The Invisible Library Series by Genevieve Cogman

The first installment of an adventure featuring stolen books, secret agents and forbidden societies - think Doctor Who with librarian spies!

Irene must be at the top of her game or she'll be off the case - permanently...

 Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. And along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she's posted to an alternative London. Their mission - to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it's already been stolen. London's underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find her book.

Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested - the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creature and unpredictable magic. Irene's new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own. 

Soon, she's up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option - the nature of reality itself is at stake. 

Review

I have wanted to read The Masked City so bad, since it was first released, but I never came across a copy and there were a lot of people ahead of me, on hold to download a copy from the library. So, it would have taken forever.

Then, I came across The Burning Page on NetGalley. I read the description and was interested, not even realizing that it was the third (and I until just not, what I thought was the final, but keep reading) book in the same series as The Masked City.

I wasn't even aware of this fact until I was approved to receive a review copy of the book, and thus began my wonderful journey through this magnificent series.

Background from Book One, The Invisible Library:

The first book explains all about the secret library that exists across worlds in an alternative reality. The Librarians' purpose is to "obtain" (and sometimes steal) rare books from various worlds in order to preserve them, which helps them maintain order. The first book is the first of such adventures for Irene, a junior Librarian, and her new assistant, Kai.

Throughout the story, all kinds of obstacles prevent them from retrieving the book in a world filled with chaos and magic. They make friends and enemies along the way, and the ending is the perfect set up for the second book, The Masked City.

No spoilers, but oh boy was a happy that I waited to read The Masked City.

The Masked City was worth the wait, but I am soooo glad that I didn't have to wait to read if after finishing The Invisible Library. I would have cried.

Instead of crying and wishing that I had a time machine to travel to the point in the future where I could pick up a copy, I was able to start reading the second book immediately after finishing the first.

While I like the cover that is listed on the main GoodReads site for The Burning Page, I have to show you the cover that was presented on the NetGalley site and was used for some editions of the book.

So, I received my copy of The Burning Page and realized that I absolutely had to get copies of the first two books so that I could review it. I know, torture, right?! 

The Burning Page starts out with an Inter-Library notice of the status of several alternate worlds, letting the Librarians know which worlds are safe, and which are prohibited from travel. Some are at war, some are experiencing power struggles between the fae (who crave chaos) and the dragons (who strive for order), and some have been looking a little too closely into the Library's dealings, making them not safe for travel, as Librarians must never reveal the existence of the Library or their relationship to it. 

Apparently some worlds have cloned dinosaurs. I particularly like this quote in one of the notices:

In fact, we wish to remind all Librarians that they are here to collect books, not dinosaurs. Those Librarians who have problems distinguishing between the two should take a refresher course in Library basics.

Again, I am so glad that I did not have to wait read this book! I would have cried if I had to wait to see how the story ends...

At the time I wrote the above statement, I thought that The Burning Page was the last book in the series. However, just now, as I was pulling the covers for this post, I saw that another book has been added, and I cannot contain by excitement! Here is the cover that is posted for The Lost Plot, scheduled to be released this December.

The description was finally added for The Lost Plot yet on GoodReads!

The fourth title in Genevieve Cogman's witty and wonderful The Invisible Library series, The Lost Plot is an action-packed literary adventure. 

In a 1930s-esque Chigago, Prohibition is in force, fedoras, flapper dresses and tommy gus are in fashion, and intrigue is afoot. Intrepid Librarians Irene and Kai find themselves caught in the middle of a dragon vs. dragon contest. It seems a young Librarian has become tangled in this conflict, and if they can't extricate him, there could be serious political repercussions for the mysterious Library. And, as the balance of power across mighty factions hangs in the balance, this could even trigger war. 

Irene and Kai find themselves trapped in a race against time (and dragons) to procure a rare book. They'll face gansters, blackmail and fiendish security systems. And if this doesn't end well, it could have dire consequences on Irene's job. And, incidentally, for her life...

So, thank you, NetGalley for alleviating my sorrow at having to wait to read The Burning Page. I will be anxiously waiting for the chance to read The Lost Plot!

               

Gambit by C.L. Denault

In Earth's battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills ride to power and fame. Those without live in poverty.

Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she's thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she's never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.

Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?

Review

I got this book a long time ago and forgot that I had it. I'm trying to catch up on my reading, because I requested a bunch of books to read over the next few months. So, I'm trying to get through the ones I already have, which is taking some time, since I'm also taking classes again, now. 

I'm sad that I waited so long to read this book! It was AH-MAY-ZING! It reminded me a little of Six of Crows, which is one of my favorite books,

Will is an awesome character!  I absolutely loved her! I ♥ the tiger references! More below (**contains spoilers**).

Despite how much I absolutely ♥ ♥ ♥ this book, I was really sad after I finished it. Somehow I had slipped over this book on my NetGalley shelf, due to the new-ish format, where all of the books you have requested are not all in the same place and are spread out in several different spots. 

By the time I realized that this book had been moved to a different section, I could't download it. Thank god it was available to download through the library, because knowing my cheap self, I probably wouldn't have bought it, which would have been a HUGE mistake! I'm so glad that I didn't just delete it from my shelf since I couldn't download it from NetGalley anymore! 

However, I am sooo sad that the next books in the series haven't been released yet! When I saw how long Gambit had been on my shelf and looked at the release days, I was so excited, because I thought that I might get to keep reading after I finished it, but there is no release date listed on the second book in the series yet. ☹️

However, I did email the author to see if she would be willing to send me an ARC of the next book, and she was super nice and responded the next day. She said that she is not sure when it will be released yet, but she will put me on a list to be sent an ARC! 

**BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW**

If you plan to read the book and don't want to know any more, I suggest stopping here.

While I do see the appeal, and I do understand it, I was super disappointed with the way Willow submits to Reece. I know she is only 16, but still... However, I am willing to admit that by the end of the book, my mind was starting to change about him too, but I still have my reservations. 

Side note: I ♥ ♥ ♥ Tem and hope that we will see more of him in the coming books. 

I am super excited to see what happens next and learn more about Joshua and how Kane fits into everything. 

I will be (not so) patiently waiting for the next book!

I kind of received a copy of this book from NetGalley, but not really. 

Numbers Ignite (Numbers Game #2) by Rebecca Rode

Treena and Vance think they've escaped the numbers game forever. They're wrong.

After Treena's disastrous attempt to unite the nation, she has the deaths of hundreds haunting her dreams. Now, with hatred and accusations following her past the border, she's determined to leave that horrible day behind and find a peaceful, uneventful life with Vance and the settlers. But when she starts seeing mysterious figures hiding in the abandoned cities at night and uncovers a strange desert population, she realizes there's a danger much greater than NORA to worry about - and she just abandoned her people to their fate. 

Vance is a prisoner. Being rejected by the girl he loves and put on trial for betraying his clan are bad enough, but now he's been framed for a crime he never committed. Their less-than-perfect refuge has become the political game of a madman, and Vance is the only one who can stop it - if he can keep from being executed first. 

Treena and Vance are still very much in the game, and this time, it will take everything they have to save those they love. 

About the Author:

Rebecca Rode is the international bestselling author of the Numbers Game trilogy and Love Right, a sweet romance. Her published works also include the inspirational book for mothers, How to Have Peace when You're Falling to Pieces, and various freelance articles in the Desert News, Provo Daily Herald, KSL.com, Family Share, and Schooled Magazine. She loves cheesy martial arts movies, chocolate-banana shakes, and good, old-fashioned romance. Rebecca lives with her husband and four children. 

Social Media Links for the Author:

http://www.facebook.com/authorrebeccarode

https://twitter.com/rebeccarode

Review:

Holy crap! This book was awesome! 

This book has so many surprises and twists and turns! I loved it!

I ♥ Vance and Treena! In case you also read my review of Red Winter and were wondering... No, my stance on cookie cutter romance plot lines being thrown into what would otherwise be awesome YA books has not changed one bit. The author just did a really good job with the love story in these books. It did not take away from the character development or from the focus on the other things going on in the book. It added an important aspect that I do not think the book would have been as good without.

The author did an excellent job of world building in Numbers Game, and in this book, she introduces readers to totally different aspects of that world, outside of NORA.

I loved following Treena's epic journey and first time outside of NORA. However, I was a bit disappointed by the ending. Mostly because it didn't keep going, but also, I feel like it just cut off and didn't have any kind of closure or provide a good transition into the next book.

The only thing that redeems this and relieves my frustration with the ending is that the final book in the series has already been released, and I do not have to wait to see what happens next.

Also, I want to thank Rebecca Rode for providing Chan's Story (Numbers Game #1.5) for free, for signing up for her newsletter. It was nice to read a story from a different character's POV about part of what was happening during the first book. I also saw that the author wrote Ruby's Story (Numbers Game #2.5), which I bet is AWESOME! I can't wait to read it! I ♥ Ruby!

I just got done reading Chan's Story, and plan to read Ruby's Story next. Then, I have a few more books that I previously made commitments to read, but after that, I HAVE to read Numbers Raging to find out what happens next! I'll post my review soon!

I received this book from the author, through the Review Chain, in exchange for an honest review.

$10 Amazon Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

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Red Winter Trilogy by Annette Marie

      

I am doing this review a little differently than all of my other reviews, since I am doing one review for the trilogy, instead of three separate reviews. I am posting the review first, with a synopsis of each book below, so you don't have to read through all of them before getting to the review, in case you don't want any spoilers. I will also try to make my review as spoiler-free as possible.

I requested to read this trilogy a while ago, and frankly, I didn't realize that I was getting the whole trilogy, instead of just the first book. That was an awesome surprise, because after I finished the first book, I immediately wanted to keep reading the rest of the series!

I initially planned to do a separate post for each book, but as soon as I started reading the first book, I couldn't stop until I got to the end of the story (and even then, I was sad that I couldn't keep reading), and even though I knew that it was a trilogy when I started reading, I was super disappointed that there is not a fourth (and 5th) book that continues the story after Immortal Fire.

While it took me a few chapters to get into the first book, once the action starts, it doesn't stop! The first few chapters were needed for world building, as there are many different aspects to learn before getting into the main part of the story.

The author did an excellent job of this! She did a great job of world-building and explaining all the intricacies involved with Emi's commitment and connection to Amaterasu.

I seriously got soooo sucked into these books! I absolutely loved EVERYTHING about them!!!!

I fell in love with the characters, their world, and absolutely EVERY aspect of the book! I am super impressed by Annette Marie! She not only did an excellent job of building this amazing world, filled with gods and goddesses, and their "counterparts," yokai, but she also wove all of this into traditional Japanese culture.

I loved Emi! I love the transition she goes through in the book. In the beginning, she is so sheltered and timid of any and all life experiences that are normal for most girls her age, but by the end, her perception of the world has changed and she is going extraordinary things that most girls her age couldn't dream of.

After saying that, I have to say: I ♥ ♥ ♥ Shiro!!! I loved his personality and how mischievous he is! I love how his relationship with Emi starts and how it evolves throughout the books!

I know that I am SUPER critical of most books and their romantic aspects. I even fell in love with the romance in these books... The author wrote it so well!

I really cannot say enough good things about this series, and I definitely can't say anything bad!

I will say that I am super sad to be leaving Emi and her magical world behind. I'm sad that it's a trilogy, and I won't get to see what happens after Immortal Fire ended. However, I still CAN'T EVEN get over how the story ended! I think it was the perfect ending to an amazing trilogy!

I encourage anyone who likes YA fantasy to read this trilogy! Even if you (like me), are tired of typical romantic aspect included in many YA fantasy books, that tend to take the focus away from the story and the characters, I guarantee that the romance in the book is an exception.

I received these books through Xpresso Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review.

In a few short months, Emi's mortal life will end when she becomes the human host of an immortal goddess. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body and soul to unite with the goddess - and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.

Shiro is a spirit of earth and an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move, and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can't match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command - whether she wants him to not. 

On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate - but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope... and hope is all she has left. 

Red Winter includes 10 full-page illustrations by award-winning artist Brittany Jackson.

Emi has dedicated her life to becoming the perfect vessel for the goddess Amaterasu, but the insidious betrayal of another deity has changed everything. Now, Amaterasu has charged Emi with an urgent mission: to find and free the earthly gods before mankind is brought to its knees beneath divine tyranny.

At her side is Shiro, the mysterious fox spirit. When she first saved his life, she could never have imagined that behind his cunning and confidence, he was lost - his power bound by a devastating curse and his memories obscured. His veiled history is somehow tied to the missing gods, but he can't remember how or why. 

As their search leads them into the murky depths of the spirit realm, the shadows of Shiro's past begin to emerge. With each brief awakening of his true self, she loses a little more of him. The fate of the heavens and earth rest in her mortal hangs, and she must find the missing gods before time runs out for her world -- and for Shiro.

Dark Tempest includes 10 full-page illustrations by award-willing artist Brittany Jackson. 

Once, Emi believed the heavenly gods were righteous and wise, while the earthly yokai spirits were bloodthirsty and evil. But with a traitorous deity poised to destroy her world, and the yokai standing as humanity's only defense, the lies of her upbringing have toppled to reveal a far more terrifying reality. 

Despite the looming threat, Emi can't escape her greatest distraction: Shiro, the fox yokai who has so deftly claimed her heart for his own. Soon - too soon - she will have to break the curse that minds his magic and memories. And once the ancient power inside him awakens, the yokai she loves will be changed forever. 

As the earthly gods gather to wage war against the heavens, Emi and Shiro must gamble everything to turn the tide against their immortal, all-powerful foes. Together, the will find a way to save the world - even if it means losing each other. 

Marked in Ink: A Tattoo Coloring Book by Megan Massacre

I love this coloring book! It is high-quality, and the pages are thick, card-stock paper, one-sided so that you have the option to remove the pages and display your artwork, without having another picture on the back, going to waste and not being seen.

There are a wide variety of different styles and designs, and this book is suitable for anyone that likes to color. The designs include skulls, flowers, animals, dream catchers, and all kinds of other designs. If you like tattoos, or even if you just like coloring, I guarantee that you will like this coloring book!

Here's a design from the book that I colored:

This is the first page in the book. Isn't it cute?

Her is a picture of the book's creator, tattoo artist, Megan Massacre:

I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review. 

Severed Ties (Jagged Scars, #2) by Jo Schneider

Wendy is no stranger to death - she killed her first Skinny before she was ten - but the slaughter of her own family is personal. Pelton's betrayal to the Den planted a wicked seed in Wendy's heart that is slowly growing into a ravenous monster bent on revenge. Its rage is bleeding into her dreams, her nightmares, and her waking hours, staining everything, including her sanity.

When the monster almost overpowers her, Wendy decides she should leave Shelter. But before her friends will let her go, a plague sweeps through the complex. Doc doesn't have the meds they need to cure it, but the map Wendy wrestled from Pelton could lead them to a place that does. Now, Wendy must hold her mind together long enough to keep everyone she knows from dying. Again.

I absolutely loved Fractured Memories! So, when I got to the end and discovered that by signing up for the author's newsletter, I could read the next book in the series for free, I jumped on it and immediately signed up and downloaded Severed Ties. 

I loved this book just as much as the first one! It continued to develop the dystopian world and story, with just as many twists and turns as the first book.

Again, this book left off at a great point to start the next chapter of Wendy's journey but didn't leave me checking to make sure that the book was actually over. This book also refrains form trying to shove romance where it doesn't belong. Wendy is working through some MAJOR trauma. To try to shove her into her first romantic relationship ever, while she is still struggling with so many other things would just be wrong. Again, I am thankful that the author did not ruin her book by placing the cookie cutter YA love triangle in the middle of it.

She doesn't let a crush on a boy dominate her thoughts and make everything else irrelevant. She doesn't change everything and become an idiot just because she has a crush on a guy. Throughout the book, Wendy remains a complete badass who will do anything to save others.

This was an AWESOME follow up to Fractured Memories! I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

Please note: While I desperately want to download book #3 right now and continue reading (I immediately pulled it up on Amazon, as soon as I finished reading), I have another trilogy to read and review in the next two weeks that I committed  to first. :( So, I will be waiting (somewhat patiently) to continue reading and see what happens next!

I received a copy of Fractured Memories for free through The Review Chain in exchange for an honest review.