Within These Wicked Walls by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Within These Wicked Walls

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Paranormal, Fantasy, Gothic Romance, Young Adult, Ethiopian Inspired, Jane Eyre Reimagined, Lite Horror

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 an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Forgive me for not knowing right away that this is an Ethiopian inspired, Jane Eyre reimagined story. The NetGalley blurb gave no indication of it but when I went to Goodreads after I read the book, I was surprised. In a way, I liked not knowing it was Jane Eyre inspired because as I read the book I kept wondering why it kept reminding me of one of my favorite books! So in that instance, it did it’s job in capturing the classic story.

Within These Wicked Walls is a mash-up of everything I was craving! It is set in a very unique location where the cleansing takes place in a castle, but in a desert landscape and our main character Andromeda is a debtera. She is trained to exorcise households cursed by the Evil Eye. The house she is currently exorcising has walls that bleed and a Librarian demon that threatens people by leaving books open to a certain quote. Be still my heart! Then there is Andromeda’s conflicted relationship with the man who raised her and of course the new young man in her life, her employer – an eccentric, sometimes sweet, sometimes oblivious guy named Magnus. Put this altogether and for me, at least, it was a match made in light horror heaven.

I found the debtera and exorcisms unique. I liked how they used amulets for protection. I liked how the house is a horror show (and I’m a wimp with horror) with staff disappearing and residents getting hurt. Andromeda was trained to be a debtera by the man who raised her, Jember. Andromeda is a great character. She is tough and independent because how she was raised but still good at heart. A secondary character I loved as well was Saba who showed Andromeda love through action.

It’s because of Jember, Andromeda finds herself in a challenging spot with Magnus and this job to cleanse his house. She didn’t finish her training and is unlicensed, so patronage through Magnus is her best bet to make a living. It’s that or survive on the streets. Eventually she realizes cleansing the house would mean more to her than a patronage, it would mean helping the people she has come to care about.

I realized it was a Jane Eyre retelling when Andromeda and Magnus would interact. The banter between them is so good, and the longing made me swoon. They balanced each other out, Magnus trying to open Andromeda to fun and affection, and Andromeda grounding Magnus when he was losing himself.

Triggers: abuse, depression, blood, violence, death, gore, toxic relationships, kidnapped

I think some people will have a problem with the insta-love between Magnus and Andromeda. But I didn’t mind because it’s a Jane Eyre retelling, and the reason I love Jane Eyre was because of Jane and Mr. Rochester. So yes, give me the insta-love.

The abusive relationship is hard to swallow but Andromeda confronts Jember about it and makes her peace with him in the end. Could I be as forgiving as Andromeda? I don’t think I could but who knows if I were in her shoes?

I’ve been looking for something different to read and this was unique and familiar at the same time so it checked all the boxes for me! I read this book in one sitting. I loved how it was creepy enough but it didn’t scare me, it had a lot of action and the story was filled with all the romance drama I was craving. I love this reimagined story of Jane Eyre.

📚 ~ Yolanda

BLOG TOUR } The Keeper of Night by. Kylie Lee Baker | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for The Keeper of Night by. Kylie Lee Baker!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Keeper of Night

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 10/12/21

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Fantasy, Japanese Mythology, Young Adult, Romance

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.

Julie Kagawa meets Scythe in this captivating and evocative journey into Death’s domain as one soul collector seeks her place in the underworld of 1890s Japan. Book 1 of a planned duology.

Death is her destiny.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough yearns for the acceptance she has never found among the Reapers who raised her. When the Shinigami powers she can no longer hide force her to flee for her life, Ren and her younger brother—the only being on earth to care for her—travel to Japan and the dark underworld of Yomi, where Ren hopes to claim her place among the Shinigami and finally belong.

But the Goddess of Death is no more welcoming than the Reapers who raised her, and Ren finds herself set on an impossible task—find and kill three yokai demons, and maybe, just maybe, she can earn a place in Death’s service. With only her brother and an untrustworthy new ally by her side, Ren will learn how far she’ll go to win the acceptance she craves, and whether the cost of belonging is worth any sacrifice.

The Keeper of Night is a fascinating take on Reapers and Japanese Mythology. Ren is half Japanese/half British, half Reaper/half Shinigami and all she wants is to belong somewhere and not be half of anything. When something happens in London, she is banished from the Reapers and basically makes her way all the way to Japan to try and be a Shinigami, something similar to Reapers. In tow is her half-brother Neven, who barely knows Japanese. Ren can get by on what’s she’s learned on her own but Japan is nothing like London. In order to become a Shinigami she has to complete a few quests, taking out powerful Yokai (spirits/demons). If Ren accomplishes her tasks then she will become a Shinigami and say goodbye to her Reaper past.

It’s been awhile since I read a book with Japanese Mythology and this one is cool because it involves Yokai! Okay yes, I did learn what yokai was from that tv show my son used to watch, Yokai Watch. Yokai in this book are scary!. But Ren isn’t one to be frightened of them (much) she was once a Reaper. I thought the Reapers were pretty cool, with their clocks to pause time, it definitely came in handy when Ren was killing Yokai.

Ren is going through a struggle – she’s done with the Reapers, who do not want her anyway. She wants to embrace her Japanese side and become a Shinigami but it’s not so easy. She’s a morally gray character, doing whatever it takes to achieve her goals but at what cost? Neven who made the choice to stay with her is getting hurt physically and emotionally in the process. But she sees it to the end even when the unexpected happens.

I thought the secondary characters did their job in keeping Ren conflicted. Neven is the sweetest brother but he loved being a Reaper – it’s his identity. It’s only half of Ren’s identity though and she is struggling with all of it. Neven is her moral compass. As for Hiro, he comes off like a good guy but with that suspicious dark gleam in his black eyes. He helps Ren by giving her intel about the Yokai and feelings grow between them but there is more to him that meets the eye.

This story is dark with death a constant theme and the Yokai are scary and creepy spirits/demons. I love that the story is action packed when it comes to taking down the Yokai.

Triggers: gory scenes, violence, death, hurting a Yokai in the form of a child

The story starts off to a quick start then there is a little lull when Ren reaches Japan, which is to be expected as she gets her bearings in a country so totally different than England. Luckily they meet Hiro who helps them navigate this Underworld in Japan and help explain the Yokai to Ren and Neven.

Why you should read it:

unique world building of Reapers, Shinigami and the Japanese Underworld
morally gray main character
lots of action when Ren is fighting the Yokai

Why you might not want to read it:

some gory scenes
cliffhanger
dark story

My Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this dark story. It took me a few days to read, but I had fun with the Yokai and horror scenes (and I can’t even watch horror movies) – what is it with Japanese horror and girls with long hair covering their faces? Just the imagery alone freaks me out but the story was intriguing too. A half Japanese girl trying to find where she belongs and doing anything she can to achieve her goals made me interested in how far she would go or if she would ever pull back. The twist in the end makes me want to read the next book.

📚 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing and Spanish from Emory University and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she watches horror movies, plays the cello, and bakes too many cookies. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.

https://www.kylieleebaker.com/

Twitter: @KylieYamashiro

Instagram: @kylieleebaker

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56030267-the-keeper-of-night

The Prison Healer by. Lynette Noni | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Prison Healer (#1)

Author: Lynette Noni

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 4/13/21

Publisher: Clarion Books

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

I wasn’t sure why I bought this book. I was craving something, a dark fantasy, something with a little romance and just a different setting than the fantasies I have been reading. I’ve always been attracted to this book cover and the reviews I’ve read so far have been really good so I took the plunge and bought it.

I read this in one sitting and it had everything I was looking for! It’s a dark story, with Kiva living in a death prison – she is the prison healer so she’s seen it all. The book doesn’t shy away from pain, violence, and all the scary things that would happen in a prison. We get to know Kiva, she is strong, she has lived through trauma and she is a survivor. Kiva also has some secrets she keeps very closely guarded.

The setting of the prison was basically that but I didn’t feel trapped there. I felt like with the mysterious illness going on and Kiva trying to investigate it, we get to explore the prison grounds more. There is also the matter of the Trials of Ordeals that Kiva takes on to help save a prisoner, the leader of the rebel group planning against their kingdom. Tilda, the rebel is barely coherent to take part in the trials so Kiva takes her place. With those two things going on in the story, prison life was definitely not boring.

I enjoyed getting to know the other characters in the prison as well. I love her little assistant, Tipp. Kiva makes new friends with a guard Naari, who is awesome and a new prisoner Jaren, who I love so far. I found Jaren strangely flirty for a new prisoner in a death prison, which made me suspicious of him haha but yes there is a little bit of romance between them but it’s not the focus of the story – Kiva is trying to keep everyone and herself alive. Still, I love how their relationship is a slow burn.

I love the twist at the end – it wasn’t a shocking surprise because throughout the book I was suspecting everything and anything, but it was still cool how it was executed and how it made me second guess certain aspects of the book. Still it was quite a cliffhanger for the story, it makes you want book two asap!

Content Warnings: self harm, violence, torture, whipping, blood, mentions of rape and assault, drug use, death

This is a dark story and it has a lot of stuff mentioned in the content warnings above so beware.

I felt like the Trial of Ordeals was a tad bit underwhelming – not the tasks in itself because some were pretty crazy, they were meant to kill her of course. I just thought she was pretty calm about facing each ordeal but I guess she had a lot on her plate with her secret messages, keeping people alive, trying to find out the origin of the virus taking place and just surviving daily. I wanted some panic and planning at least but I guess she couldn’t do much about it.

Why you should read it:

you enjoy dark fantasy with a little bit a romance
a wonderful cast of characters
a good twist at the end

Why you might not want to read it:

too dark (read content warnings)

My Thoughts:

I absolutely enjoyed this book because it had everything I was craving! I want to know more about Kiva (after that ending) and I love all the other characters so it makes me want to read book two ASAP. I’m lucky that the next book comes out very soon.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Hawthorne Legacy by. Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games, #2)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 9/7/21

Publisher: Penguin

Categories: Young Adult, Inheritance, Puzzles, Riddles, Mystery, Romance, Contemporary

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions – including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she’s not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture – by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

Well, well, well…the twists keep on keeping in this series, doesn’t it? Avery, the Hawthornes and friends are on the move to break the case of Toby Hawthorne and how Avery fits into the inheritance Tobias Hawthorne left her. So did they figure it out?

I love the puzzles and riddles of course and it’s what made me love the series in the first place. We get more of it here, but more like a scavenger hunt because they have to travel places to find things. This book is fast pace – by the end of it, I was like wait…is it over? Book three can’t come soon enough.

I love Max! Max is Avery’s best friend and honestly I’m so glad she was here for book two. I love her humor and penchant for substituting her curse words. Speaking of friends – Libby who is Avery’s sister doesn’t have a huge role here but I still love that she is Avery’s only family really.

We do get to know more about Toby’s past which is great! There is a whole backstory there and this is the sequel to tell it.

My team Grayson standing did not go well for me in this book! 😔 But that’s okay – I felt like Avery was busy finding clues than concentrating on romance which is understandable. Jameson is fine, but yeah I was over the love triangle between Avery and the brothers in this one. I don’t mind love triangles but when there is two brothers involved? It sucks! Also I didn’t feel like Avery had much a connection to either them, almost like either them will do – until the end, of course.

There was too much going on. I felt like there were too many characters to keep up with and plot points! I think in book one, we were being introduced to them so I could keep it straight but add Toby’s back story and I need a white board and pen to make some diagrams on who is connected to who! There were so many twists ad turns, I got a bit dizzy.

How many times are they going to talk about invisible ink? Haha…that was super repetitive.

Why you should read it:

if you read the first book, read this one to learn more about Toby Hawthorne
To find out who will win Avery’s heart
To get more time with Max because she’s fun

Why you might not want to read it:

love triangle with brothers
too much filler, too much going on

My Thoughts:

Even though I had my little issues with the book, it’s a second book in the series and I’ll let it slide because I was still entertained. I still flew through the book quickly and I’m looking forward to book three!

📚~ Yolanda

Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society, #1) by. Leia Scott | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society,#1)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 262

Publication Date: 8/29/21

Publisher: Leia Stone

Categories: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, New Adult

Vampires are the spawn of the devil. Evil to the core… or so I thought, until one of them saves my life.

As a member of the House of Rose, a division of the Vampire Hunter Society, I’ve got one of the highest kill records on file. I track my mark and don’t stop until the job is done.

That is, until my mark saves my life. Luka Drake isn’t like the vampires I’ve been hunting for the past five years, and despite the fact that he’s a vampire prince fresh out of Magic City Prison for committing God knows what crime, I can’t kill him.

My only other option is to walk away and pretend our paths never crossed. I’m about to pull it off but Luka pulls me back, and in the worst way possible, in a way that changes everything.

This is a full-length slow burn paranormal romance for readers that love Jaymin Eve, Linsey Hall and K.F. Breene.

I’ve read some other works by Leia Stone but I did not read the Wolf Girl series that precedes this Vampire Hunter Society series – but even without reading it, I got introduced to some characters from Wolf Girl and didn’t feel lost. But now I might need to go read the whole thing.

I really like how much happens in this first book of the series. We meet Aspen who is a vampire hunter from the House of Rose, she gets assigned to take out a royal vampire, Luka Drake but things don’t go as planned. What happens instead is a hunter and vampire gets bonded together and things get very complicated!

The plot twists were good and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series just to see what happens to Aspen and her best friend/sister Liv. Aspen is nineteen years old and is a strong vampire hunter, but when things get complicated she realizes she doesn’t know everything about the vampire hunters. There are secrets she has stumbled on, very deadly ones!

Luka is a royal vampire but I like how he isn’t such an alpha male. He shows some vulnerability, at least with Aspen through their bond, and it will be interesting to get to know him better in the next book when we are in vampire territory. Yes there is an attraction between Aspen and Luka which is instant because of the fast moving events that took place in the beginning of the book, but it’s still a slow burn because nothing has really happened between them except for a kiss, a hot kiss!

Triggers: violence

The biggest issue I have with these types of books is the cliffhanger and how short they are BUT…I see the next book comes out at the end of September – thank goodness! I can wait 30 days.

The vampire hunters, especially the ones from the House of Rose such as Aspen and Liv are very religious. I thought it was interesting since bonding with Luka made her question a lot of things outside of her hunter scripture.

Why you should read it:

you love vampires
it’s a quick read, addictive and the sequel comes out very soon
a few twists in the story that make you want to find out more
Luka and Aspen

Why you might not want to read it:

cliffhanger ending (but the wait for next book isn’t long!)
Aspen is a bit naive but she is 19 and a devout hunter (she does grow a little in this book though)

My Thoughts:

I totally escaped into this story as it caught my interest right away. There is a lot of action, it is fast paced and I love a good vampire story! Tt will be interesting to see what happens in book two. I found Luka’s friends to be really cool and I will probably now read the Wolf Girl series just to see how he gained their loyalty. Great start to a new series!

📚~Yolanda

Lakesedge by. Lyndall Clipstone | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Lakesedge (World at the Lake’s Edge, #1)

Author: Lyndall Clipstone

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/28/21

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)

Categories: Gothic Fantasy, Young Adult, Dark Romance

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

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A lush gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake. Perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Brigid Kemmerer.

There are monsters in the world.

When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem.

There are monsters in the woods.

As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…

There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name.

Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.

I had to request this book because of that cover! It’s gorgeous and dark, it gives off gothic vibes right away.

Lakesedge is really in its gothic element with the setting of Lakesedge estate and the owner Rowan who is thought to have drowned his whole family. The lake is black and creepy, the estate is large and old, but empty. Then there is sister and brother, Leta and Arien. Shadows haunt Leta’s brother Arien and you just know something isn’t right in this town – but what is going on? What are these shadows and why does Rowan want Arien and his shadows so much?

Rowan has hired an alchemist, Clover, and now needs Leta’s brother as well to help get rid of the darkness and blight that is overtaking Lakesedge and neighboring towns. Rowan is a brooding, tortured character at first but he does open up to Leta who is his opposite. She is light, stubborn, equally as damaged but her love for Arien eclipses everything. We learn about Rowan’s mysterious past and his deal with Lord Under, and his dangerous blood tithes. But then Leta has a secret too and it throws Rowan’s plans off course.

Rowan and Leta’s love is surrounded in darkness. It is bleak, it’s filled with longing, but steamy nonetheless! Leta is not afraid of him even when she should have been, his monster side should have made her afraid. But also, what is up with Lord Under? I got Persephone/Hades vibe with him and Leta. Is there something between them or is this purely business on Lord Under’s part? I don’t know.

I enjoyed the side characters, Arien because he is a sweet boy and Leta’s only family and I wanted to see him saved. And the alchemist, Clover, was fun, an LGBT rep and she brought a light-heartedness to the crew that was missing, I also liked learning how she used alchemy.

Triggers: self harm, abuse by a parent, grief, drowning, death, suicidal ideation

This is a dark story so there is self harm with Rowan’s blood tithes to the Corruption and other situations that might be triggering.

It has a cliffhanger ending – to the point I was confused. I was frustrated that it ended that way especially not knowing if there was a sequel or not. So be aware – cliffhanger ending!

There is a steamy scene between Rowan and Leta but it is beautifully written.

Why you should read it:

gothic vibes get you into the Halloween/fall/dark mood
dark romance: very broody, lots of longing, emo, sexy and with teeth (haha)
Lord Under – just to find out what is going on with him and Leta

Why you might not want to read it:

dark story
cliffhanger ending

My Thoughts:

This one sucked me in with Arien’s mysterious dark shadows and rumors about Rowan drowning his family in the lake! I read it in one sitting because the writing lured me in but that cliffhanger totally frustrated me because I wasn’t sure if it was being set up for a sequel. Overall this got me in a dark, gothic mood and it hit the spot. This would be a perfect read for spooky season or for whenever you to read a dark fantasy romance. I look forward to reading the next book.

📚~ Yolanda

The Jasmine Project by. Meredith Ireland | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: The Jasmine Project

Author: Meredith Ireland

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/7/21

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books For Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Family, Coming of Age, Contemporary

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

Thank you to Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jenny Han meets The Bachelorette in this effervescent romantic comedy about a teen Korean American adoptee who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a competition for her heart, as orchestrated by her overbearing, loving family.

Jasmine Yap’s life is great. Well, it’s okay. She’s about to move in with her long-time boyfriend, Paul, before starting a nursing program at community college—all of which she mostly wants. But her stable world is turned upside down when she catches Paul cheating. To her giant, overprotective family, Paul’s loss is their golden ticket to showing Jasmine that she deserves much more. The only problem is, Jasmine refuses to meet anyone new.

But…what if the family set up a situation where she wouldn’t have to know? A secret Jasmine Project.

The plan is simple: use Jasmine’s graduation party as an opportunity for her to meet the most eligible teen bachelors in Orlando. There’s no pressure for Jasmine to choose anyone, of course, but the family hopes their meticulously curated choices will show Jasmine how she should be treated. And maybe one will win her heart.

But with the family fighting for their favorites, bachelors going rogue, and Paul wanting her back, the Jasmine Project may not end in love but total, heartbreaking disaster.

This one is cute! It definitely gave me Jenny Han vibes and I love Jenny Han so this was definitely up my alley.

Jasmine Yap is Korean and adopted. Her adopted mom is Italian-American and her father is Filipino-American which makes for a big family. I can relate to the big Filipino family – I have so many first cousins, it’s not funny! I loved the big family parties in the story, and the family meddling and drama is on point, too.

So Jaz is at a crossroads. She’s graduating high school with plans on going to community college and follow in her mom’s footsteps to become a nurse. Also, Jaz is supposed to move in with her high school boyfriend, Paul, until plans change and he gets caught cheating on her. Jaz’s family, and I mean all of them, decides it’s time for her to start dating other guys – guys who would actually show Jaz she’s special.

I could relate to Jaz on the family side of things and going after a dream that seems unattainable. She wanted to stay safe and surrounded by family and I know that feeling because I grew up with so many people around me, it was sometimes scary to leave that. But Jaz grows a lot from dating the other guys, having conflict with the family and resolving those issues. By the end, she’s ready to spread her wings and fly.

As for the dating show part of the story, yes she is dating these boys but she doesn’t know the whole story about how they came into her life. Right off the first meetings I felt the sparks between her and Eugene! He was my choice for her all along for sure. They have a love of food and cooking and he really brought her out of her comfort zone.

Triggers: bullying, low self-esteem, toxic relationship, cheating

Jaz had low self-esteem when she was with Paul. She seemed to go along with everything he wanted, just to please him and it was nice seeing her find out what she wanted and go for it without him in the picture.

Jaz was rightfully mad when she found out what her family did – especially her sister, who had a chance to stop the podcast she made about it. Jasmine really is a sweetheart for taking time to realize why they did it (out of love for her) and forgiving them. I don’t know if I would have been so easy to forgive that quickly.

I couldn’t put this book down because it was entertaining and I related so well to Jasmine. This is a wonderful, heartfelt coming of age story that has a sweet romance, friendship, family and food – so much amazing food that it made me hungry! So if you like food and romance, you will definitely enjoy this one.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Defy the Night by. Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Defy the Night

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Format: eBook

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 9/14/21

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Kingdom Politics

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

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

From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a blockbuster fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.

The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand.

King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents’ shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King’s Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion–it’s the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited.

Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most–but it’s still not enough.

As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King’s Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it’s even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.

Set in a richly imaginative world with striking similarities to our own, Brigid Kemmerer’s captivating new series is about those with power and those without . . . and what happens when someone is brave enough to imagine a new future.

When I saw Brigid Kemmerer’s name on this book, I had to request it. I’ve read most of her contemporary works and I just finished the Cursebreakers series. I am a fan.

There is an illness ravaging the kingdom of Kandala and the king and prince who rule, try to do so by punishing anyone caught committing a crime, regardless of why they commit the crime in the first place. Tessa is someone breaking the law to help people survive this deadly illness, but if caught, it doesn’t matter that she’s doing this out of the kindness of her heart – she would be punished like the many who line the castle walls, dead and on display of their transgressions.

I liked how each character had very distinct voices, Corrick’s especially. Tessa is the bleeding heart, helping who she can. King Harristan is the young king, who was sickly as a child and his brother, Prince Corrick – he is the star of this whole show. Out of all of them he is that morally grey character, he wears different faces, he is harsh, he has the reputation of a prince who is always seeking death…but is he really that way?

We know where Tessa stands, and where King Harristan has to stand, but Prince Corrick is the one who carries out the dealings of the kingdom and it’s because of him and Tessa that the tides turn in Kandala.

There is political intrigue – sectors vying for control of the kingdom and using the Moonflowe medicine to their gain. The more Moonflower that grows in a certain sector, the more power they seem to have and the King has to give in but the people are dying while the elite play politics. The people are fed up and a rebellion grows, but who is the leader of it? Tessa and Prince Corrick try to find out before it’s too late.

The story moves along quickly! I didn’t realize it was 496 pages, it seemed shorter. I was invested in the relationships between the royal brothers and of course with Tessa and Prince Corrick. There is an enemies to lovers romance, a sweet one that gets quite complicated but all the same it made me root for them. I really came to care about the characters.

Triggers: illness, death, violence, torture

It says this is a series, but I do feel like this was Tessa and Prince Corrick’s story and it has a resolution at the end. So I wonder if the next installment will focus on King Harristan?
I’d like to see Tessa grow more and learn her apothecary art. It seems like we only get a glimpse of her knowledge because this was a fast paced story with lots of action, so we only saw a few scenes where she is actually using her own knowledge to make tinctures. We do get the sense she learned a bunch from her dad who has passed so maybe we’ll get to see more of his notes in book two.

I read this in one sitting which means it caught my attention good- especially since I’m trying to finish a bunch of other books at the same time. I loved the action and pace of the story, and the characters made me want to know more about them. This is a wonderful start to what I hope is an amazing new series!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Forest of Souls by. Lori M. Lee | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Forest of Souls (Shamanborn, #1)

Author: Lori M. Lee

Format: Hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 6/23/20

Publisher: Page Street Kids

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy

Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training to become the queen’s next royal spy, her plans are derailed when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.

And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.

Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. For centuries, he has used his influence over the Dead Wood—an ancient forest possessed by souls—to enforce peace between the kingdoms. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.

I finally got my hands on this book and I’m so glad. There is so much I enjoyed about this book. Sirscha Ashwyn is a human orphan, or so she thinks and is trying to make something of herself. She becomes entwined in a web of kingdom politics between shamans and humans. But then she is revealed as a soulguide shaman as well, so who is she really? Ronin the Spider King is keeping the fragile peace right now between the kingdoms and keeping the Dead Woods someone sated, but is he losing his power? A soulguide would be able to help control the Dead Woods but Sirscha doesn’t know much about her powers yet and suspects Ronin of something shady. Who’s side is Sirscha on?

First off I love the world building – it is very detailed. We learn about different the three dominant races in Thiy – there are humans, shadowblessed and shamans. I love the magic system and the darkness of this story. It has the scary Dead Woods that are creepy as hell and basically you have to run like crazy through it to survive. There are spiders…yuck, but pretty cool. And the fight scenes are so good, I loved it, that was maybe my most favorite part of this story.

Speaking of fight scenes, Sirscha Ashwyn is a deadly fighter and also a soulguide. She is an orphan who is trying to make a name for herself. I understood her need to be enough for someone, not knowing who she is because she never had anyone in her life except for her best friend Saengo by her side. Sirscha is always trying to prove herself but she makes some mistakes, which is fine because I want to see her grow from them.

I loved the other characters like Saengo, Theyen (he’s pretty arrogant but such a great character), and the King of Spiders, Ronin is pretty villainous – or is he?

Triggers: physical abuse, violence, death

There is a lot of abuse in this one – physical abuse, because Sirscha is training to be a shadow, but she’s a wyvern first and training is tough. Do something wrong, you basically get tortured and beaten. Yikes and Sirscha takes it as someone who has been abused a lot – so that could be triggering.

I love romance in my fantasy stories and wish this had some but it was still fine as is.

For all the details presented to us in the book about this world…where is the map? I so wanted a map. This series needs a map.

Why you should read it:

great world building
awesome fight scenes
strong main character who has room to grow

Why you might not want to read it:

you hate spiders
want romance because this has none

My Thoughts:

I found Forest of Souls entertaining especially because Sirscha is a fighter, a no one who is trying so hard to be somebody – the fight scenes are so good. I loved the creepy Dead Woods and Ronin the King of Spiders and his backstory. The ending makes me want to read the sequel to find out the consequences of Sirscha’s actions. Overall I enjoyed it a lot!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Red Tigress by. Amélie Wen Zhao | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Red Tigress (Blood Heir, #2)

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Format: Hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 3/2/21

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Monarchy, Rebellion, Romance

Ana Mikhailov is the only surviving member of the royal family of Cyrilia. She has no army, no title, and no allies, and now she must find a way to take back the throne or risk the brutal retribution of the empress. Morganya is determined to establish a new world order on the spilled blood of non-Affinites. Ana is certain that Morganya won’t stop until she kills them all.

Ana’s only chance at navigating the dangerous world of her homeland means partnering with Ramson Quicktongue again. But the cunning crime lord has schemes of his own. For Ana to find an army, they must cross the Whitewaves to the impenetrable stone forts of Bregon. Only, no one can be certain what they will find there.

A dark power has risen. Will revolution bring peace–or will it only paint the streets in more blood.

I was excited to find this book at my local library and forgotten that it was even out. We are back with Ana and Ramson as they try to gain allies for Ana to retake the throne from Morganya and Ramson is trying to find out his nemesis’ plans. It all leads to Bergon, the kingdom where Ramson is from but the journey there like anything else that has occurred in this book, is not easy.

Ana and Ramson are an unlikely team, the conman and the princess in hiding but that’s why I like them together. There isn’t much time for romance between them in this sequel but they do finally share a kiss. Still – I hope things work out for them in the next book. They both have unfinished business – Ramson hunting down Kerlan’s people and Ana going to take her throne back. I like that we get to know more about Ramson in this one.

I really like the element of the rebellion, the Redcloaks, led by Ana’s ex-friend (it seems now), Yuri. He has a cold killer warrior on his side though, Seyin, and I wonder how he comes into play later. I don’t trust him.

This book has awesome side characters, one of them being Ana’s friend Linn. She kicks ass with all her affinities and fighting ability. She’s also loyal to the death – I love her. Kais is an interesting character, he was an enemy in book one and now…is he trustworthy? Also…Sorsha – oh wow, this girl is psycho but she was sadly made that way and she definitely added a lot of danger to this story. I don’t like her but as an enemy she will be an exciting foe to defeat.

This story moves fast and had so much action – and it got pretty bloody at times too. There were a lot of things in play, Yuri and the rebellion, the kingdom of Bergon and it’s secrets and people finding out the princess is alive so I was definitely invested in the story.

Triggers: death, violence, human trafficking

I wanted more of Ransom and Ana together but I get they had their own business to take care of. Obviously they care for one another and I just hope in book three they can have their happy ever after.

Why you should read it:

great world building and magic system
fast paced with lots of action
characters you can root for – get to know more about Ransom

Why you might not want to read it:

if fantasy isn’t for you

My Thoughts:

I think this was an entertaining sequel to Blood Heir. Only thing I wish it had more of was the Ana and Ransom scenes I enjoyed in book one. My favorite character from this book is Linn though – she was strong, such an amazing fighter, and a good friend. I like how there are different factions in play and that Ana not only has to fight her aunt for the throne, but Yuri her ex-friend and rebel leader. Add in Sorsha who is scary psycho – she loves pain…I mean, how do you fight someone like that? I think book three will turn out to be very exciting and I hope Ana and Ransom can come together again.

📚 ~ Yolanda