Stacking the Shelves {136}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? Mine was good! Nothing terribly exciting to report, just trying to get all caught up. I'm getting more reading done, which makes me more than happy. But I did start watching Jane the Virgin, which I love and which might detract from my reading time.... We'll see, eh? :) Anyways...

For review:

Acts of God by Ellen Gilchrist
This Raging Light by Estelle Laure

Traded:

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Tuesday - {Release Day Celebration + Giveaway} Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Thursday - Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Books I read this week:
A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron
Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall

I'm currently reading:
A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

So that's been my week! Fun times at work this week! We're resetting everything for Christmas, so it's...hectic, to say the least. I'm excited, though! :) Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!

Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Release date: October 20, 2015
Find Amie online: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Find Jay online: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 608
Format: Egalley
Source: Publisher provided for review through Netgalley
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Anything I can say about Illuminae (read: RAVE about Illuminae), if you've read a review, you've heard before.

It's imaginative. It's thrilling. And you won't be able to put it down. It took me around an hour to read the entire second half of the book, as I flew through the pages, tense and scared like I was on the ship with Kady. You finish, and you're breathless. You're crying. You're left feeling a little bit empty because it's over. Illuminae is an experience. I've already told everyone I work with to read it--and shown more than a few pages from the book.

Part of what's so spectacular is how close to Kady and Ezra you feel upon finishing. Because of the narrative structure--the whole book is a file compiled on the Kerenza incident--you're not really hearing from the two themselves. There are messages between them and others, giving you a distinct feel for their characters and voices, and Kady has a diary, giving you a glimpse into her head, but all of this could fall flat. Far from it, though. These are characters you will feel for, characters you will root for.

In some ways, I feel a little bit like a voice shouting into the void, because anything I can say about Illuminae has already been said--and it certainly won't compare to the book in any way. I've read some good books this year, but I daresay this is the one I feel most passionately about. It's an incomparable reading experience, and one you should kick yourself if you miss out on.

Pictures included in review are taken from the ARC, and therefore may not be exactly what's found in the finished hardcover.

About the authors:

Amie Kaufman is the New York Times bestselling co-author of the Starbound series.

Jay Kristoff is the award-winning author of the Lotus War series.

Collectively, they are 12'5" tall and live in Melbourne, Australia, with two long-suffering spouses, two rescue dogs, and a plentiful supply of caffeine. They met, thanks to international taxation law, and stuck together due to a shared love of blowing things up and breaking hearts. You can learn more about Amie and Jay at amiekaufman.com and jaykristoff.com.

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton {109}

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Release date: March 8, 2016

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

I loove the sound of this! It's like a western, but with genies! Oh mah gosh.

 So what are you guys waiting on this week? :)

{Release Day Celebration + Giveaway} Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

Woo! Happy release day to Velvet Undercover! Teri Brown's latest is such a fun historical fiction spy thriller that you won't regret picking up. And just look at that gorgeous cover! You need that one on your shelf.

About the book:

Release date: October 20, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray comes this page-turning historical spy thriller from Teri Brown, author of the Born of Illusion series.

Samantha Donaldson's family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women's spy group La Dame Blanche, she's torn—while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can't refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she must fight a forbidden attraction to the enemy—a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it's too late . . . for them both?

A thrilling story of one girl's journey into a deadly world of spy craft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences.

Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Find it on Goodreads

Praise for Velvet Undercover:

“A slow-burning tale of espionage and deceit that explores the complexities and moral uncertainties of war.” 

             — Kirkus Reviews

“A taut and swiftly paced historical spy mystery, filled with suspense and surprising plot twists...A great fit for fans of Elizabeth Wein’s Code Name Verity.” 

            — School Library Journal

"Clever, impetuous Samantha Donaldson is a delight to follow through the murky world of the German court in this twisty tale of espionage and forbidden romance.” 

            — Katherine Longshore, author of Gilt, Tarnish

"Brown's latest is a pulse-racing, whip-smart thriller that kept me guessing until the end."

            — Cat Winters, Morris Award Finalist for In the Shadow of Blackbirds

About the author:

Well behaved women rarely make history. Teri Brown liv ed that quote way before she ever even heard it. The two things she is most proud of, (besides her children), is that she jumped out of an airplane once and beat the original Legend of Zelda video game. She's a novel writer, head banger, pet keeper, math hater, cocktail drinker, booty shaker, book reader, city slicker, food fixer, rule breaker, wine sipper and word scribbler. She loves her husband, children, puppies and chocolate.

  One Grand Prize Winner will get:

- One signed hardback copy of Born of Illusion
- One signed hardback copy of Born of Deception
- One drawstring spygirls bag from the International Spy Museum
- One tablet of spy paper that dissolves when wet
- One password required lock and key journal
- Two black light spy pens
- One pair of brass spyglasses with brass rope chain (Perfect for spying!)

Must be 13+ To Enter | Ships in US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves {135}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? Mine's been good! STILL busy, y'all. I've been working (and still am) at an American Girl Fashion Show allll weekend, which is so adorable--but I've been home...not at all. Hopefully getting back to my routine tomorrow will let me catch back up! Fun mail this week, though!

For review:

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Traded:

Of Dreams and Rust by Sarah Fine

PLUS these pretties! I'm obsessed--seriously--with this poster.

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Monday - Review: The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
Tuesday - Teaser Tuesday: Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday: Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Books I read this week:
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

I'm currently reading:
A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron

So that's been my week! I'm so behind on comments again! Imma work on it, I promise. It's hard to get my butt in a chair to do that! :) Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!

Waiting on Wednesday: Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh {108}

Title: Fear the Drowning Deep
Author: Sarah Glenn Marsh
Release date: September 2016

Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.

Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.

Don't mind that this comes out in September 2016, just look at the pretty! Plus, you know, the ocean, 1913, and some awesome names--that spelling of Fynn is killing me in the best way.

 So what are you guys waiting on this week? :)

Teaser Tuesday: Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown {128}

Title: Velvet Undercover
Author: Teri Brown

Release date: October 20, 2015

Samantha Donaldson’s family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a Girl Guide and messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, high-level mathematics, and complex puzzles and codes, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women’s spy group La Dame Blanche she’s torn—this could be the adventure she’s dreamed of, but how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband to the war? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes there’s no way she can refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known to the members of LDB only as Velvet. Deep undercover within the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Samantha must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she finds herself forming a forbidden attraction to the enemy-a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Samantha discover the truth and find Velvet before it’s too late…for them both?

From author Teri Brown comes the thrilling story of one girl’s journey into a deadly world of spycraft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences. (

My teaser, from 21% in the egalley:

I lean back in the chair and close my eyes for a moment. When I open them, I ask, "So there are no paper records? What about her next of kin? Won't they be notified if something happens to her?"

For a moment I think she's not going to answer, but when she does, her voice is as empty as her face. "All records related to Velvet's identity seem to have been...misplaced."

Ooh, I am so excited to be starting this! I so enjoyed Teri Brown's last YA series, and have been dyyying to read this one for ages. I've been alll in the mood for historical fiction, too. :D

I'll be visiting around and visiting back, so leave me links to your teasers! :) Happy Tuesday!

Review: The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

Release date: April 27, 2012
Author info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 318
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

When Katharine Tulman’s inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle’s world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it.

When I read and loved Sharon Cameron's Rook, I knew it was time I picked up this series. And what a treat! The Dark Unwinding is a Gothic-tinged steampunky mystery that I just loved.

Katharine is a really interesting character because she's so very logical and mathematically minded. When the Gothic elements of the story come into play, she doesn't think it's ghosts or anything supernatural. She deals with adversity and her problems in a very steadfast and held-together manner--at least in front of other people. I did get annoyed with her for not seeing what I thought should have been obvious, but I was certainly more caught up in seeing how the story would play out to be too concerned.

What appealed to me the most was Katharine's Uncle Tully and the people he's surrounded by. He is so charming in his way and the love everyone around him has for him is sweet. They're very threatened by Katharine, knowing she's there to have him declared insane, when everyone who depends on him will lose their livelihood. But they seem less concerned with themselves and more with him, which is, of course, endearing.

And not to forget the romance, unsurprisingly, I loved it. Lane is one of the people closest to Uncle Tully and who cares for him most fiercely--so Katharine's appearance is deeply threatening to him, so he greets her coldly. He and Katharine have some misunderstandings, but their attraction to one another is very quickly obvious. As they get to know one another, their relationship grows. And it's so sweet--I loved it.

This one book I'm sad I didn't pick up sooner. Luckily for me, with that bittersweet ending, I have its sequel, A Spark Unseen, sitting on my shelf waiting. Oh, and if you finish The Dark Unwinding not wishing to see Uncle Tully's creations, I don't know what's wrong with you.

About the author:

Sharon Cameron was awarded the 2009 Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for her debut novel, The Dark Unwinding. When not writing Sharon can be found thumbing dusty tomes, shooting her longbow, or indulging in her lifelong search for secret passages. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.

Stacking the Shelves {134}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? Mine's been good. Busy, busy, busy at work though! Like, maybe the busiest I've been? So I've been pretty tired coming home and got...nothing finished. I am really liking Illuminae, though!

Purchased:

A Spark Unseen (The Dark Unwinding #2) by Sharon Cameron
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Tuesday - Teaser Tuesday: The Immortal Heights by Sherry Thomas
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman
Thursday - Review: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Books I read this week:
Not a thing. I'm ashamed.

I'm currently reading:
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

So that's been my week! Slow book week, eh? I'm fine with that, to be honest. I could have months like this and probably be fine. :) Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!

Review: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Release date: September 22, 2015
Author info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 432
Format: Egalley
Source: Publisher provided for review through Edelweiss
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? 

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

Rae Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns series is one of my favorites of all time, so no matter what her next book was to be, I was excited. When I heard it was a Western, I was even more excited, and each reveal about Walk on Earth a Stranger that came only made me want it more. That's hard expectation to live up to, but Rae Carson doesn't disappoint.

It's often my favorite thing when a book is less action and more character development, and while it doesn't seem that it would be, Walk on Earth a Stranger is just that. Most of the book's action is simply her journey across the country, with little episodes of peril, though most are resolved relatively quickly. It is, instead, Lee's state of mind that we venture through mostly. She's got to come to terms with the deaths of her beloved parents, the betrayal of a family member, and the sheer difficulty of the trek across the United States.

Through all of this time, as we obviously get to know Lee very well, the rest of her travelling party becomes intimately familiar as well. They run the gamut of personality and skill set, and over time, hidden depths are shown in each and every one. As much as it's Lee's story, it's certainly theirs as well.

While I was hoping for a larger inclusion of romance, it's light and actually rather lovely. Since this is only the first book in the series, I'm sure it'll become more of the story later.

Walk on Earth a Stranger is most certainly the beginning to another wonderful series from Rae--while it didn't quite hit the heights of the Girl of Fire and Thorns books for me, I don't doubt it'll get even better as the series progresses. (Not much can compare to those books, to be quite honest, so even to get close is big!)

About the author:

I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman {107}

Title: The Dark Days Club
Author: Alison Goodman
Release date: January 26, 2016

New York Times bestseller Alison Goodman’s eagerly awaited new project: a Regency adventure starring a stylish and intrepid demon-hunter!

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

This just pushes all of my buttons, so of course I need it. I need Regency EVERYTHING.

 So what are you guys waiting on this week? :)

Teaser Tuesday:The Immortal Heights by Sherry Thomas {127}

Title: The Immortal Heights (Elemental Trilogy #3)
Author: Sherry Thomas

Release date: May 19, 2015

In a pursuit that has spanned continents, Iolanthe, Titus, and their friends have always managed to remain one step ahead of the forces of Atlantis. But now the Bane, the monstrous tyrant who bestrides the entire mage world, has issued his ultimatum: Titus must hand over Iolanthe, or watch as his entire realm is destroyed in a deadly rampage. Running out of time and options, Iolanthe and Titus must act decisively to deliver a final blow to the Bane, ending his reign of terror for good.

However, getting to the Bane means accomplishing the impossible—finding a way to infiltrate his crypt in the deepest recesses of the most ferociously guarded fortress in Atlantis. And everything is only made more difficult when new prophecies come to light, foretelling a doomed effort....

Iolanthe and Titus will put their love and their lives on the line. But will it be enough?

With The Immortal Heights, Sherry Thomas brings the acclaimed Elemental Trilogy to its breathtaking conclusion.

My teaser, from 15% in the egalley:

He could not help laughing. Then he kissed her. "I will be very careful, because I want to see you again, with a desperation Cooper can barely conceive of."

Yay! I am beyond excited to finish this series! It's one of my favorites, and it better end happily, or I'll be pretty sad. I mean, I'll cry and everything. (I'll cry no matter what, buuuut these will be worse tears. Like Strange and Ever After tears. Those were next level, y'all.) :)

I'll be visiting around and visiting back, so leave me links to your teasers! :) Happy Tuesday!

Stacking the Shelves {133}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? Mine was wonderful--if you recall, I went to Disney World! And it was wonderful and magical and all that. :) It's one of those situations where you want to go home because that's where the comforts are, but you don't want to leave the fun! 

For review:

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Purchased:

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (And it's signed! Totally worth it. Prettiest book ever, too.)



Traded:

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Gifted:

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Monday - Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Tuesday - Teaser Tuesday: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday: Soundless by Richelle Mead

Books I read this week:
This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

I'm currently reading:
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

So that's been my week! I LOVE my books this week. Not too many, but they're all awesome. I might've screamed a bit when I got the email about The Impostor Queen--definitely one of my most anticipated books of next year! :) Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!