{ about the book }
Sorcery of Thorns
Publishes June 4th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
e-ARC provided by edelweiss
e-ARC provided by edelweiss
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
note!! this is my first review on the blog after a long ass time and considering I read this book back in, like, October, that's just. Something to keep in mind. Maybe.
{ about the book }
Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie
Publishes September 14, 2018 by Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
e-ARC provided by the author
e-ARC provided by the author
Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig.
It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview — to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right?
I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they… offered me the job?
It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here.
So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course — with a pay raise.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♪
I think I've said this before, but whatever. I love Annette Marie's book and I'll read anything of hers at this point. Anything.
I was ecstatic when Marie announced two new series, one of them being this one! I was just waiting for more info to come in—cover reveals, character reveals, blurbs, all that good stuff. And each new teaser just got me hyped up all the more.
That being said, I was extremely satisfied with Three Mages and a Margarita! Despite the title being a mouthful—though I do appreciate the alliteration—the book was super fun. It has a voice-y character, funny quips, and lots of friendly camaraderie that I really loved reading.
Tori was a really fun character. In all her other books—all eleven! of them!—Marie wrote from a third person point of view and I thought the shift to first person would be weird, but it fit so well! It was easy to fall into Tori's voice and into her head, and this type of narration just really worked for the book. Connecting to bits of her personality was a lot easier for me. And I've always preferred first person PoV anyway, so this was perfect.
I also really loved the titular three mages! They're all reminiscent of Marie's other male characters—sarcastic, quiet, attractive—but the three were a tight knit group and you could really tell from the way they interacted, both in casual environments and more dangerous ones. I liked that they took in Tori and got along with her so easily.
And despite what you might think with there being three guys, Three Mages is not a reverse harem! Marie herself said so (there's even a note on the GR page).
As much as I liked this book, some things did bother me. First being that, of the three mages, only two had real page time. There's Ezra, Aaron, and Kai, but we mostly see significant interactions with Aaron and Ezra, and not much of Kai, which was disappointing.
Another thing that bothered me was the use of the word exotic to describe Kai. He's Japanese-American, if what I gathered from the book is correct (AKA if I'm remembering correctly lol), and Tori describes him—three times—as having "exotic features". Um. Don't do this. Don't describe anyone as exotic, especially people of color.
And finally, there was the use of the word "girly". Oh my god, I'm so fucking tired. There's nothing wrong with "girly" things and I'm tired of that type of thing being in books! I don't care if you consider shopping girly or crying girly. Every time you do that, you just bring back the negative connotation of feminine things being bad or undesirable. Look, shopping is fun. It's great. And having any type of emotional reaction after a bad experience? It's being human. I'm so tired of this.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Not my favourite Marie book, but it was definitely a solid start to a new series and I think it holds a lot of potential. There's a lot I'd love to see in the future books, so I can't wait to see where it goes!
I was ecstatic when Marie announced two new series, one of them being this one! I was just waiting for more info to come in—cover reveals, character reveals, blurbs, all that good stuff. And each new teaser just got me hyped up all the more.
That being said, I was extremely satisfied with Three Mages and a Margarita! Despite the title being a mouthful—though I do appreciate the alliteration—the book was super fun. It has a voice-y character, funny quips, and lots of friendly camaraderie that I really loved reading.
Tori was a really fun character. In all her other books—all eleven! of them!—Marie wrote from a third person point of view and I thought the shift to first person would be weird, but it fit so well! It was easy to fall into Tori's voice and into her head, and this type of narration just really worked for the book. Connecting to bits of her personality was a lot easier for me. And I've always preferred first person PoV anyway, so this was perfect.
I also really loved the titular three mages! They're all reminiscent of Marie's other male characters—sarcastic, quiet, attractive—but the three were a tight knit group and you could really tell from the way they interacted, both in casual environments and more dangerous ones. I liked that they took in Tori and got along with her so easily.
And despite what you might think with there being three guys, Three Mages is not a reverse harem! Marie herself said so (there's even a note on the GR page).
As much as I liked this book, some things did bother me. First being that, of the three mages, only two had real page time. There's Ezra, Aaron, and Kai, but we mostly see significant interactions with Aaron and Ezra, and not much of Kai, which was disappointing.
Another thing that bothered me was the use of the word exotic to describe Kai. He's Japanese-American, if what I gathered from the book is correct (AKA if I'm remembering correctly lol), and Tori describes him—three times—as having "exotic features". Um. Don't do this. Don't describe anyone as exotic, especially people of color.
And finally, there was the use of the word "girly". Oh my god, I'm so fucking tired. There's nothing wrong with "girly" things and I'm tired of that type of thing being in books! I don't care if you consider shopping girly or crying girly. Every time you do that, you just bring back the negative connotation of feminine things being bad or undesirable. Look, shopping is fun. It's great. And having any type of emotional reaction after a bad experience? It's being human. I'm so tired of this.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Not my favourite Marie book, but it was definitely a solid start to a new series and I think it holds a lot of potential. There's a lot I'd love to see in the future books, so I can't wait to see where it goes!
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{ about the book }
Publishes September 18, 2018 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
e-ARC provided by edelweiss
e-ARC provided by edelweiss
Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.
Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.
Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Oh my god.
Oooooooooh my god. Guys. I can’t. I can’t review this book. It’s just not possible, you know? I could hardly express my thoughts for Warcross because wow, I’d thought I loved that. And now… Just. Wow. This book. It puts the wild in Wildcard and I’m just so dead. (also ba dum tss at that awful pun lol.)
It. Was. So. Good. So good. Wildcard was just as breathtaking and mind boggling and action packed as Warcross. Only. Only, I think it was more, in that way some sequels are? I just felt so much more while reading this, especially in a few specific scenes.
I really think that this is Marie Lu’s best book yet. Everything—down to the dot—was done perfectly. Where I felt Warcross focused on the game (as it should have!) to get readers into the mindset of Warcross and the importance of it to the Phoenix Riders, Wildcard had that emotional connection to it, something that makes you really understand the characters and the reason why they do the things they do.
I don’t even know what else to say about this book. I’m so emotional and so in love with this series, this author, that it is honestly overwhelming. Wildcard was such a perfect finale, everything tied together amazingly. It is an exhilarating ride from start to finish.
Clearly, 5 stars. If you haven’t read Warcross, oh my god, WHYYYYY. Please do it! Please, please, please, and then read this, and then feel free to message me with all your feels BECAUSE THERE WILL BE FEELS. Oh god.
SO YEAH. I love it. Thank u for dealing with me.
Oooooooooh my god. Guys. I can’t. I can’t review this book. It’s just not possible, you know? I could hardly express my thoughts for Warcross because wow, I’d thought I loved that. And now… Just. Wow. This book. It puts the wild in Wildcard and I’m just so dead. (also ba dum tss at that awful pun lol.)
It. Was. So. Good. So good. Wildcard was just as breathtaking and mind boggling and action packed as Warcross. Only. Only, I think it was more, in that way some sequels are? I just felt so much more while reading this, especially in a few specific scenes.
I really think that this is Marie Lu’s best book yet. Everything—down to the dot—was done perfectly. Where I felt Warcross focused on the game (as it should have!) to get readers into the mindset of Warcross and the importance of it to the Phoenix Riders, Wildcard had that emotional connection to it, something that makes you really understand the characters and the reason why they do the things they do.
I don’t even know what else to say about this book. I’m so emotional and so in love with this series, this author, that it is honestly overwhelming. Wildcard was such a perfect finale, everything tied together amazingly. It is an exhilarating ride from start to finish.
Clearly, 5 stars. If you haven’t read Warcross, oh my god, WHYYYYY. Please do it! Please, please, please, and then read this, and then feel free to message me with all your feels BECAUSE THERE WILL BE FEELS. Oh god.
SO YEAH. I love it. Thank u for dealing with me.
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Publishes September 4, 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Dexter meets This Savage Song in this dark fantasy about a girl who sells magical body parts on the black market—until she’s betrayed.
Nita doesn’t murder supernatural beings and sell their body parts on the internet—her mother does that. Nita just dissects the bodies after they’ve been “acquired.” But when her mom brings home a live specimen, Nita decides she wants out—dissecting living people is a step too far.
But when she tries to save her mother’s victim, she ends up sold on the black market in his place—because Nita herself is a supernatural being. Now Nita is on the other side of the bars, and there is no line she won’t cross to escape and make sure no one can ever capture her again.
Nita did a good deed, and it cost her everything. Now she’s going to do a lot of bad deeds to get it all back.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Originally, I’d given this 4 stars on goodreads and honestly?
I don’t know why. I loved this book. Why would I give it 4 stars? Not Even Bones was everything dark and morally grey I wanted in a book for so long. Screw 4 stars. This deserves all 5 of them.
Past Mith was not thinking, evidently, but current Mith—me!! current me!—is thinking. And I say that this book is a solid debut and you need to pre-order if you can.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably craved a dark YA that pushes the boundaries. Or wished a book dug a little deeper, got a little—a lot—darker. Schaeffer does that. I hope she continues to do that.
I just loved it. I loved how messy and grey the main character was. How deeply Not Good all the other characters acted. But, Nita. Man, if Nita doesn’t have my heart—I’ll refrain from including a bad line here. She was such a badass and she got things done. She was logical, level-headed, and didn’t suffer from that self-sacrificing nonsense. She was always her first priority and I adored it.
Not Even Bones has a lot of great things going on for it, but one of my favourite parts was how Schaeffer talked about privilege in the book. It’s not something I’m super nuanced in actually, properly discussing, unfortunately, but it is something I’m becoming more and more aware of and I’m glad Schaeffer brought it up.
There wasn’t a lot that really bothered me? I mean, maybe a small thing here or there, but mostly that was the different supernaturals mentioned. They each had something that made them unique, and dropping stuff like that doesn’t help my confusion lmao. I loved that they were part of the world, though.
I was not expecting most of what happens in this book outside of what’s mentioned in the synopsis. So all the twists? Definitely caught me off guard and definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. It was also what made Not Even Bones so difficult to put down!
Would I recommend this? Oh, yes. Yes, I definitely would. Dark, sort of gory, and bloody, this was a wild start and a wilder finish. If you’re squeamish, maybe skip this one. But if you’re not, I definitely say check it out!
I don’t know why. I loved this book. Why would I give it 4 stars? Not Even Bones was everything dark and morally grey I wanted in a book for so long. Screw 4 stars. This deserves all 5 of them.
Past Mith was not thinking, evidently, but current Mith—me!! current me!—is thinking. And I say that this book is a solid debut and you need to pre-order if you can.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably craved a dark YA that pushes the boundaries. Or wished a book dug a little deeper, got a little—a lot—darker. Schaeffer does that. I hope she continues to do that.
I just loved it. I loved how messy and grey the main character was. How deeply Not Good all the other characters acted. But, Nita. Man, if Nita doesn’t have my heart—I’ll refrain from including a bad line here. She was such a badass and she got things done. She was logical, level-headed, and didn’t suffer from that self-sacrificing nonsense. She was always her first priority and I adored it.
Not Even Bones has a lot of great things going on for it, but one of my favourite parts was how Schaeffer talked about privilege in the book. It’s not something I’m super nuanced in actually, properly discussing, unfortunately, but it is something I’m becoming more and more aware of and I’m glad Schaeffer brought it up.
There wasn’t a lot that really bothered me? I mean, maybe a small thing here or there, but mostly that was the different supernaturals mentioned. They each had something that made them unique, and dropping stuff like that doesn’t help my confusion lmao. I loved that they were part of the world, though.
I was not expecting most of what happens in this book outside of what’s mentioned in the synopsis. So all the twists? Definitely caught me off guard and definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. It was also what made Not Even Bones so difficult to put down!
Would I recommend this? Oh, yes. Yes, I definitely would. Dark, sort of gory, and bloody, this was a wild start and a wilder finish. If you’re squeamish, maybe skip this one. But if you’re not, I definitely say check it out!
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Publishes September 4, 2018 by Page Street Publishing
ARC provided by publisher
ARC provided by publisher
Seventeen-year-old Annabeth prefers the fantasy of her books and paintings to reality—because in reality, her mom is dead, and it was all her fault. When she accompanies her father to the funeral of some family friends who drowned, she’s surprised to find her grief reflected in the face of Griffin Bradford, the son of the couple who died. Griffin is nothing like the carefree boy she once knew. Now he’s irritable, removed, and he’s under police investigation for his parents’ deaths.
One night following the memorial service, Annabeth’s dad goes missing in the woods, and she suspects Griffin knows more about the disappearance than he’s letting on. He refuses to answer her questions, particularly those related to the mysterious “expedition” his parents took to Ireland, where they went missing for seven months.
Annabeth fears her father isn’t lost, but rather a victim of something sinister. She launches her own investigation, tracing clues that whisper of myth and legend and death, until she stumbles upon a secret. One that some would die to protect, others would kill to expose—and which twists Annabeth’s fantasy and reality together in deadly new ways.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♪
I finished reading Uncharted last night and wow. It's been so long since I've read such a well written book with both mystery and adventure.
Hands down, my favourite part of this book was Annabeth. The girl was just amazing—I admired her so much. She's been through a lot but she's fierce and full of tenacity and never gives up when it comes to saving people she loves. I felt her grief and her worry throughout the book, and thought Cashman did such a good job incorporating both of those feelings for Annabeth throughout the book. It added more depth, more dimension to her, making it all the more enjoyable to read Uncharted from her point of view.
It was really frustrating, sometimes, because of all the secrets and lies. It annoyed me as much as it annoyed Annabeth and I loved that she expressed that often, and, more importantly, did something about it. Considering so much of it concerned her and her father—who is missing—I thought it was completely justified, the things Annabeth had to do.
The whole myth and legend behind Hy-Brasil was so interesting! Obviously, I've never heard of this place—well, until the very end, which surprised me—but Cashman did such a wonderful job building the intrigue around this island. I have no idea just how much is true, but the secret societies and such was an excellent touch for Uncharted.
I was a fan of the little hints of romance throughout the book! I will admit that I wasn't completely sold on Griffin, though. The hot and cold attitude he had throughout the book got old, and it got old fast. I was tired of his black moods coming out of nowhere and then apologising in the next breath. I could have done without his constant urge to protect Annabeth, but sigh. Their relationship did gradually grow well during the book, and I was satisfied with where they end up!
My other complaints have to do with some of the dialogue and action scenes. With the dialogue, some parts just felt... choppy. Either that, or it was just strange for a certain character ti say a certain thing, if that makes sense? As for the action scenes, I felt they were way too rushed. This especially happens in the second half of the book—it went by so fast that I had a little bit of a hard time believing what went down.
Overall, I wasn't disappointed by Uncharted! I'd been looking forward to it for the longest time and I'm so happy I got a chance to read it early!
Hands down, my favourite part of this book was Annabeth. The girl was just amazing—I admired her so much. She's been through a lot but she's fierce and full of tenacity and never gives up when it comes to saving people she loves. I felt her grief and her worry throughout the book, and thought Cashman did such a good job incorporating both of those feelings for Annabeth throughout the book. It added more depth, more dimension to her, making it all the more enjoyable to read Uncharted from her point of view.
It was really frustrating, sometimes, because of all the secrets and lies. It annoyed me as much as it annoyed Annabeth and I loved that she expressed that often, and, more importantly, did something about it. Considering so much of it concerned her and her father—who is missing—I thought it was completely justified, the things Annabeth had to do.
The whole myth and legend behind Hy-Brasil was so interesting! Obviously, I've never heard of this place—well, until the very end, which surprised me—but Cashman did such a wonderful job building the intrigue around this island. I have no idea just how much is true, but the secret societies and such was an excellent touch for Uncharted.
I was a fan of the little hints of romance throughout the book! I will admit that I wasn't completely sold on Griffin, though. The hot and cold attitude he had throughout the book got old, and it got old fast. I was tired of his black moods coming out of nowhere and then apologising in the next breath. I could have done without his constant urge to protect Annabeth, but sigh. Their relationship did gradually grow well during the book, and I was satisfied with where they end up!
My other complaints have to do with some of the dialogue and action scenes. With the dialogue, some parts just felt... choppy. Either that, or it was just strange for a certain character ti say a certain thing, if that makes sense? As for the action scenes, I felt they were way too rushed. This especially happens in the second half of the book—it went by so fast that I had a little bit of a hard time believing what went down.
Overall, I wasn't disappointed by Uncharted! I'd been looking forward to it for the longest time and I'm so happy I got a chance to read it early!
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{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Publishes October 2, 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.
Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫
CW: kill your gays trope discussion to come.
I… don’t remember much about this novel, and that’s honestly the first problem with Grim Lovelies. While the idea of the book is so cool, the end result leaves a lot to be desired.
I will say this though—I’m excited about where it could go. The ending left me with ideas of where Anouk’s story could go next, who she could be. Most of the novel, I experienced her grow from this innocent little beastie. If I have one weakness, it’s watching those sweet, sheltered characters grow into a hardened soldier.
That being said, there isn’t much else I really liked. I mean, there was the idea of witches in Paris and the whole Pretties and beasties thing. Beasties are basically animals turned human and serve Pretties and witches—I think. (re: I don’t remember much about this book.) I felt there were so many ways this book could go, but for more than half the book, it felt like travelling from point A to point B to point C. There wasn’t much action and it was boring.
I could have done without the romance too. The guy, who is still as irrelevant as he was during my time reading Grim Lovelies, was initially friend-zoned but of course, that boring relationship progressed. Guys, there was no chemistry at all. The book could have done without this. The only thing that made up for it—to me, at least—was the fact that I picked up undertones of interest for another character… the villain. So. This is me hoping.
There’s another thing that made me super uncomfortable too. I’m, like, 98% sure there’s that dreaded bury-your-gays trope. From here on out, there will be spoilers for events occurring near the ending.
Remember what I said about Beasties? How they’re animals turned human? Okay, well, Anouk is one of, like 4 or 5? total in her witch’s household. One of them is gay—and he was described as being the lone wolf, coming off as cruel to the others. He wasn’t always the nicest except to the human boy he was loyal to.
Near the end, the Beasties face a terrible fate: going back to their original form. But most of them are okay—just, uh, held hostage by The Bad Guys. The gay character, though, is the only one that dies. Which makes me, a) sigh for a thousand years and, b) so tired. If this is the type of thing that keeps you from reading a book—and understandably so—steer clear of Grim Lovelies.
With all the pretty Parisian culture and witchy stuff this book had to offer, very little was shown. This book had so much potential! I hold out hope for future sequels, maybe foolishly. I wished this was darker, a bit more action-packed, a little less… dull. Overall, 2 stars.
I… don’t remember much about this novel, and that’s honestly the first problem with Grim Lovelies. While the idea of the book is so cool, the end result leaves a lot to be desired.
I will say this though—I’m excited about where it could go. The ending left me with ideas of where Anouk’s story could go next, who she could be. Most of the novel, I experienced her grow from this innocent little beastie. If I have one weakness, it’s watching those sweet, sheltered characters grow into a hardened soldier.
That being said, there isn’t much else I really liked. I mean, there was the idea of witches in Paris and the whole Pretties and beasties thing. Beasties are basically animals turned human and serve Pretties and witches—I think. (re: I don’t remember much about this book.) I felt there were so many ways this book could go, but for more than half the book, it felt like travelling from point A to point B to point C. There wasn’t much action and it was boring.
I could have done without the romance too. The guy, who is still as irrelevant as he was during my time reading Grim Lovelies, was initially friend-zoned but of course, that boring relationship progressed. Guys, there was no chemistry at all. The book could have done without this. The only thing that made up for it—to me, at least—was the fact that I picked up undertones of interest for another character… the villain. So. This is me hoping.
There’s another thing that made me super uncomfortable too. I’m, like, 98% sure there’s that dreaded bury-your-gays trope. From here on out, there will be spoilers for events occurring near the ending.
Remember what I said about Beasties? How they’re animals turned human? Okay, well, Anouk is one of, like 4 or 5? total in her witch’s household. One of them is gay—and he was described as being the lone wolf, coming off as cruel to the others. He wasn’t always the nicest except to the human boy he was loyal to.
Near the end, the Beasties face a terrible fate: going back to their original form. But most of them are okay—just, uh, held hostage by The Bad Guys. The gay character, though, is the only one that dies. Which makes me, a) sigh for a thousand years and, b) so tired. If this is the type of thing that keeps you from reading a book—and understandably so—steer clear of Grim Lovelies.
With all the pretty Parisian culture and witchy stuff this book had to offer, very little was shown. This book had so much potential! I hold out hope for future sequels, maybe foolishly. I wished this was darker, a bit more action-packed, a little less… dull. Overall, 2 stars.
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{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha NganPublishes November 6, 2018 by Jimmy Patterson Books
ARC provided by ARC club
ARC provided by ARC club
Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for... and the most cruel.
But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after—the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable—she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
TW: violence and sexual abuse.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Before I begin this, some trigger/content warnings: animal death, sexual assault/rape, violence, and abuse. There might be more that I missed—I’m so sorry about that—but I believe the finished book will have them printed in page!
The first thing that grabbed my attention about Girls of Paper and Fire—other than that cover—is how gorgeous the writing is without being overly purple prose-y. Ngan’s writing is flawless, both in describing the awful situation Lei is in and creating tension, to descriptions of food, setting, feeling. I was surprised by just how easy it was to fall into this book!
The writing, paired with the main character, Lei, is what kept me hooked the entire time. She—along with seven other girls—are all basically sex slaves to a demon king who only cares about power, in a court where everyone looks down at them for being what they are: courtesans, but also of the paper caste. I felt so much for Lei. Ngan handled her shifting, complex feelings extremely well. The guilt that shocked her when she found herself laughing, maybe even feeling happy in this place; her feelings for another Paper Girl. Lei herself was a very likeable character. Despite her traumas and tragedies, she never lets herself stop fighting in her own way. She never allows herself to be cruel to other people for it. I had so much respect for her!
The romance in GOPAF was amazing. A little slow in the beginning, but the build up was done super well. I loved both Lei and Wren—both characters were super well done—and how the two dealt with their issues, leaned on each other in times of hardship, and y’know, just made the best of what time they had.
There was some cattiness in the book. I hated it, but I felt that. By having other girls who did get along with each other almost made up for it. Blue might’ve been a mean character—even though Ngan added depth to her—but Lei’s friendship with the other girls was a nice change of pace.
And going off that, it was interesting to read about the different viewpoints. Clearly, Lei hated being there as a concubine for the Demon King, but it wasn’t so for all the other girls. It was something that was interesting to read about, how some of the girls were happy to be there, but others clearly had reservations.
My complaint would be the pacing. While well done, it took some time for the story to really get moving after Lei’s initial capturing. I get that a lot of it was for readers—and Lei—to get accustomed to court life, but it also kind of dragged for me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book! It didn’t end the way I expected it to—which was in a clean-cut, story-wrapped-up, kind of way. (I thought it was a standalone and now I will be disappointed if it is.) Anyway, 4 stars and I look forward to Ngan’s next work!
The first thing that grabbed my attention about Girls of Paper and Fire—other than that cover—is how gorgeous the writing is without being overly purple prose-y. Ngan’s writing is flawless, both in describing the awful situation Lei is in and creating tension, to descriptions of food, setting, feeling. I was surprised by just how easy it was to fall into this book!
The writing, paired with the main character, Lei, is what kept me hooked the entire time. She—along with seven other girls—are all basically sex slaves to a demon king who only cares about power, in a court where everyone looks down at them for being what they are: courtesans, but also of the paper caste. I felt so much for Lei. Ngan handled her shifting, complex feelings extremely well. The guilt that shocked her when she found herself laughing, maybe even feeling happy in this place; her feelings for another Paper Girl. Lei herself was a very likeable character. Despite her traumas and tragedies, she never lets herself stop fighting in her own way. She never allows herself to be cruel to other people for it. I had so much respect for her!
The romance in GOPAF was amazing. A little slow in the beginning, but the build up was done super well. I loved both Lei and Wren—both characters were super well done—and how the two dealt with their issues, leaned on each other in times of hardship, and y’know, just made the best of what time they had.
There was some cattiness in the book. I hated it, but I felt that. By having other girls who did get along with each other almost made up for it. Blue might’ve been a mean character—even though Ngan added depth to her—but Lei’s friendship with the other girls was a nice change of pace.
And going off that, it was interesting to read about the different viewpoints. Clearly, Lei hated being there as a concubine for the Demon King, but it wasn’t so for all the other girls. It was something that was interesting to read about, how some of the girls were happy to be there, but others clearly had reservations.
My complaint would be the pacing. While well done, it took some time for the story to really get moving after Lei’s initial capturing. I get that a lot of it was for readers—and Lei—to get accustomed to court life, but it also kind of dragged for me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book! It didn’t end the way I expected it to—which was in a clean-cut, story-wrapped-up, kind of way. (I thought it was a standalone and now I will be disappointed if it is.) Anyway, 4 stars and I look forward to Ngan’s next work!
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{ about the book }
Kingdom of Ash and Soot by C.S. JohnsonPublishes July 3, 2018 by Prodigy Gold Books
e-ARC provided by the author
e-ARC provided by the author
PRAGUE, 1870.
For the last ten years, nineteen-year-old Eleanora Svobodová has worked as a servant in her stepmother's household. Along with her older brother, she dreams of the day they will be free to live life on their own terms.
But everything changes when their estranged grandmother comes to Prague on behalf of Queen Victoria. Throughout Bohemia, a string of murders and secret whispers hint at a larger coup. As the leader of the Order of the Crystal Daggers, an ancient order of spies and soldiers that protect kingdoms and their rulers, Lady Penelope is determined to mete out the perpetrators. Now, Eleanora must make the choice between a life of intrigue and saving the lives of others.
Can Eleanora find a way do the right thing and still find freedom?
With a fun blend of historical fiction, true love, castle intrigue, and family dysfunction, The Order of the Crystal Daggers is the latest adventure series from C. S. Johnson.
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{ my review }
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I’d be lying if I said the cover wasn’t my main reason for wanting to pick up this book. But after reading the synopsis, I got some interesting Cinderella vibes, and, well.
I was sold.
Kingdom is not a retelling. It has some elements, definitely—an Ella working as a servant in her own home after her father passes, dancing amongst the elite, things like that. But it’s definitely not a retelling. Despite that, I was intrigued by the time period and the setting of the book. Prague! In 1870! With that and the addition of a secret organisation and deadly plots, Kingdom of Ash and Soot had a lot going for it.
Only. Only it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Because in the end, I was bored. There wasn’t nearly as much action I wanted, I wasn’t sucked into Eleanora’s world, and I just… felt this odd detachment from everything. Johnson’s writing was really good, too! Despite that, I just wasn’t feeling this book. It definitely felt like an introduction to the world kind of book, which just kinda left my eyes glazed over.
… I also wasn’t a fan of the romance. I was hoping for the attraction to build up, kind of in a slow burn. Really, I just wanted more development before anything happened!
Overall, Kingdom of Ash and Soot was an okay start, if sort of unmemorable, start to a new series. While it had some interesting parts, it unfortunately fell flat for me. I am excited to see where book 2 takes Eleanora, though! So, 3.5 stars.
I was sold.
Kingdom is not a retelling. It has some elements, definitely—an Ella working as a servant in her own home after her father passes, dancing amongst the elite, things like that. But it’s definitely not a retelling. Despite that, I was intrigued by the time period and the setting of the book. Prague! In 1870! With that and the addition of a secret organisation and deadly plots, Kingdom of Ash and Soot had a lot going for it.
Only. Only it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Because in the end, I was bored. There wasn’t nearly as much action I wanted, I wasn’t sucked into Eleanora’s world, and I just… felt this odd detachment from everything. Johnson’s writing was really good, too! Despite that, I just wasn’t feeling this book. It definitely felt like an introduction to the world kind of book, which just kinda left my eyes glazed over.
… I also wasn’t a fan of the romance. I was hoping for the attraction to build up, kind of in a slow burn. Really, I just wanted more development before anything happened!
Overall, Kingdom of Ash and Soot was an okay start, if sort of unmemorable, start to a new series. While it had some interesting parts, it unfortunately fell flat for me. I am excited to see where book 2 takes Eleanora, though! So, 3.5 stars.
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kindle | nook | kobo |
{ about the book }
Sweet Black Waves by Kristina PérezPublished June 5, 2018 by Imprint
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Not you without me, not me without you.
Two proud kingdoms stand on opposite shores, with only a bloody history between them.
As best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she unknowingly saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Branwen begins to dream of peace, but the princess she serves is not so easily convinced. Fighting for what's right, even as her powers grow beyond her control, will set Branwen against both her best friend and the only man she's ever loved.
Inspired by the star-crossed tale of Tristan and Eseult, this is the story of the legend’s true heroine: Branwen. For fans of Graceling and The Mists of Avalon, this is the first book of a lush fantasy trilogy about warring countries, family secrets, and forbidden romance.
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{ my review }
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Sweet Black Waves took some time to get into, but I feel like once you push through that beginning, you could really like it.
I won’t lie, I was iffy about the book. The romance is introduced pretty early on in the book, and frankly, I never saw the chemistry, so that was a bust for me. I never did like the love interest either, so all his efforts—while not wasted on Branwen—were wasted on me.
Branwen, however, was a character I really liked. She kind of has that saviour complex, and throughout the book, it shows. She also keeps a lot of secrets from those close to her, very rarely asking for help. I mean, I got why, but at times it did get infuriating. But as a whole, Branwen was just… such a strong character. Both in a well written way, but also in that everything-might-be-falling-apart-but-I-won’t-be kind of way. She’s really hard to fully break down and I loved reading a character like that!
I had really mixed feelings about Essy. Most of the time, she infuriated me to no end. I thought her infatuation with that one duke was extremely childish, and the way she lashed out—so cruelly and thoroughly—to people she loved was shocking. I loved that Branwen never gave up on her and that most of the time, it was Essy who was her main priority—that kind of bond always makes me happy. But it didn’t always feel like that from Essy’s side, which only added to my wariness of her.
One of my main complaints about this book is that it is wordy. The book is about 450 pages long and god, does it feel like it. I had to force myself to keep on going at times, and it felt like it took 3 years just to finish it! And the fact that it did sometimes drag didn’t always help me.
I found the ending to be really dramatic, but… mostly just rushed. Since the romance was never really that important to me to begin with, it just didn’t hit me like I think it was supposed to, so I was just a bit detached from it. But it did leave something to be desired—I’m really looking forward to what happens in the next book as Branwen’s arc grows! Being on another land and all, I’m also excited to find out more about the world. (Admittedly, all that name dropping in the start was more than a bit confusing.)
Overall, Sweet Black Waves was an… interesting start to a new series. I don’t know much about the myth it’s based off of, but I’m excited to see if it continues to play a part throughout the rest of the series! Giving this a 3.5!
I won’t lie, I was iffy about the book. The romance is introduced pretty early on in the book, and frankly, I never saw the chemistry, so that was a bust for me. I never did like the love interest either, so all his efforts—while not wasted on Branwen—were wasted on me.
Branwen, however, was a character I really liked. She kind of has that saviour complex, and throughout the book, it shows. She also keeps a lot of secrets from those close to her, very rarely asking for help. I mean, I got why, but at times it did get infuriating. But as a whole, Branwen was just… such a strong character. Both in a well written way, but also in that everything-might-be-falling-apart-but-I-won’t-be kind of way. She’s really hard to fully break down and I loved reading a character like that!
I had really mixed feelings about Essy. Most of the time, she infuriated me to no end. I thought her infatuation with that one duke was extremely childish, and the way she lashed out—so cruelly and thoroughly—to people she loved was shocking. I loved that Branwen never gave up on her and that most of the time, it was Essy who was her main priority—that kind of bond always makes me happy. But it didn’t always feel like that from Essy’s side, which only added to my wariness of her.
One of my main complaints about this book is that it is wordy. The book is about 450 pages long and god, does it feel like it. I had to force myself to keep on going at times, and it felt like it took 3 years just to finish it! And the fact that it did sometimes drag didn’t always help me.
I found the ending to be really dramatic, but… mostly just rushed. Since the romance was never really that important to me to begin with, it just didn’t hit me like I think it was supposed to, so I was just a bit detached from it. But it did leave something to be desired—I’m really looking forward to what happens in the next book as Branwen’s arc grows! Being on another land and all, I’m also excited to find out more about the world. (Admittedly, all that name dropping in the start was more than a bit confusing.)
Overall, Sweet Black Waves was an… interesting start to a new series. I don’t know much about the myth it’s based off of, but I’m excited to see if it continues to play a part throughout the rest of the series! Giving this a 3.5!
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{ about the book }
Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey BlackPublishes August 7, 2018 by Tor Teen
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.
Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.
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{ my review }
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There are few things as disappointing as disliking a book that you’ve been anticipating. Especially one with murder! Girl at the Grave, I feel, had a lot of potential, and yet…
Here I am. Here we are. I am sad.
There are a few good things about Grave. The main character, Valentine, was well written. I liked her most times. The love interest—the main one—(take that how you will)—Rowan, was super sweet and I enjoyed the scenes he and Valentine shared. There was a convoluted history in their town that was messy and confusing and totally appropriate for a small town, and it really worked for the setting.
There are more bad things about Grave, which is unfortunate.
First being the romance. There is a love triangle, so I’m just getting that out of the way. There is boy one, Rowan, whose name—his full name—was said approximately four or five times in the first two pages of the kindle file. (So. You kind of knew who the love interest would be right away, if you didn’t read the synopsis.) There is boy two, Sam, who is Valentine’s best friend and in love with Valentine.
I’ll be honest, I don’t really mind love triangles. Shocker, since I complain about them all the time. What bothered me about this one was that, a lot of the romance, between… uh both? guys? happens during the middle of the book, at which just completely drags the novel. Hardly anything happens with the case or the murder midway. Instead, Valentine and Rowan spend time together. They get involved in romantic drama. Sam and Valentine get together. There’s that drama. It was a lot of back and forth and second guessing. I’m just—
It’s a lot of fucking drama and all of it is so annoying and so pointless. To add insult to injury: it’s quite obvious Rowan was going to be the guy, anyway. But then Sam was added to the pot, and instead of making him a kind guy who would stick with Valentine despite everything going on, he was a jealous asshole who never had Valentine’s best interests at heart. He said cruel things because she wouldn’t be with him when their drama was going down, so forgive me for not being really forthcoming.
The first murder created some action in the beginning, but it was slow going. I let that slide, because as I said in the beginning: there’s a complicated, messy history surrounding Valentine and some of that needed to be introduced. With what happened in the middle, the entire book suddenly felt less murder mystery and more modern contemporary with the relationship drama. When the other murders were discovered, there was just… no suspense. There was no danger or anything that really kept me hooked. By the end, the reveal was so lukewarm that I didn’t really care.
Overall, this was just a miss for me. I had high hopes for Girl at the Grave but alas. 2.5 stars.
Here I am. Here we are. I am sad.
There are a few good things about Grave. The main character, Valentine, was well written. I liked her most times. The love interest—the main one—(take that how you will)—Rowan, was super sweet and I enjoyed the scenes he and Valentine shared. There was a convoluted history in their town that was messy and confusing and totally appropriate for a small town, and it really worked for the setting.
There are more bad things about Grave, which is unfortunate.
First being the romance. There is a love triangle, so I’m just getting that out of the way. There is boy one, Rowan, whose name—his full name—was said approximately four or five times in the first two pages of the kindle file. (So. You kind of knew who the love interest would be right away, if you didn’t read the synopsis.) There is boy two, Sam, who is Valentine’s best friend and in love with Valentine.
I’ll be honest, I don’t really mind love triangles. Shocker, since I complain about them all the time. What bothered me about this one was that, a lot of the romance, between… uh both? guys? happens during the middle of the book, at which just completely drags the novel. Hardly anything happens with the case or the murder midway. Instead, Valentine and Rowan spend time together. They get involved in romantic drama. Sam and Valentine get together. There’s that drama. It was a lot of back and forth and second guessing. I’m just—
It’s a lot of fucking drama and all of it is so annoying and so pointless. To add insult to injury: it’s quite obvious Rowan was going to be the guy, anyway. But then Sam was added to the pot, and instead of making him a kind guy who would stick with Valentine despite everything going on, he was a jealous asshole who never had Valentine’s best interests at heart. He said cruel things because she wouldn’t be with him when their drama was going down, so forgive me for not being really forthcoming.
The first murder created some action in the beginning, but it was slow going. I let that slide, because as I said in the beginning: there’s a complicated, messy history surrounding Valentine and some of that needed to be introduced. With what happened in the middle, the entire book suddenly felt less murder mystery and more modern contemporary with the relationship drama. When the other murders were discovered, there was just… no suspense. There was no danger or anything that really kept me hooked. By the end, the reveal was so lukewarm that I didn’t really care.
Overall, this was just a miss for me. I had high hopes for Girl at the Grave but alas. 2.5 stars.
