For the Throne by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: For the Throne (Wilderwood, #2)

Author: Hannah F. Whitten

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 6/9/22

Publisher: Orbit

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Twins

The First Daughter is for the Throne
The Second Daughter is for the Wolf…

Red and the Wolf have finally contained the threat of the Old Kings but at a steep cost. Red’s beloved sister Neve, the First Daughter is lost in the Shadowlands, an inverted kingdom where the vicious gods of legend have been trapped for centuries and the Old Kings have slowly been gaining control. But Neve has an ally–though it’s one she’d rather never have to speak to again–the rogue king Solmir.

Solmir wants to bring an end to the Shadowlands and he believes helping Neve may be the key to its destruction. But to do that, they will both have to journey across a dangerous landscape in order to find a mysterious Heart Tree, and finally to claim the gods’ dark, twisted powers for themselves.

Content Warning: violence, self harm, rats and roaches

I finished this duology in one week, yay, so was it better than the first book? Let’s so what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The story is still told through different perspectives: Neve in the Shadowlands with Solmir trying to take care of the Kings, Red and company trying to figure out how to get Neve out of the Shadowlands and Raffe who brings in a new character to their crew, Kayu. Once again, where I was more invested in Red’s story in For the Wolf, I was now more interested in Neve’s in this volume.

+ We learn more about the Kings and what happened in the past. We get to try and decide if Solmir is trustworthy or not.

+ Neve is a strong character and she’s battling with some internal struggles. She’s trying to uncover who she really is – is she good? Or has her actions trying to save Red show that she’s bad? Is it so black and white? Will she embraced all parts of herself, good and bad? Neve held her own in the Shadowlands, she thrived alongside Solmir and killing beasts and taking their god powers. I liked Solmir – he knew he was an a-hole and didn’t try to hide it, basically Neve and Solmir got to know each other on a very real level – flaws and everything. They are morally gray characters.

+ I think the story tied up all the loose ends in the story. I liked more of the action in Neve’s story. I loved that there was a concentration on the love between the two sisters moreso in this book than the first one.

~ I feel like the different perspectives didn’t make this story flow. It started off good and then it fizzled out, then ended with a bang. The pacing was just off for me this whole duology, it moves to slow. This one had more action but only when it was Neve telling the story. She and Solmir get into some thrilling situations, some gross (killer rats and roaches anyone? ugh). I was more interested in Neve’s story but we get a new character Kayu who is helping Red and friends try and figure out who to contact or help Neve. Also the new character being a love interested for Raffe I’m torn about. I’m glad Raffe has someone new to fall for but I felt like it was rushed.

~ If book one was Beauty and the Beast, then I think the author tried to make this like Snow White. The story mentions apples and mirrors. But that’s all I got in reference to Snow White, which isn’t much.

~ We don’t get much more of Fife and Lyra except for the facet Fife is mad he’s still bound to Eammon (but he made that choice) and is is acknowledged that Fife and Lyra bring in an ACE relationship.

~ This happened to me in book one as well and again in this book where I had to pause and reread a sentence to make sure it made sense to me lol. There were times I was like oh, that’s deep and times I cringed and that was my experience with the whole series!

Tropes: monster boyfriend, morally gray characters, atmospheric setting, quest, villain redemption arc, good twin/bad twin, enemies to lovers, slow burn

Why you should read it:

you loved For the Wolf, or didn’t love it but curious enough to read about Neve and her character arc
it’s a romantasy (romance fantasy)
I feel like the sister relationship has more of a spotlight here and asks some interesting questions like what will you do for family or someone you love? Let the world burn to the ground to save her or not?

Why you might not want to read it:

Everyone in this book starts pairing up, not sure if Raffe’s pairing was needed but I thought Kayu was an interesting character. It made their relationship rushed though.
pacing issues like first book

My Thoughts:

So I’m done with both books and I can say I did love Red and Eammon together in book one but Neve and Solmir are more my speed. They faced crazy dangers in the shadowlands – psycho kings, scary godlike creatures, and beasts like rats and roaches (UGH yuck), and they had to kill to absorb power. Neve showed her mettle though and I liked seeing how she dealt with her internal struggle about goodness and evil. The sister love came through in this one and it was interesting to see how the roles were reversed. Neve wanted to save Red in book one and now Red was trying to save Neve and honestly…they both learned they could save themselves. They had to learn that lesson the hard way though. Overall, it was a series that took time to read because there were pacing issues and the books seemed too long. I was entertained enough to finish it through though.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

“May the next world be kinder, Beloved,”
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

“The two of you have overturned worlds for each other, Neverah. It’s hard to get more matched than that.”
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

Saving someone else was a wall you couldn’t scale unless they threw you a rope.
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

For the Wolf by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: For the Wolf (Wilderwood, #1)

Author: Hannah F. Whitten

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 481

Publication Date: 6/1/21

Publisher: Orbit

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Beauty and the Beast Re-telling, Twins

The first daughter is for the Throne.
The second daughter is for the Wolf.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole.

Content Warning: self-harm

I got this book and the sequel on my online library so I read it right away before my borrowing period ended. I’ve seen good and bad reviews for this book, so let’s so what did and didn’t work for me:

+ This is story is a romantasy and those were the parts that I loved in the book. Redarys (Red) is the second the daughter, and if the first daughter is for the throne then the second daughter is for the Wolf. She gets sent as the sacrificial second daughter to the Wolf in the Wilderwood. No one knows much about him except from legend and lore being told from generation to generation. When Red meets Eammon, the wolf, she learns that his power is feeding the Wilderwood but he needs help and this is where she comes in to the picture.

+ I did like the world building and story about five Kings, magic, and the Wilderwood. I think I had a good grasp of the world this is set it. I think we got a pretty good idea of

+ This being a romantasy means I was invested in Red and Eammon falling for one another. It has very Beauty and the Beast vibes except I was thinking it was gonna be Red Riding Hood vibes because of the cover? And Eammon is called the Wolf? So yeah…maybe a blending of the two stories? So yes, I did love their moments together – they have physical chemistry…as for the emotional chemistry? I think Eammon is just the type who doesn’t talk about his feelings much. I do feel at times this could be more New Adult than Young Adult (I’m reading book 2 right now and it is definitely NA).

~ This story is actually told between two perspectives and I was more into Red’s story because it starts with her. But her twin Neve is on the other side of the Wilderwood, she misses Red, she wants to rescue Red without knowing Red doesn’t want to be rescued. Neve does some things that has dire consequences to the Wilderwood, Red and Eammon and I believe book two is her story. I wasn’t as invested in Neve because of the romance taking place with Red and Eammon.

~ The pacing was off, I was into the story and then there was a lull because Red doesn’t know how to use her power, doesn’t understand it and no one is explaining it to her (looking at you, Eammon). Eammon eventually trains her to use her power but he won’t let her help him take care of the Wildwood so he is self-harming himself like crazy because he doesn’t want help. I wanted to shake him a few times. Like what is Red’s purpose then if not to help him? The both of them were hopeless and stubborn at times 🤦🏻‍♀️ but at least they had good kissing scenes!

~ There are side characters like Fife and Lyra but I didn’t feel like they contributed much to the story. It would be nice to get to know them a bit more. I do have to mention that Lyra is a ACE rep, at least from how Fife described her. Like I said, would be nice to get to know them more.

~ I said I think I got a good grasp of the world-building but I can also say I couldn’t really pin it down. It felt like a blur sometimes even though she went into detail describing it…does that make sense? 😅

Tropes: single bed, marriage/sacrifice, forced proximity, sentient forest, fairytale mash-up, monster boyfriend, girl with magic who doesn’t know how to use it, brooding male, slow-burn

Why you should read it:

Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood vibes – seems like a bunch of fairy tales actually because the ending hints at Sleeping Beauty also
it’s a romantasy (romance fantasy)
twin sisters who care about one another a lot – but needing to learn how to let go of one another and be on their separate paths

Why you might not want to read it:

I should call it a romangstasy lol…because yes Red and Eammon = angsty – I was getting irritated when she wanted to help and he said no or when he asked her to use her power instead of blood and she said no. Like…come on….😂.
a slower read at some parts – mostly because of the repetition

My Thoughts:

I feel like I’m still processing this one but also I already started book two since it’s fresh in my head and this is definitely not a Young Adult series…I’m saying it’s New Adult because Red and Eammon have some sexy times right away. For the Wolf, was entertaining enough for me to stick it through. I do like fairytale mash-ups when they make sense. I was expecting Red Riding Hood but got more Beauty and the Beast instead. Red and Eammon have that angsty, non-communicative relationship which can be so frustrating but I liked when they stopped talking and kissed instead. So I have mixed feelings about this one to say the least. I also was more into Red’s story than Neve but now that I’m reading book two…Neve’s story seems already better than Red’s, maybe because Solmir is more talkative. So we shall see how everything turns out for both sisters.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

People with power resent losing it, and too much power for too long a time can make a villain of anyone.”
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

People created stories to fill the gaps they didn’t understand, and religion grew up around it like rot on a fallen tree.”
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

“She could count the number of people who loved her on one hand, and they all kept begging for the only thing she couldn’t give them.”
― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

The Summer I Turned Pretty by. Jenny Han | Book Review | Re-read

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 276

Publication Date: 5/4/09

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Teen, Summer, Coming of Age

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Content Warning: cancer

I read this back in 2009 and gave it 4 stars on Goodreads! That was 13 years ago…wow, I was single or just about to date my hubby. Crazy how long ago it was and my headspace was super different. Now I’m in my early 40’s with 2 kids, one who’s about to turn 10 years old. 😅 I don’t usually review re-reads but I will definitely do them if I never did a review for them on this blog. And I only did a re-read of this because the series on Amazon came out and I think they did such a good job. But so many people said lots of things were changed and I wanted to see what they were since I didn’t really remember the book except for being annoyed with Belly and being in love with Conrad. 😂

Here’s what I thought:

+ This is a such a quick read, it’s only 276 pages! Now young adult books can be like 500 pages long, so this was quick. It gave all the summer vibes as expected. I did forget all the time jumping it did from past summers to the present. The show didn’t do as many flashbacks as the book.

+ Jeremiah and Belly have more time together in the book than in the show. I can feel their bestie vibes.

+ Conrad is still that guy! I can see why I fell for Conrad because he’s the hurting, handsome guy and I was reminded that Belly was always in love with this guy. It’s always Conrad for her.

~ Because I’m so much more older – this actually bored me a bit. Belly is whiny and understandable because she is young! It’s jumping timelines from when she’s 11 to 14 to 15, etc…so we see her as a whiny girl. And I can’t see that much changes from 11 to 16. I can see why Conrad pushes her away and I’m glad he does.

~ There are SO many changes from the book to the show, I can see why hardcore fans didn’t love the show! There is no debutant ball in the book, Steven doesn’t stay for that summer when she turns 16 – he is in flashbacks though. I get why they made the changes….how do you stretch out this 276 book into 7 episodes? I felt like they did have all the parts from the book in the show though – like all those late night talks with Conrad. I don’t mind the extra stuff I thought it made it entertaining. But yes so many different changes from the book.

Why you should read it:

perfect for teen readers, it’s short, has summer vibes and summer crushes

Why you might not want to read it:

Way different from the Amazon series!
Belly is still annoying me after all these years 😂 but she doesn’t annoy me that much on the show

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I did my first read in 2009 and loved it as a story about a young girl who has these amazing summers with 2 boys and their lovely mom. It’s about friendship at its core and love. At my age now, I do prefer the show because there is many more things happening to keep me entertained but I can see why that didn’t make fans of the series happy also because a whole lot of things were added! But I will say this – them using “This Love” from Taylor Swift for the trailer was genius because this song is ALLLLLLL Belly and Conrad forever feels lol. So here’s a video:

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

“I love Conrad and I probably always would. I would spend my whole life loving him one way or another. Maybe I would get married, maybe I would have a family, but it wouldn’t matter, because a piece of my heart, the piece where summer lived, would always be Conrad’s”
― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

“It’s hard to throw away history. It was like you were throwing away a part of yourself.”
― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

Where the Crawdads Sing by. Delia Owens | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing

Author: Delia Owens

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 391

Publication Date: 8/14/18

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Adult Fiction, Murder Mystery

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.

But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life’s lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.

Content Warning: abuse, violence, parental neglect, racism, N word, sexual assault, bullying

The movie adaptation for this book is coming to screens on July 15, 2022. It even has a song by Taylor Swift in the movie called “Carolina”. I remember there was so much hype for this book when it published but I didn’t pick it up because I wasn’t in the mood until now. Here’s what I thought:

+ My favorite part of this book has to be the setting. The author captures the marshlands and small town vibe in lots of detail. It is set in a time when racism and segregation was prevalent in the 1950’s-1960’s in the USA. This story takes place in North Carolina and it’s definitely eye opening – especially how the people on the marsh were considered and how they lived. It’s uncomfortable – especially when seeing the N word used in the book, yet in reality that is how people in these places talked.

+ Kya has a very hard upbringing – she is sorely neglected. Her mother leaves, her dad is an abusive alcoholic who is there some days, her siblings (most who’s name she didn’t know) left until it was just her. I can’t fathom and have never experienced loneliness like that. Abandonment like that. So in a way this took a good look at a girl who lives and grows up in isolation and how she turns out. I applauded how Kya took care of herself, learned to fend for herself in the marsh even as lonely as she was. She made something of herself!

+ Of course my favorite characters are Jumpin’ and Mabel, the two black characters who actually did all they could for Kya. They helped her when no one would. Of course Tate, her first love, was there to teach her how to read and such – but Jumpin’ and Mabel were the only ones Kya could really count on.

~ It’s a slower read for me because it is a mystery. I thought the details about Kya’s past, her family, and the marsh were very detailed but I did want to get more into the murder mystery. There isn’t a lot about it – there is a dead body, someone accuses Kya because of a missing necklace, and the story examines Kya’s life…then the last few chapters is the trial. The story lagged a little bit for me in the middle. The timeline wasn’t smooth because it jumped around.

~ I did guess who the murderer was only because there seemed to be no one else to suspect. Also this isn’t a romance book but it has two relationships Kya falls into almost one after the other. It shows how Kya was inept in human relationships even though she was an expert of nature and how mating works in that sphere. It’s due to her isolated upbringing and people abandoning her.

~ This is a heavy read – there is physical abuse, there is parental neglect, major abandonment, the racism Jumpin’ experiences and the N word, classism and there is sexual assault. Kya doesn’t have an easy life, she’s a white girl but illiterate (for a time), she’s poor “white trash”, she’s from the marsh…lots of people in her town looked down on her because of it.

Why you should read it:

you like a murder mystery with a lush setting in the marsh in North Carolina
Kya is a girl who grows up abandoned and in isolation – her story is incredible
filled with poems, the story is poetic in a melancholy and lonely way – but the twist in the end was nice

Why you might not want to read it:

murder mystery comes mostly in the end with the trial
I skipped over some of the poetry – because the story was moving slow already with all the nature descriptions, it was losing me before the trial came in – but I didn’t skip the last one.

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally read this book and I can see why there was so much hype. The marsh is described in such detail and Kya is an interesting character who overcomes such dire odds as a child. She’s a survivor. I did find it a little bit slow in the middle and wish there was more about the murder investigation but I understand this was mostly about Kya. It will be interesting to see how they make the movie but that Taylor Swift song already sets the mood for the movie. Here’s the video:

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

“lot of times love doesn’t work out. Yet even when it fails, it connects you to others and, in the end, that is all you have, the connections.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

“She knew the years of isolation had altered her behavior until she was different from others, but it wasn’t her fault she’d been alone. Most of what she knew, she’d learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

“Time ensures children never know their parents young.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

“Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

Book of Night by. Holly Black | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Book of Night (#1)

Author: Holly Black

Format: ebooks (borrowed)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 5/3/22

Publisher: Tor Books

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Adult Fiction, Mystery

In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.

Holly Black makes her adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies.

Content Warning: abuse, violence, parental neglect, self harm, murder, drug use

I finally got to borrow an ebook copy of Book of Night and I downloaded right away because I’ve been wanting to read it for the past 2 months now. I saw the bad reviews but I can’t help myself, I’ve been reading Holly Black since 2002! Yup, I’ve been a fan for twenty years so this is what I thought about her adult urban fantasy book.

+ This has been advertised as adult fantasy but this is straight up urban fantasy. It’s set in a contemporary time, in Massachusetts and I love urban fantasy so I was ready to see how the story would play out. The main character is Charlie Hall and she is a very fleshed out character. We learn how she picked up the tricks of her trade – being a thief. There are chapters of her past, and we get a good sense of how broken she is inside, with a broken family, but the only good thing she’s at is stealing. She’s one of the best and her line of work is dangerous and deals with shady people. Charlie is an anti-heroine and I like how tough she was even though she never came off aggressive. She’s slick.

+ The writing is classic Holly Black, she draws you in. I’ve always loved her storytelling style and it surprises me every time. Her stories are dark, but not to the point of scaring me. The characters like Charlie, and Vince are absolutely imperfect and tend to embrace these parts of themselves. I liked the subtle twists we get in the story, there were a few moments that surprised me.

+ I thought the concept of shadows and them being a separate entity or having the ability to become a separate entity from a person was fascinating.

+ I don’t know how it happened because it’s not a romance and there is hardly romance in this but the ending when Charlie and Vince are trying to figure out what happens to them next…it got me.

~ It is a slow read because it feels like a mystery book. But I did finish this in one day! There is a lot of time spent on Charlie, who she is, her history, how she is the way she is and how she learned her skills.

~ I think the explanation of shadows wasn’t solid enough for me in the beginning and so I was trying to figure out what they were, what the Cabal was for, the reason why this whole business about shadows and blights was important. I started to get it the more it was explained and then really understood it by the end, but that was definitely a part that could have lost me as a reader. But I was so interested in Charlie that I kept reading.

Why you should read it:

you like mystery and urban fantasy with dark, imperfect characters
Charlie Hall is a fascinating character
love the twists in the story

Why you might not want to read it:

this is not YA Fantasy Holly Black work – this reads at a slow mystery pace and is urban fantasy so if you are expecting The Cruel Prince, um let me tell you this is a way different ballgame
needs more clear explanation on the shadows from the beginning

My Thoughts:

I don’t know what I expected when Holly Black revealed she was writing an adult fantasy but after reading this I think this falls in line with all her other work it just doesn’t have the Fae. There is an atmosphere that is mysterious and dark which I love, and I was drawn into the main character and all her other perfectly imperfect characters. Yes it was slow and the shadows could have been explained more clearly but I did eventually get it. Charlie as a character was intriguing enough for me and learning about the shadows was fascinating enough I read this in one day. I enjoyed this one even if it had no Fae – it has shadows that become separate from people, and I’m curious what happens to one particular shadow! I’ll definitely be reading the sequel after that ending.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

It turns out that men have more authority, even when they’re not real.”
~ Holly Black, Book of Night

With no good ideas, she was going to go for the bad one. They better carve that on her tomb.”
~ Holly Black, Book of Night

If she couldn’t be responsible or careful or good or loved, if she was doomed to be a lit match, then Charlie might as well go back to finding stuff to burn.
~ Holly Black, Book of Night

The Hacienda by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hacienda

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: ebooks (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 5/3/22

Publisher: Berkley

Categories: Gothic Horror, Historical Fiction, Forbidden Romance, Young Adult, Supernatural

In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost.

But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined.

When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano?

Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will help her.

Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness.

Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.

Content Warning: abuse, gory scenes, cheating

I don’t read a lot of horror, but I really enjoy gothic horror type of stories so when I see it I try to get a copy to read it.

+ What I love about historical gothic fiction is the history facts I get in the story. This one takes place after the period of Mexico’s War of Independence which I know nothing about. I learned a lot just from this story alone about the casta system, the racial issues and socioeconomics of the hacienda owners, colonialism and religion – I mean they were threatening to bring people to the Inquisition which I knew happened a long, long time ago like in the 1300’s or something like that, but I didn’t know it was still happening in the 1800’s! A lot of eye opening information.

+ The gothic atmosphere around the hacienda was really creepy and chilling especially at night. You know something is wrong, the house is clearly haunted by some evil spirit but we don’t know why. There is a bit of a mystery about the first wife of Don Rodolfo Solórzano, and Beatriz being his second wife is the target of some entity or someone in the house.

+ There is haunts, there are scary hallucinations, there are gory bloody scenes and witchcraft. It made me even question if I should walk in the dark to the bathroom because I was reading late at night lol. That’s what I want in a horror/gothic story.

+ I liked Beatriz and found her to be really brave while dealing with a haunted house without any support and no husband by her side. Even though she was terrified night after night, she slept there – that would so NOT be me lol. I felt like she was so fed up with the spirit haunting her, I liked her fighting spirit.

~ There isn’t much scenes between Beatriz and her husband. He leaves right away to go somewhere after he drops her off at the hacienda. So her budding forbidden romance with Padre Andrés had lots of room to grow. I wasn’t into it though – and not because he was a priest – I get that it’s a forbidden love situation and what’s more forbidden than a priest and a married woman?! I understood his and his family’s reasoning to pushing him into priesthood but I did like them as friends. I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between them.

~ Like with most mysteries, it feels like a slow read, especially in the beginning when we don’t know much about the history of the house or Beatriz’ husband and his first wife. Once we get more information, it picks up. I did feel like I wish Padre Andrés had more witchcraft powers – he seemed so weak against the spirit at times. Maybe I was just expecting too much from him.

Why you should read it:

you like mysterious gothic, historical fiction with a bit of creep factor and lite horror
the time period and information we get about the state of Mexico after the War of Independence
thrills, chills and lush world-building

Why you might not want to read it:

not into horror
not into forbidden love between a priest and married woman
kinda slow at first

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one because it gave me scared to read at night haha – especially once night came to the hacienda! Some parts were a bit slow but once Beatriz and Padre Andrés set to exorcizing the house of the spirit, there is a bit of action. I enjoyed all the historical aspects of the book and found it an entertaining story. I look forward to reading more from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

Life has a way of taking the wind out of our dreams sometimes…”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Tea for me is home, is joy, is family.”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Human hands make mistakes, Ning, but they are the hands the gods gave us. We use them to make amends, to do good things.”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

The Guncle by. Steven Rowley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Guncle

Author: Steven Rowley

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 326

Publication Date: 5/25/21

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Family, Grief, LGBTQ+

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

Content Warning: grief, death of a loved one, addiction, anxiety, story of sexual assault

I had my eye on this book since last year and finally got it from my library. I’m glad I did because I felt like it would be a great summer read and it’s Pride month so why not read about a guncle (gay uncle). This book hit me in the feels!

+ Yes Patrick, GUP, Guncle is a bit self-centered and snarky. He is a golden globe winning actor and was a star for a time. He loves to talk about when he was super famous, he loves all things television, movies, broadway, and theatre. But things happened in his life and he’s now in his 40’s and living a quiet life in Palm Springs until he is forced to be out again because his family needs him. His best friend and sister-in-law has passed on, his brother needs to go to rehab and leaves his kids with Patrick. I love how taking care of his niece and nephew scared him but he stepped up in the best way possible. It warmed my heart so much.

+ This book is about relationships and grief. It gave us a peek at how relationships we have with our siblings, the ones or we have with our parents can be messy. Messy and yet it can still be loving. Patrick is relatable in that way. I could also relate to his fear of wanting to love people because he is still stuck in his grief losing his partner, Joe. There is a lot of loss Patrick is dealing with and I felt like his fears were my own. I could totally relate.

+ Patrick’s experiences growing up gay, trying to explain to his sister how he had to protect his inner, real self in the outside world by pretending was such an important point. I love that he could tell his side of this story especially when he was trying to explain it to his sister Clara who in turn felt like she had to struggle also being a woman. Everyone around Patrick had their own trauma and I like that the story was honest and truthful about these struggles.

+ I love the humor – when Patrick is on, he is ON and the children have no clue what he is saying have the time. I can already imagine this book as a tv series, it has that sitcom kind of feel but with some tough issues. I was laughing one moment and then heartbroken the next when the kids talked about missing their mother or Patrick was missing Joe. 😭

Why you should read it:

Patrick is a force – he’s funny, snarky, self-centered but loves his family even though they have problems – no matter, he is there for them the best way he can be.
Patrick with his niece and nephew have such adventures in Palm Springs
This story is full of grief and yet full of hope, the will to survive a broken heart, the beauty of life that come with tragedy. The medicine of laughter and love, family and friends.

Why you might not want to read it:

not into Patrick talking about himself all the time lol…I can picture him talking fast, like how some people just do

My Thoughts:

This one hit my heart with so many feels! The story dealt with so many issues about grief, fear and anxiety – letting go and moving on. It hurt. But I was also laughing when Patrick was trying to take care of two kids for the first time in his life, and he did it without much help – he’s even too afraid to drive! Thank goodness for ride-share! I love that the kids taught him things like youtube lol. But seeing those two kids melt through his guarded heart was a glorious thing. I love that we get Patrick’s point of view as a gay man trying to raise two kids on his own, trying to deal with his grief and figuring out what will be act two in his life after his tv stardom has ended. His journey was rocky but like he said in the end, he survived it…the show must go on. I love Patrick and his family and was rooting for all of them to help each other get through grief, addiction, divorce, resentment and anything else that was holding them back from bonding. This is a beautiful story and I’m glad I finally read it!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

We’re hyper-connected, but at the same time desperately lonely.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

What do you think gay people do? Have done for generations? We adopt a safe version of ourselves for the public, for protection, and then as adults we excavate our true selves from the parts we’ve invented to protect us. It’s the most important work of our queer lives.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

I am less of me. I left part of myself with you. I don’t know what it was, but I felt it leave my body the last time I held your hand.|
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

The sky is not going to fall. That’s what I’m telling you. The pain you feel, the disaster you think is imminent. Those feelings fade. And some day you even miss it. Some days you miss the pain, because you’re afraid. Afraid that as the pain softens so do memories of the one you lost.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

Grief orbits the heart. Some days the circle is greater. Those are the good days. You have room to move and dance and breathe. Some days the circle is tighter. Those are the hard ones.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

A Magic Steeped in Poison by. Judy I. Lin | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Magic Steeped in Poison

Author: Judy I. Lin

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/29/22

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Categories: Fantasy, Tea, Politics, Romance, Chinese Mythology, Young Adult

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Content Warning: poison, death

I’ve been wanting to read this book since I saw the gorgeous cover. It’s even more beautiful in person! I really enjoyed this story.

+ The magic system of the shennong-shi, is unique and cool! The magic is in the tea and the preparer and I totally believe it because whenever I drink a hot cup of tea, it’s a healing experience – so I loved learning about the shennong-shi. The competition to be the shennong-shi for the Emperor gives the story high stakes.

+ Ning’s story is relatable in that she’s doing the competition for the love of her sick sister. I love her memories of her family and of home. I like Ning’s bravery and her ability to think on her feet whenever difficult situations arose. She goes through a lot of challenges in the competition.

+ I enjoyed the politics taking place in the story as well. The emperor hasn’t been seen, so the Princess has been present for the shennong-shi competition. Ning meets a boy who happens to be the son of the emperor’s brother who was banished and exiled. There is talk of unrest in the empire and Ning is caught in the intrigue. She’s labeled a traitor and rebel but we learn more about what’s going on in the empire and the role of the Princess.

+ The little romance storyline between Ning and Kang is sweet, in a way it’s a forbidden kind of love, since Ning isn’t sure where his loyalties lie. It doesn’t overtake the story though which is nice and I look forward to seeing what happens in book two.

+ The author did a great job with the setting! I was definitely transported in Ning’s world of tea and the palace. Lovely world-building.

~ Would love to learn more about Kang in book two because we do learn some things about him but he still stays a bit mysterious.

Why you should read it:

it’s a magic tea brewing competition! so unique
lush world-building
Ning’s love for her family, the politics she gets embroiled in and the romance that’s brewing for her

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s a little bit of insta-love-ish but I think it was okay because the story didn’t fully focus on the romance

My Thoughts:

The gorgeous cover lured me in and then I was hooked by the tea competition and lush world building. I found this a quick read and with a unique concept. I loved this one and I’m glad I finally got to read it!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

Life has a way of taking the wind out of our dreams sometimes…”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Tea for me is home, is joy, is family.”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Human hands make mistakes, Ning, but they are the hands the gods gave us. We use them to make amends, to do good things.”
Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison

Things We Never Got Over by. Lucy Score | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout, #1)

Author: Lucy Score

Format: ebooks (KU)

Pages: 570

Publication Date: 1/13/22

Categories: Romance, Adult Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Content Warning: abuse, single parent, parental abandonment

I decided to read my first Lucy Score book because I kept seeing it on Kindle Unlimited and I can see why it’s very popular. Here’s what I like and didn’t like:

+ So many tropes are in this story – grumpy guy/sunshine girl, small town romance, fake dating and then some. I thought Naomi and Knox had good chemistry, and they had lots of hot times in and out of bed 🔥

+ I did like Naomi’s story about coming to help her twin and ended up taking care of her 11 year old niece, Waylay. Naomi makes the best of things and tries her best to be the best guardian to her niece.

+ I love all the characters from Naomi’s best friend, the new people she meets, and her parents. And on the other end, Knox’s family and friends were fun to get to know also! I’m looking forward to reading Lucian and Sloane’s story.

+ I like the messages about messy relationships and how to let go of fears. Knox fears relationships and Naomi can’t survive without her lists. Naomi was used to taking care of everyone and never putting herself first.

~ My biggest issue about this story is the length of it. It’s way too long! And I was enjoying it so much and thought okay it’s ending soon and we get the happy ending and yet it kept going on. I almost didn’t want to pick it up the next day because I pretty much knew what would happen. I did read it to find out what happens to Tina though. But this would have been perfect if it ended before 400 pages.

~ Did the fake dating have to happen in the middle of the story? I thought it was funny when Naomi’s parents found them but that was halfway into the story – I don’t think it was needed at all. It’s like Knox and Naomi didn’t have enough challenges to deal with in their relationship already. And Knox breaking up with her like that? Like no dude. Get outta here.

Why you should read it:

if you love romance tropes you will love this one – it’s filled with it
Love the characters
A fun, sexy and sweet at times love story between Naomi and Knox
Some emotional moments

Why you might not want to read it:

This was way too long and that was my biggest issue. I almost didn’t finish the book even though I was enjoying it.

My Thoughts:

This seems like a light read at first between a very grumpy dude and miss sunshine but it gets more complicated because of Tina. But the situation teaches Naomi how take care for her 11 year old niece and herself. She has to basically start from scratch in a new town. I love that she has a wonderful support group in her parents and her bestie Stef. I loved all the characters I met in the book. The romance is cute – even though Knox is a bit of an alpha male, it’s hot at times between them and a bit bumpy in the end but things work out as they should. My biggest issue and it was a big issue – was the length of this book. I almost didn’t finish it even though I considered it a funny, cute, romance story and it was emotional too…but there was a point I was like, do I have to keep reading? I am eager to read Lucian and Sloane’s story – I just hope it’s shorter.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book

You get to decide how you show up in this world. No one else gets to dictate to you who you are…”
Lucy Score, Things We Never Got Over

Because sometimes people don’t know how to ask for what they really need. You needed a hug.”
Lucy Score, Things We Never Got Over

You know what they say about fine. Fucked up. Insecure. Neurotic. And emotional…”
Lucy Score, Things We Never Got Over

So is setting an example for your niece about how she doesn’t need to turn herself inside out to be loved. How she doesn’t need to set herself on fire to keep someone else warm. Demanding to have your own needs met isn’t problematic—it’s heroic, and kids are watching. They’re always watching. If you set an example that tells her the only way she’s worthy of love is by giving everyone everything, she’ll internalize that message.”
Lucy Score, Things We Never Got Over

There’s a difference between taking care of someone because you love them and taking care of someone because you want them to love you…”
Lucy Score, Things We Never Got Over

The Blood Traitor by. Lynette Noni | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer, #3)

Author: Lynette Noni

Format: ebooks (own)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 6/14/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Found Family

She’d failed them. All of them. And now she was paying the price.

Kiva thought she knew what she wanted—revenge. But feelings change, people change… everything has changed.

After what happened at the palace, Kiva is desperate to know if her friends and family are safe, and whether those she wronged can ever forgive her. But with the kingdoms closer to the brink of war than they’ve ever been, and Kiva far away from the conflict, more is at stake than her own broken heart.

A fresh start will mean a perilous quest, forcing mortal enemies and uneasy allies together in a race against the clock to save not just Evalon, but all of Wenderall. With her loyalties now set, Kiva can no longer just survive—she must fight for what she believes in. For who she believes in. But with danger coming from every side, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, does she have what it takes to stand, or will she fall?

Content Warning: drug use, physical abuse, violence

I finally read the last book of The Prison Healer series and this is what I thought:

+ So much great characters! I love Cresta and Ashlyn, they were my favorite characters in this book. Caldon was amazing as always, but Cresta had fire, humor, sass, and strength. Ashlyn had leadership and bravery. Really great female characters.

+ Kiva goes through so much in this book, it is an emotional, traumatic ride for her but she faces her demons – no matter how hard it is for her.

+ The story moves quickly, there is a lot going on but it’s written well – it takes off running after book two, Kiva’s back in Zalindov but in really bad shape. Once she’s out she has a long journey to get back to Vallenia. There is a great found family trope story line here where two enemy families

+ The romance was one where Kiva had to do a lot to make it up to Jaren. Jaren was hurt and angry and he had a lot of issues to deal with. It was super frustrating at times but it pays off in the end for the two of them. There are a lot of romances going on actually, almost like everyone was pairing off.

+ This story is about messy families, messy relationships and I like that it shows the imperfections in relationships and how to navigate and mend them.

~ Jaren was tough to crack but I mean he went through some stuff. I just wish he and Kiva could talk their problems either. Kiva was stuck in her head a lot, she is the worse at communicating with anyone – thank god she had Caldon and Cresta. Where would she be without them? At times I was just so frustrated with her because she just didn’t know how to be honest after everything that happened in book two. This was her time to tell her truth but I also understand how she had to do it in her own time. I just wanted Kiva and Jaren to talk and it takes awhile for that to really happen.

~ There is a bunch of traveling in this one because there is a quest but the story bounces from location to location a lot. It was okay for me but at one point she was with King Navok and then he isn’t in the story again until the very end.

~ Kiva’ storyline was one big pity party. Cresta had to literally kicked her butt about a lot of things, shake some sense into her because Kiva could not get out of these overwhelming thoughts. And I was Cresta and tired of it! lol…Cresta had more patience than I did. I loved Cresta’s message about strength and pain and moving on…so powerful. But I also understand some people need patience and that was Kiva – she needed patience and Caldon was there to give that to her. Cresta was there to tell her straight on what she needed to do though.

Why you should read it:

It’s a great fantasy series and a good ending – Kiva characters comes a long way
The found family and side characters are great
Great story telling, some twists

Why you might not want to read it:

Kiva is going through so much trauma but we are in her head so much I was hoping it would let up a bit – it started to turn into a pity party and I was getting annoyed with her actions.
Jaren and Kiva’s drama was really dragged out almost to the end of the story – I wanted them to work it out earlier.

My Thoughts:

This isn’t a light read, there is a lot of trauma to be dealt with in this whole series. This book alone there is abuse, drug abuse, broken families, broken people but I loved the inspiration and motivation that came through characters like Cresta, Caldon and Ashlynn – Cresta being my favorite because she was funny and yet said what she wanted to say. Caldon always brought the lightness to a hard situation and thank goodness for that. Ashlynn was always so steady, I admired her for it. I’m glad Kiva and Jaren worked things out but for me, I think it took too long. This was Kiva’s story about overcoming so many challenges and trauma in her life, but everyone in this book was going through something – it’s what helped them bond and become a found family, which was heartwarming. For the series as a whole, I enjoyed it a lot. For the third book, I did enjoy it but wished we weren’t so much in Kiva’s head.

📚 ~ Yolanda