The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive--this time in part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

If you've been following this blog for any length of time then you probably know by now that I absolutely love Richelle Mead's books. So I had been waiting for The Indigo Spell ever since I read the very last page of The Golden Lily last spring. So right when I got my hands on a copy of The Indigo Spell I couldn't help but start reading right away and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

Sydney Sage isn't sure where her allegiances lie anymore. After spending so much time int eh company of vampires, Sydney stars to think that maybe everything she's been told by the Alchemists isn't true. And after Adrian's declaration, Sydney really doesn't know what to do anymore. But she doesn't have time to think about that. Between worrying about her increased magic use an worrying about what the Alchemists might be hiding from her, Sydney barely has time to make sure Jill stays safe and hidden from those after her. But when Marcus Finch shows up in town, Sydney can't stay away, especially if it means finding out the truth about the Alchemists. But it might also mean turning her back on everything she knows and everyone she cares about. 

I had all kinds of ideas about what could happen in The Indigo Spell, especially since Richelle Mead is known for breaking her readers' hearts with the third book in her series. So I was prepared to pretty much have my heart wrenched out of my chest. And with every page I turned, I was afraid of what would happen next. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the story in the least. Right from the first page I was beyond thrilled to be back in this world I love, with the characters I have also come to love. There was so much happening in The Indigo Spell, with every page I turned something new was happening. And the romance was back in full force, leading to some majorly swoon-worthy moments. But I don't want to ruin those for anyone. As it turns out though, my heart wasn't completely ripped to pieces, but that only makes me that much more nervous for what's to come in The Fiery Heart.

I've said this before but I love Sydney Sage. I love how conflicted she is over everything because if I were in her shows I would be the same way. And I love who Sydney has become. She's changed so much since I first met her back in the Vampire Academy books and that change has mostly been for the best. And a lot of that chance has to do with Adrian. You really don't want me to get started on Adrian because as strongly as I believed Rose belonged with Dimitri, I always loved Adrian. And I absolutely love the person Adrian is becoming. he keeps on surprising me every time he does anything, especially if it's for Sydney. Let's just say if you weren't already, Adrian will make you swoon in The Indigo Spell. Marcus Finch on the other hand was a bit of a disappointment. He was so played up in the promotion for the book that I expected him to be so much more. He intrigued me for sure, but I thought he would be so much more than he ended up being. Who knows though, maybe he'll come back in future books.

Once again, Richelle Mead didn't disappoint me with The Indigo Spell. I loved the story from start to finish. And as is often the case with any book in this series, I was just begging for The Fiery Heart by the time I finished The Indigo Spell. And if you haven't picked up the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series by this point, you really should. 

Stacking the Shelves (24)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga of Tynga's Reviews. It's a weekly post where book bloggers showcase the book they received throughout the week.

Things are quite busy for me at the moment, but I'm still finding the time to read. And to make things better, I have lots of new exciting books to read that showed up in the last couple of weeks. Some are books I've been anticipating for a long time, others were pleasant surprises. So without further ado, here's what I got in the last couple of weeks!

Review:

- The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen - Sarah Dessen is easily one of my all time favorite authors and I've loved everything of her's I've read. So you can imagine that I am beyond thrilled to have gotten an early copy of her newest book. Be sure to come back in late May/early June for my review!

- Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike - While I've never read anything by Aprilynne Pike, right when I first heard about Earthbound I knew it was something I was interested in reading. I can't wait until it gets closer to the release date so I can read this one. And be sure to come back in late July for my review!

- The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen - This book was a pleasant surprise. I remembered hearing a lot of good things about the first book in this series but never really picked it up. I have been getting more into fantasy lately so I will be reading this one for sure in the near future.

Thank you to Penguin Canada and Scholastic Canada for sending me these books for review.

Won:

- Starcrossed & Dreamless by Josephine Angelini - If you've been following my blog and my Twitter, it should come as no surprise that I absolutely love these books and any copies of them I get I am quite happy about. And of course if you haven't read this series yet, you should most definitely check it out.

Thank you to Epic Reads for these!

Bought:

- The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen - Since I received the sequel for review, I figured it would probably be a good idea to get myself a copy of the first book.

- Every Never After by Lesley Livingston - I absolutely loved Once Every Never when I read it a couple years ago and I was thrilled when Lesley announced it would be made into a series. I seriously can't wait to dive into this one!

That's it for me this week. Things are quite busy for me at the moment between work and the last month of my undergrad. I am still trying to post as regularly as possible but if a few days go by with nothing happening on the blog, don't be alarmed I'm probably just somewhere getting a handle on all my school work. And as usual, let me know what you got and I'll come check it out!

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Release Date: February 5, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth…

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmothers is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. 

I absolutely adored Cinder when I read it last year and ever since then I have been impatiently waiting to be able to read the sequel, Scarlet. And despite having a copy of the book sitting on my shelf for a few months, it wasn't until recently that I finally found the time to pick it up. Let me just say that Scarlet was just as good Cinder, if not even better, and once again Marissa Meyer wrote a story I couldn't help but love.

Now that Cinder knows who she truly is, she is on the run from Queen Levana and her armies. She knows she has to get to Africa to meet Dr. Erland, but first she wants some answers. But getting answers means finding Michelle Benoit and that means teaming up with Captain Carswell Thorne because without him Cinder doesn't have much hope of getting anywhere. What she doesn't know is that Michelle has gone missing and her granddaughter Scarlet is doing everything in her power to get her back. Even if that means teaming up with Wolf, the mysterious street fighter who may have more going on than meets the eye. Soon enough, as the mysteries unravel, the duos meet each other and team up to stop Queen Levana, because they might be the only ones able to do so anymore.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Marissa Meyer has now become one of my all-time favourite authors and Scarlet is what confirmed this for me. Because Scarlet was simply amazing. From start to finish the story completely captured my attention and I was just so wrapped up in it all that I had no idea what was going on in the outside world. The story picks up right where Cinder ended, but it does so in a different part of the world with different characters who are just as interesting and compelling as the original ones. I loved just how much action there was in this story compared to Cinder. It just felt like something was constantly happening, something which might have to do with the multiple storylines at play. Right when I thought things were going to calm down, the focus would shift different characters and all of a sudden I would find myself right back in the thick of the action. 

I loved seeing the characters I had come to love in the first book. Cinder was just as fantastic a character and it was great to see her take on more confidence but at the same time I really enjoyed seeing her come to terms and deal with everything she learned about herself in the first book. Kai on the other hand I wished I would have been able to see more of. As much as I loved him in the first book, I feel like I didn't see him enough in Scarlet…and when I did he had the tendency to anger me but I can't really hold it against him considering the circumstances. But to make up for a lack of Kai I had Thorne and Wolf. And while they were no Kai, they weren't so bad. Thorne just made me laugh every single time he opened his mouth. And Wolf was quite the mysterious fellow and he definitely had his shortcomings, but he also had his moments where I couldn't help but swoon just a little. And of course there's Scarlet and there's just so much I could say about her. She was everything I hoped she would be and she took me by surprise on more than one occasion. She just wasn't afraid to run head first into whatever situation was in front of her. I can't wait to see more of her in the future. (Sidenote: I loved the fact that there was a character named Émilie in the book--it never happens that I find character with not only the same name, but who also spell it the same way.)

Marissa Meyer's Scarlet was a phenomenal read. I just couldn't turn the pages fast enough but then there was no more to read and I was begging for more. The Lunar Chronicles have quickly become some of my favorite books and Marissa Meyer one of my favorite authors. And I can't wait to see where she takes the story next in Cress.

Waiting on Wednesday (75)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to. This week I have two titles I am particularly looking forward to reading.

Dead Ends by Erin Jade Lange

September 3, 2013

Bloomsbury USA Childrens

A riddle rarely makes sense the first time you hear it. The connection between Dane and Billy D doesn't make sense the second time you hear it. But it's a collection of riddles that solidifies their unusual friendship. Dane is a bully with two rules: don't hit girls and don't hit special kids. Billy D has Down syndrome. When Dane doesn't hit him, Billy sees a sign of friendship and reaches out for help. Billy is sure the riddles his missing father left in an atlas are really clues to finding him. Together, Billy and Dane piece them together, leading to unmarked towns and secrets of the past. But they're all dead ends. Until the final clue…and a secret Billy shouldn't have been keeping. 

As a journalist, Erin Jade Lange is inspired by hot button issues like bullying, but it is her honest characters and breakneck plotting that make Dead Ends a must read.

Right when I first heard about Dead Ends by Erin Jade Lange I knew it was something I wanted to read. The story just sounds so different from what's out there in YA already and from the synopsis I gather that it deals with a lot of issues that don't necessarily get enough attention, whether in society or in books. So all that to say that I'm really excited about Dead Ends.

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

September 24, 2013

Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she'd like to forget completely. But when Callie's mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie's real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Dollar writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

I'll admit that I still have to read Trish Doller's Something Like Normal (it's on my shelf, I will get to it soon I promise), with all the good things I've heard about it, I can't help but be excited about Where the Stars Still Shine as well. The story sounds really interesting and like it has the potential to really do damage to my hear--and I love when stories do that.

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

October 1, 2013

Walker Childrens

Another year, another move--with a Dad in the military, starting a new school in the middle of the year doesn't faze Derek. But moving with his new step-mother to live with the father and sister she hasn't seen in years? Awkward. Even worse--his new step-aunt Ashtyn, is seventeen, hot--and the kicker for the high school's football team. A football prodigy, Derek has stayed as far as possible from the field since his mom's death--and not even an infuriatingly sexy housemate who talks stats and reams of a Division I scholarship can change his mind. But when Ashtyn's quarterback boyfriend bask out of their road trip to a prestigious summer football camp run by top recruiters, Derek and his car become Ashtyn's only route to making her dreams of playing college ball com true. Four nights. Multiple star lines. Football. Secrets. Sex. This is one road trip neither of them will forget.

In a steamy new series featuring a new, irresistible band of teammates, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles blends the romance and drama of Friday Night Lights with her signature explosive storytelling.

In all honesty I don't even need to know what this story is about, I just needed to know that Simone Elkeles wrote it in order to be excited about it. I absolutely LOVE Simone Elkeles' other books (Perfect Chemistry anyone?) so I'm beyond excited to have more from her to read. Plus Wild Cards sounds really awesome and is getting compared to Friday Night Lights. How could I not be excited about this?

As you can tell, I'm already getting excited about fall books and it's only March. It's a good thing there are plenty of awesome books coming out in the meantime--it will definitely make waiting for these ones easier!

Kate Ellison Giveaway!

Today I have the pleasure of offerring you some pretty awesome books for a giveaway. I have had the chance to read Notes from Ghost Town and absolutely loved it. So read below to find out more about the books and fill out the Rafflecopter for chance to win a hardcover of Kate Ellison's newest book, Notes from Ghost Town and a paperback copy of The Butterfly Clues.

The Butterfly Clues

Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dads consulting job means she's gown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place--possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home. 

But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire"--a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind. 

As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagine--a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death.

Notes from Ghost Town

They say first love never dies…

From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it's only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There's a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there's a good chance she's losing her mind completely--just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn't really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It's the only way she can save herself.

Interested? Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US & Canada ONLY. Good luck to everyone!

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