#ARCstravaganza: Wonder Woman Warbringer

There are no words to describe how excited I am to have received this amazing ARC of Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman: Warbringer!! I got this during a weekend celebrating independent bookshops here in the Salt Lake area by a dear friend of mine who works at The King’s English. We were talking about how much we love Leigh Bardugo’s books and how excited we were for this book to release when she said, “I’ve got an extra copy do you want it?” How was I supposed to pass that up?!

I chose to feature it on today’s #ARCstravaganza because I just watched Wonder Woman for the second time this past weekend and I love it so much!

“It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world”  D.C. Comics Wonder Woman

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Follow me on Instagram @thecleverreader

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Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.

Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

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The Details

Title: Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: August 29, 2017

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If you would like to participate in the #ARCstravaganza and enter to win an ARC of an upcoming YA release, please follow the instructions below and feel free to use our #ARCstravaganza graphic and info below in your own posts.

#ARCstravaganza is a weekly meme hosted by YA and Wine to give book bloggers/bookstagrammers a chance to show off the ARCs/eARCs they are excited about! Comment on their weekly posts with a link to your own #ARCstravaganza blog post, or post a picture on Instagram using the #ARCstravaganza hashtag, and you will be entered to win an ARC copy of an upcoming YA novel! One winner will be chosen at random each month.

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What ARC’s/eArc’s do you have on your shelf? Will you be joining in the #ARCstravaganza fun?

Standalone Sunday: Looking for Alaska

I decided to feature one of my favorite John Green books, Looking For Alaska, because I’m so excited he will be releasing a new book later this year! This book is one of my top John Green books because I could relate to it so much. This witty yet serious story about Miles “Pudge” Halter who meets “The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young” does not disappoint! It is every bit of what you expect from John Green and that makes it that even more of a must read!

Standalone Sunday is a weekly meme created by Megan@bookslayerReads. This meme is about a Standalone book (that is not part of a series) that you loved and would recommend. Be sure to check out her awesome bookish blog!

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Looking for Alaska by John Green

Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . .
After. Nothing is ever the same.

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Have you read this YA book before? If so, what were your thoughts? What other John Green books have you read? Which one was your favorite? 

Debut Author: Bonnie Pipkin, Aftercare Instructions

This blogging thing has been so much fun because I’ve been able to discover new books! I love that this is another contemporary to add to my TBR because honestly I just don’t have enough of them. Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin sounds like an intense journey to self-discovery while navigating circumstances not many people can truly understand. With a unique format, and in-depth theme, Aftercare Instructions sounds like a great addition to the YA world.

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About Bonnie Pipkin

*From Heather’s website 

Bonnie Pipkin believes in prose, performances, puppet shows, and public displays of affection. Originally from California, Bonnie now lives in Brooklyn. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, teaches literature courses at Kean University, officiates weddings, and looks after a very cute cat. Aftercare Instructions is Bonnie’s first novel.

 

 

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Aftercare Instructions

In the tradition of Jandy Nelson and Rainbow Rowell, a big-hearted journey of furious friendship, crazy love, and unexpected hope after a teen’s decision to end an unwanted pregnancy

“Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The betrayal causes Gen to question everything.

As Gen pushes herself forward to find her new identity without Peter, she must also confront her most painful memories. Through the lens of an ongoing four act play within the novel, the fantasy of their undying love unravels line by line, scene by scene. Digging deeper into her past while exploring the underground theater world of New York City, she rediscovers a long-forgotten dream. But it’s when Gen lets go of her history, the one she thinks she knows, that she’s finally able to embrace the complicated, chaotic true story of her life, and take center stage.

This powerfully immersive and format-crushing debut follows Gen from dorm rooms to diners to house parties to auditions—and ultimately, right into readers’ hearts.

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Details

Title: Aftercare Instructions

Author: Bonnie Pipkin

Publisher: Flatiron

Release Date: June 27, 2017

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What are some of your favorite 2017 debut authors?  Will you be adding this to your TBR list?

Waiting on Wednesday: Library of Fates

I am so excited to read Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana! Not only is that cover beautiful but the story sounds awesome! We are also lucky enough to have Aditi Khorana here for a signing at The King’s English Bookshop on July 19th for the Penguin Teen Tour!! It will be the second Penguin Teen tour to hit TKE this year and I couldn’t be more ecstatic! Khorana will be in good company as well!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Be sure to check out their blog and share the upcoming books your excited about with us each Wednesday!

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Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana

A romantic coming-of-age fantasy tale steeped in Indian folklore, perfect for fans of The Star-Touched Queen and The Wrath and the Dawn

No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything—family, her childhood love, and her freedom—to save her people. But her offer isn’t enough.

The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them.

Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life—and another love—await?

 

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The Details

Title: Library of Fates

Author: Aditi Khorana

Release Date: July 18, 2017

Publication: Razorbill

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About Aditi Khorana

From her website

Aditi Khorana spent part of her childhood in India, Denmark and New England. She has a BA in International Relations from Brown University and an MA in Global Media and Communications from the Annenberg School for Communication. She has worked as a journalist at ABC News, CNN, and PBS, and most recently as a marketing executive consulting for various Hollywood studios including Fox, Paramount and Sony.

Mirror in the Sky (Razorbill/Penguin, 2016) was her first novel. The upcoming Library of Fates (July 2017) is feminist historical fantasy, set in ancient India, and tells the story of a louche, misogynistic dictator overthrowing an idyllic kingdom, and the women who fight to wrench it back from his hands.

Aditi lives in Los Angeles and spends her free time reading, hiking, and exploring LA’s eclectic and wonderful architecture.

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Have you read Khorana’s other novel Mirror in the Sky? If so, what did you think of it? Will you be adding Library of Fates to your TBR? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start but Haven’t

I’m so excited to post my first Top Ten Tuesday, especially because it highlights books I’ve really wanted to start but haven’t found the time to do so! Especially since taking on a new series can be kind of daunting when you’ve got a never ending TBR pile already. I know I will get to these one day!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the fabulous The Broke and Bookish. It’s my favorite weekly meme, because the topics are always super fun, and it’s also a fantastic way to connect with other book bloggers. Join us!

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1. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

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2. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

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3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

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4. Matched by Ally Condie

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5. Defy By Sara B. Larson

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6. All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

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7. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

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8. The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima

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9. Legend by Marie Lu

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10. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

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What are some YA Series you’ve been meaning to read? Have you read any of these, if so, what did you think? 

Standalone Sunday: The Love That Split The World

I’ve been going through my Kindle Fire lately to see what books I have on there and I came across this YA Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary, Science Fiction (It’s really marked under all of these categories on Goodreads!!) The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry. I picked it up on a Goodreads/Kindle Daily Deal a while back and was surprised I hadn’t heard of it before. Who would’ve thought the summer after high school ends would take a young Natalie Cleary on a roller coaster ride with the Beau she loves.

Standalone Sunday is a weekly meme created by Megan@bookslayerReads. This meme is about a Standalone book (that is not part of a series) that you loved and would recommend. Be sure to check out her awesome bookish blog!

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The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry

Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves.

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start… until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken.

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Have you read this YA book before? If so, what were your thoughts? 

The Unique Blogger Award

This week I was nominated for The Unique Blogger Award and I couldn’t be more excited!! This is my blogs first week out in the world, and there’s still much to do, so I was a bit surprised when I got nominated. A millions Thank You’s to Beware of the Reader for nominating me for this award, it really means a lot to me. Go check out her awesome blog!

So this award allows you to nominate those blogs that you find unique and different, and show them some love!

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The Rules

• Share the link of the blogger who has shown love to you by nominating you.
• Answer the questions.
• In the spirit of sharing love and solidarity with our blogging family, nominate 8-13 people for the same award.
• Ask them 3 questions.

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Beware of the Reader Questions

1. What’s your favorite activity as a blogger?

I would have to say my favorite activity as a blogger is getting to utilize my own creativity. I’ve never really been a creative person and getting to work on my best friends blog really taught me just how creative I can be. Putting posts together in a way that shows my style, and challenges me to be more creative, has really allowed me to utilize skills I didn’t think I had before. It’s been so fun discovering just how creative I can be when given the tools and guidance from all the other amazing bloggers out there!

2. If you could meet one author who would it be?

This one is a bit of a tough one because I’m so lucky to live in a city where we get the most amazing authors. I’ve been able to meet Veronica Roth, Sarah J. Maas, and Cassandra Clare through our independent bookstore The King’s English the past couple years. I think the two authors that I haven’t had the opportunity to meet, and would love to one day, is Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Schwab!

3. Which book was your greatest deception and why?

I’d probably say The Diabolic only because I’d never read a YA Sci-Fi before, or really anything Sci-Fi. I’ve never been drawn to Sci-Fi like I am to Fantasy novels so this was such a treat by the time I got to the end of it. Our book club received an ARC copy of The Diabolic in return for promoting and reviewing it on social media sites. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it because it is fantastic. I was so excited to hear there’d be more because I love Nemesis. She is definitely one of the most dynamic characters I’ve ever read!

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My Questions

1. What is your favorite 2017 Cover?
2. What is the hardest part about running a blog?
3. What kind of posts do you enjoy doing the most? (Reviews, Memes, Blog Tours, etc.)

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Nominated:

Stephanie @TeacherofYA , Krysti @YAandWine  ,  Mandy @bookprincessreviews, Krista & Dawlyn @littleblindbookfinds , Sarah @betweenthepages , Raven @DreamyAddictions

Debut Author of the Week: Heather Fawcett Even the Darkest Stars

I honestly haven’t heard anything about this book but when I was looking for an author to feature I came across this beautiful cover. (The cover gets me every time!) This book sounds so interesting and unique to what we’ve seen in previous YA Fantasy novels so I was excited to have discovered it. I was also happy to see that many of my Goodreads bookish buddies have marked it as “To-Read” so I know it’s most likely going to be something I’ll enjoy! I hope to have introduced you to a new book to add to your already toppling TBR Pile!

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About Heather Fawcett

*From Heather’s website 

I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, where I enjoy wandering around in the wilderness and only occasionally getting lost. I’ve also spent extended periods of time in Italy, where I learned very little Italian but ate quite a lot of pizza, and Ireland, where I searched half-successfully for puffins and selkies.

Before becoming a writer I worked, among other things, as an archaeologist, a technical writer, and a backstage assistant for a Shakespearean theatre company (which I could write several novels about). I have a Master’s degree in English Literature and briefly considered becoming a professor, before I realized it involved more than reading books, drinking excessive amounts of tea, and wearing colourful elbow patches.

I’m represented by the amazing Brianne Johnson at Writers House. EVEN THE DARKEST STARS, my first novel, was purchased by HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray at auction in a six-figure, two-book deal.

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About Even the Darkest Stars

Set in a fictional Himalayan kingdom, this is the story of a girl enlisted by a legendary explorer to help him climb the kingdom’s deadliest mountain – only to discover that his true mission may threaten her whole world.

Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the emperor’s royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.

But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer every known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzin—not her older sister, Lusha, as everyone had expected—for his next expedition. This is Kamzin’s chance to prove herself—even though River’s mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means cimbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then, Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer, and Kamzin must decide what’s most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit.

The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expected—or prepared for—with avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and other dangers at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth about their mission and her companions—while surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced.

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Details

Title: Even the Darkest Stars

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Harper Collins/Balzer + Bray

Release Date: September 5, 2017

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What are some of your favorite 2017 debut authors? What debut novel are you most excited about for the second half of 2017? Will you be adding this to your TBR list?

Waiting on Wednesday: Now I Rise

We are only a month out from the release of book two in The Conqueror’s Saga by Kiersten White! If you haven’t read And I Darken yet than you’ll want to pick that up soon because this releases June 27th! I’m not only excited for this release day but also because it’s my book clubs July read!!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Be sure to check out their blog and share the upcoming books your excited about with us each Wednesday!

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Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

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The Details

Title: Now I Rise

Author: Kiersten White

Release Date: June 27, 2017

Publication: Delacorte Press

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About Kiersten White

From her website: kierstenwhite.com

Kiersten White is the NYT bestselling author of And I Darken, the Paranormalcy trilogy, the Mind Games series, Illusions of Fate, The Chaos of Stars, and In the Shadows with artist Jim Di Bartolo. She has one tall husband and three small children and lives near the ocean, where her life is perfectly normal.

 

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Have you read And I Darken yet? If so, what did you think? Have you read any of Kiersten White’s other books?