Challenge Wrap Up: Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge

It's time for the last weekly post and challenge wrap up of 2016. In addition to doing a favorite books of the year thing, once a week in December I did a challenge wrap up to talk about some of my favorite books in the categories that I did challenges for. I did a total of four challenges this year. The next and last of these is my Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge. So basically, the review book category. I may finish one more Netgalley book this year but it's a 2017 release, plus I probably won't finish it so oh well.

My initial goal for the year was to read 25 books from Netgalley and Edelweiss. I nded up doing really well on this during the first half of the year and thinking I could read 50 by the end of the year but that did not happen. Although I did read 40 books from Netgalley/Edelweiss which is not to shabby for the Netgaklley/Edelweiss Challenge hosted by Falling for YA. That's a total of about 1/4 of my books for the year.

And I really did like many of these books but to be entirely honest, most of my least favorite books of the year also came from this challenge. You can't win them all, I guess. And because of this reason, I think this was the hardest one for me to make a list about. There were a few that I loved loved, but for the most part there were a lot of really good books that I wasn't sure about including on a best of list. But I did my best so here is the list of some of my favorites.

1.) The Skylighter by Becky Wallace - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2016 so I was over the moon when I was approved for the book on Edelweiss and sent a physical ARC from the publisher. I read both so I could read it everywhere and anywhere and finish it as fast as possible.

And it did not disappoint. It made it's way onto my best of the year list because it was such an amazing and action-packed sequel. What I loved so much about this series is that it's one that from the outset seems like a typical YA fantasy but is super creative and unique. I loved the world inspired by Portugal, the really unique magical system, and the characters, Oh man, these characters, and these ships. So good. So so good. It was one of many books I read this year that wrecked me emotionally in the best possible way. I really wish it wasn't a duology and that there was a third book coming next year.

I would absolutely recommend this series. If you are like me and love YA fantasies and are looking for something a little different but still familiar, check this one out. Check it out and fall for Joanna, Rafi, and Dom with me. DOM!!!!

2.) Roses and Rot by Kat Howard - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

When looking at my favorite books of the year, many of them are books that surprised me. Books I was interested in reading but didn't expect to love as much as I did. Books I did not expect to blow me away. Roses and Rot is one of those books. I was intrigued by it, yes, but I really loved it and that kind of surprised me.

I don't want to say too much about this book because part of it's charm is going in without knowing too much. I went in knowing very little about what this book was about and it caught me off guard. It was fascinating and captivating. I really loved the setting and the way that this book was written. it is beautiful and lyrical with a really fantastic Gothic vibe. It a;so has great characters and a completely realistic interaction between family and particularly sisters. I could totally really and was so enthralled by this book.

This is a book that I think flew under the radar a little bit this year and I wish it got more attention because it is really good. If you are a fan of Gothic fiction and/or modern classics I think you will enjoy this. I also this it has a great modern fairy tale kind of vibe. Honestly, it's great. Read it.

3.) Nevernight by Jay Kristoff - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

This is a book that got some mixed reviews. I know a lot of people didn't really enjoy it or ended up DNFing it because they couldn't get into it. And I get that, I do. I am one of the people who pushed through the slow start and weirdness in the beginning and was rewarded with an amazing book.

Yes, this is a dense and slowly paced book but the payoff was intense and fantastic. It was super thrilling with tons of action and plot twists that I did not see coming. Not to mention it also has an totally interesting magical system that I think we have only just started to understand and I am really interested in seeing develop. This book is also not for someone looking for something fluffy and lighthearted. It's dark. Very dark. There is more sex and violence in this book than some of the books and TV shows that are known for being violent and sexual. But despite the fact that it was pretty erotic, I enjoyed it. A lot.

 This is not the kind of book for everyone, but if you are looking for a fantasy that is dark and violent and don't mind putting in the time to read this one you will be rewarded just like I was.

4.) Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

This is another book that I had a copy from Edelweiss but also got a physical ARC (this time from BEA) but like The Skylighter it was a very anticipated read and I was so incredibly excited to read it when I was approved on Edelweiss.

If you have been around for awhile you know that I am a huge fan of the Jackaby series. These books always make it on to my favorites of the year list. They are such amazing mysteries and perfectly balance humor and action. Seriously, they are so funny. Plus they combine historical fiction, fantasy, and mysteries in a way that I am hopeless to resist. Ghostly Echoes is not my favorite in the series but it was amazing and resolved some questions from the first book while bringing up even more questions for the series. Plus it was about Jenny who I adore so much.

If you haven't read this series and you are a fan of historical fantasy or historical mysteries, or Sherlock, or nice things, you must read these books. They are seriously one of my all-time favorites. They're the perfect palette cleanser too because they are engaging but so fun and silly. But if I haven't convinced you to read these books yet I have failed you.

5.) The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

I really liked The Fixer, which I read last year. This was another sequel that I was really excited about and was so pumped when I got approved on Netgalley. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next and to solve a new mystery with Tess.

I often hate comparisons like this but it really is Veronica Mars meets Scandal. It's just such a good mystery and political thriller with a tough and snarky teenage protagonist. But the best part of this book is the twists and reveals. Even when I predicted them they were still amazing and hit me so hard. It's such a good and fantastic read.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you are a fan of mysteries or political thrillers and are looking for a good YA one then definitely read this. But I seriously need you to read this and buy this book because I need a sequel. There are so many things that I need to see followed through on, even though there is a resolution. At this point it's a duology but I want more. I need more and the author has plans for more but it needs to sell well. Help a sister out!

6.) Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

This is a book that I honestly should have included on my list of favorite debuts of the year but in an attempt to not repeat myself too much I swapped this one with one that is on my honorable mention here because I liked that one more.

But this is another one of those books that I loved more than I was expecting. I'm not a huge contemporary reader but I have been reading a lot more lately and honestly really enjoying many of them. This is one that I enjoyed. One of the things I really appreciated about it was that this is a book that plays with the tropes. It's kind of got this book within a book vibe because of the main character trying to live the ideal life so she can write a book about it to get into college. But the best thing about this book is how unbelievably unlikable the main character is. She's kind of a terrible person and yet at the same time, you root for her. It's amazing.

 This is another book that is not for everyone, but if you are looking for a contemporary that is really different and plays with the tropes then check this one out. But again, this is a book that is not really for everyone. This is a book that is more towards people who are not big contemporary fans or are looking for something a little bit more of an issue book.

Honorable Mentions:

7.) The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock - My Review
One of my favorite debuts of the year was a book I got as a Read Now on Netgalley. It's another book that surprised me, another book that flew under the radar, and another book that was amazing. It's a great book about how people's lives interweave. I loved it.

8.) The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters - My Review
This was my first Cat Winters book. Can you believe it? It was. I should have been reading her books for years but I didn't. I'm glad I read this one though. It is one of the many amazing Shakespeare retellings I read this year,

9.) Heroine Complex by Gail Sarah Kuhn - My Review
I'm a sucker for books about superheroes. I was really intrigued by this one because it's from the perspective of the hero's assistant. Super interesting, man. And it was definitely interesting but also really fun and action-packed.

10.) Gena/Finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson - My Review
I was not going to include this book because it's kind of similar to Enter Title Here. A lot of what I liked about it is similar. But it was also a really good under the radar book for the year.

There you have it, all my favorite books that I got for review from Netgalley or Edelweiss. If you want to see the full list on all the review books I read to this year and to find my thoughts, check out the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge page HERE. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Skylighter by Becky Wallace

*** This is the second book in a series so if you haven't read The Storyspinner proceed with caution. There may be spoilers for that book but there are no spoilers for this book. Also you should absolutely read The Stroyspinner. It's amazing. Here's my review! ***

Title: The Skylighter Series: The Keeper Chronicles #2 Written by: Becky Wallace Published: March 22, 2006 by Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Johanna and Rafi are in a race against time to save their country before a power-mad Keeper destroys everything they hold dear in the “enthralling magical world” (Cinda Williams Chima, author of The Heir Chronicles) introduced in The Storyspinner.  As the last of the royal line, Johanna is the only person who can heal a magical breach in the wall that separates her kingdom of Santarem from the land of the Keepers, legendary men and women who wield elemental magic. The barrier protects Santarem from those Keepers who might try to take power over mere humans…Keepers who are determined to stop Johanna and seize the wall’s power for themselves.  And they’re not the only ones. As the duchys of Santarem descend into war over the throne, Johanna relies more than ever on the advice of her handsome companion, Lord Rafael DeSilva. But Rafi is a duke too, and his people come first. As their friendship progresses into the beginnings of a tender relationship, Johanna must wonder: is Rafi looking out for her happiness, or does he want the throne for himself?  With war on the horizon, Johanna and Rafi dodge treacherous dukes and Keeper assassins as they race to through the countryside, determined to strengthen the wall before it’s too late…even if it means sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their world.

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

Excuse me while I attempt to rein in my emotions because I absolutely loved this series. It is the perfect duology and such a creative YA fantasy. The Storyspinner was one of my favorite books of 2015 and I was not disappointed by it's sequel. The Skylighter was a brilliant read and an epic conclusion.

One of the most brilliant things about this book is the world. I was enthralled by the world in the first book and here it was even better. It's such a complex world that feels familiar and creative at the same time. After reading the first book I learned that it was inspired by Portuguese culture and I love the way that Becky took those inspirations and combined them with traditional fantasy tropes to make something compelling and unique. It once again felt fresh and interesting. In this book we get to explore the world even more and on a deeper level learn more about the history of the world and the magic. I really enjoy the magical system here and it was really great to see it more. It's a psuedo-elemental magic and with the high stakes of this book there was a lot more magic. It was so amazing to see the elemental magic in affect and that really added to the thrilling conclusion. 

And what a great conclusion it was. This book built to a well-plotted and fantastic ending that had me on the edge of my seat. There are lots of different plot lines here and they all came to a head in a fantastic and action-packed climax full of politics and magic. I have to admit that I didn't get a chance to reread The Storyspinner so I don't really remember the specifics about the plot of that book but as much as I would have like to, I'm not sure I really needed to. This felt like a self-contained story that resolved it's own plot points while also continuing what began in the first book. This book absolutely felt like a high-stakes end of the world epic fantasy. There are so many elements of the book that worked together to give it that tone. From the characters fleeing for their lives, to the two different armies coming after them, it was so thrilling. And I love the way that everything kind of worked together to resolve at the same time. It made for a brilliant conclusion with so much action.

The reason that there were so many different storylines that all kind of resolved at the same time is because there were lots different perspectives to this book. I'm not usually a fan of books that had multiple perspectives but here it works so well. They each added something different to the story and it flowed so well. Yes, sometimes it was frustrating to leave a character right in the think of the action but I would very quickly fall back into the story of whoever was picking up the narrative. And it helped show different corners of the world where things were happening that ended up affecting the larger plot of the story. I think the multiple perspectives really added to the story and made for a more well-rounded story.

But I also may have not minded the multiple perspectives because I absolutely love the characters in this series. They are all so complex and likable. I fell for them hard in the first book so I was really invested in their success in this one. Our main characters are absolutely Johanna and Rafi who are great heroes. Johanna is still so reluctant to be a princess and hero where Rafi is so ready to be one. It should have been stereotypical but it wasn't. Those two together were such an amazing team and while it was frustrating I enjoyed them arguing about who would save who. Here we also got to spend more time with Dom who felt a little one-note (although that note was amazing) in the first book and is so complex and interesting. And then there are the Keepers like Jacare, Pira, and Leao who add the magical side of things. Things are not very easy for these characters. I was so terrified for what was going to happen to them and my ships in this book. And none of them made it easy. I wanted to smoosh so many faces together and shake some sense into these characters but that only added to the drama. There is a large cast of characters here, many of whom get perspectives, and they all are fantastic.

On the whole, The Skylighter is a fantastic and thrilling read. This was a brilliant duology from start to finish and it ended so well. It's such a fantasy YA fantasy with a creative and compelling world, complex and likable characters, and a thrilling plot that will keep you guessing. And oh wow, is this book filled with drama. Drama and feels. I had so many feels during this book. I'm a crier, I often cry while reading, and this book had me bursting into tears at numerous times. But then when it was all over I was left with not only a great feeling of satisfaction but also a serious book hangover.

I give The Skylighter by Becky Wallace 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! Fans of The Storyspinner will absolutely adore this second and final book in this series. It is a great return to this world with complex characters, a fantastic magical system, and an thrilling plot. And if you haven't read The Storyspinner, check it out because it's a brilliant YA fantasy.

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

Waiting on Wednesday: The Skylighter by Becky Wallace

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

*** This is a sequel so beware of spoilers if you haven't read The Storyspinner. And if you haven't read it and like YA Fantasy you should probably get on that. It's amazing! Here's my review. ****

Title: The Skylighter Series: The Stroyspinner #2 Author: Becky Wallace Published: March 22, 2016 by Simon & Schuster (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Johanna and Rafi are in a race against time to save their country before a power-mad Keeper destroys everything they hold dear in the “enthralling magical world” (Cinda Williams Chima, author of The Heir Chronicles) introduced in The Storyspinner. As the last of the royal line, Johanna is the only person who can heal a magical breach in the wall that separates her kingdom of Santarem from the land of the Keepers, legendary men and women who wield elemental magic. The barrier protects Santarem from those Keepers who might try to take power over mere humans…Keepers who are determined to stop Johanna and seize the wall’s power for themselves. And they’re not the only ones. As the duchys of Santarem descend into war over the throne, Johanna relies more than ever on the advice of her handsome companion, Lord Rafael DeSilva. But Rafi is a duke too, and his people come first. As their friendship progresses into the beginnings of a tender relationship, Johanna must wonder: is Rafi looking out for her happiness, or does he want the throne for himself? With war on the horizon, Johanna and Rafi dodge treacherous dukes and Keeper assassins as they race to through the countryside, determined to strengthen the wall before it’s too late…even if it means sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their world

Why I'm Waiting 

If you didn't check out my Top Ten Tuesday yesterday, The Storyspinner was in my top five favorite books of the year and one of my favorite debuts. It is a brilliant fantasy with characters you can't help but root for, ships you can't help but ship, and a creative and enthralling world. The way the first book ended made me so anxious for the next book so since then I have been not so patiently waiting.

And based on the synopsis, the stakes definitely sound like they're really high in this book. I mean it has phrases like "race against time" and "war on the horizon." Plus I need to know what happens to these characters who I adore and for my ship to sail. The synopsis makes me a little worried about one of these ship. Don't do it Becky! Please!

I know a few blogger friends who have ARCs for this have been able to read it and they absolutely loved it so I remain hopeful and anxious. I can't wait for The Skylighter!

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