(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
In Spin of Fate there's this star(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
In Spin of Fate there's this stark class difference. It's a story revolving around this idea of being 'worthy' enough to ascend. But how one does that, how does one become worthy, who knows. It's this nebulous idea of being good and this strong difference in worlds between the upper and lower realms. We have Aranel, Meizan, and Aina who all have different beliefs about the system. Aina just wants to get back to the lower realm and her mother. Immediately I was drawn to her and her commitment to her mother and the way she so easily calls out the unfairness of the system....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 3.5
Lord of the Empty (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 3.5
Lord of the Empty Isles is a story mired in revenge. It's about wanting so badly to curse our enemy, to get this sense of revenge, and to let that fuel us. Like most revenge stories, it asks us whether the price of revenge is worth it. Whether that all consuming quest is enough when we think we've succeeded, or whether it has the power to get us what we want. With the magic of severing tethers and feelings, Lord of the Empty Isles has a distinct speculative fiction feel. While this was a bit confusing at times, the characters were the star of the show....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I'll Have What He's Having is sup(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I'll Have What He's Having is supremely cute. I love a good multiple accidental meetings. There's something about fate smashing two people together even when we've said goodbye. Because we never know when it'll stick. From the beginning, I loved the chemistry between Farzan and David. From the beginning they very much have an 'idea' of how things will go. And watching it evolve in I'll Have What He's Having is a delight. It's about when we have a plan, an idea, and then we find that life doesn't work that way. ...more
I started off with A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking thinking, oh this is cute and fun. But that morphed once the story unfolded and we have a plotI started off with A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking thinking, oh this is cute and fun. But that morphed once the story unfolded and we have a plot about the hatred of wizards, the consequences of what happens when adults don't act, and the sacrifices of heroism. If I was a teen, I might not have picked up on that. I might have just been carried away by the idea of animate gingerbread man and this whimsical magic in A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I fell in love with Gwen and Xand(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I fell in love with Gwen and Xander. Talk about a disastrous meet cute. But what I loved was not only their rivalry, but their mutual respect. Their acknowledgement of how talented each other is. And how it draws them to each other like a moth to flame. How we can be captivated by talent, by passion, and by wanting to be close to a fire burning through the night. Furthermore, Not Another Love Song is about this competitive world and ambition. The demands that are made, the sacrifices and cruel comments, and the difficulty....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 4.5
The Crimson Crown (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 4.5
The Crimson Crown begins as an origin story. As a story about the power of loss, how grief can cause us to betray ourselves. It’s also about carrying the burden of her sister’s death, of all the deeds, the greatness, her sister could never complete. The lingering questions about whether the world would be better if it were her instead. It’s a Snow White ‘villain’ origin story which, at least in the first book, only begins to sow the seeds. They’re there as scaffolding which will only unfurl in the sequel. The Crimson Crown examines choice and fate. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
An Academy for Liars is about pow(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
An Academy for Liars is about power. About the powers of persuasion, power in the wrong hand, and learning to use our powers. With an academic feeling to it, An Academy for Liars delivers scenes of magical trials with deadly consequences. Of training our powers into sharp edges and wielded weapons. It reminds you of how dangerous persuasion can be and what would happen if it falls into the wrong hands. What would we do if we could stand in the way? But what would we give up in return?...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Love and Other Conspiracies is ab(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Love and Other Conspiracies is about the big and the small of everyday beliefs. It's about Area 51, Yeti, and true love. With instant chemistry, even if they seem - on paper - like polar opposites, Hayden and Hallie create sparks. Love and Other Conspiracies is a testament to finding someone who excites us, challenges us, makes us think of our world differently. Makes us believe if what we can't see. I instantly fell in love with them, but my love only deepened as Love and Other Conspiracies continued. We see the ways Hallie has to navigate the sexism as well as a garbage toxic ex in the work place. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We will always love a good heist (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We will always love a good heist novel. Even more so when there's levels of secrets, subterfuge, and questions about motivations. And if I know something, it's that Dylan writes a great heist. While it was a bit disorienting to understand the color magic off the bat, you can quickly get into it. What begins as a story about heists, turns into an even broader plot. A conspiracy with intrigue, control, and power. There's the questions of what will make someone join the heist. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Lights Out was entertaining and a(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Lights Out was entertaining and a whole basket of fun. For dark romance fans and Butcher and Blackbird fans - like me - Lights Out was right up my alley. Because while, at the end of the day, there's spice and elements of kinky spice, it's about finding someone who sees to the essence of someone. Someone we can be ourselves with despite the darkness we see in ourselves, our past, our jobs, and our baggage. A person who sees it all, embraces it, and loves us for it. The dual POV is absolutely necessary - especially at the beginning - and I loved their banter, chemistry, and power plays....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
From the beginning, I loved the s(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
From the beginning, I loved the setting of A Sea of Spectres. There's a feeling of isolation, a small community, and family. What begins as a story about family ends up becoming this inter-generational story about sacrifice, power, and family. It's this rich tapestry of character work as well as historical fiction. While the beginning with the character POV switches was confusing, I ended up understanding it and sinking in, it was just a bit disorienting at the beginning. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We will always love fellow blogs.(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We will always love fellow blogs. Here we support other blogs and now I need the A Bánh Mì for Two blog! We love not only the influence she has as a food blogger, but also the ways she uses her influence to help out other spots and food stalls. A Bánh Mì for Two is a dual POV treat. From the start, I loved how Vivi navigates visiting Vietnam for the firs time. For her to go 'home' and feel both familiar and strange at the same time. To navigate the secrets her mother has been keeping, to learn about Vietnam, and to connect the dots of her heart....more
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will read anything Twelfth NightDisclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will read anything Twelfth Night at this point. And combine that with second chance romance and I'm absolutely in love. Being dual POV, I was in love from the start. I adored how it's a combination of second chance romance and he 'thinks' he falls first. We also love a good fake marriage with two characters who have a lot of history. How it's definitely a great PR move, but how there's a real instant connection between them. Marriage & Masti is a loose retelling which has some elements I wish had a bit more space, but in general, I adored this book!...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I can't even believe this is the (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I can't even believe this is the end! We love two people who clearly and intensely hate each other. If you're a fan of enemies to lovers, Blythe and the love interest trade barbs with sharp edges, ploys and plots to spite each other, and this line of survival and retribution. We love some good animosity. And Wisteria delivers. But what I also love in Wisteria is that the beginning is grounded both in the loss and grief of our love interest, but also in Blythe's love for her family. With this fake marriage, I adored seeing them slowly uncover who they are to each other and what they are. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 3.5
We're back for ano(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
more like a 3.5
We're back for another heist. 'Til Heist Do Us Part is a hilarious, swoony, romance full of chases, fight scenes, and group crew scenes. It makes you laugh as you're afraid for their lives. Desai strikes this chord between high stakes danger and romance. We know, since it's a romance, that everyone will probably be okay, but there's still the question of how. How can they escape, will they remain friends, and will Jack and Simi get back together?...more
Girls Who Burn begins with last words which cut. With flying daggers we wish we could take back. Addie is desperately trying to figure out what happenGirls Who Burn begins with last words which cut. With flying daggers we wish we could take back. Addie is desperately trying to figure out what happened to her sister. But in her investigation she'll figure out that she didn't know her like she thought. That, even in death, her sister will is still a mystery. Addie's search explores the questions of what happened and what if. Girls Who Burn examines our motivations. It asks us what we would do for our dreams and what we would do to those who stand in our way....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Immortal Dark begins as a story a(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Immortal Dark begins as a story about sisterhood. About going into the den of danger to get answers, to search for revenge. But it quickly becomes apparent that getting her revenge is going to be harder than it seems. For Kidan uncovers secrets not only about the night her sister went missing, but about their parents. At Uxlay she has to figure out how to skirt the line between survival and purpose. But Immortal Dark quickly evolves into a story about survival. About the ways we can let what we think is our only purpose, stop us from living, keep us from the moments of everyday. ...more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I read Frankenstein in college an(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I read Frankenstein in college and have been intrigued ever since. Helga does a great job at approaching the maker/parent relationship between Frankenstein and the Creature while giving a gender bent spin to it. We can see the raw emotions of wanting love and approval, of being abandoned and rejected, and how it feels in its most pure and emotional form. All the ways it mirrors parenthood only becomes more apparent with a teenage girl as the main character. When we see the reflections of the rhetoric of expecting obedience from our children, of putting our hopes and dreams on their shoulders, and trying to program them....more
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will read anything compared to (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I will read anything compared to Sabriel. So I had already high hopes for Asunder, but whatever hopes I had were exceeded in Asunder. It's a story that begins with such a compelling, vulnerable, mercurial main character of Karys. I was intrigued from the beginning in the ways she just cares about survival, about using her powers to make it to the next day. And what follows is not only a story about her powers, but also about the people that find their way into her life. It was a precious experience to watch her open up to the people around her....more
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