Tag: book

adult, contemporary, Memoir, mystery, thriller

Down the TBR Part 3!

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I just really love these posts. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s just so calming to clear out this list. I even think my friend, Erin, is going to join in on the fun!

I was going to do a review today, I really was. But after work, I just was too tired to think about a review. I just wanted something simple and fun, so here we are!

My TBR is starting at 1976. Let’s see where we end up!

Grey by EL James

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Yep. I read all the 50 Shades books, so obviously this one is on the list. I mean, yeah, I’ll keep. Guilty pleasure?
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Book about two sisters, one who suffers a heart attack and may never wake up. Seems too chick-lit for my tastes now.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: This is like a chick-lit, cozy mystery mix. She is trying to help her dead aunt find a necklace. Just doesn’t seem all that interesting to me.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Yes yes yes. Keep the crime novels coming my way. I read the first in this series and loved it so I’m good with continuing!
  • Keep or Delete: Keep!

High Water by Lynn Hightower

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Mystery book about a borderline(?) abusive father who might have killed the mom – until he turns up dead too. I’m into it.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: This is another mystery, but the synopsis isn’t sticking out to me. I think I’ll let this one go.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

There’s No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Ugh I don’t know about this one. At first it’s like, yes this girl finds missing people and I’m here for it. Then she disappears and ends up in some weird place all missing people go? That does not sound right up my alley.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete. I feel like I’d love the looking for people but absolutely hate the missing people place.

Let It Rain Coffee by Angie Cruz

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Plus for Latina author, but unfortunately the synopsis seemed too chick-lit for me. I just don’t do happy books well, apparently.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Serial killer. Cops try to find him. Victim’s family wants to take justice themselves. Sign me up please, ma’am.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep.

Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline

  • Date Added: June 27, 2015
  • Thoughts: Ok, there’s a cute dog on the cover so I already feel like this isn’t for me. I’m not a cute-dog-on-the-cover kinda girl. It looks like maybe a chick-lit book of short stories. No thanks.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Ok, so to recap. I kept 4 books and deleted 6. That brings my TBR to 1970. Making progress, guys!

My most surprising keep was High Water. Based on the cover I thought for sure it’d be a delete. I also learned I’m not into chick lit or happy books, but I’m very into murder. Who knew?!

Until next time…

ARC, Four Star Book, thriller, ya

Day Zero ARC Review!

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  • Title: Day Zero
  • Author: Kelly Devos
  • Publisher: Inkyard Press
  • Publish Date: November 12, 2019
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 432
  • Genre: YA, Thriller, Doomsday
  • Dates Read: Nov 19 – Nov 23
  • Rating: ★★★★

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

If you’re going through hell…keep going.

Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.

But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.

In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?

– Goodreads

Four stars for this doomsday YA adventure!

Jinx is trying to navigate life with her mom’s new husband and her new step siblings. Most important though, she’s just trying to get her guild to defeat the newest raid. This is when I knew I loved Jinx. She reminded me of me in highschool. My only thoughts were about playing WoW and I wanted to be the best! Raiding was my favorite time of the week.

The day of the raid, disaster strikes. Five of the biggest banks get blown up and her dad And stepdad are to blame. Thankfully her dad was a doomsday prepper, so she knows how to survive.

Jinx was my favorite character. Her emotions and reactions just seemed so real. Plus, she’s a female raid leader, so major points in my book. She takes care of her baby brother, who is a type 1 diabetic. It was nice to see that rep too! All of the supporting characters were great, too. I loved the relationship between Jinx and her stepsister, MacKenna.

The action was great. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen. Despite the 432 pages, I got through this book pretty quickly.

I would definitely recommend. I haven’t read a ya book like this one before! It was a unique concept that had great execution. Can’t wait for book #2!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, Four Star Book

The Coincidence Makers ARC Review

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  • Title: The Coincidence Makers
  • Author: Meradeth Houston
  • Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing
  • Publish Date: November 19, 2019
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 308
  • Dates Read: Nov 10 – Nov 13
  • Rating: ★★★★

As far as Ami’s concerned, invisibility is good for three things: bank vaults, men’s locker rooms, and saving the world.

For Ami and her partner, Luke, becoming invisible is part of their job. Their mysterious employer assigns them to make “coincidences” happen, from reuniting long lost lovers to toppling empires. For their next job, they must stop a bio-terrorism attack on San Francisco. To pull it off, they’ll have to break into illegal labs and federal buildings that make bank vaults seem easy.

Working side by side to arrange the coincidence, Ami hopes for a chance to finally push their relationship past the friend-zone. Her telepathic link with Luke has made it hard to keep her feelings secret for so many years. But just when things start to heat up between them, they accidentally alert the FBI to their existence. Now agents are chasing them down hilly streets and invading their homes in the middle of the night.

With three days until the attack, Ami and Luke must escape their FBI tail while keeping their own emotions from getting in the way. That’s not an easy task when their telepathy goes on the fritz and their only lead for who’s behind the plague just might be the one who releases it. With millions of lives hanging in the balance, they’re going to need more than a coincidence to pull it all off.

– Goodreads

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.

Four stars for this action-packed story that was way out of my comfort zone!

Imagine that coincidences weren’t coincidences. You didn’t just happen to get your dream job or meet your soul mate on the train. There are invisible people working behind the scenes to make this happen. What if they also did even crazier things – like save the world?

That’s what Ami and Luke have been tasked to do. They are used to little coincidences, nothing like this. I quickly fell in love with them and their will-they-won’t-they love story. I love friends to lovers, and this did not disappoint!

The Coincidence Makers had me guessing from the get-go. I didn’t know who was good or bad. There were a ton of twists and turns. The action scenes were written wonderfully and had my heart racing. I didn’t want to put this book down because I had to know what happened next.

The only thing that kept me from a 5 star rating was the ending. I felt like the book could have ended at 80% and then the sequel could begin from there. I liked staying in their world longer, but it felt a little long-winded. However, Meradeth has confirmed there is a sequel in the works so I can’t wait to jump back into Ami and Luke’s story!

I know I will be forever rethinking coincidences.

Until next time….

adult, contemporary, mystery, Romance

Verity Review

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  • Title: Verity
  • Author: Colleen Hoover
  • Publisher: Hoover Ink
  • Publish Date: December 7, 2018
  • Book Form: Ebook
  • Pages: 333
  • Genre: Thriller, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary
  • Rating: ★★★★★

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

A standalone romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

-Goodreads

I just….

Actual footage of me finishing this book. Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

Everything?! Okay, so this isn’t CoHo’s normal genre. But like, can it be?! She did this romantic, suspense, mind-eff so freaking well. I didn’t know who was good. I didn’t know who was bad. I didn’t know who was crazy. Was the kid crazy? Maybe. Was Verity crazy? Most definitely. But Jeremy and Lowen? PROBABLY! I don’t know what I just read. I don’t know what’s real. I’m rambling. I finished this book a week ago and I’m STILL thinking about it. This is one of the best books I have ever read, hands down. It’s so twisty, and weird, and intriguing, and just… perfect.

What I didn’t like:

Nothing. I liked it all. I still don’t know who is good and bad. Or who is crazy. Maybe I’m just crazy.

Would I recommend?

Hell. Yes. Please read this book! I have to know. Are you #teamletter or #teammanuscript?

Me? Manuscript all the way!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Historical Fiction, three star book, ya

The Lady Rogue ARC Review

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The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.

– Goodreads

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

When I started this book I was like, this is gonna be a 4.5 star! Then it was just like….

Thanks, giphy!

What I Liked:

So, I understand this is not the normal genre for Jenn Bennett. It is the first book I’ve read by her, but I would give her contemporaries a change.

The beginning of this book was SO GOOD. I was instantly thrust into this old world, old way of travel. The main character, Theodora, was likeable and her companion, Huck, even more so. I was so enthralled by this adventure they were going on. I liked probably 70% of the book. The adventure was interesting, looking for Vlad the Impaler’s ring was interesting, the side characters were interesting!

What I didn’t like:

The last 30%? I felt like there was about to be resolution, then there would be issue. After issue. After issue. I felt like the ending just drug on and on, which made this book feel much longer than it’s 384 pages. I think I spent a week reading this novel. I was just so ready for it to end but couldn’t find the umph to keep going. I did finish. I was glad I did. The characters were still likeable and interesting, but the plot just kind of never resolved for me. It was quite disappointing since I was raving about the book at the start.

Would I recommend?

Eh, I don’t know. I would probably warn people the end didn’t live up to the start. I don’t know that it’s completely worth it to read.

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Five Star Book, ya

The Babysitter’s Coven ARC Review

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Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.

Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it’s kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she’s good at it.

And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let’s just say she owes some people a new tree.

Enter Cassandra Heaven. She’s Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme’s babysitters club?

The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra’s mother left her: “Find the babysitters. Love, Mom.”

Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they’re about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.

– GOodreads

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

I was so excited to get an arc of this book, and man. It did not disappoint!

Thanks, Giphy!

What I liked:

This was such a fast, intriguing debut novel. Esme and her bff, Janis, are fashion queens. I loved the descriptions of their outfits and the names for them. They’re just trying to get through high school then make their way out of their small town. Then something crazy happens. Esme learns she has telekenesis and things.get.cray. I was a babysitter when I was younger, so I loved that so much of the book revolved around that. I loved the magic and spells. Cassandra was iffy at times, but in the end I really liked her! The friendship between Janis and Esme reminded me of me and my highschool friends. We still talk to this day, and I feel like that’s the relation ship they have!

What I didn’t like:

Like I said, Cassandra, a fellow witch, was annoying at times but in the end turned out great!

Would I recommend?

Yes, yes, yes! This is a perfect fall/Halloween book! Curl up with it, a PSL, and a nice blanket and you’re in for a good time! This was a super fast read that kept me intrigued the whole way through. I can’t wait to see what happens to our Sitters in book 2! (Coming fall 2020. SO FAR AWAY!)

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, Five Star Book, ya

WWW Wednesday!

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I’ve seen this post floating around a lot of the book blogs I follow, so I figured I’d join in on the fun!

The three W’s are:
– What are you currently reading?
– What did you recently finish reading?
– What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I currently Reading?

Second in Command by Sandi Van

This is a story told in verse about a kid who gets put in charge of his two younger siblings when his mom gets deployed and his dad works long hours. It’s an ARC!

What did I recently finish reading?

The Babysitter’s Coven by Kate Williams

Five star read! Perfect for Halloween coming up! Review tomorrow!

What will I read next?

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena

This cover drew me in! I love all the artwork. This is also an ARC and I’m trying to get all caught up. I’m super behind, I know.

What are your three W’s? Do you have any thoughts on mine? Let me know below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, Four Star Book, ya

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine ARC Review

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Co-written by sisters Maika and Maritza Moulite, and told in epistolary style through letters, articles, emails, and diary entries, this exceptional debut novel captures a sparkling new voice and irrepressible heroine in a celebration of storytelling sure to thrill fans of Nicola Yoon, Ibi Zoboi and Jenna Evans Welch!

When a school presentation goes very wrong, Alaine Beauparlant finds herself suspended, shipped off to Haiti and writing the report of a lifetime…

You might ask the obvious question: What do I, a seventeen-year-old Haitian American from Miami with way too little life experience, have to say about anything?

Actually, a lot.

Thanks to “the incident” (don’t ask), I’m spending the next two months doing what my school is calling a “spring volunteer immersion project.” It’s definitely no vacation. I’m toiling away under the ever-watchful eyes of Tati Estelle at her new nonprofit. And my lean-in queen of a mother is even here to make sure I do things right. Or she might just be lying low to dodge the media sharks after a much more public incident of her own…and to hide a rather devastating secret.

All things considered, there are some pretty nice perks…like flirting with Tati’s distractingly cute intern, getting actual face time with my mom and experiencing Haiti for the first time. I’m even exploring my family’s history—which happens to be loaded with betrayals, superstitions and possibly even a family curse.

You know, typical drama. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.

– Goodreads

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

I instantly fell in love with this epistolary style novel full of magic and spells!

Thanks, Giphy!

What I liked:

As I said, I love epistolary style novels! It’s such an intriguing way to convey a story. Once I realized the novel was written in that way, I was all in.

I loved the setting being Haiti. I’ve never read a book based in Haiti or written by someone of Haitian descent. I loved learning about the land and the way of life of those who live there. It was so interesting. I also loved the use of French and Creole language! I love with languages other than English are featured in a book.

The story was interesting and easy to follow. I enjoyed the mix of magic in with reality. It made you believe that magic is real! And maybe it is! Who knows? I also appreciated that her mom was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and that it was a central theme to the story. My grandpa was also diagnosed early and succumbed to the disease, so it’s nice to have that representation.

What I didn’t like:

I felt the ending was rushed. There was so much going on and it all wrapped up at once. I felt the story could have benefited from an extra 50 or so pages. It’s already at 432, but the story went by so fast It didn’t feel that long!

Would I recommend?

Yes! I love reading about places I’ve never been. The magic and setting were amazing!

Until next time….

ARC, fantasy, Five Star Book, ya

Tiger Queen ARC Review

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  • Title: Tiger Queen
  • Author: Annie Sullivan
  • Publisher: Blink
  • Publish Date: September 10, 2019
  • Pages: 320
  • Book Form: Physical/E-ARC
  • Genre: Fantasy, YA
  • Rating: ★★★★★

In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger.

But when Kateri’s final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world—and her heart—upside down. Her future is now behind two doors—only she’s not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger.

– GOodreads

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

I LOVE Annie Sullivan! She is super sweet. Her second novel did not disappoint. It was an amazing retelling of The Lady, Or the Tiger.

Thanks, Giphy!

What I liked:

This was such a fierce novel! I loved the training and fight scenes. I felt like I was watching it happen! I love a strong female lead! I also liked the setting was the desert. It’s not something I have read before and I loved being transported there!

The back and forth with the romance was amazing! As always, Annie’s books are clean, so this is perfect for a younger teen!

The story was intriguing and hooked me right from the beginning. I have never read The Lady, Or the Tiger, but I definitely want to now! I’d love to see where Annie drew her inspiration.

At about 30% in, I thought I knew what the outcome was going to be. I was so wrong, and I loved the ending!

Also – myself and my fellow Words and Whimsy modmins are in the acknowledgements. I am so so thankful and grateful to Annie for that! She is the sweetest person, and I love supporting someone like that!

What I didn’t like:

I can’t think of anything I didn’t like! The story was interesting, the pacing was great, the characters were likable. I loved it all!

Would I recommend?

Yes! This is a story anyone can enjoy. It’s also great for younger teens since it is a clean read!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Five Star Book, Horror, mystery, Romance, ya

House of Salt and Sorrows ARC Review

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Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

– Goodreads

So, this is probably my first gothic, horror-ish novel and I am here. for. it!

Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

“We are born of the Salt, we live by the Salt, and to the Salt we return.”

House of Salt and Sorrows was a great mix of fantasy, mystery, gothic horror, and a little bit of romance thrown in. Now, I am a granny. 9pm? I’m in bed usually asleep. But this book kept me up LATE – and by late I mean 1030pm. I could not put it down! The night I stayed up reading I got up to go to the bathroom and I thought, well, I’m kind of thirsty. I was at a rather creepy part of the book. I looked down the long, dark hallway and thought, nah. I’m ok. I don’t need water. And I got back in bed. No lie. It creeped me out!

The descriptions of this novel brought it to life. I usually have a hard time picturing what I’m reading, but Erin made it so easy! I loved the descriptions of the castle, the dresses, and all the creepy things that I won’t mention because I don’t want to spoil it!

The start was a little slow, but once I hit about 30% I did not want to put this baby down. It was so good!

Two funny things about this novel: first, I think I am being called to make squid ink risotto because it is everywhere in my life. It was on Queer Eye, it was on Master Chef, and now it’s mentioned in this novel! So I think I need to find a recipe. Also, my sister hates names that end in -leigh. Well, the main character is Annaleigh and every time I saw her name I smiled and thought of my sister in law. She said she wouldn’t read it because of the name. I told her she was making a grave mistake.

What I didn’t like:

The only reason this book isn’t getting five stars is because of the pace at the beginning. Maybe I’m just hard to please, but it felt slow. But like I said, after 30% I just wanted to devour it!

Would I recommend?

Yessssss! It was the perfect mix of fantasy, horror, mystery and romance. It had everything you could ever want in a novel. And this is a debut! I’m expecting more great things from Ms. Craig. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Get this novel here!
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

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

Until next time…