March and April 2017

Hello Fellow Bookworms!
       I hope everyone is healthy and well :) Because in the month of March I had to deal with some personal issues, there has not been much activity. So I have decided to combine my March and April Announcements page into one. I'll be sure to label the date for everything so that you won't be confused on what each thing listed is for. Any who, there are many books coming out in April and May that I am looking forward to and maybe you are too!

Coming Soon In April and May:
Release date April 4th:
     YA 1. Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
Release date April 11th:
     YA 1. Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis
     YA 2. Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
     YA 3. Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz
Release date May 2nd:
     YA 1. Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han

~QUESTION OF THE MONTH~

Q: Would you rather:
1) Have a small bookshelf but have hundreds of books OR
2) Have many large bookshelves but only have a couple of books

~BOOK OF THE MONTH~

Title: The Bad Beginning (Book 1)

Author: Lemony Snicket
Genera: Children, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. 

My rating: 5 STARS
(Because this is a re-read, I already have a review written for it on my Goodreads account. Be sure to check it out there! :)

~Other~

I just wanted to take this time to thank you all for all your love and support! I'll be hosting another giveaway very soon so be sure to keep an eye out for it! *Details will be posted on my Instagram* I wish you all a blessed day!

Happy Reading,

~Natasha Morriston~

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Facts:
Title: Blood Rose Rebellion
Author: Rosalyn Eves
Genera: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Opinions: 
My Rating: 4.4 STARs
             An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review
       
          To be completely honest, I was not expecting to receive an ARC copy of this book. In fact, I was rather shocked when I came home and found it waiting for me on my desk. It's not that I have never heard about this book or what not, I just was never told that I was approved to receive an ARC copy. I still remember the first time that I've heard about this book. It was in 2016 and it was a friend that introduced me to it. We were having coffee and talking about books (she too is a reviewer) when she brought up this book. She told me how she got super excited when she heard that this book was set in Hungary (since she went there once for a missions trip and absolutely loved it). She had me read the blurb on Goodreads and I too was intrigued with the idea. She told me that she had already contacted the publisher and was waiting on a response and that if I was interested in this book, she would send me her contact's email. I accepted her offer and later that day, I wrote to the publisher and requested a ARC. However, I didn't hear back from them for months. So I thought that maybe they have rejected me. That's why I was so surprised and excited when I found this book waiting for me at home. As soon as I got it, I hurried up and called my friend with the good news.
   
          Because I was dealing with some issues this month, I didn't have a lot of time to read. Therefore, it took me twice as long as it should have to complete this book (along with a couple other March-Release ARCs). But I'm glad that I pushed through it because this book was wonderful!

          I think my favorite thing about this book is the writing. Because I don't know much about Hungary, it was nice to be introduced to another culture. I loved that the author incorporated some Hungarian words into her writing (although it was hard at times since I would forget what some of the words meant). Having the characters speak Hungarian really helped make this book feel like it was based in another country. Because sometimes it is easy to forget that this book is taking place in another country if the author doesn't constantly remind you. So the Hungarian words really helped me remember and connect with the story better. Because I am not Hungarian, I am not sure if the words are correct or not but it was interesting trying to say the words as I read them. It made my reading experience 10 times better.
         
          I really liked the idea of a Luminate society. Because I am a sucker for magic, it was really excited to read about what kind of magical world Eves cooked up in this book. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I loved the idea that different Luminates have a certain area of magic they are good at. I enjoyed reading about the different kinds of magic and what they can do. I was also interesting reading about Anna (main character), who is Barren, try to find a way to receive magic. It was a interesting journey and I greatly enjoyed it.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read book 2! Highly recommend this book to people who liked Red Queen and are interested in reading about the Hungarian culture.

Happy Reading!
~Natasha Morriston~

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Facts:
Title: A Crown of Wishes (Book 2)
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genera: YA, Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Opinions: 
My Rating: 4.5 STARS

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review

      
     This book was such a delightful read. I knew I was going to love this book because The Star-Touched Queen was a favorite of mine last year. However, I didn't expect to love this book even more! For those of you who haven't read either of the books, I will keep my review simple so that I won't spoil anything. But I just wanted you to know that if you haven't read book 1 (The Star-Touched Queen) yet, you can still read this book. I call it book 2 but according to the author, this is more of a companion story so you can read them out of order. However, I personally thought that it was better to read book 1 first, and then read this one. 

     I think my favorite thing about this book is the writing. It was so beautifully written that I couldn't help but want to read more. The flow of the story was amazing, Chokshi really knows how to draw you into the story. I love the action, the world, and the characters. Gauri (the protagonist) was fierce and such a great main character. You know how sometimes when you are reading a YA novel and the main character drives you crazy? Well, I didn't feel that way with Gauri at all. She was a fun character to read about and I love her personality. 

     There isn't much I can really say without spoiling anything but just know this, if you are looking for a great read to 1) get you out of a reading slump or 2) because you just want to read a great book, check this one out! And for those who have already read and loved The Star-Touched Queen (book 1), read this book! It won't disappoint, I promise. 

Happy Reading, 
~Natasha Morriston~

February 2017

Hello Fellow Bookworms!
       I hope everyone is healthy and well :) This month, due to some personal issues, there has not been much activity. However, I am still making an "Announcement" Page because there are many books coming out next month that I am looking forward to and I am sure you are too.

Coming Soon In March:
Release date March 6th:
     YA 1. Garden of Thorns by Amber Mitchell

Release date March 14th:

     YA 1. These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2) by Tarun Shanker (ARC)
     YA 2. Hunted by Megan Spooner

Release date March 21th:

     YA 1. Nemesis by Brendan Reichs 

Release date March 28th:

     YA 1. A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi (ARC)

     YA 2. Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves (ARC)

~QUESTION OF THE MONTH~

Q: Would you rather: 

A) Read 1 book a year and remember everything OR

B) Read 100 books a year but remember nothing?

~BOOK OF THE MONTH~

Title: Cinder (Book 1)

Author: Marissa Meyer
Genera: YA, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Fairy Tale retelling
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

My rating: 5 STARS
(Review will be posted shortly)

~Advanced Readers Copies (ARC's)~

Because of my lack of time for reading, I haven't requested/accepted any ARCs this month.I already have 3 ARCs that are coming out in March that I have yet to review. Even though getting ARCs are great, I don't want to waste the publishers money by taking their book but not reviewing it. Accepting an ARC is a promise, one that I want to keep. So I apologize in advance for not having any new ARCs to show-and-tell. Maybe next month? 

Here are some ARCs that I got last month that are coming out in March:

Release date March 14th:

     YA 1. These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2) by Tarun Shanker

Release date March 28th:

     YA 1. A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi

     YA 2. Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves

*All of the books listed above will be reviewed 1-3 weeks before the release date*

~OTHER~

This month has been a rough month for me but it is in the past now. Because of all the book releases in March, I will be posting many ARC reviews so keep an eye out for those :) This month, I've also hosted my first giveaway! YAY! I had a lot of fun preparing the prizes and I'm glad of the turn out. More giveaways will be coming soon so follow my Instagram to enter!

Thank you all for your love and support! XOXO

Happy Reading,

Natasha

Behind Schedule + Giveaway

Hello fellow book lovers!

I am so sorry for my lack of updates on here...I've been going through some stuff lately. If you are a follower of my Instagram, you would know what I'm talking about. However, most of it is over so soon, I will be posting my reviews for:

1. The Academy: Introductions (The Ghost Bird Series #1) by C.L. Stone
2. These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2) by Tarun Shanker (ARC)
3. A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi (ARC)
4. Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves (ARC)

The reviews for each ARC's will be posted 2 weeks before their release date so be sure to check them out!

I apologize again for being MIA, but soon, I'll be back on my normal schedule.
As a form of apology, I'll be hosting a giveaway on my Instagram. 1 lucky winner will be selected to win....

A Signed Copy of DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy!

Here is the synopsis:

        ~Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.
        Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.
        With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.~

I read this book a while back and I absolutely loved the message it portrayed. It was a light and enjoyable read that really touched my heart. I was completely blown away by the writing and I love how relatable it was. You can check out my full review below (July 2016 Book of the Month). 

I hope you will accept this little giveaway as my form of an apology. The giveaway ends on February 28th. The rules will be listed under my Instagram post. 

Thank you all for understand and I hope you all have a blessed day!

Happy Reading,

Natasha Morriston 

Happy Valentines Day!

Hello, fellow book lovers!

I just wanted to wish you all a wonderful Valentines Day! I know that some people view this day as a day for couples; however, I think it's a day to show your love to everyone you care about. You don't need a partner to celebrate Valentines Day, you can celebrate it your friends or family.

Because I view you guys as a member of my family, I would like to show a little bit of my love. So, as a Valentines Day gift from me, I will be hosting a giveaway on my Instagram! 1 lucky winner will win:

A Signed Copy of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green!

Here is the synopsis:

      ~"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once."
        Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
        Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.~

The giveaway ends February 20th so be sure to come by and enter! The rules will be posted on my Instagram.
I hope you guys like this little giveaway! I plan to do more of them in the future so please stay tuned!

I just wanted to thank you all for being so supportive of me. It means a lot to me when people tell me that they've decided to read a book just because of my review. I honestly can't express my gratitude enough. Your love and support that taken me so far and I will not forget that. I know this is cheesy but I love you all. Thank you. Anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day! Spend it with your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you.

Happy Reading,
Natasha

January 2017

Hello Fellow Bookworms!
       As you can see, having an "Announcements" post is something I haven't done before on the Royal Review but I wanted to give it a try. As a lot of you know, I have announced in December of 2016 that there was going to be changes in the new year, well... here is the first one! I have decided to make a monthly "Announcements" post in which I can keep my viewer up to date on:

1. New books that I (and the book community) am excited for
2. Giveaways, Quizzes and Question of the Month
3. Spotlight Book of the Month
4. ARC's received from publishers/authors
5. others

I will probably revise and edit my plan as time goes on but this is the basic idea. I am really excited for this new update and I hope you are too!

This is where I list the book releases that I am looking forward to in the next month.
Coming Soon In February:

Release date Febuary 7th:

     YA 1. King's Cage (Red Queen #3) by Victoria Aveyard
     YA 2. Trapped in Silver (Eldryn Chronicles #1) by Emily Sowden
Release date February 28th:
     YA 1. Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller
     YA 2. Lifeblood (Everlife #2) by Gena Showalter

~QUESTION OF THE MONTH~

Q: Would you rather: 

A) live in the world of your favorite book OR 

B) have your favorite character(s) live in your world?

~BOOK OF THE MONTH~

Title: Introductions (book 1)
Author: C.L. Stone
Genera: YA, Romance
Publisher: Arcato Publishing

My rating: 5 STARS
(Review will be posted shortly)

~Advanced Readers Copies (ARC's)~

This month I was very fortunate to have received ARC copies of some of my most anticipated 2017 reads.

Here are the ARC's that I have received this month:

Release date March 14th:

     YA 1. These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #2) by Tarun Shanker

Release date March 28th:

     YA 1. A Crown of Wishes (The Star-Touched Queen #2) by Roshani Chokshi

     YA 2. Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves

Release date September 5th:

     YA 1. Mask of Shadows (Untitled #1) by Linsey Miller
*All of the books listed above will be reviewed 1-3 weeks before the release date*

~OTHER~

Well, that's it! What do you guys think? If you have any suggestions or concerns, please let me know! I hope everyone likes this update and that it can make my blog more engaging. Because this is my first time doing this, there will be some mistakes and it won't be perfect but please be patient, I am trying my best. Hopefully, after a few more posts, I will get the hang of this. Thanks for taking the time out to read this announcement! 

Happy Reading!
Natasha Morristion

An Ember in the Ashes By Sabaa Tahir

Facts:
Title: An Ember in the Ashes (Book 1)
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Genera: YA, Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Razorbill

Opinions: 
My Rating: 5 STARS

          So I was at my local library the other day browsing through the books in the young adult section when I came across An Ember in the Ashes. I remember hearing about it a while back and how everyone was super excited to read it. I thought "what they hey" and grabbed it and proceeded with my checkout. I finished the book within 2 days and its been weeks but OH MY GANDALF was it amazing. I wasn't expecting this book to be that good but it was, it truly was. You see, what I look for in a book are: a interesting but not overwhelming plot line, characters I don't end up hating, suspense and/or romance but not too much that it clouds the main idea, a believable setting and story and last but most important (to me) depth. 
          Lately, I've been reading books that has a good story and good characters and the right amount of suspense/romance but there was no depth, no bigger meaning. Reading is suppose to teach you something, even fictional novels. Sure, we might overlook the whole idea/lesson but there is a point the author is trying to get across, just a lot of us choose to overlook/ignore it. In An Ember in the Ashes, the main idea is expressed through many things. The masks for example are to represent the masks that people put on everyday. If we don't show who we truly are and hide behind the masks, one day the mask will become apart of you (just like in the book). There are other examples but I don't wish to spoil the book for any of you that are interested in reading it. 
         All in all, An Ember in the Ashes exceeded my expectations and truly lived up to the hype that it was given. I highly recommend this book to all who wish for a fun and exciting YA read that also has some deeper meaning behind it. 

Happy readings to you all,


~Natasha Morriston~

NEW CHANGES COMING SOON!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas is a time for being with your friends and family and reflecting on all your blessing that year. Since you guys are my family, I wanted to let you all know how blessed I have been to have you guys, my fellow Royal bookworms. I started my blog over a year ago, thinking it wasn't going anywhere. No one would view my content, no one would care but that wasn't the case! You guys have been so supportive of me since the beginning, I can't thank you enough. You all have shown me that hard work and passion can take you anywhere. I have always loved reading, ever since I was little; however, I never expected to start a blog and have people support me, but here I am. So as a small thank you, I will be hosting a giveaway in the New Year, so stay tuned! Also, due to the growth of this blog, I am planning a new 2017 update for The Royal Review.

2017 Royal Review Update:
Because of the amount of support I have been getting from my viewers and from authors/publishers, I have decided to be more dedicated to this blog. So there are going to be some changes. I will still continue to write reviews and post them on here but instead of having it be a Book of the Month type of review (where I only review one book a month that I really enjoyed and all the other books I read will be reviewed elsewhere), I have decided to post ALL of my reviews on here (I will still post on my other review sites too). A lot of people have told me that they wanted me to review a certain book but sometimes, I already have! A lot of people don't realize that I also post my reviews on other sites which lead to a lot of confusion (and DMs) and basically, it made it hard for a lot of my viewers. I want my blog to be an easy and fun environment for fellow book lovers so starting from January, I will start posting all of my reviews here.

Another (small) update:
Because I want my blog to be a fun and interactive place, I have decided to start posting Quizzes, Q&A and Giveaways so that we can interact with one another. I've seen a lot of other bloggers so these and they seem like a lot of fun! I hope you guys will like them too :)

I hope you guys will like the new update and I hope it makes it easier on everyone. If there is anything you would like me to change, feel free to contact me! I am always willing to answer questions and listen to your advice!

I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Happy Reading,
Natasha

PS: December's Book of the Month book will be posted tomorrow, so please look forward to it :)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Facts:
Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (book 3)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genera: Fantasy, Children Fiction, YA Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic

Opinions:
My Ratings: 5 STARS

*This review contains spoilers*

      When I first read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I was about 10 years old. So I can honestly say that it has been a while since I touched this book. I decided to re-read this series because this is my all-time favorite series. I wanted to re-experience the excitement from when I first read this series. The great thing about the Harry Potter series is that no matter how many times you read it, it never gets old! I have already read Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone (book 1) about 4 times and each time something new stands out to me. I also love how ageless this series is. People both young and old can enjoy it. Now, enough said about this series, it's time for my review of this book.

     I don't know why Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Azkaban was not memorable to me. Maybe it was because I waited so long to re-read it that I forgot all the details. I mean yes, I remember the main stuff: Sirius being Harry's godfather and that he escaped from Azkaban; Herminone's time turner thingy; Professor Lupin being a werewolf. This stuff is hard to forget. But everything else left my mind. That's why I decided that it was time for me to re-enter this world of Harry Potter.

     What I loved about this book was that it was really well-thought out. Now, don't get me wrong. All of the Harry Potter books are well-thought out but I guess my 10 year old self never appreciated the details and effort Rowling put into her books. I love how Rowling (like many authors) have a plan and purpose for each thing she places in her books. For example: the Weasly's photo in the newspaper and the small detail about Sirius getting a newspaper from the Prime Minister when he was in prision should have given us a red flag but it was such a minor detail and so well crafted into the story that we just overlooked it! I understand that is how people usually write a story; however, I truly believe that Rowling is the best at it. She uses our expectations against us in a way that we don't even see it coming. This book was truly a great example of how great of a writer Rowling is.

     I would highly recommend this series to fantasy lovers. This series is a classic in the fantasy world; it literally change the whole YA fantasy game. I believe that everyone should at least give this series a chance. rust me, you won't regret it.

Happy Reading!

~Natasha Morriston~