fantasy

BRN #17: Solar Eclipses & Magic Portals

~ Angela ~ 2 Comments

Banner_babbles rambles and nonsense_17.png

So everyone near the zone for the solar eclipse is getting pretty excited, myself included because I’ve never seen one in person (and I’ll be in a city that is in the path of “totality” plus I mean, come on, this is the first time it’s going to cross the continental U.S. from coast to coast in about 100 years!). I’m lucky enough to be front and center for it all and the whole ancient mystery around it has me intrigued. (Okay fine it’s just basic science but play along, will ya?)  Continue reading →

The Midnight Dance | spotlight post

~ Angela ~ 4 Comments

The Book

the midnight dance

The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz
YA Fiction | Fantasy | Romance | Historical
320 Pages
Published by Swoon Reads
Publication Date: October 17, 2017

When the music stops, the dance begins.

Seventeen-year-old Penny is a lead dancer at the Grande Teatro, a finishing school where she and eleven other young women are training to become the finest ballerinas in Italy. Tucked deep into the woods, Continue reading →

Daughter of the Burning City

~ Angela ~ 3 Comments

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

daughter of the burning city

YA Fiction | Fantasy | Mystery
2.5 StarsBlurb:

“A darkly irresistible new fantasy set in the infamous Gomorrah Festival, a traveling carnival of debauchery that caters to the strangest of dreams and desires.

Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Continue reading →

The Beautiful Ones

~ Angela ~ 6 Comments

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2017)
-eARC Review-

the beautiful ones

Fiction | Historical Romance | Paranormal | (TV-14)
4 StarsBlurb:

“Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society in hopes of landing a suitable husband. But Antonina is telekinetic, and strange events in her past have made her the subject of malicious gossip and hardly a sought-after bride. Now, under the tutelage of her cousin’s wife, she is finally ready to shed the past and learn the proper ways of society.  Continue reading →

The Bone Season

~ Angela ~ 3 Comments

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon (2013)

the bone season_1

YA/NA Fiction | Fantasy/Paranormal | Dystopia
4 Stars
Blurb:

“The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing. Continue reading →

Rebel of the Sands

~ Angela ~ 6 Comments

Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1) by Alwyn Hamilton (2016)

rebel of the sands

YA Fiction | Fantasy

0-stars-dnf

Blurb:

“Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic.  For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.

Amani Al’Hiza is all three.  She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.  Continue reading →

Shimmer and Burn

~ Angela ~ 4 Comments

Shimmer and Burn (Untitled #1) by Mary Taranta (2017)
-eARC Review-

Shimmer and Burn

YA Fiction | Fantasy
4 StarsBlurb:

“To save her sister’s life, Faris must smuggle magic into a plague-ridden neighboring kingdom in this exciting and dangerous start to a brand-new fantasy duology.

Faris grew up fighting to survive in the slums of Brindaigel while caring for her sister, Cadence. But when Cadence is caught trying to flee the kingdom and is sold into slavery, Faris reluctantly agrees to a lucrative scheme to buy her back, inadvertently binding herself to the power-hungry Princess Bryn, who wants to steal her father’s throne.  Continue reading →

Roar

~ Angela ~ 5 Comments

Roar (Stormheart #1) by Cora Carmack (2017)

Roar

YA Fiction | Fantasy | Romance
4 Stars
Blurb:

“In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Continue reading →

Counting Wolves

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Counting Wolves by Michael F. Stewart (2017)
-eARC Review-

counting wolves

Teen Fiction | Contemporary
4 Stars
Blurb:

“The Breakfast Club meets Grimm’s Fairy Tales in the lair of an adolescent psych ward.

Milly’s evil stepmother commits her to a pediatric psych ward. That’s just what the wolf wants. With bunk mates like Red, who’s spiraling out of control; Pig, a fire-bug who claims Milly as her own—but just wants extra dessert—Vanet, a manic teen masquerading as a fairy godmother with wish-granting powers as likely to kill as to help; and the mysterious Wolfgang, rumored to roam for blood at night; it doesn’t take long for Milly to realize that only her dead mother’s book of tales can save her.  Continue reading →