Audiobook Review: Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

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Beauty of Darkness
The Remnant Chronicles #3
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Narrator: Emily Rankin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: August 2 2016
Review Source: Listening Library, Penguin Random House Audio

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens.

Lia and Rafe have escaped the Vendans, but this doesn't mean that the path that lay ahead is an easy one. Kaden has lost his trust in Lia, but he still needs to be the one to find her.

I'm going to do this review as spoiler free as possible. So instead I might just throw in some awesome gifs to explain how I'm feeling about certain things.

I'm going to start off with a simple fact - this is the last book in the series. This always brings with it a sense of dread. Once you've invested yourself into a story so fully you don't want to see it go away. This was me with The Remnant Chronicles. I have loved this series since I picked it up. And I haven't wanted to see it come to an end, while I've always wanted to have the book within my hands. So it was a bittersweet moment when I was finally able to listen to this beautiful story.

This was the first time I've ever actually listened to a book as well. I mean I've had my kindle read to me sometimes - but the book was always there for me to follow along with. This time it was just the audiobook. And honestly I loved it. I feel like listening to an audiobook makes things a little bit more vivid for listeners. I had never realized this, but having someone else talk and you just listen - it allows your mind to create a more vibrant world. And with Pearson's writing it teleports you into this amazing world.

Pearson's writing makes you wish with all your heart that you were Lia. I am partial to Rafe, so I'm always wanting to be close to him - so maybe I would want to be Sven or one of his colleagues. But her writing then also makes you feel as though you are a bystander, right in the middle of all the action, therefore you are a part of the story. And to feel as though you're a part of someone's writing is one of my favorite feelings in the whole world.

The ending was just:

I'll let you figure out what I mean by these gifs.

It's A Muggle Monday Recommendation!

We are not wizards or witches, but muggles. We don't live in a magical world... Hogwarts is not home. But don't let this put you down. We don't need magic to transform our world. We have thousands lives to explore and dystopian worlds to travels. From the words of JK Rowling, "The stories we love the best live in us forever".

It's a Muggle Monday Recommendation is a new weekly meme hosted by Once Upon a Twilight in hope that this story will cast a spell over you and live with you forever.

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This week is for a series that is near to many of our bloggers here.

This is the last book in The Remnant Chronicles - and while it saddens me that it is ending I must say that this has been one of my favorite adventures to go on. Such a lovely story with lovely characters that will hook you from book one.

Audiobook Review: Morrighan by Mary E. Pearson

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Morrighan
The Remnant Chronicles #0.5
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Narrator: Julia Whelan, MacLeod Andrews, Anne Marie Lee
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: August 2nd 2016
Publisher: Listening Library, Penguin Random House Audio

Before borders were drawn, before treaties were signed, before wars were waged anew, before the great kingdoms of the Remnant were even born and the world of old was only a hazy slate of memory told in story and legend, a girl and her family fought to survive.

And that girl’s name was Morrighan.

In this prequel novella to the Remnant Chronicles, a girl and a boy from enemy camps meet, fall in love--and set history in motion.

Why must you do this to us, Mary? WHY?! Morrighan deserves a full standalone book. This was just a tease of such an amazing story and my heart cannot take it. I need more.

First of all, let me tell you I did not know about this novella. I am ashamed to call myself a fan of this chronicles. And normally, I wouldn't review novellas because, well they are super short to give out anything. But the audiobook was presented and I had to take it. When I realized this novella was released last year, I was shocked. Almost a year and I was missing out on this extraordinary story. Now, okay - soon, the audiobook will be released and OMG... it is soooooo good! Not only is this story great but it is also important and as I am currently reading finished The Beauty of Darkness and yes... I'm glad I listened to this before. So if you're waiting for The Beauty of Darkness make sure to read Morrighan! Or you can always wait for the audiobook to come out August 2nd.

Morrighan is a fierce leader, even though she did not know who her father is. And for good reasons, her father is not an easy man to deal with and Morrighan had to find out in the worst possible way. He was so  harsh. Even though, he father is a douche, she did not let this affect her and in such a very short moment, she decides to take charge of her own fate. Morrighan is whom Lia's kingdom was called after and we take a peak of her history. She is important as in the series, we are told of her history - but is it the truth? You need to listen and/or read her story to find out.

Now if you're wondering about the audibooks, I need to let you know these narrators are phenomenal. They bring these characters to life. They truly embrace their characteristics and it feels like the characters themselves are telling you this story. As a fan of this series, I would suggest that you all listen to the audiobooks and be prepare to be enchanted.

Waiting on Wednesday: It Ends with Us & The Beauty of Darkness

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

It Ends with Us

Author: Colleen Hoover

Release Date: August 2nd 2016

Publisher: Atria Books

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up. She graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily; and the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all too human characters, “It Ends with Us” is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

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The Beauty of Darkness

The Remnant Chronicles #3

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Release Date: August 2nd 2016

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens.

Win #AnEmberintheAshes, #ATorchAgainsttheNight & more!

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Hey everyone! As you all know, we are one of the A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT Ambassadors... And we received a copy of A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT! But if you follow us on Twitter, then you know we were one of the first ones in line at BEA to get a personalize copy. So yes, we do have a extra copy of A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT!

In addition, earlier this year, Sabaa toured the Penguin Teen Tour and we got a signed a copy of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES paperback for a lucky reader of this blog.

To top this, Mary E. Pearson and Suzanne Young provided us signed copies of The Beauty of Darkness and The Epidemic posters! If you haven't read their series, I highly suggest for you to check them out.

With this said, we are giving away all of the mentioned items to ONE lucky reader! This giveaway is open to all our reders, so yes, including INTERNATIONAL.

Enter below for a chance to win. Good luck everyone!

PS... tomorrow we will be announcing something TORCH-related ;)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mary E. Pearson Is Heading To #ECCC! @emeraldcitycon

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Clearly here at Once Upon A Twilight we are all book worms. One of our favorite series just happens to be The Remnant Chronicles. It's an amazing story of Lia, a princess destined to marry who wants to pave her own way in the world. With action and adventure at every turn, it's hard not to get hooked to the amazing story that you get taken on.

And it just so happens that the author Mary E. Pearson is going to be making an appearance at Comic Con!

That's right everybody! She's going to be at Emerald City Comic Con. You can catch her at her autograph table or you can see her talk during her panel with 3 other guest authors (Strong Female Characters Across The Genres with Scott Bergstrom, Faith Erin Hicks, April Henry, and Lish McBride).

I am so excited - The Remnant Chronicles is in my top 10 favorite book series ever. 

Check out our review of Kiss Of Depection (The Remnant Chronicles #1) 

And here's my review of Heart Of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) 

Cover Reveal: The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

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The Beauty of Darkness
(The Remnant Chronicles #3)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

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Mary E. Pearson is the award-winning author of The Jenna Fox Chronicles, The Miles Between, A Room on Lorelei, and Scribbler of Dreams. She writes full-time from her home office in California where she lives with her husband and two golden retrievers.

Book Review: Heart Of Betrayal By Mary E. Pearson

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Heart Of Betrayal
The Remnant Chronicles #2
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: July 7 2015
Review Source: Henry Holt And Co.

Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

Picking up right where we left off with Lia, we are now in Venda. Where Lia is a prisoner and Kaden is trying desperately to keep her safe and make her love him. Rafe has a plan to help save Lia, although Lia isn't completely sure that it is going to work. With Venda's Komizar watching over her every move, unsure of whether she will be of help or a detriment to Vendan's, it makes it more difficult for Lia's and Rafe's escape.

AGH! I just...there's so many words, and so many feelings. I'm not sure where to start. Do I start with my aggravation over how this book ended? Do I explain how BADLY I need the next book RIGHT NOW? Do I gush over Rafe and Lia's romance? Do I talk about the pity I feel for Kaden? It's hard to do all of this without giving away too much!

You learn some things about Kaden that are eye opening, I really hope we see him some more in the third book. I really want to find out how his arch will continue after how HOB ended. He is such an interesting character. One that is gullible and yet deceiving. I feel like he's the perfect mix of innocence and corruption. He's a fragile being, yet has the strength needed to be an assassin.  I honestly think he may be my favorite character, I secretly find myself rooting for him to win Lia's heart. But then there's part of me that feels like there might be a Luke/Lea twist in our future within their story. Either way, I cannot wait to get more from Kaden in the next book.

Rafe and Lia. They "have to" learn to love each other again. After learning that Rafe is the prince she ran away from she's unsure if he really does love her because of who she is, or because she is the Morrighan princess. She is also afraid of the fact that she does love him, she was so sure she wouldn't before their planned marriage and that's why she ran away. What makes it harder is the fact that since they are both prisoners if they both want to escape without harm they have to act like they do not care about each other. So once they're sure of their feelings their trust in one another gets tested.
When I say I'm mad at how the book ended I mean that I just cannot believe it would end like that. In such a way where I'm biting my nails to get the last the book. Honestly the book ended EXACTLY how I expected it to, and I'm completely glad that it ended in the way it did. But I'd be even more glad with how it ended if I had the next book in my hands right now as well.

Book Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

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The Kiss of Deception
The Remnant Chronicles #1
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: July 8th 2014
Review Source: Henry Holt

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

It has been a while since a new release had me at the edge of my seat biting my nails. I’m a big fan of medieval kingdoms, magic, fierce and bold female leads, hot guys, and unexpected plot twists. This brand new release by Mary Pearson delivers on every count.

Lia, Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia First Daughter of Morrighan that is, is set to marry the Prince of Dalbreck, and important union for both Kingdoms as it will constitute an alliance in a time of war against Venda, their rival Kingdom to the North. The only problem? Lia hasn’t met her betrothed and is not totally on board with marrying someone she doesn’t love or even know just because it’s tradition and her duty to the Kingdom. When all is ready and set for the wedding to take place, Lia on a gutsy move, packs up a few things, takes two horses and escapes with Pauline, her friend and Lady of the Court, in search of freedom but also heading into the unknown, as a fugitive and in a way a deserter.

Lia and Pauline find help and new friends in Terravin, a city south of Morrighan, and all Lia wants to do is build a new life and bury her old one and forget she is a princess.

Unfortunately this will not be as easy as she thinks. Being the Princess and First Daughter of Morrighan is not something she can easily escape. Even when she has found a new job as a tavern maid and seems to be blending in with the people in town and finally finding some semblance of peace and normalcy, the royal life she left behind comes looking for her, in the form of a handsome prince and a gorgeous assassin.

The Prince of Dalbreck, can’t get over the Princess leaving him waiting at the altar and fleeing her kingdom, so he sets out on a quest to find her because he needs to meet this girl that had the guts to do what he couldn’t. The Prince is not the only one looking for Lia though, Venda is ecstatic with the turn of events but wants to make sure the Princess is completely eliminated in case she second guesses herself and returns to Morrighan to fulfill her duty, Venda wants to make sure there is no chance of alliance in between their rival Kingdoms and wants to take no chance of leaving a First Daughter with a “the gift” alive. Throughout the years it’s believed that some chosen First Daughters have a magical gift which presents in different ways, the gift of seeing what others can’t and  of sensing what’s others have no idea is coming. Lia’s mother possessed the gift but what Venda doesn’t know is that Lia hasn’t shown any signs of possessing it herself.

Both the Prince and the assassin have a goal, one to confront her the other one to kill her, but neither of them expects to find who they find when they finally track her down, nor do they ever imagine they would grow to feel the way they feel about her.An unlikely and deceiving friendship, forged by seeking the same girl for different purposes, will land them in the right place.

Lia will meet them both, not knowing who they are but by the time she discovers their real identity it may be too late, as she may have already fallen in love.

A story of bravery, defiance, magic,  secrets, war, loss, love but overall a story of lies with just the  right amount of action and romance. This book took me by surprise when I thought I had everything figured out and from one chapter to the next everything changed and gave the word deception a whole new meaning, one of the most exciting plot twists I’ve seen in a very long time and a cliffhanger that makes you wish you had the sequel in your hands!

Riveting, enthralling, everything I always look for in a fantasy novel!