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!