Book Review: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

*** This is the second book in a duology. If you have not read Passenger be careful of spoilers. Also read those, they're great. ***

Title: Wayfarer Series: Passenger #2 Written by: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 3, 2017 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.  Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.  As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

I really loved Passenger and was so excited to read the next book in this series. And this book was another thrilling and action-packed read with great characters.

The biggest strength of this book is definitely the characters. I absolutely connected with the main characters in the first book in the series and in this one I was completely invested in seeing them succeed. Both Nicholas and Etta are strong, resourceful, and compassionate. They are the kind of characters that have strengths and weaknesses making them complex and well rounded. They spent most of the book apart which meant very little romance and I kind of loved that. Not only did I want them to get together but it made me appreciate them apart and allowed for some good character development.

This book also had a good combination of plot-driven and character-driven. On the one hand there was a ton of action in this book. It was full of thrilling escapes, fight scenes, and surprises. There wasn't a ton of action in Passenger but Wayfarer made up for that in stride. At the same time there were a lot of character based moments where the choices and motivations of Etta and Nicholas influenced the story and how it developed. It wasn't quite a Hero's Journey but it had those aspects in addition to the action based moments. For someone like me who prefers plot-driven reads Wayfarer struck the right chord.

Unfortunately however I didn't love the world building in this one. Passenger was one of those time travel stories that focuses more on the historical fiction aspects of the world building and I kind of wish that Wayfarer had done that as well. But the plot took more of the focus and that was kind of to he detriment of the word building. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's okay if there is more of a focus on the time travel aspect but if that's the case then there needs to be clear rules and understanding how all of that works, and that didn't happen here. A lot of the time it came off as confusing and muddied the book for me. I wish there was more explanation to the world.

Or maybe that was just because of the pacing of the book. This was a very fast-paced read, and it may have been too fast. It moved from moment to moment at such a breakneck speed that I almost didn't register what was happening now before it moved on to the next. I found myself kind of confused at times and even had to reread whole pages and sections because it moved too quickly. It did all build to a thrilling conclusion but when it was all over it didn't feel satisfying in the way I thought it would be. I know this series is only a duology but I feel like there's more. Or maybe I just want more.

This book wasn't perfect but I did rally enjoy it. It's a thrilling action-packed read with great character moments and exciting ending despite the fact that the world and pacing was a little confusing.

I give Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked Passenger you will enjoy the second book in this series. It's not a perfect time travel series but it's definitely a really good one that I think fans of historical fantasy will enjoy.

Have you read Wayfarer? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stoping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale Written by: Katherine Arden Published: January 10, 2017 by Del Ray (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.  After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.  And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.  As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales

*** I received an advance copy of this from the publisher via Netgalley. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I was instantly attracted to The Bear and the Nightingale when I learned about it. It's definitely my kind of read. A lush fantasy world amid a harsh historical setting, and a modern fairy tale kind of plot... how could I resist? I couldn't. So I was so happy to get a review copy from the publisher and dive right in. And while I really liked it, it didn't blow me away.

For one thing, this is not the kind of book you can sink your teeth into and power through (unless you get the audiobook, but more on that later). It's one of those books that is very slowly paced. It draws you in and slows you down as you take in every word and experience. If you like those kinds of books you will definitely love this one. I'm usually not big on books that aren't more plot-focused and I still really liked this. Usually if a book takes me weeks to read it I consider DNFing but I never did that here. I was willing to give it the time and I'm glad I did. The ending had great payoff even though it took it's time to get there.

Probably the best thing about this world though was the setting and world. This is a book that relies very heavily on it's atmosphere, and honestly that is exactly what it should do because seriously, the atmosphere is fantastic. It's one of those worlds that is full of magic and mystery but in a subtle kind of way. The fantasy creatures and magical elements incorporate a lot of folklore and fairy tales so it kind of gives off that kind of vibe within the story. The other thing that gave it a great atmosphere was the setting. The Russian wilderness setting contrasted so well with the fantasy elements in such an interesting way. And it felt subtly dark as well. It's one of those fantasy reads where just the setting makes the stakes really high. I love books that feel reminiscent of classic fairy tales in their world and atmosphere and this was one of those books.

As far as the plot goes, it was good but nothing that super impressed me. It definitely did build to a thrilling ending full of action and mystery but as previously stated it took it's sweet time to get there. This is a book full of exposition. It is lousy with exposition. I often complain about how I don't like books with a lot of exposition and you should add this one to that list. It was just so much set up. You knew there was exciting things coming but the plot development kept being like, "but first, here's a thing to learn." I just wish that it had gotten to the good stuff sooner.

But I did really like the characters here. The main character is Vasya, and she was amazing. Vasya is one of those strong female characters that I adore. She isn't particularly badass in a classical sense but she is tough and resourceful just as she is caring and vulnerable. What I loved about Vasya is that she had this absolute belief in the power of the magic all around her even when it even more difficult for her. And she cares so much about others that she will help them to her own detriment and that I can't help but appreciate in a heroine. But for the most part, this book was full of really dark and odious characters. There are so many threats here and all kinds of characters whose true morality and whether they are helping or harming are in question. I love those kind of characters and these ones are one of the main reasons I kept reading in the slower moments.

As I said before, it took me forever to read it and I think one of the main reasons I did eventually finish it was that on Tuesday, when the the book came out, I picked up the audiobook. And that was the best decision I have made in awhile. Because you guys, this audio was amazing. It is absolutely the kind of book that is perfectly suited to the audio format. The atmospheric world, the lush and gritty setting, the exposition and slower pacing, all things I prefer in audio. Not to mention that the narrator did an amazing job with the Russian accents making it so immersive. If you like audiobooks and want to read this book, get the audio.

On the whole this was a good read despite some things I didn't love. It's incredibly slow-paced and relies very heavily on it's atmosphere and the odious characters. It isn't a book that you can read in one sitting but it's a perfect winter read if you want to immerse yourself in something fantastical and atmospheric.

I give The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. This is good but I don't know if it's a rush out and get it immediately kind of read. If you are looking for an audiobook I'd say buy it, But definitely a good book to snag the next time you're at the library.

Have you read The Bear and the Nightingale? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Books I Meant to Read

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I kind of love this week's theme. I mean how many books did you want to read this year and were not able to. There are too many books and too little time. Not to mention you can't really buy all the books you want to. So here is my list of books I wanted to read and didn't this year,

Books I Never Got My Hands On

1.) Nil on Fire by Lynne Matson - Amazon / Goodreads
I loved the first two books in this series and I read them shortly after they came out. But for some reason I have really been dragging my feet in reading the final book in the series. I really need to get to it though.

2.) The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine - Amazon / Goodreads
I read my first Sarah Fine books in 2015 and wanted to read more of her stuff. This book is totally up my alley so it seemed totally perfect. But I never got my hands on a copy and still need to read it.

3.) Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims - Amazon / Goodreads
This YA mystery was a debut I really wanted to read last year but I never picked up a copy and didn't get a chance to read it. I'd like to still check it out though.

4.) Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman - Amazon / Goodreads
I've wanted to read Anne's previous books but I haven't. I really have no explanation for it. Not to mention that this book is totally up my alley. It's a historical mystery about Paradise Lost, I should have been all over this book.

5.) Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire - Amazon / Goodreads
I have heard really good things about this book and it sounds totally fantastic. Like it's about children who have been to magical lands. Like how amazing does that sound! You may know I like books that play with fantasy tropes.

Books I Own and Didn't Read

6.) My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows - Amazon / Goodreads
Yeah, here's another book that I really should have read. Like this is my kind of book. I mean seriously. I've heard it's a hilarious read and it's historical fiction about court intrigue with a little it of fantasy to it.

7.) Nemesis by Anne Banks - Amazon / Goodreads
I bought a copy of this book when Anne Banks came to Pittsburgh and I thought she was hilarious and my kind of people. I had every intention of reading it and didn't.

8.) A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly - Amazon / Goodreads
I bought a copy of this book when it came out because I saw it on sale and I had planned on reading it but didn't. Because seriously, it sounds so cool. And once again right up my alley because it's a historical fantasy.

BEA Books and Other Review Books

9.) Replica by Lauren Oliver - Amazon / Goodreads
I definitely wanted to read this book. It sounds super unique. But I continued to push it further and further down the TBR until the year was over and the book was unread.

10.) Rebel Genius by Michael Dante Dimartino - Amazon / Goodreads
I was so so excited about this book. I mean it's a MG fantasy from one of the creators of Avatar the Last Airbender which is my absolute favorite. And I even got a copy of this at EPA and met the author but still haven't read it.

11.) Metaltown by Kristen Simmons - Amazon / Goodreads
This one is similar to Replica. I was super excited about reading this book and was so pumped to get a copy at BEA and for some reason I just didn't prioritize it. Even when it fit the theme for that month I still didn't read it.

12.) The Girls by Emma Cline - Amazon / Goodreads
This is an adult book that I had heard a lot of hype and good things about. I got a copy on Netgalley and planned to read it but haven't yet. I still want to maybe take the time to read it but I'm not sure when I will be able to.

There you have it. The ten(ish) books I wanted to read last year but never read. What books did you want to read last year and never got a chance? Have you read any of these books? Is there any I should prioritize? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Crossing Over: Fantasy Heist Stories

Hey all. It's been awhile Crossing Over post. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature that stemmed from my desire to recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA or sometimes Middle Grade book that are similar. I hate that we pigeonhole books into a specific age range and so I try to combat that. Plus it's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. It runs once a month (usually) here and I pick the books based on the theme of what I'm reading. So this month my focus is fantasy and honestly this should be the easiest one to come up with but somehow it isn't. Maybe it's too general. But then the perfect idea hit me, heist stories. I love a good fantasy heist. It's the perfect combination between fantasy and mystery. So here you go...

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

I really enjoyed this series. It's super fantastic and fill of action and magic and adventure and mystery. It really has everything. And the sequel is even better. I am still not over that ending! This is a book that combines a bunch of different elements that you wouldn't think would work well together and they do. For one thing, it's got an amazing world that is full of magic and adventure. I fell in love with this world in the Grisha trilogy and loved exploring it even more in this book. Plus it's a book that is super dark, which I enjoyed.

The best thing about this book however is the characters. It is a book full of interesting and likable characters. It alternates perspectives between a handful of characters and they are all fantastic and dark and terrible people. I mean it is a book about thieves and the criminal underground so you know they are terrible people. But you still totally root for them especially when they go through terrible things. And they really go through some terrible things. It doesn't seem possible that they will get out of the dangerous scrapes they get into but somehow they do and somehow they want them to.

And it's a heist novel so there is that fantastic aspect. My favorite heists are ones where all the clues or elements of the heist aren't revealed until the very end. I love when you think they are going to fail and then suddenly something falls into place that makes it all possible. This is that kind of book. It really is a great series that combines adventure, mystery, and fantasy really well.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

This book and series came very highly recommended. So many of you fellow bloggers who love the same books as me, love this series. I  enjoyed the first book but haven't continued reading the series for no particular reason that I didn't have holes in my TBR. It's super fantastic and full of action and magic and adventure and mystery. It really has everything! This is a book that combines a bunch of different elements that you wouldn't think would work well together and they do. For one thing, it's got an amazing world that is full of magic and adventure. But it's a subtle kind of magic which is cool. Plus it's a book that is super dark, which I enjoyed.

The best thing about this book however is the characters. It is a book full of complex and likable characters. It alternates perspectives between a handful of characters and they are all fantastic and dark and terrible people. I mean it is a book about thieves and the criminal underground so you know they are terrible people. But you still totally root for them especially when they go through terrible things. And they really go through some terrible things. It doesn't seem possible that they will get out of the dangerous scrapes they get into but somehow they do and somehow they want them to.

And it's a heist novel so there is that fantastic aspect. My favorite heists are ones where all the clues or elements of the heist aren't revealed until the very end. I love when you think they are going to fail and then suddenly something falls into place that makes it all possible. This is that kind of book. It really is a great series that combines adventure, mystery, and fantasy really well.

These are both good examples of books I think can combine genres really well. It combines fantasy and mystery in a way that is thrilling and interesting. It really seems like an obvious choice though too because of the really dark with complex characters that you root for despite them being theives and rogues, not to mention that they're both heist novels so there is that. I think the main difference though is that with the Gentleman Bastards/Lies of Locke Lamora series is more of a long game. I'm not entirely sure what to say about it though because I've only read the first book.

Have you read Six of Crows and/or The Lies of Locke Lamora? What did you think? What steampunk novels with crossover appeal do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

2017 Challenges I'm Doing

One thing you should know about me is that I am competitive. But I try to challenge that for good instead of evil but challenging myself  I participated in three last year and it was a great way to focus my reading schedule and read some books that I may not have otherwise read. So this year, I am planning to participate in more challenges. I of course am doing a Goodreads challenge and hoping to read 15 books again this year. But here are my other, blog challenges.

Debut Author Challenge

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Challenge Objectives:

• To introduce readers to this year’s wonderful group of debut authors. 
• To challenge readers to read 12 or more (or less! It’s up to you!) middle grade, young adult, and new adult debuts this year. 

Challenge Rules: 

• You must post your thoughts on each debut book you read in order for it to count towards the challenge. 
• You can post anywhere: your blog, Goodreads, Amazon, YouTube, Tumblr, etc. 
• You can join the challenge whenever you want. 
• The debuts must have a publishing date in 2016 and must have been read between January 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 (this extra month allows readers adequate time to read December debuts) in order to count. 
• Each review gives you an entry into the monthly prize pack drawings. Make sure you post the links to my monthly link-ups. I always post these link-ups on the first day of the month. 
• This challenge is open internationally, as are the monthly prize packs. 
• I don’t care what language you write your reviews in, I just need to know which book you have reviewed so I can verify your entry. 
• When you post your link, please include the title in English. Use the hashtag #2017DebAuthC so we can all see what everyone’s up to!

I participated in this challenge last year and I loved it. I read so many debuts and there were some really good ones. Not to mention I am really excited for a lot of debuts this year. The goal is to read 12 debuts and I actually read 30 last year.  I think I will keep my goal for this the same as is was last year which is 25.

Rock My TBR 

Hosted by The YA Book Traveler

JOIN THE #ROCKMYTBR CHALLENGE FOR 2017!
We ALL have those poor little books that we bought because we had been excited to read them…but eventually they just went by the wayside and forgotten.

WHAT IS ROCK MY TBR?

OPEN TO ALL READERS! Whether you’re a reader, a blogger, a booktuber, a bookstagramer let’s all have fun and rock out those TBRs together! We all love books and let’s encourage one another.

THE CHALLENGE: 

• To read a minimum of 1 book per month you already own (published book). This challenge is totally what YOU make of it! You can do 5 books a month, 10, WHATEVER! Anything you accomplish is fantastic. This challenge is really what you make of it. 

BUDDY READS:

• Find others! My favorite part about this challenge this last year was finding other people to buddy read books with me. I kept it simple and set up DM groups so we could discuss it. It really helps keep you motivated to read books you’ve been wanting to. *I always pick a book of the month that I buddy read. Check in with me if you want to join!
• Make a list! If you can, create a list of books you own and want to read then post it, tweet it, video it and try to find other who want to read the same book. Buddy reading is so much fun! It’s great having other people to fangirl/fanboy with while you’re currently reading. This is optional but I think it’d be fun! 

THE HASHTAG: 

• Use the hastag #RockMyTBR for current discussion. There will be Twitter Chats periodically hosted. (More info to come) Knowing myself, there will most likely be giveaways throughout the year as well! 

MONTHLY WRAP UP: 

• At the end of the month, update us on how you’re doing with the challenge. This can be done on Twitter, on your blog, a Booktube video, YOU NAME IT!

I don't just want to read new books or debuts. I want to make sure I read the books I already own so I'm participating in this challenge as well. Last year I ended up reading 27 backlist books which beat my goal of 25. I'm going to keep the goal the same, so 25 books. Last year I wanted to read books that I already owned and this year I have another additional caveat. I am kind of treating this as a completed series tag. I have a lot of series that I started last year and did not finish. So, in addition to backlist books I want to finish 10 series this year.

2017 Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge
Hosted by Bookish Things & More

Goals: 

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%!

Challenge Guidelines:

• The challenge will run from Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017. 
• Anyone is welcome to join. You do not need to be a blogger, just post your reviews and come back every month to link them up. 
• Any genre, release date, request date, length, etc. counts so long as it came from Edelweiss or Netgalley. 
• At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews. If you forget to link up one month it's not a problem. Add your reviews next month or go back to the month your review was posted and link to that list. 
• If you would like to move up or down levels that is completely fine and at your discretion. 
• 
  If you have any questions tweet me @BookishThings or e-mail katrina@bookisthingsandmore.com! Hashtag: #NGEW2017

Levels:

Bronze - 10 Books
Silver - 25 Books
Gold - 50 Books
Platinum - 75 Books
Diamond - 100 Books

Last year I read 40 books from Netgalley and Edelweiss. At this point I just want to maintain that goal. If it looks like I can read 50 books later in the year then I will.

2017 Discussion Challenge

Hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight

Here’s All You Have to Do: 

• The 2017 Book Blog Discussion Challenge runs from January 1st until December 31st, 2017. 
• Sign-ups will remain open until December 31st, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Central. (So, you can sign up all year long! Come join us!) 
• Create a sign-up post announcing your intention to participate and link up below. There is no need to say what your discussion posts will be about – just tell us that you’re joining and let us know what your goal is. (Please note, you may do this in an update post, or a post of other challenges—you’re not required to make a completely separate post—but you can if you’d like!) 
• Please link back to both challenge hosts and include the challenge button in your sign-up posts. 
• There will be a kick-off post on January 1, 2017 on both Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight where you’ll be able to leave your links for any January discussions. At the beginning of every month, a new post will go up on both blogs for that month’s links. Every month, we’ll update this 2017 Book Blog Challenge Page with the links to that month’s Challenge linky—so you’ll always know where to find the latest link-up! 
• Share it! The more people we get to participate in this, the more awesome discussions we can all be a part of and the more fun it will be! So, invite your friends to join us! 
• This challenge is to help get us discussing books and book blogging, so talk about whatever you want as long as it’s relevant to book blogging. Discussions can be book related or book blogging related (or generally blogging related—no discussions about things that are completely off-topic like travel or fashion, etc). Discussions can also be about you personally if it’s a get-to-know-you type post. 
• If you forgot to leave your discussion link in the challenge month in which you posted the discussion or the linky list closed before you had a chance to leave it, you can leave it in a future month. (No duplicates, though.) There will also be monthly giveaways, so make sure you check in each month! 
• Use the hashtag #LetsDiscuss2017 to share your progress and connect with other participants on Twitter. NEW THIS YEAR – Every month, we’ll feature our favorite posts from one randomly chosen participant. Have questions? Feel free to ask in the comments!

This is my first time doing this challenge. Last year I did an audiobook challenge but that's not very hard for me. I listen to tons of audiobooks and it just became a way to track them. So this year I decided to do one that is hard for me, and that is discussions. I really don't do many discussion posts. My blog is very review heavy. So this year I thought I would shake things up and try to post one discussion a month, so 12 for the year.

Those are my challenges for 2017. Basically the same ones as I did last year, plus one different one. Check back in my monthly wrap ups to see how I am doing on the challenges and for more information check out the posts from their hosts or the tabs up above.

What challenges are you doing in 2017? Are you joining in any of these? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Take the Key and Lock Her Up by Ally Carter

*** This is the third book in a trilogy. If you have not read All Fall Down and See How They Run be careful of spoilers. Also read those, they're great. ***

Title: Take the Key and Lock Her Up Series: Embassy Row Written by: Ally Carter Published: December 27, 2016 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: THE PRINCESS IS DEAD.  LONG LIVE THE PRINCESS.  Centuries ago, the royal family of Adria was killed . . . or so everyone thought. Now Grace Blakely knows the truth:  There was one survivor, and that survivor’s blood runs through her veins. This simple fact could cause a revolution — which is why some people will stop at nothing to keep it from coming to light.  There is only one way for Grace to save herself, save her family, and save the boy she loves. She must outmaneuver her foes, cut through the web of lies that has surrounded her for years, and go back to the source of all her troubles, despite the risk.  If she wins, she will inherit a throne.  And if she loses, she will inherit the fate of all the dead princesses who came before her.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This was a pretty good conclusion to a good YA political thriller. I really like Ally Carter and she has shown yet again that she can write a fantastic and subtle thriller with this book.

Over the course of the two books I have definitely become attached to these characters. One of the things I like most is the fact that they are all so complex and interesting, especially the main character. Grace is far from perfect. She is the kind of character who makes tons of mistakes and is constantly having to live with the consequences of her actions. She's such a good hero for this kind of story because not only does she make things interesting but she is someone that you want to see succeed.

But she is not the only complex character. This is a political thriller so it is jam packed with political types, royalty, and diplomats who are constantly changing allegiances and keeping things interesting. There are some really odious characters here and I always love that. Throughout the course of three books I have loved seeing figuring out who to trust and who cannot be trusted. The characterizations here are really fantastic.

Every book in this series continues to escalate the plot and change the game when it comes to the overarching story. Take the Key and Lock Her Up did that as well, reading as much like it's own story as a conclusion to the series. And while I did really enjoy that it felt a little odd at times. Like there was a disconnect between the books. It didn't feel much like a cohesive story despite the fact that it did have a solid and satisfying conclusion.

So much of what made this book interesting was the political thriller aspects. There are not a lot of these kinds of YA reads and I really wish there were more because I always enjoy them so much. This was one that was full of twists and turns and things that caught me totally off guard. Not to mention there was so much scheming and plotting that went along with those twists. It was totally shocking but it was really engaging.

Take the Key and Lock Her Up was a good ending to a fun and compelling YA political thriller. It has great characters and a plot full of surprises. I was really happy with this series from start to finish and feel like even though it's a subtle thriller, it's a great read.

I give Take the Key and Lock Her Up by Ally Carter 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked the first book in this series then you should absolutely pick this one up. It's not perfect but it was a good ending to the series. I would also absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for more YA political thrillers. It's a pretty good one.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Song Rising Series: The Bone Season #3 Author: Samantha Shannon Published: March 7, 2017 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The hotly anticipated third book in the bestselling Bone Season series – a ground-breaking, dystopian fantasy of extraordinary imagination Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population. But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilising the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging. Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it…

Why I'm Waiting:

This is another waiting on Wednesday that should not be a surprise if you have read any of my most anticipated books of 2017 posts or have been a follower for awhile. You probably then know that I am a huge fan of this series, particularly the most recent book in the series, The Mime Order, which came out about two years ago. I have been anticipating this book since then, since before then because I read an ARC at the end of 2015.

But if you didn't know, I am so in love with these books. I'm a huge fan of the science fantasy world that is created and the paranormal elements. There is a lot going on here and I love that about it. It's so complex and interesting. Not to mention the plot development. It's so thrilling and full of action. And these characters. I love Paige so much. And Jax. Oh man, Jaxon Hall is so fascinating and I need to know more about him. I need to know EVERYTHING about him.

But seriously guys, even if I wasn't a fan of this series I would have seriously would have needed this book in my life because of the way that The Mime Order ended. Samantha's cliffhangers are ridiculous and while the last one wasn't a total cliffhanger oh my god it was a crazy ending and I need to know what is going to happen next.

Not only do I have an e-ARC from Netgalley that I need to read but I have of course preordered a copy of this book because I am that excited to read it. I actually preordered the collectors edition because it matched the original covers (and I hate the redesigns) plus it's signed! Two weeks ago I said that A Conjuring of Light might be my most anticipated release of this year but this might beat it out just barely. I feel like I have been waiting so long for this book and I am so eager for it.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on The Song Rising along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!