Rosalyn Eves – jenacidebybibliophile

binding of bindingsthis

It’s that time of month again, you little book stalkers!

And I’m NOT talking about the time of month for all you ladies out there!!!!

HAH!

…………..

giphy-68

cough….anyways…

It’s nearing the end of February, we’re just about to enter MARCH, and I have some AMAZING new releases to share with you!

There’s a little Fantasy, some Romance and Historical Fiction, a couple murders and bad guys. Maybe a witch or two.

You know. The usual.

giphy-77

~* My Top Ten Anticipated March Book Releases *~

1. Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Genre: YA/Sci-Fi/Dystopian

Dealing in Dreams

Sixteen-year-old Nalah runs a vicious all-girl crew in Mega City, and has worked her crew to the top of the most feared and elite. But Nalah wants to get off the streets and make a life for herself in an exclusive and luxurious place called Mega Towers. This story follows Nalah as she tries to make her dreams a reality, while also trying to protect those she cares about in the process.

It looks like it has a dystopian vibe to it – so maybe a Mad Max/Mortal Engines/Six of Crows type of feeling? Can’t wait!

giphy-69

2. Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Retelling

Bloodleaf

I feel like there are so many AMAZING retellings coming out this year!

Bloodleaf is a retelling of “The Goose Girl” and tracks Princess Aurelia as she travels to her kingdoms rival territory in order to be married to it’s Prince, Valentin. With so much hanging on the impending nuptials between these courts, much danger is presented to Aurelia during her journey as assassination attempts are made on her, and she is eventually forced to swap places with her devious lady-in-waiting.

This story sounds like a book filled with manipulative royals, which I LOVE, so I cannot wait to read it. It’s described as a mystery/fantasy, and tells the story of how Aurelia survives after being stranded and how she fulfills what is expected of her.

3. Lovely War by Julie Berry

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Genre: YA/Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Romance

Lovely War

So THIS is an interesting combination of history, romance, and some Greek mythology.

It starts in 1917 and follows four characters as they try to fight for love during a pivotal time for the world as it gears towards the first World War. It also intertwines World War II and the Greek goddess of Love/Beauty/Passion, Aphrodite, as she tells the stories of these four lovers to her husband and her lover, Hephaestus and Ares.

This story begs the question of why Love and War are always so easily intertwined, and which one wins in the end.

It feels like Atonement for the Greek Mythology obsessed.

Show of hands, please.

giphy-70

4. You Owe Me a Murder by Eileen Cook

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Genre: YA/Mystery/Thriller

You Owe Me a Murder

MUUUUURRRRR-DERRRRRRRRRRR!!!

This story is just like it sounds.

It’s about a girl, who owes another girl, a murder!

Kim and Nicki meet on a plane trip to London, where Kim confesses her contempt for her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. Eventually her ex-boyfriend ends up dead, and YOU GUESSED IT, Nicki begins to blackmail her for not holding up her end of the murdering bargain.

It sounds like it’s going to be THRILLING and mildly f***ed-up, so I am MORE than ready!

giphy-71

5. The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy

The Waking Forest

This one is shrouded in a vague description and with a sprinkle of mystery, so let’s jump in to it confused together, shall we?

The Waking Forest tells the story of a Witch and a girl named Rhea as their paths cross. Rhea lives on the edge of the forest, but finds that she is drawn to the dark and mysterious place. The Witch lives in the forest on her throne carved of bone (dope) and waits to grant the wishes of children.

I’m assuming for evil purposes.

giphy-72

6. Beware The Night by Jessika Fleck

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Beware the Night

Beware the Night is a fantastical story of rebellion, sacrificial offerings, and worshiping the Sun so that you don’t get taken at Night to never be seen or heard from again.

Strange? You bet!

In Bellona the citizens pray to the Sun for protected from the Night, when innocents are snatched from their beds without reason or cause. It sounds like a story where the character begins to realize that what she was taught isn’t what it seems, and they there may be more to fear than just the people of the Night.

7. The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal, Book 2) by Zen Cho

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Historical Fiction

The True Queen

This is book 2 in the Sorcerer Royal series, and is a series I have been DYING to read!

Book 1 is Sorcerer to the Crown and follows Zacharis Wythe, a gifted magician and Sorcerer Royal of a highly respected and elite organization. The story takes Zacharis to Fairyland (YES!) in search of a “cure” for the magic that is beginning to fade in England.

Sounds like Harry Potter meets the Fae world.

giphy-73

8. Never-Contented Things by Sara Porter

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy/LGBT

Never-contented things

Another story with little information, but one that sounds soooooo intriguing!

It is about two foster-siblings who possess an indestructible love for one another, who are seduced and ensnared by Prince and his cruel fairy courtiers.

Is it a “Cruel Prince” type of vibe? I’m really not sure. But it sounds like it is going to be EXACTLY the OPPOSITE of what you expect, and I am totally okay with that.

Can we also take a moment for this cover?

giphy-74

9. Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Genre: YA/Contemporary/Mystery

Girls with Sharp Sticks

I have been waiting SO LONG to read this!!!!

Innovations Academy is an all-girl boarding school where math and science courses are non-existent, and growing beautiful gardens and being obedient is at the top of everyone’s to-do list. The girls of Innovation Academy are sweet, docile and humble creatures. Or…are they?

I honestly have no idea what this story is going to turn into, AND I DON’T CARE!

Is it a Stepford wife tale for the Young Adults?! Is it a tale of murder and backstabbing?! ARE THEY WITCHES?!

giphy-75

I HAVE NO IDEA.

But when I find out, I’ll let you know.

(I’m kidding, I’m not going to let you know)

10. Winter War Awakening (Blood Rose Rebellion, Book 3) by Rosalyn Eves

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Winter War Awakening

Book 3 in the Blood Rose Rebellion series!

If you haven’t read the AMAZING that is book one, allow me to indulge you.

Anna’s family is part of the Luminate, magic users, but she is barren. Or so they all thought. She makes a COMPLETE mess of her sister’s debutante spell, and is shipped off to Hungary to be exiled. There Anna finds that the Luminate are not what they seem, and so ensues a tale of rebellion and even a little romance.

It is a really interesting and different sort of tale, so read it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~

There it is!

My Top Ten Anticipated Reads for March, and I am SO stoked to get this month rolling! I’d love to hear what you guys think of these books, as well as any other books that you are excited to release in the coming month.

As always, stay halfway classy but full-on witchy!

giphy-76

612B40E9C1CD2F68AD9B9A8097CED4FF

515q4t8+UpL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Blood Rose Rebellion is available for Pre-order, and will be available on March 28, 2017. Please see the links below:

Amazon.com – Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Goodreads.com – Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Barnesandnoble.com – Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Bookdepository.com – Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Disclaimer: This ARC copy was sent to me by the publisher, Random House Children’s, via NetGalley for an honest review.

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister’s debutante spell—an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic—Anna finds herself exiled to her family’s once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary.

Her life might well be over.

In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani Gábor. Not the society she’s known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can’t seem to stop herself from breaking spells.

As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna’s unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romani, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she’s always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever.

Opinion: As soon as I requested this book on Netgalley.com, I had my fingers crossed for DAYS in the hopes that I would be accepted to read and review it. After seeing quite a bit of hype about the release of this book on Goodreads and Bookstagram, I read the description and immediately felt the gut-wrenching yearning to get my hands on an ARC copy! Not only did I get that ARC copy, but I became absolutely enthralled as soon as I started reading.

In Anna Arden’s world, the high society figures referred to as Luminate wield magic and power. Anna, even though her family is of high society and nobility, was pronounced barren at her Confirmation at the age of eight. But one thing Anna can do is unintentionally break the spells that others cast, which is exactly what she does on the most important night for her sister. Without knowing what to do with her, Anna’s family sends her off to Hungary with her grandmother. In the hopes that Anna will return a proper and civilized lady, Anna sets off to a new life. But things in Hungary turn from bad to worse as a rebel tracks Anna down, begging her to use her ability to break spells to destroy the binding – which restricts the use of magic to only Luminate. Soon Anna finds herself stuck in the middle of a rebellion, unsure which side to stand with and against.

Sometimes with such a hyped up book, I worry that once I start reading I will lose interest or it won’t be as amazing as everyone claims. I can happily admit that this story turned out to be WONDERFUL! I loved the imagery that the author used, especially how she turned our world into a place with magic and strange creatures. The idea that Anna is barren and cannot wield magic like the rest of her family and fellow Luminate jump-starts the quest for Anna to find out who or WHAT she is. The reader follows Anna through different countries where she meets people of different walks of life, and becomes entangled in wanting to assist the rebels in Hungary. Anna finds herself in a compromising position: help break the binding and let magic be free to anyone that possesses the ability, or to side with her fellow Luminate and let magic be “given” to nobility and those “deserving”.

I personally liked the character of Anna, but I felt that she lacked a bit of substance. I didn’t quite make a connection to her and to the emotions that the author was trying to portray…as a matter of fact, I don’t really recall making a strong connection with any of the characters. I felt curious about what might happen to them and hoped that they wouldn’t die, but I wasn’t too chocked up about it when some of them actually did die. The relationship between Anna and Gábor starts out cold and prickly but soon turns into the romance of this book. Because Anna is Luminate and Gábor is Romani (gypsy), their love is forbidden and would be frowned upon. I found it interesting that at the end of the story, their relationship suddenly doesn’t seem to be THAT forbidden. This felt rushed and thrown together to me. What will her parents say?? Where were they?

This story has a very unique blend of historical and fantastical elements. The characters do a lot of traveling in the world, which obviously brings the use of different languages. After Anna travels to Hungary, the language barriers start to rise. There is A LOT of words that get thrown around that most of us won’t be knowing, so it makes reading a little confusing. I was getting lost at times when Gábor would say “gadzhe” or when the names of a castle or town would be said. Little did I know that there was a glossary of the words and of Luminate orders in the back of the book… *sigh*.

Those tiny things aside, I loved this story and where the author took it. Though the ending felt a little rushed to me, I think that such an extravagant story is always going to be hard to wrap up into one book. I am VERY excited to read book 2 when it is released and to see where the author is going to take Anna. I really recommend this story to anyone that loves a YA story that involves fantasy and adventure!

4-stars