Thursday, November 28, 2019

Pick A Book & Hear A Song | Issue 2





Pick A Book & Hear A Song is an original feature here at I Write, You Read. This featured was created because I enjoy listen to music while reading. If a book is quickly becoming one of my favourite reads of all time, I create a playlist specifically for that book. I'd love to share my faves with you and would also enjoy to see what songs you listen to well reading!






This month's theme is:



What are you currently reading?











46299614Reverie by Ryan La Sala


Inception meets The Magicians in the most imaginative YA debut of the year!



All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember how he got there, what happened after, and why his life seems so different now. And it’s not just Kane who’s different, the world feels off, reality itself seems different. 



As Kane pieces together clues, three almost-strangers claim to be his friends and the only people who can truly tell him what’s going on. But as he and the others are dragged into unimaginable worlds that materialize out of nowhere—the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery—Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident. And when a sinister force threatens to alter reality for good, they will have to do everything they can to stop it before it unravels everything they know. 



This wildly imaginative debut explores what happens when the secret worlds that people hide within themselves come to light.


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Too Late by Colleen Hoover


Sloan will go through hell and back for her little brother. And she does, every single night.

Forced to remain in a relationship with the dangerous and corrupt Asa Jackson, Sloan will do whatever it takes to make sure her brother has what he needs.

Nothing will get in her way.

Nothing except Carter.


Sloan is the only good thing to ever happen to Asa. He knows this and he never plans on letting her go; even if she doesn't approve of his lifestyle. But despite Sloan's disapproval, Asa knows what it takes to get what he wants. He knows what he needs to do to remain on top.

Nothing will get in his way.

Nothing except Carter.
 






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42119168. sy475 Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee



Every happy teenage girl is the same, while every unhappy teenage girl is miserable in her own special way.



Meet Anna K. At seventeen, she is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and Newfoundland dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna's brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather an sexting scandal; Lolly’s little sister, Kimmie, is struggling to recalibrate to normal life after an injury derails her ice dancing career; and Steven’s best friend, Dustin, is madly (and one-sidedly) in love with Kimmie.



As her friends struggle with the pitfalls of ordinary teenage life, Anna always seems to be able to sail gracefully above it all. That is…until the night she meets Alexia “Count” Vronsky at Grand Central. A notorious playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and who lives for his own pleasure, Alexia is everything Anna is not. But he has never been in love until he meets Anna, and maybe she hasn’t, either. As Alexia and Anna are pulled irresistibly together, she has to decide how much of her life she is willing to let go for the chance to be with him. And when a shocking revelation threatens to shatter their relationship, she is forced to question if she has ever known herself at all.



Dazzlingly opulent and emotionally riveting, Anna K.: A Love Storyis a brilliant reimagining of Leo Tolstoy's timeless love story, Anna Karenina―but above all, it is a novel about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak.





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35702241The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller


Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:



1) Woo the Shadow King.

2) Marry him.

3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.



No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.



But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

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42265183The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh


New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.
 






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Have you read any of the books mentioned or currently have them on your TBR? If so leave a comment below letting me know whether or not you liked it or are excited to read! 😄


~ Aimie


Monday, November 18, 2019

Review | Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao



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Song of the Crimson Flower


by Julie C. Dao

Published by Philomel on November 5th, 2019

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Format: ARC

Source: Kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!





Summary from Goodreads: 









From the acclaimed author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns comes a fantastical new tale of darkness and love, in which magical bonds are stronger than blood.

Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao's prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch, who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.

Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest's Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that's been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins?
 










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Review





Song of the Crimson Flower is a story that reads like a beautifully woven fairytale. 


Song of the Crimson Flower follows the story of a daughter to a wealthy nobleman, Lan, and a poor physician's apprentice, Bao. After Lan rejects Bao, he leaves heartbroken and ends up crossing paths with a witch who places a spell upon him that will only love can break. Lan, regretting the way she treated him, vows to help him break the spell. 



I absolutely adored this book, from its characters to the story, everything came together so wonderfully that you just couldn't help but fly through it. Though it is a part of the Rise of the Empress series, it can be read as a standalone. While the characters from previous books in the series make appearance, it is fun to read about the adventures and action Lan and Bao face in this particular story. While I love fantasy with a bit more action than this book provided, it was actually enjoyable to read the way the characters were brought together and how they combatted the obstacles laid before them together. 



Another aspect of Song of the Crimson Flower I throughly enjoyed was the romance between Lan and Bao. Though Bao has loved her more years, Lan calls him out for loving an idealized version of her he conceived then the real person herself. Through the trials and tribulations of their journey, he comes to know the real Lan. I did enjoy reading the romance between Lan and Bao, however I personally enjoyed reading Wei and Yen's story a bit more as they were a bit more captivating to read.



If you enjoy tender characters and a heartfelt story then I recommend checking out Song of the Crimson Flower


 








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About the Author








Julie C. DaoJulie C. Dao (www.juliedao.com) is a proud Vietnamese-American who was born in upstate New York. She studied medicine in college, but came to realize blood and needles were her Kryptonite. By day, she worked in science news and research; by night, she wrote books about heroines unafraid to fight for their dreams, which inspired her to follow her passion of becoming a published author. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is her debut novel. Julie lives in New England. Follow her on Twitter @jules_writes.










Friday, November 8, 2019

Book Event Recap | Raincoast Books TeensRead Preview Winter & Spring 2020


 



On October 26th, I attended Raincoast Books semi-annual TeensRead Preview event where they discussed upcoming releases for the Winter and Spring 2020! A livestream was broadcasted from Vancouver and there was a secondary location in Toronto in order to create accessibility for everyone across the country (Canada) to participate.





I live-streamed the event from my computer and it was a great experience to watch and participate in. Throughout the event, I was able to interact with with everybody by sharing on my Instagram story as well as tweeting about Raincoast's upcoming releases by using the hashtag TeensReadFeed. You can also find out which books I'm highly anticipating by checking out my Twitter thread from the event. To keep up to date on exciting bookish events and new releases be sure to follow me on Twitter.



Check out my top picks below and the #TeensReadFeed on Twitter for more Canadian bloggers' reactions to upcoming releases!















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The above pictures are upcoming releases discussed by the Raincoast crew and ones I am so excited for! To be honest, most of the books discussed at this event sounds wonderful, leading me to look forward to almost all of them. If you are interested in a book you see here, feel free to click it and it will lead you to the title's Goodreads page.





Once all the books were presented and discussed, the special guest, Kim Smejkal was introduced! She presented her upcoming book, Ink in the Blood (more information about this book will be available below) and then proceeded to answer some questions we had.











 43261156Ink in the Blood


by Kim Smejkal

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers 

Expected Publication: February 11th, 2019

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBT, Fiction, Romance










A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.

Celia Sand and her best friend, Anya Burtoni, are inklings for the esteemed religion of Profeta. Using magic, they tattoo followers with beautiful images that represent the Divine’s will and guide the actions of the recipients. It’s considered a noble calling, but ten years into their servitude Celia and Anya know the truth: Profeta is built on lies, the tattooed orders strip away freedom, and the revered temple is actually a brutal, torturous prison.

Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.

To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.
 













Even though I couldn't make it to the event in-person, Raincoast was kind enough to send a swag bag! Every person attending the event got an amazing tote filled with a bunch of cute goodies, such as a Wattpad pop-socket, a bookmark, poster, and cute temporary tattoos relating to the upcoming release of Ink in the Blood. The tote also included three upcoming titles discussed during the event!




 


  










I hope you enjoyed my recap of Raincoast's TeensRead Winter & Spring 2020 Preview! Big thanks to Raincoast Books for hosting such an amazing event! It was a fun-filled afternoon about bookish previews! Which upcoming releases are you most looking forward to reading?








Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Waiting on Wednesday {37}

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, Hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating. 


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Title:

The Heart Principle


Author:

Helen Hoang


Publication Date:

May 5th, 2020


Publisher:

                                                 Berkley










Summary from Goodreads:


USA Today bestselling author Helen Hoang returns with a witty and sizzling new romance that shows how wrong you can be about someone…and how right they can be for you.



To most people, Quan Diep is nothing but a surly-looking, underachieving playboy. The problem is he’s not any of those things. And now that he’s the CEO of an up-and-coming retail business, he’s suddenly a “catch,” and the rich girls who never used to pay any attention to him are looking at him in a new way—especially Camilla, the girl who brushed him off many years ago.



Anna Sun dislikes Quan Diep almost as much as germy bathroom door handles. Or so she tells herself. She will never admit that she has a secret crush on him, especially because he only has eyes for her charismatic and newly engaged younger sister Camilla. Over the years, Anna has worked hard to overcome her OCD, but she’ll still need to find a way to bury her anxieties and seduce Quan so he doesn’t ruin her sister’s engagement, and with it, a crucial real estate development deal.



Slowly, Anna breaks down Quan’s dangerous and careless exterior while peeling off her own tough, protective shell. But when Quan discovers Anna’s true intentions, he’s forced to confront his own hurtful past and learn to forgive, while Anna must face her greatest challenge: truly opening herself up to love.




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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Waiting on Wednesday {36}

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, Hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating. 


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Title:

You Deserve Each Other


Author:

Sarah Hogle


Publication Date:

April 7th, 2020


Publisher:

                                         G.P. Putnam's Sons










Summary from Goodreads:


For fans of The Hating Game, a debut lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two unhappily engaged people each trying to force the other to end the relationship--and falling back in love in the process.



Naomi Westfield has an Instagram-perfect life, including the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family every bride dreams of being a part of. They never fight, complain, or disagree. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And they are miserably and utterly sick of each other.



Tired of contorting herself to fit the ridiculous standards demanded by Nicholas's family, Naomi wants out of the relationship. But there's a catch: Whoever calls off the engagement will have to foot the enormous bill for the wedding. When Naomi finds out that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of wills to see who can annoy the other into surrendering through pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.



But now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves. They're having so much fun getting on each other's nerves that it starts to feel like something else entirely. As Naomi discovers hidden feelings for Nicholas buried under three years of simmering resentment, she wonders if he feels the same way. Suddenly, the countdown to the wedding that may or may not come to pass feels more like a race to mutual destruction--and Naomi doesn't want to be left alone at the finish line.




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