Waiting on Wednesday. Digging in the Stars

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week on WoW is Digging in the Stars by Katherine Blakeney. Did I ever tell you there was a moment in my life that I wanted to become an archaeologist? Then I realized that all the sites I wanted to work on had already been dug and my dreams were shattered. But it's okay because at least I can read books that talk about space archaeology. Since the Starbound trilogy that I fell in love with sci-fi and Digging in the Stars seems a perfect choice to make my love for this genre grow even more. The book will be released on March 28th. 

"A lost ancient civilization and the tomb of a legendary king lie buried beneath centuries of ash on the volcanic planet Thror, but that’s not the only reason sixteen-year-old Carter has tricked her Archaeology of Outer Space class into coming here. Her best friend Conrad has just disappeared on a trip to Thror, leaving behind little more than a broken vintage camera. The strange and disturbing photographs she manages to extract make her suspect Conrad’s disappearance is somehow connected to the hidden tomb of the last king of Thror.

Unfortunately, the ludicrously over-friendly ‘Furry Giants’ who have taken over the planet’s barren surface would rather offer her cheap souvenirs than answers, and the local officials insist they have no record of Conrad’s existence. Inspired by fear for Conrad’s life and the chance to make the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, Carter and her friends follow Conrad’s footsteps deep into the mountains of Thror’s forbidden Black Zone and launch an illicit excavation.

Coded messages, stunning ancient ruins, and clues left by Conrad himself begin to surface as the young archaeologists fall victim to an alarming series of accidents staged by the increasingly hostile Furry Giants. Piecing together a history of dictatorship, terrorism and disguise, Carter glimpses the horrors beyond Thror’s flamboyant façade and startling revelations about the friend she thought she knew. The masks of Thror hide devastating secrets, and the golden tomb buried deep in the frozen core may claim the lives of everyone she loves."

From Goodreads

Teaser Tuesday. The Unseen & Digging in the Stars

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB @  Should Be Reading.

Welcome to my first ever Teaser Tuesday. Last Sunday I was chosen to be a Rep for Blaze Publishing (isn't the badge adorable?) and I couldn't be more excited. So, I've decided that in my first ever Teaser Tuesday I'd would bring to you some excerpts of soon-to-be-released books from my new bookish family.

The Unseen by Jacob Devlin 

"Crescenzo and his friends may have survived their confounding journey to the enchanted realms of Florindale, but now they find themselves fighting for their sanity and lives while stuck on the other side of the very mirror they set out to destroy.

With their families trapped by a former ally with a crippling fear of the queen, Enzo, Rosana, and Zack must play a deadly game in Wonderland, where shadows are on the move, kings are at war, and one of them wants Rosana dead.

As darkness hovers over the world, the friends must lean on each other and stop the King of Hearts from following through on Avoria's orders: Break them. "

Teaser - "Pino curled up next to Carla, pulled her close, and hugged her. Wherever they were going, they were going together. That was almost all that mattered, except for one thought that would continue to gnaw at his mind; Crescenzo, he thought. My son, please be safe, wherever you are."

The Unseen in the sequel of The Carver published last year. I confess I haven't read the first book yet, but after this teaser I just added it to my wishlist. Also, isn't this cover gorgeous? *.* You know I can't resist to a pretty cover.

Digging the Stars by Katherine Blakeney

"A lost ancient civilization and the tomb of a legendary king lie buried beneath centuries of ash on the volcanic planet Thror, but that’s not the only reason sixteen-year-old Carter has tricked her Archaeology of Outer Space class into coming here. Her best friend Conrad has just disappeared on a trip to Thror, leaving behind little more than a broken vintage camera. The strange and disturbing photographs she manages to extract make her suspect Conrad’s disappearance is somehow connected to the hidden tomb of the last king of Thror.

Unfortunately, the ludicrously over-friendly ‘Furry Giants’ who have taken over the planet’s barren surface would rather offer her cheap souvenirs than answers, and the local officials insist they have no record of Conrad’s existence. Inspired by fear for Conrad’s life and the chance to make the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, Carter and her friends follow Conrad’s footsteps deep into the mountains of Thror’s forbidden Black Zone and launch an illicit excavation.

Coded messages, stunning ancient ruins, and clues left by Conrad himself begin to surface as the young archaeologists fall victim to an alarming series of accidents staged by the increasingly hostile Furry Giants. Piecing together a history of dictatorship, terrorism and disguise, Carter glimpses the horrors beyond Thror’s flamboyant façade and startling revelations about the friend she thought she knew. The masks of Thror hide devastating secrets, and the golden tomb buried deep in the frozen core may claim the lives of everyone she loves."

Teaser - "At that moment, he was no longer a sick teenage boy; he was a huge, ferocious bird of prey, a creature of the night. He was as powerful and mesmerizing as the magnificent, winged figure of Mephisto on the screen, enveloping a miniature town with his black wings as he exhaled contagion and death."

Another beautiful cover for me to love. Between, am I the only one who can't wait to dig into Digging in the Stars? Its summary is so compelling that I simply can't wait to fall into this world.

Monthly Recap. February 2017

Another late monthly recap. Maybe I shouldn't have written last month that I was back on track (all the reviews I still have to share around here!), but at least I'm not being overwhelmed with all the uni work for now. Talking about uni, I'm proud to announce that I received my last mark and I can now say that I passed with flying colours. I'm feeling proud of myself - especially after how everything is my life has been turned upside down since I lost my Mufasa; I really need reasons to smile and feel pride.   

The moment you realize you finished seven books. 🙀 How did this happen?! I know most were for uni but I can't believe I read so much. I can't remember last time I read so many books in a month.

• Everland, Wendy Spinale
• Illusions of Fate, Kiersten White
• Mechanica, Betsy Cornwell
• Delta Wedding, Eudora Welty [read for my masters]
• Man in the Dark, Paul Auster [read for my masters]
• Moon Palace, Paul Auster [read for my masters]
• The Plot Against America, Philip Roth [read for my masters]

Everland and Mechanica were really disappointments. Damn you high expectations! The insta-love between Pete and Gwen in Everland and how the plot only happens in two days just wasn't for me. I was so in love with the idea of a Peter Pan retelling mixed with Steampunk, but this book didn't live up to my expectations. In Mechanica I did love the fact that the main character was very strong and that it depicted positive female friendship, but the last fifty pages of the story were just a huge disappointing mess. When I finished the story, I felt I had been cheated. Illusion of Fate was a very enjoyable reading. I really liked its twists (I was soooo not expecting that) and because of such I wish the book had been longer.    

Is it bad that I can't be sure of which books arrived at my shelf this month? 🙈 I'm sure I received a few more but those were for uni and as you know I never mention those in my book haul because I had to buy them; I did not acquire them because I wanted to as it happens with other books. Here are the books that I remember acquiring this month.

• A Darker Shade of Magic, V.E. Schwab
• Hidden Huntress, Danielle L. Jensen
• The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
• The Help, Kathryn Stockett (I already owned a translated version, but I found this really adorable English edition that I just had to have it)

Random & Randomness, as the name indicates, is about random bookish stuff. Inspired by a few blogs, I decided to create this little space where I share some bookish love. Ps.: Because my mind has been a mess, I'm not sure if all these news were releases in January.

• Funkos, funkos and more funkos! - Have you seen all the funkos announced this month? Beauty and the Beast (film edition), Kindgdom Hearts, Despicable Me. Aren't the gorgeous? *.* I think I'll go bankrupt...
• Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Release - I need it! It makes me so depressed not having this game on my hands yet. Kingdom Hearts is one of the last things that connects me to happy days. I still remember the day I first saw the first game announced on a magazine and then how it felt having it on my hands for the first time. Now, I'm feeling like playing and I can't because I don't have the time. 😿 
• More Beauty and the Beast news - I'm just leaving the link to the film's twitter page because there has been so many stuff coming out that it's impossible for me to mention it all in this post. Am I the only person whose song always brings goosebumps?
• Leigh Bardugo's "The Language of Thorns" - I'm trying to keep up with all the book announcements, but it's really difficult when my schedule is so busy. I couldn't believe I missed this January announcement! Who is ready for some more Grisha world? 🙋 Out in September 26th.  

Cover Reveal. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

I'm not sure how to feel about this cover. Probably my fear of snakes -I really hate those creeping creatures- prevents me from loving it. However, I'm still so excited for Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, the debut novel of Julie C. Dao. I've never read retellings focused on the story of the Evil Queen of the tale Snow White, so I really can't wait to get my hands on this novel -does anyone know where a girl can get an ARC? Not that I'd be chosen because my follower bases isn't huge, but trying doesn't hurt. 

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is expected to be released in October 10th 2017.

"The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman in this dark and mystical East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and a world that hangs in the balance. Fans of Heartless, Stealing Snow, and Red Queen will devour this stunning debut."

Waiting on Wednesday. Silence Fallen

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week on WoW is Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs. It's pretty obvious by now how much I love Mercy Thompson. I love everything about this world created by Patricia Briggs, so it's obvious I'm impatiently waiting for this book (even though, I still have to read the previous one). Something tells me I'll love Prague more than I already do - when will I be able to visit it? The book will be released on March 7th. 

"In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack and her mate is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone...

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise..."

From Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday. Gilded Cage

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week on WoW is Gilded Cage by Vic James. As you all know, I'm a very shallow person when it comes to book covers - I'll first look at the cover and only then at the plot. But so far, it has helped me finding novels I may fall in love with after reading. So, yes, it was the cover of this book that caught my attention and after reading its summary - I love magic and revolutions too much - I had to add it to my wishlist. The book will be released on February 14th.

"Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?"

From Goodreads

Yearly Recap. A Bookish 2016 & 2017 Goals

 

I know, I know: it's February. I started writing this article in January, but a chaotic schedule made me push it back until now. I've already participated on End of the Year Book Survey - 2016 Edition, but I decided to something a little more personal.

What did I read in 2016?

• In 2016 I read 56 books, the equivalent to 19027 pages. I really wish I had read a few more books, because, you know, as they say: so many books and so little time. 
• The genre I read the most was Fantasy, as always. There really needs to be some change here... I need to try different genres a little more. 
• I wrote 24 reviews, a huge improvement for someone who spend years without sharing a review. I know, it's embarrassing.
• You can see which books I loved the most in 2016 here.

Series Started & Series Finished

I hope I'm not the only one who starts more series than finishes. 🙈 I started nineteen new series yet I only finished three. I guess it's something I'll try to change in 2017. However, I confess that I'm not sure if I'll keep following some of the series I started this year, such as Court of Fives, Glamourist Histories, The Witchlands and Defy, because I was not really fond of what I read.

• To finally read 70 books. I understand what matters is quality, not quantity. However, I need to tackle down my TBR pile and I've been trying to read 70 books for years now. Hopefully, I'll be able too say that I read everything that is on my bookshelf - it's a small bookshelf, so I really hope I can do it.
• Some of the books I hope to read this year are: the Lord of the Rings trilogy (I'm still trying to figure out which edition to buy; any suggestions?), The Name of the Wind (I keep reading so many great reviews but I haven't had the time to read it yet), Den of Wolves and catch up with Mercy Thompson's adventures. An author I'd like to read this year is Stephen King (he's the horror master and I have never read anything he had written).
• To read 50 pages per day. If I want to finally fulfil my 70 books Goodreads goal, I need to read a bit every day. And, fifty pages don't seem to little or too much.
• To read at least 25 retellings. Last year I participated on (Fairytale) Retelling Challenge 2016. My goal was to read 26 retellings, but, unfortunately, I didn't reach it. However, even though there is no challenge this year, I decided to try again to read as many retellings as possible.
• To read more contemporaries and classics. My readings needs to be more diverse. As I mentioned above, every year I read more and more fantasy and put aside all the other genres.
• To improve my time management. This is not only a bookish goal, but also a life goal. Not only I need to improve my time management to read more, but also I need to do it because of uni. There is always so much to do that I end up struggling to have everything done on time.
• To write more reviews than I did last year. Last year was a really improvement for me as I wrote a lot more reviews that I usually do. Nonetheless, I didn't review every book I read. I do not expect to do such things this year, but I'm hoping to write more reviews.   
• To become more involved in the bookish community.

What are your 2017 goals?