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Showing posts with label A.G. Howard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A.G. Howard. Show all posts

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Book Review: RoseBlood by A.G. Howard





RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Amulet Books

Rune Germaine moves to a boarding school outside of Paris, only to discover that at this opera-house-turned-music-conservatory, phantoms really do exist. RoseBlood is a Phantom of the Opera–inspired retelling in which Rune’s biggest talent—her voice—is also her biggest curse.
 
Rune, whose voice has been compared to that of an angel, has a mysterious affliction linked to her talent that leaves her sick and drained at the end of every performance. Convinced creative direction will cure her, her mother ships her off to a French boarding school for the arts, rumored to have a haunted past.
 
Shortly after arriving at RoseBlood conservatory, Rune starts to believe something otherworldly is indeed afoot. The mystery boy she’s seen frequenting the graveyard beside the opera house doesn’t have any classes at the school, and vanishes almost as quickly as he appears. When Rune begins to develop a secret friendship with the elusive Thorn, who dresses in clothing straight out of the 19th century, she realizes that in his presence she feels cured. Thorn may be falling for Rune, but the phantom haunting RoseBlood wants her for a very specific and dangerous purpose. As their love continues to grow, Thorn is faced with an impossible choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or save her and face the wrath of the phantom, the only father he’s ever known.


RoseBlood by A.G. Howard is a well told story taking place in the world of the Phantom of the Opera. I've seen it called a retelling, but to me it’s a continuation of that story. It takes place well into the future, and the setting was hauntingly, fitting and at times familiar, as it should be. I enjoyed the main characters tremendously. They showed significant growth, and their story was surprisingly unique. I found them both to be interesting, as well as the characters that surrounded them. This was a well thought out story, and I’m so glad I picked it up.

 

Check out my reviews of other books by this author!

author
A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

SPLINTERED & UNHINGED, books 1 & 2 of her urbanized /gothic Alice in Wonderland series, are now available from Amulet Books. Book 3, ENSNARED, launches 2015.

Author photo by pamlaryphotography.com

To learn more about A.G. Howard and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on GoodreadsFacebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


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Friday, January 11, 2019

Top 10 Week! Books I'm looking Forward to in 2019





Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber 
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy/Romance)
Expected Publication Date:  May 7, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books


Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancĂ©, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win...and those who will lose everything... Check out my review of the first book in this trilogy!


Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Expected Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Avon


New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil's daughter knows... 
Check out my review of the first book in this series!

The Triumphant (The Valiant #3) by Lesley Livingston
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Expected Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: Razorbill


The final book in the Valiant series takes Fallon and her warrior sisters on an epic journey from the corrupt Roman Republic to the wonder of the ancient world: Alexandria, Egypt.

“You are from a world, Fallon, that values honor over everything else. Rome is not that world.”

In the wake of their victorious fight to win back the Ludus Achillea, Fallon and her gladiatrix sisters have become the toast of the Republic. Only for Fallon, glory turns to ashes when she learns that Cai has been stripped of his Decurion rank and declared infamia, cast down to serve as one of Caesar’s gladiators. All because he chose his love for her over the life of his treacherous father during the ludus uprising.

But treachery in Rome runs far deeper than Fallon ever suspected. While she is fighting for Cai’s freedom, the unthinkable happens and the Republic begins to tear itself apart at the seams. In the chaos that follows, the Achillea gladiatrices lose any protection they might have had once and for all. They’re not the only ones.

When Fallon discovers that Cleopatra is in grave danger, she and her sister Sorcha rally their war band in an attempt to spirit the Queen of Aegypt out of Rome, embarking on a remarkable journey that will take them to Alexandria—the wonder of the ancient world—and beyond. Far beyond. Along the way, Fallon will have to decide where her heart truly lies, as well as what—and who—she is willing to sacrifice to get there. Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Fantasy)
Expected Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: TBA
Pre-Order Here!


People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty.

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts.

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely.

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Adult Historical Fantasy. Standalone. Check out my reviews of other books by this author!

Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance/Dystopian)
Expected Publication: April 2, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins

The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

Stain by A.G. Howard 
Genre: Young Adult (Fractured Fairy Tale/ Fairy Tale Retelling)
Expected Publication: January 15, 2019
Publisher:  Abrams/Amulet Books
Pre-Order Here!


A high-fantasy gothic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea.

Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins...

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest ... disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra's rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight, for she is his true equal. As Lyra rediscovers her identity, an impostor princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not. 

Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf #1) by Crystal Smith 
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Expected Publication: March 5, 2019
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her.

But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

A Curse So Dark and Lonely (A Curse So Dark and Lonely #1) by Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Young Adult (Fractured Fairy Tail/Fairy Tale Retelling)
Expected Publication: January 29, 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pre-Order Here!


In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Tanner (Sexton Brothers #3) by Lauren Runow & Jeannine Colette
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Expected Publication: January 2019
Publisher: Self


“A kiss was all I needed.”
“Looks like you got what you wished for.”
“Yes. About that…”

I was supposed to find a finely dressed businessman, have a one-night stand and forget about my failed relationship. Instead, I meet Tanner Sexton—a gorgeous man in street clothes, messy hair and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen.

When my ex shows up at the bar, Tanner notices my panic and kisses me just so the prick can see. Then he takes off, leaving me breathless.

So, I do what any rational person would. I chase after him onto the subway, and embark on a wild night in New York City with a complete stranger.

No matter how much I fight it, this mysterious artist painted his soul onto my skin, and I haven’t been able to forget him. Our romance is one for the ages, but age isn’t the only thing standing in our way.

Check out my review of the first book in this series!

The Beautiful (The Beautiful #1) by RenĂ©e Ahdieh 
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Historical Fiction)
Expected Publication: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Penguin Teen


In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and--especially--to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose--one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller RenĂ©e Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful. And these vampires don’t sparkle. They slay. 

Top Ten Week!!!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Top 10 Week! Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2017




How can a girl pick just 10?!?! I mean seriously!

Requiem (Reverie #3) by Lauren E. Rico
Genre: New Adult
(Dark Contemporary Romance/Psychological Thriller)
Date Published: March 1, 2017
Publisher: Harmony House Productions
Pre-Order Here!


Matthew and Julia Ayers are happy at last, settled in their new home with their son and flourishing musical careers. And with Jeremy Corrigan playing in an orchestra halfway across the country, they finally feel a sense of peace and security.

That is exactly what Jeremy is counting on.

Enraged when he is caught in a compromising situation, he refocuses his energies on the people he holds responsible for his languishing career. Believing that "There is an art to destroying a life," he sets out with cool determination to destroy those who have betrayed him. 

No one is safe from his wrath

The eternal struggle between good and evil play out with horrifying consequences in REQUIEM. 



Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern
Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian)
Date Published: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Macmillan’s Feiwel and Friends imprint has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Cecelia Ahern’s debut YA books, Flawed and its sequel, Perfect, due out in summer 2016 and summer 2017, respectively.

Sort of like The Scarlet Letter meets Divergent, Flawed and Perfect are set in a future society where perfection is valued above humanity and "flawed" people who commit acts of disobedience or rebellion are branded with an F.





Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: May 23, 2017
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Sunny Los Angeles can be a dark place indeed in Cassandra Clare’s Lord of Shadows, the sequel to the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Lady Midnight.

Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the
Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.



The Rise of Miss Notley (Tanglewood #2) 
by Rachael Anderson 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Date Expected:  February 2017
Publisher:  HEA Publishing
Not available for pre-order yet.

To escape an undesirable match, Miss Notley must give up her riches for rags.

When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow.

The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced for the position, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?

The Rise of Miss Notley is the delightful tale of a mysterious gentleman and a determined young woman, caught together in a web so tangled it begs the question: Will they ever get out?



RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance/Re-telling)
Date Expected:   January 10, 2017
Publisher:  Amulet Books

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera. 

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.


Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Date Expected:   March 28, 2017
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Strange the Dreamer is the story of: 

the aftermath of a war between gods and men
a mysterious city stripped of its name
a mythic hero with blood on his hands
a young librarian with a singular dream
a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled
alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.

Welcome to Weep. 


Princess Dracula by John Patrick Kennedy
Genre: Adult Fiction (Fantasy)
Date Expected: January 17, 2017
Publisher:  Kindle Press

Princess Dracula: Old legend, new blood.

What if you had power …and no idea how to use it? Ruxandra was raised in a convent, and taught everything she needed to know to be the perfect nobleman's wife. But when her father, Vlad Dracula, comes for her on her 18th birthday, securing her marriage is not what he has in mind. What happens instead grants her inhuman power at the cost of unbearable loneliness. Now, alone and terrified of what she has become, Ruxandra must learn to control her bloodlust…before she destroys what’s left of her.


Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Date Expected: January 31, 2017
Publisher:  Flatiron Books

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .
Welcome, welcome to Caraval—Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.


Poison's Kiss by Breeana Shields
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance/ Mythology)
Date Expected: January 10, 2017
Publisher:  Random House Books for Young Readers

A teenage assassin kills with a single kiss until she is ordered to kill the one boy she loves. This commercial YA fantasy is romantic and addictive like-- a poison kiss-- and will thrill fans of Sarah J. Maas and Victoria Aveyard.

Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya a poison maiden is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon.

Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose.

This rich, surprising, and accessible debut is based in Indian folklore and delivers a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.



The Valiant by Lesley Livingston
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Date Expected: February 14, 2017
Publisher:  HarperCollins Canada

The youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king, Fallon has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Sorcha's legendary reputation as a warrior. But when Fallon was a young child, the armies of Julius Caesar invaded the island of Britain and her beloved older sister was killed in battle.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her rightful place in her father's royal war band. But she never gets the chance. Instead, Fallon is captured by a band of ruthless brigands who sell her to an exclusive training school for female gladiators—and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, Fallon's worst enemy, the man who destroyed her family, might be her only hope of survival.

Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, chilling threats and the dangerous attention of Caesar himself to survive the deadly fights that take place both in and out of the arena—and claim her place in history among the Valiant.
❤❤❤❤
This is how I'm getting around the whole 'only pick 10' thing. There are some books coming up without covers and/or blurbs yet, but you know what?? I've read the previous books by these authors and I NEED more!!! Sooo... Here they are! (Fingers crossed that they're all coming out in 2017, because I won't be able to wait longer!!)


BOOKS WITH UNRELEASED BOOK COVERS/BLURBS: