Tag: ya

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…

ARC, fantasy, Four Star Book, mystery, ya

Songs from the Deep ARC Review

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  • Title: Songs from the Deep
  • Author: Kelly Powell
  • Publisher: Margaret K. Elderry Books
  • Publish Date: November 5, 2019
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 320
  • Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mystery
  • Dates Read: Nov 16 – Nov 19
  • Rating: ★★★★

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

A girl searches for a killer on an island where deadly sirens lurk just beneath the waves in this gripping, atmospheric debut novel.

The sea holds many secrets.

Moira Alexander has always been fascinated by the deadly sirens who lurk along the shores of her island town. Even though their haunting songs can lure anyone to a swift and watery grave, she gets as close to them as she can, playing her violin on the edge of the enchanted sea. When a young boy is found dead on the beach, the islanders assume that he’s one of the sirens’ victims. Moira isn’t so sure.

Certain that someone has framed the boy’s death as a siren attack, Moira convinces her childhood friend, the lighthouse keeper Jude Osric, to help her find the real killer, rekindling their friendship in the process. With townspeople itching to hunt the sirens down, and their own secrets threatening to unravel their fragile new alliance, Moira and Jude must race against time to stop the killer before it’s too late—for humans and sirens alike.

– Goodreads

“Twillengyle is a place to be embraced with one arm, with a dagger ready in the other hand.”

What an atmospheric, beautifully detailed novel. Twillengyle is dark, gloomy, cold. It is the perfect backdrop to the events in a novel. A small boy is dead. Sirens are to blame. They have one champion, Moira, who knows the sirens couldn’t have done it. Will she be enough to bring them justice?

Very, very seldom do I see images in my mind as I read. Usually I’m just reading the words. The characters have voices, sure, but no faces. Nothing that makes them stick out. I could never do fan art. However, as I was reading I saw a movie playing in my mind. I could probably fan cast it. This is SO unusual for me, but I loved it!

The mystery was intriguing. I didn’t guess who did it. The ending was so shocking! All the events leading up had my guessing. My guesses were all wrong, of course.
In addition to the mystery, there was also a love interest! It was a will-they-won’t-they, which is honestly my favorite kind. I love to see the back and forth!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries or crime books. It sucks you in and you won’t want to put it down!

Until next time…

adult, contemporary, Erotica, fantasy, Sci-Fi, ya

Down the TBR Part 1

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

So I saw this over at Devour Books with Dana and thought it was a perfect idea for me. My TBR dates back to 2015 and has 1988 books on it. Yep. Almost 2K. Too many. My tastes have changed a lot since 2015, so time for me to go down the TBR and see what to keep and what to delete!

So here’s what you do. Go to your Goodreads TBR shelf. Sort in ascending order. Take the first 5, 10, however many books you decide to do. Read the synopsis. Decide to keep or delete.

I have a lot, so I’ll do 10 a week, every Sunday. I will also try to fit at least one from this list in my TBR each month, starting in January! Yay for fun challenges!

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: 100% added this because I loved Twilight around this time period. This still sounds good, but the 620 pages are a little daunting. It would be hard to read for a book battle.
  • Keep or Delete: I’ll keep. The synopsis still sounds great.

Hungry For Your Love by Lori Perkins

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: This has super mixed reviews, but the prospect of zombie smut is somehow piquing my interests.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep – but reluctantly. I want to see what the zombie smut is about, but I’m scared this will be a DNF.

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: This sounds like a typical teenager-turned-vampire story. Nothing in the synopsis stuck out at me and made me want to read it.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Parts of this sound great. The whole microorganisms appearing and trying to find a cure for them. But parts turn me off, like the robots, stuck in the wilderness. I don’t feel like there will be enough medicine/science/biology to keep me interested.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: This sounds like a spinoff of Supernatural. MC finds her mom dead, hot brothers save her from demon, tell her she has to join secret society to help kill demons. Not really my cup of tea anymore.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Storm of Visions by Christina Dodd

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Eh. Sounds like a typical PNR series. Boy sees girl. Boy wants girl. Girl says no, finds out boy is paranormal, ends up saying yes. Plus there’s some bad reviews that are kind of turning me off.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete.

The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett

  • Date Added: June 26 ,2015
  • Thoughts: Adult fantasy which is so hit or miss for me. Humans battle demons in the night, hoping to not get wiped out to extinction. Three survivors decide to go beyond the magic wards to try to save humanity.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep. This is a debut novel that is striking my fancy.

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: YA fantasy about a boy waking up a long since put to rest blood feud. Just not sounding like something I’ll want to read.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Orcs: Bad Blood by Stan Nicholls

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: This sounds like a spin-off to a previous series. One that I don’t feel I would be too invested in.
  • Keep or Delete: Delete

Edge of Hunger by Rhyannon Byrd

  • Date Added: June 26, 2015
  • Thoughts: Paranormal romance. Both MC have the same ~sexy~ dreams of each other before meeting. They meet and have to defeat an enemy. I’m here for it.
  • Keep or Delete: Keep

Conclusion

I deleted 6 of 10 books, bringing my TBR to 1981. Not anywhere near manageable, but still at least 6 less. I am going to try to fit one of these into my TBR this month too, I think. I have four to choose from! Probably not The Host though. That one is so long. I’ll have to do that one over a vacay.

Also, all of my books were added June 26, 2015. Is this the day I created by GR account? Is there any way to check that? Someone let me know!

Are any of these on your TBR? Have you read any of them? Loved or hated them? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, Erotica, Five Star Book, Humor, Memoir, thriller, ya

WWW Wednesday!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

What am I currently reading?

I’ve been wanting to read this for a while. It’s a club read this month over at Book Battle so it was the perfect chance! Not what I was expecting, but still good. Should finish tomorrow!

I’m also listening to the audio. I love books read by the celebrity authors!

Modern Romance on Goodreads

Honestly, I looked at kindle unlimited’s Christmas selection and saw this was a dark romance. I was thinking Verity-esque, but it’s not really. I’m a little over halfway done and still unsure about how I feel.

Checking Him Off My Christmas List on Goodreads

What did I recently finish reading?

This book wrecked me in the best way. I’m still reeling. Top 5 books of the year, for sure. Review to come soon!

The Grace Year on Goodreads

What do I think I’ll read next?

I was invited to be a part of The Kill Club’s blog tour and I am so excited! Look for my review on December 14!

The Kill Club on Goodreads

What is your WWW? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Four Star Book, ya

The Guinevere Deception ARC Review

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  • Title: The Guinevere Deception
  • Author: Kiersten White
  • Publisher: Delacorte Press
  • Publish Date: November 5, 2019
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 352
  • Genre: Fantasy, YA, Retelling
  • Date Read: Oct 31 – Nov 10
  • Rating: ★★★.5

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

-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.

This was the first King Arthur retelling I’ve read, and I enjoyed it. I don’t know why it took me so.long. to read this. 10 days! Parts were a little slow, but not slow enough to take me 10 days to read. I don’t know what was going on.

This was an interesting story. Guinevere was sent to Camelot to marry Arthur and protect him at all costs. She knew that was her goal, and that’s what she was going to do. She took some risks to protect him. Some worked, some didn’t. She was strong and level-headed. I loved her!

The supporting characters were also great! I loved her maid-turned-friend and also Arthur’s cousin. At points Arthur was a little flat for me.

Some of the writing seemed almost childish. That could have just been me though. From the start, I read Guinevere’s voice in a childish manner. Very simple speech, almost? I’m not sure exactly how to describe it. I loved her actions, her dialogue not so much.

This was book 1 of the Camelot Rising Trilogy and I can’t wait to read book two! I would recommend this to anyone who loves King Arthur or just a good ole YA Fantasy!

Until next time..

ARC, Four Star Book, mystery, thriller, ya

The Last to Die ARC Review

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It all started out as a game.

Just a way to have fun. We figured as long as we had rules, it wouldn’t be a problem.

RULE #1: Only break into one another’s houses.

RULE #2: Only take stuff that can be replaced.

It worked for a while. Whoever’s turn it was to break in got a rush, and the rest of us laughed over the trophies they brought back. But then someone went too far. Lives got ruined. Someone is dead.

And I might be next.

– Goodreads

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

What I liked:

This was a great YA mystery! I’ve read a few others in the past and I was not impressed. The Last to Die really kept me on my feet and engrossed in the story. I even figured out whodunnit! I wasn’t 100% sure, but I had my suspicions. Honestly, I was skeptical of everyone at some point.

It was a really fast read. I read this in a day – a day I worked for 10 hours and had a sick two year old at home. That just shows you how much I needed to know what happened next!

What I didn’t like:

Nothing really comes to mind. The book was faced paced and a great fall read!

Would I recommend?

I would! This book is being republished under Sourcebooks Fire on November 5. Go check it out!

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!

Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

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, Horror, LGBT, mystery, three star book, ya

Wilder Girls ARC Review

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It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.

It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

– 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.

Unpopular opinion: I really enjoyed this book.
….until the last two – three chapters.

Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

So I had heard pretty meh reviews about this book. It was good until about halfway in, or the ending was bad, or whatever. I still went in with a pretty open mind, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book until the end.

It’s a medical mystery, which I love. There’s something making the Raxter island sick, and no one can figure out what it is. There’s a doomed boarding school on the island. They’ve been cut off for a year and a half. The Navy sends supplies periodically. The girls learn to survive. I absolutely loved that aspect.

The first chapter grabbed my attention and I did not want to put this book down. I was mad when I had to work and couldn’t read. I was right there along side the girls trying to figure out what was making the whole island sick. It was a fast paced story and I read it in about 4.5 hours total.

On another note, I think this would make a super cool movie if they revised the ending!

What I didn’t like:

The chapters were long. I like to stop reading at the end of the chapter, so sometimes I was struggling to stay awake and find an ending point. That’s just a personal preference.

They described wounds the girls got.. and it was gross. Even for me as a nurse.

There was, what felt like to me, a weird random romance that didn’t really make sense.

Some of the characters seemed super petty, but they are also teenage girls so i guess that’s to be expected? It was just a turn off for me.

And then the ending. It just seemed like there was no resolution. You figure out what was making everyone sick, but you never saw the aftermath. I want to know what happened after they found out! And I want to know other things which I won’t say here because ~spoilers~. It just left me wanting.

Would I recommend?

Ugh, what a tough question. I guess I would, but I would tell them that the ending was not what you want. Like, it was a super good book up until the last few chapters. The last few chapters is why I gave a 3.5 star rating instead of four. Just sooo disappointing.

Until next time…