Tag: book

adult, ARC, contemporary, fantasy, Five Star Book, Four Star Book, graphic novel, three star book, ya

April Wrap Up

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Wow! How is April already gone? Mylzs second birthday is early next month and I am not at all prepared!

I totaled 17 books this month, which is pretty good for a hard month in book battle. I try to read at least 15 a month, so I’m glad I hit my goal. Nine were audios, which I think is a record. Three were graphic novels, which may also be a record. Then five physicals.

Here’s what I read:

AUDIOS

  • True West by Sam Shepard – Two stars. I bought solely because Kit Harington was narrating it. I couldn’t even tell it was him and the story was hard to follow.
  • Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes – Five stars. Another creepy, enthralling read. Can’t wait for book 3.
  • What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Brundell – Four stars. Great mystery set right after WW2. Very emerging.
  • Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Five Star. Full review to come. Ensemble cast and one of the best audio’s I’ve ever heard.
  • The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally – Five stars. Full review to come. Super funny.
  • One of the Guys by Delaney Diamond – Three star. Nothing wrong with it, but typical romance. Full review to come.
  • Picture Perfect love by Melissa McClone – Three stars. Another typical romance. Full review to come.
  • Yield by Lilia Moon – Three and a half stars. Super spicy read! Full Review to come.
  • Recalculating by Jennifer Weiner – Three and a half stars. Original mystery/thriller. Full review to come.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

  • A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold – Four stars. Great introduction to kids who have autism.
  • The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York by Kory Merritt – Four stars. Super creepy art.
  • Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson – Four stars. Great friendship and girl power. Full Review to come.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

  • An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley – Four Stars. Love a book set in old Paris. Full review to come.
  • Little Darlings by Melanie Golding – Four and a half stars. Arc. Super creepy. Super amazing. Great look at PPD/PPA
  • Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce – Great beginning to one of the OGs of YA. This was recommended to me by another Words and Whimsy modmin and I loved it! Can’t wait to continue the series.
  • White Rose by Kip Wilson – Four stars. ARC. Written in verse. German resistance in WW2. Amazing read.
  • Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller – Five stars. My second Tricia book and I fell even more in love with her.

As you can see, I never stick to my TBRs. Ever. BUT I will have my May TBR up tomorrow!

Until next time..

fantasy, Four Star Book, graphic novel, Horror, middle grade

The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • Title: The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York
  • Author: Kory Merritt
  • Book Form: Ebook
  • Pages: 128
  • Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
  • Rating: ★★★★


Discover the horrible fate of Jonathan York as he sets out on his journey through a spooky forest with an alarming party of travelmates!

Jonathan York has led a boring life — a pointless degree from the community college, a lackluster job at the General Store, and never any desire for something more exciting. But when fate leaves him stranded in a sinister land, he finds himself seeking an adventure of his own. Along the way he encounters ghoulish thieves, ravenous swamp monsters, a dastardly ice cream conspiracy, and a necromancer bent on human sacrifice.

In this beautifully illustrated, four-color novel, Jonathan York’s life takes a decidedly spooky turn!

– goodreads

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a huge graphic novel reader. Honestly, I read them when I think I won’t finish Book Battle criteria. They’re just not really my thing. But man, am I glad I picked this one up.

The art is amazing. It gives off a very creepy, Nightmare Before Christmas type vibe. That was exciting since that’s been my favorite movie since I was like, three.

The story was just as good as the art! Jonathan York gets lost in a swamp. He and three other people find shelter with an old man and woman, if they tell them a story. Jonathan doesn’t have a story worth telling, so he gets kicked out and ends up in a very story-worthy adventure.

I can see how this reads a middle grade. This is all about finding yourself, overcoming your fears, and not living life on the safe, boring side. I was enthralled with the book from the very first page and couldn’t put it down.

I would recommend this to anyone who has kids struggling with who they are, or even adults! Also, anyone who likes Nightmare Before Christmas-esque art will love this!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, Four Star Book, Horror, mystery

Little Darlings Review

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • Title: Little Darlings
  • Author: Melanie Golding
  • Book Form: E-Galley
  • Pages: 304
  • Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
  • Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Horror
  • Rating: ★★★★.5


“Mother knows best” takes on a sinister new meaning in this unsettling thriller perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Grimms’ Fairy Tales.

Everyone says Lauren Tranter is exhausted, that she needs rest. And they’re right; with newborn twins, Morgan and Riley, she’s never been more tired in her life. But she knows what she saw: that night, in her hospital room, a woman tried to take her babies and replace them with her own…creatures. Yet when the police arrived, they saw no one. Everyone, from her doctor to her husband, thinks she’s imagining things.

A month passes. And one bright summer morning, the babies disappear from Lauren’s side in a park. But when they’re found, something is different about them. The infants look like Morgan and Riley―to everyone else. But to Lauren, something is off. As everyone around her celebrates their return, Lauren begins to scream, These are not my babies.

Determined to bring her true infant sons home, Lauren will risk the unthinkable. But if she’s wrong about what she saw…she’ll be making the biggest mistake of her life.

Compulsive, creepy, and inspired by some our darkest fairy tales, Little Darlings will have you checking―and rechecking―your own little ones. Just to be sure. Just to be safe.

-Goodreads

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

Little Darlings will have you checking―and rechecking―your own little ones. Just to be sure. Just to be safe. If this isn’t the TRUEST thing. Yall. I don’t read horror. I’m a baby. This book reminded me why. But would I recommend it to EVERYONE? Yes, yes I would.

Little Darlings was probably the creepiest book I’ve ever written. And it started so soon! Like, no buildup. Just creep factor 1000. So this is about Lauren, who has twins, and is convinced that the Lake Lady switched them with changelings. Did she? I still don’t know, man. Not to say the book doesn’t give you resolution – it does! But it still leaves you wondering is that what really happened?!

Aside from the creep factor, questioning yourself, and wondering how we got to where we are, this book shines very important light on post-partum depression and post-partum anxiety. I suffered with both after the birth of my two year old, and still struggle today. I remember thinking the same things as Lauren. Checking him 100 times a night to make sure he’s breathing. Not really trusting anyone else with him, because what if they do something wrong? I think that is where the book hit me the hardest. It’s easy for people to say, ‘Oh, she’s crazy.’ But was Lauren crazy? These thoughts were very very real to her. It was way too easy to put myself in her shoes and question everything.

Little Darlings gave me nightmares, guys. I read it before bed twice, and each night had super freaky dreams. For that reason, it took me a little longer to read since I could only read it during daylight hours.

This book blew me away. I would recommend it to anyone who likes horror or a good psychological thriller. Maybe not if you just had a baby, though.

Until next time…

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

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • 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

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • 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…

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

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You
  • 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…