Review: RoseBlood by AG Howard

RoseBlood by AG Howard
Series: Standalone
Published: January 10th, 2017
Publisher: Amulet Books
432 pages (ARC)
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal/Horror
Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

I’ve been obsessed with Phantom of the Opera since I was a little girl. When I found out AG Howard had written a modern-day retelling/continuation, I was thrilled. Howard is the mistress of dark and twisty writing, lush settings, and memorable characters. While inspired by Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, RoseBlood is a completely unique story. Despite having ties to the original story, it’s set in a different time and place with an original overall plot, fresh characters, and a new setting.

RoseBlood was a mixture of many things: romance, fantasy, horror, mystery. Rune’s and Thorn’s pasts are unraveled slowly, giving the reader time to connect with them and root for them, separately and together. There’s so much intrigue surrounding their histories and their connection, and I love how it all played out. Besides the intense and swoonworthy romance, there was also emphasis on familial love, which I appreciated. The battling loyalties, fear, and sense of duty tied into the threads of intrigue that ran through the story. There were undercurrents of darkness and gray morality similar to the original Phantom story, which I enjoyed. I read a lot of contemporary, ranging from fluffy to heavy on the emotional side, and sometimes it’s nice to read something like this, that pushes the boundaries of the real world and veers heavily into dark territory. You can always count on AG Howard for that!

RoseBlood is a must-read for fans of Phanton of the Opera. I’d also recommend it to fans of Howard’s Splintered trilogy, and anyone who enjoy stories that are familiar in a way, but with special, unique, often-dark twists that make them completely unique. RoseBlood has a wonderfully strange and otherworldly quality to it that entices and captivates even as it haunts. Lush and atmospheric, as well as thrilling and intense, RoseBlood is yet another winner from AG Howard. 

Have you read RoseBlood? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of AG Howard's other books? Are you a fan of Phantom of the Opera?

{Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: The Architect of Song by AG Howard

 

The Architect of Song Blog Tour is brought to you by Rock Star Book Tours

The Architect of Song by AG Howard
Series: Haunted Hearts Legacy #1
Published: August 15th, 2016
Publisher: Golden Orb Press
425 pages (eARC)
Genre: New Adult Historic/Paranormal Romance

Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon US* || Amazon CAN}

A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches…or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.
 

 

I try really hard not to set my expectations too high with books anymore because I feel like I’m often disappointed when I built a book up in my mind. That being said, after reading Splintered and Unhinged by AG Howard, I couldn’t help but get excited and set high hopes when I read the synopsis and saw the gorgeous cover for The Architect of Song. Once I started reading, I knew within a few chapters that I was right to get excited about this book; Howard has a magical way with words and an ability to weave a beautiful story that’s dark, haunting, twisted, unique, and ultimately hopeful.

Part of my initial curiosity about The Architect of Song was the fact the main character, Juliet, was deaf. My brother is deaf, and having grown up surrounded by deaf people, I was interested to see how Howard would tackle the disability, especially in a Victorian setting. As sad as it was, it made sense that in that era, Juliet had to hide her deafness rather than be pitied or seen as ‘less than’ by society. Her feelings of isolation and her aversion to people other than her uncle and her maid, paired with her grief over the death of her mother, came across well and made me sympathize with her immediately.

There were so many elements of this story that kept me enthralled. It was a wonderful combination of mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical fiction. I liked the sense of not quite knowing who to trust, and how even as you pieced together parts of the mystery there was still so much to unravel. The night I started the book I had trouble falling asleep because the ghost element of the book - while probably not scary to most people - freaked me out! Then once I was over the fear, I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters whenever I had to set the book aside. I wanted to know what was going to happen and how things would work out. I also really enjoyed the gypsy lore in the story. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with Romani characters, and I found the bits of history and customs fascinating. It was just one of the many things that set this book apart and made it sparkle.

The Architect of Song is a story that will stick with me for a long time. I finished reading it a couple weeks ago and still think about it daily. I became so emotionally invested in the characters that they were like real people by the end (so much so that I was a sobbing mess in the last couple chapters). This story has something for everyone, whether you’re looking for something with a paranormal twist, historical fiction, romance, or mystery. 

Captivating, atmospheric, romantic, and beautifully written, The Architect of Song is a must read.

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child. When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse. 

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

All tour prizes (INTL): 

 2 - signed The Architect of Song paperbacks 

3 - The Architect of Song e-books 

1 - heart locket necklace 

1 - Architect of Song poster 

1 - faux leather journal 

1 - 5X7 musical print 

3 - The Architect of Song swag packs 
1 - LitCube surprise box

  

13 separate winners

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Whether you’ve read The Architect of Song or plan to read it, be sure to check out Anita’s Architect of Song Pinterest board. I want to live inside these gorgeous, haunting pictures!

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour for other reviews, guest posts, and more chances to win cool prizes!

7/25/2016- Dark Faerie Tales- Guest Post-Hybrid Author 

7/25/2016- a GREAT read- Review 

  

7/26/2016- Lisa Loves Literature- Review 

7/26/2016- Bookfever- Review 

  

7/27/2016- Fiktshun- Character Interview 

  

7/28/2016- The Reading Café- Review 

7/28/2016- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Review 

  

7/29/2016- Please Feed the bookworm- Review 

7/29/2016- 21st Century Once Upon A Times- Review 

8/1/2016- Once Upon a Twilight - Exclusive Excerpt 

8/1/2016- Ramblings of a Daydreamer- Review 

  

8/2/2016- My Friends Are Fiction- Guest Post- Fashion 

8/2/2016- Sarcasm & Lemons- Review 

  

8/3/2016- Cornerfolds- Review 

8/3/2016- BookHounds YA- Review 

  

8/4/2016- Bookiemoji- Exclusive Excerpt 

8/4/2016- Owl Always Be Reading- Review 

  

8/5/2016- Mundie Moms- Review 

8/5/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post- Playlist 

8/5/2016- The Cover Contessa- Review

Have you read The Architect of Song? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read AG's other books?

{Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

*Please note that the Amazon link is an affiliate link; I make a small commission from every sale using that link, which goes into book giveaways

Review: Unhinged by AG Howard

Unhinged by AG Howard

Series: Splintered, Book #2

Published: January 7th, 2014

Publisher: Amulet

384 pages (eARC)

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of Splintered}

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

 

I just finished reading Unhinged a few minutes ago and I sat down immediately to get my thoughts out but I can’t seem to grasp anything coherent. Splintered is one of my all-time favourite books, so I went into Unhinged with high hopes…and high expectations. I’ve seen the sophomore slump more times than I can count, and I hoped and prayed Anita’s brilliance would carry on to this second book. It did.

Picking up a year after where Splintered left off, things are very different in Alyssa’s world. Her mom is home, her artwork is changing in unexpected ways, Jeb’s busy with his budding career, and Morpheus haunts her dreams.

I loved both guys in Splintered but ultimately I considered myself Team Jeb. He seemed better for Alyssa for so many reasons, and he sacrificed so much for her. However, that didn’t stop me from thinking Morpheus was incredibly sexy and charming. I expected to remain Team Jeb in Unhinged, but I quickly began to fall harder and harder for Morpheus. We learned new things about him, and even though a part of me knew I shouldn’t love him, his seductive pull sucked me in and I was a goner.

Now I’m torn…Team Jeb? Team Morpheus? I was talking to Anita on Twitter and she was joking about ‘Team Jebpheus’ and that’s pretty much how I feel. I don’t think I’ve ever been this torn before when it comes to a literary love triangle. Both guys are great in their own ways, both could be right for Alyssa, and yet both could also be wrong for her. Anita is a master of drawing you in and jumbling up your emotions, making you root for one guy one minute but the other guy the next minute. It made the book even more entertaining. 

Of course, the book isn’t just about Alyssa and the two hotties vying for her attention. *loses train of thought thinking about said hotties* The story is brimming with breath-taking action, twists and turns, events and characters that are often horrifying and gruesome, and flights of fancy that will leave you spellbound. Anita is one heck of a storyteller; I have a pretty vivid imagination, but I’d love to be inside her head for even a day just to see how she comes up with all the fantastic little bits and pieces that make her stories so utterly captivating.

This isn’t the Alice in Wonderland you grew up with. Anita has taken Wonderland as we knew it, flipped it on its head, and given it wings (moth wings, heh heh). There are some truly spine-tingling moments in Unhinged. Just thinking about them sends delicious shivers all through me, and makes me want to go back and reread it already. The ending was absolutely brilliant and left me feeling like I would come unhinged knowing I have to wait over a year for the third book.

Dark, seductive, action packed, thrilling, and completely enchanting, Unhinged is the perfect sequel to Splintered. I can’t begin to imagine how things are going to turn out, but I can’t wait to be reunited with Alyssa, Morpheus, Jeb, and the rest of the Wonderland gang to see what happens next.

 

Have you read Splintered or Unhinged? What did you think? Are you Team Jeb? Team Morpheus? Team Jebpheus? Do you enjoy fairytale retellings?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog}
{Subscribe to my author newsletter}

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Can't Wait to Read This Winter

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

  

I have a ton of books on my winter TBR - review books, books I've bought, books I've won, books I've been given as gifts. It took some doing (as always) but I finally narrowed it down to the ten books I'm most excited to read this winter.

1. Unhinged by AG Howard {GoodReads}

I LOVED Splintered when I read it late last year and I can’t wait read Unhinged. I’m actually planning to reread Splintered in the next week or two (I rarely do rereads but I'll make an exception for the awesomeness that is Splintered) and then read The Moth in the Mirror and finally Unhinged.

2. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi {GoodReads}

Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night are among my favourite books ever. I’m excited and also a little sad to finally get to read the last book.

3. Lady Thief by AC Gaughen {GoodReads}

Scarlet is another of my all-time favourite books, and when AC announced it was the first in a trilogy, I was over the moon. I can’t wait to dive back into Scarlet’s story and see what happens next. 

4. That One Summer by CJ Duggan {GoodReads}

I’ve read and loved CJ’s The Boys of Summer and An Endless Summer and I’m SO psyched to get the chance to read That One Summer as part of the blog tour. Winter’s just beginning here so it’ll be nice to immerse myself in a book about summer and forget all that snow outside!

5. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge {GoodReads}

Beauty and the Beast…need I say more?

6. Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough {GoodReads}

JACK THE RIPPER. THAT COVER. That is all.

7. Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman {GoodReads}

I’ve really gotten into historic fiction this year, and this one sounds fantastic.

8. Vicious by VE Schwab {GoodReads}

I’ll read anything Victoria Schwab writes. Period. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for Vicious and I won a copy so hopefully I can get to it soon!

9. The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow {GoodReads}

I’ve followed Michelle’s career since the beginning, and I’m so happy for her that she got a publishing deal with Harlequin Teen, and I’m excited to be part of her street team and have the opportunity to read an ARC.

10. Angelfall by Susan Ee {GoodReads}

I actually hadn’t paid much attention to this book until Pajama Press sent me the sequel last month. When I looked it up on GoodReads and saw that the reviews were amazing, I immediately bought a copy and now I’m hoping to read it and World After very soon.

What are some of the books you're looking forward to reading this winter (or summer if you're in the southern hemisphere)?

{Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest || YouTube || Author blog || Personal/photography blog}
{Subscribe to my author newsletter}