#ARCstravaganza is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful Flavia over @Flavia the Bibliophilewhere book bloggers/bookstagrammers have a chance to show off their ARCs/eARCs/Galleys!
Hello Readers! This is my 13th week participating in #ARCstravaganza Monday & this week I’ve chosen Defy the Worlds (Constellation #2) by Claudia Gray & it legit makes me happy every time I walk past my shelf. Earlier this year I had the awesome opportunity of reading & reviewing Defy the Stars (my review) & ahhhhh! Bookworms! if you’re a fan of Illuminae & Gemina then please treat yo selves to this new series & thank me later HAHA! A++ world building & amazing characters have me looking into Gray’s other books that I’ve also heard great things about. One thing’s for certain, whoever Gray has as a cover artist deserves EPIC praise! they’re all so eye catching & vibrant that it makes walking past them damn near impossible.
Funny story on how I came to actually owning this arc copy…while walking past The NOVL/Little Brown booth at NYCCC my peripherals caught a flash of pink, purple, and orange hidden behind a curtain. Now, it was clear they were hidden for a surprise ARC drop later that day but I’m a sucker for vibrant book covers & so I knew I had to ask The NOVL people if it was what I thought It was (jumble of nerves be damned). Yea, like many of you out there I love a good cover reveal & so I knew Defy the Worlds fit the description lol. Well, they were more than gracious to confirm my suspicions & told me when to come back for the drop. I nearly fainted a million faints right on the showroom floor as I set my alarm on my phone. Of all the arcs I acquired that day, Defy the Worlds really got me the most excited 🙂
For more Bookish photos, click on the photo to follow LairOfBooks on Bookstagram
*Since this is a sequel, I won’t include the Goodreads synopsis for fear of spoilers.
What are some ARCS/eGalleys you’re excited to have Bookworms? Have you read Defy The Stars? I’m thinking of reading Gray’s Firebird trilogy, has anyone else read them? I’d also like to get into her Starwars books but feel as if they may go over my head since I’m not a die hard SW fan lol…sound off in the comments below
Author: Laini Taylor & illustrated by Jim Di Bartolo
Pub. Date: September 12th, 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
Formats: Physical ARC
In this stand-alone companion to the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone series comes the story of Mik and Zuzana’s fantastical first date—as a gorgeously illustrated gift edition with bonus content included.
Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to make the first move, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy is not going to know what hit him.
New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Originally published as an ebook, this new print edition will include breathtaking black and white illustrations, plus bonus content in a gorgeous package perfect for new and current fans of the series.
Night of Cake & Puppets is the novella that follows the 2nd book in The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy which happens to be one of my TOP FAVE trilogies of all time! also the reason why I’ll read anything Laini Taylor writes….EVER! I first read this novella a few years back after reading the trilogy & still remember how much I ADORED it to pieces. When I heard through the Bookish Grapevine of an illustrated edition I knew I had to read in physical format. I’m so very happy to have received this ARC from the publisher, the illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo are ON POINT! he captures the humor & quirk of this beloved character & gives the best scenes in this novella an extra dose of magic. Di Bartolo is Laini’s husband & that perhaps makes him pretty much the perfect person to illustrate this story since I’m guessing he’s had some time to get to know these characters very well. I thoroughly enjoyed his illustrations & would love to see more of this collabo 🙂
Night of Cake & Puppets is a novella set in Prague, home to Karou and her BFF Zuzana. While Karou is off on a mission (no spoilers for the DOSAB trilogy) Zuzana is on a mission of her own: to capture the heart of Mik the Violinist or at the very least his kiss!
Zuzana was an instant fave character for me because of her eccentricities, whenever I think of her the quote “Though she be little, she is fierce!”comes to mind. Just like her grandfather, Zuzana designs puppets that are very life-like as well as a bit creepy. She is a lover of all things strange, dark, and magical which makes her a perfect BFF to Karou who is all of these & more. It also manages to catch Miks attention who is working in the same stage play as Zuzana. Before Karou went off on her adventure aka scavenger hunt, she blessed Zuzana with 5 scuppies which will grant her 5 small wishes. With her scuppies for back-up, Zuzana sets out to plan the most romantic night ever sprinkled with a touch of magic.
Mik is one of the few male characters in YA that I LOVE & as such, the next time I get asked on a tag to choose a book BF (terrible memory), my pick will ALWAYS be MIK! ❤ ❤ ❤ he’s that person, the one that wishes they had a more exciting life & is just waiting for THE night that will catapult him into said life. When he first sees Zuzana, he admire her fierceness from afar but couldn’t bring himself to talk to her. Their awkward almost encounters started to increase & he was genuinely intrigued by the mystery surrounding her.
Zuzana concocts this plan for the night she’s chosen to make her feelings known to Mik but it’s going to take some participation & effort on his behalf as well lol. I was completely knocked off my feet, left smitten on the floor (not an easy feat) with this magical night from start to finish. Taylor pulls you in for the night taking you through the streets of Prague while it snows & these two complete opposites take part in their own scavenger hunt. I honestly think Laini Taylor’s pen is infused with magic & whatever she writes is destined to come to life on the page & the readers mind. Highly recommending Night of Cake & Puppets to everyone! although it would be ideal to have read the first two books in the Daughter& Smoke and Bone trilogy, it is not a pre-requisite. You will however probably end up wanting to know more about Zuzana’s mysterious friend Karou & how she comes about those magical scuppies haha! Also…there’s Cake 😉
For more Bookish photos, follow Lair Of Books on Bookstagram
*HUGE Thanks to The NOVL/Little Brown Books & Laini Taylor for the Night of Cake and Puppets ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Night of Cake & Puppets
LairOfBooks 