fantasy, Five Star Book, retelling, Romance, ya

A Curse so Dark and Lonely Review

Fall in love, break the curse. 

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom. 

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

– Goodreads

Oh, my heart. Oh my need for book number 2 (A Heart so Fierce and Broken on sale January 2020!)

Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

Everything!! Oh man. What a stark contrast to the last novel I read. I couldn’t put this book down. You know, being a granny and all, I stayed up till 1130 PM to finish! That is UNHEARD OF! My friend, Jordan, has a great taste in books. She kept saying this one was amazing, and she was absoloutely correct. I don’t know why I waited so long to read! When I read a book, I always start a note in my phone so I can list likes, dislikes, and just random facts I want to hit on in my review. I was so engrossed in this story my list is BLANK! I didn’t want to quit reading long enough to jot anything down.

Beauty and the Beast was my favorite Disney movie as a kid. I think that’s the case with all us book nerd. Brigid did an amazing job weaving Beauty and the Beast with fantasy.

The beauty was a girl with cerebral palsy. Harper was strong and fierce and didn’t let her disability get in her way. She was an amazing representation of a condition I don’t see often in books.

The beast was so interesting. When Rhen changed each season, he became a new terrifying beast. Sometimes with scales, sometimes with wings, sometimes with fangs. His character and growth were so captivating to me – the same goes for Harper.

I loved seeing their relationship grow and blossom. I loved seeing their plans and Harper’s heart grow for Rhen’s people.

Side characters. I loved them all. They all were developed with stories you would be interested in hearing. Grey, Rhen’s commander, played a huge role in this story, and I think he will be the main character in A Heart so Fierce and Broken and I am shook! I CANNOT wait!!

What I didn’t like:

Nothing. I mean, I loved every aspect of this book. It’s a must read for fantasy and/or Beauty and the Beast lovers!

Would I recommend?

I mean, I think it’s obvious I would. The story was compelling and engrossing. The characters were well developed with great story arcs that showed flaws and growth. Like I said, a must read for fantasy or Beauty and the Beast lovers.

Get A Curse so Dark and Lonely here:

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Until next time…

ARC, LGBT, mystery, One Star Book, ya

Swipe Right for Murder ARC Review

On the run from the FBI.
Targeted by a murderous cult.
Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media.
Irritated texts from his best friend.
Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train.
Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he’s not quite sure which takes top priority.

Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do—he tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone—faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.

He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him—including himself.

– Goodreads

You guys… this was.. a book.

Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

Uhm. It didn’t take me long to read? Thankfully. Cause otherwise… well.

Gah. I just didn’t like this book. There was nothing I liked about it.

What I didn’t like:

Where to start? I almost DNF’d this book, but I didn’t since it was an arc. Maybe it would have been better if I would have.

Like I said, this book didn’t take me long to read at all. However, the story felt very jumbled and it got very confusing at times.

I feel like there was supposed to be some kind of political espionage in there, but it didn’t really make sense. You didn’t know who was good and who was bad, which I think was the point, but I also didn’t care. They all seemed horrible.

There was an attempt at pop culture references. There was a line in there from RuPaul. They called someone Katniss Fuckerdeen. It all just felt forced and silly.

At one point about 75% in, they sacrificed a bunny. In a pool of electric water. I just….. why?! It was sudden, made no sense, and just made my heart hurt. Some of my friends even removed this book from their TBR because of it.

Would I recommend?

No. I can’t. I couldn’t find anything enjoyable, wanted to DNF, and the bunny sacrifice just sealed the deal for me.

Get Swipe Right for Murder here:

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Four Star Book, Uncategorized, ya

Spin the Dawn ARC Review

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

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh

– Goodreads

Spin the Dawn was advertised as Mulan meets Project Runway, and that’s definitely what the beginning of the book was. It was fabulous!

Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

I was hooked on Spin the Dawn from the very first page. When I started reading I decided to play that very dangerous game of, oh I’ll read one chapter before bed. So I did. And I didn’t want to stop!

Ask me to spin the finest yarn of thread, and I can do it faster than any man – even with my eyes closed. YEt ask me to tell a lie, and I will stumble and falter to think of one. I have never had a talent for spinning tales.

With a first line like that, how can you not be pulled in?!

Also, I loved Eden. He was my favorite character. He talks about how he’s not a morning person, he loves to read. I mean, book boyfriend, yes? I also liked Maia. She was strong and grew throughout the story. But she couldn’t hold a candle to Eden.

The pace of this novel was good. About 30-ish percent through the competition ends and Maia is set on an impossible quest. Or so they think. The rest of the story is her and Eden gathering items to make a gown with the suns laughter, a gown with the moon’s tears, and a gown with the star’s blood. The quest is eventful, dangerous, and exciting.

What I didn’t like:

There wasn’t anything specific I didn’t like. The plot was good, the pacing was good, I enjoyed the characters. I think it just didn’t hit the mark of the other books I’ve read this month. Just a personal preference thing, I think. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel!

Would I recommend?

I would! This was our first club read this month and I really enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to her future works!

Get Spin the Dawn here:

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Until next time…

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

House of Salt and Sorrows ARC Review

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…

ARC, Four Star Book, Sci-Fi

Contagion ARC Review

  • Title: Contagion
  • Author: Teri Terry
  • Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
  • Publish Date: July 9, 2019
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 416
  • Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Dystopia
  • Rating: ★★★.5

An epidemic is sweeping the country. It spreads fast, mercilessly. Everyone will be infected. . . . It is only a matter of time. You are now under quarantine. 

Young teen Callie might have been one of the first to survive the disease, but unfortunately she didn’t survive the so-called treatment. She was kidnapped and experimented upon at a secret lab, one that works with antimatter. When she breaks free of her prison, she unleashes a wave of destruction. Meanwhile her older brother Kai is looking for her, along with his smart new friend Shay, who was the last to see Callie alive.

Amid the chaos of the spreading epidemic, the teens must find the source of disease. Could Callie have been part of an experiment in biological warfare? Who is behind the research? And more importantly, is there a cure?

– Goodreads

This was a fast paced sci-fi mystery with some medicine elements that I loved!

The attire for most of the book. Thanks, giphy!

What I liked:

This was a page turner for sure. The chapters were short, which was also nice. I always like to stop reading at the end of a chapter, so this book made it easy to do that. I loved the medical aspects of the novel. The virus, how it started, how it spread, looking for a cure. As a nurse, I love a book with a good medical backdrop. There was also some suspense! Part 4 had my heart beating out of my chest!

What I didn’t like:

The beginning was hard to get into. Around part 2 it really picked up for me and had me reading quickly. This almost felt like two different novels meshed together – one where the focus was finding the lost girl and one with a killer flu like virus. It all ends up coming together, but the start didn’t mesh well for me. Some of the conversation didn’t flow very naturally. There was also a part about family lineage that I felt like was thrown in only for shock value? Maybe in the second or third book it will be explained. While I liked the medical aspects of the book, at times it was a little too science-y. She started talking about matter, anti-matter, particle accelerators and I was just as lost as could be. I do realize some people could feel this way about the medical aspect though.

All in all, it was a pretty solid read. Not a full four stars because I think it got too science-y and the start was hard to get into.

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

Would I recommend?

I would! I actually included it in this month’s Book Battle recs for multi-pov! It was a good story with a solid start. I can’t wait to read the next books in the series!

Get this novel here:

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |
| Kobo|

Until next time…

ARC, ya

August TBR!

Another month, another TBR!

This one is aiming high, I know. Also this month I HAVE to read King of Scars. I’ve put it off too long.

Thanks, giphy! Also, Latrice Royale for life ❤

So, most of these are ARCs that release this month. Wilder Girls and Spin the Dawn have already released, but they are club reads this month and I am super excited to dive in!

Nevernight is an older release. I started it, loved it, not sure why I never finished so definitely doing that this month.

King of Scars I haven’t read because I don’t want to be without a new Leigh book to read. Dumb, I know, but it is what it is. I’m doing it this month though!

Can’t wait to share all my reviews with you! What are you reading this month? Are we reading the same things? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time…

Four Star Book, mystery, ya

Sadie Review

  • Title: Sadie
  • Author: Courtney Summers
  • Publisher: Wednesday Books
  • Publish Date: September 4, 2018
  • Book Form: Audio
  • Pages: 308
  • Genre: YA, Mystery
  • Rating: ★★★.5

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

– Goodreads

I kept hearing about how good this audio was. And it was good! I think for me it just didn’t quite live up to the hype.

Thanks, giphy!

What I Liked:

I loved the set up of the audio! I kept hearing people rave about it and I absolutely loved the podcasts! It was a full cast audio, which is also a huge plus in my book. It was a great mystery. There were a lot of twists. I didn’t figure out whodunnit – but honestly, I never do.

What I Didn’t Like:

Honestly, I think this book was just too hyped up for me. It was good, but just kind of eh at parts. I didn’t love Sadie’s story. I enjoyed the podcasts much much more and honestly just wanted a book full of the podcasts and interviews. Also the ending wasn’t great to me – but I won’t give anything away!

Would I Recommend?

I mean, yeah, I guess. It’s a good mystery and full cast audio, which always lifts them up a notch to me. I honestly think this was just too hyped and I had my hopes up way too high.

Find This Book Here:

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |
| iBooks | Kobo|

Until next time…

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

BLOG TOUR! Within Ash and Stardust by Chani Lynn Feener

Guys! It’s my first blog tour and I am so freaking excited! So here I’m going to give you info on Within Ash and Stardust, give my review, and share a give away! Exciting! Let’s jump right in!

Book Details

  • Title: Within Ash and Stardust
  • Author: Chani Lynn Feener
  • Series: Xenith Trilogy #3
  • Publisher: Swoon Reads
  • Publish Date: July 16, 2019
  • Genre: Sci-Fi, YA
  • Rating: ★★★★

Having gone from kidnapped faux princess to the legitimate heir to an intergalactic throne, an impulsive, sarcastic teen must take charge of her own destiny in this epic YA novel.

On Earth, Delaney is a normal teenager who recently graduated high school with a fantastic best friend and a loving boyfriend.

But Delaney isn’t on Earth. She’s on Xenith, a war-torn planet half a galaxy away. Originally mistaken for an alien princess, Delaney has gone from kidnapped imposter to the recognized heir to an alien throne. Oh, and she’s engaged to the prince of an enemy nation whose ruthless father is on the warpath.

Torn between two planets, two fates, and two loves, Delaney is finally ready to choose her own destiny in Within Ash and Stardust, the stunning conclusion to Chani Lynn Feener’s Xenith Trilogy.

– Goodreads

Thank you to Swoon Reads and Xpresso Book Tours for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Guys. This series was so good. As I’ve said before, I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi, but this was like a back drop of space. Not in your face look at me space which I am so a fan of.

I love the technology elements. I love the political intrigue. I love how I was fearing for Delaney, Trystan, AND Ruckus’ lives! This book was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to see them win against the Rex!

My most favorite part was the love triangle. Of course. So Xenith #1. I was #teamRuckus ALL THE WAY. Like, who was this Trystan guy thinking he’s all hot? Thank u, next. Then I read Xenith #2. Okay, this Trystan guy isn’t soooo bad, but I’m still rooting for my man Ruck. But then the more Trystan does the more I’m like, ok I love him too. How do I choose?! Then Xenith #3. Man oh man. I felt for Delaney cause I would not have wanted to make that decision. I’m not going to tell you who she goes for – that’s the best part! I love how it ended though and my sweet, sappy heart was satisfied.

I would so recommend this series to anyone who loves a good love triangle or a good space setting. It was a great, clean, YA series!

You can find this great novel here:
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |
| iBooks | Kobo |

Be sure to enter the giveaway hosted by Xpresso Book Tours here!

Chani Lynn Feener has wanted to be a writer since the age of ten during fifth grade story time. She majored in Creative Writing at Johnson State College in Vermont, and graduated in 2012. To pay her bills, she has worked many odd jobs, including, but not limited to, telemarketing, order picking in a warehouse, and filling ink cartridges. When she isn’t writing, she’s binging TV shows, drawing, or frequenting zoos/aquariums. Chani is also the author of teen paranormal series, the Underworld Saga, originally written under the penname Tempest C. Avery. She currently resides in Connecticut, but lives on Goodreads.com.

Until next time…

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

Amid Stars and Darkness ARC Review

  • Title: Amid Stars and Darkness
  • Author: Chani Lynn Feener
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 368
  • Publisher: Swoon Reads
  • Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Romance
  • Rating: ★★★★

Delaney’s entire world is thrown into chaos after she is mistaken for Lissa Olena, an alien princess hiding out on Earth in order to escape an arranged marriage.

Kidnapped by the princess’s head bodyguard, Ruckus, and imprisoned in an alien palace, Delaney is forced to impersonate the princess until Olena can be found. If she fails, it will lead to an alien war and the eventual enslavement of the entire human race.

No pressure or anything.

Factor in Trystan, the princess’s terrifying betrothed who is intent on unraveling all her secrets, and her own growing feelings for Ruckus, and Delaney is in way over her head.

Get lost Amid Stars and Darkness, in this YA sci-fi romance from debut author Chani Lynn Feener.

– Goodreads

Thank you to Swoon Reads and Xpresso Book Tours for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here’s a little backstory about why I’m reading this series this month. I signed up for a Blog Tour for Within Ash and Stardust on Xpresso Book Tours. I was living for the cover so I knew I had to sign up. I have learned – do your research! That’s the 3rd book in this series. Thankfully they also sent e-arcs of the first two. Man, I am so glad they did. I loved this book!

It’s a typical case of mistaken identity. Only Delaney gets kidnapped by aliens and taken to their home planet. Come to find out, it wasn’t just mistaken identity. There’s some gadgets that come into play, and now Delaney looks exactly like the alien princess! Delaney falls for her body guard. He falls for her. Only she has to pretend to like her fiance – the alien prince Trystan.

I’m usually iffy on sci-fi books. I love all of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s stuff. This was similar in the fact that yes, you’re dealing with aliens and spaceships and other worlds, but it doesn’t scream SPACE. I don’t like books where space is just shoved in your face. This focused more on Delaney trying to fool everyone into thinking she was the princess. Space was just the backdrop, which is exactly how I like it.

The romance was slow-burn, which I enjoy. I’m not a huge fan of insta-love. Trystan was the ‘bad guy’, but is he really so bad? Is he acting? Will he turn good? I love when you kind of feel for the bad guys. Also, I know there’s a lot of #teamTrystan out there! Right now I’m #teamRukus, but we will see if that changes with book two!

The ending had a cliffhanger, and I was so glad I already had book two! It would have been torture if I had to wait for it to come out!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a love triangle, sci-fi, and political intrigue! I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to start book two!

Until next time..

ARC, contemporary, three star book, ya

You, Me and Letting Go ARC Review

  • Title: You, Me & Letting Go
  • Author: Katie Kaleski
  • Book Form: E-ARC
  • Pages: 286
  • Publisher: Swoon Romance
  • Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary
  • Rating: ★★★.5

A love so epic, no label is needed.

Van Sato’s got labels. Tourettes, ADHD, SPD – words that have defined his existence since the time he was old enough to know what they meant. Now, Van wants to prove he’s more than an acronym, a syndrome, a problem kid. He takes a summer job as a day camp counselor to prove he’s capable of independence and moving on to the next phase in his life. Maybe, he might even make a friend while there. Someone who’s got just as many or even more labels than him. Someone who understands what it’s like. 

Tabby Dubanowksi wants to forget about everything, the hospitalization, the judgment, the whispers behind her back. As a camp counselor, she will be admired, looked up to, and able to help people who don’t know anything about her old life. Tabby wants a fresh start and a chance to re-ignite her passion for film-making, if only for one summer.

After running away from their pasts, Van and Tabby collide in a storm cloud of attraction laced with self-doubt, insecurity, shame, and blame. Now, with Van feeling like he might have to quit his job, and Tabby struggling to quell the urge to cut, they will struggle to find themselves in a world designed to keep them apart.

– Goodreads

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

I have a thing for books with teens with diseases this month, apparently.

You, Me & Letting Go is a story about Van, who had Tourette’s along with ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, and Tabby, who had anorexia and self-harmed. They meet at their summer job and young love ensues.

This was the first book I have ever read that features someone with Tourette’s, so that was nice to have that rep. I really enjoyed Van’s story and struggles – especially how he and Tabby helped each other deal with their issues.

This was a quick, easy read. I read it in about 4 hours with my two year old interrupting me. Though it was quick, the story packed a punch and I was invested in the characters. I’ll be on the lookout for more by Katie Kaleski!

Until next time…