Review: Taken by Erin Bowman

Taken

By: Erin Bowman

Synopsis From Goodreads:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Okay, so Taken is another book from my "Forgotten" TBR pile. I honestly cannot remember when or where I purchased this book but I have a feeling it was after reading The Maze Runner series. That was one series I powered through with zero interest in putting down and Taken had a very similar vibe.

This is another book I went into with little hope of enjoying but after reading the first chapter I was hooked. The book was fast-paced, with to-the-point and captivating writing. 

Taken follows Gray, a young teenage boy as he sets out to discover the truth behind his home, Claysoot. No men live in Claysoot, at eighteen all boys are Heisted, but Gray questions everything when he finds a mysterious letter from his mom. He's been lied to his whole life and now he is determined to discover the truth.

Taken had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. There are new twists and turns around every corner. Sure some are predictable but there were many bombs that I never expecting in a million years. 

I can't wait to get my hands on book two, already purchased and not so patiently awaiting its arrival. 

Published by: K

#FirstLinesFriday: 5.15.2020

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Follow the rules below: 

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
• Finally… reveal the book!

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“When Tess Dombegh was six and still irrepressible, she married her twin sister, Jeanne, in the courtyard of their childhood home.”

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Read on to discover what book this excerpt is from:

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Tess of the Road

By Rachel Hartman

Blurb:

Meet Tess, a brave new heroine from beloved epic fantasy author Rachel Hartman.

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.

Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl—a subspecies of dragon—who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.

Returning to the fascinating world she created in the award-winning and New York Times bestselling Seraphina, Rachel Hartman introduces readers to a new character and a new quest, pushing the boundaries of genre once again in this wholly original fantasy.

Goodreads | Amazon

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I received an ARC from Goodreads a couple of years back and absolutely loved this book. I flew through the chapters, eager to see what awaited Tess. Click here to check out my full review. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: 5.13.2020

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

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Right now, Young Adult Fantasy are some of my favorite books to read. They are a great way to escape into a world of magic and just forget about the real world for a while, this next book sounds prefect for that. The dark and alluring cover drew me in, intrigued by it's mysterious appearance and once I read the premise I was sold. I am truly looking forward to this books' release! 

Forest of Souls

By: Lori M. Lee

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Format: Hardcover, audiobook, ebook

Length: 400 pages

Publication Date: June 23, 2020 by Street Page Kids

Blurb:

Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training to become the queen’s next royal spy, her plans are derailed when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.

And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.

Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. For centuries, he has used his influence over the Dead Wood—an ancient forest possessed by souls—to enforce peace between the kingdoms. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.

Goodreads | Amazon

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What books are you eagerly awaiting to be released?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Date. A place for bloggers to gather to discuss what books they read and reviewed last week, what books they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read. This is a great way for me to plan my reading week, and get a sneak peek at what others are reading.

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What I read last week:

I finished yet another book from my forgotten TBR pile. When I started Unearthly I did not have high hopes, my interest in the premise had dwindled over the years and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it. But boy was I pleasantly surprised, I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. 

Click here to check out my full review.

Unearthly

By Cynthia Hand

What I am currently reading:

Taken 

By Erin Bowman

Up next:

Hallowed 

By Cynthia Hand

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So many list changed a bit from last week, I had planned on reading Parallel next but after reading Unearthly I am hoked and have to finish the series. So while I wait for it to ship I am reading a not so lengthy book. 

What's on your reading list for this week?

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly

By: Cynthia Hand

Series: Unearthly Trilogy

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult, Fantasy

Length: 435 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees...
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

During my college years I had a huge obsession with the angel world. Two of my favorites books were Fallen by Lauren Kate and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. So when I discovered Unearthly it was an instant purchase, between the angelic cover and the tempting premise what more could one want. However, as time passed and my college days ended - the real world opened up before me and it was time to adult - many of my college books became pushed to the side and forgotten. New and different genres waltzed in making it easier for those books to continue sitting on my shelf unread. 

But after buying a new house and having to do some serious book purging I was able to create a pile of books long forgotten with the intent to finally read and review. Unearthly found its way into this pile and honestly I did not have high hopes, over the years my interest in its premise dwindled. However, once I cracked open the cover and started chapter one I was hooked and flying through the pages. 

Clara Gardner has a purpose, to save a mysterious boy who she comes to know as Christian Prescott. The handsome popular boy at her new school in Wyoming. Thanks to her visions her mom has moved her and her brother, Jeffery to a small rural town so Clara can fulfill her destiny. 

But Clara runs into some unexpected problems along the way; another angel-blood like her, Black Wings and Tucker Avery (her new best friend's brother). She never intended to fall in love but after a summer hiking and fishing with the rustic, gentlemanly Tucker Avery, Clara finds herself in love and struggling over her destiny. 

Cynthia Hand has put together an intriguing and captivating world of angels, both pure and fallen. A world that sucks you in and has you eager to discover more. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. The characters felt so real, it was easy to struggle along with Clara and experience her emotions right alongside her. 

This book was fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat. So many unexpected twists and turns at the end. So many questions I need answered. Book 2 has been ordered and I can't wait for it to get here, I am ready to jump right in. 

I'm glad I didn't right this book off and gave it a chance because Unearthly has re-ignited my love for angel related novels. And I have found a new favorite author!

Published by: K

#FirstLinesFriday: 5.1.2020

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Follow the rules below: 

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
• Finally… reveal the book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Packs of teenagers, pumped for the official start of spring break, rushed past the black sedan parked across from the high school, unaware they were being watched from behind the car’s tinted windows.”

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Read on to discover what book this excerpt is from:

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Agents of Chaos (The X-Files: Origins)

By Kami Garcia

Blurb:

How did Fox Mulder become a believer? How did Dana Scully become a skeptic? The X-Files Origins has the answers.

The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos explores the teen years of Fox Mulder, the beloved character depicted in the cult-favorite TV show The X-Files. His story is set in the spring of 1979, when serial murder, the occult, and government conspiracy were highlighted in the news.

The book will follow Mulder as he experiences life-changing events that set him on the path to becoming an FBI agent.

Goodreads | Amazon

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I am a huge fan of The X-Files. I started watching the show about a year ago and was hooked right off the bat, so when I saw this book on Book Outlet during Black Friday I just knew I had to get it. Once I finish my "forgotten" TBR pile it is next on my list, along with several other new Black Friday purchases. :)