Diary of a Book Maniac

Review: New World: Ashes (New World #2) by Jennifer Wilson

Title: New World: Ashes (New World #2)
Author: Jennifer Wilson
Format acquired: Ebook

Source: Bought

Publication date: June 7, 2016

Summary:

After Phoenix, a 17-year-old orphan rogue, sacrifices herself for her loved ones, her world again takes an unexpected turn. She may have forgotten her past, but it hasn’t forgotten her. A war is coming and her role in it will be pivotal.

That is... if she survives.

Review:

It is the day after I read this book and the euphoria after reading this is still within me. I’ve tried to type up a proper review (this will be my 4th attempt) but I just can’t because FEELINGSSS. So instead, I’ll write the top 5 reasons why you need this freaking amazing book in your life.

FIVE REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND READ NEW WORLD: ASHES (That was a mouthful. Heh)

1. First book was UHH-MAAAY-ZIIIING! This is the second book in the New World trilogy so you have to read New World: Rising first before reading this beauty because duh, the first book was just as good as this one. You surely won’t regret it! So go buy your copy and read the first book first and then go back here so we can discuss the gloriousness of this sequel.

2. Villains Surprise I included that? Haha. The villains in this book ignited so much hate from me. Seriously. If I can just kill fictional characters, I already did that. I want to strangle them. Wring their necks. Torture them. Majority of the book was me thinking several ways on how to kill the villains in this book. And I’m saying that in a positive way because if a book incited so many emotions within you then that means the author did a good job in creating them. So job well done, Jennifer Wilson! Fandrin and Gage just made it into my most hateful book villains list. Hahaha. :D

3. Pacing I couldn’t relax while reading this book. Honestly. It has a fantastic pacing that you don’t want to even blink your eyes because you don’t want to miss anything.

4. Action This is even better than watching an action film. Every scene was well-plotted and so thrilling. When I was reading this book, it felt like every scene was real. Every time the characters sneaked out, my heart would pump so fast because I felt like I’m with them.

5. Romance SO MUCH FEELS!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN’T EVEN. WHAT IS LIFE. WHAT IS AIR. TRIVEN, GIVE ME BACK MY HEART.

There’s a lot more things this book can offer you, but those 5 things I listed were the ones that made me love this book so much. New World: Ashes was even better than the first, and considering how I loved New World: Rising, that says a lot. I can’t wait to read the next book!

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, by Alyssa

book blitz

Author Showcase Giveaway Blitz

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, by Alyssa

Author Interview

Book Blitz: The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent (Interview & Giveaway)

I am super excited to be a part of this pre-release blitz to help spread the word that THE FLAME NEVER DIES, the second book in Rachel Vincent’s The Stars Never Rise series, is releasing on August 16th!

For those that are already caught up on this series, the wait is (almost) finally over! For those that haven’t yet met Nina Kane or discovered the dark and dangerous world she lives in, there’s still time to catch up - and a really sweet deal (details below) that will make you want to move this series to the top of your reading pile!

Scroll down to learn more about THE FLAME NEVER DIES and THE STARS NEVER RISE, the author, Rachel Vincent, and to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed hardback set of these two amazing books!

And for even more peeks at the fab content being shared throughout the blitz - shareable quotation graphics, excerpts and an interview - look for other blogger participants now through August 15th on social media #TheFlameNeverDies.

The Stars Never Rise goes on sale!

In anticipation of the upcoming release of THE FLAME NEVER DIES, the publisher is dropping the price for the eBook version of the first book in the series - THE STARS NEVER RISE! So if you haven’t yet discovered this series, now is the perfect time!

Just head over to your favorite online e-tailer to look for THE STARS NEVER RISE with its newly lowered price or visit one of these online stores - AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | GOOGLE PLAY | KOBO

Please note that at the time of this post some stores may not yet have updated their sites to the promotional pricing. If they haven’t, be sure to check back for this awesome not-to- be-missed deal!

About The Flame That Never Dies

Title & Series: THE FLAME NEVER DIES (The Stars Never Rise #2)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Release date: August 16, 2016

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 352

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Goodreads / Amazon / Kobo / Barnes & Nobles / Indiebound / Google Play / iTunes

Summary:

For fans of Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead comes the unputdownable sequel to The Stars Never Rise, a book Rachel Caine, author of the bestselling Morganville Vampires series, called “haunting, unsettling, and eerily beautiful.”

ONE SPARK WILL RISE. Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year- old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go.

In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth.

Nina isn’t about to let that happen . . . even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Interview

Interview with Rachel by her sixteen-year- old daughter (Codename: Melody), who’s thinking about actually reading her mother’s book.

Melody: So, this is a series is about demons, right?

Rachel: Sort of. Not really. A century ago, Nina’s world was invaded by residents of another reality who can only remain in our world by taking over a human body. People called them demons, because that’s the only association they had for the concept of possession.

Melody: So these “demons” aren’t actually bad?

Rachel: Oh, no, they’re totally bad. They’re entertained by the suffering of humanity. They’re just not the residents of hell most people think of when they hear “demon.” But that’s all I can say without spoiling anything from THE STARS NEVER RISE!

Melody: Okay. But if they’re not religious demons, why is the government in this world run by the Church?

Rachel: Because people assumed that only the Holy could fight the unholy. So a fictional “Church” stepped in to do just that. To fill the power vacuum, when secular government couldn’t protect the people.

Melody: So THE STARS NEVER RISE is a book about faith?

Rachel: No. It’s a book about false faith. About the frailty of untested beliefs. About how accepting everything you hear as the truth can mean living a lie. That’s true with every predatory situation, from abusive relationships to investment scams. I just chose to tell that story on a larger scale, where the entire world has accepted a lie because it was easier to believe a hero has come to save us than to stand up and fight our own battles. Take from that what you will… ;)

Melody: Wow, Mom. That was deep. (Teenage eye roll.)

Rachel: (shrugs) There’s also lots of fighting, kissing, and setting demons on fire.

Giveaway

Courtesy of the author, there is a blitz-wide giveaway for…

ONE (1) winner will receive a SIGNED hardback set of THE STARS NEVER RISE + THE FLAME NEVER DIES

Giveaway is US only. Must be 13 or older to enter. Giveaway ends on August 14th at 11:59 PM Pacific.

Enter HERE

About Rachel Vincent

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close second.

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, by Alyssa

5 stars

Review: New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson

Title: New World: Rising (New World #1)
Author: Jennifer Wilson
Format acquired: Ebook

Source: Received from the author (thank you, Jennifer!)

Publication date: January 5, 2016

Goodreads / Amazon

Summary:

Since witnessing her parents' murders at the age of eleven, Phoenix's only purpose in life has been to uphold her mother's dying words- to be strong and survive. But surviving outside of The Walls- outside of The Sanctuary- is more like a drawn-out death sentence. A cruel and ruthless city, Tartarus is run by the Tribes whose motto is simple, "Join or die."

Refusing to join and determined to live, Phoenix fights to survive in this savage world. But who can she trust, when no one can be trusted? Not even herself.

Review:

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The gif above is the perfect description of myself after I read New World: Rising. This book left me with pieces of my heart scattered all over the place and emotions that I don't know how to contain. It left my jaw hanging. At loss for words. Erratic heartbeat. New World: Rising is the newest addition in my all time favorite books.

I read this book without expecting anything. Little did I know that this book will blow my mind. Where do I start with my review for this glorious book? Let's start talking with our heroine, Phoenix. I had an instant love with her character. She's strong, smart, clever and everything that I was looking for an MC of a Dystopian book. Phoenix has to hardened her heart in order to survive in the world that she lives in. But her life took a 360 degrees turn when she saved a stranger. I like the transition of Phoenix in this book. From a girl who only cares about herself to a selfless person. I love that Phoenix is not only tough, but that she also has a soft side in her.

Another reason why I love this book so much is because of the world building in this book. It's fantastic! Not that I wish to live in this world (Ha! Thank you, but NO), but what I like in the world building of New World: Rising is that it made my imagination so active. I was constantly imagining what each Tribe looks like, what The Sanctuary is like and how scary the Tartarus is. I had to take breaks in my reading to fully immerse myself in this world. It made reading New World: Rising even better.

This book will not let you choose which team to take because guess what? There's no love triangle in this book. Yay for that! :D And for once in my life, it was the love interest that fell in love with our heroine first and not the other way around. Another yay for that! The progression of the relationship between Phoenix and her love interest is gradual. It's not insta-love (Thank God for that). I wouldn't go into details but let me tell you, I swooned a lot when I was reading this book. I blame the swoon-worthy love interest of Phoenix for that.

New World: Rising is the kind of book that you wouldn't put down. It will suck you in from the very first page 'til the very end! I can't wait to start reading the sequel of this. Thank God it's already out now. Heh. :D

P.S. Dear Jennifer Wilson, you're now added to my list of auto-buy authors. You rock.