Shade (The Shade #1) by Marilyn Peake

Finalist in the 2015 National Indie Excellence Book Awards, Young Adult Fiction category. 

 Thanks to her offbeat mother, Shade's full name is Galactic Shade Griffin. Having a name like that while being the new girl in school is pretty much catnip for bullies. The summer before Shade's junior year of high school, her mother breaks up with yet another boyfriend and moves them once again to a new town.

This time, they move into a dilapidated old house where Shade has an entire attic bedroom to herself-at least until she discovers it's haunted by the ghost of a teenaged boy named Brando Yates. When Shade's best friend goes missing, her life becomes even more complicated. With the help of Brandon who's struggling with his own issues in the world beyond, Shade faces the question of whether or not she has what it takes to become a true hero.

Although this novel deals with a number of serious issues - drug and alcohol abuse, cutting, and disturbing world events - it's primarily a novel about a teenaged girl finding out who she really is and that she's capable of so much more than she ever thought possible. 

Shade is a Young Adult Paranormal Mystery novel. 

Review

I've been getting Marilyn Peake's emails for a while but had never read any of her books, so when I got an email about joining her ARC team, I jumped on the opportunity to check out some of her work.

This book is about Galactic Shade Griffin, aka Shade, a teenager with a drug and alcohol addicted mother who has just broken up with yet another boyfriend and moved her and her daughter yet again. This time, her mother moves them into a haunted house. When girls start going missing from Shade's school, the ghosts help solve the case.  

The amount of mature, potentially triggering topics in what I assumed was a light-hearted YA fantasy book was really surprising. Pretty quickly into the book, Shade starts cutting herself. She then sees a ghost, and the knife is flung from her hand and her arms are healed. The ghost tells her that she should do art instead of cutting herself. 

In some ways, I would think this book should be considered Middle Grade, because of the writing and the maturity of some of the characters. However, there were many topics that were completely inappropriate for MG books, like human trafficking and abortion.

I'm not sure what else to say about this book. It was kind of over the place, I am interested in checking out some of the author's other work, though. Next, I am going to try The Other, which is supposed to be a sci-fi book that features aliens. The reviews on GoodReads are much more positive than they are for this book, so I'm hopeful. I'll let you know what I think! 

I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. 

Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor #2) by Mark Lawrence

In Mystic Class, Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often, even the deepest truths just make our choices harder. Before she leaves the Convent of Sweet Mercy, Nona must choose her path and take the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blue of a Mystic Sister, or the simple black of a Bride of the Ancestor and a life of prayer and service. 

All that stands between her and these choices are the pride of a thwarted assassin, the ambition of a would-be empress wielding the Inquisition like a blade, and the vengeance of the empire's richest lord.

As the world narrows around her, and her enemies attach her through the system she has sword to, Nona must find her own path despite the competing pull of friendship, revenge, ambition, and loyalty. 

And in all this only one thing is certain.

There will be blood.

Review

First of all, if you haven't read Red Sister, you should do that now! It's a great book!

I absolutely loved Red Sister and have been waiting since it first came out, about a year ago, to read the sequel! This book took me a little longer to read, but it was still awesome. 

Mark Lawrence is a great writer and has created such a unique and interesting world, full of ruthless nobles and killer nuns. What more could you ask for?

I love Nona as much, if not more than I did in the last book! She is a total badass! I also really like Zole in this book.

I like that the author put a refresher at the beginning of the book, in case readers had to wait a while between reading the first and second books, like I did. He said it is so that he "can avoid the awkwardness of having to have characters tell each other things they already know for your benefit." It was definitely nice to have a short refresher since it has been over a year since I read the first book.

This book was just as good as I thought it would be and had just as much action, if not more than the first. It definitely didn't disappoint!

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

Unraveled (Perfected #3) by Kate Jarvik Birch Blog Tour & Giveaway

Ella isn't anyone's pet anymore, but she's certainly not free. 

After exposing the dark secrets about NuPet's breeding program, forcing them to repeal the law that allowed genetically modified girls to be kept as pets, she thought girls like her would finally be free. She never dreamed that it would backfire. NuPet may have convinced the public of their intentions to assimilate pets back into society, but Ella knows it's a lie. 

They aren't planning mass rehabilitation... they're planning a mass extermination.

Now, with the help of a small group of rebels, Ella and Penn, the boy she'd give up her life for, set out to bring down NuPet for good. But when her group gets implicated in a string of bombings, no one is safe. If she can't untangle the web of blackmail and lies that extends far beyond NuPet's reach, she won't just lose her chance at freedom, she'll lose everyone she loves.

Buy links: https://entangledpublishing.com/unraveled.html

About Kate Jarvik Birch: 

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann's Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. 

Author Links:

Author Website: katejarvikbirch.com

Author Twitter: @katejarvikbirch

Author Facebook. www.facebook.com/KateJarvikBirchBooks/

Author Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/KateJarvikBirch

Author Instagram: instagram.com/kebirch

Review:

First of all, if you have not read Perfected or Tarnished yet, go out and get them right now! You'll want to read them before you start this book, and you will definitely want to start this book. 😸

I have been waiting to read this book for a long time, and it definitely did not disappoint!

This book was AWESOME! Kate Jarvik Birch definitely knows how to suck you in and keep you on the edge of your seat!

I liked this book just as much, if not more than the first 2 books in the series!

I am hoping to hear more from Ella and Penn, but I think this might be the last book in the series. If so, I can't wait to see what Kate Jarvik Birch comes up with next!

I received a copy of this book in order to participate in the blog tour.

                                

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Children of Daedala (Children of Icarus #2) by Caighlan Smith

Six months alone in the labyrinth has made her strong. But the search for the exit means gambling on an old 'friend' and going against everything she's been taught to survive. You know the labyrinth will have yet more horrors lurking in its depths. You've learned few people can be trusted. But freedom is tantalizingly close. Are you ready to take the risk? 

Review

OMG! This book was AWESOME! I absolutely loved it!!!

As with Children of Icarus, the author did a great job world building, and this book was very well-written. 

This book also kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down, and it had many twists and turns throughout the book. 

My only issue with this book was the ending. It ends with such a cliffhanger! I'm just upset that I will have to wait a long time to see what happens next. The next book in the series is not listed on GoodReads yet, so I am not sure when book #3 will be released. 

I loved Clara in this book. In the last book, she got on my nerves some, because of how weak she seemed. She has a complete transformation from the girl we meet at the beginning of Children of Icarus and the girl that is in this book.  

If you haven't read Children of Icarus, you should read it now so that you can follow up with this book!

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