Book Review | Patron Saints of Nothing

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Patron Saints of Nothing

Author: Randy Ribay

Format: Hardcover (won from Bookishfirst)

Pages: 323

Categories: Mystery, Own Voices, Philippines, Politics, Family, Young Adult, Grief, Identity

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

A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin’s murder.

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte’s war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.

Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth — and the part he played in it.

As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.

Thank you to Kokila and BookishFirst for giving me a chance to win a copy of this book.

Patron Saints of Nothing made me mad, laugh and cry. This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster and one I wasn’t expecting. I heard amazing reviews of this book, but I didn’t think I needed tissues!

Jay is a teenage Filipino-American boy, his dad is Filipino, mom is caucasian and though Jay was born in the Philippines he has lived in Michigan since he was very little. He receives news that his cousin Jun in the Philippines is dead and no one in the family wants to talk about it. Jun had a past and the rumor is he was a drug addict. With President Duterte in power in the Philippines drug users and drug pushers are fair game on the streets. Police are allowed to kill them, no arrest or trial needed. Jay feels like he needs to find out the truth about Jun, but as he searches for clues, Jay realizes he has a lot to learn about the Motherland, his family, Jun and himself.

“Truth is a hungry thing.”
Patron Saints of Nothing by. Randy Ribay

It’s a Filipino story – but not everyone’s filipino story, but for me, it was close enough. As the author says, “Truth is a hungry thing“, and as I kept reading this story my hunger for Filipino history increased along with Jay’s. Jay is half filipino, half white (like my own children) and though his experience was clearly different from mine a lot of the book was still nostalgic to me and recognizable in my own life story.
The emotions this book invoked in me were strong and so unexpected. The characters in this book, like Jay’s dad, his uncles and grandparents – I recognize them. They are in my family. The hard uncle, the cousins, the gay aunts and the family dynamics. I get it and it just brought the tears, especially when Jay tries to find his voice to stand up to his uncle, or when they finally celebrate Jun’s life, the grief just made me lose it in the end.
There are so many issues brought up in this book: the drug war in the Philippines started by President Duterte, the outside perspective coming from Jay the American, the family drama, the guilt, the differences of the USA and Philippines, the HISTORY of the Philippines, finding ones identity when they aren’t raised in the Philippines, dealing with truth that hurts, family dynamics between Jay and his “american” family vs his filipino family, and Jun’s pursuit to do the right things-to be a good person. This book brought it all and questions many things.
This story is unapologetic and powerful in a quiet way. This book spoke to me on all kinds of levels. My kids need to read this book someday, I want my husband to read it, I already have a friend lined up to read it now that I’m done.
The setting of the Philippines is spot on and I swear I could smell the Philippine air as I read this. I’ve only been there officially three times, but technically only remember 2 visits because I was a baby the first time. “It was a day of soil, sunlight, and smoke.” That’s the first line of the book and right away I had a visual of a morning in the Ilocos Norte country side, the sun rising above the greenery and smoke in my nostrils. My soul said YESSSSSS, when I read that first line.
I loved Jun’s letters. It gave us insight into his home life and how he felt deeply about the issues in his country. You could tell he was a sensitive soul with an insensitive father who didn’t understand him. But that whole “parents not understanding their child” thing resonated with me too. I understood Jay’s lack of relationship with his father (totally get this) and I understood Jun’s desire to run away from his overbearing/judmental/controlling father (totally get this too 😒).

The budding romance in the story probably wasn’t needed but it’s not an untrue experience. And it was pretty innocent – they held hands.
Trigger Warning: animal dies. Or should I say killed? But even just saying that…it’s not just a killing. It’s more than that – it’s one paragraph of the book but again it packed a punch because it is reminiscent of my childhood where I watched my grandma kill a chicken for dinner. The goat, yes…I’ve heard many goats die in my childhood. And yes we have grocery stores in Hawaii, but my grandma was as Filipino old school as they come. You couldn’t take the farm life out of her! But the description of the kill comes in a letter from Jun who says now what used to not bother him, bothers him…and it sets off another dispute between him and his father.

I wish I had this book when I was a teenager. It makes my heart happy that there will be a book that my kids, who are half Filipino, will be able to identify with when they are old enough to read this. I know there will be even more for them to read because the diversity of stories coming out in the young adult genre world is amazing and I absolutely applaud that.

Patron Saints of Nothing gutted me and ignited me. I cannot stop thinking about it. It’s made me hungrier for truth. It’s made me grateful that I asked my grandparents about their past before they died, I wish I asked more. I told my son yesterday to ask his grandparents QUESTIONS about their life in the Philippines. Ask them about their childhood, ask them what they did for fun, ask because it is important to know. I’ll eventually bring my own kids there and they can have their own experiences.

This is a book about family, grief, history, the drug war in the Philippines and finding one’s identity. But also, it is MORE. It’s a story about my people and I’m very proud to know this book is out there in the world.

“I expected the truth to illuminate, to resurrect. Not to ruin.”
Patron Saints of Nothing by. Randy Ribay

Book Review | Rules We’re Meant To Break

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Rules We’re Meant to Break

Author: Natalie Williamson

Format: Hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 293

Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Family

Rule #1: Don’t get attached.

Amber lives by strict rules to survive her mother’s love life: Always keep your eyes on the horizon and never get close to anyone connected to Mom’s boyfriends.

But after they move in with Kevin, the latest of her mom’s “soul mates,” the rules become increasingly difficult to follow. Kevin’s daughter, Cammie, keeps acting like Amber’s friend, even though she’s definitely not. And Jordan—star basketball player, hottest boy in school, and Cammie’s best friend—keeps showing up at the most inconvenient moments.

Amber has reasons for every one of her rules, and following them is the only way to protect her heart when her mom inevitably moves on. But as she spends more time with Kevin, his daughter, and especially Jordan, she starts to wonder if the rules might be worth breaking this time.

My daughter saw this book at the library and chose it for me because it had a pink heart on the cover. I indulged her and borrowed it, yes she’s only 2 1/2 years old…haha, how could I say no? And yes her favorite color is PINK. 💞 I figured I needed a YA contemporary book since I’ve been reading a LOT of dark fantasy books lately. But I do love this cover.

Rules We’re Meant to Break has a slow and sweet romance but the romance is not the only focus of the story. Amber and her mother’s relationship is the main problem in this book, and because of it Amber created a set of rules to protect herself against her mom’s poor dating habits. But now it may be time to break those rules.

This is a quick and light contemporary novel. Though it dealt with some relationship problems with Amber and her mom, it never got heavy on the topics. Which was perfect for what I needed right now.
Amber’s dog Buffy is adorable and I like how Amber wants to study Behavioral science when she goes to college.
The romance was slow and super sweet which was cute. Amber and Jordan’s relationship grew steadily and in the end they get a happily ever after.
I liked seeing Amber and Cammie (her mom’s boyfriend’s daughter) relationship grow from awkwardness to friends. I’m glad Amber started to let people in even if she was afraid of getting hurt.

I wished Amber talked to her mom about how she felt about all the dating and bringing men into Amber’s life. I get her mom’s life is her own, but Amber was affected too and that sucked. The only time they mentioned anything of it was when her mom found the “rules” accidentally.
The characters in this book were kind of bland.
And the rules…I mean I get why Amber wrote them, to cope with all the changes she had to deal with each time her mom changed boyfriends but I didn’t even remember any of the rules except the not being nice to mom’s boyfriend rule. Because she was pretty distant with Kevin, rightfully so, but he was trying his best without knowing about Amber’s feelings.

This was a very quick read and for the most part I liked it. The story gave some insight on how a teen would feel with a parent who is dating or how blended families work, awkwardly at times. There was just enough drama that was pretty much resolved with just a little communication between everyone and the romance was super cute. Overall it’s a pretty good debut novel.

ARC Review | The Widow of Pale Harbor

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Widow of Pale Harbor

Author: Hester Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Categories: Murder Mystery, Historical Fiction, Adult, Gothic, Romance

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

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself?

Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor.

But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband.

As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales.

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I just got approved to read this book though it’s been out for a month now. This is a wonderful autumn read because it has a gothic vibe to it. Mrs. Sophronia Carver is a widow and lives in a house called Castle Carver. Everyone in Pale Harbor thinks she killed her husband so she never leaves her house. Then Gabriel Stone comes to town as the new minister but he’s as mysterious as they come. There are strange things happening in Pale Harbor and Gabriel and Mrs. Carver need to find out who is behind them before people get hurt.

The gothic atmosphere in this story is fantastic. It definitely gave me a spooky vibe with Castle Carver up on a hill, and Sophronia, the widow who barely leaves her house. Pale Harbor is the perfect place for things to go bump in the night.
The murder mystery kept me guessing and I LOVE all the references to Edgar Allan Poe because I love Poe! The twist in the end wan’t something I expected so it definitely kept me on my toes.
I did enjoy the romance building between Gabriel Stone and Sophronia Carver because it made her come out of her shell. Before Gabriel appears, Sophronia is shown as a very fearful person. No one in town really knew her except for the people that worked for her, which was very few. Gabriel made her feel brave.
Helen, Sophronia’s housekeeper is more than what she seems and she came off suspicious from the start! Her relationship with Sophronia was a bit much, to the point of obsession, you can see why she was my #1 suspect!

I wish we got to learn a more about Gabriel Stone – why am I still suspicious of him? LOL I think I wanted him to have a shadier past than he did. 😂 This book made me second guess everyone! 👀🤔

This is definitely a perfect Fall release and October mood read! It has Edgar Allah Poe references (which I adore), a mysterious widow and a minister, nefarious deeds, a little witchcraft and a lot of suspects. If you are into a gothic romantic murder mystery, this will hit the spot.

ARC Review | Sisters of Shadow and Light

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Sisters of Shadow and Light

Author: Sara B. Larson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: November 5, 2019

Categories: Family, Paladin, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

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

“The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes…”.

Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world―including their Paladin father the night Inara was born.

On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. Inara inherited their father’s Paladin power; her eyes glow blue and she is able to make plants grow at unbelievable rates, but she has been trapped in her own mind because of a “roar” that drowns everything else out―leaving Zuhra virtually alone with their emotionally broken human mother.

For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world…until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes.

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I had been reading so many books lately about witches (because tis the season) so reading about Paladins and their magic was so refreshing. Zuhra, her sister Inara, and their mother are trapped in the citadel that they call home. A magical hedge outside of their home keeps them from leaving. Zuhra’s father was a Paladin but he is nowhere to be found, her mother is broken from his leaving and Inara has powers that no one understands. It’s a lonely existence for all of them, but one day the hedge lets a scholar into the citadel and that’s when things get wild.

Zuhra and Inara’s sisterly bond is so tight, I loved it. We get more of Zuhra’s thoughts and feelings about Inara because Inara isn’t lucid most of the time when under the influence of her Paladin powers. Eventually we get Inara’s perspective but I feel like it’s most Zuhra that dominates the story. Zuhra helped raise Inara and Inara only knows her sister’s affection growing up in the citadel. When they are torn apart, all they want to do is get back to one each other. 😭
The world of the Paladin was so fascinating, I was devouring anything and everything about them. Halvor, the scholar is a wealth of information for Zuhra. Yes, Zuhra grew up in the citadel but knows NOTHING about the Paladin because her mother refuses to talk about them.
The budding romance between Raidyn and Zuhra had me on edge!🔥 And this comes in the second half of the book – which I think was fine except I knew, just knew it wouldn’t be resolved and it would have to wait until book two. 😞 There is a romance growing also between Halvor and Inara, but we shall see what happens with that one.
Zuhra to me is an interesting character. I wasn’t sure that I was connecting to her in the beginning but I understand why. She has had no interaction with the outside world. The only people she has come into contact with is her sister (who is barely lucid), her mother (who comes off cruel and cold) and Sami (her nanny/maid who loves her but cares for her mother too). How do we get a feel for someone who is cloistered in a magical citadel with no way out, no one to really talk to, who sees the first guy in her life and wonders if she’s falling for him She doesn’t…but she’s trying to discern what she’s feeling for the first time in a lot of new situations. Zuhra has always felt hopeless, weak and helpless. But we see her grow, we see her come out of her shell…and I can’t wait to see how much more she changes in the sequel.
The family issues, there is a LOT…ugh…I didn’t love it, because who loves family strife? But there were parts in the end that really made me tear up. I was quite emotional about it. I liked that it made me care about this broken family.
So much action at the end, but it makes me wish the sequel was coming out tomorrow.

Some might find the beginning of this book slow. It is, if you are waiting for action to start right away. But we are getting to know Zuhra and Inara and their cloistered, sparse, depressing life. There was a time when I said, ok…is anything going to happen?! I remember looking at the page and realized I was around 100 when things really started happening.
Zuhra’s mother, Cinnia…I know her heart was broken, I know she despaired being alone to raise her kids in a citadel that entrapped them. I know she had no way of understanding what happened, but damn it was she cold and cruel to her girls. Because she was hurt and afraid she took it out on them. And I don’t forgive her still…even though at the end, there was some understanding between all of them. But Zuhra took the brunt of it in her upbringing and Cinnia needs to do a 180 in the next book because…these girls needed their mother.
Though the perspectives alternate between Zuhra and Inara, I was more invested in Zuhra’s experience. It felt uneven, but I hope it does even out in the sequel.
I’ll have to wait forever for the sequel. Sigh….

I enjoyed this book so much because of the sisterly love, the amazing magical world of the Paladins and their gryphons, and that frustrating growing romance between Zuhra and Raidyn. I wanted to scream, Kiss ALREADY!!! 🤣 I hope we see Zuhra grow stronger and confident in herself and I’m worried about Inara. What will happen to her? 😞

Sisters of Shadow and Light is an emotional journey of two sisters, finding themselves and bringing their family back together. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

ARC Review | Something Wicked

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Something Wicked (Book #1)

Author: Nicole M. Rubino

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: eBook – ? / Paperback-424

Publication Date: November 19, 2019

Categories: Witchcraft, Salem, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance

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

A breakup and a car accident are no way to start your seventeenth birthday.

For Theo Montgomery, that is exactly how it began. Her bad luck turns worse when she returns home from a school dance to find her house on fire–with her parents still inside.

Following their deaths, Theo is sent to live with her estranged aunt in Salem, Massachusetts. If a new home and a new school aren’t enough to deal with, Theo discovers her aunt has a secret: she is a witch. And so is Theo.

Theo must learn keep her magic in check, lest the Town’s notorious witch hunters discover that magic has returned to the world after more than three hundred years. But how can she navigate a new school, new magical powers and avoid the witch hunters, when she finds herself enjoying the company of one?

Trystan de Lancre is a dangerous witch hunter, but that doesn’t keep Theo from wanting to discover more about him. Harboring secrets of his own, Trystan isn’t the only perilous force in Salem. Something has returned to the village; something that the witches believed to have been dead and buried long ago.

Salem’s dark past rises to haunt Theo and the present-day witches, unraveling a shocking revelation: the real cause of the Salem Witch Trials.

Thank you to Magnolia Press and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

Something Wicked is about a teenage girl named Theo who has strange things happening to her all the time. First, the accident with her ex-boyfriend, then her parents dying all of a sudden and things happens when she gets angry like windows slam shut. 👀 An aunt she never knew she had offers her a home with her in Salem, Massachusetts and that’s when Theo realizes she’s a witch.

Salem is also home to witch hunters, one being the very handsome, Trystan. It’s a forbidden insta-romance between them since witch hunters and witches getting together is a pretty bad idea. But they can’t fight the attraction happening between them! 🤷🏻‍♀️

What I enjoyed most about the story was learning about the history of the witches. Most of the book is about Theo learning about her powers. Apparently she’s a rare, powerful Elemental witch, and she easily learns how to use her powers…which is convenient. I thought it came way too easy for her. It is a young adult book so Theo had some teenage angst about finding out the truth about her family and dealing with boy problems.

The character I enjoyed the most is Theo’s aunt Elizabeth because she’s so smart, independent and powerful. She looks out for Elizabeth and helps her grow into being witch.

Trystan’s perspective gave us insight into the witch hunters but I think more of his story will be revealed in the sequel. I thought the history of witch hunters was interesting. Now Trystan is a bit older than Theo who is still in high school. Trystan is a college boy.

A lot of the action is at the end of the book where we get some witch vs. witch fighting. I did lose some interest around the middle of the book because I didn’t quite believe or trust Trystan’s feelings for Theo especially after some truths are revealed, but they seemed to work it out for the most part. Overall it’s a quick read about Salem witches, and witch hunters, infused with a little forbidden love. If you want a witchy read for October, this will definitely hit the spot!

ARC Review | Gravemaidens

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Gravemaidens

Author: Kelly Coon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: October 29, 2019

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

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

The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land’s greatest honor…and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu’s ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.

Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gravemaidens is about a young woman named Kammani who is following in her father’s footsteps to become the best healer in Alu. But her family’s reputation was tarnished years ago when her father’s healing talent couldn’t save someone very important. So they went from a renowned family in society to being outcasts and her youngest brother is sent to live at the palace as punishment. Kammani’s life and family has fallen apart.

A very fascinating ritual takes place in this book. The Lugal, their ruler, is on the verge of death but when he dies tradition follows that three of the most beautiful girls will accompany the Lugal into the tomb and die with him. These gravemaidens will travel with him to the netherworld. Kammani’s sister is chosen as a sacred maiden. Where everyone saw this role as a true honor, Kammani only sees death and vows to save her sister.

I love the strong female characters and female relationships in this book. I especially loved Iltani, who is Kammani’s best friend. She’s funny and spunky, she really made the scenes come alive. Kammani is a strong young woman as well but sometimes I thought she was rash with her actions and thoughts concerning her sister and the Nin (princess). Her reasoning for who was trying to cause harm to her and the Lugal came to her so quick, even I questioned her accusations. Nanaea, who is Kammani’s younger sister comes off as materialistic but there is more to her than what everyone sees.

Kammani does have a romantic interest in Dagan. Their relationship is a slow burn, friends to lovers clean romance. Kammani is wary of becoming a wife and mother and nothing else, so she is conflicted about marrying Dagan. Dagan is patient, loyal and a good friend to Kammani. He really is just a good guy who loves her.

Gravemaidens is a story about the bonds of family, friendship, finding love and navigating the expectations of being a young woman. Overall this is a very solid debut and an engaging young adult fantasy novel.

Book Review | The Bone Houses

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Bone Houses

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Format: Hardcover (owned)

Pages: 338

Categories: Death, Fantasy, Welsh Mythology, Young Adult, Romance

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family, and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

This book made my heart smile! Who knew that a book about bone houses (skeletal zombies basically, not an actual HOUSE), could feel light-hearted?

Ryn is an axe-wielding gravedigger who is trying to keep her family afloat. She has a younger siblings and no parents. The uncle who is supposed to be their caretaker is gone and most people choose to burn bodies instead of bury them, so times are tough in Colbern. If things don’t change for Ryn and her family, they could lose their home and each other.

Magic from long ago has been forgotten over time, but Ryn knows in the forest outside of their town, are bone houses. The bone houses are dead people, come to life and she feels it’s her job to take her axe to them. She is brave, strong and no nonsense, which I love about her. Then one day a young man named Ellis comes to town and he is a mapmaker who is lost. He is searching for clues about his family and needs a guide. Ryn and Ellis set off on a journey to find out more about his history and also to end the curse of the bone houses once and for all.

This book was basically the walking dead and yes it’s kind of creepy but I think because it’s Ryn who’s dealing with them – I feel like her perspective of these bone houses is so refreshing and different because she is a gravedigger. She’s around the dead, cares for the dead and even when she’s destroying the bone houses, she apologizes. ❤️ I liked seeing death through Ryn’s eyes. There is one scene when they come upon a town where the bone houses live with the living and I thought it was heart wrenching. ☹️

Ryn and Ellis’ relationship is a slow burn romance, it’s clean and sweet. For a time I didn’t think there would be a romance between them, I think it could’ve gone either way for them and it would have been fine. But I’m also happy for their happily ever after.

Interwoven in this wonderfully told emotional fantasy story about family, bone houses and mythology, is the theme about grief and pain. Ryn has lost her parents, and Ellis never knew his, so they are both dealing with the pain of their pasts. But Ellis also deals with physical pain and I liked how he described living with it. My heart broke for Ryn and Ellis when they finally confront their ghosts. 💔 But they are there for each other, not just in the romantic sense, but as two caring human beings.

Even though it’s a book about killing “zombies” and grief, the way this story is told warmed my heart and made me smile. 😊 This is the perfect autumn read, I thoroughly enjoyed The Bone Houses.

“And perhaps this was the truth about the dead. You went on. They’d want you to.”
The Bone Houses by. emily lloyd-jones

ARC Review | An Unholy Magick

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: An Unholy Magick (Vile Sacraments, #1)

Author: Kali Rose Schmidt

Format: eBook (provided by The Parliament House)

Pages: (can’t find this info)🤷🏻‍♀️

Publication Date: October 22, 2019

Categories: Dark Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

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

She’s an assassin with a gift her parents died for.
He’s a reluctant prince content to drink himself into oblivion.
And hiding in plain sight amongst them both, a monster is searching for redemption.

In a kingdom where magick is forbidden and spoken of only in whispers, they must each face their own demons, walking the line between loyalty and betrayal.

Enter a dark new world full of forbidden love, painful loss, and a growing war between those with power and those who crave it. An Unholy Magick is a bloody and spell-binding fantasy debut, the first from Kali Rose Schmidt’s shadowy series, Vile Sacraments.

Thank you to The Parliament House Press for giving me a chance to review this eARC or An Unholy Magick.

An Unholy Magick is the story of a girl name Elena, she is part witch, part Elf and one hundred percent cold blooded assassin. She’s also beautiful and knows it. She’s defiant, stubborn, sometimes arrogant and ignorant but she learns quickly and cares deeply for her friends. Elena is also very brave. I wasn’t sure if I should categorize this as New or Young Adult but I went with NA because Elena is 18 and her romantics interests are 20 years old and above. There is one steamy scene but it only involves a kiss.

The kingdom of Anglar is just a part of Terra that King Nicolas rules but he wants to expand his domain. And what better way to do that than by using a witch-assassin to infiltrate the neighboring kingdom of Garcari and slay their ruler Queen Raytha. But to get to Garcari, Elena would need to travel and survive the legendary Dark Forest. Will she survive the mission? And will King Nicolas set her free after her task is done?

This book was a pleasant surprise for me! I like the world building of Terra. There is the Dark Forest where legendary monsters like vampires, werewolves and many more beings make their home. The story takes place mostly in Anglar at King Nicolas’ castle where Elena is training with her guards and a sorcerer to be ready to go on her mission. Magick use is forbidden in Anglar and many people who used it were persecuted or fled the kingdom. Elena’s parents were killed when she was young and she harbors hard feelings against the king because of it, but she has no choice but to take on this mission – it’s kill Queen Raytha or die by hanging.

There are a few interesting characters that I enjoyed. Matvey, the vampyre disguised as a sorcerer, is helping Elena access her powers. I don’t know why but I totally wanted Elena and him to hook up. 😅 His true self under the glamour is a monster, a “bloated corpse” as Elena describes him but why did I so approve of their attraction to one another? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Except Elena is very much into Prince Zoran. And he may be charming and besotted with Elena but he just seemed too weak for my taste. Seems like the two of them may end up together though, or…who knows, maybe the book will surprise me? So it seems like a love triangle but I don’t think it really is – I think Elena’s choice is made.

Elena makes friends easily which is a part of her personality that I liked. Her friendship with prison guard, Aranka, was a fun aspect of the book. I also loved that she had Tabitha, her maid who really took care of her. And then there is Jaime, her friend who grew up with her like a brother. They are close, but are apart for most of the book until the end…where things get a little crazy in the Dark Forest and Garcari. I like Elena’s character growth and in the end she realizes her position as an assassin can be used to help make some changes in Anglar, like helping witches regain the freedom to use magick again. She has power, more than she knows.

Most of the book is about Elena training, building relationships and learning about the history of Queen Raytha, Saint Ragnhild, the Death King, witches and elves but I enjoyed it immensely. A lot more of the action comes in the second half of the book and it kept me quite engaged! There was even one scene as I read in the dark that creeped me out for a quick minute! 😆

An Unholy Magick is the first book in a series and it is entertaining, bloody, dark and full of witches and monsters. I look forward to the sequel!

ARC Review | A River of Royal Blood

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A River of Royal Blood

Author: Amanda Joy

Format: paperback (Bookishfirst winner)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: October 29, 2019

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Adventure, Sibling Rivalry, Blood Magic

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

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood–a dark and terrible magick that hasn’t been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native khimaer royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina’s long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne–because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.

When Eva is attacked by an assassin just weeks before the battle with her sister, she discovers there is more to the attempt on her life than meets the eye–and it isn’t just her sister who wants to see her dead. As tensions escalate, Eva is forced to turn to a fey instructor of mythic proportions and a mysterious and handsome khimaer prince for help in growing her magick into something to fear. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa’s death or her own.

A River of Royal Blood is an enthralling debut set in a lush North African inspired fantasy world that subtly but powerfully challenges our notions of power, history, and identity.

Thank you to Putnam and Bookishfirst for giving me a chance to win this ARC of A River of Royal Blood.

A young adult fantasy book about sisters dueling to the death for a crown? It sounds reminiscent of other sibling rivalry books out there but this one definitely stands out!

A River of Royal Blood took me two days to finish, because it’s one of those books that set the backdrop for what’s to come in this series. It may seem like a lot of info dump but I think in this case it is needed because this imagined world is intricate and detailed. If you don’t like slow building fantasy then this book might put you off. The plot of the two sisters fighting for the crown also takes a bit of a back seat until the end.

The strength of this book is the world building because my goodness it is rich, colorful and so diverse. There are humans, fey, bloodkin, khimaer and more lands we will discover in book two I’m sure. The queendom of Myre finds it’s ruler with the Rival Heir tradition, where two sisters who are of age (17+) will find to the death and winner takes the crown. What a cruel tradition.

There is a magick system in place in this world and everyone who has magick seems to have their own different strengths. A few characters show mind controlling powers, where as Princess Eva has marrow and blood magick. But what is it? Because Princess Eva has the magick but can’t access it. Omens that were witnessed before her birth said her power would be great and terrible. Her older sister Princess Isadore already wields her persuasion magick so expertly. The sisters were once close, the scenes that portray them in memory as children show them in happier times, but those days are over with Eva’s 17th birthday approaching.

Most of the book is about Princess Eva learning about her magick and how to access it. We meet a lot of different characters in the book some fey, bloodkin, human and khimaer. I think the khimaer is the most fascinating, because they take on parts of animals with their human form also. They sound magnificent! There is a lot of history being told in the story which people might find to be boring info dump, and sometimes I’m in that category but this book kept me engaged. I wanted to know the history of Queen Riana and Baccha, the Lord of the Hunt. I loved learning about the Sorceryn and Auguries (who studied Omens/cosmos) and wanted to know about the khimaer and the Dracolan – by the end of the book, I was like, give me more! Oh also, I want more bloodkin! 🧛‍♂️

There are assassination attempts on Eva that seems to take more precedence than the sisters fighting. And there is a bit of a romance as well between Eva and a certain Prince who has fangs and scales like a snake – that’s kinda hot right? 😅 I always like a little romance in my fantasy novels but even if it wasn’t there, I think I would still be invested in Eva’s journey.

As for Princess Eva she’s definitely got family issues, I mean she grew up knowing she will either kill her sister or be killed by her! It’s cutthroat to be a royal, right? Her mom doesn’t show her affection, and she’s definitely daddy’s girl but he’s been gone from court for awhile. She has lots of conflicted emotions about her magick, her identity, the history of their queendom, her family and knowing who to trust and trying to figure out who loves her. ☹️ Her mom and sister are like ice queens whereas Eva is emotional. But what I love about Eva is that she learns…she wants to know the history of their kingdom and if she ruled, she has plans on how she could fix the injustices that took place on the khimaer people.

A River of Royal Blood is a stellar and solid debut, full of world building, magick, political intrigue, sibling rivalry, some romance, some killing, and lots of blood and secrets. I am so looking forward to the next book in this series!

ARC Review | Cupid’s Match

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Cupid’s Match

Author: Lauren Palphreyman

Format: Paperback (owned)

Pages: 367

Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

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

He’s mythologically hot, a little bit wicked, and almost 100% immortal. And he’ll hit you right in the heart . . .

“Miss Black, we have a big problem.”

Lila Black doesn’t believe in matchmaking, let alone soul mates. So then why is she constantly being hassled by the Cupids Matchmaking Service? But this gilded, cherub-bedecked dating agency isn’t exactly what it seems . . . and it’s about to turn Lila’s entire world upside down.

It turns out that Cupids Matchmaking is the real deal. As in, it’s run by actual cupids—who don’t look at all like they do in the paintings—and they have a serious problem with Lila’s “match.” Because this guy shouldn’t be in the system. He shouldn’t have a match. And while he’s irresistibly hot, he’s also incredibly dangerous. Because Lila’s true love match is Cupid. The original bad boy of love. And he wants her.

Now Lila’s once-normal teenaged world has exploded into a mythological nightmare overrun by crime-lord sirens, wrathful cupid hit men, magic arrows that cause no end of trouble, and a mischievous, not-so-angelic love god she can’t seem to stop herself from falling for . . .

Thank you BookishFirst for giving me a chance to win this arc!

Cupid’s Match is a fun new take on the original mythological Cupid. In this young adult urban fantasy Lila is contacted by The Cupid’s Matchmaking Service and she finds out her match is Cupid. The one and ONLY Cupid.

But this book isn’t only about if and how Lila and Cupid actually fall in love, nope, it’s much more than that. The first part of the book takes on a twist and this match between Lila and Cupid MUST NOT happen, as everyone around Lila keeps alluding too. But she doesn’t know why…I don’t know why either and I was almost at the end of my patience with trying to find out. And because of that, the second half of the book is way much faster and action packed than the first part.

Lila as a character seems like a cool girl but kind of bland. We don’t find out much about her in the beginning except that she’s tagging along with Cal and Cupid (brothers) who are trying to keep her safe. And of course they keep her in the dark so…🤷🏻‍♀️

Cupid is the bad boy but he doesn’t come off that bad at all. Then there is Cal who seems like the more responsible brother and there is a hint of a love triangle between them brewing which I’m not into. I was going for a Cal and Lila romance but it’s not what happens.

What I did like about Cupid’s Match was the unique world of the cupids. They had a group called the Arrows who are like cupid law enforcement. Venus, the goddess of love, is Cal and Cupid’s mother and basically ruler of them all. They use different arrows with different degrees of ardor in can infect someone with. So I really enjoy that part of the world-building.

Overall, this book was okay for me. It is a fast, light-hearted read with lots of potential.