The Crimson Crown

A few days ago Cinda Williams Chima released the cover and blurb for The Crimson Crown. The Seven Realms series has quickly become one of my favourites, so needless to say I was jumping up and down in excitement after seeing this information. I can't wait for the book to come out!!

(You can also click here for a large version of the cover)

A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed— Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.


Now, once again, the queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible. Tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells’ inner turmoil, Raisa’s best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she’s falling in love.


Navigating the cutthroat world of blueblood politics has never been more dangerous, and former streetlord Han Alister seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?


A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.

The Crimson Crown will be released in Fall 2012.

Anew by Chelsea Fine

Release Date: December 7, 2011
Publisher: Acacia Press
Pages: 385
Series: The Archers of Avalon #1
Review Source: From review from publisher

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

My Thoughts:
On the surface 'Anew' has a typical plot and typical characters, yet right from the beginning I found the book incredibly interesting. Once you delve into the book there's something special about Chelsea Fine's writing. She takes something that could be typical and pulls the reader in to a place where you're intrigued with the characters and the story. I was so curious about Scarlet and her past, trying to figure out how everyone fit into her life.

Scarlet herself was an interesting character. I felt a lot of empathy for her because she just wanted to understand her life. It would be so difficult to have amnesia and then learn such crazy facts about your life, even though deep down you know them to be true. As for the boys... well, yes, there's a love triangle. I really liked the way it was done, though. I'm kind of a sucker for the 'girl stuck between 2 brothers' storyline, and there's something painfully wonderful about forbidden love. I definitely found Tristan to be pretty swoony. He was self-sacrificing, which can be annoying when it's overdone, yet I just loved how he always wanted to put Scarlet first because of how much he loved her. As for Gabriel, he was a bit clueless, but I liked his sweetness and goodness.

I really loved the concepts in this book, like immortality and a crazy type of reincarnation. It was imaginative and kept me turning the pages. The only negative thing about this book is that it ended without any real resolution to the larger story. It's more like a first act with a cliffhanger leading you into the second book. This really does drive me crazy, and it prevented me from totally loving the book. However, the story overall? Pretty awesome, and I'd definitely love to read Book 2 when it's released.

The Cover:
It's pretty, and relevant to the book, which is always awesome.

Rating:
[4/5]

Find Anew by Chelsea Fine on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

Release Date: January 24, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 336
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock - all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized selfhelp guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

My Thoughts:
'Getting Over Garrett Delaney' is a sweet book featuring a main character who you grow to care about, even as she drives you crazy at times. Sadie's obsession with this guy is so realistic, because you can totally picture the type of guy Garrett is and see how she would find him appealing, even while as the reader you can see what a pretentious [insert expletive here] he is.

One aspect of this book I loved was the coffee shop awesome-ness. I've always dreamed about working at a cafe, and I loved reading about Sadie's co-workers at the coffee shop. One in particular was chef Josh who just might appreciate the real Sadie, showing her what it's like when a boy doesn't take you for granted.

This book examines codependent relationships and philosophizes about what love truly is, also promoting the idea that you should be only yourself. I think this is a book I would have really enjoyed back in high school, just because of the cutesy contemporary rom-com vibe it has. This was a good book, but it doesn't particularly stand out in any way.

The Cover:
Cute enough; I'm not the biggest fan of the pastels, but I like the design.

Rating:
[3/5]

Find Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.