Tag Archives: romance

May 25, 2016

Water’s Wrath

By betweenpagesblog

Water’s Wrath

by Elise Kova

Rating: 4.5/5

Waters-Wrath-Cover-Only-635x1024

OH MY GOD FOR ALL THAT IS FORSAKEN IN THIS WORLD. WORDS, I JUST…I..BUT..REALLY..WHY?????!?!??

Okay that was a bit extreme but that is how it felt reading this book. Elise Kova seriously decided to throw every single possible emotion into this book. I laughed, I loved, I felt strength and power, and I cried, oh boy did I cry. So take that as a warning, you will need a box of tissues for this book. Actually, just go to Costco and get a case!

Water’s Wrath takes place immediately after Earth’s End. The Solaris Empire has taken victory over the North. Vhalla earned her freedom and left with a secret in tow but that secret makes her return to the kingdom she wanted to be free of and a lover she wishes to never see again.

This is the fourth book in the Air Awakens series and it did not disappoint! I had made quite a few predictions after Earth’s End about what would happen. Aaannnnddd I was completely wrong. Well maybe there was a little truth to my predictions but that would be stretching it. We learn a lot more about Aldrik in this book and about his deep seeded memories he keeps locked inside him. Vhalla also grows even more as a character. She has found herself and taken ownership of her power and her mind. I think what I loved most is the relationship growth between Aldrik and Vhalla. They separated at the end of Water’s Wrath because Aldrik was being forced to marry the princess of the North (who seems kind of stuck up and annoying in this book.) Two people who cannot be together but it is not like a Romeo and Juliet love story. Both of them individually deal with life and mature and bring their relationship into a healthy, powerful love.

I wasn’t sure how the storyline would fall in this book considering the others had to do with war. I guessed crystals were going to play a role and they did but I think this story was really driven by character development and emotions. I told you kleenex was needed and I wasn’t lying. You will need it. There is also a ‘betrayal’ you could say but in my opinion I never trusted that character to begin with. The ending of this book left my mouth open. Like wait what?!??! How is that possible and but how is she supposed to…but I don’t know what is going to happen and then all of a sudden a bad thing happens and I just can’t.

I highly recommend this series to EVERYONE! It is beautifully written and the storytelling is compelling and the world is well-built. I am sad that there is only one book left. But Elise Kova has a new series she is writing that comes out in January 2017! So go pick this book up and the rest of the series and I am sure we will all be awed and shocked and sad and happy and terrified and in love when the final book, Crystal Crowned, comes out July 12th! (And you need to see the glory that is that cover right here.)

 

 

 

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May 25, 2016

The Promise of Amazing

By betweenpagesblog

The Promise of Amazing

by Robin Constantine

Rating: 3/5

promise

This book did not promise anything amazing. It just gave the promise of following the same formula to lead to the same boring story. Cool, hot popular boy that is totally out of girl’s league + quiet, too nice for her own good girl that is too good for any popular boy = INSTALOVE.

The Promise of Amazing is about a girl, Wren, who is average in just about everything and a boy, Grayson, who just got kicked out of private school for selling term papers. Wren saves his life while he chokes on food at a reception hall she works at. Their lives soon become intertwined and a love blossoms. (Who would have thought?!)

Okay, just by that description I should have known this book would have been a doozy. But I was really in the mood for a contemporary romance and this one just happened to be sitting on my Kindle. This book just fell flat. There was really no character development. The secondary characters were boring. Most of them I kept forgetting their names. I am not saying this book was terrible. It wasn’t, I read it in one sitting, however it just lacked something different. It felt like the same story I have read a hundred times. I mean that because I cannot think of anything to even say about it. Seriously, my mind is blank. (Maybe this could do with the fact that I haven’t written a review in a long time but I have been busy. I am not using that as an excuse. Okay I kind of am. But there was bookcon and I wanted to Cosplay for it and I worked my ass of for two weeks to finish it. So I apologize.)

So read this if you want but if you’ve read any book that follows that formula above then you have already read it.

 

Now this brings up another problem of mine. I feel like I am in a reading slump. I mean I have been reading but I feel like it’s been awhile since I read something truly amazing or original. Everything just seems the same to me and I don’t know if it is just because I keep setting high expectations or if books are truly losing their originality. Now I am not counting books in series in this because obviously I love that series if I still read it. And Lady Midnight doesn’t count either because it is part of the same world as TMI and TID. (Review to come soon.) Does anyone else feel this way? Or do you have a book recommendation for me that you think will blow me away?

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April 22, 2016

These Shallow Graves

By betweenpagesblog

These Shallow Graves

by Jennifer Donnelly

Rating: 4.5/5

 

theseshallowgraves

“If you’re going to bury the past, bury it deep, girl.

Shallow graves always give up their dead.”

This book was downright fun! I had so much fun reading it and I just couldn’t get enough. I fell in love with 1890s New York, the strong characters, and the compelling story that left me wanting more. These Shallow Graves is a brilliant historical fiction novel that is bursting with mystery, suspense, a great love story, and a whole lot of girl power.

Josephine Montfort is a 17 year old girl born into privilege. She is near the end of finishing school, awaiting a marriage proposal, and desperately searching for freedom. She wants to be a writer, like Nellie Bly, but due to her place in society it is looked down upon. While at school she finds out her father has died from an apparent suicide. Jo thinks differently and decides to try and uncover the truth behind her father’s death. She gains help from a young reporter named Eddie and a morgue assistant named Oscar. But as Jo’s investigation continues she realizes some truths are better left buried.

I am not a huge fan of historical fiction. I love books that time travel and go back to certain times but usually I find historical fiction novels to be stuffy, too fixed on factual details and settings and not enough time spent on the actual story. Jennifer Donnelly exceeded my expectations and was able to craft together a fascinating novel that took historical facts, settings, dress, and societal standards and weave them into a story that kept you trying to solve the mystery while rooting for Jo to keep her determination and willpower and overcome the restrictions society has placed on her.  It was so easy to get pulled into this story. I felt like I was actually in New York City in 1890. I was fascinated by a lot of the decisions that Jo had to make based on what was expected of her. Today those things would never happen and I was constantly appalled by some of the things expected of her. One of the biggest was the fact that she needed to be in mourning for six months after her father passed meaning she could only wear demure, black outfits and could not attend any outings or balls unless is was strictly family or approved by her uncle.  I am sorry but to me that is just outright crazy. When someone dies I think you should celebrate their life and then live your life to its fullest. I am not even going to get started on the fact that women of high society are expected to marry around the age of 18 and then start knocking out kids right away. No thank you. Grandmama Aldrich even referred to women in the book like dogs and that they are meant for breeding. WHAT?!??!?!!

Okay I feel like I went off on a tangent there. Anyway, the plot of this novel is fantastic, it draws you in and makes you want to solve the crime as much as Jo. There are so many twists and turns and we meet some great characters along the way. One of those being the young reporter looking for his story that will make him a great reporter, Eddie Gallagher. He represents the working class and provides great balance to Jo. He helps keep her in line of her standards when she starts to get a bit too excited about chasing a lead. At other times, he is right there with her chasing the story. The romance that develops between the two is very organic and real. There is no insta-love and at one point I didn’t even think a romance would develop between the two. But it makes for a great part of the story because Jo is expected to get a proposal from Bram Aldrich, one of the richest men in New York, and the slight but hardly a love triangle if you can even call it a love triangle plays a major role in the development of this story. There is a super cute kissy part between Eddie and Jo so if you have read this book then you know what I am talking about. But seriously guys I think it was one of the best first kisses ever written in a book. (Well, at least that I can remember at this time.)

Some other great characters that I loved because they were well written and surprising and just added an overall sense of perfection to this novel were Uncle Phillip Montfort, Trudy, Oscar, and Fairy Fay. I didn’t find that any characters were just placed in the book to fill a whole, every single one had a purpose.

I know a book is fantastic when I cannot get it out of my head, whether it’s the story, the setting or the time period. And this one was drowning my brain. I kept speaking in terms used from the 1890s and kept imagining what life was like back then. I live on a historic boulevard in Chicago with huge houses and mansions (I wish I lived in one) and the entire time I was reading this book I kept imagining walking down the street in a smart suited dress, sucked into a corset to make my waist 17 inches, my hand resting on the inside of my husband’s elbow as we walk to a friends for afternoon tea or even a dinner party. Although that would be fun for a day I do not think I would survive in times like this, not being able to express my opinion or feel wrong for my thirst for knowledge would drive me insane, literally, I would probably have ended up in a madhouse, like Dunning, Chicago’s historic asylum from the late 1800s or as in this novel the Darkbriar Asylum. (On a side note though I do wish to someday be able to attend a ball. A real one, in large gowns, were we pretend we are proper women from a time when proper was a thing.)

I highly recommend this book. It was absolutely fantastic. The only reason I knocked half a star off was because I did find somethings just a bit predictable. I am definitely going to pick up some more books from Jennifer Donnelly.

And here is my spin on the cover of this book with makeup…

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You can check out my instagram by clicky clicking here for other fun bookish and makeup stuff.

 

Until next time!

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April 19, 2016

Elise Kova just released the cover for Crystal Crowned and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen

By betweenpagesblog

It’s here! It’s here! The cover for Crystal Crowned and words can’t even…

I mean, I just–nope can’t,

deep breath…

slowly, in then out…

but it’s just oh emm gee..

Oh okay I’ll just show it to you…

Crystal-Crowned-Cover-sm

Is this not the most beautiful, powerful, fierce, stunning, glamorous, and tempting cover you have ever seen?! It has to be one of my favorite of all time!

Synopsis: (But you should skip this if you have not read any of the other books including Water’s Wrath which comes out nest week!)

Long live Solaris.

One bloodthirsty ruler has been overthrown by another, casting the shadow of death over the Solaris Empire. Vhalla Yarl stands upon the stage of fate, prepared to do battle one final time. Fragile alliances will be tested and new bonds will be formed as the world is reshaped. She fights as the champion of peace, but when the night is darkest will she be able to pay the price of a new dawn?

I am just so excited. I can’t believe we have to wait three whole months for it though! It is being released on July 12!

These buttons here will let you preorder it!

And you can get all the other books right here!

Air Awakens

Fire Falling

Earth’s End

Water’s Wrath

Here is all the clicky stuff so you can add to Goodreads!

Air Awakens

Fire Falling

Earth’s End

Water’s Wrath

Crystal Crowned

About the Author

elise kovaElise Kova has always had a passion for storytelling. She wrote her first novella, a high-fantasy, in sixth grade. Over the years she’s honed her love of literature with everything from fantasy to romance, science fiction to mystery, and whatever else catches her eye.

Elise lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where she’s currently working on the next installment in her debut YA fantasy series: Air Awakens. She enjoys video games, anime, table-top role playing games, and many other forms of “geekdom.” She loves talking with fans on Twitter (@EliseKova) and Facebook.

You can also check out her website @  www.EliseKova.com

 

And there is a raffle too!

Just click on this beautiful picture to win a cover print!

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Or click this one to have a chance to get your name as a character!

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Woohoo! I am so excited! What about everyone else? I guess I’ll just have to reread all of these books over and over again until Crystal Crowned is released!!

 

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March 8, 2016

Passenger

By betweenpagesblog

Passenger

by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: 4/5

passenger

 

Passenger is a time-traveling love story. That is about all I can say to describe it. It follows two points of view, Etta and Nicholas, and develops into a time traveling epic adventure of love, loss, danger, and excitement.

As to be expected with anything written by Alexander Bracken, my mind is a mess of emojis, . She has the power to create a world that makes you feel like you are living in it. And this one is insane! She writes beautiful words and creates atmospheres that are so real you can reach out and touch them. One of the downfalls of this book is the pacing, especially at the beginning. It is hard to get into it, for well over 150 pages. I know that does sound like a lot but don’t get me wrong there is some exciting things that happen in those pages but the connection to the story is a bit lacking. However, once you power through it you will become so deeply involved in the story you will forget you struggled at the beginning.

The great thing about this story is that we get to live through history. The research that Bracken must have completed to create such a rich historical setting must have been insane. This book takes us through 1776 New York to 1940 London to 14th century Damascus. Her attention to detail is impeccable. She relates everything to the time from dress to food to setting to cultural standards. The thing that makes this so much more real and exciting is that Nicholas is from 1776 while Etta is from New York City, present day. By having this story told in two POV we can see just where cultural differences occur and how much etiquette and customs have changed. When you then place these two characters in different time periods than what they grew up in, it is just mind blowing. Again, that attention to detail that Bracken maintains throughout the novel makes everything that much more relatable and realistic.

The two main characters are well written and likable. Etta is introduced to a world she knows nothing about. Her mother kept her from the world of time travel and Etta must learn to adapt quickly in order to survive. She is a strong character who fights for herself and the lives of those she loves. She has a subtle fierceness to her that makes her overcome obstacles and decisions in the most clever ways. Nicholas is a sailor, he loves the water, and he swore off time traveling ever again after losing his half brother. His life becomes intertwined with Etta’s and he breaks his ban on time traveling in order to protect Etta, whom he has developed a connection with. Do not worry, there is no insta-love!! Although it is clear that these two will be love interests from the get-go it is in no way instant. The way there relationship grows is organic and beautiful. They learn to adapt to each other despite the hundreds of years of cultural differences. I should probably mention that Nicholas is African-American, the bastard child of a slave and a rich man. This obviously adds even more depth to the story. And it works. It is still very uncommon to see a main character of a different race in YA novels. I think with this book if Nicholas was white the story would not have worked. It would have taken away so much. That small detail gives so much to this story. It gives this novel so many more beautiful moments. (Like the dancing scene in London and the part on page 427, oh god the feels at that part.)

There are other secondary characters that fuel this story along. Cyrus Ironwood, the villian, is so evil and conniving. He is written so well, that it is easy to hate him but he has enough background to almost understand where is drive for power comes from. Sophia is a character I am excited to see more of. She is a bit conniving like her grandfather Cyrus Ironwood but there is something buried deep inside her waiting to be unleashed and I bet you good money it will flourish in the next book. Hasan is a character we meet in Damascus, an uncle of Etta. He has a minor role but his character is nurturing and well likable. I hope we get to see more of him as well. Etta’s mother Rose is only spoken of and doesn’t have a major physical presence in the novel but is kind of the reason everything in this book is happening. Her story is weaved into backstories and secrets and it is almost like she is present. The other minor character is Alice. The only thing I am going to say about her is just how well Bracken introduces her and connects her to another part in the story. Let’s just say it was a bit emotional.

Now what you have been questioning and wondering…Is there a cliffhanger? OF COURSE THERE IS A CLIFFHANGER! I MEAN THIS IS A BOOK BY ALEXANDRA BRACKEN AND I DON’T THINK SHE KNOWS HOW TO END A BOOK WITHOUT ONE! So ughhhh, yes a rather huge cliffhanger and now all I want is the next book, Wayfarer. (Breathe Vicki, relax, you can survive, there are so many books coming out this year. January 2017 will be here before you know it. <–That’s what I have been telling myself over and over again for the last 17 hours.)

Bracken has written a compelling story that allows you to travel across time and live all the lives you wish you could have experienced without ever leaving your couch and the comfort of living in a time where you are used to your amenities. I cannot wait for the next book to come out and enrich me even further into the depths of history and maybe even possibly the future!

Favorite Quotes

“But right now all Etta wanted was to see the stage lights warm her skin. Free the fire fluttering inside her rib cage. Work her muscles, the bow, the violin, until she played herself to ash and embers and left the rest of the world behind to smolder.”

“The melody of her heart had no name; it was quick, and light. It rolled with the waves, falling as the breath left his chest, rising as he inhaled. It was the rain sliding down the glass; the fog spreading its fingers over the water. The creaking of a ship’s great body. The secrets whispered by the wind, and the unseen life that moved below. It was the flame of one last candle.”

“It’s our choices that matter in the end. Not wishes, not words, not promises.”

“She’d shown him her mind, and she’d opened up her heart, and now he knew the taste of her tears. And he was wrecked.”

“He would not surrender to the disaster of loving her.”

“But she wondered if, in moving outside of the natural flow of time, they had forgotten the most crucial point of life—that it wasn’t meant to be lived for the past, or even the future, but for each present moment.”

“I wish you’d go a a little easier on him,” she said.
“He came in here thrashing a sword around. Was I supposed to stand idly by and do nothing?” he huffed.
“Well, you weren’t supposed to try and rearrange his face with your fist.”
“I wasn’t,” Nicholas protested. “He lunged up into it several times. I was only in the way.”

“She let herself fall into it, dissolving into him. And what she found in that soft, warm darkness had no beginning and no end, for this time was their own, and it created its own eternity.”

“Love was selfish, wasn’t it? It made honest men want things they had no right to. It cocooned one from the rest of the world, erased time itself, knocked away reason. It made you live in defiance of the inevitable. It made you want another’s mind, body; it made you feel as if you deserved to own their heart, and carve out a place in it.”

“You cannot fathom the distance I would travel for you.”

 

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February 26, 2016

The cover for Water’s Wrath has been revealed…

By betweenpagesblog

The fourth book in the Air Awakens series is two months away but that doesn’t mean we have to wait that long for the cover. So here it is in all its glory.

Waters-Wrath-Cover-Only-635x1024

Water’s Wrath Synopsis

Librarian turned sorcerer. Sorcerer turned hero. Hero turned puppet.

The Solaris Empire found victory in the North and, at the cost of her heart and her innocence, Vhalla Yarl has earned her freedom. But the true fight is only beginning as the secret forces that have been lurking in the shadows, tugging at the strings of Vhalla’s fate, finally come to light. Nowhere is safe, and Vhalla must tread carefully or else she’ll fall into the waiting arms of her greatest foe. Or former lover.

Release Date: April 26th, 2016

Water’s Wrath Preorder Links

A few notes from Elise Kova

Cover Reveal Exclusive: My Thoughts on the

Covers’ Symbolism So Far

Six months ago, almost to the day, Air Awakens came out. It was my debut novel as an independent author, no publisher and no agent behind me, and I had no idea what would come of it. Now, six months later, I can’t believe I’m revealing the cover on the fourth book of the Air Awakens series.

I say every cover is my favorite, because it gets harder and harder to pick. Each of the covers, in their own way, has been perfect for the book they belong with. My cover artist, Merilliza Chan, is amazing at taking direction and incorporating my suggestions. Part of why each cover is perfect is because there are little hints, teasers, and call-outs to the story within. Without giving too many spoilers, here’s a couple notes on each of the Air Awakens covers so far!

Air Awakens

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First off, notice how Vhalla’s sash is black. In the book, the sash that goes with her apprentice robes is cerulean. This, combined with her robes slowly turning black around the back of the cover is indicative of sorcery making a mark on her. But she hasn’t yet committed, she has yet to don all-black robes. The wind in her hair and sense of movement is a call-out to her affinity. The book in her hands, is representative of three things: her work in the library, the book she exchanges notes in, and the book she brings to the garden. Which, speaking of, the roses around her… well, if you’ve read the book you know what, or who, those are meant to symbolize. But I told Meril I wanted something ominous, something wicked about them. And the thorns going through them were perfect!

Fire Falling

fire_falling__air_awakens_book__2__by_zwxart-d96xl2h

Here is the first cover we see our dark prince on. Fire Falling is named after three incidents in the book… When Aldrik falls to his knees before Vhalla in the Crossroads, the Rites of the FALLen in the Crossroads for another, and the end of the book. Since two of the three aspects of the title of the book related to Aldrik it was only natural that he had to be on the cover. In Fire Falling, Aldrik is beginning to function as a guiding force for Vhalla and, on the cover, he’s looking over his shoulder at her. He can’t openly admit to their association. Vhalla’s eyes are glowing orange and she’s alight, immersed in flame. This was done to symbolize their Bond and Joining. That not only can his flames not harm her, but that he is connected on a mental and magical level. She is also wearing the armor Aldrik crafted for her.

Earth’s End

earth_s_end_cover___merillizachan___web01_by_merillizaart-d9gqgq4

Now, the symbolism is beginning to get heavy. Vhalla is alone again on the cover, venturing into the wilderness. She’s almost facing the camera, symbolizing how she is growing into her own and becoming a more realized person. In the sky above her is a fire bird. We literally see this formed in the book, but it also is symbolic of a phoenix, rising from its own ashes. I think this works for Vhalla and Aldrik in their own ways through Earth’s End. The cloak she’s wearing is the one she receives from Tim with slash marks. The watch in her hand was gifted to her. And, in her other hand, we see a special sort of magic… Finally, one other note…Carved into a tree that’s on the back of printed books is a symbol – that is actually the symbol of Shaldan!

About the Author

elise kovaElise Kova has always had a passion for storytelling. She wrote her first novella, a high-fantasy,in sixth grade. Over the years she’s honed her love of literature with everything from fantasy to romance, science fiction to mystery, and whatever else catches her eye.

Elise lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where she’s currently working on the next installment in her debut YA fantasy series: Air Awakens. She enjoys video games, anime, table-top role playing games, and many other forms of “geekdom.” She loves talking with fans on Twitter(@EliseKova) and Facebook (/AuthorEliseKova). Visit her website, EliseKova.com/, for news and extras about her books!

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

 

Win an ARC of Water’s Wrath!!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/39698f6c10/

 

Cover Reveal Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

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February 16, 2016

Earth’s End

By betweenpagesblog

Earths-End-Cover

Earth’s End

by Elise Kova

Rating: 4.5/5

At the end of Fire Falling I was happy with Vhalla’s growth, well holy flaming cheese balls Vhalla became that character that people dream of. She was brave and strong. She was smart and loyal. She was fire and air. She became the kind of person people in real life strive to be. They do not let what has happened to them tear them down but rather build them up so they can face a world without fear. I wish that one day I can take the bad-assery that Vhalla has and adapt it to my own life. (But not for battle or anything because I do not think I will be battling anytime in my near future.) Elise Kova succeeded yet again in writing a fantastic fantasy that kept your finger on the edge of the page anticipating every turn.

In Earth’s End, Vhalla risks her own life to save the crown prince. She reaches the forefront of battle and learns that she is no longer just fighting for her freedom but for her life.

That was an awful description, I know, but I really can’t say much because I know you guys aren’t in to spoilers. (Curse those damn spoilers and how they ruin friendships forever.) This book was fantastic though. We see Vhalla rise from the ashes of a gut wrenching ending in Fire Falling and grow into an amazing character. I never thought Vhalla would become such an inspiring and powerful character but she does and she does not just do it a little, she does it a lot. She definetly adapted some traits of our favorite silver tongued prince into her own being because she insults the Emperor to his face a few times but in the most cunning ways. She becomes a soldier but not just one who fights because of their duty, she is a soldier worthy of running an Empire and leading a country to victory. Words can really not express how much I loved Vhalla in this book, beyond words, and I am excited for her next adventure.

Then there is Aldrik. He kind of turned into a love sick puppy in this book. And I wanted to slap him across the face a few times. He lost his edge, his mysteriousness, his dark side. It was disappointing because it was not the Aldrik I fell in love with. However, I have no doubt that in the next book we will see the return of Aldrik and in a much more intense and brooding way than when we first met him in Air Awakens.

We were also introduced to the major of the Black Legion in this book, Jax. What a fantastic character. He made me laugh quite a few times and it was the perfect comic relief in those high tension moments.

Elecia became much more likable in this book and for that I was grateful. I hope that she has a more prominent role in the next few books.

As far as the plot goes, I thought it was pretty good. But there were times were I thought it did drag a little bit. There was a bit of repetitiveness in Vhalla/Aldrik interactions. And to be honest, Daniel kind of seemed like another one of Vhalla’s dogs. We are introduced to a bit more about crystals and the Northerners. Both topics intrigued me and I know they are both going to play an epic role in the next books. The Emperor also showed us even more of his malice. Even though I hate him and his close minded, power hungry ways, I think it added a lot more drama to the story and helped drive the plot. (cough..the ending…cough)

As I always say everyone needs to go pickup this book series and read it. Don’t worry about a long wait either, book four, Water’s Wrath, comes out April 26, 2016!

 

I am leaving you at that because I have some major plot predictions that I am gonna discuss below. So anyone who has read this book keep reading so we can discuss!!

 

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Okay I think we lost them…

First off, can you believe that ending?!? Like what are you doing to me Elise Kova? I mean that last freaking sentence in the book! “His screams of anguish”

 

Can I just grab Aldrik and give him a hug? Maybe in bed? Like a cuddle party? But without clothes…

But seriously it was kind of his fault. He did not have to act the way that he did toward her. Dummy! They could have worked it out. Somehow. Like kill the emperor or maybe the daughter of the Chieftan of the North. But that is neither here nor there because either way Aldrik needs to put his big boy pants back on and figure some shit out.

So this is my basic theory: Shit gonna go down.

Here is a more elaborate theory: Vhaldrik have to work, I mean they are Joined! I think Vhalla is going to travel to the west. Become close with Lord Ophain. She will visit the libraries of magic and try to learn more about the magic she felt when she was projecting in Soricium. She also wants to learn more about the power of crystals and these crystal weapons. But during all of this she will be riddled with dreams, memories of Aldrik’s past. She will discover his deepest secrets, the role of Egmun and even possibly Victor in all of this, and then she will return to the capital. I do not know what will await her there but I’m guessing it wont be good. I think the woman that Aldrik is promised to is going to have a powerful magic, maybe try to control him. Who knows but I bet it will be anything but a friendly reunion when Aldrik and Vhalla meet again.

 

Let me know your predictions in the comments below!!

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February 10, 2016

Earth’s End comes out tomorrow!!!

By betweenpagesblog

 

Earths End blitz banner v2

You all probably know that I love the Air Awakens series. It was in my top reads of 2015 and I reviewed both Air Awakens (read my review here)  and Fire Falling (and this review here). And now finally after a long three month wait Earth’s End (book #3) is finally here!! And I have all the info you need for it as well as an exclusive excerpt from the book!

Earth’s End (Air Awakens #3)
by Elise Kova
Release Date: February 11th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

A woman awoken in air, a soldier forged by fire, a weapon risen from blood.

Vhalla Yarl has made it to the warfront in the North. Forged by blood and fire, she has steeled her heart for the final battle of the Solaris Empire’s conquest. The choices before Vhalla are no longer servitude or freedom, they are servitude or death. The stakes have never been higher as the Emperor maintains his iron grip on her fate, holding everything Vhalla still has left to lose in the balance.

Book Three of the Air Awakens Series

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Air Awakens on Goodreads

Fire Falling (Air Awakens #2) on Goodreads

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Just look at that cover!!! ♥♥♥♥♥

Buy Links

 

About the Author

elise kovaElise Kova has always had a passion for storytelling. She wrote her first novella, a high-fantasy, in sixth grade. Over the years she’s honed her love of literature with everything from fantasy to romance, science fiction to mystery, and whatever else catches her eye.

Elise lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where she’s currently working on the next installment in her debut YA fantasy series: Air Awakens. She enjoys video games, anime, table-top role playing games, and many other forms of “geekdom.” She loves talking with fans on Twitter (@EliseKova) and Facebook (/AuthorEliseKova). Visit her website, EliseKova.com/, for news and extras about her books!

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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And finally what you have been waiting for!! An exclusive excerpt from Earth’s End…

Vhalla snapped the reins and dug her heels into Baston’s sides, forcing him into an all-out run. From above, she heard the shouts of her waking enemy.

Thick and melodic calls erupted in the night, a language completely foreign to Vhalla’s ears. She didn’t have to know the words to know they weren’t friendly, so Vhalla pushed harder, pressing herself to Baston. Vhalla took a breath as she heard arrows being knocked overhead.

The sound of bowstrings being drawn in mass made gooseflesh dot her arms. Another shout, a single word and arrows cut through the air, determined to rain death around her. Even if Vhalla was certain her chainmail would shield her, the horse was completely unarmored; if Baston died, she was as good as dead. Vhalla twisted in her saddle, sweeping a hand through the air. The curtain of wind sent the arrows scattering harmlessly.

They shouted in protest, angst-ridden that she continued on unscathed.

The second assault came faster and hastened Vhalla’s mounting frustration. She had to be out of their range soon. More lights began to blaze above and behind her, casting the ground below in a faint glow. The light illuminated the edge of the city, and Vhalla was forced to stake her life on the hope that once she was out they wouldn’t catch her.

The arrows soared through the air once more and Vhalla twisted, knocking them away in mass. She expected to hear a cry for a third assault, but instead what she heard was even more disheartening. Two words that someone said in a thick Southern Common.

“Wind Demon!”

She became their prey. The sound of thundering hooves came from the direction of where the city first began.

Vhalla crossed under the edge of the city, plunging into the welcoming darkness. Had it been a day ago, Vhalla would not have given those riders a moment’s worry. Baston would outrun any normal horse, plus with her wind he was faster than thunder across the sky. But Baston had been ridden hard with only a brief rest.

Vhalla shifted her vision and peered over her shoulder. In the distance she saw them, riding relentlessly after her.

Sweating, panting, clutching the reins with white knuckles, Vhalla pushed all her energy into the wind at Baston’s and her back. More—they both had to give more. In her blind determination she almost missed the whiz of an arrow through the air.

Vhalla thrust out her arm and stopped the arrow midflight. She closed her fist and threw her arm backwards. The arrow turned and sped back at its original owner. Vhalla watched it soar straight into the Northerner’s eye, the one she pointed a finger at. The man slumped, and then fell off his saddle. She swallowed hard, looking away as the others’ cries grew louder.

Eyes, she would always go for the eyes. Whether someone was or wasn’t a Groundbreaker with stone-like skin was a risk she couldn’t take; she wouldn’t have many shots. Another archer held his bow, waiting for a different opportunity to take his chance.

Baston was already breathing heavy, and Vhalla knew she had to get them off her tail. The four riders behind her rode on fresh mounts and had the advantage of their night’s worth of sleep. Vhalla turned and pointed a finger. Sweeping her hand upward, an arrow freed itself from the other archer’s quiver. With a twist of her wrist, and the keen focus of a killer, Vhalla sent it into the unsuspecting Northerner’s eye.

One of the remaining two riders fell away as they swerved through the trees, his companion pushing forward. As the man swung wide, Vhalla realized they were trying to flank her. Vhalla grabbed for the dagger strapped to her wrist, sending it straight for his eye.

In the process, the woman rider had caught up with Baston, raising a wickedly curved blade toward his haunches. Vhalla threw out her other arm, sending the rider toppling head over heels. It wasn’t chance that the assailant’s blade slit her wielder’s throat in the fall.

Vhalla held out an expectant palm, her own dagger returning to it after a moment.

Wiping the blood on her thigh, she quickly sheathed it against her wrist before grabbing the reins once more. Vhalla swallowed a cry for speed; shouting at the horse would not make it go faster. It would only further compromise her position.

Vhalla pressed her lips together, forcing herself to keep her composure. It was not the first person she had killed. She had killed on the Night of Fire and Wind, she had killed the man who had murdered Larel, and she had killed with her bare hands at the Pass.
What had sunk deep into her bones was the acceptance of what she must do. It was knowing she had become a killer. It was how easy it was for her to slay her foes without even thinking of each of them as a whole person that showed Vhalla she’d gone far down a path she’d never wanted. They were entities, enemies, barriers, but they weren’t human.

Distracted by her inner conflict, Vhalla was caught completely off-guard by the first assault coming from the trees. A Groundbreaker swung down from the air, bringing his sword against the back of her head. Vhalla attempted to dodge at the last second, but it was too late. The blade slipped off her chainmail but it left her vision blurred and her ears ringing.

She blinked, trying to sort her senses as she pushed Baston onward, putting the assailant behind them. Groundbreakers jumped from limb to limb in the trees above her—free and fearless. Vines came to life to meet their extended hands, allowing them to soar through the air. With a twist or a tug, their lifeline shrunk back, curling around branches to pull them upward.

She wanted to feel amazed; perhaps she would have, if these people weren’t out to kill her. Another swung low, and Vhalla dropped off to the side of the saddle to dodge. Righting herself, Vhalla redrew her dagger in one quick motion as a third swung forward to attack. She sent the blade soaring through the vine the Groundbreaker held.

The man fell through the sky; Vhalla’s mind betrayed her, showing a different body plummeting through the air.

With a growl, she turned her blade to the next Northerner she saw, relying on the same tactic. She would show them why one did not hang above the head of the Windwalker. The other body fell with a sickening thud, and Vhalla left them behind her. With a twitch of her wrist, her blade returned to her hand.

Baston’s pace had slowed, and Vhalla snapped his reins again. This was the first time the beast did not heed her command, and she felt uneasiness settle across her.

Five Northerners still jumped from tree to tree overhead as dawn began to fade into early morning. Vhalla wondered if they were biding their time for rider and mount to tire. If she were they, she’d do the same thing. Baston’s sides heaved with exhaustion.

Their presence began to wear on Vhalla, and she watched them with bated breath, waiting for the next assault. Another hour passed and Baston slowed to a trot; she expected this to be the moment they attacked. But the Northerners held fast, following from welcoming branch to welcoming branch, each bent to meet their feet and hands.

They were toying with her, like cats with a mouse.

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Are you all as excited as I am?!?!!? If you have yet to read this series go buy a copy and start it now! I do have to warn you though, it will be hard to put down.

Don’t forget to check out YA Bound Book Tours, our gracious host for this book blitz!!

YA Bound Book Tours

 

 

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December 4, 2015

These Broken Stars

By betweenpagesblog

thesebrokenstarsThese Broken Stars

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Rating: 5/5

Why did I wait so long to read this book?! I loved the cover the first time I saw it and said I NEED THIS but then I read the description and I wasn’t hooked. I thought it was going to be a whiny Romeo and Juliet style love story, like Twilight love (gag) or Taylor Swift’s Love Story song. (Okay I am in love with Taylor Swift so maybe that was a bad reference but for real that song is just a tad bit over the top.) I am not going to lie this was a straight up romance, there are only two characters in the majority of the book but holy freaking hell this was not the love story I expected at all! It was beyond any expectation I held, I devoured it in almost an entire day and it left me curled up in a ball at 2am with a box of tissues bawling my eyes out for over an hour. This is how you write a love story. It needs to be funny and ugly and terrifying and nail-biting and infuriating and passionate. It was an all encompassing novel that wrapped my heart in warmth and then ripped it out and stomped on it. But somehow I made it out still breathing and satisfied.

Lilac LaRoux is the daughter of the wealthiest man in the universe who is accustomed to sleeping in and late night soirees wearing the prettiest fashions. Major Tarver Merendsen is a soldier awaiting his next deployment in the field rather than being stuck on a ship full of rich people. The ship they are sailing on crash lands into a unknown planet, with only the two of them as survivors. They must learn to survive together in order to find help and rescue from the strange planet they landed on. But not everything is as it seems and some truths can destroy everything.

First off I loved both of these characters. The banter between them had me laughing out loud and it made them so real in my mind. It let you believe that it truly was an 18 year old boy and a 16 year old girl falling in love despite their desire to admit it all while they fight for survival alone on a alien planet. This book was written in dual POV which can sometimes be a challenge to some writers when they try to separate voice. Kaufman and Spooner succeeded tremendously. Both voices were so true to themselves. There was never a question of whose mind you were in. I think the dual POV worked well with this book, it showed both characters grow and develop so much, it made there weakness apparent and gave them the strength when it was needed.

The plot was absolutely fantastic. It never felt rushed or overwhelming. It did however, get a bit weird in the middle. I loved the fact it got weird. It was almost a bit like Lost, the TV show. I think this turned a few people away from the book but it made me love it more. There was a mystery there that caused tension between Lilac and Tarver and added so much more to their personal story. And then that one thing happens three quarters of the way in and you, as a reader, feel lost and don’t know how to register feelings and you cry and cry and want to hurtle the book across the room. But just like these strong characters you gain hope that all will turn out okay.

Did I mention the writing? The writing is lyrical, poetic, stunning. It makes this book 5 stars. It captures the souls of the characters and then captures your own soul so you feel like you are part of the book. I never get emotional over a book unless the story is fantastic. But when a book has an amazing story and the writing is beautiful enough to bring you to tears on its own, then you have a masterpiece that is worthy of every tear and every tissue.

Overall, this novel was better than I hoped it would be. It is definitely in my top favorite reads of the year. I really do recommend this to anyone, even if you do not like Sci-Fi. You will realize there is so much more to the story then two people lost in space. It is a story of survival, hope, trust, and love. It will be worth every second of your time, just don’t forget the tissues!

Favorite Quotes

*Note: I have a lot here. Sorry. Not nearly as many as I could add, so be grateful. Also, there are small clips at the beginning of each chapter from Tarver’s interrogation and they are all fantastic. He just has great sarcasm with his distaste for certain authority.

“Her eyes narrow, and if looks could kill, then toxic atmospheres would be the least of my problems.”

“And there it is, against all hope, like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. The smallest hint of a smile.”

“Where will I sit?” Sit? Why, on this comfortable chaise lounge I’ve carried here for you in my pocket, Your Highness, so glad you asked. I clamp my mouth shut, struggling not to say it aloud.”

“She rolls over with a little protesting noise, reaching sleepily after me. Then she begins to register the raindrops as they connect with her skin, and she sits up with straight with a gasp. I’m busy sitting up too, because when you go to sleep wrapped around a pretty girl, there are some things going on first thing in the morning that you don’t exactly want making headline news.”

“You don’t mention death when it’s hovering near someone you love. You don’t want to attract the reaper’s attention.”

“I choose her. I choose whatever world has her in it.”

“When you have so little left to lose, even the tiniest loss feels like a body blow.”

“How do you live again, knowing what waits for you in the end?”

“You’re you,’ he repeats, his eyes full of grief. ‘You’re the same girl who crashed on this planet with me, who I dragged through forests and over mountains, who climbed through a shipwreck full of bodies to save my life. You’re the same girl I loved, and I love you now.”

“For a moment the image before us is frozen: our world, our lives, reduced to a handful of broken stars half lost in uncharted space. Then it’s gone, the view swallowed by the hyperspace winds streaming past, blue-green auroras wiping the after-images away. Until all that’s left is us.”

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May 1, 2015

A Thousand Pieces of You

By betweenpagesblog

a thousand pieces of youA Thousand Pieces of You

By Claudia Gray

Rating: 4/5

Wow! This book left me pleasantly surprised and begging for more! I was not expecting this to be anything like it turned out to be. Claudia Gray wrote a story that balances science fiction and romance so perfectly. Neither side tips the scale. Every time I thought the story was getting to lovey-dovey, boom, science catches up. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat after every turn of the page!

A Thousand Pieces of You takes follows Marguerite Caine on her journey to find her father’s killer. Marguerite’s parents are two brilliant physicists who have created a device that allows travel between parallel universes called the Firebird. Marguerite and Theo, a grad student who helped create the Firebird, go on an adventure to look for Paul, another grad student, and the one everyone believes is guilty of killing Marguerite’s father. The story jumps through the multiverse, traveling to a futuristic London, a Czarist Russia, and an underwater safe haven. As Marguerite travels she learns that those she trusts may not be trusted and not everything is as it seems.

I absolutely loved this book. I am obsessed with the theory of the multiverse and the possibility of parallel universes. I was a huge fan of Fringe and was super sad when it ended. I seriously cried throughout most of the series finale. And if you have never watched Fringe stop reading this and go Netflix binge it. Seriously, I am not lying it is in my top 3 favorite shows of all time. Okay, well maybe finish reading this first! Anyways, Fringe was what got me very interested in these cosmological theories and peeked my imagination on what could possibly be out there. Like looking through a mirror to discover its a door to a world almost identical to our own but not quite. It’s mystery and excitement and discovery. And that is everything this book encompasses. Gray did a fantastic job doing research and using the actual psychics behind these ideas to create a story that easily blended into science without becoming to confusing for the reader.

The other part I loved about this book was the that a good chunk of it takes places in Czarist Russia. Besides my infatuation with multiverses, I used to be completely obsessed with Russia and Russian culture and the Russian language. I even went as far as teaching myself basic Russian. Yes, I know I am slightly odd. I loved being able to feel as if I was living in a truly remarkable place during a remarkable time. Especially the part with the Easter room! How glorious would it have been to see all those Fabergé eggs!

Perhaps this is why I loved this book so much, it included so many things I love, Russia, fantasy, science fiction, romance and parallel universes. I originally thought this was a standalone and then discovered it was the first book of a trilogy. This is one of the reasons I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I am interested to find out how Gray can carry this story over a trilogy especially when there was a near solid end to this book. There are definitely smaller story lines that were touched on throughout the book so I can only assume those will turn into major story lines throughout the rest of the series. I am very curious to see how this all turns out!

I highly recommend anyone to read this who loves science fiction, fantasy, and romance. It will open up your mind, question science, and drive your curiosity. Just a warning though, if you start to read this you better give yourself the whole day because you wont be able to put it down!

Favorite Quotes

“Now I know grief is a whetstone. It sharpens all your love, all your happiest memories, into blades that tear you apart from within. Something has been torn out from inside me that will never be filled up, not ever, no matter how long I live. They say ‘time heals,’ but even now, less than a week after my father’s death, I know that’s a lie. What people really mean is that eventually you’ll get used to the pain. You’ll forget who you were without it; you’ll forget what you looked like without scars.”

“This, I think, is the boundary line of adulthood. Not the crap they claim it is- graduating from high school or losing your virginity or getting your first apartment or whatever. You cross the boundary the first time you’re changed forever. You cross it the first time you know you can never go back.”

“I meant it when I said I didn’t believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In that moment, you don’t belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can’t take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try.”

“I would love you in any shape, in any world, with any past.”

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