The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Title: The Warrior Maiden (Hagenheim #9)
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: February 5th 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings, Christian Fiction

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a fresh reimagining of the classic Mulan tale.

Mulan isn’t afraid to pretend to be a son and assume her father’s soldier duties in war. But what happens when the handsome son of a duke discovers her secret?

Mulan is trying to resign herself to marrying the village butcher for the good of her family, but her adventurous spirit just can’t stand the thought. At the last minute, she pretends to be the son her father never had, assumes his duties as a soldier, and rides off to join the fight to protect the castle of her liege lord’s ally from the besieging Teutonic Knights.

Wolfgang and his brother Steffan leave Hagenheim with several other soldiers to help their father’s ally in Poland. When they arrive, Wolfgang is exasperated by the young soldier Mikolai who seems to either always be one step away from disaster . . . or showing Wolfgang up in embarrassing ways.

When Wolfgang discovers his former rival and reluctant friend Mikolai is actually a girl, he is determined to protect her. But battle is a dangerous place where anything can happen—and usually does.

When Mulan receives word that her mother has been accused of practicing witchcraft through her healing herbs and skills, Mulan’s only thought is of defending her. Will she be able to trust Wolfgang to help? Or will sacrificing her own life be the only way to save her mother?

EXCERPT
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I know The Warrior Maiden is a retelling of Mulan but it also had a very Joan of Arc feel to it as well. It has a very strong Christianity influence but also very well done historical elements. I loved the story.

Historical fiction that feels real! I always love when you can tell a book is well researched even before you read the author’s note. I love stories that span the areas of Lithuania and Poland. My grandparents were Lithuanian immigrants (although my grandma was born in Russia). It made me laugh because my grandmother’s mother’s maiden name actually starts with Mikolai (Mikolaiunis) It was cool to have Mulan take place in a different piece of history. They are battling the Teutonic Knights who are trying to conquer lands in the name of Christ. With no male in her family to go and fight (otherwise they would lose their house) she disguises herself as Mikolai’s illegitimate son.

I loved the characters in the story. I was impressed with their faith in God but also in their own abilities. The bond of Mulan and her mother is so sweet. Her mother never has treated Mulan like she is not her own and would defend her with her life. I love how much pride her mother has for her and how supportive she is.

I love Wolfgang. He is such a sweet guy, that kind of guy that could easily get his heart broken. He’s a fierce in battle but so kind that you could see someone taking advantage of it. He just has this giant heart and so much respect for his family. He doesn’t give up on his brother, no matter how much he fights him on it.

Mulan is fierce but I also like how she is a warrior with a warrior’s heart but she also likes to dress nice. She doesn't have to be one way or the other. She can want to fight battles and also want to have a husband who loves her and wear a nice dress in a while. She has such a strong personality and isn’t going to let anyone push her around.

I thought it was a really cool way to do a retelling. I’m interested to look back at what the other stories are about. Wolfgang mentions Aladdin as a brother-in-law, sooo. If you enjoy historical fiction and retellings, this is that perfect combo of both.

Melanie Dickerson is a New York Times bestselling author, a two-time Christy Award finalist, two-time Maggie Award winner, Carol Award winner, two-time winner of the Christian Retailing's Best award, and her book, The Healer's Apprentice, won the National Readers Choice Award for Best First Book. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Melanie earned a bachelors degree in special education of the hearing impaired from The University of Alabama and has worked as a teacher in Georgia, Tennessee, and Ukraine. She lives with her husband and two children in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Prize: Win (1) physical copy of THE WARRIOR MAIDEN by Melanie Dickerson (US ONLY) or e-copy for (INT)

Giveaway Starts: 30th January, 2019
Giveaway Ends: 13th February, 2019

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The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: The Darkest Star
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: 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.

The Darkest Star reminded me of why I had loved the Lux series so much. It’s been a long time since I was in the world but once I was back in., I was remembering all the reasons I loved it.

Even though the story is set in the same world and former characters make appearances you don’t have to read the original Lux series to understand what is going. As the story goes along, it’s explained what previously happened on the planet. It’s not info dumped either, it comes up as things happen in the current story that relate to the past.

What I loved is that this reminded me so much of why I had originally loved the Lux series. The witty banter between the love interest. The slow burn but definitely strong chemistry between them. A protagonist who is not completely helpless. She might not have any special powers but she is going to let herself just be killed and fights back.

I really liked the plot and the pacing. It’s a quick read but entertaining the entire way. Things are happening but also keep moving. I also like how it connects to the previous series but isn’t just rebooting the same plot. It’s moved on and focused on some different types of characters from the original. The Origin kids all grown up for instance and dealing with the kind of hate that can come with people knowing about the Luxen.

I loved the characters. They are witty and smart and really fun to read. It made the story enjoyable.

I loved The Darkest Star, it’s one of those books you read when you need a break and want some sweet slow burn chemistry.

The Wicked King by Holly Black

Title: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Published:January 8th 2019 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

The Wicked King is a book that is everything I want a sequel to be. I loved it as much as the first and being it falls in the middle, sometimes that is hard to do.

Oh my Jude. What I love most about her character is how flawed she is. There is so many times where I hardly like her and I think she brings so much down on herself. I also often feel sympathetic to her because she stuck playing in a world that humanity is a weakness. I think she wants to pretend that she doesn’t have it but she does.

As far as Cardan, I don’t think we see him as much as I would like to see him. He’s interesting in this book and again I think Jude brings so much on herself. If she really looked at Cardan and saw him as he is and not what she’s decided he will be, she could make things easier on herself. I don’t think it’s a matter of trusting as even confiding. Some of the things, I don’t think he could really use in a nefarious way but if she only gave him the information..

I still love Cardan and Jude together. I can’t decide if that’s wrong or right but Cardan can’t lie. I feel like that is so so important to remember.

The plot is cut throat and political as the first. A chess board with many moving pieces. Always interesting.

That ending!!! That ending!!! Okay so for me I loved it because there are two possibilities that I see as to why it happened. That is what I love so much about it. Maybe there are more I’m not seeing but I’m holding on to what I think because because one could be bad and one could be good. I can’t believe I have to wait so long for the next book.

Realm of Ruins by Hannah West

Title: Realm of Ruins (The Nissera Chronicles #2)
Author: Hannah West
Release Date: December 4th 2018
Publisher: Holiday House
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Valory’s power is different . . . it’s dangerous, unruly, and destructive. But can she channel it to crush a cunning enemy and save the realm from chaos?

Welcome to Nissera, land of three kingdoms and home to spectacular magic.

A century after her legendary ancestors overcame a bloodthirsty tyrant, seventeen-year-old Valory Braiosa attends a training academy for elicromancers, immortal beings with magical gifts. Yet Valory’s immense power seems impossible to tame, and she faces imprisonment by the Nisseran authorities. Then a forbidden resurrection spell awakens a long-dormant evil, and Valory may be the only one who can vanquish this terrifying villain. Together with a band of allies—including an old friend; a haughty princess; and a mysterious, handsome stranger—Valory must learn to harness her power and fight back.

Weaving together her imaginative world of gritty fairytale magic with snippets from Beauty and the Beast and other classic stories, Hannah West’s dark and dangerous adventure is a gripping, immersive companion to her acclaimed debut, Kingdom of Ash and Briars. This richly packaged edition includes an illustrated family tree, detailed map, and embossed jacket with shimmering metallic effects.

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I love Realm of Ruins! This is a great adventure story blended with fairytales and magic as we return to Nisseria.

I loved the plot. This is centuries after KIngdom of Ash and Briar and you do not have to read it in order to understand this story. However, there are spoilers so be warned. That doesn’t mean you can’t go back and read the first book. The characters are very different despite being in the same world. I was actually reading both books at the same time. Which made it a fun crossover. Back to the plot though. I loved how even though there a fairytales laced in, this is not a retelling of a particular tale. I was completely absorbed in the plot and I love the magic system. How interesting it is to try to find the balance of power. Each new threat addresses that. This story also deals a bit with nurture versus nature.

I loved when a cast of characters get together and go on adventure. Even more so when the cast is not necessarily what you are expecting but turn into a band that you love. I don’t want to talk about a particular character simply because I don’t want to spoil that they come along.

Valory is such a great character. Someone who has to find how to be in a world that they don’t fit in as a cookie cutter. She has to learn that making hard choices don’t always feel heroic. That sacrifices are sometimes made for the greater good and it’s a hard road. She’s not a perfect and that’s what makes her great. I liked her so much that it would was hard to not to root for her. You wanted her to find her confidence that she is more than what the water, family or the academy tells her what she is.

Mercer is also interesting. I actually kind of felt like he is the guy that is usually you really like but the MC doesn’t necessarily end up with. He’s fun and easily slides in with a group of people. He is also determined and serious about his task at hand.

Kadri is a fun character and her relationship with he betrothed is an interesting dynamic. That they are comfortable with their situation.

I liked that the romance is there but not overpowering. They know they have more important things to worry about than falling in love. I think it’s natural how their fondness grows as they are thrust into situations. It takes them being released of their worries for a short time for them to embrace it.

Completely random thought but I loved when they are packing supplies and they mention needing things for when they go to the bathroom! It made me laugh because I have Ulcerative Colitis so I always think, what would happen to me if I was dropped in a fantasy world. I loved that it’s like yep they can’t just walk for days without stopping. Even if you want them to.

I’m not ready to be done with Nisseria. I hope there are still stories to tell. Even if it’s somewhere else in the timeline. Backwards or Forwards. I think this is one of those series where you are like. Who why didn’t I read this before.

Quotes

These are taken from the ARC so they might have changed in the FC

"You have to be careful, dismissing someone's sadness, even for a short time. Most people don't realize how important a feeling it is."

"You can worry about the future all you like,Valory. But life strikes everyone with woe."

"You can do more than destory."

“All beauty is laced with darkness”

"...there will be atrocities we can't stop. They will happen to innocent people. It doesn't help to cut off one head of a many-headed serpent. You have to stab it in the heart."

"What you did matters more than what you might have done."

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AUTHOR

Hannah West is the author of Kingdom of Ash and Briars and its companion, Realm of Ruins. She's always loved writing about magic and fairytales, but her time studying abroad in Orléans, France inspired her to finally write and publish a fantasy novel. She's a freelance writer and vegetarian living in Texas with her husband and their rambunctious blue heeler.

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GIVEAWAY
Win 1 of 5 bundles of the Nissera Chronicles (US Only)
Bundle includes: 1x physical copy of Kingdom of Ash and Briars + 1x physical copy of Realm of Ruins.

Giveaway starts: 4th December 2018
Giveaway finishes: 17th December 2018


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Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire
Author: Natasha Ngan
Published: November 6th 2018 by Jimmy Patterson Books

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.

But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

TW: violence and sexual abuse.

Girls of Paper and Fire is a very unique and interesting story. I loved the world building but I struggled a little with the main character.

I thought the world and the world building for the story were amazing. As much as I didn’t not love what being a Paper Girl meant. I felt like I had a really good grasp on what the palace looked like in my mind. I also felt like the politics were easy to follow as well. Between the different cast of Paper, Steel and Moon.

So I for some reason had a really hard time picturing the Demon people. I kept thinking of the Disney version of Robin Hood. So the idea of her being a concubine for one, seemed even creepier. The book deals with prostitution and rape. There are some scenes that definitely make your heart bleed.

I couldn’t connect with Lei and I wanted to, especially because I loved Wren so much. I kind of started to want Wren to be the main MC though. There are things I liked about Lei. I understood that she was naive in the way of many things and now had to come to the palace and be thrust into something she doesn’t fully understand. How she had never really experienced certain feelings simply because she never really had the chance/exposure to do so. She was content working in her families herb shop and would eventually get around to it. As she continues on in the palace though, I felt like she doesn’t grow or change. Her naivety starts to put people in danger and that’s what bothers me. I know the things she does are not always intentional but I don’t like how she doesn’t always seem to learn from them. I do like the fact that Lei is loyal and kind. That even though she might not agree or understand with a certain friends feelings, she is still a friend to her. I can’t really put my finger on why I didn’t connect with Lei but I just couldn’t.

I loved Wren. I thought she is such a cool character and I want to be friends with her. I love how she has the fierceness to her but she also very understanding. She grew up in a different world and so she sees things in a different light than Lei. So it gives her this perfect balance for the two of them.

Aoki and Blue are too other characters that I really enjoyed. They are both complicated in their own ways. They have different reasons for being at the palace and different feelings about it. I felt both of their stories were interesting.

Despite my mixed feelings on Lei, I did really enjoy the romance. It was such a natural progression into it. Sweet and kind with both give and take.

The story is definitely unique and interesting and I love the vivid imagery it creates in my mind.

The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson

Title: The Wren Hunt
Author: Mary Watson
Published: November 6th 2018 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Every Christmas, Wren is chased through the woods near her isolated village by her family's enemies—the Judges—and there’s nothing that she can do to stop it. Once her people, the Augurs, controlled a powerful magic. But now that power lies with the Judges, who are set on destroying her kind for good.

In a desperate bid to save her family, Wren takes a dangerous undercover assignment—as an intern to an influential Judge named Cassa Harkness. Cassa has spent her life researching a transformative spell, which could bring the war between the factions to its absolute end. Caught in a web of deceit, Wren must decide whether or not to gamble on the spell and seal the Augurs’ fate.

The Wren Hunt has the creepily weird, draw you in quality. It was kind of that unexpected book that I turned out to love. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Especially all of the strange and unusual lore.

I really found the world of magic interesting in the story. There are three lines...the Judges, the Augurs and the Bards but it’s believed that the Bards are wiped out. Each sets of the these lines draw power from different things and utilize those powers in different ways. I actually found the Judges most interesting since they draw mostly from natures. The trees, plants and so forth. I also loved the old lore that is also woven in.

I really didn’t like Wren’s Augur family. I felt like they kept putting her in situations without giving her all the facts. They also all kind of seemed selfish to me but I don’t know maybe I was reading them wrong. They just kind of bothered me and I felt she could go live off in a cottage by herself and do her own thing. I guess that’s not really how being part of a Grove works. They kept secrets and when she would find out they would act like oh ya sorry about that. Just something that majorly impacts your life. They super bugged me.

I feel like about halfway through the book is when there is change. A change in Wren as well as the people around her and things start getting really weird. We finally start getting a better picture of Arabella and the traditions of both the Augurs and Judges. It’s really interesting to watch the story evolve the way it did. I definitely could not put it down.

So many great characters but of course I was most interested in Wren, Tarc and Cassa. Wren is kind of this person that doesn’t necessarily fit in perfectly anywhere. Kind of like a peg in a square hole. Whether it being that she has very different Augur powers from the rest or the fact that her mother is MIA and she doesn’t know about her father. I think of her kind of like a blowing seed trying to find a place to root.

So when she meets Tarc it seems like their chemistry as friends and more almost makes no sense and perfect sense. They are different sides of the coin but manage to find common ground. I loved seeing them together.

I also really liked her interactions with Cassa. As strange as they sometimes might be. Each time Wren spoke to her, you could tell that she is more observant and sharper than she might even get credit for. Of course she is the head of Harkness House. I just thought she was super interesting.

I truly loved The Wren Hunt and it caught me in it’s snare. Even though it left me in a good spot I still need more.

Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris Cover Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris

presented by Entangled Teen!

Be on the lookout for this upcoming Entangled Teen title!

What do you think of the cover?

Look up the word “nerd” and you’ll find Lily Cooper’s picture. She’s got one goal: first stop valedictorian, next stop Harvard. Until a stint in the hospital from too much stress lands her in the last place a klutz like her ever expected to be: salsa dance lessons.

Look up the word “popular” and you’ll find Stone Torres’s picture. His life seems perfect—star of the football team, straight-A student, lots of friends. But his family is struggling to make ends meet, so if pitching in at the Torres dance studio helps, he’ll do it.

When Lily’s dad offers Stone extra cash to volunteer as Lily’s permanent dance partner, he can’t refuse. But with each dip and turn, each moment her hand is in his, his side job starts to feel all too real. But in dance, as in life, one wrong move and someone could get hurt.

Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
Publisher: Entangled Teen

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted bookaholic and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

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