Back in July of 2019, my family and I had just moved cross-country to Massachusetts. We had moved into our apartment, but none of our stuff was there. We were sleeping on air mattresses and sitting in those cloth folding chairs that you can never get back into their flimsy, little holders. It was a stressful time, but I had something with me that first month that helped me relax. I had an ARC of Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons. I had won it in a giveaway hosted by Orbit on their Instagram, not knowing much about it beyond the fact that it was written by a Black man and it had dragons. So, when I picked up during that stressful first month in our new home, I don’t think I was fully prepared for the incredible story contained within those pages. I flew through that ARC and knew before I was even halfway through that I was going to give it five stars. I also knew that I would fight the demons of Ishihogo to get my hands on the sequel!
Fast forward to this past summer, when Shealea @ Caffeine Book Tours put a call out to the bookish community for people would like to be part of #TheBurningTour for The Fires of Vengeance, the sequel I was so desperate to read. I don’t think I’ve ever filled out a form so fast! And you could have knocked me over with a feather when I was selected to be a part of the tour! So, before we get into the meat of this post, I wanted to take a moment to thank Shealea @ Caffeine Book Tours and the publisher, Orbit, for this opportunity. There are also a lot of other incredible bookish content creators on this tour, as well, so click here to take a look at the schedule. Also, we might as well get some disclaimers out of the way.
First, as you’ve probably figured out, I did receive an ARC of The Fires of Vengeance from Caffeine Book Tours and Orbit in exchange for my participation in this promotional tour. Second, as this is a review for the second book in a series, there might be some slight spoilers for the content of the first book within my review. If you haven’t read The Rage of Dragons (um, why haven’t you?) and wish to, perhaps skip this post until you have. This review, however, will be spoiler free for The Fires of Vengeance. And, last, stick with me until after my review for information about an amazing giveaway 🎉🎉🎉
Alright, with all that said, let’s get to it!
Synopsis
“Desperate to delay an impending attack by the indigenous people of Xidda, Tau and his queen craft a dangerous plan. If Tau succeeds, the queen will have the time she needs to assemble her forces and launch an all-out assault on her own capital city, where her sister is being propped up as the ‘true’ Queen of the Omehi.
If the city can be taken, if Tsiora can reclaim her throne and reunite her people, then the Omehi might have a chance to survive the coming onslaught.”
Today on the blog, I’ll be bringing you another blog tour post. Because, honestly, I just can’t say no to Dave @ The Write Reads! It’s his fault that he keeps pulling in some incredible books for tours. It’s just too tempting! The book I’ll be highlighting today is one that I knew nothing about before getting the sign up email, but after reading the synopsis, I had to say yes! It sounded like it would be right up my alley.
Before we get into the post, though, I want to make sure to thank Dave @ The Write Reads, the publisher, and the author for providing me a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for participating in this tour and sharing my honest review! It is, as always, much appreciated. Now, let’s jump in!
Synopsis
“Some secrets are worth killing for
The ancient city of Kepos sits in an isolated valley, cut off from the outside world by a towering wall. Behind it, the souls of the dead clamour for release. Or so the priesthood says.
Kala has never had any reason to doubt their word – until her father dies in suspicious circumstances that implicate the city’s high priest. She’s determined to investigate, but she has a more immediate problem: the laws of the city require her mother to remarry straight away.
Kala’s new stepfather is a monster, but his son Leon is something altogether more dangerous: kind.
With her family fractured and the investigation putting her life in danger, the last thing Kala needs is romance. She would rather ignore Leon entirely, however difficult he makes it. But when she learns the truth of what really clamours behind the wall at the end of the valley, she faces a choice: share what she knows and jeopardise her escape, or abandon him to his fate along with the rest of the city.
If she doesn’t move fast, then no one will make it out of the valley alive.”
Now that it is officially spooky season, I find myself craving all the creepy reads. So, when I saw the call for participants for the Vampires Never Get Old tour hosted by Hear Our Voices Book Tours, I jumped all over it! Make sure to check out the other amazing hosts on this tour by clicking HERE.
I’m going to be upfront right now: vampires and I have a rocky past. I went through a period where they were my favorite creatures of the night. I couldn’t get enough vampire content! But, recently, I’ve felt mostly lackluster towards them and I’m gonna go ahead and blame the True Blood TV series for that. Thanks a lot, Bill.
That being said, I’ve been feeling that old love coming back. I’ve been craving a good vampire story to sample to see if, perhaps, they can reclaim their top spot as my favorite creepsters. What better way to do that than with an anthology dedicated to our fanged fiends? This entire anthology was a lot of fun and I can’t thank Hear Our Voices and the publisher, Imprint/MacMillan, for letting me read this book early in exchange for participating in this tour!
But enough of my rambling. Let’s dig into this tour post, shall we?
Synopsis
“Eleven fresh vampire stories from young adult fiction’s leading voices!
In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.
Welcome to the evolution of the vampire―and a revolution on the page.
Vampires Never Get Old includes stories by authors both bestselling and acclaimed, including Samira Ahmed, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, Heidi Heilig, Julie Murphy, Mark Oshiro, Rebecca Roanhorse, Laura Ruby, Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, and Kayla Whaley.”
Karina, a princess looking to bring her mother back to life, and Malik, a boy trying to save his sister from dark forces, are on a crash course that might end in disaster.
Favorite Quote
“Karina had molded her grief into a sword, poised to harm anyone who dared get close. But her mother had built hers into a wall, and no sword, no matter how sharp, could take down defenses so strong.”
#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that week’s theme. If you’d like more info, head over to the announcement post!
Hello, reader!
It’s the beginning of another week and it’s the beginning of a new routine in the McBookNerd household. The kiddos are back to school, in a way, so the mornings are a lot more hectic around here! But it’s nice that they’ll be back on somewhat of a routine and perhaps it will help me stick to a somewhat decent sleep schedule.
Hahahaha, that’s not gonna happen 😂
ANYWAYS! Let’s move on from my terrible habits and talk about this week’s theme for #5OnMyTBR. We’ll be talking about five books on my TBR that have red covers! When I went to Goodreads to find some books on my TBR with a red cover, I honestly thought there wouldn’t be that many. I tend to gravitate towards books with blue covers, weirdly, so I thought I might have to scrounge for this one. I was unaware just how many books I want to read have red covers… it was actually quite difficult narrowing it down to just five! But, after some deliberation, I’ve arrived at the top five. Let’s dive in!
#1. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
I’ve been wanting to read this book since it came out… in 2015. Look, I was pulled in by the synopsis but there are SO MANY BOOKS I want to read! But this book has remained on my radar for literal years because it just sounds so interesting. A retelling of One Thousand and One Nights where the girl telling the tales is out for revenge? Yes, please! It seems like it would be a thrilling book and, I swear, one day I will read it!
#2. His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
I’ve loved every book I’ve read by Naomi Novik, so far, and this one has dragons! I’ve heard nothing but great things about this entire series. It sounds like it would be something right up my alley. It’s set during the Napoleonic Wars but… ya know… with dragons! I can only imagine that would make it, like, ten times cooler. I’m hoping to get around to this one soon!
#3. Dark Matters by Blake Crouch
This is a science fiction book that I’ve been wanting to read for aaaages! It just has such an interesting premise. A man waking up after being abducting to a life completely different from the one he remembers. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. But he is basically a famous genius. I feel like this is going to explore some topics that I will love to dive into. Now I just need to pick it up and actually read it, lol.
#4. One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus
I recently read One of Us is Lying and found myself really enjoying it! Now I have to read the sequel. I’m interested to see where this one goes and what will be the new drama at Bayview High. I also want to know what happens to Maeve! Why must we harass poor Maeve?! That poor family…
Also, I’ve really enjoyed every book I’ve read by Karen M. McManus, so I’m sure this one will be no different!
#5. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
This one has been on my TBR for a minute. I don’t even remember where I first heard of this book. Probably Booktube, if I’m being honest, lol. But it sounds like it would be a wild ride! There’s an ancient scroll, there’s a samurai, there’s destruction… seems intense! I’ve also heard some amazing things about this series, so I’m really excited to get around to this one.
What are some books on your TBR that have red covers? Have you read any of the ones I selected? Let me know in the comments!
It’s time for another blog tour post. This is one I’m doubly excited about because A) it’s for one of my most anticipated books of 2020 and B) it’s my first tour with a newer company, Hear Our Voices Book Tours! Their mission is to amplify and share #Ownvoices reviews for BIPOC stories. I’m so excited to be able to help with that mission while having the privilege to talk about this incredible book!
Before I get into my review, though, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books (a division of Simon & Schuster), for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. When I requested Legendborn, I was honestly ready for that rejection email, lol. The noise I made when I was approved was… not human 😅 And, of course, thank you to Hear Our Voices for letting me be a part of this amazing tour! Please make sure to check out the other amazing bookish content creators that are part of the blog tour and the Instagram tour!
And now, let’s get to the book!
Synopsis
“Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.”
It’s time, once again, for yet another blog tour post. This was is a little different for a couple of reasons, though. First, this is my first time working with the lovely folks at TBR and Beyond Tours! They are a new blog tour company that has put in a lot of hustle to bring the book community some pretty amazing tours. Second, the book I’ll be reviewing is one of my most anticipated reads of 2020: The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen! I cannot tell you how excited I was when I found out I had been chosen for this particular tour. Please click HERE to check out the schedule with all the wonderful bloggers and bookstagrammers participating.
I want to say thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours and the publisher, Henry Holt and Company, for a couple of things. First, for selecting me to be a part of this tour. And, second, for sending me an ARC and giving me the chance to be a part of promoting one of my favorite books of the year!
But I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? Let’s dive right in!
Synopsis
“Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.
As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana’s merciless bid for the throne.
With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.
A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.”
Book Details
Author: Margaret Owen
Series: The Merciful Crow #2
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan
Publication date: August 18th, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Age group: Young Adult
Content/Trigger warnings: Child death (off-page), Gore, Violence
Born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, Margaret Owen first encountered an author in the wild in fourth grade. Roughly twenty seconds later, she decided she too would be an author, the first of many well-thought-out life decisions.
The career plan shifted frequently as Margaret spent her childhood haunting the halls of Powell’s Books. After earning her degree in Japanese, her love of espresso called her north to Seattle, where she worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. The common thread between every job can be summed up as: lessons were learned.
Fortunately, it turned out that fourth-grade Margaret was onto something. She now spends her days wrestling disgruntled characters onto the page, and negotiating a long-term hostage situation with her two monstrous cats. (There is surprisingly little difference between the two.) In her free time, she enjoys exploring ill-advised travel destinations, and raising money for social justice nonprofits through her illustrations
“She felt dangerous, she felt raw and undeniable, like vengeance made flesh, like a walking curse. And she was not done with any of them yet.
Oh man… how does one talk eloquently about a book that left your heart feeling full and completely gutted all at the same time? A book that is the perfect conclusion to an incredible duology? Something that you were nervous to read because you loved the first book so much but it not only lived up to expectations, it completely outstripped them?
…If you figure it out, let me know 😂 In the meantime, I’m going to try and cobble together my feelings for The Faithless Hawk into something that is more understandable than the incoherent pterodactyl shrieking that happened after I turned the last page.
“He gestured awkwardly at his shirt. “Should I be, er, not wearing clothes for this?”
“I’s rather you weren’t,” Fie blurted out, then wondered if she could knock Tavin out with a handy rock and insist he’d imagined everything when he woke up.”
First, let’s talk about how much I adored the humor in this book. It’s dry, it’s deadpan, and it usually hits in a tense situation when you least expect it. It jives so completely with my own sense of humor that it felt like hanging out with a close friend! Someone who just gets me, ya know? It also helped make the tone of the book a little less bleak. I mean… it’s still bleak as hell, but it helped to break up all the danger and darkness so you could catch your breath between the tears. Which I appreciated 😅
“What happened to Prince” – Fie fluttered her hands, warbled her voice, and mummed dewy-eyed dismay – “‘Oh no we can ‘t, it’s the la-a-a-w!‘”
“First of all, ‘we can’t, it’s the law’ is not the wildly unreasonable statement you’re pretending it is,” Jasimir said peevishly.”
“I’m fine, Jas,” she wheezed, but she hugged the prince back anyway.
Jasimir didn’t let go, but still managed to point a finger at *redacted*. “You’re not allowed to yell at her,” he said, voice muffled in her shoulder. “I – I forbid it, do you understand me?”
Second, let’s talk about the characters in this book and, more importantly, their relationships. Margaret Owen is a master at crafting real, flawed characters that you can’t help but fall in love with! Fie, our main protagonist, is just such a fantastic lead character. She has a lot to figure out, a lot she has to shoulder, and she does it in her own, unique way. She’s far from perfect but she reminds me a lot of my younger self. Especially her tendency to think that she has to do everything on her own, even when she’s surrounded by people who want to help her.
And that’s where the relationships come in. The nuance! The depth! I loved how the messiness and the joyfulness of close relationships were explored. I loved how we poke into the dark corners and look at the ugly parts of letting people into your life. But we also get to see what amazing things can happen when you open your heart to others. I think my favorite thing, though, is the friendships. I’m not a huge fan of romance, to be honest, but I absolutely love when friendships are a big part of a narrative. It was so wonderful to watch Fie and Jasimir’s friendship develop over the course of this book!
Also, can we talk about the gang of cats? Because, seriously, it’s like this book was written specifically to appeal to me. (Team J, all the way!)
“He’d always known she wasn’t immortal, that she could bleed and weep and fall like anyone else. But deep down, he’d never really believed it. He’d never believed she’d do anything but simply refuse to die”
Okay, I know I said I’m not a huge fan of romance, but the one in this duology had me feeling a lot of F E E L I N G S! It was just so well done, where it didn’t feel forced or like it was simply there as a plot point. It felt natural and definitely recalled me to what it felt like to fall in love for the first time. Instead of detracting from the overall plot, it added a beautiful wrinkle that will play with your emotions.
“We’ll make them pay.”
“We’ll burn it down.”
Speaking of plot, this one grabs you from page one and will not let you off the ride until the last word is read. Talk about a fast-paced read! There is so much happening, but it’s never to the point where you get lost or confused. You will be ripping through the pages because you need to know what’s going to happen next. The pacing is flawlessly done, where you feel neither rushed nor bored. I also loved the examination of some real-life social issues you can pick out in this tale. Just look at the caste system and how the Crows are treated… it’s important commentary about how we treat people we view as “other” or “beneath us”.
I also found myself completely engaged in the story and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even when I wasn’t actively reading it! I love when I get so wrapped up in a book that it permeates my thoughts and that definitely happened with this one. And, now that I’ve finished, I’m actively trying to fight off the book hangover because BOY IS IT A REAL POSSIBILITY! I just want to stay in Sabor and find out what happens next! Even though this is, honestly, the perfect duology, I’m still not ready to let go 😭
Final thoughts: This is an heart-pounding, teeth-clenching end to an amazing duology! Fie is an incredible main character, with a power and force of will that seeps throughout this book. The writing sucks you into the world, the characters worm their ways into your heart, and the plot is thrilling! If you’re looking for an exciting fantasy which explores some dark themes and takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride, I think you’ll love The Merciful Crow duology. And, if you loved The Merciful Crow and you’re wondering if the sequel would measure up… trust me, The Faithless Hawk, does not disappoint!
Star rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Giveaway
But wait, there’s more! TBR and Beyond Tours is running a giveaway to celebrate the release of The Faithless Hawk! The giveaway is running from August 23rd to August 29th, so you still have time to enter. If you win, you will receive finished copies of both The Merciful Crow and The Faithless Hawk! Unfortunately, this is US/Canada only.
If you would like to enter, click HERE to be taken to the Rafflecopter page. And good luck!
It’s been a minute since I’ve brought you a blog tour, hasn’t it? Well, you are in for a treat today! It’s my stop on #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour for a gem of a middle grade called The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips. I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads, Egmont Books, and the author for sending me an e-ARC so I could participate in the tour! I had such a fun time with this book and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
That being said, let’s get to it!
Synopsis
“Lemony Snicket meets Roald Dahl in this riotously funny, deliciously macabre, and highly illustrated tale of a hungry beast, a vain immortal man, and a not-so-charming little girl who doesn’t know she’s about to be eaten.
Beauty comes at a price. And no one knows that better than Ebenezer Tweezer, who has stayed beautiful for 511 years. How, you may wonder? Ebenezer simply has to feed the beast in the attic of his mansion. In return for meals of performing monkeys, statues of Winston Churchill, and the occasional cactus, Ebenezer gets potions that keep him young and beautiful, as well as other presents.
But the beast grows ever greedier with each meal, and one day he announces that he’d like to eat a nice, juicy child next. Ebenezer has never done anything quite this terrible to hold onto his wonderful life. Still, he finds the absolutely snottiest, naughtiest, and most frankly unpleasant child he can and prepares to feed her to the beast.
The child, Bethany, may just be more than Ebenezer bargained for. She’s certainly a really rather rude houseguest, but Ebenezer still finds himself wishing she didn’t have to be gobbled up after all. Could it be Bethany is less meal-worthy and more…friend-worthy?”
The crew of the Tide Child, a black ship made of dragon bones and manned by convicted criminals, are sent on a dangerous mission to seek out the last known sea dragon to end a centuries-long war.
Favorite Quote
“We fight in the hope that others will not have to, and we fight to keep those we have come to care about safe. We fight even for those who do not deserve it. There is no honour or greatness in what we do, except among fools. I fight, in the end, because I have no other choice” – she held his gaze with hers – “and neither do you. So remember this, if you hear tales of bravery and greatness, they are nearly always told by people who have only watched battle from afar.”
Kerri McBookNerd 