#ARCstravaganza #12

#ARCstravaganza is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful Flavia over @Flavia the Bibliophile where book bloggers/bookstagrammers have a chance to show off their ARCs/eARCs/Galleys!

Hello Readers! This is my 12th week participating in #ARCstravaganza Monday & this week I’ve chosen Children Of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (The Orïsha Legacy #1)!!! 😱😱😱 I’m still amazed that I actually got a arc copy at Bookcon. Legit one of the TOP books of 2018 & for me, one that I’ve had my eye on since the beginning of this year. I had even featured COBAB on a Waiting On Wednesdays & the Universe granted my wish 🙌🏼 the cover is STUNNING but the synopsis stopped me in my tracks. A diverse young adult fantasy filled with a complex magic system, a Reaper who summons souls, a matriarchy and so much more! gahhh! 🤗🤗🤗 luckily it is close to 500pgs long which means plenty of time to live in this world. Also, if the book isn’t enough to hold me over while I wait for the sequel, maybe the movie will (Dateline article) 😆 COBAB will be out in the Wild March 6th 2018 & I will definitely be reading & reviewing in time for publication date 💜

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Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers–and her growing feelings for the enemy.

What are some ARCS/eGalleys you’re excited to have Bookworms? are you also looking forward to Children of Blood and Bone? sound off in the comments below 🙂

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Waiting On Wednesday

Children Of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 6th 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 448 pages

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

This is the 1st Waiting On Wednesday I’ve been over the moon excited to share in a very long time! Although I have plenty of books on my radar, only 1 takes the title of most anticipated for 2018 in my planner & that is Children of Blood and Bone! I’ve been patiently waiting for a cover reveal & it was absolutely worth the wait *heart eyes emoji* the words beautiful & stunning come to mind but really don’t do it justice. Children of Blood and Bone is slated to be the biggest YA Fantasy of 2018, steeped in African Culture with its own Mythology, the world building alone calls my name. I am eager to meet these characters, learn their magic/world, and welcome them in my heart. As most of you know, I am passionate about Diversity & to see it make its way into YA feels like a victory!

Children of Blood and Bone is already being adapted for the big screen (see here) & the author, 23 year old Tomi Adeyemi is said to have scored one of the biggest YA book publishing deals of all time. The article I’ve linked above mentions talk of Children of Blood and Bone being called “Black Lives Matter-inspired fantasy”…If this hasn’t convinced you to add this book to your TBR’s maybe the authors profile bio will…

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer and creative writing coach based in San Diego, California. Her debut novel, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, comes out March 6th, 2018 and the movie is currently in development at Fox with the producers of Twilight and The Maze Runner attached. After graduating Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not working on her novels or watching Scandal, she can be found blogging and teaching creative writing to her 3,500 subscribers at tomiadeyemi.com. Her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

I would love to know if any of my fellow bookworms are anticipating this title or any other diverse YA Fantasy books you are looking forward to reading. Drop those comments down below <3’s!

Waiting On Wednesday

Devils & Thieves (Devils & Thieves #1) by Jennifer Rush

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Pages: 336 pages

*click on cover for Goodreads

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

thrilling new urban fantasy filled with magic and motorcycle gangs from Jennifer Rush, author of the Altered saga–perfect for fans of Beautiful Creatures.

Eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael has grown up surrounded by magic in the quiet town of Hawthorne, New York. In her world, magic users are called “kindled,” and Jemmie would count herself among them if only she could cast a simple spell without completely falling apart. It doesn’t help that she was also recently snubbed by Crowe, the dangerous and enigmatic leader of the Black Devils kindled motorcycle gang and the unofficial head of their turf.

When the entire kindled community rolls into Hawthorne for an annual festival, a rumor begins spreading that someone is practicing forbidden magic. Then people start to go missing. With threats closing in from every side, no one can be trusted. Jemmie and Crowe will have to put aside their tumultuous history to find their loved ones, and the only thing that might save them is the very flaw that keeps Jemmie from fully harnessing her magic. For all her years of feeling useless, Jemmie may just be the most powerful kindled of all.

No idea how Devils & Thieves managed to slip from under my radar but it did & so now I sit and wait til release day lol. A motorcycle crew that just so happen to wield magic? YES PLEASE! Set in a quiet New York town? aka my home city? YES PLEASE! threat of forbidden magic aka black magic? MHMMM, I’LL TAKE THAT! a main protagonist with untapped/unknown magic of her own? MY KRYPTONITE! As a big fan of the AMC tv series Sons of Anarchy, this book is practically shouting for me to read it & I shall heed the call 😉

Honestly, they had me at “thrilling new urban fantasy filled with magic and motorcycle gangs” I’m hoping to love this 1st installment because I’ve been missing Sons of Anarchy something bad & the thought of those guys having magic at their disposal is a scary yet humorous thought. I’d welcome this new series (if I enjoy the 1st book) to fill the void SOA left in my little ❤ 😉

Any readers out there who have read Jennifer’s Altered series? I’m curious about her writing style & very excited to read Devils & Thieves insert excited emoji

Waiting On Wednesday

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Publication Date: September 26th, 2017

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Time Travel

Pages: 464 pages

*click on cover for Goodreads

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Time flies when you’re plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.
But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

In this heart-stopping adventure, Ryan Graudin has created a fast-paced world that defies time and space.

I legit hadn’t heard of Invictus up until a few nights before I attended Bookcon this past weekend. Turns out that there was an ARC drop & I missed it which was sucky but September is right around the corner & before you know it *grabby hands* haha! I also haven’t done a Waiting on Wednesday for quite some time because I’ve been very blessed to already have copies of my most highly anticipated books of the year & for that I am very thankful. Until Invictus came along, caught my eye, made me trip over my own feet with outstretched hands LMAO! Time Travel is my drug of choice folks, I can’t resist a good one & this one has EPIC stamped all over its cover. I already have questions just off the blurb…like how in the world is it even possible for Far to exist with parents who each exist in different time periods?!?!? I’m SUPER intrigued by the parents origins. Next, there’s mention of the Titanic & a heist….So, Far seems like the most innnneresting fictional character I haven’t met yet. Being that this book is close to 500 pages, I’m also hoping for a kick a** crew of misfits that I’ll inevitably grow attached to. Yup, it’s definitely a haul worthy book for me in September 😉

Sci-Fi (yes!). Time Travel (Yes!). Heists (Yes!). Titanic (Yes!)…heart eyes

Is Invictus on your radar for September? Already snag a copy? don’t tell me! side eye Haha! 😉

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On a World of Words and to participate all you have to do is answer the three W’s listed below. Once you’ve posted your WWW, drop a link to your post in Sam’s comments <3’s!

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently at the 50% mark in The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King & enjoying Kalinda’s strong character. However, I will say that this one reads more like an adult Fantasy than YA. Which to me makes sense given the nature of this story. You have a tyrant who is in search of his 100th wife; a tyrant who also keeps courtesans. Then we have Kalinda who doesn’t really fit the mold of the women the Tyrant has “claimed” but somehow manages to be chosen as the 100th Rani aka wife which puts her in a high position = only to that of his 1st wife. With a target on her back, Kalinda has to fight for her thrown as per tradition, one that she never wanted in the 1st place. My main interest is Kalinda & her forbidden power as well as the others like her outside the palace walls that share her powers. We shall see how I feel about this one soon…

I recently finished reading Eliza And Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia & I can’t stop thinking about it! so good! I thought it would be a cute story to read in prep for the Summer days but it turned out to be so much more than that. I was lucky to be approved for an eGalley but when I saw it arrive in my Owlcrate box this month I couldn’t stop hugging it lol. Full review to post tomorrow Thursday. Before that I read New Boy by Tracy Chevalier (review here) which is part of the Shakespeare Hogarth collection. New boy was short but powerful. A inside look to the effects of racism passed down to children. The setting is a playground in a all white school during the 70’s Nixon administration. This book rattled me & left me deep in thought.

Gahhhhh! 2 reads I am so excited to get to & thankful to have been approved for. Saints and Misfits is one that I was highly anticipating ever since I laid eyes on the cover & S.K. Ali is just an overall sweetheart who is very interactive & reachable to her readers (LOVE THAT!). I recently received a Owlcrate box that had a promo card for Song Of The Current (Song Of The Current #1) which led me straight to Goodreads. I love my fantasy, it’s what I read & review most on LairOfBooks so it came as no surprise that a river God, pirates, and magic would call my name. Really looking forward to these two 😉

What are you all currently reading? planning to read next? any good ones? & if you’re reading any of the ones I mentioned, let me know down in the comments what your 1st impressions were <3’s!

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

Published by: Orbit

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Publication Date: October 24th 2017

Pages: 480

*click on image for Goodreads link

CONTROL THE MAGIC, CONTROL THE WORLD

In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce and those born with power are strictly controlled — taken as children and conscripted into the Falcon Army. Zaira has lived her life on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage-mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that threatens the entire empire.

Lady Amalia Cornaro was never meant to be a Falconer. Heiress and scholar, she was born into a treacherous world of political machinations.
But fate has bound the heir and the mage. And as war looms on the horizon, a single spark could turn their city into a pyre.

The Tethered Mage is the first novel in a spellbinding new fantasy series.

Many of my fellow Adult Fantasy bookworm buddies here in the blogosphere know that I’ve made this the year my return to Adult Fantasy. This isn’t to say I will be leaving YA Fantasy behind but rather in typical Lilly fashion, I will remain a versatile & diverse reader. I am currently reading my first adult fantasy in years, Red Sister by Mark Lawrence & enjoying it immensely. My curiosity today led me to Orbit’s home page since I know them to be one of the well known publishers of quality high Fantasy. I didn’t get very far though, my eyes feasted on this beauty & I stopped dead in my tracks. Both cover & Synopsis have my name written all over it haha! I also decided to do something I have only done once before (and never heard back lol)…I requested this book from the publisher (eeeeeK!) and hope to the Book Gods that I get approved. Zaira sounds like my type of protagonist…the bad a** with no desire to follow a corrupt government’s rules. Lady Amalia has also caught my interest since in the short synopsis, LOVE when scholarly characters are thrown into unlikely partnerships! these two sound like an unlikely pairing & I’m super curious to see what adventures they get into.

Have any of my Bookish peeps heard of this one? yay or nay? I’ll be blog hopping all day today & adding to my already out of control TBR so I’ll see ya around 😉

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

Published by: HarperCollins

Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, LGBTQIA

Publication Date: September 5th 2017

*click on image for Goodreads link

In the tradition of Before I Fall and If I Stay, this tour de force from acclaimed author Adam Silvera, whose debut the New York Times called “profound,” reminds us that there’s no life without death, no love without loss—and that it’s possible to change your whole world in a day.
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news is: there’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—an unforgettable day that will change both their lives forever.

By now it’s safe to say that I am a fan of Adam Silvera & the man can do no wrong in my eyes..no seriously, he can’t 😌 When I first watched an interview of him where he mentioned that he was writing a Sci-Fi book next, my heart skipped a beat lol. Here is probably my ONLY favorite YA Contemporary aauthor & he is willing to take risks. I love that he is not trying to conform to just one genre. Yes, I believe there is some truth to authors having trouble when trying to cross over however Adam is still new to us readers. I’d take risks in the beginning too, why not? Life is too short to be put in a box & Adam in his writing has shown us that. I’m excited for this new book & it’s setting in NYC which is where I live. Adam knows these streets better than most & it’s nice to see familiar places in his books. There’s something real & raw about the friendships/relationships in Adam’s books. I cannot wait to read They Both Die at the End with its GORGE cover 😍💙😍💙😍

Which of my bookish peeps are READY for another Adam silvera book?!?! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I know I am, cuz History Is All You Left me SLAYYYYYED my life 😩 Haha!

Waiting On Wednesday

The Library Of Fates by Aditi Khorana

Published by: Razorbill

Publication Date: July 18th 2017

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Diverse/Own Voices

Pages: 354 pages

*Click on image for Goodreads

A romantic coming-of-age fantasy tale steeped in Indian folklore, perfect for fans of The Star-Touched Queen and The Wrath and the Dawn

No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything—family, her childhood love, and her freedom—to save her people. But her offer isn’t enough.

The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them.

Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life—and another love—await?

Disclaimer: what is everything Indian and/or Russian Folklore, I WILL be reading this year! why? you might ask… well because honestly, I love all stories that are rich in culture and can transport me to a completely different setting, culture, time, and people. I have not yet read The Star-Touched Queen or The Wrath and the Dawn however, I own them both and will get to them some time this year. Besides this one being infused with Indian Folklore, I love stories & movies with oracles. Yea, sometimes they give me the creeps cuz they claim to know it all and tend to only have one eye. This one however, sounds pretty tame in the Oracle department (unless author has omitted description to save us the creepy details). I’m also intrigued to see whether they can actually pull it off..that is the whole reversing their fates through The Library Of Fates. This probably goes without saying but if a book has the word Library in the title, please rest assured I will be reading said book 😉

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading The Library Of Fates? If your WOW is a Diverse Read, please drop that link down below & I will make my way over ❤ ❤ ❤

Waiting On Wednesday

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

Published by: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

Publication Date: September 12th 2017

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Pages: 256 pages

Click on image for Goodreads

This elegant young adult novel captures the immigrant experience for one Indian-American family with humor and heart. Told in alternating teen voices across three generations, You Bring the Distant Near explores sisterhood, first loves, friendship, and the inheritance of culture–for better or worse.

From a grandmother worried that her children are losing their Indian identity to a daughter wrapped up in a forbidden biracial love affair to a granddaughter social-activist fighting to preserve Bengali tigers, Perkins weaves together the threads of a family growing into an American identity.

Here is a sweeping story of five women at once intimately relatable and yet entirely new.

I’ve always had a weakness for stories that follow multi-generations of family, specifically women. Also, Indian culture…there was a time a few years back that I only wanted to read books that were set in India or were written about Indian culture. There’s always been a pull for me whether its because of its beauty, traditions, and richness in culture I’m sure it’s for all of these reasons and more. I’ve never come across a Young Adult book that explores Indian-American teens and the family dynamics with the older generation in their family. To say that I’m excited for this one is an understatement. This may just be one of my top fave’s if it delivers. This is also a Own Voice read which is one of my goals for 2017, to read more books by Own Voice authors. Its so exciting to see the diverse books rolling out for 2017, the tides are changing. There’s still a long road ahead for the normalization of diversity in our literature but I’m optimistic on seeing this change stronger than ever in 2017. Last but not least my lovelies, THAT cover left me speechless when I first came across it on Goodreads. Simply STUNNING, can’t wait to own a copy 🙂

Mitali Perkins was born in Kolkata, India, and immigrated to the States when she was seven years old. She’s written several books for young readers, including BAMBOO PEOPLE, RICKSHAW GIRL, MONSOON SUMMER, and SECRET KEEPER. She is also the editor of an anthology: OPEN MIC: RIFFS BETWEEN CULTURES IN TEN VOICES. Mitali maintains a website (mitaliperkins.com) and blog (mitaliblog.com) where she chats about books between cultures. Follow her at twitter.com/mitaliperkins.

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading You bring The Distant Near? If your WOW is a Diverse Read, please drop that link down below & I will make my way over ❤ ❤ ❤

Waiting On Wednesday

Title: Bad Romance

Author: Heather Demetrios

Book: Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected Publication: June 13th 2017

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Genre: Contemporary/Young Adult

Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone.

Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dangerous. When Grace and Gavin fall in love, Grace is sure it’s too good to be true. She has no idea their relationship will become a prison she’s unable to escape.

Deeply affecting and unflinchingly honest, this is a story about spiraling into darkness—and emerging into the light again.

Bad Romance instantly caught my attention with its decaying flowers on the cover and it’s Gaga-esque title. My guess was right, this story is about abusive relationships. Although in the Goodreads synopsis we are made aware of the main protagonists abusive relationship with her love interest, it is the step-father/daughter relationship that made me add this one to my TBR. The description “wields fear like a weapon” sticks out the most. I’m hoping for some in depth character development/exploration, a realistic account of toxic relationships & its after effects and lastly i’m interested in the outcome. Of course i’m hoping for a positive outcome but i’m curious as to how it will be handled by the author.

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading Bad Romance?…gosh I can’t get Gaga’s song out of my head now…

What are some ARCS/eGalleys you’re excited to have Bookworms? are you also looking forward to Children of Blood and Bone? sound off in the comments below 🙂

FOLLOW LAIR OF BOOKS ON…

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

I would love to know if any of my fellow bookworms are anticipating this title or any other diverse YA Fantasy books you are looking forward to reading. Drop those comments down below <3’s!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Any readers out there who have read Jennifer’s Altered series? I’m curious about her writing style & very excited to read Devils & Thieves *insert excited emoji*

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Sci-Fi (yes!). Time Travel (Yes!). Heists (Yes!). Titanic (Yes!)…*heart eyes*

Is Invictus on your radar for September? Already snag a copy? don’t tell me! *side eye* Haha! 😉

What are you all currently reading? planning to read next? any good ones? & if you’re reading any of the ones I mentioned, let me know down in the comments what your 1st impressions were <3’s!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Have any of my Bookish peeps heard of this one? yay or nay? I’ll be blog hopping all day today & adding to my already out of control TBR so I’ll see ya around 😉

Which of my bookish peeps are READY for another Adam silvera book?!?! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I know I am, cuz History Is All You Left me SLAYYYYYED my life 😩 Haha!

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading The Library Of Fates? If your WOW is a Diverse Read, please drop that link down below & I will make my way over ❤ ❤ ❤

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading You bring The Distant Near? If your WOW is a Diverse Read, please drop that link down below & I will make my way over ❤ ❤ ❤

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? Are any of you planning on reading Bad Romance?…gosh I can’t get Gaga’s song out of my head now…

Any readers out there who have read Jennifer’s Altered series? I’m curious about her writing style & very excited to read Devils & Thieves insert excited emoji

Sci-Fi (yes!). Time Travel (Yes!). Heists (Yes!). Titanic (Yes!)…heart eyes

Is Invictus on your radar for September? Already snag a copy? don’t tell me! side eye Haha! 😉