Waiting on Wednesday: Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1) by A. C. Gaughen

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're super jazzed about.

Title: Reign the Earth

Series: The Elementae #1
Author: A. C. Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Pages: 448
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

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Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.

But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

This intense, richly drawn high-fantasy by the author of Scarlet will hold readers spellbound.

MY THOUGHTS

Doesn't this just sound amazing? I have heard great things about it so far. Early reviews boast diversity, representation of abuse and trauma, and a magic system that is highly unique. I am so about those things. This comes out at the end of January, and I am stoked! 

What are some books that you think have a unique take on magic? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read In 2018

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a different question for bloggers to ponder over. 

This week's topic is "Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read (Looking Forward To Reading) In 2018". 

Thinking back on that TBR list, there are so many books that I just need to read already. As we all know, catching up on that pile of books that we need or want to read can be daunting. Instead of listing the new releases that I am looking forward to, I am going to make a list of books that I resolve to finally read in 2018.

1. The Young Elites series by Marie Lu

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2. The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

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I have started The Fellowship of the Ring several times, but have never finished it. I need to finish this series this year. Perhaps audiobooks will help!

3. Starbound series by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

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4. The Chronicles of Koa series by K.N. Lee

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5. The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare

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6. The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence

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7. The Lotus War series by Jay Kristoff

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I have only read the first book in this series, but I desperately want to finish the series!

8. The Immortal Mercenary series by Conner Kressley

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9. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor

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Another series that I have only read the first book from. I actually may have to reread the first book because it has been at least two years since I read the first book!

10. The Across the Universe series by Beth Revis

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I began this book earlier this year, but I only got about 30% through it before I stopped reading. It's been a rough year for me, so I hope that 2018 warrants more reading time! This is a series that I definitely want to finish!

What are some of the books that you are looking forward to reading in 2018? Feel free to leave the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post!

2018 Challenges

This is where I will be declaring all of my 2018 Reading Challenges. Have a look and perhaps join a few to challenge yourself in 2018!

You can sign up here.

The aim of A Series A Month is to read a series of two or more books each month. Each month’s series can be completed or ongoing as long as at least two books are out. Most importantly, the series should be new to you, meaning you have yet to read the first book. (There’s already another reading challenge for completing series.)

You can sign up here.

My goal = 60 Books

In short, this is a reading challenge where your goal is to read backlist books (published prior to the current year). For 2018, it means reading any book that was published in 2017 or earlier. You have the entire year to read as many books as you can/want. YOU set your own reading goal and this challenge isn’t just for bloggers. Now to add a bit of a competitive edge, when you sign up for the challenge you’ll be randomly placed on a team. These teams will compete to see who can get the most points, and each month one winner will be drawn from the team with the most points to get a book of their choice (open internationally). You get points by reading books! And you can earn extra by posting a review to retail websites (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc).

You can sign up here.

My goal = Level 3: 21-40 books

It's all about trying something new and is fairly flexible.

Examples:

First book in a series

Debut book

A new genre or trope.

A new to you author or series.

An author switching genres

A new book format

or unique storyline element.

You can sign up here.

My goal = 1-30 books per year – New Release Newbie

The 2018 New Release Challenge is a year-long challenge in which we aim to read books released in 2018.  

You can sign up here.

My goal = Library Card on Fire: read 50+ books

If you love to read and/or listen to books then you also love to buy every book you want to read. And, well, that puts a hurt on your wallet. Checking books (print, ebook, or audios) out from the library can save you LOTS of money and in most places getting a library card is FREE.

You can sign up here.

My goal = Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile

Read books owned by you prior to January 1, 2018.

You can sign up here.

My goal = 1st Base: read 1 – 5 books

The goal is to read as many Contemporary Romance books as you’d like.

You can sign up here.

My goal = Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5

The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2018 than you did in 2017.

11th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Challenge

You can join here.

My goal = Bronze Age: read and review 24 books during the year (Can you handle 2 books a month.)

You can sign up here.

My goal = Level 1 – 1-10

The challenge is just to read as many Indie authors as you’d like.

You can sign up here.

My goal = 

This challenge is focused on finally finishing those series that you’ve started but not yet completed.

You can sign up here and here.

My goal = 1-10 – Discussion Dabbler

So often, we book bloggers mean to post more discussions on our blogs, but we just don’t quite get around to it. Well, we wanted to give everyone a little motivation to keep the discussions going, plus give us a place to link up our discussions so that more people will see our precious words of wisdom (or … you know … our GIF-filled rants).

You can sign up here.

My goal = 6 Books

The challenge will be exactly the same as last year, 12 classic books, but with slightly different categories. You do not have to read all 12 books to participate in this challenge!

1.  A 19th century classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899.

2.  A 20th century classic - any book published between 1900 and 1968. Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later, such as posthumous publications.

3.  A classic by a woman author. 

4.  A classic in translation.  Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language. (You can also read books in translation for any of the other categories). Modern translations are acceptable as long as the original work fits the guidelines for publications as explained in the challenge rules.

5. A children's classic. Indulge your inner child and read that classic that you somehow missed years ago. Short stories are fine, but it must be a complete volume. Young adult and picture books don't count!

6.  A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. This can be a true crime story, mystery, detective novel, spy novel, etc., as long as a crime is an integral part of the story and it was published at least 50 years ago. Examples include The 39 Steps, Strangers on a Train, In Cold Blood, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, etc.  The Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones list is an excellent source for suggestions. 

7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction. The journey itself must be the major plot point -- not just the destination. Good examples include The Hobbit, Around the World in 80 Days, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, Kon-Tiki, Travels with Charley, etc. 

8. A classic with a single-word title. No articles please! Proper names are fine -- Emma, Germinal, Middlemarch, Kidnapped, etc.

9. A classic with a color in the title. The Woman in White; Anne of Green Gables; The Red and the Black, and so on. (Silver, gold, etc. are acceptable. Basically, if it's a color in a Crayola box of crayons, it's fine!)

10. A classic by an author that's new to you. Choose an author you've never read before.

11. A classic that scares you. Is there a classic you've been putting off forever? A really long book which intimidates you because of its sheer length? Now's the time to read it, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised!

12. Re-read a favorite classic. Like me, you probably have a lot of favorites -- choose one and read it again, then tell us why you love it so much. 

You can sign up here.

My goal = Bronze – 10 Books

Have you ever logged on to Edelweiss or Netgalley with the intention of “Just Looking” and then logged off having requested 5 new titles even though your TBR is a mile long? This challenge will (hopefully) give you the incentive to tackle your review books, stumble upon new ones, and get your Netgalley percentage to the desired 80%!

You can sign up here.

The goal is to visit and COMMENT on 365 blogs.

Do you participate in reading challenges? Feel free to link me up to any that I have missed!

Comic Reviews: Batman Volume 8: Superheavy & Batman Volume 9: Bloom by Scott Snyder, Illustrated by Greg Capullo

Title: Batman Volume 8: Superheavy

Series: Batman Volume II #8
Author: Scott Snyder, Brian Azzarello
Illustrators: Greg Capullo, Danny Mikki, Jock
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Pages: 176
Genres: Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, Graphic Novels
Source: Library


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After his deadliest battle to date, Batman is bruised, battered and scarred. And forever changed.
Now, a figure in an 8-foot mechanized suit of armor roams the streets of Gotham City. More powerful than ever before, Batman’s pursuit of justice has never been more swift or efficient. But who is the new Dark Knight? And why is he...or she here? Plus, learn the secret origin of the strange new villain known as Mr. Bloom!

Collect: Batman 41-46, & material from DC Comics: Divergence

MY REVIEW

This review WILL contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I can honestly say that this one didn't really jive with me. The plot felt very convoluted to me. Sometimes I had no idea what was going on. Seriously. Some of it just made no sense. 

I did like seeing Jim Gordon all buffed up trying to be Batman, but in the end I just prefer Jim Gordon to be Jim Gordon. A sanctioned Batman isn't Batman, and a Batman in a Robo-Bat suit isn't Batman. And I honestly have no idea what this Powers Corp is and where the hell they came from. They've purchased Wayne Enterprises, but not much else is said about them. And why the hell do they want a Mechanical Batman? WTF. And on that note, why in the world does Jim Gordon need a Bat Truck? A literal beast, semi-esque truck. Another WTF.

While I appreciate the Jim Gordon arc, it just was not executed well. I was bored reading this. I think that best thing about this was the potential that the villain had. The villain is a man with a sunflower on his face (with mysterious growing fingers/claws that impale people) that gives out seeds that provide superpowers when placed under the skin. And these powers vary. That in itself had potential, but it really fell flat. 


Overall, while there are some promising aspects to this, it just doesn't really pan out. I like when Batman comics surprise me with new ideas and shocking twists, but this one just didn't work out for me. I want my Bruce Wayne back. 

Title: Batman Volume 9: Bloom

Series: Batman Volume II #9

Author: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV

Illustrators: Greg Capullo, Danny Mikki, Yanick Paquette, Sean Murphy

Publisher: DC Comics

Publication Date: September 7, 2016

Pages: 200

Genres: Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, Graphic Novels

Source: Library

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As the new Batman, former police commissioner Jim Gordon is in for the fight of his life against the bizarre threat of Mr. Bloom, who controls the underworld in Gotham City! At the same time, an amnesiac Bruce Wayne has discovered the truth of his past as the Dark Knight -- and now, he must descend into the Batcave and reclaim that painful legacy.

Collecting: Batman 46-50 & material from Detective Comics 27

MY REVIEW

This review WILL contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Praise the stars that Bruce Wayne is back as Batman! Even if I had to wait until the end to see it. The story overall was a little choppy like the last volume. I still kind of like the idea of the villain in this, but the execution is still not working for me. His whole evil plan kind of made no sense in the end. He certainly had potential though, so there's that. 

I think that my favorite part was the Bruce and Joker moment on the bench. It was fucking awesome. I was on the edge of my seat for that scene like OMG!

I was honestly so sad for Alfred and Bruce's girlfriend when Bruce got his memories back about Batman. I secretly want Bruce to be happy. Why in the world can't he have a lady that knows who he is, loves him, and supports him? Why is that so hard? And poor Alfred. He just wanted Bruce to end up happy and normal. My heart seriously hurt during that story arc.

Overall, this volume has some good spots and some not so good ones. Some of the writing seems lazy, but those good scenes just have me. I can't dispute them. I didn't hate this volume, but I certainly didn't love it.

Are you a comics fan? Do you prefer DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or another comic publisher?

Review: The Alchemists of Loom (Loom Saga #1) by Elise Kova

Title: The Alchemists of Loom

Series: Loom Saga #1
Author: Elise Kova
Publisher: Keymaster Press
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Pages: 395
Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk
Source: ARC
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Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom. 

MY REVIEW

I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author.

This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I admit to being a little nervous before reading this. Elise Kova's Air Awakens series was her first series, and it holds such a special place in my heart. I feared that because of Kova's change from young adult fantasy fiction to adult fantasy fiction with this series that I would somehow not get the same spark that I got with her first series. I feared for naught. That spark was there and more. Go ahead and declare me a phoenix because I feel like that spark will continue to delight me and then make me reborn with everything that Kova writes. 

If you are familiar with Kova's young adult books, the first thing that you may notice is the different feel of this book. I definitely felt it. It was something new and curious and absolutely enchanting. This series really is adult fiction....and what is this...I like it! A lot! I am a woman in my early thirties that reads primarily young adult fiction. I love it, so I read it. (No matter how much my husband teases me. =P) I have always wanted to branch out more and read more adult titles, but I hardly ever do. At least not as much as I would like to. This book really opened my eyes to the plethora of possibilities out there in fantasy fiction. I have been limiting myself to mostly young adult, but I could be experiencing so many more epic stories. So that fear that I was talking about in the first paragraph...it's gone! I now embrace adult fantasy fiction. 

One of the things that made the adult label stand out more to me is the incredible world building. I mean, really, this world building is boss. I admit that I had to reread the first chapter three or more times before I felt like I could go on because there is so much world building to grasp on to before moving forward. Once I got that first chapter down and got used to it, I was golden. The world building just flowed off the page after that. And it is so impressive. I love the dragon and chimera aspect. The dragons have magic and different kinds of magic is housed in different organs. So there is a black market organ trade for dragon parts. The dragon blood and organs also help them to refine metal with magic in it. It's really complex. So not only can you buy dragon organs and have them implanted inside you so that you can have magic, but you can also have magic objects made from gold- which is made from dragon blood/organs. The emergence of dragons has really made this steampunk world evolve. It's amazing. And the distinction between the different races is so well written. The way they dress, their names, the dragon hierarchies, the way that dragons challenge one another to gain rank in society, the guilds and the way that the Fenthri are made to wear their guild tattoos on their faces. Everything is so perfect in the world building and so completely original. 

The writing itself is magical. I was invested in the story from the very beginning. I love the way that Kova grabs your attention and keeps it honed in on the story. This book seems more fast-paced than her other books, but it certainly doesn't lack anything for it. The writing is beautifully constructed.

These characters had to grow on me a little, but in the end, I loved them. The way that Kova writes her characters is incredible. You get to know them right from the start and it keeps building up as the story progresses. There are small details about their pasts or their personalities that all adds up. The relationships that are formed by the characters as the story goes on is amazing too. There are so many emotions and Kova makes you feel all of them along the way. The way that the characters come together and learn to trust one another is invigorating. I especially loved how Ari and Cvareh come together in the end. 

There was not really much romance in the book, but I actually didn't like the book any less for it. Which is rare for me. Normally without some romance, I won't like a book at all. But I think that the way Ari and Cvareh go from hating one another to trusting one another to pretty much being friends was such a journey. It really felt like the start of what could potentially be romance, and it was awesome! I have high hopes for Ari and Cvareh in this series. I may be wrong, but grinding gears it feels so right!

Overall, this is another epically fantastic release from Elise Kova. She has proven that she isn't tied down to a single genre and can conquer the mountain of any genre he brilliant little mind can conjure a story from. I really am so impressed! I recommend this book for any fans of Kova's previous works, and anyone that loves a good fantasy story. I think that steampunk fans will love it as well! This is another home run for you, Elise. Congratulations!

Have you read any of the books in the Loom Saga? If so, what are your thoughts. If not, leave a book recommendation!

Waiting on Wednesday: Unearthed (Unearthed #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're super jazzed about.

Title: Unearthed

Series: Unearthed #1
Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Pages: 384
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction

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When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

MY THOUGHTS

Okay, so in my opinion, there are not nearly enough Young Adult Science Fiction stories. And I am talking about Science Fiction books that are not part of the Dystopia category. I love a good Dystopian book, but I also love love love some hard Science Fiction. Give me some outer space, give me some gene splicing, give me some cyborgs, give me everything! So I went a little crazy there, but my point remains. Science Fiction is love. The book has also been dubbed as YA Indiana Jones in space, and that sounds so freaking cool. 

Are you a fan of Science Fiction books? If so, share some of your favorites! Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your WoW post!