Waiting on Wednesday: Desencant of the Crane

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to spotlight books we are eagerly anticipating to be released.

It would be the last week of my blog where I would find the cover and blurb for a book that equaled love at first sight. The cover reveal was just this Monday (August 28) but this is a must read for me already. The blurb has such a great appeal and gravitas. A complete must and  I'm completely in love.

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Blurb: "Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own." 

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant and alluring investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.
This masterpiece is a must read for me. What about you? Thanks for coming during my final week.

Monday MishMash: August 2018 in Final Week

Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme created by Kelly Hashway for sharing what's going on in your life and noggin. You just grab a button and post your business...I mean thoughts online. No biggie. Have fun!

1. It is bittersweet having the final week of my blog being this week. I know life changes just don't afford me the time or energy to upkeep this blog anymore. But I still love it with all my heart. Met some cool people here and hope to keep those relationships as I move forward. Feel free to check me up on Tumblr, Twitter, FB and Insta.

2. Been able to purchase a couple of books this summer and I can't wait to read them all!

3. Went to the movies for the first time in nearly a year. Saw five movies including Hotel Artemis, Incredibles 2 and The Meg. Had a wonderful time.

4. Health is still wonky and I caught a really bad stomach bug over the summer. Didn't help matters.

5. Working on my Swoon Reads submission. I got a cover made and it's so gorgeous. My Cinderella retelling is moving along swimmingly.

6. Freelance orders have slowed. I recently raised my prices but it had to be done. I write full time and need to earn enough to make a decent living.

7. Decided I will be closing up this blog at the end of August. I will leave QueendSheena up for prosperity but no new posts will happen after August 31. Thank you to all the bloggers and readers who supported me.

Thanks for stopping by and it has been great blogging with all of you.

Waiting On Wednesday: Broken Things

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to spotlight books we are eagerly anticipating to be released.

Lauren Oliver knows how to write tales that captivate readers. Broken Things sounds like another winner. I'm excited to get my hands on a copy this October.

Release Date: October 2, 2018

Blurb: It’s been five years since Summer Marks was brutally murdered in the woods. 

Everyone thinks Mia and Brynn killed their best friend. That driven by their obsession with a novel called The Way into Lovelorn the three girls had imagined themselves into the magical world where their fantasies became twisted, even deadly.

The only thing is: they didn’t do it. 

On the anniversary of Summer’s death, a seemingly insignificant discovery resurrects the mystery and pulls Mia and Brynn back together once again. But as the lines begin to blur between past and present and fiction and reality, the girls must confront what really happened in the woods all those years ago—no matter how monstrous.

So what do think? Is Lauren Oliver an author you'd like to check out? Thanks for stopping by.

Waiting on Wednesday: For A Muse Of Fire

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to spotlight books we are eagerly anticipating to be released.

I have yet to read any of Heidi's books but I have heard good things. So I'm intrigued to read her upcoming release. I have followed her online for a while and enjoy her content and mindset. The cover alone is a sight to behold. Hopefully I'll be blown away once I receive my copy.

Release Date: September 25, 2018

Blurb: A young woman with a dangerous power she barely understands. A smuggler with secrets of his own. A country torn between a merciless colonial army, a terrifying tyrant, and a feared rebel leader. The first book in a new trilogy from the acclaimed Heidi Heilig blends traditional storytelling with ephemera for a lush, page-turning tale of escape and rebellion. For a Muse of Fire will captivate fans of Sabaa Tahir, Leigh Bardugo, and Renée Ahdieh.

Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick—a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood. But the old ways are forbidden ever since the colonial army conquered their country, so Jetta must never show, never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues Jetta. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.

Heidi Heilig creates a vivid, rich world inspired by Asian cultures and French colonialism. Her characters are equally complex and nuanced, including the bipolar heroine. Told from Jetta’s first-person point-of-view, as well as chapters written as play scripts and ephemera such as telegrams and letters, For a Muse of Fire is an engrossing journey that weaves magic, simmering romance, and the deep bonds of family with the high stakes of epic adventure. 
What do you think? Thanks for stopping by. Next post will be on Friday.

Waiting On Wednesday: Give The Darkness My Love

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that allows us to spotlight books we are eagerly anticipating to be released.

An eerie book with a drop-dead cover written by Beth Revis? Sign me up! This book releases in September and that is not soon enough for me to get my grubby little hands on it.  What would you do to save those you care about? A simple question. The tough one this book asks. What wouldn't you do to save those you care about? Now that's a kickass move right there and a must read for me.

Release Date: September 25, 2018

Purchase: Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes & Noble

Blurb: When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her. 

All, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it's making its way toward the cities. With her family's life--and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens--on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague. 

Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners--and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.
I can't wait for this book! Beth Revis is a talented author, it has a great blurb and oh that cover gives me chills! So what do you think? Can this book worm it's way into your reading heart? Let me know and thanks for stopping by.

Getting Personal: The Final Countdown

When I started the QueendSheena blog it was not my first time hosting a blog. A few even going defunct once the site folded (looking at you Greatest Journal). But this time I wanted to go a specific route moving forward in my writing journey. Wanting to meet other writers, readers, bloggers and so on. So I created this blog and over the years it has become more than I ever dreamed.

It has expanded to having reviews for books, movies, tv shows and more. I have shared my personal experiences, writing journey, supported the works of others through tours, blog posts and more. I love this blog with all of my heart. Which is why it is hard but time for a huge change.

August 2018 will be the last month of me posting here. On the last Friday in August my final post will go up. The blog will remain posted for posterity. I want everybody to know this decision was mulled over for months. I have been blogging less and focusing more on other things. Due to an unexpected illness, my time has been crunched by quite a bit and I have had to prioritize things. Including missing a lot of posts on this blog. So I would like to have QueendSheena go out with a bang instead of a whimper. Next post will be Wednesday, August 8 with my weekly WOW.

Thank you to everyone who supported my blogging journey. Goodbyes are never easy but I will still be around. My main site is on Tumblr and you can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. So take care and you all have my eternal gratitude for following me on this beautiful journey.