Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Dungeons and Drama

Author: Kristy Boyce

Format: paperback (borrowed)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 1/9/24

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought…

Content Warning:

Riley is a theater kid who loves musicals and for punishment she is forced to work at her dad’s game shop. A boy from her high school who she’s never talked to named, Nathan also works at the store and she goes from a girl singing musicals to learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons with him and his friends. Riley working at the shop is not quite the punishment after awhile as she forges a growing bond with her dad and make a lot of new friends.

This is a fun young adult story, perfect for teen readers. I adored Riley and her best friend, Hoshiko and also Riley’s relationship with her mother. I enjoyed seeing her open her world and learn more about her dad’s love for gaming! I have minimal knowledge of D&D but I know enough from my husband and son about the game and it was cool to see how Riley learns and joins the game.

The fake dating was super cute!

My Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one! I feel like the book cover captures this book so correctly. It’s sweet, funny and heart-warming. It’s filled with theater kids and gaming kids and when the two worlds combine it’s so much fun!

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

WWW Wednesday | 6/26/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Hi everyone! I actually got some reading done earlier this week which was nice! It’s been a relaxing week so far and I hope it stays that way for the rest of the week.

What are you currently reading?

Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 2% just started this one, trying to get my bearings and remember what happened in book one.

A Game of Malice and Greed by. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 4% in

The Girl with No Reflection by. Keshe Chow – 12% into this one and it’s quite fascinating – we’ll see how it plays out

Shadows and Storms by. Helen Scheuerer – 4% in

What have you just finished reading?

The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This Summer Will Be Different by. Carley Fortune ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Break-Up Pact by. Emma Lord ⭐️⭐️⭐️

House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz ⭐️⭐️⭐️

What are you going to read next?

The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia

What are you reading right now?

Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 6/25/24

Happy book birthday to these new releases! Check out this list today:

Six of Sorrow by. Amanda Linsmeier

Sixteen years ago, six girls were born on the same day—and now, on their birthday, one of them is missing. From the author of Starlings comes a story about small-towns, friendships, and the terrifying things your parents don’t tell you, that’s perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

For most of her life, Isabeau and her five best friends were inseparable—amazingly enough, the six girls even shared a birthday. Then a rift caused their friendships to fracture, and Iz lost everyone except Reuel, the only one who didn’t abandon her.

Until now. The night of their sixteenth birthday, Isabeau leaves Reuel sitting on her front porch and heads home—and in the morning, Reuel is missing. She’s gone for three days, and when she reappears, there’s something wrong with her. She’s sick. Really sick. And she doesn’t remember anything that happened while she was gone.

If there’s any bright side to the situation, it’s that Reuel’s peculiar disappearance brings the six girls back together. Their sisterhood feels as strong as it was years ago, but when another one of them disappears, they all agree that they must have more in common than simply their birthday. They all feel it. Something’s been waiting for them, and that something has come to claim them one by one.

Deep in their bones, they know—it’s just a matter of time until they they’re all taken. And if they don’t save themselves, no one will.

Goodreads | Amazon

Sleep Like Death By. Kalynn Bayron

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate – and foolish – seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

Goodreads | Amazon

Tangled Up in You By. Christina Lauren

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they’ve both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Goodreads | Amazon

A Novel Love Story By. Ashley Poston

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday 6/25/24

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This week’s topic is:

Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024

These are some of the books I’m looking forward to in the second half of this year!

The Blood Orchid by. Kylie Lee Baker
Bull Moon Rising by. Ruby Dixon – I love this cover.
The Ancient’s Game by. Loni Crittenden

A Monsoon Rising by. Thea Guanzon

What’s on your TTT?

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New Book on My Shelf | 6/24/24

I had to get this one because I’ve been waiting for a book from this author since her last series. My review of this book is found HERE. But can we just appreciate this cover and the sprayed edges? Gorgeous. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Title: Heavenbreaker

Author: Sara Wolf

Synopsis:

Bravery isn’t what you do. It’s what you endure.

The duke of the powerful House Hauteclare is the first to die. With my dagger in his back.

He didn’t see it coming. Didn’t anticipate the bastard daughter who was supposed to die with her mother—on his order. He should have left us with the rest of the Station’s starving, commoner rubbish.

Now there’s nothing left. Just icy-white rage and a need to make House Hauteclare pay. Every damn one of them.

Even if it means riding Heavenbreaker—one of the few enormous machines left over from the War—and jousting against the fiercest nobles in the system.

Each win means another one of my enemies dies. And here, in the cold terror of space, the machine and I move as one, intent on destroying each adversary—even if it’s someone I care about. Even if it’s someone I’m falling for.

Only I’m not alone. Not anymore.

Because there’s something in the machine with me. Something horrifying. Something…more.

And it won’t be stopped.

Have you read this one or planning to read it? What book have you added to your bookshelf?

Weekly Wrap Up | 6/23/24

Aloha friends!

It was a chill week and I got to finish two books at least! Can you believe June is almost over? I cannot. Because that means I have to go back to school shopping already. I went to Target last week and they still had their summer stuff but we’ll see if the school stuff appear soon. And that’s that – my daughter will be in 2nd and my son will be in 6th and time just keeps flying by! 😅

I hope all of you have a good week!

Blog Posts:

Books I Read:

This Summer Will Be Different by. Carley Fortune
The Break-Up Pact by. Emma Lord
The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken

Currently Reading:

House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz
The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

House of Dragon (Season 2, Ep. 1) – not much to say so far. Expected more but it is episode 1 and I know it has to build. 🐉
Dune 2 – now that I renewed my Max subscription, I’m trying to watch what I can before I cancel after watching House of Dragon lol. Honestly the story is slow but I love this movie series because of the visuals. It’s really amazing! 📽
Inside Out 2 – my kids and I went to the theater and loved this movie! I love how they portray our complicated emotions. It’s a great way for them to learn about it and I wish I had a movie like this when I was young. 🍿
Brat – Charlie xcx – I bought the vinyl (yes how am I a vinyl collector now?! As if I needed a new expensive hobby). This album is so good, who needs coffee? This album is like caffeine.🎧
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan – I just bought the vinyl so definitely had to give it a listen. 🎵

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

New Library Book: Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce

It’s been awhile since I went to my local library but since it’s summer time, I thought it was time to make a trip there with my kids. I didn’t see many books I wanted to read, but I did see a lot of books I read as arcs. But this one was a book I was wanted to read so I was happy to see it at the library!

Title: Dungeons and Drama

Author: Kristy Boyce

Pages: 304

Categories: young adult, romance

Have you read this one?

First Lines Fridays | 6/21/24

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

“Two beads of water form at the top of my mirror and then slowly begin to race each other down to the bottom.”

⬇️

⬇️

Can you guess what book it is?

Did you guess it? Have you read this one?

📖 ~ Yolanda

This Summer Will Be Different by. Carley Fortune | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Summer Will Be Different

Author: Carley Fortune

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 361

Publication Date: 5/7/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Chick-Lit

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

Content Warning: death of a loved one

I’ve been meaning to read a book from this author and now that I finally did I can knock that off my list.

This is a romance between Lucy and her best friend’s brother, Felix. It has flashbacks through the years from the moment they met to where they are now in the present and how it was always a secret, casual thing between them but the sparks are undeniable. Life happens between the times they are together, they date different people, Lucy gets close to their family and she loses someone she loves very much. Through it all are memories of the times they are together where everything feels right between them but what does that mean for a future between them?

I liked the setting of Prince Edward Island and Toronto since I don’t read much books about those places. It did give lots of summery vibes especially when it flash-backed to times spent on PEI.

I thought this one was okay. Maybe I went in with high expectations but I felt like everything was so predictable and I didn’t love the ending where they decide to be together and then few days later they go back to taking it slow? No, I wanted it to be happy ever after by then but nope, had to have the dose of reality at the end where they have to find themselves first. I also didn’t feel connected to the characters. I felt like I was just coasting through the story. And I was also getting frustrated with Bridget’s (her best friend) secret taking so long to be revealed.

My Final Thoughts:

I think I wanted more depth to this story. It was just okay for me but I think I will try her most popular book to see if she’s an author I’ll continue to read because I did like some elements of the story. Maybe I just went in with high expectations.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

WWW Wednesday | 6/19/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Happy Juneteenth! Summer is finally starting for us I feel. We watched Inside Out 2, on Sunday. I finished Bridgerton season 3 and am now in the middle of watching House of Dragon Season 2. We don’t have much plans except to go to the library and maybe the pool and my son’s piano lessons on Saturdays. So I should have more time to read, right? I hope so!

What are you currently reading?

The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken – 2% in – I haven’t really worked on this one but I WILL this week since publication is coming up.

Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 2% just started this one, trying to get my bearings and remember what happened in book one.

A Game of Malice and Greed by. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 4% in

House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz – 9% this one is fascinating so far, a sentient haunted house? A missing sister? Another sister on drugs and hearing the house calling her back? We’ll see where the story takes me…

This Summer Will Be Different by. Carley Fortune – 15% into the book. I’ve been meaning to read a book from this author and glad it showed up for me to borrow just in time for some summer reading!

The Break-Up Pact by. Emma Lord – I’m 7% into this arc. Another timely summer read though!