Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The past never forgets . . .
Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer’s apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.
Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.
When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer…one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.
I requested this book because the cover caught my eye! I love how dark it is and the title is great too. The aesthetics of the books matches the story – there is a plague ravaging kingdoms and it’s death out there.
Now I was very surprised with this book – I was expecting the fantasy but not the mystery aspect of the book. The writing is great and really kept me engaged in the story. It’s a quick read and I read it in one sitting.
I enjoyed Cas, the main character. He has escaped a slave camp, survived the plague, we meet him as a grave digger, and now he is back at home and searching for a killer. He’s the perfect person taking on the task because he has Lena (a historian apprentice) at his side, he’s smart, level-headed and can even see ghosts.
I thought it was lovely for Cas to have a supportive cast. He has a loving brother, the King and Queen has his back, Lena is a new friend and it just has a feel good vibe about it despite there being an assassin on the loose.
Triggers: death, violence
As great as the writing was in engaging me, the story was predictable. There were hints along the way and I figured it out early.
I’m not the biggest mystery fan so I was waiting for this to have more action, but that happens at the end. I was in it for the fantasy aspect for sure and the mystery was surprising to me but if you like mystery I think it was well done.
Cas being able to see ghosts was interesting and there’s no explanation for it. I was coming up with my theories which was fun but none of them panned out though.
Overall I enjoyed the Year of the Reaper. I was expecting something a little different but the end result was still a good story that kept me engaged until the very end. If you enjoy a young adult fantasy with a mystery at it’s core, you will like this one.
Categories: Bully Romance, New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Alpha Male, Prep School
I’m Madison. I spent the last seventeen years in a trailer with my mom as she rolled from one addiction to the next. All I wanted was to survive high school and get out of this place. Finding out I had a long lost twin sister on the other side of the country seemed like something out of a movie.
Too bad I didn’t realize it was a horror movie.
Now I’m Madelaine. We were only supposed to switch lives for a summer. But then the unthinkable happened and now I have the chance to be my twin for the rest of my life. I get the fancy house, the rich father, and the elite school.
But all of those things come with a price I don’t think I can afford.
Maybe taking over my dead twin sister’s life isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
Mad World is the first book in a new series by Hannah McBride . It contains dark themes (including bullying) that may be triggering for some readers.
Well this was unexpected and I borrowed this book on KU because of the cover – I went in knowing nothing but came out pleasantly surprised.
This is a bully romance – it has many triggers, it has a few alpha males but compared to other bully romance I’ve read in the past (and took a break from reading) this one is pretty tame. I wish more bully romances were as mild as this one!
I enjoyed the plot – twin sisters, separated at birth, find each other. They swap lives for what is supposed to be only the summer, but when Madelaine doesn’t come back…Madison continues to impersonate her because there are some business deals on the line that would affect her dad’s wealth among other things. Her dad has also agreed to take care of her mother who has a drug problem. But it’s not easy impersonating the twin she barely knew – when she reaches Pacific City she finds out Madelaine is reviled, and hated for very good reasons. Madison also learns some crazy dark, f’ed up secrets that Madelaine was keeping. The story isn’t original but it was very entertaining.
The small circle around Maddie is her ex best friend, Bex, and her fiance, Ryan and his friends. I actually liked seeing this group come together. Bex is there for Maddie when she finds out the truth, and out of Ryan’s friends, my favorite is Linc who is that goofy, funny guy who can’t keep his mouth shut. Ash is intriguing too but only because you don’t know much about him. I liked getting to know all of them.
Ryan is an alphahole but so mild compared to some other bully romances I’ve read. And this is a new adult so if you want heat, you can find it here. Ryan can be a jerk, jealous and possessive but you can tell Maddie is his soft spot. I liked seeing them do the fake dating, even more so when he knows she’s not Madelaine and they really get to know one another. He has his issues though, don’t these alphas all have them? This is the kind of bully romance I can handle because it’s enemies to lovers with just a tiny slight edge, and I’m addicted to enemies to lovers romances.
Content Warnings: sexual abuse, bullying, drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, attempted rape, pedophilia
Bully romances are dark – it’s why I tend to stay away from them but I was intrigued by the synopsis and I usually don’t like twin stories either but I wanted to see if Maddie could pull off the switch. And engaged at 17? What is THAT about? I had to know. I do wish they were just all in college because she is underage and engaged to Ryan who is 19 I believe? Of course in bully romances they defy all rules – usually the alphas are so filthy rich that they can do whatever they want. I always think it’s crazy in these romances that these rich kids rule their little worlds with money and power. And they are barely even legal, it’s a bit ridiculous but super entertaining!
So much abuse – drugs, physical, sexual – it’s all there. Some of these characters are vile. But I’m going to continue reading the series just to see Maddie get revenge (I HOPE). I think she needs to gain a little bit of Madelaine’s ruthlessness to survive this though…will she toughen up? I hope so. And take these guys and some girls down. 😠
There were some typos in the beginning of the story so I hope it’s more cleaned up in the sequel.
Why you should read it:
enemies to lovers romance, and you like to see an alpha male fall in love
entertaining as heck – if you like chaos, rich people drama, school drama
to see if Maddie can pull it off
Why you might not want to read it:
bully romances turn you off
dark topics – see content warnings
My Thoughts:
I needed to get out of my reading slump so I read something out of my comfort zone and it worked. I was entertained by this story a lot and I was invested to see if Maddie would pull off being her sister. There are so many ways I think the sequel could go after that cliffhanger of an ending and I’ll be here waiting patiently for book two.
Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Political Intrigue
Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace in this dark and dangerous sequel to The Prison Healer, which Sarah J. Maas called “a must-read.”
Kiva Meridan is a survivor.
She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.
As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.
Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.
The Prison Healer ended on such a crazy cliffhanger, I needed to read this sequel right away. This one is a much slower story, still with good tension, but Kiva is out of her element. She went from a death prison to Jaren’s home where people are nice to her and care about her despite her wearing a prison mark. Of course it helps that the Jaren is her number one defender.
Speaking about the Prince, Jaren is the sweetest guy ever. The romance is a SLOW BURN…seriously, too slow at times for me but so absolutely sweet because he doesn’t push her at all. Jaren gives her space, he even works and keeps busy because you know, he’s an heir and soon to be ruler of his kingdom but wow…Kiva got herself a keeper, if she doesn’t mess things up.
We get to meet Kiva’s siblings and I love Tor but her sister Zulee? Wow…she is hateful. Kiva is torn about her family and Jaren, especially when the secrets starts to be revealed. We also meet Kiva’s grandmother (her mom’s mother) and wow did she through a few more twists into the story.
I found some new loves in this book, Caldon – Jaren’s cousin. He and Kiva have a fun, love/hate relationship and honestly, I like how he is protective of Jaren. Jaren is a sweetheart but Caldon is my kind of guy! Also Tor, Kiva’s brother is the only one who really cares about her and I loved getting to know him.
This is what I love most about the story – it’s twisty and so good! It keeps me on my toes. Every time I thought I knew what Kiva would do and choose with the facts laid out for her, her manipulative sister would step in and I wanted to yell at Kiva to tell her to see the danger that I could see coming. Of course the ending is another cliffhanger which made my jaw drop and now I have to wait again to continue the story.
Content Warnings: toxic family, death, grief, family betrayal, drug use, abuse
This story deals with so many toxic issues, a lot of them being about broken families. Kiva’s sister is awful, thank goodness her brother is a good guy. But just learning about Kiva’s family secrets made me feel bad for her – she was stuck between falling for Jaren, or choosing her awful family. I understand loyalty but wow, I thought Kiva was too forgiving.
Kiva has to make some hard decisions. She knows Jaren and what kind of guy he is – she knows his friends and family (for the most part). And Kiva is just starting to know her own family…and not liking what she learns. I didn’t like some of her decision making. She was confused between her loyalty to her family and then her love for Jaren and honestly this made her do some rash things. Like trusting her sister because she is family, even though she treats her like crap…Kiva is too forgiving and too trusting and you would think living in a death prison would have taught her a few things about seeing through people and their true intentions.
Why you should read it:
slow burn romance
political intrigue, lots of twists in the story
my new favorite character, Caldon
Why you might not want to read it:
toxic family relationships
Kiva’s indecisiveness got annoying
My Thoughts:
Though not as intense as book one, I thought this sequel was entertaining mostly because of Caldon being his amazing self and Kiva’s family drama. I dislike Kiva’s sister so much and I got a little annoyed with Kiva’s actions but overall, I love all the twists in the story. I’m starting to think this author definitely knows how to write a cliffhanger ending! Will be looking forward to book three.
Categories: Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Magic, Romance, Shakespeare Re-imagined (Tempest), One Night
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“A deftly-plotted tale about ambition and belonging, Bright Ruined Things takes Shakespeare’s The Tempest and brilliantly reimagines its themes of family and love. Cohoe writes with a magic that dazzles and cuts right to the core.” – Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights Forbidden magic, a family secret, and a night to reveal it all…
The only life Mae has ever known is on the island, living on the charity of the wealthy Prosper family who control the magic on the island and the spirits who inhabit it. Mae longs for magic of her own and to have a place among the Prosper family, where her best friend, Coco, will see her as an equal, and her crush, Miles, will finally see her. Now that she’s eighteen, Mae knows her time with the Prospers may soon come to an end.
But tonight is First Night, when the Prospers and their high-society friends return to the island to celebrate the night Lord Prosper first harnessed the island’s magic and started producing aether – a magical fuel source that has revolutionized the world. With everyone returning to the island, Mae finally has the chance to go after what she’s always wanted.
When the spirits start inexplicably dying, Mae starts to realize that things aren’t what they seem. And Ivo, the reclusive, mysterious heir to the Prosper magic, may hold all the answers – including a secret about Mae’s past that she doesn’t remember. As Mae and her friends begin to unravel the mysteries of the island, and the Prospers’ magic, Mae starts to question the truth of what her world was built on.
In this YA fantasy, Samantha Cohoe wonderfully mixes magic and an atmospheric setting into a fantastically immersive world, with characters you won’t be able to forget.
I was intrigued about this book because the cover screamed 1920’s and reminded me of The Great Gatsby and I was in the mood to read a book in that period, but this one comes with a twist. I don’t remember much about Shakespeare’s The Tempest, since it’s been awhile I’ve read it but that’s okay, this is a reimagined version of The Tempest and it hooked my interest for sure.
The mood is set on an island full of magic, mystery and wealth. Here we are on First Night, where the Prospers and guests will celebrate how they tamed the wild spirits of the island when they first settled there. The Prospers are a powerful and wealthy family because of this magic. When they arrived on that island, they harnessed the wild magic there and became wielders of that magic. The magic, wealth and power is then passed down through generation, to an heir. The current heir is Ivo, who is one of the grandson’s of Lord Prosper, the patriarch of this powerful family.
Mae, our main character is described as this mousy, unimportant person who is a ward of Lord Prosper until her eighteenth birthday which is coming up quick. But Mae isn’t mousy, she is hungry. She has always wanted to belong on the island, and belong to the Prospers, but how? She’s just Mae, a nobody, but she decides that will change. Mae goes through many challenges in this book and it was fascinating to see how far she would go to make her plans come true.
There is an array of characters because the Prospers have a few grandchildren: Appollonia, Alasdair, Miles, Ivo and Cordelia (Coco). I love all their names, it fits the theme of the 1920’s and each character is different with their own motivations. I loved the whole mess of their interactions and it gets chaotic with Mae thrown into the mix!
While Mae is scheming her way into the Prosper family, there is another matter at hand. The spirits, who populated the island before the Prospers came and tamed them are dying. The spirits are servants to the Prospers but no one knows why they are getting ill. Truths are revealed, and Mae, along with the Prosper grandchildren learn about how the magic of the island is being harnessed and at what cost.
Triggers: violence, suicide ideation, slavery,
Mae is in love with Miles, or is she really? Or is he someone she needs to attain her goals? I needed to find out but as far as romance goes – the only one who has much of a romance drama going on is Appollonia. Mae and Miles’ connection felt frail. It bugged me a little because I wanted to know and see it play out but I will say it ended as dramatic as the whole story was from beginning to end. Mae had her heart set on one Prosper throughout the book and I don’t know that she deserved who she got in the end. I needed more.
A person who we needed to know more of? Ivo. He’s the oddball of the grandkids. He has the most magical power, he’s unkempt, and totally misunderstood but it would have been nice to really get to know him better.
I did like the mysterious setting of the story, but as far as the 1920’s? I got it from the names but they really could have taken this story and placed it in any era.
There were times in the story where I was getting frustrated with the secrecy. It was slow going. But it does come to a big climax at the end of the story, which was my favorite part because there was so much backstabbing, truth bombs, action, mystery and revenge! Choices had to be made and it was interesting to see what paths they all chose.
I’d have loved more information about the magic and background on the spirits. Maybe Aeris could have provided more of that knowledge when he wasn’t being obnoxious? It is explained a little more but near the end of the story. It would have been nice to be fed something in the beginning and middle too. But all of these events happen in one day, one special night, so it’s a tight window to get the whole story in.
I think Bright Ruined Thingsreally captured the vibe of an island with powerful magic and something amiss. It had the mysterious island, exuberant wealth, the girl hanging on the outside wanting in, a messy not-quite-love story, family drama, complicated relationships and moral choices to make – although, those choices should have been easy ones from the moment the Prospers settled on the island. I had fun getting to know all the flawed characters in this story, where each had their own agenda. We get to see and explore their decisions, whether they are right or wrong. In the end, I was entertained, but there were times I was a bit frustrated with how little information was being revealed. Overall, I enjoyed it and finished it in one night.
Title: Dance with the Sword (Bluebeard’s Secret, #2)
Author: Sarah K. L. Wilson
Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)
Pages: 371
Publication Date: 9/17/21
Publisher:
Categories: Fantasy, Romance
A GRIM BETRAYAL. A DYING KING. A HUSBAND WHO WON’T LET HER GO. With the heart of the Wittenhame still ringing from Izolda’s actions and her new husband shocked at her betrayal, the future seems very grim indeed. If Izolda had been asked if she wanted to be rescued from her would-be bridegroom and returned to her home and family, she would have eagerly agreed to go, but now that she is back in the mortal world, she is quickly discovering that home, family and even the inclinations of her own heart are not what she expected. Worse yet, Izolda has unwittingly become a pawn in a deadly dance between two Wittenbrand, snatched from the claws of one of them only to be stolen back by the other. With her bodiless friend Grosbeak along for the ride and the great game of crowns and thrones still being played out across the nations, will Izolda’s endless common sense still be enough to rescue her from disaster? Or will she fall prey to the terrible ambitions of her enemies?
DANCE WITH THE SWORD is the second book in the Bluebeard’s Secret series following the eerie and romantic story of FLY WITH THE ARROW.
The reason I enjoy this series is the writing or the way things are worded, the relationship between Arrow (Bluebeard) and Izolda is so filled with angst but so romantic as well. Their wedding vows kill me – it’s so gorgeous, especially when Arrow is in the middle of a fight to the death and he’s repeating his vows to her! 😭
Grosbeak saved this book for me. There were so many things that were confusing to me because I didn’t re-read the first book which I remember being a wild ride and confusing in parts as well. But Grosbeak always brought it back into “reality” for me – I love his morbid humor, I mean his head is on a stick! He always makes me laugh, especially since Izolda is always in a tense situation.
I needed more of Arrow and his kisses but this is the slowest burn romance ever. He is intense and I just wish their relationship wasn’t so messed up with him taking her lives – they seem doomed but I’m holding out for a happily ever after.
There is a lot of political intrigue and betrayal in this one as we learn more about the Sword. Izolda has some growth in this book because she needs to learn to lead an army without Arrow at her side. She and Grosbeak are unlikely best friends at this point but she can hold her own even though it all frightens her. I like how she appears steady and can figure things out (sometimes too late) but Arrow is right – she is perceptive.
Content Warnings: violence
There were some typos in this sequel.
As mentioned above, this story got confusing at times. It’s a fast paced book and a lot of traveling from one place to another. It’s another cliffhanger ending so I’d wait for all books to be out to binge this series.
Again, I needed more Arrow and Izolda moments! Can these two just hook up already? I love all the kisses though, it’s so romantic.
Why you should read it:
interesting take on Bluebeard story
Arrow (Bluebeard) and his kisses and intense gazes
fast paced with lots of action
Izolda’s character growth
Why you might not want to read it:
typos
confusing at times
slowest burn romance ever
My Thoughts:
This book felt rushed, especially with the typos in the story. It’s a fast paced book but I do wish some things were fleshed out more and we had more time with Arrow and Izolda. I felt like this was more of her story than his, she has to redeem herself after betraying him, she has to find it in herself to trust him, to give in to him…but Izolda doesn’t want to lose herself either. He is taking her lives – it’s what he does…so what does that leave her? Their slow burn romance is driving me crazy though because they are attracted to one another, and yet they can’t be together that easily, they can’t even “talk” to one another…thank god for mind reading though right? The politics between the fae is filled with betrayal, but honestly – I just wanted more Arrow. 🤷🏻♀️ I’ll be reading book three of course, just to see what happens, but I hope there is less typos and my brain can keep up! The wild ride continues.
📚 ~ Yolanda
Quotes from the Book:
“If you cannot gift it in whole, then gift it in slivers and I will reassemble it within my own breast and guard it there in the sanctuary of my immortal soul.”
~ Dance with the sword by. Sarah k.L. wilson
“Surely you must see how I will give of my own flesh to have you, to keep you, to buy you back from treachery. Surely you understand that you are without price or equal to me.”
Noor is the unwanted, unloved third born of the Aten, chosen vessel of the sun goddess, Sol. While she has no chance at inheriting her father’s title, what she truly longs for is peace from his unrelenting hatred. Hope builds that she may finally be able to claim that reprieve when a missive arrives from the House of the Moon.
The new Lumin, chosen of the moon god, Lumos, seeks to broker peace with the Kingdom of Helios for the first time in ages. He envisions open trade routes and an end to archaic rivalries. His dedication to this cause extends to visions of a union between the two families by marrying one of Aten’s daughters, if one of the matches is a fit.
Driven by his own twisted agenda, Noor’s father is willing to sacrifice his daughters as pawns to steal the crown for him to further his despotic reign, pitting sister against sister in a brutal battle for power. But Noor must come out the victor, either by capturing the Lumin’s heart or stealing his crown. For whomever wears the crown of moonlight, holds the power of the moon itself. With such strength at her command, she could finally defeat her tyrannical father.
Yet this endeavor cannot be accomplished without great sacrifice. As Noor learns more about Lumin Caelum, guilt over her betrayal consumes her, burning hot as the sun itself. If only he wasn’t kind, and selfless, and exactly what she wanted. If only she had greater dominion over her heart…
Can Noor carry out her plan and end her father’s vile reign? Or will unlikely alliances allow a new day to dawn?
First off, it was the book cover that enticed me into reading this book!
This is the first Casey L. Bond book I have read and now I’m curious to read her other works. I found the story and world building unique with its inspiration being the sun and the moon. People of Helios, are sun worshippers. As for the Lumin, they worship the moon of course because it is all they see. There is a whole mythology/back story as to why the sun and moon stopped revolving which makes the story even more intriguing. I loved learning about both cultures.
Noor’s father, the leader of their kingdom is a horrible, power hungry man. He sets up a plan to have one of his daughters marry the Lumin and steal their moon crown. The owner would rule the world. Growing up with an abusive father and sisters that didn’t love her, made Noor into someone who was desperate to own the crown herself. She is an Atena (basically a princess) and a third daughter. Her father for some reason we don’t know until way later, hates her the most.
Noor is a resilient character, who is fearful of the father that abuses her but very defiant towards him as well. She’s strong, confident and knows she is beautiful, but she is also honest and kind. Of course I wanted Caelum to pick her over her scheming sister. Caelum is a nice, handsome, good guy. His family and people love him. I liked his brother, Beron, a lot because he had a more playful personality and he is a Wolven shapeshifter, which made him more interesting.
I thought the romance between Noor and Caelum was sweet. He has to choose between the two sisters but it was obvious who he favored and at times Noor gave mixed signals – which is to be expected since she and her sister are there to do her dad’s bidding. Love was the last thing on Noor’s mind, plus, she hasn’t really been around people with healthy relationships – love was no part of her plan when she knew deep down inside, she could have power instead. But I liked how she and Caelum got to know each other and eventually fell in love.
Triggers: abuse, violence
Noor’s father is a hateful man – maybe he wasn’t always that way but the way he was with his daughters is horrible. And then there are Noor’s sisters, Zarina and Citali, both trying to please their father because they are abused in their own ways as well but I am very interested to see what happens to Citali. Yes she was evil and irritating at times but now we know why she was that way and I’d like to see if there is some redeeming quality in her. Plus, I need to see what happens to her and Beron!
It’s a cliffhanger ending. But here’s the thing – the ending of the book has a “To be continued” and Chapter 1 of House of Wolves (book two) and let me just say…I’m ready for it!
I wasn’t a fan at first of Caelum having to choose between two sisters, because that would only cause even more drama between the them. But it was obvious who he was smitten with from the beginning.
The world building is great but a lot of the story is of Noor and Citali traveling to Lumin and getting to know Caelum and the Lumin’s ways. There isn’t much action until the end but I still enjoyed it.
Why you should read it:
unique world building
sweet romance, happy ending, Noor gets Power and her man 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
sister drama
Why you might not want to read it:
abusive father
cliffhanger ending
My Thoughts:
I wasn’t sure if this would hold my attention but the world building sucked me in – I was intrigued. Noor’s family drama made me keep on reading. I kept wondering how she was going to get out of it and if she would get her happy ending. Plus Caelum is a good man from a nice family and Noor deserved happiness. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to book two which I can tell will be spicy because of Citali’s temper and Beron’s frustration with her already! I look forward to reading book two.
Gripping and action-packed, The High Mountain Court is an adrenaline-filled, high fantasy with fae courts, powerful witches, and a diverse cast of characters, perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Holly Black.
Thirteen years fleeing witch hunters and the looming threat of death. Nineteen-year-old Remy knows she is possibly the last red witch alive, and she is determined to stay that way. The Northern Court King has slaughtered her home court and placed a bounty on red witch heads.
When four fae warriors enter her tavern refuge, Remy tries to flee, but her magic isn’t strong enough to stop a fae prince on a mission. The handsome Prince Hale of the Eastern Kingdom wants to stop a war with the Northern Court before his kingdom befalls the same fate as Remy’s. He needs a red witch and Remy may be the only person alive who can help him. Can she really trust Prince Hale? Can her fallen court be resurrected from the evil clutches of the Northern Court King? For the chance to save herself, her people, and help defeat the Northern King, Remy must put her faith in Hale and his companions on a dangerous quest to find lost relics.
The High Mountain Court is the first book in the thrilling fantasy saga, The Five Crowns of Okrith. Expect danger, intrigue, and thrilling passion as Remy journeys to save the kingdom she holds most dear.
I picked this one up over the weekend just because I was craving a faerie storyline. I had no real expectations going in and I was surprisingly entertained!
I enjoyed the world building with faeries and witches. Remy is supposedly the last red witch alive so she is basically living on the run, with two loyal companions who are brown witches. She runs into Hale, who is a fae Prince from the Eastern Kingdom. He’s been looking for a red witch to help him find some magical artifacts. These magical artifacts would supposedly lead him to a missing heir of the High Mountain Court who can wield the treasures and fight the Northern King who is trying to overtake all the kingdoms.
Remy as a main character was just okay at first. She’s special, but we don’t fully know why until way later. I did love finding out the secrets she was hiding. There was something emotional about Remy too – she’s an orphan and has had some trauma in her past. She travels with two companions who are clearly devoted to her, and you see by the end just how far that devotion goes. Remy grows a lot in this story – she learns to fight, she learns to embrace her fears and she gains courage from her new fae friends.
The cast of characters are great and diverse. I especially liked Carys and Bri – fae who take her in and help her grow into a stronger young woman, they were fun. I liked that there was lots of action in the book, especially in the end and the twists were good too.
The romance between Remy and Hale is nice and it builds. I like that at first it grows from animosity to friendship and then eventually something they both can’t deny. It gets pretty steamy between them. I was definitely rooting for them and their happily ever after.
Triggers: violence
My biggest issue with this book was the moment they realized they were each other’s Fated Mates. From then on the phrase “fated mate” or “fated” or “mate” was everywhere and it ruined it for me! I love the fated mates trope – but do I need to be reminded they are fated on every other paragraph? Nope. I think I know they are fated – you had to tell me only one time. lol…it became so repetitive I was cringing.
Would have love to learn more about the witches!
Why you should read it:
you like fated mate romances
interesting world building of fae courts and witches
lots of action and some emotional parts too
Why you might not want to read it:
the word “fated mates”, and “mate” are repeated a lot in the last parts of this book
My Thoughts:
I honestly just picked this up because I needed something light and easy to read that had faeries and romance in it. To me this was a fun read with enough action and emotion to keep me invested in the characters. It actually ticked off all the boxes in what I was looking for in a book until the fated mate stuff. I love a good fated mates story, but I really don’t need to be reminded every five minutes they are fated. 🤦🏻♀️ I will still read book two because it’s going to be about another set of characters but I hope there is WAY less of the phrase “fated mate” or “mate”.
Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Diversity, Magic, Paranormal
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
When her siblings start to go missing, a girl must confront the dark thing that lives in the forest—and the growing darkness in herself—in this debut YA contemporary fantasy for fans of Wilder Girls.
Derry and her eight siblings live in an isolated house by the lake, separated from the rest of the world by an eerie and menacing forest. Frank, the man who raised them after their families abandoned them, says it’s for their own good. After all, the world isn’t safe for people with magic. And Derry feels safe—most of the time.
Until the night her eldest sister disappears. Jane and Derry swore to each other that they’d never go into the forest, not after their last trip ended in blood, but Derry is sure she saw Jane walk into the trees. When another sibling goes missing and Frank’s true colors start to show, feeling safe is no longer an option. Derry will risk anything to protect the family she has left. Even if that means returning to the forest that has started calling to Derry in her missing siblings’ voices.
As Derry spends more time amidst the trees, her magic grows more powerful . . . and so does the darkness inside her, the viciousness she wants to pretend doesn’t exist. But saving her siblings from the forest and from Frank might mean embracing the darkness. And that just might be the most dangerous thing of all.
I really didn’t know what to expect going into this book. I love the cover and also the premise for the story sounded intriguing. I got approved for the arc last minute, but the book is a quick read so I’m glad I got to finish even though it just published!
I love the mysterious and dark atmosphere of this story. We meet Derry and she has eight siblings (not by blood). They live in what seeps like am isolated house bordered by a forest and their caretaker is a man named Frank. Everything about that just made me suspicious about Frank from the start! Apparently these girls have magic or powers, Derry’s magic is related to nature, things bloom on her body.
Derry is our main character and she is a plus sized girl compared to her sisters, she loves her sisters and is very afraid of Frank. She doesn’t have the best control of her magic. When something happens to the sister she is the closest to, Jane, this pushes Derry to break Frank’s rules, no matter the consequences and she meets something in the woods that makes her question Frank and his methods. I like when Derry finds out the truth and we see her become stronger.
The sisterly bond is great since they are all isolated together. You can feel the love between them and it’s their chosen family bond that helps defeat Frank. Also they are diverse, which was nice.
Triggers: abuse, manipulation, death, violence
Frank is straight up evil and I was so happy when Derry stood up to him! It honestly gave me satisfaction with how Derry dealt with him. But who are Franks “friends” that he kept going to see when a girl went missing? I’m very curious about that.
I think the magic system confused me in the beginning though it makes sense in the end when more of the mystery about Frank is solved. When they called themselves “alchemists”, I was waiting for them to do alchemy but their powers didn’t work that way. It really was magic within them, magic they were born with.
There are nine of them, Derry and eight siblings, but I swear I kept forgetting who was left when a few went missing. I felt like the only ones I really knew were Derry, Jane and Elle – they seemed the more fleshed out of the girls.
Why you should read it:
it’s a story about girls taking back their power and magic, mostly Derry’s journey
diverse cast
suspenseful, creepy vibes
Why you might not want to read it:
dark story with themes of abuse and manipulation
not a happy story, ending is bittersweet
My Thoughts:
It took some patience to get my bearings in the story when I started the book, but my curiosity kept me reading. I wanted to know who Frank was and what was in these creepy woods. Though it is a dark story, I was glad to see Derry rise up against the man who was hurting her and her sisters. I can definitely relate to that! This was a quick read filled with diversity, a strong sisterly bond, magic and empowerment.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Riverdale meets One of Us Is Lying in This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore, a standalone thriller following two teens who discover a body off the coast of their seaside town. As they search for the killer, they will learn the students of both the local prep school and the nearby reform school will do anything to protect their secrets.
Everyone in Gardiners Bay has a secret. When Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole find Colleen O’Dell’s body floating off the shore of their coastal town, the community of Gardiners Bay is shaken. But even more shocking is the fact that her drowning was no accident.
Once Jenna’s best friend becomes a key suspect, Jenna starts to look for answers on her own. As she uncovers scandals inside Preston Prep School leading back to Rookwood reform school, she knows she needs Adam on her side.
As a student at Rookwood, Adam is used to getting judgmental looks, but now his friends are being investigated by the police. Adam will do whatever he can to keep them safe, even if that means trusting Jenna.
As lies unravel, the truth starts to blur. Only one thing is certain: somebody must take the fall.
This one starts off right away with a dead body and throughout the rest of the book we try to figure out how Colleen died – was it suicide? Was it murder? We uncover secrets with Jenna and Adam who are the narrators of this story. Jenna went to school with Colleen and hung out in the same circle. Adam is from Rookwood reform school where the Preston Prep girls liked to party. Both Jenna and Adam are trying to protect someone they care about, but what really happened the night Colleen died?
The story is told in the present but with past flashbacks, in that way we get to know how these girls meet this Rook boys and how much time Colleen was spending with them.
Jenna is the girl who stayed out of the drama between the girls and not much of a partier. Her best friend Hollie is implicated in the murder of Colleen but she knows her friend couldn’t have done something like that so she tries to find out what happened the night of the murder. Jenna is also friends with Serena, who is the queen bee of Preston Prep School, but they aren’t as close as before so Jenna wasn’t always at these Rook parties. Jenna tries to piece together information and gathers things she’s missing so she can help Hollie.
Adam’s friend Max, who seems to be the leader of their little clique is dating Serena. But at the parties, Max seems a little flirty with Colleen. Adam doesn’t know what really happened to Colleen that night she died but he is going to do his best to protect himself and his friends – he is already on his “second” chance by attending this reform school and he can’t afford to get into deeper trouble.
The other players in this story all have a roll to play and I did figure out who the murderer was halfway through the story, but I did enjoy trying to piece things together.
Triggers: drinking, drug use, death
This is a quick read and I did sort of get confused when the story jumped to the past and showed how Adam and Jenna met before but when they meet again it doesn’t seem like she knows him at all. I guess in a way it adds more suspicion to the story but it made me pause a bit.
I kind of wished there was more to the ending, it was a little rushed.
Why you should read it:
prep school girl/reform school boy trope
quick read
entertaining trying to figure out what really happened
Why you might not want to read it:
lacking character development
rushed ending
past/present timeline
My Thoughts:
This was a very quick read and I enjoyed trying to find out what was going on. I do wish there was more character development and the ending wasn’t so rushed but I think if you just take this story as is, it’s quick, entertaining and if you like the rich girl/bad boy tropes you will enjoy this one.
📚~Yolanda
About the Author:
Gabriella Lepore is a YA author from South Wales in the United Kingdom. She lives in the countryside with her husband James and daughter Sophia. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can usually be found exploring the coastline. She enjoys cups of tea, bookstore coffee shops, stormy beaches, and autumn days.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Categories: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Family
Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise, though, she’s turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren’t allowed into America.
But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. Thankfully, there’s not much a trained acrobat like Val can’t overcome when she puts her mind to it.
As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, audition for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.
Then one night, the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val’s dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.
Stacey Lee knows how to write young adult historical fiction where we care about the characters. I especially love that she writes about Asian characters because I am always learning something new! I was a sophomore in college when Titanic, the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio came out and I watched it three times in the theater and countless times after on tv. It is ingrained in me. But Luck of the Titanic tells the tale loosely based on the fact that there were Chinese men and women on board the Titanic. That was news to me so I went into this book very interested.
Valora is half English/half Chinese and is looking for her twin brother. She hitches a plan to get onto the Titanic and does find her brother. The reunion between them is great and this is how we meet the other Chinese men on board and what a cast of characters they are. They grew on me as we learned some of their back stories. The story also mentions The Chinese Exclusion Act which I knew nothing about or if I did learn that in history class decades ago, I have forgotten. But this law didn’t allow Chinese immigrants into the USA for a long time, even though they found other ways to go around it. We get a taste of the discrimination and racism directed towards the Chinese from both the upper class and lower class passengers.
Valora and Jamie’s relationship is the main focus of the story as she tries to persuade him to go to America with him. They have been apart for a long time and with their parents both gone, they only have one another. Valora gets to know Jamie’s friends and they become their own chosen family. Of course they are on the Titanic though…and we know the Titanic means tragedy. So if you are looking for a happy ending, this book is not it.
The whole cast of characters were great and it’s the Titanic so there were all kinds of people on this huge ship. I think we got a glimpse of it in this book.
This was a very fast read, even as it starts slow, you know it’s building to a tragic end with the Titanic about to sink. In the span of time Valora, Jamie and their friends spend on the Titanic they become a family, Valora even experiences the beginnings of what could be love, the twins are united and even perform acrobats like they did as kids – they have a time on the Titanic before tragedy strikes.
Triggers: racism, death
The Titanic movie is ingrained in me so there were times, it reminded me of the movie! Valora getting on the ship by any means like Jack did, Jamie falling for an upper class passenger like how Jack and Rose fell for one another.
It’s a slow beginning with Valora finding Jamie and then Valora trying to convince Jamie to join the circus and move to America with her. I was waiting for the Titanic to hit ice halfway through the book because that is the exciting and tragic parts of any Titanic story but it comes more towards the end. So the ending felt rushed.
It’s a sad ending, bittersweet – there were some happy endings so that’s a good thing, but overall the whole tragedy of the Titanic is sad.
Why you should read it:
The story honoring the 8 Chinese onboard the Titanic is important
you learn a lot
it’s a lovely yet tragic story about family
Why you might not want to read it:
slow beginning, Titanic doesn’t hit ice until way late in the book
sad ending – the whole Titanic tragedy is sad
My Thoughts:
I ended up reading this book very quickly despite the slow beginning. I think because I know the Titanic story through the movie, I was waiting for the action and the moment the ship started to sink. In the book it doesn’t come until later so I was racing through just to get to it. Though slow, the story about Valora and Jamie is a beautifully sad one about family. When Valora befriends his crew, then the story also becomes one about chosen family. This one is tragic, but beautifully written and we learn more about what the Chinese went through in the past. Stacey Lee is a great storyteller and I look forward to her next book.
