fantasy, Four Star Book, ya

Alanna: The First Adventure Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

  • Title: Alanna: The First Adventure
  • Author: Tamora Pierce
  • Book Form: E-Book
  • Pages: 274
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse
  • Genre: YA, Fantasy
  • Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. 

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna’s first adventure begins – one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

– GOODREADS

This month the modmins of Words and Whimsy were tasked with recommending a book to one another. This book was recommended to me by Kahla. Tamora Pierce is her favorite author, and after reading this book, I can see why.

Tamora Pierce is like, one of the OGs of YA and I can really see where he influence lies is modern YA books.

I instantly fell in love with Alanna. She was strong, she was sassy, and she knew what she wanted. She was not going to let anything stop her from being a knight, even her gender.

This book follows the first few years of her training to be a knight. You get to see all her successes and struggles – even her entry to womanhood, which I thought was amazing.

I enjoyed all the side characters and wanted to know more about them. I loved seeing their journey growing up. I can’t wait to read book #2!

Thank you, Kahla, for recommending this to me!

Until next time…

adult, Five Star Book, mystery, thriller

Hidden Bodies Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • Title: Hidden Bodies
  • Author: Caroline Kepnes
  • Book Form: Audiobook
  • Pages: 442
  • Publisher: Atria/ Emily Bestler Books
  • Genre: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery
  • Rating: ★★★★★


In the compulsively readable sequel to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklistcalls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

– Goodreads

MAN OH MAN. This series.

I fully recommend the audios. I don’t usually do that. Santino Fontana does such a good job embodying Joe and just his… creepiness. The audios of both You and Hidden Bodies gave me chills.

This is a continuation of You. Joe has found someone he believes he is in love with. They are going to spend their lives together. Of course, things go wrong.

The majority of the book takes place in LA instead of New York. It was a nice change of scenery. The story was just as creepy, if not creepier, than You.

I remember about 5 chapters in texting my friend about the first twist. It took me by complete surprise. The rest of the book just kept me guessing.

There will be a book three. The release date hasn’t been announced. The title hasn’t been announced. But I NEED IT NOW.

Until next time…

Four Star Book, mystery, ya

What I Saw and How I Lied Review

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  • Title: What I Saw and How I Lied
  • Author: Judy Blundell
  • Book Form: Audiobook
  • Pages: 284
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press
  • Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Mystery
  • Rating: ★★★★


When Evie’s father returned home from World War II, the family fell back into its normal life pretty quickly. But Joe Spooner brought more back with him than just good war stories. When movie-star handsome Peter Coleridge, a young ex-GI who served in Joe’s company in postwar Austria, shows up, Evie is suddenly caught in a complicated web of lies that she only slowly recognizes. She finds herself falling for Peter, ignoring the secrets that surround him . . . until a tragedy occurs that shatters her family and breaks her life in two.

– Goodreads

I kept seeing this book pop up on Scribd, and I’m so glad I finally gave it a listen. Mysteries have been one of my favorite genres since I was young. I remember reading my mom’s Mary Higgins Clark books as a pre-teen and teen and never being able to get enough of the suspense and the whodunnit.

My favorite thing about this book was the heroine. Evie was a teen coming into her own skin and trying to make her own decisions. She falls for an older man, and things just go downhill. She’s learning how to navigate first love and reading signals. Evie definitely grew from the beginning to end of this novel and it was a great thing to see.

Another thing I loved about the story was the time and setting. It takes placed just after WW2 ended. I felt so immersed with the use of slang and sayings of that time.

My least favorite thing was it felt like at times the story dragged on. I kept thinking the story was about to end, and it just kept. on. going.

The pace of What I Saw and How I Lied was overall pretty good. The story kept me wanting to read more up until the end. I like how the ended played out, I just felt there was a little too much unnecessary information.

All in all, this was a really great YA mystery. I loved the decisions Evie made and I loved the immersion with the language. I would recommend to anyone who likes YA mysteries!

Until next time…

fantasy, Five Star Book, Romance, ya

Daughter of the Pirate King Review

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  • Title: Daughter of the Pirate King
  • Author: Tricia Levenseller
  • Book Form: E-Book
  • Pages: 311
  • Publisher: Feiwel Friends
  • Genre: Fantasy, YA, Romance
  • Rating: ★★★★★


There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

– Goodreads

So this is the second Tricia Levenseller book I’ve read. The first was Warrior of the Wild at the end of last month. You can see that review here.

Daughter of the Pirate King was just as good as Warrior of the Wild. Instead of being loosely based of Vikings, this adventure takes us into the life of pirates.

Tricia’s books are so easy to read. They are quick novels, but I feel so immersed in the story. I was so interested in Alosa’s life and backstory. And the interactions between her and Ridan had me DYING.

I loved that Alosa was the captain of her own ship and her first mate and main crew were all females. As my friend Kahla pointed out, Tricia does great at showcasing not only strong female leads, but physically powerful. I really love that. Being a strong female lead is usually about decision making, personality, those kinds of things. But I love that Tricia’s leading ladies can kick some serious ass.

I love all the sneaking around and hijinks Alosa gets herself into. The twist totally caught me by surprise. I was so invested in this story and cannot wait to get my hands on the next one!

Until next time..

contemporary, Four Star Book, Historical Fiction, poetry

White Rose Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • Title: White Rose
  • Author: Kip Wilson
  • Book Form: Physical ARC
  • Pages: 368
  • Publisher: Versify
  • Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Poetry
  • Rating: ★★★★


A gorgeous and timely novel based on the incredible story of Sophie Scholl, a young German college student who challenged the Nazi regime during World War II as part of The White Rose, a non-violent resistance group.

Disillusioned by the propaganda of Nazi Germany, Sophie Scholl, her brother, and his fellow soldiers formed the White Rose, a group that wrote and distributed anonymous letters criticizing the Nazi regime and calling for action from their fellow German citizens. The following year, Sophie and her brother were arrested for treason and interrogated for information about their collaborators.

– Goodreads

Thank you to Versify for a free copy of White Rose in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh man. Where do I even start. First, let’s talk about this cover. It’s beautiful. I love the solitary girl standing with her hand in the air. A sign of resistance and doing what’s right, because really, that’s what this book is all about.

Next, I loved that the novel was written in prose. I felt like it gave such depth to the story and just really punched it home.

This is a story about Sophie, who is a German during WW2. She doesn’t like what her government is doing, especially pertaining to the Jewish people. Sophie decides to do something about it.

White Rose is based on a true story. It’s so interesting to see a novel from a German’s point of view. Most WW2 novels I read are from a Jewish pov. I loved that change and I loved that it showed not all Germans were bad. There were some who disagreed and tried to fight the regime, even if it meant capture and death.

I loved that this was a story of resistence. It’s a story of fighting the power, knowing what is happening is wrong, and doing something about it. It’s a story of standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, regardless of the consequences. It’s such a powerful tale, and so timely.

In the back of the novel, there was a list of characters included. It let you know the fates of all the characters in the novel in real life. That was so interesting to me. It made me fully realize these were REAL people who did REAL things in the face of adversity and an all encompassing power trying to repress anyone who wasn’t “perfect”.

I would recommend this book again and again. It was a quick read since it was written in prose, but it was SO POWERFUL. It left me wanting to do more, be more, speak up more.

Until next time…

contemporary, Four Star Book, middle grade

A Boy Called Bat Review

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  • Title: A Boy Called Bat
  • Author: Elana K. Arnold
  • Book Form: E-Book
  • Pages: 208
  • Publisher: Walden Pond Press
  • Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction
  • Rating: ★★★★


For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises — some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

– Goodreads

This is my first MG that I’m reviewing on my blog, and I’m SO GLAD it’s this book! I absolutely loved it!

A Boy Called Bat is about Bixby Alexander Tam (Bat) and his journey through his mom finding a baby skunk. He tries his hardest to get his mom to let him keep it.

The most interesting thing about this book, to me, is that Bat has autism.

I felt this would be a great book for any younger child to read. It can show them that people with autism, while they may act differently, they still have feelings and desires just like everyone else.

The illustrations in the book were adorable. I loved seeing pictures of Bat and his baby skunk.

This was the first in a series of three books, and I would love to read the rest! I will be getting this series for by two year old when he’s a bit older. I think its a great way to introduce kids to others with Autism!

Until next time…

dystopian, Four Star Book, Romance, Sci-Fi, ya

The Program Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • Title: The Program
  • Author: Suzanne Young
  • Book Form: Audiobook
  • Pages: 405
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse
  • Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Romance
  • Rating: ★★★★


Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Goodreads

I am ashamed to say how long this series has been on my bookshelf. The whole series. Years. It’s been years.

What prompted me to finally read it was our author chat with Suzanne Young!

This novel takes place in the maybe-not-so-distant future. The government has developed a program to “fix” teens with depression to try to curb the suicide rate. By fixing them, they basically erase their memories.

Sloane has been affected by suicide. First, her brother. Then her friend attempted, but was taken by The Program. It all spirals downhill from there.

I really enjoyed the story. It kept me captivated from the first chapter. I was on the edge of my seat to see if or when The Program would come for Sloane and her boyfriend, James.

The characters Sloane meets throughout the novel are highly interesting. I wanted to learn all of their backstories and how The Program affected them.

I can’t think of what I didn’t like about this book. I’m waiting for my scribd account to renew so I can listen to book two – The Treatment!

Until next time…

fantasy, Four Star Book, ya

Warrior of the Wild Review

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  • Title: Warrior of the Wild’
  • Author: Tricia Levenseller
  • Book Form: E-Arc
  • Pages: 336
  • Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
  • Genre: YA, Fantasy
  • Rating: ★★★★


As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

– goodreads

Thank you to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for a free ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So. Let’s start with this. On the first page, Tricia thanks Johnny for introducing her to Overwatch. I am a HUGE Overwatch fan (Junkrat main whaaaaat?!) So I immediately knew I at least loved Tricia. Turns out, I felt the same about her book.

Ras has trained for ten years to become the only woman warrior. Talk about girl power. She’s fierce. She’s lethal. She’s backstabbed.

The first twist – the betrayal – caught me by surprise and broke. my. heart. I talked to some other friends who saw it coming, but again, I never see anything coming.

She’s banished to the wild because of this betrayal. There she meets two boys, and they tolerate each other. Then become friends. One may become something more.

I loved the story arc. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put this novel down. Turns out I may have somewhat of a book hangover, because I haven’t been able to commit to a book since.

I loved the development of friendships. The learning to trust one another, then fighting for one another, no matter the cost. I love portrayals of true friendships like this.

The ending was satisfying and very girl power. Ras proved she could do anything she put her mind to. She’s strong, fierce, loyal, and lethal. And I love her.

The only disappointing thing about this book is it is a standalone. But the story wrapped up well, and I really don’t know where a sequel would go. I just didn’t want to leave Rasmira’s life!

This was my first Tricia Levenseller book, and I cannot wait to read her duology!

Until next time…

Four Star Book, three star book, ya

April Plan

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Okay so I was going to post this days ago, but I have a sick two year old who only wants momma. So all those plans flew out the window.

This month I’m leading a team in book battle! I’ve never been a leader before, so it’s exciting!

I currently have nineteen books I want to read this month. And here they are! *drumroll please*

Nine of these are ARCs! So far two are audio, but I’ll probably sprinkle more audios in while working.

So far I’m having an issue committing to a book. I don’t know what the deal is.

Here’s a little update since we’re a few days in April:

– I finished Picture Perfect Love. 3 stars. It’s a typical love story with HEA. This was a novella. I was quite interested in the characters and I think I would have liked it more if it were longer.

– I finished Recalculating. 4 Stars. This was a good suspense novella. The story was intriguing and I have never read a book with this suspense plot line. I was only sad that it was 40 pages so I couldn’t count it for book battle!

– I’ve tried starting and restarting The Antidote about three times now. I’m just confused and can’t get into it. Can anyone convince me to read it?

That’s all for now. Warrior of the Wild and The Program reviews will come as soon as sick baby allows!

Until next time…

Uncategorized

March Wrap Up

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Guys, where did March go?! I was laying in bed last night after just finishing Warrior of the Wild and thinking about what I was going to write for my review. Then I thought, crap, I need to do my wrap up! At this point it was already 11pm and I knew I would hate myself in the morning, so I decided to do the wrap up today and my March plan tomorrow. Then after that you’ll get a review of Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller and The Program by Suzanne Young! Lots of content coming soon!

What I read in February:

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

Super cute graphic novel that I got from OwlCrate.
4 Stars

Fake Plastic Girl by Zara Lisbon

My first ARC of the month. I wasn’t super impressed. A TON of Taylor Swift references.
3 Stars

The Mermaid’s Voice Returns in This One by Amanda Lovelace

I binged Amanda Lovelace in February, so I was super excited to get an ARC of her third book. I loved the poetry, but it wasn’t my favorite.
4 Stars

The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans

Third ARC of the month. I had to make myself finish. It was just too campy – and I didn’t think that was a thing. Plus the title is way too long.
2 Stars

The Demon Next Door by Bryan Burrough

This was my Audible pick of the month. Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery?
3 Stars

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

This is where it starts getting good. I could not put this book down. Plus Rebecca was so sweet during her chat! Can’t wait to read The Queen’s Resistance!
5 Stars

What Happens When by Samantha Boyette

My fourth ARC of the month. It was also meh. I didn’t like the whole try – to – turn – the – girl – straight thing.
3 Stars

Enchanteehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40956288-enchant-e by Gita Trelease

Oh man. This book was wonderful and so descriptive. I felt like I was in France the whole time. I loved all the French language that was incorporated. Gita is now an instabuy author for me!
5 stars

Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

This book makes you so uncomfortable in a good way. It was such a great read and my favorite ARC of the month by far. All the mods at Words & Whimsy gave it 5 Stars. And Suzanne was amazing during her Q&A!
5 Stars

How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom by S. J. Goslee

This book was cute, but the main character was slightly annoying.
3 Stars

Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle

This was the second audio I got to this month. I loved the Irish voice actors and the way the past was woven in with the present. I did feel like the story dragged on a little.
3.5 Stars

The Program by Suzanne Young

Review to come. Man this was a great start to this series. I can’t wait for book two.
4 Stars

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

Another amazing read. Review to come. Officially a Tricia fan!
5 Stars

Alright guys, that’s it for my March wrap up! I finished criteria in Book Battle. Princesses came in last. Better luck this month! Be on the look out for my March plan!

Until next time…