Sophie Reads YA: October 2018

monthly summary

October Summary

10:00

Mimi Yu

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girl King by Mimi Yu

10:00

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 27th 2018

10:00

Blitz

Cover Reveal & Excerpt Blitz: Wither & Wayward by Jadie Jones

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Today Jadie Jones, The Parliament House, and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for WITHER & WAYWARD, the prequel and book 3 of her Young Adult Time Travel Fantasy Romance which both release in 2019! Check out the awesome covers and enter the giveaway!

On to the reveals!

Title: WITHER (The Hightower Trilogy 0.5)

Author: Jadie Jones

Pub. Date: 2019

Publisher: The Parliament House

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: ?

Find it: Goodreads

For nearly a thousand years, Lucas, an immortal shapeshifter, has waited for Spera, his murdered human lover, to reincarnate. He has no way of knowing when or where she will return, or if she will even look the same in her new life. He must rely on his ability to recognize the actions of her fiery soul and her knack for attracting a killer king’s attention.

After his search leads him to a quiet Norwegian harbor town, a surreal encounter with his own kind leads to devastating consequences, causing Lucas to question his belief in himself and his quest. With his will and options quickly fading, Lucas is offered help from an old enemy who claims to have knowledge of Spera’s return. But it comes at a price: the assassination of the immortal king who took Spera’s life.

With an army raised and a strategy in place, Lucas is ready to attack, until the sudden appearance of a ghost from his past appears, forcing Lucas to take an even bigger risk than attempting to kill a malicious king…letting him live.

WITHER – Prequel to the Hightower Trilogy

Spera’s amber eyes appear first, burning two holes in the dark of my sleeping mind. She’s inches from my face, but she doesn’t see me. No matter how many times this happens, the utter lack of recognition is a knife in my chest.

“Spera,” I hear my voice rasp, her name echoing in my skull as she turns away, her black hair blending into the night that surrounds her.

Another dream. Always the same. Chasing this dead woman through the dark.

I know how it will end: I’ll wake up calling for her, begging her to stop, to turn around, to give me any sign she knows I’m there. She won’t. She never does. But I have to follow her. The ache in my chest grows deeper the farther she goes from me. So, I follow after her, Spera navigating shadows like a ship through still water. I follow in her wake, always trailing, always two steps behind.

She startles me by breaking into a run. She’s never run before. Her bare foot touches the ground, and the black surface turns white. In an instant, snow is falling, blanketing the ground at an incredible rate and speckling her hair with tiny white dots. Another step, and the world around us pulses as the snow gives way to the greens and browns of a forest, trees thick as houses. Another step and the shadows return. The side of her face appears. Her lips part and air rushes out. Her elbows pump as she strides faster, harder.

“Wait!” I bolt after her. My conscious wrestles with the dream, threatening to roust me from this place. My focus clings to the outline of her bare shoulders, to the glint of light from sources unknown playing off her dancing hair. I want to stay where I can see her.

Before my eyes, the color of her hair shifts from black to brown, and then to red. The length shortens, and then spills long down her back again, now changing to blonde.

“Spera! It’s me! It’s Lucas! What’s happening to you? What does this mean? Let me help you!” I cry out.

She veers hard to the left and a ray of light pierces the dark, illuminating her side. She runs toward it. Her image is reduced to an outline as she eclipses the glow. I scramble to keep up. We turn again and the light fades, revealing an inky blue backdrop. The ground turns cool and damp on my bare feet. A roar grows overhead. The scent of salt fills my nose. The sensations are so vivid I have to remind myself I’m asleep.

I force my gaze away from her for a moment and look up at the blue walls, which quiver with instability. Water. We’re standing between two bodies of water that stretch so high I can’t discern where the water ends and the sky begins. A single bead of ocean water trickles down the left side to the black sand at my feet and my heart begins to pound.

Title: WAYWARD (The Hightower Trilogy #3)

Author: Jadie Jones

Pub. Date: 2019

Publisher: The Parliament House

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: ?

Find it: Goodreads

Tanzy’s journey races toward an explosive end in Wayward, the third book of the Hightower Trilogy.

Tanzy Hightower has crossed the veil between the Seen and Unseen worlds. She is now the only mortal in a land teeming with creatures who want her dead. To stay alive long enough to stop Asher and seal the door between worlds, she is forced to accept his marriage proposal and seek refuge inside his fortress. Tanzy is certain she can withstand any offers he makes to tempt her into opening the door, but he possesses a bargaining chip she could never have imagined.

On the Seen side of the veil, Tanzy’s allies are fragmented, lost, and leaderless. They must learn to work together as they gather more candidates and begin training to defend their world against unfathomable predators poised to strike should the veil holding them at bay dissolve. While Tanzy has accepted her own inevitable death in fulfilling her destiny, her closest friends refuse to stop searching for the impossible: a way to save Tanzy’s life.

A choice will be made. The veil will change. The worlds as Tanzy knows them will never be the same.

WAYWARD – Book 3 in the Hightower Trilogy

(Told from Tanzy’s point of view)

Asher’s realm stretches in front of me: a diamond tundra, the air a series of rainbows as light is refracted from the prismatic ground and reflected a million times over. The sight is impossible, glorious, breathtaking…

But my mind, my focus, my every nerve ending is centered on what—on who—is behind me; the king of this realm—Asher. His breath warms the base of my neck, and the heat from his body is near enough to send shivers up my spine. He baited me into a third kill by sending a phony candidate to attack Jayce. Jayce—who fought for me, and fought like hell for the truth—always the truth. Jayce, who might be dead, whose blood covered Reese’s shirt when she was forced through the veil with me after I killed Genesis.

In this moment, I have two truths: One—I must kill Asher, even though I have no idea how. Two—if I lose ground to Asher, I will not regain it.

My body explodes into motion. My heel aims for the dip between his thigh and his knee. Asher is faster, dropping his leg back. My momentum carries me too far forward. I stumble sideways and brace for the blow I’ve left myself open to receive.

It doesn’t come.

I fight the urge to back away. I can’t run from him—there’s no point, and I swore I would never again back down in his presence. A stupid oath, in hindsight, but it sounded good at the time, and I am roughly ninety-five percent certain he won’t kill me here and now. I also vowed to live long enough to seal the veil between our two worlds. In this moment, with that five percent feeling bigger by the second, I’m not sure I can keep both promises.

In white linen pants and a fitted t-shirt, Asher doesn’t look dressed for a fight. He puts his hands in his pockets and saunters closer, a smile on his white lips, sunlight gleaming in his black hair. “We both know you can’t kill me on my side of the veil, Tanzy. And if I wanted you dead, I’d simply leave you for the Taigo,” he says. “Any of them would be very eager to collect the bounty their leader has placed on your head.”

“I’m an Unseen now. No one can kill me here but you,” I retort, clenching my hands so he won’t see them tremble. I wonder if they’re still stained with Genesis’s blood.

Asher’s brow lifts in amusement at my misinformation. “You’re not Unseen. You are very capable of dying.”

Grab book 1 WILDWOOD!

Grab book 2 WINDSWEPT!

About Jadie:

Young-adult author. Equine professional. Southern gal. Pacific Northwest Transplant. Especially fond of family, sunlight, and cookie dough.

I wrote my first book in seventh grade, filling one hundred and four pages of a black and white Mead notebook. Back then I lived for two things: horses and R.L. Stine books. Fast forward nearly twenty years, and I still work with horses, and hoard books like most women my age collect shoes. It's amazing how much changes... and how much stays the same.

The dream of publishing a novel has hitch-hiked with me down every other path I've taken (and there have been many.) Waitress, farm manager, road manager, bank teller, speech writer, retail, and more. But that need to bring pen to paper refused to quiet. Finally, in 2009, I sat down, pulled out a brand new notebook, and once again let the pictures in my head become words on paper.

As a child, my grandfather would sit me in his lap and weave tales about the Cherokee nation, and a girl who belonged with horses. His words painted a whole new world, and my mind would take flight. My hope - my dream - is that Tanzy's journey does the same for you.

Giveaway Details:

One lucky winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Match Me If You Can

Waiting on Wednesday: Match Me If You Can by Tiana Smith

10:00

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 20th 2018

10:00

All the Wandering Light

Waiting on Wednesday: All the Wandering Light (Even the Darkest Stars #2) by Heather Fawcett

10:00

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 13th 2018

10:00

Fire and Heist

Waiting on Wednesday: Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

10:00

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 6th 2018

10:00

Love a la Mode

Waiting on Wednesday: Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

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books on my radar

October books on my radar

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I, Claudia
Series: None
Author: Mary McCoy
October 1st 2018 by Carolrhoda Books
Disaffected teen historian Claudia McCarthy never expected to be in charge of Imperial Day Academy, but by accident, design, or scheme, she is pulled into the tumultuous and high-profile world of the Senate and Honor Council. Suddenly, Claudia is wielding power over her fellow students that she never expected to have and isn't sure she wants.
Claudia vows to use her power to help the school. But there are forces aligned against her: shocking scandals, tyrants waiting in the wings, and political dilemmas with no easy answers. As Claudia struggles to be a force for good in the universe, she wrestles with the question: does power inevitably corrupt?
Goodreads

The Last Wish of Sasha Cade
Series: None
Author: Cheyanne Young
October 2nd 2018 by Kids Can Press

The day Raquel has been dreading for months has finally arrived. Sasha, her best friend in the whole world, has died of cancer. Overwhelmed and brokenhearted, Raquel can't even imagine life without her.
And then a letter from Sasha arrives. Has she somehow found a way to communicate from beyond the grave?
In fact, Sasha spent her final weeks planning an elaborate scavenger hunt for the friend she would have to leave behind. When Raquel follows the instructions to return to Sasha's grave, a mysterious stranger with striking eyes is waiting for her. There's a secret attached to this boy that only Sasha --- and now Raquel --- knows.
This boy, Elijah, might be just who Raquel needs to help her move on from her terrible loss. But can Raquel remain true to herself while also honoring her friend's final wish?
Cheyanne Young's compulsively readable breakout novel offers abiding friendship and forbidden romance, along with an incisive look at how class differences shape who we are and who we grow to be.

Goodreads

Grim Lovelies
Series: Grim Lovelies #1
Author: Megan Shepherd
October 2nd 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.
Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.
Goodreads

Damsel
Series: None
Author: Elana K. Arnold
October 2nd 2018 by Balzer + Bray
The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.
Goodreads

When We Caught Fire
Series: None
Author: Anna Godbersen
October 2nd 2018 by HarperTeen
It’s 1871 and Emmeline Carter is poised to take Chicago’s high society by storm. Between her father’s sudden rise to wealth, and her recent engagement to Chicago’s most eligible bachelor, Emmeline has it all. But she can’t stop thinking about the life she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Anders Magnuson. Fiona Byrne, Emmeline’s childhood best friend, is delighted by her friend’s sudden rise to prominence, especially since it means Fiona is free to pursue Anders herself. But when Emmeline risks everything for one final fling with Anders, Fiona feels completely betrayed.
As the summer turns to fall, the city is at a tipping point: friendships are tested, hearts are broken, and the tiniest spark might set everything ablaze. Sweeping, soapy, and romantic, this is a story about an epic love triangle—one that will literally set the city ablaze, and change the lives of three childhood friends forever.
Goodreads

The Boneless Mercies
Series: None
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
October 4th 2018 by Simon & Schuster Children's UK

They called us the Mercies, or sometimes the Boneless Mercies. They said we were shadows, ghosts, and if you touched our skin we dissolved into smoke ...
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are Boneless Mercies – death-traders, hired to kill quickly, quietly and mercifully. It is a job for women, and women only. Men will not do this sad, dark work.
Frey has no family, no home, no fortune, and yet her blood sings a song of glory. So when she hears of a monster slaughtering men, women, and children in a northern jarldom, she decides this the Mercies’ one chance to change their fate.
But glory comes at a price …

Goodreads

Carols and Chaos
Series: None
Author: Cindy Anstey
October 9th 2018 by Swoon Reads
A lady's maid and a valet become entangled in a yuletide counterfeiting scheme in this romantic Christmas YA adventure.
1817. The happy chaos of the Yuletide season has descended upon the country estate of Shackleford Park in full force, but lady's maid Kate Darby barely has the time to notice. Between her household duties, caring for her ailing mother, and saving up money to someday own a dress shop, her hands are quite full. Matt Harlow is also rather busy. He's performing double-duty, acting as valet for both of the Steeple brothers, two of the estate's holiday guests.
Falling in love would be a disaster for either of them. But staving off their feelings for each other becomes the least of their problems when a devious counterfeiting scheme reaches the gates of Shackleford Park, and Kate and Matt are unwittingly swept up in the intrigue. Full of sweetness, charm, and holiday shenanigans, Carols and Chaos is perfect for fans of Jane Austen and Downton Abbey.
Goodreads

A Sorrow Fierce and Falling
Series: Kingdom on Fire #3
Author: Jessica Cluess
October 16th 2018 by Random House Books for Young Readers
It's time for war.
After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter--and the ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.
It's time for a wedding.
Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Blackwood, but when the ritual to become his bride reveals a dark secret, she realizes that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven; it's a trap. Convincing the sorcerers of this, however, is not easy. So with Maria, the true chosen one, and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy's lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested.
In this stunning conclusion to the Kingdom on Fire series, Henrietta must choose between the love from her past, the love from her present, and a love that could define her future. While battles rage, the fate of the kingdom rests on her decision: Will she fall or rise up to become the woman who saves the realm?
It's time for Henrietta to make her stand.
Goodreads

What If It's Us
Series: None
Author: Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
October 18th 2018 by Simon & Schuster Children's UK
Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.
Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.
But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?
Goodreads

Odd One Out
Series: None
Author: Nic Stone
October 18th 2018 by Simon & Schuster Children's UK

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin comes this illuminating exploration of old friendships, new crushes, and the path to self-discovery.
Courtney "Coop" Cooper
Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn't mind. But right now, my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl.
Rae Evelyn Chin
I assumed "new girl" would be synonymous with "pariah," but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I'm right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is . . . perplexing.
Jupiter Charity-Sanchez
The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move. . . .
One story.
Three sides.
No easy answers.

Goodreads

An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason
Series: None
Author: Virginia Boecker
October 23rd 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
When Lady Katherine's father is killed for being an illegally practicing Catholic, she discovers treason wasn't the only secret he's been hiding: he was also involved in a murder plot against the reigning Queen Elizabeth I. With nothing left to lose, Katherine disguises herself as a boy and travels to London to fulfill her father's mission, and to take it one step further--kill the queen herself.
Katherine's opportunity comes in the form of William Shakespeare's newest play, which is to be performed in front of Her Majesty. But what she doesn't know is that the play is not just a play--it's a plot to root out insurrectionists and destroy the rebellion once and for all.
The mastermind behind this ruse is Toby Ellis, a young spy for the queen with secrets of his own. When Toby and Katherine are cast opposite each other as the play's leads, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. But the closer they grow, the more precarious their positions become. And soon they learn that star-crossed love, mistaken identity, and betrayal are far more dangerous off the stage than on.
Goodreads

The Darkest Star
Series: Origin #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
October 30th 2018 by Tor Teen
When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen...but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she'd only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head...
#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the universe of the Lux in this brand new series, featuring beloved characters both new and old.
Goodreads

What has caught your eye for October? Have you read any of these? Let me know :)

October Summary

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girl King by Mimi Yu

Stacking the Shelves: October 27th 2018

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (October 21st-27th) I received:

Nothing this week.

What did you receive? Let me know.

Cover Reveal & Excerpt Blitz: Wither & Wayward by Jadie Jones

Waiting on Wednesday: Match Me If You Can by Tiana Smith

Stacking the Shelves: October 20th 2018

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (October 14th-20th) I received:
For review (via NetGalley):

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Bought:

A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire #3) by Jessica Cluess

What did you receive? Let me know.

Waiting on Wednesday: All the Wandering Light (Even the Darkest Stars #2) by Heather Fawcett

Stacking the Shelves: October 13th 2018

Bought:

Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey

What did you receive? Let me know.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst

Stacking the Shelves: October 6th 2018

Waiting on Wednesday: Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

October books on my radar

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Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. This week (October 21st-27th) I received: Nothing this week. What did you receive? Let me know.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. This week (October 14th-20th) I received: For review (via NetGalley):

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson Bought:

A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire #3) by Jessica Cluess What did you receive? Let me know.

Bought: Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey What did you receive? Let me know.

Contact Form

About Me

Search

Twitter

Bloglovin'

Reading Challenge

Review Scale

Blog Archive

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (October 21st-27th) I received:

Nothing this week.

What did you receive? Let me know.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (October 14th-20th) I received:
For review (via NetGalley):

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Bought:

A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire #3) by Jessica Cluess

What did you receive? Let me know.

Bought:

Carols and Chaos by Cindy Anstey

What did you receive? Let me know.