Showing posts with label dark shores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark shores. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

June 2019 Wrap-Up!


So, I had a pretty good reading month even though I'm still a bit disappointed in it. I've definitely had a better reading summer than last year, but I had a lot more that I wanted to get to this month and didn't. I had the time, but I chose to watch Netflix. Still, I don't want reading to become a chore so while I'm disappointed I wasn't up to reading more, I am still happy with what I read this month. I enjoyed everything I read and I found new favorites, so let's just dive in and chat about them for a while!

 BOOKS READ
1.
Title: Dark Shores
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Rating: 3.75 // 5 stars
Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1)

2.
Title: Only A Breath Apart
Author: Katie McGarry
Rating: 4.5 // 5 stars
Review
Only a Breath Apart

3.
Title: When Evil Comes to Play
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
Rereading this was honestly just so great. I think this series is definitely becoming one of my most re-read series ever and I wouldn't have it any other way. This book definitely takes on a different tone than the first ones and things start to really expand. Also, my heart was somewhat broken but it's okay because I had the next books ready to go. 

4.
Title: Secrets From the Grave
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Rating: 5 // 5 stars

5.
Title: When the Dead Have it Easy
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Rating: 5 // 5 stars

6.
Title: Aurora Rising
Authors: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Rating: 4 // 5 stars

7.
Title: Her Royal Highness
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 4.5 // 5 stars

8. 
Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)
I was feeling a bit down in the dumps and decided I wanted to reread a couple of my favorite scenes from ACOMAF. I ended up reading the entire dang book--skim reading at times but entirely from front to back. I loved every second of it. I forgot how much I absolutely adored this world and these characters. I already want to reread the next book, though I know I should wait.

9.
Title: The Good Girl's Bad Boys: The Good, the Bad, and the Bullied
Author: Rubixcube89201
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
I mean, this book is in no way a literary masterpiece but I enjoyed it. It's funny, it's addicting, and it has a good message behind it. It's not super realistic but the overall metaphor and message the author is trying to put out there is a good one. I didn't realize rereading this how long it actually is, because it took me so long to read it. There's almost 70 chapters and they're all super long. Even with no official page count I would probably put this book at over 800-900 pages if it were in print instead of on Wattpad. Still, I enjoyed it and am excited to read the sequel because I never got to last time I read this.

10.
Title: Wires and Nerves
Author: Marissa Meyer
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
I forgot how much I missed these characters and enjoyed this world! I was so grateful for the recap at the beginning but I'm definitely feeling like I need a complete reread of the Lunar Chronicles. I'm ridiculously excited that I finally got to read this graphic novel, though, and I'm even more excited to have the second volume checked out on my Libby app and ready to go!

11.
Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Author: Jen Wang
Rating: 3 // 5 stars
This was super cute and I really liked the message behind it. I thought the art was beautiful. It had just the right balance of angst and cute moments throughout and I was glad at how the book ended. I can see why so many people love it.

12.
Title: Every Last Breath
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
This was my second time rereading this book but it was like a brand new experience since I didn't remember most of it from the first time. I absolutely loved this reread. This is definitely my favorite Jennifer L. Armentrout series thus far and I can't wait to dive into the spin-off sequel. Even though it follows different main characters, I know these ones make an appearance and I can't wait to see how they're doing. Overall, I just loved this reread and this trilogy is definitely one of my favorite series.

13.
Title: Rhapsodic
Author: Laura Thalassa
Rating: 4.5 // 5 stars
Review

14.
Title: Gone Rogue
Author: Marissa Meyer
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Wow I enjoyed this one just as much as the first installment. I'm honestly just so happy that I finally was able to read this graphic novel duology. The story was interesting and I was pretty happy at how the ending was resolved. Overall, I just found it fun to be back with these characters and see how things were going after the ending of the Lunar Chronicles. 


BLOG POSTS


Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren


You can follow my bookstagram here. A brand new giveaway will be posted soon!

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Friday, June 7, 2019

Blog Tour Review: "Dark Shores" by Danielle L. Jensen


Hello everyone! Today I have a super exciting post completely centered around Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen. As I'm the final post of the blog tour, I hope you have enjoyed all the previous posts and are excited for more Dark Shores content! If you haven't been following along, welcome! Let's dive in! 


SYNOPSIS

High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, the first novel in a new YA fantasy series.

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.  


PRAISE FOR DARK SHORES

“Richly-woven, evocative, and absolutely impossible to put down―I was hooked from the first lines! Dark Shores has everything I look for in a fantasy novel: fresh, unique settings, a cast of complex and diverse characters, and an unflinching boldness with the nuanced world-building. I loved every word.” ―Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"The book grabs readers from the beginning with its stellar worldbuilding and multidimensional characters, and the mythical elements are truly believable within the constructs of the story. The perspective shifts between the viewpoints of Teriana and Marcus from chapter to chapter, offering readers greater insights into each. ...A gripping introduction to a new series." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"This is a lush, imaginative world, and as the focus shifts between Teriana and Marcus, it becomes clear that the readers are only getting a glimpse of its complicated history and mythology. ...Their secrets don’t, of course, stop Teriana and Marcus from embarking on a steamy romance, and fans of Rutkoski’s sighworthy The Winner’s Kiss and the high-stakes sea adventure of Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King will want to know where Marcus and Teriana journey to next." ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


MEET DANIELLE L. JENSEN

Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of The Malediction Novels: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, Warrior Witch, and The Broken Ones, as well as The Bridge Kingdom (Audible Originals). Her latest novel, Dark Shores, will be released by Tor Teen in May of 2019. She lives with her family in Calgary, Alberta.


PHOTO CREDIT: KATHERINE CALNAN PHOTOGRAPHY  

WEBSITE: https://danielleljensen.com/
TWITTER: @dljensen_
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7091823.Danielle_L_Jensen
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authordanielleljensen
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/danielleljensen/


PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON      |      BARNES & NOBLE      |      BOOK DEPOSITORY


MY REVIEW

I first would like to say a thank you to Tor Teen for giving me a copy of this book to read early. I had heard some great things and buzz about this book for a while and it peaked my interest. When I finally was able to read it, I dove in without hesitation.

I found this story to be a great one. While I didn't think it was perfect, there were a lot of things that I thought were great. The world-building was on point and I loved seeing how religion played such a big role in this book. What was really interesting to me was this idea of two halves of the world that never interact except for sea-faring people.

That brings me to another thing I really liked about this book: the nautical aspects. While I was expecting us to spend more time on the ocean, what we did get was great. For some reason, I haven't read many books that take place in large part on a boat despite loving every book like it that I've read before.

I think what I liked the most was our main character, Teriana. She's in a tough situation with not a lot of "right" answers but she's trying her hardest. You can see the stress it's putting on her, though, to be in such a spot. Even if she's not always stoic and strong, she's still such a strong character. I honestly am just super excited to see what she does in the next book.

I will say, the one thing I couldn't get behind at this point was the romance. It seemed expected but also like it happened in a way that was too quick and not well-developed. But I am interested in seeing how that aspect of the book develops in the next installment.

Overall, I found this book to be pretty-good. I definitely enjoyed it and I'm excited to see where things head in the next one!


GIVEAWAY


Five winners will receive a copy of Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
Ends June 18, 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren


You can follow my bookstagram here. A brand new giveaway will be posted soon!

To get more awesome content like this post, click the follow button to the right!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link

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