ten Tuesdays. 

~2018~

Forging On...

This was the year I almost gave up. On blogging, on writing, hell at times even on reading as I let depression drag me down, down, down and dealt with the stressful changes in my life. In the beginning of the year I was blogging almost daily and giving myself an intense workload until I began feeling burned out and needed to take a step back. I've cleared things up now and I'm sticking to my review schedule and throwing in bonus posts, cover reveals, blog tours, and top ten Tuesday posts when I can. It's all about not overloading myself these days, taking it one step at a time and stopping to smell the roses. 

Timeline of A Fandom

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August 2015                      December 2016               August 2017                  April 2018

  Got my 1st                              Bought my first                Fell in love with                  Subscribed to

     Funko                                   bookish candle             magnetic bookmarks.                Fairyloot!

       Pop                                from acourtofcandles

Don't forget about my current giveaways!

♠ Rogue Crystal by Jordan Elizabeth

♣ Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

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Kingdom of Ash Giveaway Rules...

📚 This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL (As long as Book Depository ships to you.)

📚 This giveaway ends August 1, 2018 at 12:00 EST

📚 No duplicate entries or giveaway accounts. You WILL be disqualified.

📚You MUST be willing to provide your mailing address if you win. It will not be kept for any purpose other than to ship your prize.

📚The winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

📚 Since Kingdom of Ash doesn't release until October 23, you will receive your prize as soon as it releases and Book Depository ships it to you (usually takes 5-8 days to the US)

May the Book Gods Smile Down On You! 🍀

Are you a book blogger? How long have you been blogging? Do you remember your first post? Tell me about it in the comments!

{Taylor Fenner's Bookish World 3-Year Blogiversary} Book Review: HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J. Maas

Hey Bookdragons! Before I dive into my book review of Heir of Fire, I want to talk a little bit about my journey through blogging. When I first started blogging about books three years ago I didn't like certain genres of books - or at least I told myself I didn't. Through blogging and interacting with other book bloggers I learned to love books in genres I never believed I could love - especially fantasy novels. Sarah J. Maas was one of my first fantasy read loves and now is at the top of my auto-buy list. Be sure to read to the bottom of this post for a giveaway!

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Blurb:

Celaena Sardothien, heroine of the New York Times bestselling series, rises from the ashes to burn even brighter than before.

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?

In this USA Today bestselling third book in the New York Timesbestselling series, Sarah J. Maas again delivers the epic fantasy, heart-stopping pace, and heady romance that have won her readers the world over. Look for a teaser for the fourth book in the series, Queen of Shadows, out in this same season!

My Review:

Heir of Fire shows Celaena and her friends scattered. Celaena arrives in Wendlyn to see what her great aunt, Maeve - Queen of the Fae - knows about the Wyrdkeys Celaena seeks and how to destroy them. Back in Rifthold Dorian and Chaol's friendship becomes strained as Chaol keeps the secret of Celaena's true identity and the real reason why he had her sent away to Wendlyn while Dorian feels that his oldest friend cannot accept the magic running through his veins and seeks the company of an alluring healer.

We also meet fantastic new characters that we will see more of in the books to come like Rowan Whitethorn, a Fae warrior-prince, Manon Blackbeak, heir of the Blackbeak Witch Clan, and Aeidon Ashryver, Aelin's long lost cousin. 

The events of this book will begin the tipping point of this series, what happens in Heir of Fire cannot be undone - both the good and the bad. Where will our fearless heroine be at the end and who will be standing at her side?

In my opinion this series keeps getting better with each book and I love seeing through each of the character's perspectives. I love Manon and Aeidon and loved seeing their introduction to the story and I eagerly await when Aelin will come face to face with her cousin after so long. Aelin grows a lot in this book, both in her magic, and in learning to understand and accept the horrors of her past. 

I like the sense of mystery blended in with the fantasy in these novels, like Celaena finding out who was killing the Champions and discovering Elena's tomb in Throne of Glass, in Heir of Fire Celaena and Rowan investigate a series of unusual murders in Wendlyn and the appearance of deadly, unknown creatures. 

Overall, I'd definitely say this is one of my favorite books in the series overall and I can't wait  to see what will happen next!

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 of 5 Stars!

Giveaway!

Since Sarah J. Maas fed the flames of my love of fantasy novels it seems only right to give away a preorder of the final book in the Throne of Glass series, KINGDOM OF ASH!

A Few Rules...

📚 This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL (As long as Book Depository ships to you.

📚 This giveaway ends August 1, 2018 at 12:00 EST

📚 No duplicate entries or giveaway accounts. You WILL be disqualified.

📚You MUST be willing to provide your mailing address if you win. It will not be kept for any purpose other than to ship your prize.

📚The winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

📚 Since Kingdom of Ash doesn't release until October 23, you will receive your prize as soon as it releases and Book Depository ships it to you (usually takes 5-8 days to the US)

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Taylor Fenner's Bookish World's 3-Year Blogiversary Kickoff: Author Spotlight - Jordan Elizabeth

Hey Bookdragons! Today marks the beginning of Taylor Fenner's Bookish World's 3-Year Blogiversary and today I'm spotlighting a wonderful author friend of mine and one of her recent releases...

About Jordan Elizabeth

Jordan Elizabeth writes down her nightmares in order to live her dreams. When she’s not creating art or searching for lost history in the woods, she’s engulfed in a new book. Jordan roams Central New York, but also loves to travel.

About ROGUE CRYSTAL

Avery loves the prospect of visiting Scarya with her cousin and boyfriend. Adventure and romance surely await in this exotic country. Instead, war breaks out, and Avery ends up with an ancient sword everyone is dying to possess.

Scarya isn’t just a foreign land – the more time Avery is trapped there, the more she learns about her past. Her ancestors originated in Scarya, and one of them brought an enchanted crystal with him to Scarya from space. She never expected an alien to ruin her vacation, but sometimes the past has a way of reappearing.

Grab a copy here!

Jordan was nice enough to answer some questions for me and tell us a little bit about her novel ROGUE CRYSTAL!

1. Tell me about yourself and how many books you have written. 

 I have 13 books published, with more on the way for the end of 2018. They are all young adult fantasy. I live in upstate New York, and most of my books take place in this area. Hey, you have to write what you know. The books that don’t take place here are set in fantasy realms. 

2. What gave you the inspiration to write ROGUE CRYSTAL? 

 I am obsessed with my family tree. For about a year, I would stay up until 2am learning everything I could, contacting people with family trees matching mine, studying the time periods… I wanted to write a book about a girl’s past that comes back to haunt her. Best of all, some of those family members are able to meet the main character. I would love to meet my ancestors! 

3. Who is your favorite character in ROGUE CRYSTAL? 

 Avery! She’s awkward, like me. I don’t mean tripping a lot (although I do trip a lot), but she’s awkward in her mannerisms and how she communicates with others. Despite that awkwardness, she’s thrown into a dangerous situation and not only need to survive, but she has to help her family survive too.

4. Which came first, the title or the novel? 

 The novel came first. I wanted to call it THE CRYSTAL, but that didn’t stand out to me. 

5. What scene in ROGUE CRYSTAL are you most proud of, and why?

 I love all the scenes where Avery talks with Jessa, her little sister. I based Jessa off my dog, and they were conversations I would have enjoyed having with her – minus the danger, of course.

6. What upcoming book release are you most looking forward to?

 A Christmas novella is releasing in November. I’m not too familiar with writing novellas, and a Christmas story is far from what I normally write about. I did my best to keep it fantasy-free, while still having an engaging setting and fascinating plot. I can’t wait to see what people think of it.

7. What is your most recent favorite read?

 SUMMER OF MOONLIGHT SECRETS. It involves an old hotel filled with secret tunnels and abandoned floors. It would be my dream vacation! Plus, there’s magic afoot. 

8. What are you working on now? 

 I’m working on another Christmas novella! This one is about a girl who works at a Revolutionary War fort. I used to work at one while I was in high school, so I’m drawing on my past memroies and reliving the good times.

9. What authors, or books, have influenced you? 

 I love the fantasy novels by Maria V. Snyder. She’s a wonderful author and great friend. I’ve even gotten to do a book signing with her.

10.What is your favorite part of the writing process?

 Sharing the story with the world. I love to hear that people enjoyed reading about a world I created.

Connect with Jordan Online:
⚔Website ⚔ Twitter ⚔ Facebook ⚔ Google+ ⚔ LinkedIn ⚔

Jordan is a great YA fantasy author and I've read many of her books. From steampunk to witches to ghosts to history with a dash of romance, there's something for everyone in Jordan's books. She's also done a lot helping other indie authors which is fantastic! I hope you enjoyed learning more about Jordan Elizabeth! 

GIVEAWAY
*Want to win an ebook copy of ROGUE CRYSTAL? Leave me a comment and tell me if you've ever done any research into your family's ancestry. Giveaway will be open through July 31, 2018 at 11:59 PM and One (1) Winner will receive an Kindle Copy of ROGUE CRYSTAL!*

{Book Review Blog Tour} ROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh

Today we are celebrating the release of ROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh! Check out the links and teasers for it below, and links for the previous book in the Nothing but Trouble series, ROCK KING. Join Tara's newsletter for exclusive news about the book.

Grab your copy now!

Kindle | Universal Link | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Purchase in Paperback

ROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh 

Available Now

Blurb: 

Fans of Kristen Callihan, L.J. Shen, and Kylie Scott will scream for this sizzling bad boy rock star romance! 

I'm no Prince Charming. Most people know me as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, I'm also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, "The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet." Apparently, I'm a legend. Am I surprised? Hell, no. It's a reputation I've earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never.

 No one except Piper Hastings. But I had to make a choice: my woman or my career. I picked fame and fortune... and spent every damn day since pretending I don't regret it. Now fate's dropped Piper back into my life. I want to believe it's a second chance for me - for us. But while I can give her a few great nights, I can't give Piper a future. Because there's a difference between a legend and a fairy tale... Only one of them ends happily ever after. 

Grab your copy now!

Kindle | Universal Link | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Purchase in Paperback

Add ROCK LEGEND to Goodreads

My Review:

Rock Legend is the second book in the Nothing But Trouble series by Tara Leigh although it can be read as a standalone.

We met Piper and Landon in Rock King, now prepare to fall in love with them in Rock Legend. Six years ago Piper was just a college girl in love with a musician - a musician who would eventually break her heart when he walked away to pursue fame and fortune. Nobody expected Landon to become anything but he proved them all wrong - drummer for the most popular rock band in the world with more money and women throwing themselves at him than he knows what to do with - but he's never forgotten the girl he walked away from six years earlier. The only girl he felt anything close enough to love with. 

Even though Piper has worked for the PR company that manages Nothing But Trouble for four years it isn't until after one of their concerts that the inevitable happens and they come face to face. 

Landon wants another shot with Piper, if for no other reason but to give him closure. Piper, fresh from a break-up, wants to prove to herself that what she had with Landon was just the romanticism of a young girl and nothing could have been as good as she remembered. But their sizzling connection will prove them wrong. For two people who don't believe they'll ever deserve a happily ever after, they may find the happiness they were always hoping for.

I was afraid going in that I wouldn't love this book as much as Rock King because Piper comes off as kind of snotty at first in Rock King, but I actually really loved her as a character.  Landon is your typical rock god with a dark past often depicted in Rock Star Romance but he is perfect for Piper. The yin to her yang, the wild to her calm, the spark to her fire and together they're explosive on the page. 

The only thing I found a little unbelievable was that Piper had been working for Travis and closely with Nothing But Trouble for quite a while but they hadn't come face to face before. Seriously? Not once in four years? Piper must have had some luck avoiding him for that long.

Overall, this book is sexy, sweet, and oh-so-addicting, the writing is good, the worldbuilding is believable, and the characters are well developed and well rounded. If you love romances where women fall for cocky, smart-mouthed rock stars you must read this series!

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟

4 of 5 Stars!

Purchase the previous book in the series...

ROCK KING (Nothing but Trouble, #1) purchase links

Kindle | Universal Link

iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Purchase in Paperback

-------------------------------

AUTHOR BIO:

Tara Leigh writes steamy contemporary romance featuring tortured heroes worth lusting after and the women they didn't know they needed. She attended Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Business School in New York, and worked on Wall Street and Main Street before “retiring” to become a wife and mother. When the people in her head became just as real as the people in her life, she decided to put their stories on paper. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children and fur-baby, Pixie.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Facebook Profile | Facebook Page | Bookbub | Amazon | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Book + Main

Join Tara Leigh's Newsletter

Join Tara Leigh's Reader Group

 

#BookTag Saturday (On a Thursday): Catch Up #2

No, your calendar speaks the truth - it's only Thursday. But I have a ton of tags to catch up on so we're doing it a few days early...

The #WatchedItFirst Book Tag

Tagged by: @heretherebeareader

Actually I did read Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane before seeing the movie (because the movie release date got moved which gave me plenty of time). But honestly, it took me watching the movie - more than once - to understand the ending of the book.

The #SpellTheMonthInBooks Book Tag

Tagged by @erinelizabethreads

*

J - Just An Illusion (D. Kelly)

U - Unknown (Wendy Higgins)

L - Like A Memory (Abbi Glines)

Y - You Were Mine (Abbi Glines)

The #TellMeSomethingAboutYourself Book Tag

Tagged by @erinelizabethreads

*

1. Celebrity Crush - Max Minghella

2. Favorite City - New Orleans

3. Favorite TV Show - Vikings

4. Scared of - Death

5. Era to Live In - The Viking Era or the Victorian Era

The #BookishAlphabet Book Tag

Tagged by @erinelizabethreads

*

I got the letter P

1. Author's Name - Jodi Picoult

2. Books - Prince of Shadows (Rachel Caine)

3. Characters - Phillipe (Minor Character in Shadow of Night by Deborah Darkness)

I'll give you guys the letter T

The #FiveFictionalBesties Book Tag

Tagged by @jenn.mckenzie

*

1. Dee Black (Lux Series) - she's so bubbly and sweet I'd definitely want her as a friend!

2. Abbey (The Hollow Trilogy) - She's a dark, creative soul like me!

3. Audrey Rose Wadsworth (SJTR Series) - She's witty and fearless, someone to look up to)

4. Amren (ACOTAR Series) 

5. Nehemia (TOG Series)