Review: Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1)

Title: Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1)
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

Review:

I’ve heard so much about this book, and I was so excited to finally read it! It definitely lived up to the hype.

This story had two different narratives, Lou and Reid. At first, I didn’t know why it had both narratives, since Lou’s narrative was more frequent. By the end of the story it made sense, because one character could tell the story if the other wasn’t able to give their perspective. It also gave both sides of the argument of the witches versus the witch hunters.

I loved the battle between the witches and the Chasseurs, the witch hunters. The storyline that brought Lou and Reid together was kind of silly at first. It was a little extreme to make them marry after being caught in a compromising position. However, they represented larger parts of the long battle between witches and witch hunters. It all came together beautifully at the end.

I loved the cliffhangers at the end of the book! I don’t know how I’m going to wait to find out what happens next!

What to read next:

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne

Grim Lovelies (Grim Lovelies #1) by Megan Shepherd

Have you read Serpent and Dove? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 9

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 8

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… Serpent and Dove

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

What book are you in bed with today?

Six for Sunday – Books Set in School

This meme is hosted by Steph at A little but a lot. The weekly prompts for 2019 can be found here.

This week’s prompt is Books Set in School. Here’s my list:

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling

2. S.T.A.G.S. (S.T.A.G.S. #1) by M.A. Bennett

3. Killing November (Killing November #1) by Adriana Mather

4. The Clique (The Clique #1) by Lisi Harrison

5. Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

6. The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5) by Lemony Snicket

Did you write a #SixforSunday post? What was your list of Books Set in School?

Review: The Fire Keeper (The Storm Runner #2)

Title: The Fire Keeper (The Storm Runner #2)
Author: J.C. Cervantes
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Zane Obispo’s new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can’t control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there’s a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn’t know what to do with his feelings for Brooks. One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Maya gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed. To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost. Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld?
In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever. 

Review:

This is the highly anticipated sequel to The Storm Runner. I loved that book so I was excited to read the second in the series.

The story started out a little slow, because I had forgotten a lot of the last book. It took a couple of chapters to get back into the story. However, once I got into it, it flew by. It was a wild adventure.

I was at a bit of a disadvantage while reading because I don’t know much about Maya mythology. If I was more familiar with it, I think I would have enjoyed the story more. It would have made more sense if all of the characters were explained more, because there were so many characters, including the many gods.

This was a great story. Fans of the series will love this book!

Thank you Disney Book Group for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other Books in the Series:

What to read next:

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

Have you read The Fire Keeper? What did you think of it?

Stacking the Shelves – September 7

This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I received 2 books from Penguin Random House Canada:

The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney

Girls Need Not Apply: Field Notes From the Forces by Kelly S. Thompson

I was approved for 6 books on NetGalley from St. Martin’s Press:

The Borgia Confessions by Alyssa Palombo

The Stranger from the Sea (Poldark #8) by Winston Graham

The Miller’s Dance (Poldark #9) by Winston Graham

The Loving Cup (Poldark #10) by Winston Graham

The Twisted Sword (Poldark #11) by Winston Graham

Bella Poldark (Poldark #12) by Winston Graham

I was approved for a book on NetGalley from Graydon House Books:

The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz

I was approved for 2 books from Annick Press:

Classic Munsch Moods by Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko

Our Big Little Place by James A. Conan, Nicolle Lalonde

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, St. Martin’s Press, Graydon House Books, and Annick Press for these books!

What books did you get this week?

Review: The Lady Rogue

Title: The Lady Rogue
Author: Jenn Bennett
Genre: Young Adult, Historical
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it. 

Review:

I really enjoyed this magical, historical story.

Theodora and Huck travel around Romania and Bulgaria in search of her father, and rings that were supposed to belong to the real man who inspired Dracula. This story reminded me of Bram Stoker’s book Dracula, because of the way they traveled around Eastern Europe.

The story was fast-paced. It kept twisting so I didn’t know how it was going to end. The magical elements made it much more unpredictable. It was set in our world, but there were witches with talismans and magical rings, which made the reality uncertain.

The ending of this story left the door open for a sequel. I would love to see these characters go on another adventure.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

The Last Magician (The Last Magician #1) by Lisa Maxwell

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Have you read The Lady Rogue? What did you think of it?

First Lines Friday – September 6

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“Fate came for Dottie Epstein a year earlier, in the form of a call to the principal’s office. It was not her first time there. Dolores Epstein wasn’t sent for any of the normal reasons – fighting, cheating, failing, absence.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

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And the book is… Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson.

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Goodreads synopsis:

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history. 

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

Have you read Truly Devious? What did you think of it?

Review: Skinnamarink

Title: Skinnamarink
Author: Sharon, Lois, and Bram, Qin Leng
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Based on the classic folk song made famous by a beloved trio of children’s entertainers, this picture book is best sung aloud! “Skinnamarink” is a timeless anthem of love and inclusion.

What does “skinnamarink” mean? You may not find its definition in a dictionary, but the meaning is clear to the generations of children who sang along: friendship, happiness, sharing, community and, ultimately, love. This song has been sung in weddings and in classrooms. It can be fun and silly – especially with the accompanying actions! And it has a way of bringing people together.

Through Qin Leng’s wonderfully imaginative illustrations, this delightful picture book tells the story of a community coming together. Young and old, from little mice to a big elephant, people and animals gather into a spontaneous parade as they follow the sound of music.

Review:

I grew up watching Sharon, Lois and Bram so I was so excited to read this book.

This book consists of the lyrics to their famous song Skinnamarink with pictures. There were a few new verses, which was a nice surprise since I know the song very well. It made the song a little longer and gave more material for illustrations.

I loved the pictures in this book. They showed a variety of people and animals singing the song. They even acted out the motions that go along with the song.

This book brought back so many memories for me! It is an adorable kids book!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee

Have you read Skinnamarink? What did you think of it?