The Court of Miracles Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

The Court of Miracles (A Court of Miracles #1)
Author: Kester Grant 
Genre: YA Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Retellings/Science Fiction
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Publisher: Knopf Children's

 

Synopsis:

Les Misérables meets Six of Crows in this page-turning adventure as a young thief finds herself going head to head with leaders of Paris's criminal underground in the wake of the French Revolution.

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds, known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina's life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father's fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie). When Ettie attracts the eye of the Tiger--the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh--Nina is caught in a desperate race to keep the younger girl safe. Her vow takes her from the city's dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII. And it also forces Nina to make a terrible choice--protect Ettie and set off a brutal war between the guilds, or forever lose her sister to the Tiger.

The Court of Miracles is a spectacular first book in a new YA fantasy series that blends alternative history and retellings of classic tales. First off, I want to say that I never read reviews of a book before reading and reviewing it myself. I don't want to become biased over someone else's opinions. Another thing I try to ignore is when a book is compared to another novel or series or other authors in the genre. When I start a book, I want a clean slate - no expectations or hopes that it'll be like whatever novel it's being compared to. I want to read it and experience it for what it is and not what it's supposed to be or what some people are saying about it. I always try to go in with a completely open mind so I can fully experience the story for what it is.

That being said, I absolutely loved this book! I loved pretty much everything about this novel. I'm a huge Francophile, so when I saw that the setting was an alternate history of France circa the French Revolution - I was sold. I loved this world that the author created for Nina and the readers. There was so much happening all the time! I absolutely loved learning about this world - the alternate history it had, the different Guilds, the Court of Miracles - with all of it's own history and laws - and because it was set in France, the author uses places and little words and phrases in French throughout the story, which I absolutely adored.

Nina was a fantastic main character and I connected with her right from the beginning of the book. She has to basically change her entire life overnight in order to survive. She's brave, smart, fierce, loyal to her friends and those she loves, and determined to do what she believes is right. She has her flaws like everyone else but I thought it just made her all the more realistic and believable. I loved seeing her character change and grow throughout the story - there are some tough decisions, big obstacles, and serious changes that happen, and I loved seeing her make her way through it all as I cheered for her the whole way. The secondary characters were rounded and pretty believable and I enjoyed getting to know them.

The plot is detailed and intricate with lots of things going on. I don't do any kinds of spoilers in my reviews, so I won't go into the story line very much. If you read the description, you can get a pretty good idea of what's going to happen. The writing was incredibly well done with a quick pace that kept me on my toes and had me reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. I ended up getting sucked into Nina's world and read the whole book in a single sitting in a few hours. Finally, I have to talk about the writing style. This is a huge deal and can literally make or break a book for me. If you read my other reviews, you know that I almost always prefer the first person point of view because of the deeper connection it allows between the reader and the narrator. I was so incredibly happy that the author chose to write the story in the first person from Nina's perspective. It made all the difference for me personally and definitely had a big impact on how much I enjoyed the book. I loved getting to know everything about Nina - her hopes and dreams, fears and doubts, memories, innermost thoughts and feelings, and everything in between. By the end of the book, I felt like I had known her forever and had just experienced everything that happened in the story right along with her. All of these things added up to an amazing read that I thoroughly loved and will definitely be re-reading soon. I'm so happy that this is just the first book in the series! I can't wait to see where the author will take us next. I very highly recommend this book for fans of YA fantasy, historical fiction, historical fantasy, alternate history, retellings, and readers who have a love of France and its culture.

 

 

Kester Grant is a British-Mauritian writer of color. She was born in London, grew up between the UK, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the tropical island paradise of Mauritius. As a wanton nomad she and her husband are unsure which country they currently reside in but they can generally be found surrounded by their fiendish pack of cats and dogs.

Win a copy of THE COURT OF MIRACLES by Kester Grant (US Only)

Starts: June 2, 2020

Ends: June 16, 2020

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Palace of Silver Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Palace of Silver (The Nissera Chronicles #3)
Author: Hannah West 
Genre: YA Fantasy/Retellings
Release Date: April 28, 2020
Publisher: Holiday House

Synopsis:

Return to the land of Nissera, home to spectacular magic. An uneasy peace reigns now that Valory has vanquished the Moth King and settled into her rightful place as queen of Calgoran. New leaders Glisette and Kadri hope to usher the neighboring kingdoms into an era of healing and prosperity. All should be well.

But there’s a fourth queen in charge: Ambrosine, banished overseas to Perispos. Driven by vanity, she vows to become the most powerful and beautiful ruler in the world, even if it means oppressing the mortal kingdom she is meant to protect. Meanwhile a dangerous uprising led by elicromancer-hating rebels gains momentum. Rot spreads through the Forest of the West Fringe. Valory goes missing. Facing enemies on all sides, Glisette and Kadri must reckon with the role of magic. How far will they go to defend their power—and can they build an uprising of their own?

West intertwines homages to Snow White and Bluebeard with her imaginative magical setting for an exhilarating installment in the acclaimed Nissera Chronicles. Stunning hardcover edition includes a two-page map and family tree.

 

Palace of Silver is the third installment in a wonderful young adult fantasy series and one that definitely won't disappoint fans of the series. Obviously, since this is the third book in the series, I very highly recommend reading the first two books in order before this one. Otherwise you'll be pretty confused and it'll take a long time trying to figure out the various people, places, and events that are referenced from the first two books.

One of the major things that caught my attention and made me love the book was the author's writing style. If you read my reviews, you know that a book's point of view can make or break a story for me. I almost always prefer the first person POV because I feel it lets the reader connect on a deeper level with the narrator. Not only did the author write the book in the first person, but it's told from multiple perspectives. Glisette, Kadri, and Ambrosine all get a chance to tell their parts of the story. What I really loved was that each character's narrative was written in the first person, so I felt like I got to know each of them on a whole new level that wouldn't have been possible with any other writing style. I loved getting to know each of them throughout the book - their strengths and weaknesses, faults and flaws, hopes and dreams, and everything in between. It really brought their characters to life for me and made them all feel very realistic.

The plot of the story was definitely interesting with lots of things happening between the three smaller story lines. Another thing I really liked was that at the beginning of each chapter, the author lets us know who is narrating and where they are currently at and sometimes even what point in time. This really helps the reader keep track of who is where and doing what at any given time and also pulls the three smaller plots together to form the main story. The author continues to do a fantastic job with the world building. Right from the beginning, I felt like I was pulled back into their world like I had never left. I felt like I could see every little thing that was described and anything that the girls sensed (felt, smelled, saw, etc.) - I was right beside them and experiencing it all too. The plot might not be wholly unique, but it's really hard to find a book that is anymore. I didn't care that some parts of the story were obvious and I knew what was going to happen. What really mattered was getting to read each of the girls' stories as the main plot intertwined them to the climax. I loved getting to know each of the girls even better and enjoyed learning more about their world. That's what made all the difference for me personally and it was exactly what I had hoped and expected. I hope there's going to be another book in the series because I want more of these strong female leads and I want to see where the author will take us next. Very highly recommended for fans of YA fantasy, retellings, fairy tales, and readers who are already fans of the series.

 

I'm the author of young adult books including The Nissera Chronicles series and The Bitterwine Oath. ​I've been writing fantasy since kindergarten, when I penned my first tale about a princess who ran away and lived at the top of a flagpole with two loaves of bread. But it wasn't until I studied abroad in Orléans, France during college that the premise for my first novel materialized. The fairy tale castles, the snowy winter days, and a Disney princess pencil that arrived in a care package from my parents provided the inspiration that allowed me to wrangle all my untold and unfinished stories into a novel. 

I currently live in the Dallas area with my husband and our two rambunctious rescue dogs.

 Win a copy of KINGDOM OF ASH AND BRIARS, REALM OF RUINS, and PALACE OF SILVER (US Only)

Starts: April 22, 2020

Ends: May 6, 2020

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Thorn Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Thorn
Author: Intisar Khanani 
Genre: YA Fantasy/Retellings/Romance/Fairy Tales
Release Date: March 24, 2020
Publisher: Hot Key Books

Synopsis:

A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own

Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.

When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.

But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.

With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.

I ended up liking Thorn a lot more than I had anticipated, which was a welcome surprise. I really like fairy tales and fantasy, so I figured that I would enjoy this book. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised to find myself lost inside this story right from the beginning. The author does a fantastic job of bringing Alyrra's world to life with lots of detailed descriptions and vivid imagery. I could easily picture everything in my mind and slipped easily into Alyrra's world within the first couple pages. 

The plot wasn't wholly original - most fairy tales aren't - but the author put her own unique twist on the story to make it feel fresh. I loved learning about everything and everyone throughout the book - from the various kingdoms and their histories, politics, court intrigue to the characters themselves with their own backstories and personalities. The author did a great job of filling out each element of the story to make it feel like a completely realistic world and story. The writing was well done and I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting because I lost track of time. The characters were all well rounded and complex, especially Alyrra, and I loved getting to know them. Alyrra is a perfect main character for the story. She's incredibly realistic with both positive personality traits and flaws. I easily connected with her right from the beginning of the book and found myself really rooting for her during the whole story. I really liked watching her grow, change and mature throughout the novel. I also really liked getting to know the other major characters - especially Kestrin - and to see their relationships with Alyrra and others change and grow during the course of the story. I don't normally like a lot of romance when it's mixed in with another genre, like fantasy, because it almost always overshadows the main plot. I didn't feel that way with this book though - probably because the romantic aspect of Alyrra and Kestrin is a major focal point of the story itself. 

Lastly, I want to mention the author's writing style. This is a huge deal for me personally as a reader and can make or break a book for me. The author wrote this book in the first person point of view from Alyrra's perspective - which I absolutely loved. I almost always prefer the first person POV because it allows a deeper and more personal connection between the reader and the narrator. That was definitely the case with this book. We get an inside look at all of Alyrra's inner thoughts, her hopes and dreams, fears, insecurities, memories, and everything in between. This writing style lets me really bond with the narrator and allows me to slip inside the world the author created. I'm so happy that the author wrote the book in this style. Overall, I ended up really liking this book - more than I originally thought I would. I'm excited that it's the start of a series and I can't wait to see where the author and the story will take us next. I definitely recommend this novel for fans of YA, fantasy, fairy tales, retellings, and romance.

 

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She first remembers seeing snow on a wintry street in Zurich, Switzerland, and vaguely recollects having breakfast with the orangutans at the Singapore Zoo when she was five. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. 

Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar’s debut novel, Thorn, was picked up by HarperTeen and will be re-released in Winter 2020. In the meantime, she’s hard at work on the remaining books of The Sunbolt Chronicles.

On March 24th Thorn will be releasing from Hot Key (UK) and HarperTeen (US/CA)! To celebrate, I’m offering some amazing Thorn goodies to everyone who...

• pre-orders/orders a copy of Thorn before March 31st at 23:59.
• OR requests it from their library (library hold / suggested purchase) before March 31st at 23:59.

Here’s what’s up for grabs:

Physical goodies (US/UK): 

• A Thorn Bookmark
• A set of Chibi Stickers featuring Thorn characters
• A Signed Bookplate

PLUS Digital goodies (worldwide):

• A PDF of Brambles –a Thorn prequel short story so you can jump into Alyrra’s world now!
• A PDF of The (Annotated) Goose Girl –the original fairytale with annotations from yours truly in the margin
• A coloring page of three Thorn-themed bookmarks

All you need to do to enter is send a proof of purchase (or screenshot of your library hold), your name and address to khananipreorder@gmail.com. T&Cs apply!

UK entrants: Hot Key Books rocks and can mail you physical goodies as well as the digital. Check it out here: http://hotkeybooks.com/thorn-pre-order/

Non-US/UK entrants: I really, really wanted to offer you the physical goodies, but postage is a bear. If you would like to cover the cost of an international stamp ($1.20), I can absolutely mail you the goodies as well. E-mail in your proof/screenshot for your digital goodies, and I’ll link you up so you can do that.

Original link: http://booksbyintisar.com/thorn-pre-order/

The universal book link for purchasing Thorn is http://www.books2read.com/thorn 

 GIVEAWAY:

1st Prize: Win a book of your choice from Book Depository (INT*)

2nd Prize: Win a THORN swag pack (stickers, bookmark, and a signed bookplate) - INT

T&Cs:

• Book Depository: Open INTERNATIONALLY, *where Book Depository ships to (https://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent).
• Swag bundle: Open INTERNATIONALLY.

Starts: March 24, 2020

Ends: April 7, 2020

 

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