ARC – Page 2 – Mithah Reads

🐾 We Are the Wildcats ARC Review 🐾

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

🐾 Title: We Are the Wildcats
🐾 Author: Siobhan Vivian
🐾 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
🐾 Publish Date: March 31, 2020
🐾 Book Form: E-ARC
🐾 Pages: 368
🐾Genre: Contemporary, YA, Sports
🐾Dates Read: Mar 20 – Mar 21
🐾 Rating: 🐾🐾.5

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

A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.
Tomorrow, the Wildcat varsity field hockey squad will play the first game of their new season. But at tonight’s team sleepover, the girls are all about forging the bonds of trust, loyalty, and friendship necessary to win.
Everything hinges on the midnight initiation ceremony—a beloved tradition and the only facet of being a Wildcat that the girls control. Until now.
Coach—a handsome former college player revered and feared in equal measure—changes the plan and spins his team on a new adventure. One where they take a rival team’s mascot for a joyride, crash a party in their pajamas, break into the high school for the perfect picture.
But as the girls slip out of their comfort zone, so do some long-held secrets. And just how far they’re willing to go for their team takes them all—especially Coach—by surprise.
A testament to the strength and resilience of modern teenage girls, We Are the Wildcats will have readers cheering.
– Goodreads

This was my most anticipated read for March and I was so disappointed. I went back and forth about what rating to give. When I finished reading, I said a 3. Wasn’t as good as I hoped, but eh. Now the more I think about it, the more I want to bring it down to a 2.5.

This was first featured on First Impression Friday. So one of my predictions came true – I read it in two days thanks to the 24in48 readathon. Otherwise, I may have had some trouble getting more into it.

I loved the first two chapters, but SIX POV’s is A LOT. I would get confused about who I was reading and why I was switching story lines. Some authors can do multiple POVs and it’s great – like Queen Leigh Bardugo. Each character has a distinct voice. To me, all six girls had the same voice, same way of speaking. Sometimes I had to flip back to remind myself who I was reading at that moment.

The book was fast paced – it takes place just over 24 hours. The girls get chosen for the varsity field hockey team. Their coach is toxic and manipulative and emotionally abusive. From the synopsis, it seemed like they were going to realize that and take back the team. Like they say, “Team first, always.”

However, that was not the case. One girl realized his ways, but no one would listen. You see Coach’s favorite about to graduate. He’s already looking for another girl to mold. It wasn’t until late, LATE in the book where the girls realized who he really is and decided to get back at him. Most of it is all the girls but one defending him and harping about how it’s just his way and this is how he shows he cares. Ew. No.

The more I thought on it, this is the reason why I brought the book down to 2.5 stars. I just couldn’t justify three stars with the way the girls were toward this abusive man. It wasn’t the great feminist, burn the patriarchy book I wanted. I’m just real real mad about it.

Have you read We Are the Wildcats? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, blog tour, contemporary, Erotica, LGBT, ya

⏲️ 24 in 48 Readathon ⏲️

March 21, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Hey guys! Normally I’d do stacking the shelves today, but I learned the 24 in 48 readathon was this weekend so I thought I’d join in!

This is hosted by 24in48. You can sign up here and follow their twitter here!

So far I have clocked only 2 hours and 42 minutes of reading. I had an author chat today, so that took up a bit of time. It was worth it though! Talking to Eric Smith was SO FUN! I also started late like at 8AM.

Here’s my TBR for this weekend!

I’m about 70% through We Are the Wildcats and I’m not loving it as much as I thought I would, which is a shame. Apparently the author was involved in a lot of drama that I didn’t know about so that’s awkward. I should finish today and start on Music From Another World! That is for a blogpost this week! It also has a lot better ratings and is written in epistolary style, which is my favorite! Last, I’ll read Hungry For Your Love, which has been on my TBR longest!

Are you participating in 24in48? What’s your tbr? How much have you read? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, fantasy, ya

Stacking the Shelves!

March 14, 2020March 13, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

So it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve done this post! With the way the Saturdays fell I did my wrap up for February and my top 5 March releases.

Since February 22, I have been approved for 15 ARCs. Wow, I didn’t realize it was that many. Today I’ll show you the 6 I am currently most excited for!

Stacking the Shelves 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!”

Admission by Julie Buxbaum

“From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes an of-the-moment novel that peeks inside the private lives of the hypercompetitive and the hyperprivileged and takes on the college admissions bribery scandal that rocked the country.“

The college bribery was so interesting to me. I cannot wait to read this novel!

Release date: May 5, 2020

We are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian

“A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.“

I am reading this after I finish All the Stars and Teeth (hopefully this weekend!) I CANNOT WAIT

Release date: March 31, 2020

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

“A desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial daughter find a connection on the high seas in a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic.“

Magic and pirates. I didn’t think I liked pirate books, but I’ve been real into them recently.

Release date: May 5, 2020

Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats

“This rich literary novel follows Elen, who must live a precarious lie in order to survive among the medieval Welsh warband that killed her family.“

I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel set in Wales, so I’m excited about that. It sounds like a super interesting read!

Release date: March 10, 2020

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

“Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.“

This cover is gorgeous. It sounds amazing. I can’t wait! Thanks Steph for getting this one for me!

Release date: May 26, 2020

The Ballad of Ami Miles

“Raised in isolation at Heavenly Shepherd, her family’s trailer-dealership-turned-survival compound, Ami Miles knows that she was lucky to be born into a place of safety after the old world ended and the chaos began. But when her grandfather arranges a marriage to a cold-eyed stranger, she realizes that her “destiny” as one of the few females capable of still bearing children isn’t something she’s ready to face.“

This sounds so good. I love cult-y stories. I can’t wait to dive in!

Release date: May 26, 2020

So these are all releasing this month or May.. ha! I will definitely get to We Are the Wildcats this month, and maybe even Spindle and Dagger.

Are any of these on your radar? What are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Romance, ya

🗡️ The Queen’s Assassin ARC Review 🗡️

March 12, 2020March 22, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

🗡️ Title: The Queen’s Assassin
🗡️ Author: Melissa de la Cruz
🗡️ Publisher: GP Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
🗡️ Publish Date: Feb 4, 2020
🗡️ Book Form: Physical ARC
🗡️ Pages: 384
🗡️ Genre: Fantasy, YA, Romance
🗡️ Dates Read: Mar 7 – Mar 11
🗡️ Rating: 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

Thank you to GP Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

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.
Caledon Holt is the kingdom’s deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in speed, strength, or brains, which is why he’s the Hearthstone Guild’s most dangerous member. Cal is also the Queen’s Assassin, bound to her by magic and unable to leave her service until the task she’s set for him is fulfilled.
Shadow of the Honey Glade has been training all her life to join the Guild, hoping that one day she’ll become an assassin as feared and revered as Cal. But Shadow’s mother and aunts expect her to serve the crown as a lady of the Renovian Court.
When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they’re forced to team up as assassin and apprentice. Even though Shadow’s life belongs to the court and Cal’s belongs to the queen, they cannot deny their attraction to each other. But now, with war on the horizon and true love at risk, Shadow and Cal will uncover a shocking web of lies that will change their paths forever.
– Goodreads

I received a beautiful arc of this in the mail and could not wait to dive in. We all know how much I love assassins. This book was good, but there was not enough assassin action for me!

The Queen’s Assassin is told from two POV’s – Shadow and Cal. Cal is the Queen’s Assassin. He saved Shadow’s life one day. As she ran to tell the Queen of his heroics, he was put into jail. Shadow knew she had to rescue him, along with convincing him to let her be his apprentice.

Cal agrees begrudgingly. Then, friendship forms. And also love, because why wouldn’t it?

I loved the growth of the relationship between Cal and Shadow. I was rooting for them the whole time. I mean, what ya fantasy couple do I not root for? I was so glad when feelings started forming. I wish there would have been more romance, but I liked the slow burn, will-they-won’t-they. I feel like there will be plenty of room for romance in book two!

The mystery of who was trying to kill the princess was great. I didn’t guess who the villain was. I loved all the espionage they had to go through to get to the answers.

My only complaint was for a book with assassin in the title, there wasn’t a lot of killing. Does that sound morbid? Probably. But if there’s assassin the title, I want assassin work! Hopefully there will be more of that in book two as well.

If you love ya fantasy, assassins, and slow burn romance, this book is definitely for you!

Is The Queen’s Assassin on your tbr? Have you read it? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, blog tour, Humor, middle grade

📚 Don’t Check Out This Book! Blog Tour 📚

March 10, 2020March 22, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

📚 Title: Don’t Check Out This Book!
📚 Author: Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise
📚 Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
📚 Publish Date: March 10, 2020
📚 Book Form: E-ARC
📚 Pages: 160
📚 Genre: MG, Humor
📚 Dates Read: Mar 7
📚 Rating: 📚📚📚.5

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

In Don’t Check Out This Book!, Appleton Elementary School has a new librarian, Rita B Danjerous. Not everyone in Appleton likes her unconventional methods or her infamous Green Dot Collection, which allows students to borrow books discreetly, without actually checking them out. Under Rita’s influence, students like Reid Durr and Ben Thinken, and even the absent-minded principal, Noah Memree, are staying up way too late reading. While Rita inspires the students and faculty alike, the new school board president and impeccably mannered shop owner Ivana Beprawpa is busy working to shut down the library and force students into uniforms available only at Beprawpa Attire. But what’s behind Ivana’s school uniform policy? A team of fifth-grade sleuths is determined to get to the bottom of Appleton’s juiciest scandal ever.
Author Kate Klise’s books are “fresh, funny, and a delight to read” (School Library Journal). Here she uses her skill and wit to introduce kids to serious topics, such as censorship and abuse of power. “I was really motivated to cook up a book-banning character who could embody all the pettiness and corruption we see in the world today,” Klise says. “I also wanted to create some book-loving characters who could prevail in the end.” Beneath Appleton’s mystery, there is a pure, unabashed celebration of words, and the rights of all readers to choose their own books. Hilarious, empowering, and exciting, Don’t Check Out This Book! is filled with clever winks to the audience, as if to say “You’re a reader. You get it.” And by the end, we do.

Big thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for inviting me to take part in this blog tour! This was a funny, yet touching MG about the power of books and standing up for what’s right.

This book was so funny! A lot of the names were puns – like Rita B. Danjerous, Etta Toryal, and Gladys Friday. It is also an epistolary format which is my favorite format to read!

In Don’t Check Out This Book, you get memos, emails, letter, and newspaper articles that document the school hiring a brand new librarian. She has a ‘green dot’ collection of books that you don’t need your library card to check out and this is just unacceptable to the superintendent of the school. She is very against books in general. She thinks children should follow the rules.

Rita, the librarian, is trying to teach the kids to question rules and who made them. Always do what you think is right and stand for what you believe in.

This novel is a laugh-out-loud story of the power of books and loud, mean people don’t win! I think it’s a great, important read for kids aged 8-12. Perfect for a classroom!

Kate Klise is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for young readers, many of which are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. On her way to becoming an author, Kate Klise worked as a babysitter, waitress, ice-skating instructor, and rosebush pruner. She was also a journalist and spent 15 years reporting for People magazine. When she’s not working on a new book, she enjoys traveling around the country, sharing her best writing tips and tricks with aspiring authors of all ages.

M. Sarah Klise has always had a fondness for creating colorful book reports, which began in elementary school with yarn-bound volumes on states and countries. In college, she enjoyed writing heavily illustrated letters home to her mother. Years later, she still does variations of all that when she illustrates books for young readers. She also teaches art classes in Berkley, CA.

Is Don’t Check Out This Book on your radar? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, Four Star Book, review, Romance, ya

💔 Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak ARC Review 💔

March 9, 2020March 7, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

💔 Title: Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak
💔 Author: Adi Alsaid
💔 Publisher: Inkyard Press
💔 Publish Date: April 30, 2019
💔 Book Form: E-ARC
💔Pages: 384
💔Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
💔 Dates Read: Mar 3 – Mar 7
💔Rating: 💔💔💔💔

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

The summer after senior year is not going as eighteen-year-old Lu Charles expected: after her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her, Lu can’t write a single word, despite the fact that her college scholarship is tied to her columnist job at hip online magazine Misnomer. Then, she meets Cal.
Cal’s ever-practical girlfriend Iris is looking ahead to her first year of college, and her plans do not include a long-distance boyfriend. When Lu learns that Cal and Iris have planned to end their relationship at the end of the summer, she becomes fascinated and decides to chronicle the last months the couple will spend together.
The closer she gets to the couple, the more she likes them, and the more she wants to write about them. The summer unfurls, and Lu discovers what it really means to be in love. On the page, or off it. The book is touching exploration of love and how it shapes us both during a relationship and after it has ended.
– Goodreads

This is the first book by Adi Alsaid, but I know it will not be my last. I was instantly pulled into Lu’s story and couldn’t wait to see what happened.

In the beginning, and throughout the whole book, really, I wanted this weird relationship with Lu and the couple she eavesdropped on – Cal and Iris. I wanted Lu and Iris to become bffs. They seemed to instantly click and they jsut had a nice flow to their friendship. However, Lu met Cal before she met Iris. He sat beside her on a bench where they talked in fake French accents and helped French tourists find their way. They seemed to have instant chemistry and I really wanted Cal to be the one to mend Lu’s heart.

For a while, this weird situation seemed to work. Lu started hanging out with Cal and Iris together, then separate. When she and Cal were together, it seemed like a romantic connection. When Lu and Iris were together, they seemed like they had been friends forever.
Lu had a best friend before all this went down – Pete. He might have been my favorite. He was asexual and Lu described him as her wise old uncle, which he thought was pretty fitting. He was funny and smart and gave the best advice.

Lu was eavesdropping on Cal and Iris because she writes a love column. Since her boyfriend broke up with her, she had writer’s block. She was listening to what she thought was their breakup for inspiration. This is really the central plot of the book – Lu working through her heartbreak so she can write again. Besides, her whole future lies in this column. She has to keep it to get her scholarship to go to NYU for journalism.

Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak was such a quick, fun read. It made me laugh out loud at times. It also took me back to my past days of high school romance when a break up was totally the end of the world.

I would recommend this book if you like YA romance contemporaries – but the ending will surprise you! I want to say more thoughts about the ending, but I’m scared it’s spoilery so I will refrain.

Have you read Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, ya

First Impression Friday

March 6, 2020March 3, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

I wanted to read at least 3 books this week, but I’m just now starting my second. I feel like this will be a super quick read, though! I read the first chapter of Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid and loved it! I have two of his books on my TBR this month, so I hope they both live up to what I think they will!

“The summer after senior year is not going as eighteen-year-old Lu Charles expected: after her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her, Lu can’t write a single word, despite the fact that her college scholarship is tied to her columnist job at hip online magazine Misnomer. Then, she meets Cal.
Cal’s ever-practical girlfriend Iris is looking ahead to her first year of college, and her plans do not include a long-distance boyfriend. When Lu learns that Cal and Iris have planned to end their relationship at the end of the summer, she becomes fascinated and decides to chronicle the last months the couple will spend together.
The closer she gets to the couple, the more she likes them, and the more she wants to write about them. The summer unfurls, and Lu discovers what it really means to be in love. On the page, or off it. The book is touching exploration of love and how it shapes us both during a relationship and after it has ended.” – Goodreads

In the fist chapter, we meet Lu. Lu’s boyfriend just broke up with her. She’s hoping to meet him and try to get him back. While she’s waiting, a cute guy sits next to her and they have a lovely chat/flirt. After he leaves, she goes to the bookstore, where she sees a girl crying. She then realized girl is there to meet the guy Lu was just chatting with!

I was instantly pulled in. I wanted to know how this was going to play out. Even though Lu was still thinking about her ex, she was having fun with this new guy! I was hoping he would be the one to heal her heart, but I guess we’ll have to see!

I got through the first chapter, which was 4% of the book. My kindle tells me I have just over 4 hours left to read. I’m guessing this will be a solid 4 star book!

Have you read Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, fantasy, review, two star book, ya

Lovestruck ARC Review

March 5, 2020March 3, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

🏹 Title: Lovestruck
🏹 Author: Kate Watson
🏹 Publisher: Flux
🏹 Publish Date: April 2, 2019
🏹 Book Form: E-ARC
🏹 Pages: 350
🏹 Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology
🏹 Dates Read: Feb 28 – Mar 3
🏹 Rating: 🏹🏹

Sixteen-year-old cupid-in-training Kali is in an Olympus-sized mountain of trouble. Rule number one in arrow-toting matchmaking: don’t stick yourself. But accidents happen, and Kali instantly falls hard for her indie rock, bass-playing target, Benicio.
The God of Love is going to kill her. Even if he is her dad.
Being the daughter of Eros isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. For one thing, a girl can get jaded when her parents have the most beautiful and fatalistic love story in history. For another, immortality royally sucks when the Oracle condemns you to eternity in the wrong profession. Do the Gods care that Kali wants to ditch the love stuff and be a muse?
Nope.
To reclaim her heart and her destiny, Kali is left with no choice but to defy the Gods, tempt the Fates, date the mortal love-of-her-life, and hope she doesn’t lose her best friend, Hector, in the process.
– Goodreads

So many conflicting emotions about Lovestruck. I wanted to like this book. I loved the premise. It just fell really flat for me.

Kali is basically Cupid. She is tasked with making love matches. She has been studying her mark for weeks. The time has come. She about to shoot him, when suddenly she sticks herself with her arrow. Now she is matched with Ben. Since Kali is immortal, it cannot be reversed. Kali must now go on a quest with the help of her god and goddess friends to find a way to reverse what has happened.

Everyone in this novel was SO DANG DRAMATIC. Like, think of the most dramatic individual you know. Times it by 10 (yes, I promise) and those are the characters. Hector accidentally stuck himself while looking at Kali. Now he is matched with her. She dated him for a while, loved it, but then broke up with him. Yet, when she sees him with another girl, she flips out! You’re the one that left him, honey. You’re to blame.

Ben, Kali’s mark-turned-boyfriend, is emo. But not in the cute, early 2000s emo way. No. If she even mentions Hector, he starts brooding and turning super angsty. I couldn’t with him. He would be so mean to Kali, and she’d just write it off like it was nothing. She just loved that he called her his muse and she inspired his music. I wanted them both to jump off a cliff.

The only characters I liked were Tony and Artmetis. They actually seemed like the genuinely liked each other. I was rooting for them through the whole book.

I know, I’ve been ranting. So why did I give Lovestruck two stars (or arrows)? I love the premise. This story could have been wonderful had it been executed better. I would even be ok with the weird love triangle between Kali, Hec, and Ben had they not been so damn dramatic.

I don’t know that i can recommend this book. Maybe if you like mythology – there were TONS of gods and goddesses in this. But just be prepared for the worst teenage dramatics.

Have you read Lovestruck? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

contemporary, fantasy, Five Star Book, Romance, two star book, ya

The Prediction Book Tag

March 4, 2020March 3, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Thank you so much to Love for Words for tagging me in this one! This is the first tag I’m participating in, but I hope to do more! Here’s how this one works –

💖 Ping back to the creator of the tag, @bookprincessreviews
💖 Tag the person who tagged you, @LoveForWords
💖 Find an answer to match each prompt.
💖 Have fun!

💖 All these prompts are predictions for your… 💖

💖 Next read💖

This has been on my ARC backlong for too long. I’m trying to catch up as quick as I can! I’m hoping to finish my current read and start this one today!

💖 Next 5 Star Read 💖

I received a beautiful ARC of this and I can’t wait to dive in! I think I may read it after A Brief Chronicle.

💖 Next 1 Star Read 💖

My current read. I don’t normally rate one stars, and this will probably get a two. It’s an ARC, so I will finish and review it, but I’m just not loving it.

💖 Next Love Interest (Or Character Who Seems Really Cool) 💖

A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
– Goodreads

I mean, just look at that pic and read that synopsis of him. I’m already swooning.

💖 Next Book You’ll Be Buying 💖

This is one of the books that has been on my TBR the longest! I’ll have to buy it but I’m determined to work more of these books in!

💖 Next Book That Will Leave You With a Hangover 💖

I’m so into the girl power in this book! It’s one of my most anticipated this month!

💖 And now for tags! 💖

💖 Sarah at Bookish Bug Blog
💖 Destiny at Howling Libraries
💖 Lauren at Lala’s Book Reviews
💖 Kristin at Kristin Kraves Books
💖 Leslie at Books Are The New Black

I hope you all enjoyed this tag as much as I did! What is your next read? What are your thoughts on these? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

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

March 2020 TBR

March 1, 2020February 29, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

February flew by compared to January! I know it’s two days shorter, but it felt weeks shorter! I almost hit my goal of 15 books last month. Here’s what’s on the TBR now! I have an extra book because I can’t decide what to cut!