Dragonfruit by. Makiia Lucier | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Dragonfruit

Author: Makiia Lucier

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 4/9/24

Publisher: Clarion Books

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dragons, Mythology, Pacific Islander

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Clarion Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From acclaimed author Makiia Lucier, a dazzling, romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology.

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a painful illness, and unpaid debt … gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning.

Every wish demands a price.

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time – hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself.

Content Warning: violence

I was attracted to this book because of the book cover and it’s inspired by Pacific Islander mythology which is so rare to see in books! And since I live in Hawaii, the premise really called to me and I wanted to see how dragons fit into this story.

The seadragons and the lore about the dragonfruit eggs were pretty interesting. Hanalei has a connection to them and everyone is hunting these dragon eggs. The sentient tattoos turning into animals was also really cool. I think the world-building was very creative and I liked seeing the Pacific Islands represented in the characters and landscape. There is a lot of adventure as they searched for these eggs, they even have to deal with pirates.

As far as the characters though, I can’t say I connected to anyone. I did like Sam and his relationship with his grandmother, because family is important in Pacific Islander culture, so I liked that it was present in this book and nice that the Tamarind throne is ruled by a matriarch.

It’s promoted as romantic fantasy but I felt like there was no romance at all, so this one felt like it would be perfect for teen readers and younger young adults or those that like minimal romance in their fantasies.

My Thoughts:

This story has great world-building and the story is filled with adventure with seadragons and pirates but I was left wanting more. I didn’t really connect to the characters and I really wish there was more to the romance since it’s billed as a romantic fantasy.

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The Lake House by. Sarah Beth Durst | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Lake House

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 356

Publication Date: 4/25/2023

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Mental Health, Survival, Horror, Paranormal

Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired – her worst-case scenarios never actually come true.

Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge – and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana.

When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, something, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows. Something that refuses to let them leave.

Content Warning: survival, violence, injuries, anxiety, death

+ The book cover is what made me want to read this book! It’s so dark and creepy plus the font use in the title is giving, 70’s horror vibes.

+ Surviving off-grid in the wilderness? A killer out there? Oh this story was filled with lots of tense moments. All I could think about was how smart these three girls were even though they could have been freaking out. Not to say they didn’t freak out, especially Claire, who is dealing with major anxiety, but I love how no matter how scared things got – they worked together to stay alive. There is a lot of time to get to know each girl also, they each have an interesting backstory, but Claire is the main character.

+ I thought there were some pretty good plot twists and the action was really good.

~ I kind of wish there was more explanation of the thing haunting the island. I understood it as it was explained but because there was a paranormal element to it. I think it would have been cool to have hints about in in the beginning of the book, at least more of the lore of the island.

~ There is a lot of down time where the girls talk about their lives which is fine since we have to get to know them. But we are in Claire’s head/thoughts a lot…I think too much at times.

My Final Thoughts:

I think this one is perfect for teen readers! It’s not too much horror, but I thought the being off-grid part and knowing there is a killer in the dark woods around them definitely added a lot of tension to the story. I liked how these girls worked through their weakness to come together as a strong team. They had some funny moments together too which was nice especially in the situation they were in. I did wish it had a little more horror and thrills and maybe less therapy sessions between the girls but I still found it entertaining. And at least it did bring up issues that teen girls may be facing so that part makes it relatable.

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The Poisons We Drink by. Bethany Baptiste | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Poisons We Drink

Author: Bethany Baptiste

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 3/26/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Politics, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a country divided between humans and witches, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family.

Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her.

Then an enemy’s iron bullet kills her mother, Venus’s life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother’s killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.’s most influential politicians.

As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it’s hard to tell who to trust…Herself included.

Content Warning: violence, racism, language, death

There were some really cool things that stand out in this story like the world-building. I love that it’s a world where witches and humans don’t get along. The witches we follow are Venus and Janus Stoneheart who are young women who brew potions. I liked that the witches in this book actually did a lot of witchcraft! Another aspect I liked was the theme of family and the complicated relationships we can have in one. The really loved the familial bond the sisters had with their cousin Tyrell. There is a also romance taking place with Venus and her ex-best friend Presley, which was a nice addition to the story. I love the diversity being represented!

Venus is a potion maker but she’s also fighting this dark sentient being inside her who wants to unleash violence. She’s also trying to figure out who killed her mom and there are a lot of political undercurrents happening between the witches and humans. I found Venus to be a really strong character who was always looking out for her sister.

My attention started to drift in the middle of the book and I can’t really pinpoint why – it could have just been my mood.

My Thoughts:

My favorite parts of this book was the witchcraft, world-building and family themes. Also I really do love the cover! I thought it was an entertaining read except for the parts in the middle which dragged a little. There is a lot of profanity in this one so if you don’t like that, this isn’t for you. If you like to read young adult urban fantasy books about witches and politics, you will like this one.

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Ciao For Now by. Kate Bromley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Ciao For Now

Author: Kate Bromley

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 316

Publication Date: 6/6/2023

Categories: Romance, Fashion Design, Italy, Contemporary

When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor’s surly son, sparks fly!

With her thirties rapidly approaching and a mountain of student debt looming over her, Violet Luciano’s dream of finishing design school and working in fashion has cost her everything. So when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she brings her A game to Italy. With nothing left to lose, Violet plans to win the competition among the interns for the ultimate prize—a job at a New York label.

But when a coffee run goes wrong and Violet accidentally destroys a stranger’s laptop, all of the apology Americanos in the world won’t help her. Because it turns out that the man from the café is Matteo, her professor’s eternally grumpy son, who thinks she’s a clumsy American…and maybe a stalker. Their animosity (and undeniable chemistry) grows as together they’re forced to face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home…with the person they can’t stand the most.

The more time she spends with him, the more distracted she finds herself. With her chance to win the competition slipping out of her grasp, Violet has to decide whether to say ciao to Matteo—or ciao to her dreams.

Content Warning:

This story takes place in Italy which is always a fun setting for a romance. Violet is an aspiring fashion designer and is chosen with two other students to go to Italy for a one-month internship. She meets Matteo/Matt, who is the son of one of her professors and it’s not the best first meeting. But over the course of the month, sparks fly, and I think you know what happens. So yes it’s predictable but still kind of fun. I especially love her friend Marco, who is younger than her but very supportive and funny.

As for the conflict between Matt and Violet, it’s all due to Violet and her self-doubt but they eventually work things out after some time apart. It wasn’t anything too dramatic.

My Final Thoughts:

I felt like this one was a quick light romance story which would be perfect for a beach or pool read. It’s set in Italy which is fun and perfect for a little romantic escape.

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BLOG TOUR } Talk Bookish to Me by. Kate Bromley | ARC Review + Excerpt ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BLOG TOUR} Here for the Drama by. Kate Bromley | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

One Last Breath by. Ginny Myers Sain | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: One Last Breath

Author: Ginny Myers Sain

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, LGBT+, True Crime, 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 G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readersfor giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste’s murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long-dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she’s supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders – and the death of her own sister – invade her every thought. It’s only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell-bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can’t resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio…along with their other-worldy connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red.

Content Warning: death, alcoholism, violence

This was an interesting read with a few twists in the story but it is a slow burn of a mystery. I felt like the first half was so slow but I did feel the setting was pretty immersive. I could feel that Florida humidity and mosquito bites just from the descriptions. It’s definitely a summer vibe kind of book and does take place before Tru is supposed to go off to college. Tru comes from a broken home, her father is a deadbeat, her mom is grieving and dealing with it through alcohol and her older sister, Dani was killed years ago in a hit and run.

Tru does have a bit of a awakening as she is steadfast in love with her best friend since forever, East, but then meets a girl Rio who intrigues her. There is a twist to their attraction though.

And throughout this story this town is the place where murders that happened years ago that people are obsessed with, including Tru. When Rio comes along, the both of them do some digging and find out the truth. I think I caught on quick who was the suspect and I was right. There is a lot that happens in the second half of the book which is what helped hold my attention. Also I don’t know that the paranormal aspect of the story worked for me

My Thoughts:

Overall, this one was too slow for me but the ending is where most of the action happens. I thought the twists were interesting but I didn’t quite vibe with the paranormal stuff going on. I think if you love mysteries you will really enjoy this one but for me it was just okay.

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Dark and Shallow Lies by. Ginny Myers Sain | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Bad Like Us by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bad Like Us

Author: Gabriella Lepore

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 281

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, Teen Readers

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!

Two friend groups collide when someone turns up dead over spring break in this heart-thumping YA thriller for fans of One of Us Is Lying and We Were Liars

Spring break is a vibe—until someone gets murdered

Partying with popular classmates they barely know is not what Eva and her BFFs had in mind for their spring break. But things have been off ever since Miles’ academic career took a turn for the worse (they don’t talk about it), so a trip to a private beach lodge might be exactly what they need. And Eva won’t admit it, but the chance to reconnect with Colton is worth putting up with Piper’s constant livestreams to her thousands of “besties.”

At first, it’s all sand and waves, but tensions run high when an anonymous letter shakes up an already-flailing love triangle.

When someone turns up dead, Eva can’t even trust her closest friends—but she thinks she can trust Colton. As they get closer to the truth, they uncover secrets that upend everything they thought they knew about their fellow spring breakers.

Content Warning: death

I’ve read two other books from this author and enjoyed both but this one feels made for lower young adult readers. It’s definitely for the teen readers.

A group of teens go to a remote location for Spring Break, but things get out of hand when one of them ends up dead. This is a short book, coming in at under 300 pages so it’s a quick read. A lot of the story happens during their time at the private beach lodge but there are flashbacks leading up to the spring break trip which gives us insights into some of the main characters. There is a lot of suspicion between the characters as they try and figure out if one of them is the killer. My guess was mostly right but there was more in the reveal that I didn’t expect.

It was an okay read, but I wanted more thrills and suspense.

My Thoughts:

This was a quick read and I think it would appeal to teenagers. I do wish there were more thrills and suspense but overall it was an okay read.

Book Links:

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BLOG TOUR} This is Why We Lie by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last One to Fall by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Summer She Went Missing by. Chelsea Ichaso | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Summer She Went Missing

Author: Chelsea Ichaso

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Last summer, they searched for Audrey Covington. This summer, they’ll search for the truth. Paige Redmond has always felt lucky to spend her summers in Clearwater Ridge, with lazy days sunning at the waterfalls and nights partying at the sprawling houses of the rich families who vacation there. The Covingtons are one of these families, and beautiful, brilliant Audrey Covington is Paige’s best friend. And last year, when Audrey’s crush-worthy brother Dylan finally started noticing Paige, she was sure it would be the best summer ever. Except Audrey didn’t seem quite like herself. Then one night, she didn’t come home. Though Audrey wasn’t the first girl to disappear in Clearwater Ridge, she left behind more lies than clues. Now, one summer later, her case has gone cold, and nobody, least of all Paige, can make sense of what happened. When Paige stumbles across a secret hidden in Audrey’s room, however, it changes everything she thought she knew about last summer. She and Dylan set out on their own investigation, discovering things even the police don’t know about the people of Clearwater Ridge. But tracking down missing girls―girls who might be beyond saving by now―means entering a world far darker than Paige has ever imagined. And if she isn’t careful, she’ll become the next girl to vanish.

Content Warning: missing girl

This is a mystery about a girl that goes missing and her case goes cold but her brother, Dylan and her best friend, Paige decide to do their own investigation and find out what happened to Audrey. They realize there are a few cases that may tie into Audrey’s disappearance so they follow the clues.

There is a twist in the end that I did enjoy but I felt like most of the book didn’t do anything for me until that part. I didn’t really connect to the characters but I thought it was cool that Paige and Dylan teamed up together since they’ve known each other for so long. Overall, this was just an okay book for me.

My Thoughts:

Mystery lovers will enjoy this one, but it didn’t do much for me.

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Snowglobe by. Soyoung Park | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Snowglobe

Author: Soyoung Park

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 2/27/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Suspense

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a world of constant winter, only the citizens of the climate-controlled city of Snowglobe can escape the bitter cold—but this perfect society is hiding dark and dangerous secrets within its frozen heart.

Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city.

The residents of Snowglobe have fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves.

Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life.

Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach.

Translated for the first time into English from the original Korean.

Content Warning: death

I have to start off by saying this is translated from Korean to English and for the most part it’s a pretty good translation with some words here and there that were a little off.

I haven’t read in a dystopia book in awhile and this sounded interesting! Famous and wealthy people live in a place called Snowglobe and everyone else lives outside of it. But people get to watch what happens in Snowglobe on their tvs. Plus Earth is in a deep, deep frost so everyone outside of Snowglobe is dealing with freezing temperatures and life is a struggle. Chobahm is one of these people who lives outside of Snowglobe and works in a factory with her family. She gets a chance to go there, she takes it without knowing what she is getting into.

When I started reading this book I didn’t know what was going on and then I told myself to think of it like the k-dramas I watch and I got into the story! I think what I really enjoyed were the twists in the story that come past the halfway point. The twists really surprised me and I was hoping for a resolution to the story but this is only the first book in a series it seems.

I don’t know if I will read the second book only because like I said some of the translations felt off but the twists were really pretty good and makes me want to find out what happens next.

My Thoughts:

This one was really interesting but some of the translations were kind of off which made some of my reading experience not the smoothest. I did love the dystopian atmosphere and the twists in the story though, and thought this would make a pretty cool K-drama show or series. I’m not sure if I will read the sequel but I do want to see what happens next, so we shall see.

Book Links:

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Compass and Blade by. Rachel Greenlaw | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Compass and Blade

Author: Rachel Greenlaw

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 2/27/24

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Sirens, Pirates

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!

This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.

On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the truth: that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.

When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.

With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is this: The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.

Content Warning: violence

+ I feel like this story started off strong. Mira and her friends and family on Rosevear are wreckers. When a ship wrecked on their shores, they pillaged the ship for survival. The world-building is interesting because it’s a world of survival in the seas and islands around Rosevear. There are pirates, magic and sirens.

+~ I liked the found friendship Mira has with the crew that takes her on her journey but again it would have been nice to get to know each of them more. The story needs more character building.

+~ The story moved quickly but at times I think too quickly. I wanted to learn more about the wreckers but Mira leaves the island right away into the story, so she can help save her friend and her dad who were caught by the watchers and are about to be hung. So she basically island hops in order to find this treasure her mother left for her and she thinks whatever this treasure is, can help her save her dad. I wanted to learn more about the Sirens but I just think we needed more world-building in general.

~ Mira was an interesting character until we had to follow her on this journey to find the treasure and she just came off so naive in so many situations. She falls for a boy she hardly knows – this story takes place in the span of one week – and her feelings for him puts her in the worst situations. Not to mention, he betrays her multiple times and she forgives him the first time! This girl had no business going on this journey without anyone she could trust, but she wanted to be a hero. And also she feels other things about another boy so yes there is a love triangle brewing. I was pretty frustrated with her as a character by the end.

My Thoughts:

This book had so much potential because I like a good pirate book but the more I read, the more Mira, the MC seemed so naive and clueless. I think she has a chance in book two to really embrace the side of her that will wreck vengeance on her enemies but yeah this book was just okay. I did feel like the writing is for a younger audience but there is a sex scene. Anyway, this was somewhat entertaining despite the love triangle, and the issues I have with the main character. I would love for more world-building and character building in the next book but I’m not even sure I want to read the next book!

Book Links:

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The Bad Ones by. Melissa Albert | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Bad Ones

Author: Melissa Albert

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 2/20/24

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Suspense, Contemporary, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Mystery

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Flatiron Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goddess, goddess, count to five
In the morning, who’s alive?

In the course of a single winter’s night, four people vanish without a trace across a small town.

Nora’s estranged best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to untangle the truth of Becca’s disappearance, she discovers a darkness in her town’s past, as well as a string of coded messages Becca left for her to unravel. These clues lead Nora to a piece of local folklore: a legendary goddess of forgotten origins who played a role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games…

An arresting, crossover horror fantasy threaded with dark magic, THE BAD ONES is a poison-pen love letter to semi-toxic best friendship, the occult power of childhood play and artistic creation, and the razor-thin line between make-believe and belief.

Content Warning: semi-toxic friendship, missing people, grooming, death of a parent, death

+ What interested me in reading this book was this line “the occult power of childhood play and artistic creation, and the razor-thin line between make-believe and belief” because as a kid in the 80’s, all we did was make-believe play but I remember also when we played with Ouija boards and wanted to find ghosts or spirits or was fascinated with ghost stories. So in many instances does this book speak to my childhood and young adult self. It reminded me of kids yelling “bloody mary”, or singing that rhyme from Freddy Kruger movies “one two, Freddy’s coming for you…” that stuff freaked me out as a kid so I wanted to see if this book would give me that same creepy feeling.

+ Four people go missing, one of them is Nora’s best friend, Becca. Becca has had a hard life with her parents dying and her being all alone except for Nora. But their friendship changes along the way and becomes a bit toxic when they start playing the goddess game. The Goddess Game is something born of an urban legend at their high school, there is a story, but people have different versions of it. I loved how Becca and Nora was so creative and created their kingdom and made more goddesses!

+ The writing really is immersive and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened to these missing people and what happened to Nora and Becca. Also something was happening to Nora and I just needed answers. I felt like the author really captures their semi-toxic friendship though, and their emotional journeys with one another.

~ I kept reading because the writing is wonderful but it started to drag. I didn’t feel like we were getting much details about the disappearances. I also felt like the big reveal was a disappointment which is a bummer. The story kind of glosses over why three of the people disappeared and I guess I wanted more details. Then ending feels rushed.

My Thoughts:

The book started off strong but the ending to me was rushed which is a bit disappointing. I did like all the themes in the story about grief, toxic friendship, childhood stories turning into maybe something real, and urban legends that start from a story that takes on a life of its own. I just wish it ended as strong as the beginning but I was left wanting more.