17 Books I Will Finally Read in 2017

I think I am not that good at keeping up with reading challenges, so this year I have decided to not participate in that many and focus more on reading what I already have on my shelves. So I made this list of 17 Books I Will Finally Read in 2017. A lot of these are books that I have had for a while, and have wanted to read but kept putting off for some reason. I want to read all 17 of these books before 2018.

Top Ten Tuesday #90: Ten Best Books I Read in 2016

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

December 27: Top Ten Best Books Of 2016 (you choose -- best books overall of what you read regardless of pub date, of a particular genre, 2016 debuts, 2016 releases, etc)

Top Ten Tuesday #89: Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

December 20: Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree (or non-book bookworm items)

Top Ten Tuesday #88: Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To For The First Half of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

December 13:  Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017 

Bookish Bingo - Fall 2016 Wrap Up

Bookish Bingo: Fall 2016 (September/October/November)

Hosted by: Pretty Deadly Reviews

I love participating in Bookish Bingo each season. And I am really happy with how I did for Fall!

November 2016 Monthly Highlights

DNF Review: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire

Title: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire

Author: Rosamund Hodge
Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Classification: Young Adult, Retelling, Fantasy
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, Balzer + Bray!)

Sabriel meets Romeo and Juliet in this stunning and atmospheric novel—the first in a duology—from the author of Cruel Beauty and Crimson Bound.
When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.
The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.
Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.
Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.
Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

Land of the Pilgrims' Pride by Callista Gingrich & Illustrated by Susan Arciero

Title: Land of the Pilgrims' Pride

(Ellis the Elephant)

Author: Callista Gingrich

Illustrator: Susan Arciero

Length: 28 pages

Publisher: Regnery Kids

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: October 1, 2012

Source: Library Book

In the New York Times bestseller, Sweet Land of Liberty, Ellis the Elephant sets off on a quest to find out how America became a free and exceptional nation. Now Ellis is back and ready to learn about the birth of our great nation in Land of the Pilgrims' Pride. Written and illustrated by Callista Gingrich and Susan Arciero, Ellis once again educates and entertains as he discovers America's thirteen original colonies. Starting in Virginia, Ellis journeys through each of the colonies and learns about their unique characteristics. From Pocahantas to Benjamin Franklin, Ellis experiences life in Colonial America. Perfect for children ages 4-8, Land of the Pilgrims' Pride will delight young and adult readers alike while exploring how America began.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes & Illustrated by Doris Barrette

Title: Thanks for Thanksgiving

Author: Julie Markes

Illustrator: Doris Barrette

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: August 17, 2004

Source: Library Book

Everyone knows that Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks - the question is, where to begin? From the turkey on the table to warm, cozy cuddles, life is full of small things and bigger pleasures. But what is most important is being able to share them with family!Julie Markes reminds kids and adults alike about the little details that make each day enjoyable, while Doris Barrette's beautiful and striking illustrations bring her thoughtful words to life.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston & Illustrated by Rich Deas

Title: 10 Fat Turkeys

Author: Tony Johnston

Illustrator: Rich Deas

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: Cartwheel

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: October 1, 2004

This silly rhyming story about ten turkeys teaches children how to count backwards.
"Looky!" says a silly turkey swinging from a vine.Gobble gobble wibble wobble.Whoops! Now there are nine.
Girls and boys will gobble up this hilarious story about ten goofy turkeys and their silly antics: swinging from a vine, strutting on a boar, doing a noodle dance, and more. Veteran author Tony Johnston has written a joyful text, which first-time illustrator Richard Deas brings to life as wild and wacky fun!

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

The Silly Turkey Party by Steve Metzger & Illustrated by Jim Paillot

Title: The Silly Turkey Party

Author: Steve Metzger

Illustrator: Jim Paillot

Length: 30 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: November 2008

Source: Paperback

Oh No! Farmer Joe is Sick! Cassie, Wing, and Ollie will have to keep quiet during Thanksgiving dinner so they won't disturb his nap. But when uninvited guests crash the party, the turkeys wonder if they'll be kicked off the farm for good...

GoodReads 

The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley & Illustrated by Andrew Day

Title: The Leaves on the Trees

Author: Thom Wiley

Illustrator: Andrew Day

Length: 24 pages

Publisher: Cartwheel Books (Imprint of Scholastic)

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: July 1, 2011

Source: Paperback

THE LEAVES ON THE TREES revels in the sights, sounds, smells, and general feeling of the autumn leaves. 
Based on the classic song, "The Wheels on the Bus," THE LEAVES ON THE TREES explores all types of trees making the magical transformation from the green leaves of summer to fascinating foliage of fall. 

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million 

Top Ten Tuesday #87:Ten Movies I Remember Watching While Growing Up

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

November 15: Movie Freebie -- top ten all time favorite movies, top ten foreign films, top ten rom-coms, top ten 90's movies, top ten action flicks, top ten tear-jerkers, top ten movies your favorite actor/actress is in, top ten movies with PoC leads, etc. etc.)

Sparky! by Jenny Offill and Illustrated by Chris Appelhans

Title: Sparky!

Author: Jenny Offill

Illustrator: Chris Appelhans

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: March 11, 2014

Source: Library Books

The ingenious author of 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore and a brilliant illustrator and production designer of the Coraline movie have created a hilarious, touching picture book perfect for young animal lovers. Like the Caldecott Medal-winning Officer Buckle and Gloria, Sparky stars a pet who has more to offer than meets the eye. When our narrator orders a sloth through the mail, the creature that arrives isn't good at tricks or hide-and-seek . . . or much of anything. Still, there's something about Sparky that is irresistible.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

Title: Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late

Author & Illustrator: Mo Willems

Length: 40 pages

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: February 28, 2006

Source: Library Book

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

October 2016 Highlights

Wow, October was an extremely busy month for me. So I didn't spend a lot of time reading. It doesn't help that I am also in the biggest reading slump. I just haven't felt like reading. I have spent a lot of my month working on crocheting projects. 

Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas

Title: Rose & Thorn 

(Ash & Bramble #2)
Author: Sarah Prineas
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Classification: Young Adult, Retellings, Fantasy
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, HarperTeen!)

This beauty isn’t sleeping! Discover the true story of Sleeping Beauty in Sarah Prineas’s bold YA fairy-tale retelling filled with thrilling adventure and romance, perfect for fans of The Lunar Chronicles and The Girl of Fire & Thorns trilogy.
After the spell protecting her is destroyed, Rose seeks safety in the world outside the valley she had called home. She’s been kept hidden all her life to delay the three curses she was born with—curses that will put her into her own fairy tale and a century-long slumber. Accompanied by the handsome and mysterious Watcher, Griff, and his witty and warmhearted partner, Quirk, Rose tries to escape from the ties that bind her to her story. But will the path they take lead them to freedom, or will it bring them straight into the fairy tale they are trying to avoid?
Set in the world of Sarah Prineas’s Ash & Bramble fifty years later, Rose & Thorn is a powerful retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale where the characters fight to find their own Happy Ever After.

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!) by Julie Falatko & Illustrated by Tim Miller

Title: Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!)

Author: Julie Falatko

Illustrator: Tim Miller

Length: 40 pages

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Source: Library Book

Snappsy the alligator is trying to go about his very ordinary day when a pesky narrator steps in to spice up the story with slanderous claims. Is Snappsy making crafty plans? Is he prowling for defenseless birds and soft, fuzzy bunnies? Is Snappsy a big, mean alligator who’s obsessed with snack foods that start with the letter P? It’s no wonder Snappsy won't invite the narrator to his party! 
Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) is an irreverent look at storytelling, friendship, and creative differences from a pair of rising stars in the picture book world.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

September 2016 Highlights

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Title: Three Dark Crowns

(Three Dark Crowns #1)
Author: Kendare Blake
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, Harper Teen!)

When kingdom come, there will be one.
In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.
The last queen standing gets the crown.

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

Top Ten Tuesday #86: Books I Read Because of Other Book Bloggers

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

October 11:  All About Books You Read Because of Recommendation -- Ten Books I've Read Because Of Another  Blogger (Or Book Person) or Ten Books I Read On Recommendation From People Outside Of This Community or you could talk about recommendations of books you read from other sources -- a magazine, a podcast, a "because you read this" algorithm.

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long & Illustrated by David Shannon

Title: Pirates Don't Change Diapers

Author: Melinda Long

Illustrator: David Shannon

Length: 44 pages

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: March 1, 2007

Source: Library Book

When the pirate crew turns up at Jeremy Jacob's house and accidentally wakes his baby sister, that wee scallywag howls louder than a storm on the high seas. Sure, there's buried treasure to be found, but nobody's digging up anything until Bonney Anne quits her caterwauling. So, quicker than you can say "scurvy dog," Braid Beard and his swashbuckling pirates become . . . babysitters? Blimey!     This hilarious companion to How I Became a Pirate reveals that minding the nursery can be even more terrifying than walking the plank--especially if you're a pirate. 

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long & Illustrated by David Shannon

Title: How I Became a Pirate

Author: Melinda Long

Illustrator: David Shannon

Length: 44 pages

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: September 1, 2003

Source: Library Book

Pirates have green teeth—when they have any teeth at all. I know about pirates, because one day, when I was at the beach building a sand castle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view.So proclaims Jeremy Jacob, a boy who joins Captain Braid Beard and his crew in this witty look at the finer points of pirate life by the Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator David Shannon and the storyteller Melinda Long. Jeremy learns how to say “scurvy dog,” sing sea chanteys, and throw food . . . but he also learns that there are no books or good night kisses on board: “Pirates don’t tuck.” A swashbuckling adventure with fantastically silly, richly textured illustrations that suit the story to a T. 

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday #47: Blood For Blood

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Squid and Octopus Friends for Always by Tao Nyeu

Title: Squid and Octopus Friends for Always

Author & Illustrator: Tao Nyeu

Length: 40 pages

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: June 28, 2012

Source: Library Book

A friend for always is someone who... knows how to cheer you up when you're feeling droopy, usually sees things your way, and never lets a quarrel get out of hand. As you'll see in these endearing, silly stories, a friend for always is the very best thing in the deep blue sea.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

My Latest Binge #11: Stranger Things & The Remnant Chronicles

I really like to binge watch and binge read series! It is so easy to do. And so I want to share all my latest and current binge watches and binge reads with all of you! Sometimes it might just be something I'm watching or something I'm reading or both! 

Waiting on Wednesday #46: Illusion

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

August 2016 Highlights

Summer Bookish Bingo & #VASRP Wrap-Up

Bookish Bingo: Summer 2016 (June/July/August)

Hosted by: Pretty Deadly Reviews

I LOVE participating in Bookish Bingo. But sadly, this time around I didn't do well. No bingos for me this time. Hopefully I will do better next time!

Name in Title: Rose & Thorn (Ash & Bramble #2)

Aussie Author:

Magic: The King Slayer (The Witch Hunter #2)

Water on Cover: Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2)

Historical Setting: 1900-1950's:

F/F or M/M Romance:

White Cover: Confess 

June, July, or August Release: Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill

Folklore or Myths:

Weather Words in Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)

Red Cover: Juliet Immortal (Juliet Immortal #1)

Part of a 4+ Book Series:

Free: These Shallow Graves

PoC MC:

A Book About Books: Famous in Love (Famous in Love #1) 

Over 500 Pages: The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) 

2016 Debut: The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1)

Mental Health:

Starts with S, U, M, E, or R: Even in Paradise

Yellow Cover: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two

Middle Grade: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Outdoors:

Food in Title or On Cover:

Political Intrigue: Break Me Like a Promise (Once Upon a Crime Family #2)

Monsters:

2016 Virtual Summer Reading Program

Hosted By:  Read. Sleep. Repeat and He Said Books Or Me

Goal: 25 Books 

My Summer Reading List:

1. Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
2. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
3. Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot
4. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
5. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
6. Never Never by Brianna Shrum
7. The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt
8. The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris
9. Hello? by Liza M. Wiemer
10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
11. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
12. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
13. Two Summers by Aimee Friedman
14. The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1) by Jenny Han
15. It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2) by Jenny Han
16. We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3) by Jenny Han
17. Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill
18. Famous in Love (Famous in Love #1) by Rebecca Serle
19. How to Love by Katie Cotugno
20. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
21. The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson
22. The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson
23. The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary E. Pearson
24. The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
25. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

As you can see I read 17 books from my Summer TBR list! Yay! I really wanted to read all 25, but sadly I ran out of time. I also read a few other books that were not on my list. I'm not sure if those count, but I thought I would still share ALL the books I read during the #VASRP time frame (June 20th - September 5th)!

1. Juliet Immortal (Juliet Immortal #1) by Stacey Jay
2. Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) by Stacey Jay
3. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
4. The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1) by Jenny Han
5. It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2) by Jenny Han
6. We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3) by Jenny Han
7. The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavit
8. Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill
9. The Fine Art of Pretending (The Fine Art of Pretending #1) by Rachel Harris
10. The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson
11. Famous in Love (Famous in Love #1) by Rebecca Serle
12. Dumplin' (Dumplin' #1) by Julie Murphy
13. The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson
14. Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot
15. The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary E. Pearson
16. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Parts One and Two (Harry Potter #8) by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
17. Rose & Thorn (Ash & Bramble #2) by Sarah Prineas
18. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord
19. How to Love by Katie Cotugno
20. Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
21. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

So I read a total of 21 books during the Virtual Adult Summer Reading Program. I really wanted to reach my goal, but I am actually REALLY HAPPY with my results. Summer is usually my busiest time of the year. My girls are out of school, so I am usually spending all my free time with them and my family. I was so busy, I really didn't participate in this event as much as I wanted. I kept forgetting to do the Challenges and forgot all about the twitter chats. I am still glad I joined though, I think I would have read a lot less this summer if I wouldn't have. (Last year I didn't even read 5 books during summer vacation, it was the biggest reading slump!)

I didn't reach all my summer goals. But overall, I am really happy with my summer reading this year. What books did you read during summer vacation? 

Waiting on Wednesday #45: Gemina

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Pigeon Needs a Bath! by Mo Willems

Title: The Pigeon Needs a Bath!(Pigeon)

Author & Illustrator: Mo Willems

Length: 40 pages

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: April 1, 2014

Source: Library Book

The Pigeon really needs a bath! Except, the Pigeon's not so sure about that. Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It's going to take some serious convincing to try and get the Pigeon to take the plunge.

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday #44: Nemesis

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Break Me Like a Promise by Tiffany Schmidt

Title: Break Me Like a Promise
(Once Upon a Crime Family #2)
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Length: 416
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Retelling
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you, Bloomsbury!)
Read: June 2016

No one is unbreakable.
All Magnolia Vickers has ever wanted was to follow father’s path as head of the Family Business. But new legislation is poised to destroy the Family’s operations in the black-market organ trade and Maggie’s recent behavior has wrecked the business-savvy reputation she’s worked her whole life to build.
She’s given an ultimatum: shape up or step aside.
Then Maggie messes up: she downloads a virus onto her father’s computer, and must sneak it off-estate for repair. When Alex, a tech whiz, uncovers the type of information on the machine, he offers Maggie a choice: her Family can give him a kidney, or he’ll irreparably scramble the data. Maggie agrees, but has no intention of keeping her promise or ever seeing him again. That night Alex shows up at her Family estate with copies of confidential Family files and a shocking revelation—the kidney is for him.
The Vickers aren’t willing to let Alex out of their sight, so he moves onto their estate and Maggie is assigned to be his keeper. A task she resents and he enjoys making as challenging as possible. But procuring black market organs is becoming increasingly difficult, and as Alex’s health declines, she’s surprised to find herself falling for him.
Like it or not, Maggie must accept that if she wants to save Alex’s life and carve out a place in the new legalized organ business, she’s going to have to fight for both. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

Title: The Crown's Game

(The Crown's Game #1)
Author: Evelyn Skye
Length: 399 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Historical Fiction
Release Date: May 17, 2016
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, Balzer + Bray!)

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.
Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?
For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.
And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.
As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear—the Crown’s Game is not one to lose. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

Mini Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars
(Starbound #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Length: 378 pages
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Source: Hardback & e-book

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth. 
The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || Book Depository

How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz

Title: How to Find Gold

Author: Viviane Schwarz

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: March 8, 2016

Source: Library Book

Finding gold isn’t easy. In fact it’s dangerous and difficult. It requires planning. First, Crocodile and Anna practice their secret-keeping faces. Then Anna lifts Crocodile up, to be sure she’s strong enough to carry gold. Together, they draw the whole world, with an X to mark the spot. Now Anna fetches the boat, and off they sail. What will they discover?

GoodReads ||  Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million || The Book Depository