Menagerie by Rachel Vincent - 5 Stars

Title: Menagerie
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Menagerie #1
Genre: Fantasy/Commercial fiction
Page Count: 432 Pages
Published: September 29th, 2015 by MIRA
Rating: 5/5

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.

My Review:

I actually hugged this book when it came in mail. Why? Because I knew I was about to fall in love with it, as I do with every other Rachel Vincent book I have ever read. She did it again.

Menagerie is very different from Rachel Vincent's other books, but that in no way detracts from it. Even though I knew going into it that Menagerie wasn't an urban fantasy or paranormal romance, I was still surprised by the lack of a MC love story, as I absolutely adore Rachel's romance plotlines in all of her other books, but again I found it didn't take anything away, if anything I found it amped up the importance of all of the other themes and plot points that needed their time in the spotlight.

The story follows Delilah Marlow as she finds out she's a monster, gets sold to a traveling circus and caged for being a monster, and discovers who the monsters really are. Her struggle to maintain her inner-self while being treated like a worthless animal is heart-wrenching and inspiring.

It is dark and twisty and kept me ravenous for more up until the last page. I was rooting for Delilah to overcome her captors while also fully experiencing the helplessness of her situation through Vincent's captivating voice.

I can't wait for Spectacle (Menagerie #2) to be released so I can dive back into this world.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

"We have psychos, too. People kill their coworkers. Kids kill their classmates. Parents kill their own children. Those people are every bit as monstrous as the worst cryptid predator you can point to, yet they’re human, just like we are.” Atherton and Pennington stared at me, and unease churned in my stomach. “There is no we,” the deputy said...  

"I deal in morality, not in law." 

"I said I don't enjoy seeing you suffer."

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, or Room by Emma Donoghue (If you also like fantasy as well).

Links 4 More:

*Side-note: I received an ebook copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I got my hardcover in the mail before I could get started but was happy to have the ebook as well so I could take it with me everywhere. Thanks Netgalley!*

Poison Study Blog Hop

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder is still one of my all-time favourite reads, and to honour it's 10th anniversary she is host a blog tour. Find out more here.

Adult Colouring Books

It seems like once a week I hear someone talking about adult colouring books. I have been told they are the new "thing" and let me just say I couldn't be happier to jump on board of this train.

I have been an artist for as long as I can remember, but it all started with a colouring book. I even remember the first page I ever learned to colour properly: I was five years old, and it was a big strawberry. I was sitting at an empty table in "The Hole in the Wall" diner in Port Perry, Ontario. It was after closing and my sister (who worked there at the time) took a break from pushing an ancient tan and brown hoover over the french fry littered carpet to teach me the right way to colour so that I could stay within the lines. The crayons were the original Crayola and I was chewing a giant pink gumball from the Chef's secret stash on top of the industrial fridge. I fell in love with art that day and colouring books have held a special place in my heart ever since.

I stumbled upon this beauty today and have decided that one way or another it must be mine.
Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book :

Beautiful and whimsical drawings just itching to be brought to life with wax or ink. I hope this fad lasts longer than that gumball did because as long as it's popular publishers will keep pumping out great books like these!

If you click on the image above or the link below amazon has sample pages to view. 

Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book

Circle Series by Tedd Dekker

I have been a huge fan of Tedd Dekker since I first read his Circle Series, and got my mom and sister hooked on his writing along with me. Right now amazon is selling an ebook omnibus of the whole series for $9.99 -- which is a crazy good deal because I spent $40 to buy the hardcover box set when Green first came out!

Why not use this opportunity to delve into an awesome series and become a fan along with me? Dekker also has a new book coming out in October, A.D.33 -- the second in the A.D. series and I can't wait to read them. To buy the Circle series, or either of the A.D. books, click on the links below.

Happy reading!

Lion's Share by Rachel Vincent - 5 Stars!

Title: Lion's Share
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Wildcats #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Page Count: 270 Pages
Published:  February 23rd 2015 by Smashwords
Rating: 5/5

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.
Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.
A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

Rachel Vincent has done it again! Lion's Share is an edge of your seat, shocking, gripping, thrilling, sexy-as-hell paranormal romance both Shifters fans and new readers will love.

Abby and Jace's story brought everything I loved about the Shifters series to the table but with even more steam--and a killer murder mystery (pun intended) to boot. The chemistry between the two werecats is tangible and addictive. Abby was just the right mix of defiant and tripping over her own feet to make me like her from the get-go, and Jace....oh Jace. I will always have him ranked as one of my favourite male protagonists. He's sexy, charming, dedicated, strong and everything an alpha male should be.

As these two followed the bread crumbs in a series of "wild animal" killings and stumbled over their forbidden feelings for each other, I got caught up completely in their world until I was smiling from ear to ear as I read the final line.

If you haven't read Rachel's other books you are seriously missing out, and her newest book is no exception.

You'll like this series if you liked

The Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent, Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, or the Mercy Thompson series
by Patricia Briggs.

Links 4 More:

Purchase on amazon: Lion's Share (Wildcats Book 1)

Warrior Book Trailer

Janna Lafrance has made a book trailer for her upcoming series starter Warrior (The Remnant Chronicles, #1) Check it out below, or click here to read more about the book on goodreads.

Lion's Share Cover Reveal

Rachel Vincent’s Shifters series is getting a spinoff, and it’s almost here! LION’S SHARE (Wildcats Book 1) will be came out on February 23, 2015 and it’s up for preorder on Amazon!

Check out the shiny new cover:

About the book:

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

Learn more about the book.

Follow Rachel online:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Tumblr