top ten authors I'd love to meet (and one I have)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted over at Broke and Bookish. This week's theme is "March 28: Top Ten Authors I'm Dying To Meet / Ten Authors I Can't Believe I've Met  (some other "meeting authors" type spin you want to do)." 

Living in rural South Carolina for the past few years, I haven't gotten much of a chance to meet my favorite authors, so this is definitely a wishlist of people that I would love to meet. This mostly comes down to the fact that I adore their books and also think that they are super hilarious/relevant/retweetable on twitter.

 


1. Emery Lord 

2. Victoria Aveyard

 


3. Jenny Han

4. Becky Albertalli 

 

 

5. Adam Silvera

6. Shannon Hale

 


7. Sabaa Tahir 

8. Victoria Schwab

 

 

9. Angie Thomas 

10. Morgan Matson

and then, there is one author that I have had the privilege to meet! 

11. John Green













xx
Caroline

a torch against the night: stardust arc reviews

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2)
Sabaa Tahir

☆☆☆☆☆

goodreads/b&n/amazon

A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.


FULL, FEELS-FILLED REVIEW UNDER THE CUT!!

top ten tuesday: sophomore releases

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish, and every week is a different themed list! This week's theme is: "November 3:  Top Ten Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward To Their Sophomore Novel (because when you love a debut you just are ITCHING to get your hands on the author's second book) or Top Ten Sophomore Novels That I Loved Just As Much If Not More As The Author's Debut (no one hit wonders heeeere!)" So here we go!

Five Sophomore Releases I Can't Wait For 

1. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen #2): I loved Red Queen so much, and I can't wait to see what else this world has in store!

 2. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes #2): An Ember in the Ashes was one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year, and I can only hope that this second installment is as kickass as the first.

3. Map of Fates by Maggie Hall (The Conspiracy of Us #2): What makes the first book so interesting and different for me was the incorporation of unusual settings and mythologies, so I hope the second one does this just as well!

4. Wandering Star by Romina Russell (Zodiac #2): I thought the world of Zodiac was incredibly intricate, and I hope that we can delve into different parts of it in this second novel.

 5. Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton (Tiny Pretty Things #2): I got so sucked into the drama of the first one that I read it in like six hours, and I'm just looking for my Gossip Girl-esque sequel!

Four Sophomore Releases I Loved Just as Much as Debuts

1. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord: I thought this novel was just as good, if not better than her debut, Open Road Summer. This is the only book that I have read through twice in a row!

2. Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall: Sandy Hall excels at the adorable. Her debut might be slightly better in my eyes, but this second one is just as cute as A Little Something Different, and for that I am grateful.

3. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson: Obviously, Morgan Matson has another book out now too, but I just wanted to point out that Amy and Roger's Epic Detour was a hell of a debut and hard to follow, but Second Chance Summer was just as amazing as Amy and Roger's was!

4. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: If you've been on here for any amount of time you'll know that this is one of my favorites ever, even more amazing than Nelson's debut, The Sky is Everywhere!

What is on your list this week?

xx
Sunny

look at her go: reviewin' reviewin': an ember in the ashes

Name: An Ember In The Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
 ☆☆☆☆☆
find it on goodreads
barnes & noble
amazon

synopsis: AN EMBER IN THE ASHES is a thought-provoking, heart-wrenching and pulse-pounding read. Set in a rich, high-fantasy world with echoes of ancient Rome, it tells the story of a slave fighting for her family and a young soldier fighting for his freedom.
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

full, non-spoilery review under the cut!

waiting on wednesday: an ember in the ashes

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature over at Breaking the Spine, where each week we all highlight a highly anticipated book that is coming out soon.

This week's pick: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Find it on goodreads 
Release Date: 28 April

synopsis: Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.
LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.
ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.
When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

~~~
Basically, this had me at "terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world." I love ancient Rome and everything having to do with anything about it, so I already am so excited to see what Tahir does with this unique setting. This book sounds super badass, and I honestly can't wait to get my hands on it. Doubly excited because I have seen nothing but amazing reviews from those who have advance copies! 

What are your picks this week? 

xx
Sunny