NetGalley Challenge: February Review Link Up + Giveaway

Time to link up those February NetGalley reviews!

This is for those participating in my NetGalley Challenge - if you would like to join in, check out the sign up post.

Instructions:

1. Be sure you are signed up for the challenge
*If your blog isn't listed on the challenge sign up post your review(s) may be deleted and you will not be eligible for the monthly prize.

2. Link up 1 review of a NetGalley book you posted in February
*Use the 'Name' field in the linky for the book title and author.
*If your review did not post in February it may be deleted.
*All NetGalley books are fair game but I do ask if the review, or your blog, is NC-17 please make a note of such with the link.
UPDATE *If your review does not clearly state that you obtained and are reviewing the book via NetGalley your link may be deleted.

3. Visit other reviews!
*Discover some new to you blogs, read some reviews and leave some comment love!

4. Earn extra links / contest entries
*For every review you visit and comment on, you can post another one of your reviews in the linky.
*You can post up to 5 of your own reviews -- and therefor gain up to 5 entries in this month's contest.
(1 review for 'free' and 4 others IF you visited and commented on 4 other reviews)
*Please be honest and please leave actual thoughtful comments (the same type you yourself would like to receive)

You can post your February reviews until

March 11th

On March 12th I will use Random.org to pick a review winner!

This month's prize is

A $20 Amazon Gift Card (for US participants)

OR

$20 worth of books from The Book Depository (for international folks)

To get us started, I've linked up a couple of my recent NetGalley reviews. If you're one of the first to visit, be sure to leave your link and check back later for others.

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments or via email :)

Short Story Review: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas

E-novella / Short Story

Throne of Glass #0.1

January 2012

Kindle / Nook / Kobo

Synopsis:

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about.

(from Goodreads)

Overall Feelings:
Good but a little hesitant as I'm not sure how I feel about Calaena.

My Thoughts:
This novella is a little different as it's 1 part of a prequel of 4 leading up to the full length novel Throne of Glass.

Calaena Sardothien is only 16 but she is already one of the most feared and respected assassins of her time. In this short story we follow her and fellow assassin Sam. They are sent on a mission whose details they realize have been hidden from them. Never one to obey orders blindly, Calaena hatches her own plan of attack. And although at first you get the impression that Sam is very much against it, it's not long before I realized that he would indeed follow Calaena just about anywhere.

I enjoyed this story but it was really only because of Sam. Calaena was a bit hard to like, a bit too devil may care, a bit too much - suck it up boys I'm better then you and don't you forget it! In the end, I warmed up to her a little but I'm still confused as to her motivation. Why is she so harsh without reason? It was a little off putting.

Extras? Nope, just the novella

Will I continue the Series?: I do plan on buying at least the next short story (The Assassin and the Desert #0.2) and from there I guess I'll see.

Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars

The Throne of Glass Series:

#0.1 The Assassin and the Pirate Lord

#0.2 The Assassin and the Desert

#0.3 The Assassin and the Underworld

#0.4 The Assassin and the Empire

#1 Throne of Glass

#2 Crown of Midnight (August 2013)

Book Review: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

"...the perfect blend of paranormal elements combined with true to life emotions."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2012
Pages: 304
Series: #1
Format: e-galley
Acquisition: received for review via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all.

(from Goodreads)

Overall Feelings:
Loved it!

My Thoughts:
For me, Indigo Awakening was the perfect blend of paranormal elements combined with true to life emotions. Loosely based on the phenomenon of actual Indigo and Crystal children (seriously, look it up!), this story took me on a fast based emotional roller coaster of a ride with an ending I never could have imagined.

Along with thrills and conspiracies there is also a healthy dose of romance that I felt really drawn to.

I'm actually a little surprised at myself on this one. I absolutely loved how Gabe and Rayne interacted but I really shouldn't have seeing as their relationship was full on insta love! Seriously though - I couldn't get enough of the two of them. I never questioned their motivations and their interactions felt genuine.

This book moves along fast but at no time did I feel like I was missing something. Jordan does a fantastic job with character development. Even though I only spend a short amount of time with Gabe, Rayne , Lucas and the fascinating cast of supporting characters I felt like I really got to know them.

Will I continue the series?:
I love Jordan's writing so I'm eager to see where she takes her Indigo Awakening characters. With that said, I feel that this story also works well as a stand alone. There is a lot more story that can be told but no cliff hangers and no loose ends that need immediate attention. With that said - yes, absolutely I will be continuing the series.

Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

The Hunted Series:
#1 Indigo Awakening
#2 Crystal Fire (2013)

Book Roundup (14) - January 27, 2013

Merriam-Webster defines 'roundup' as a gathering in of scattered persons or things (source)

Replace 'persons or things' with 'BOOKS!' and you'll have what happens in my house every week as I try to keep control of my hoard :)

I got some excellent books these past couple of weeks!

Bought:
Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3) by Beth Revis

Silly of me but I really hate that they changed the cover design and now book 3 doesn't in any way match my hardcovers of books 1 and 2. Started reading this one already and so far it's really good!

Gift:

The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

From Goodreads: "A lavish look at the read world -- both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama -- of Downton Abbey" LOVE IT! I'm so obsessed with this

For Review:

Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo (ARC)

June 4, 2013 from Henry Holt and Company

EEEEKKK! I am so excited to get this one read! I LOVED Shadow and Bone - one of the best fantasies I've read in a really long time.

The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith (ARC)

July 23, 2013 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

This is a monster of a book! (688 pages!) Smith really knows how to write terrifying stories - I love his Escape from Furnace series and The Fury looks to be a great start to another awesome supernatural series.

Sky on Fire (Monument 14 #2) by Emmy Laybourne

May 28, 2013 from Feiwel and Friends

I couldn't wait...and I already read this one and it is FANTASTIC! Better then book 1 in my opinion  Can't wait to share all my thoughts with you closer to the release date :)

A Midsummer Night's Scream by R.L. Stine (ARC)

July 2, 2013 from Feiwel and Friends

A new horror story from Stine? Yes please!!

Links are to Goodreads :)

How about your guys? What have you added to your hoard lately?

Book Review: Wander Dust by Michelle Warren

"loved [the time travel] aspect of the book."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: November 2011
Pages: 374
Series: 1st in a series
Format: e-book
Acquisition: Free download

Synopsis:

Ever since her sixteenth birthday, strange things keep happening to Seraphina Parrish.

The Lady in Black… burns Sera’s memories.

Unexplainable Premonitions… catapult her to other cities.

The Grungy Gang… wants to kill her.

And a beautiful, mysterious boy… stalks her.

But when Sera moves to Chicago, and her aunt reveals their family connection to a centuries old, secret society, she is immediately thrust into an unbelievable fantasy world, leading her on a quest to unravel the mysteries that plague her. In the end, their meanings crash into an epic struggle of loyalty and betrayal, and she’ll be forced to choose between the boy who has stolen her heart and the thing she desires most.

Wander Dust is the breathtaking fantasy that will catapult you through a story of time, adventure, and love.

(from Goodreads)

Overall Feelings:
Happy with a little bit of wonder thrown in.

My Thoughts:
Going into Wander Dust, I really didn’t know what to expect. My sister, who is 16 absolutely loves this book and she desperately wanted me to read it. She also told me she didn't think I would love it as much as her - she knows me so well :)

Did I enjoy Wander Dust? Absolutely! Did I love it to pieces? Not really but I can see why my sister does.

There is a very light hearted feel to this story. Not a lot of over burdening explanations for actions and events. Things kind of move along at their own pace and seem to happen naturally. Which, the more I think about it, shouldn't really work considering the main story is about time travel!

And yeah? Time travel? Awesome subject and one that you don't see all that often. I loved this aspect of the book.

Then there is Seraphina who I have to say I really liked. She didn't wine or complain when life flipped itself over her head (literally) and she doesn't doubt herself. She is a character I can really see young girls looking up to and that can sometime be a rare trait in YA heroines these days!

Will I continue the series?:
Yes! My sister has already read book 2 and she said it was even more fabulous then the first.

Rating:

4 / 5 Stars

The Seraphina Parrish Trilogy:
#1 Wander Dust
#2 Protecting Truth
#3 Untitled (2013?)