January 14th was my one year blogiversary and I was so busy that it completely slipped by me until a few days later! I'm bummed that I haven't had time to pour more of myself into this little blog, but I'm still here and I'm still posting, so don't count me out! January has been a month of change, personally and as a nation, and I've been coping with copious amounts of reading and sugary foods.

A sharp and funny urban fantasy for “new adults” about a secret society of bartenders who fight monsters with alcohol fueled magic.

College grad Bailey Chen has a few demons: no job, no parental support, and a rocky relationship with Zane, the only friend who’s around when she moves back home. But when Zane introduces Bailey to his cadre of monster-fighting bartenders, her demons get a lot more literal. Like, soul-sucking hell-beast literal. Soon, it’s up to Bailey and the ragtag band of magical mixologists to take on whatever—or whoever—is behind the mysterious rash of gruesome deaths in Chicago, and complete the lost recipes of an ancient tome of cocktail lore.


Fun but didn't really have that something extra. The whole idea that the perfectly mixed cocktail can give someone magical powers is pretty awesome. The idea that bartenders are part of a secret society that mix these special cocktails and wield these magical powers to fight monsters that want to eat humans? I can get on board.

Where it kind of lost me was the story itself. Bailey is fresh out of college working at the bar owned by her childhood friend and his uncle. She's currently looking for better employment when one night she accidentally mixes herself a magical screwdriver and has a run-in with a monster, which opens up a whole new world of scary. From there she learns that things aren't exactly as they seem and even old friends have secrets.

As I said before, it was fun, but it didn't grip me. Great concept, lackluster execution. I didn't really care about what happened to the characters or if they made it out of the situations unscathed. In truth, I cared more about the side characters. I did enjoy the tangents about the history of different cocktails and alcohols though. That was a nice touch.

I don't know about you, but 2017 is looking to be a pretty promising year for YA fiction, especially fantasy and sci-fi - my favs! Below are a only few of the *many* releases coming out this month, but the ones I'm most looking forward to or have heard the most about.

My most anticipated release is A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab!! Of course it won't be here until February 21st but all good things come to those who wait, right?

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones  - February 7th

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.


But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.


Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza - February 7th

Empress
Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne.

Fugitive
Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he's forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation – and his life.

Madman
With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly are thrown together to confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy.

A saga of vengeance, warfare, and the true meaning of legacy.


Starfall by Melissa Landers - February 7th

When Princess Cassia Rose fled her home world of Eturia to escape an arranged marriage, she had no idea her sudden departure would spark a war. Now after two years hiding as a ship hand, she is finally returning to her beloved home, but not in the way she imagined. Shackled by bounty hunters, she is violently dragged back to account for her crimes. Her only solace is that the Banshee crew managed to evade capture, including Kane Arric, her best friend...with occasional benefits.

Meanwhile, Kane and the rest of the crew of the Banshee plan a desperate rescue mission. But when they arrive on Eturia, Cassia isn't exactly in need of heroics—she's claimed her birthright as Eturia's queen, but has inherited a war-torn planet simmering with rebellion. Cassia must make alliances, and Kane, the bastard son of a merchant, isn't a choice that will earn her any friends. Kane knows he will never find someone to replace Cassia—and is certain she returns his feelings—but how can he throw away his own promising future waiting on a queen?

When the outer realm is threatened by the dangerous Zhang mafia, Cassia, Kane and the rest of the Banshee crew uncover a horrifying conspiracy that endangers the entire universe. In the face of unspeakable evil, Cassia must confront her own family's complicated legacy on Eturia and decide once and for all who her real family is.



Gilded Cage by Vic James - February 14th

Not all are free. Not all are equal. Not all will be saved.

Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?


The Valiant by Lesley Livingston - February 14th

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.



We Are Okay by Nina LaCour - February 14th

"You go through life thinking there’s so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother."

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.



A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab - February 21st

The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab.

London's fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to
A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies.

Never judge a book by its cover...

Due to her involvement in an unfortunate set of mishaps between the dragons and the Fae, Librarian spy Irene is stuck on probation, doing what should be simple fetch-and-retrieve projects for the mysterious Library. But trouble has a tendency of finding both Irene and her apprentice, Kai—a dragon prince—and, before they know it, they are entangled in more danger than they can handle…

Irene’s longtime nemesis, Alberich, has once again been making waves across multiple worlds, and, this time, his goals are much larger than obtaining a single book or wreaking vengeance upon a single Librarian. He aims to destroy the entire Library—and make sure Irene goes down with it.

With so much at stake, Irene will need every tool at her disposal to stay alive. But even as she draws her allies close around her, the greatest danger might be lurking from somewhere close—someone she never expected to betray her...

Once again I'm late getting my monthly recap posted, I just can't seem to get these up early in the month! Well, goodbye 2016! I started off the year with a photo captioned, "Here's to 2016 kicking 2015's ass!" Let's just say it did *not* live up to those expectations. BUT it wasn't all bad.

The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Tearling trilogy.

In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has transformed from a gawky teenager into a powerful monarch. As she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, the headstrong, visionary leader has also transformed her realm. In her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies—including the evil Red Queen, her fiercest rival, who has set her armies against the Tear. 

To protect her people from a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable—she gave herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy—and named the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign, imprisoned in Mortmesne. 

Now, as the suspenseful endgame begins, the fate of Queen Kelsea—and the Tearling itself—will finally be revealed.


The Fate of the Tearling was my most anticipated read of 2016 – I’ve had it pre-ordered since July – and was sitting on pins and needles until it arrived at my doorstep. I had been dying to know the fate of Queen Kelsea after The Invasion of the Tearling, not to mention the Guard, and everyone else!

I was excited yet reluctant to start the beginning of the end of this journey. As the final installment, I knew my time with Kelsea and the Tearling was coming to an end and I wanted to savor it, but I also needed to know how it ended. Fate is written from several different points of view, which I thought blended nicely. Each gave a different perspective of the kingdom, Kelsea, and Johansen’s world, as well as a nice mix of past and present – one of the main concepts of these books that I’ve loved. These books are fantasy and sci-fi, in a cross between the medieval and modern.

There is magic, intense battles, drama, mystery and so much more. While there is some romance, it’s not the main point or focus of the story. It’s secondary, possibly even tertiary to everything else; so refreshing!  Kelsea fiercely loves her country and wants nothing more than to set right the wrongs and evils that are eating away it. She is rational (most of the time), educated, well read, and resilient. Some of the things I love most about this series is it’s gritty, it’s dark, and it’s not afraid to show the ugly side of religion and humanity, but it also has hope. That is the underlying theme - even though things have gotten so turned upside down and seem so far gone, there is still hope of making it right if only Kelsea can find the way.

I was not disappointed but I wasn’t 100% fully captivated as I had been with the previous books, and you know what? I’m okay with that. The ending is not what I expected, but it was perfect in its way. Johansen did an amazing job wrapping up an incredible series. I know some readers will be disappointed and find it a bit lackluster, but it was good. It left me with a sense of completeness. I’m sad that it's over but I'm happy with the ending.

New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Cohn and David Levithan are back with a life-affirming Christmas romance starring Dash and Lily.

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since readers first watched the couple fall in love. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition. 

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the holiday magic of New York City in December. 

Told in alternating chapters, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily reunites two beloved characters and is bound to be a Christmas favorite, season after season.

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily is cute but also a little neurotic and far-fetched. Two teenagers, living in New York City, manage to spend ridiculous amounts of time and money on unlikely schemes and gifts while working their way through the twelve days leading up to Christmas.

Dash is a surely, brusque guy with a love of words and hardly a good one to say about anything but his girlfriend Lily or his best friend Boomer. Lily is a high maintenance, Monica-from-Friends-esque girl who only occasionally didn’t manage to get on my nerves, and has a love of Christmas that could drive anyone mad.

As the follow up to Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, we get a brief glimpse of their previous year and the hardships that have caused Lily to lose her spark. She’s pretty much lost her lust for life, causing Dash and her brother, Langston, to hash out a scheme to bring back her Christmas cheer. Of course it all goes wrong in only ways it could with Dash & Lily.

Now, normally I’d say this is a cute, contemporary YA short story. I like Dash; he’s a teenage guy trying to do what he can to cheer up his girlfriend. But - and this is a big but – Lily. She is the one who simply gets on my nerves. She expects everyone to revolve their entire lives around her and when they don’t, she pouts like a petulant child. Yes, she’s generous and has a good heart, but man she was acting like such a baby! Overall it’s an outlandish and over the top story of two teenagers in love trying to impress and outdo each other in New York City. It’s a cute, quick winter read.