Category: ya

adult, contemporary, fantasy, Humor, Romance, ya

Down the TBR Part 13!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

I’m so ready to trim the TBR again this week! The last two weeks I have added books to the tbr, so it really needs to get cleaned out. This meme is hosted by Zezee with Books. Here’s how it works:

The rules for Down the TBR Hole:
  • Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?

Here are this week’s books. At first glance, there’s a lot of Christmas. I feel like I will get rid of a good many. I’m starting the week at 1934.

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: YA fantasy, which is fun. I read some not great reviews. I love the cover, but I don’t think this one is for me.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

Wards of Faerie by Terry Brooks

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Another series in the Shannara Universe. I’ll keep for now, since I kept the others. If I don’t like them, I’ll come back and delete.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep.

Dark Bites by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Series of paranormal romance short stories.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Christian chick lit. I’ll pass
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Number 7 in the series. I think if I don’t like the first I probably won’t like the 7th.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

Sisterchicks on the Loose by Robin Jones Gunn

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Another Christian Chick lit. Just not my cup of tea.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Ok, surprise. I’m keeping this one for this year’s Christmas! The MC is a doctor. I can’t not keep it.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Christmas story about promises to each other. This one isn’t as enticing as the one above.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: This is about a woman who saves an elderly lady’s life, a man who is supposed to find her to reward her, and how they fall in love. Eh.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

The Christmas Note by Donna VanLiere

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Another elderly lady dies, and they find a note that reveals some family secrets.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

We are currently at 1927. I’m feeling frisky. Let’s do 10 more!

The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Ugh. About a social worker taking in a kid for Christmas. My heart. I gotta keep.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: I didn’t keep the other Yada books, do I don’t think I’ll keep this one either.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Miss Julia Stirs Up Trouble by Ann B Ross

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: I deleted the other Miss Julia books. This is #14. I think I’ll delete this one too.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes by Robin Jones Gunn

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: I deleted the other Sisterchick book above, so I’ll delete this one too. If I can’t read #1 I won’t be able to read #8 lol.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Sisterchicks Do the Hula by Robin Jones Gunn

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Same as above.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Christmas book about angels bringing two people together to love.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Black Hills by Nora Roberts

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: This sounds like it might be good, but I don’t know if it’s enough to keep. Especially since I haven’t read her other works.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Stars Collide by Janice Thompson

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: About two actors who play a couple on screen but are actually a couple in real life.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

A Promising Man by Elizabeth Young

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Sounds like it could be a cute romance. I’ll bite.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep.

It All Began in Monte Carlo by Elizabeth Adler

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: I saw it was suspense, and thought ok. I can do this. But honestly, there’s A LOT going on in the synopsis and I’m just not up for that.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

We are ending at 1919! Only 20 books and we are under 1900! Progress, people! So, my biggest surprise was A Promising Man. I didn’t think I’d keep any of the second set of 10.

Only 123 books to go and we are done with everything I added on June 27! I don’t know why I added so many that day. Like, I wish I could go back to me then and ask myself what I was doing. Cause it’s causing me some headaches now.

I may do a bonus post later on this week. I am so ready to be under 1900 on my tbr and to have a true tbr! But I’ll also probably add any arcs I request or receive, so that will skew the numbers a bit.

Anyway, did I make any wrong choices? What do you think about these books? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, fantasy, Historical Fiction, mystery, Romance, thriller, ya

Stacking the Shelves

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

I did this post last week and loved it so I decided to do it again! Maybe this will become a weekly post. Who knows?

This meme is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. Here’s how it works:

“Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!”

This week I got an amazing arc box! I also got five e-galleys from Netgalley. Let’s see what I got!

Crave by Tracy Wolff

“My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.“

I’ve seen this advertised as the new and improved Twilight. Honestly, I can’t wait.

Open Fire by Amber Lough

“A dramatic page-turner that captures the devastating toll of war and the impact of women’s struggles and solidarity, through the lens of a little-known slice of history.“

Honestly, the cover freaks me out. This is set in 1917 Russia. A 17 year old girl goes to war – and finds she was very disillusioned.

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett

“In this coming-of-age romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, scandal and romance collide when an ambitious teen returns to her hometown only to have her plans interrupted after falling for the town’s “bad boy”—a.k.a. her childhood best friend.“

Honestly, I did not expect to get approved for this. I haven’t read Jenn’s romances yet, so I’m excited to finally try. I’ve heard great things.

The Mall by Megan McCafferty

“The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans…”

I was a 90’s kid. I can’t wait to go back!

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant

“Les Misérables meets Six of Crows in this page-turning adventure as a young thief finds herself going head to head with leaders of Paris’s criminal underground in the wake of the French Revolution.“

Adventures. Thieves. Set in France. Fans of Six of Crows? This book was written for me.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick

“For fans of Sadie and Serial, this gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.“

Again, fans of Serial. That’s me! I love these books. Keep them coming YA authors!

Have you heard of any of these gems? Are you on the lookout for them? What are you most excited for? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, mystery, thriller, ya

First Impression Friday!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Another week done! I am super excited for this weekend. We are going to a zoo about an hour and a half away and there will also be a renaissance faire that day! My child, husband, and I all have costumes. My son will love seeing all the animals and I’ll love seeing all the faire!

So today we are going to talk about A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

“The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

A debut YA crime thriller as addictive as Serial and as page-turning as One of Us Is Lying.“
– Goodreads

Okay, see that last, bolded part? As addictive as Serial. I LOVE THAT PODCAST! I am a true crime freak. I’ve been reading Ann Rule forever and have recently gotten very into true crime audios. I also love true crime podcasts. I started with Culpable (a must listen. It happened about an hour away from where I live!), next was Serial, and I’ve just gone down the rabbit hole since. I saw that and knew I had to get this book. I am so lucky to have received an arc! Thanks Netgalley and Electric Monkey!

I read the first chapter pretty quickly. It is Pippa, or Pip, saying why she chose to delve into this murder that was “solved” five years ago. She is researching it as her capstone project for school – kind of like a senior research paper. I definitely got Serial vibes so far. Basically, Andrea, or Andi, left her home about 1030 pm. She didn’t pick her parents up at 1254am like she was supposed to. She was never seen again. They all think Sal, her boyfriend, did it. This sounds like the first season of Serial – which I devoured.

After a little intro, we then see the first part of Pip’s capstone project. We see her interview with a missing person specialist. She writes why she chose this topic and what she hopes to accomplish.

There are rave reviews about this one. I think I will be added to the bunch. The first chapter was so enthralling. I 100% feel this will be a five star read!

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder came out on February 4. Add it to your Goodreads TBR here. Order a copy from Amazon here!

What do you think of my first impression? Have you read this novel? Was it on point? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, ya

My First Arc Box. WHAT?!?!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Okay, so here I am. Just got home from the longest.day.ever. I notice a package by the front door. I don’t think anything of it, I’m supposed to get my Keurig descaler today so it will quit exploding my pods and I can drink coffee again. Imagine my surprise when I see THIS at the door!

Okay, this piques my interest. I knew I hadn’t ordered anything. That I could remember, anyway. So honestly, I figured it was something my mom was getting and having delivered to my house. I was just going to open and pretend like I didn’t know it was for me. (Sorry, mom!)

So, imagine my surprise when I open it and SEE MY NAME! (And yes, you can see my descaler that I did get in the background rofl.) So I immediately take a pic and start freaking out and opening the rest!

In this amazing box I got Crave by Tracy Wolff, a Crave travel mug (for that coffee I’ll now get to drink), a to-do (or to-kill?) list, temporary tattoos, hot cocoa, and caramel marshmallows! Now, let me tell you about this book that I am going to dive right into!

My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.

Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.

Which could spell death for us all.

Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait

– Goodreads

I cannot wait to read this! It’s been a good, long while since I’ve read about vamps, but my body is ready! I mean, who doesn’t love a sexy vampire?

Crave is released into the world on April 7, 2020. I’ll be starting this tonight and posting my review as soon as I finish.

Add Crave to your TBR here!

Preorder Crave from Entanged: Teen or Amazon!

A very big, special thanks to Entangled: Teen, Megan Beatie for this arc box. I am honestly so honored and so excited! Can’t wait to let you guys know what I think!

Have you heard the buzz about Crave? Are you adding it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, fantasy, LGBT, ownvoices, Romance, ya

Year of the Asian Reading Challenge 2020

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

So, as I was perusing through twitter one day, I saw this reading challenge. The banner above is so adorable. I also want to read more diverse books. I think all my January books were by cis, white authors. So. I thought this was a perfect challenge for me! There are so many books by Asian authors I want to read!

Here are the guidelines taken from The Quiet Pond, who is one of the hosts!

The aim of this challenge is to read as many books written by Asian authors as you can! These books can be backlist titles (i.e. released in 2019 or earlier), new releases, and ARCs. We welcome books of any genre, any format, and any length. Check out the levels we have made for this challenge (I drew them too!) and set your sights on a level you want to achieve.

In order for a book to count, you must start and finish it within 2020; the challenge will end on the 31st of December of this year. (This means that books started in 2019 and finished in 2020 do not count!) Likewise, any books started in 2020 and finished in 2021 do not count either.

We want this to be a relaxing and, above all else, fun challenge, so you can join in at any time in the year! The sign-up form will remain open until 2020 ends.

Follow us on Twitter (@YearOfTheAsian) for announcements, surprises, and more bookish fun. The official hashtag for this reading challenge is #YARC2020.

I chose the Phillipine Tarsier badge, which is reading 1-10 books by Asian authors. If I read more, I can always move on to the next badge!

Here are the 10 books I plan on reading this year:

2020 Releases:

  1. The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz
  2. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
  3. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
  4. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Backlist Titles:

  1. Stronger than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan
  2. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
  3. I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
  4. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
  5. Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan
  6. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Have you read any of these? Are you doing the challenge? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, blog tour, contemporary, fantasy, Romance, ya

Stacking the Shelves!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Happy weekend, guys! This was a crazy week. I didn’t get to do near enough on the blog! We were short someone at work, with a record number of patients. Needless to say, I could barely stay up to read, let alone blog! Thankfully it’s the weekend. I plan to finish my current read, We are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo, play DnD, and just relax!

So this meme is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. Here’s what they have to say about it:


Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

This week I was approved for seven arcs on Netgalley! I went to Barnes and Noble, but didn’t buy any book! A travesty, I know. I just couldn’t decide. So here are the arcs I have added to my forever long TBR shelf this week:

Let’s start with the one I’m most excited about. The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke.

The cover is gorge and immediately drew me in. Then I read the synopsis:

“An outcast teenage lesbian witch finds her coven hidden amongst the popular girls in her school, and performs some seriously badass magic in the process.“

I think I squealed when I got the acceptance email. No shame.

Next was The Stone of Sorrow by Brooke Carter.

“In a land of myth and ice, seventeen-year-old Runa Unnursdóttir is not the runecaster her clan has been hoping for.”

I love a good comeback story. Plus I love the girl’s hair and cloak. Cause who doesn’t want an amazing cloak?!

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles. Again, another gorgeous cover. Like, I need her dress.

“Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.“

I mean, how amazing does that sound?!

Music from Another World by Robin Talley.

“A master of award-winning queer historical fiction, New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley once again brings to life with heart and vivid detail an emotionally captivating story about the lives of two teen girls living in an age when just being yourself was an incredible act of bravery.“

I got chosen for a blog tour for this novel and I am so excited! Tour date TBA!

We Didn’t Ask for This by Adi Alsaid

“Central International School’s annual lock-in is legendary. Bonds are made. Contests are fought. Stories are forged that will be passed down from student to student for years to come. Every year, lock-in night changes lives. This year, it might just change the world.“

I got chosen for a blog tour for this title too! I can’t wait to dive in! Tour date TBA!

The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass by Adan Jerreat-Poole

“Even teenage assassins have dreams.“

We all know how I feel about an assassin book! Plus this cover. Omg. Swoon. I think this is the one I’m second most excited about!

The Bad Boy’s Forever by Blair Holden

“Tessa O’Connell is a girl with an unbreakable spirit and a strength that will get her through anything and this strength is one she needs now more than ever before. Through the two big chapters of her life, her goal remains to be fearless and make the best of all the opportunities that come her way.“

Oops. I didn’t realize this was book 3? So I’ll have to read book 1 and 2 first. But it sounds great and I love supporting wattpad authors!

So those are my seven new books this week! I hope to get to them soon. THey all sound amazing and I’m working really hard to get caught up on arcs!

Have you heard of any of these? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time..

ARC, fantasy, Sci-Fi, two star book, ya

Second Star ARC Review!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: Second Star
Author: JM Sullivan
Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing
Publish Date: March 5, 2019
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 352
Genre: Sci-Fi, Retelling
Dates Read: Jan 12 – Feb 9
Rating: ★★.75

Thank you to Netgalley and Bleeding Ink Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Wendy Darling worked her entire life to rise through the ranks of the prestigious Londonierre Brigade. Now as a Captain, she has everything she’s always wanted, including a ship and crew of her own. But when the Brigade receives a strange transmission from the legendary James Hooke, lost a hundred years earlier in uncharted space and presumed dead, Wendy is willing to risk it all to rescue her hero. She races to the planet known only as Neverland; her mission to find the long-lost crew and bring them home.

But there is more to Neverland than meets the eye, and more to Hooke than what was written in history books. When Wendy crash lands on the ominous planet, she quickly discovers Neverland’s dark secret; a malevolent being known as The Shadow that’s looking for a host body to escape its eternal prison. To fulfill her mission, Wendy must decide whether to trust the dashing Hooke or the mysterious Fleet mechanic who goes by the name of Pan–and she has to decide quickly…

Before the darkness consumes them all.

– Goodreads

I wanted to love Second Star. I really did. It came highly recommended from my friend Sarah. We have pretty much the same taste in books so I figured I would love it, too. I finally decided on a 2.75 star rating. I kept going back and forth between a 2.5-3 star rating. I’ll tell you why.

I spent a lot of the book confused. There were SO MANY characters. I couldn’t keep up with who was with what crew, what they did, let alone their names. And it was all important! But I guess I just didn’t care enough to go back and look?

I actually liked Wendy. I found her pov to be pretty interesting. She was strong and commanding and I loved that strong female presence! On the other hand, I hated Peter’s pov. I just couldn’t connect with him. I felt his parts just drug on forever.

The villain wasn’t a strong presence to me either. I felt it was just kind of thrown in. It was meant to be a big climax at the ending of the book, but I just didn’t feel the fear or worry for the characters I was supposed to.

There was some good in the book! I liked the little romance we got between Wendy and Peter. I thought it was sweet and it was a nice slow burn. The ending was also pretty interesting. It’s what really saved the book for me.

Now let’s talk about those read dates. I picked up and put down this book from Jan 12 till Feb 9. It took me forever. I just couldn’t get into it. I think it’s part of why I slumped so hard last month. It was an arc, so I didn’t want to dnf. But now I’m done, proud of myself for finishing and I’m moving on to the next!

Like I said, I gave it a 2.75 star review. The ending saved it from being a 2.5 star, but I didn’t like it enough to be a 3 star. I give a lot of books 3 stars, and it wasn’t on the same calibur as those books.

Have you read Second Star? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Five Star Book, review, ya

Top 5 Saturday

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

It’s finally the weekend! This week wasn’t as long as last week was, but man was it rough.

I found Top 5 Saturday over at Devouring Books. This is a meme where you rate your top 5 anything! Series to read, standalones to read, most looked forward to releases.

So today I will give you my top 5 releases I’m looking forward to in February!

  1. Ink In the Blood by Kim Smejkal

I was so sad I didn’t get this arc. Not even gonna lie. When I read the synopsis I knew I had to have it. It comes out Feb 11!

“A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.” – Goodreads

2. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Read my review here!

When Tricia hinted at this novel and called it a Slytherin love story last year, I knew it was for me. This releases Feb 25!

“Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.” – Goodreads

3. The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz

I received a beautiful physical ARC of this book and I am SO EXCITED! I love books about assassins (for inspo for my dnd character) so I can’t wait to dive in! The Queen’s Assassin came out Feb 4!

“Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.” – Goodreads

4. Belle Recolte by Linsey Miller

I have been so hyped for this book! I am a sucker for nurses/doctors as MCs, especially if they are female! You can read this now! Belle Revolte dropped on Feb 4!

“Emilie des Marais is more at home holding scalpels than embroidery needles and is desperate to escape her noble roots to serve her country as a physician. But society dictates a noble lady cannot perform such gruesome wor.” – Goodreads

5. All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

First, this cover! It’s what drew me in and made me want it right then and there! Plus there are mermaids and magic. YES. PLEASE. All the Stars and Teeth became available to read on Feb 4!

“Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.” – Goodreads

There are my top 5 February Releases! Three are already out so you can pick them up right now!

Have you read any of these? Are you looking forward to them? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Five Star Book, review, Romance, ya

The Shadows Between Us ARC Review!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Thank you to Netgalley and Feiwel and Friends for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

– Goodreads

Tricia hinted at this novel back in 2019 when Words & Whimsy had the pleasure of chatting with her. I knew then and there I needed it. I was so excited to get this ARC. I was even more excited when I read the first line:

“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart.
And they never will.”

Omg, guys. That first line, for me, ranks up there with the first line for Nevernight. I was instantly pulled in and wanted to put everything on hold to read this book, Work, sleep, cleaning. I didn’t want any of it. I just had to know about Alessandra’s journey. I read every moment I could. In the elevator, walking to my office, while on hold making appointments. I could not put this novel down.

Alessandra’s goal in simple. Make the king fall in love with her, like so many men have done. Marry the king. Kill the king and take the country as her own. Simple, right? It was, at first. Until these nasty things called feelings got involved.

I loved seeing how Alessandra and Kallias’ story and relationship progressed. I love an enemies to lovers story and this delivered! There were even sexy bits! There was also a tiny bit of a love triange.

Alessandra is not a character you root for. Quite honestly, she’s pretty evil. But you are shown enough vulnerability and kindness to make you fall for her. She even comments on her kindness and how it is out of character. She really reminds me of my dnd character which is part of the reason I think I love her so much. She firmly believes she is the best, smartest person in the room and no one can make her think differently. She’ll also kill you without a second thought.

“I try for a humble tone, but since I’ve no idea what that sounds like, I’m not so sure I manage it.”

Kallias is not so nice, himself. He sees women paraded in front of him day in and day out so he can choose one he likes to marry and have an heir. The only girl he is interested in is the one who will pay him no mind. Make fun of him, even! Who does that to a king?

Their relationship progressed in the best way. First Kallias sees her only as a friend, a confidant. But slowly he sees how cunning and ruthless Alessandra is. He then realizes she is meant to be his queen and he will do anything to have her.

There were small issues throughout the book that Kallias and Alessandra solved together. The ending was so surprising to me! I didn’t see the twist coming and I loved it!

I am so glad I was fortunate enough to be able to read an ARC of this book. I loved it so much. If you want in on the fun you can preorder here:

| Amazon| Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million |

Also checkout the preorder incentive here if you ordered a hardback copy!

Are you planning on picking up The Shadows Between Us? If you do I want to know your thoughts!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, contemporary, Erotica, fantasy, Historical Fiction, retelling, Romance, Sci-Fi, thriller, ya

February 2020 TBR

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

It is FINALLY February! I don’t know about you guys, but January seemed to drag on FOREVER! Especially this last week. But it’s a new month, and I’m going to try to hit it hard with my reading!

Below I’ll show you the 15 books I have on my TBR and the criteria I’m using them for! Book Battle stars anew today, and I’m hoping to lead my team to victory! Come join in the competitive reading fun here!

  1. Book by an Author Named Jane – Harmony by Addison Jane
  2. House on the Cover – The Girl’s Weekend by Jody Gehrman
  3. Book Set in England – We are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo
  4. Retelling – Second Star by JM Sullivan
  5. Set in the Past – Chasing Starlight by Teri Bailey Black
  6. Club Read 1 – A Heart so Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
  7. Club Read 2 – A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
  8. Criteria Choice 1 – Book by Tricia Levenseller – The Shadows Between Us
  9. Criteria Choice 2 – Book With a Dress on the Cover – Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  10. Female Author – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
  11. Book That Has Been on Your TBR for Over a Year – Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
  12. Book About Love – Together We Caught Fire by Eva V. Fibson
  13. Book You Keep Hearing About – Blood Countess by Lana Popovic
  14. Standalone – Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
  15. Black MC – The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis

So, eleven of my books are ARCs. I’d love to put a dent in my ARC pile! The club reads are sequels – we can read any books in the series! I received a lovely finished copy of Blood Countess so I’m excited to check that one out as well!

What’s on your TBR this month? Have any thoughts on mine? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…