Snowglobe by. Soyoung Park | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Snowglobe

Author: Soyoung Park

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 2/27/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Suspense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Warning: death

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

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

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

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

My Thoughts:

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

Book Links:

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Immortal Longings by. Chloe Gong | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1)

Author: Chloe Gong

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/18/23

Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press

Categories: Adult Fiction, Shakespeare Retelling, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance

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

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

#1 New York Times bestselling YA author Chloe Gong’s adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra , is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

Content Warning: violence, death

I almost DNF’ed this book but I pushed through because it’s Chloe Gong and once our two main characters met, I became invested. But let me tell you that the first 20% of this book was a struggle for me to get into. I couldn’t quite get my bearings on this world the author created. It’s two cities San-Er in the kingdom of Talin, and there is a power imbalance with lots poverty among the people and the king flourishing and turning a blind eye. So August, the prince wants to take the throne but he needs someone to kill the king. The plan is to get a player into the annual games, the winner can get close to the king at the end and kill him. But there are other players in these ruthless games who want to win for their own agendas.

The power play is intriguing. Do we really know August? He says he will be a different king from his father but others say he will be just the same. He does everything in his power though to make sure his plan comes to fruition.

Then there is Calla, my favorite morally grey, ass-kicking character who is fearsome and fierce. She has history with August, but so does Anton Makusa, the fastest body jumper around. And yes this society of people can jump bodies, which makes the action quite exhilarating and fast-paced.

I was hooked on Calla and Anton. I love them fighting, even if it meant drawing blood. I liked their chemistry and obsession with one another – I am now obsessed with them! This was my favorite part of the book and probably the only reason it’s getting 4 stars and that I want to read the next book. Oh yeah, it ends on a cliffhanger.

Speaking of blood, there is a lot of it. Calla and Anton are fighting to the death in these games and it is bloody with lots of rolling heads and slit throats. It’s violent but I enjoyed it. I do think the games could have been explained more -it’s sort of like the Hunger Games but those games were the focus. The games here isn’t quite the focus. There are a few things going with August needing his plan to take place, talks of rebels coming into the city, and issues with a religious sect. My struggle in the beginning was the info dumping and trying to figure out this world of San-Er. It’s kind of dystopian? It’s inspired by historical Hong Kong. But the beginning of this book did not hook me, maybe because we are thrown in with many characters being introduced. Also, I wasn’t into the body jumping. Once I got my bearings, and Calla meets Anton, I was intrigued. Also I can’t comment on it being a retelling of Antony & Cleopatra because I don’t remember reading it.

From their meeting to the end it’s a wild ride. Calla and Anton is what saves this book for me. I can’t wait to read book two but I hope for more character development and less info-dumping.

Tropes: enemies to allies to lovers

Why you should read it:

Calla and Anton
political intrigue

Why you might not want to read it:

the beginning of this story is a lot of info-dumping and I almost dnf’ed this book

My Thoughts:

I’m so happy I pushed through with this one and didn’t give up! The beginning was really a struggle for me and I wish there wasn’t so much info dumping. It’s a fascinating world the author has created with people who can jump bodies which I’m still not sure how I feel about because it’s not regulated and just seems so violating and cheating almost. It makes for an interesting story though! I fell in love with Calla and Anton and I’ll be looking forward to reading book two after that cliffhanger ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

These Violent Delights | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our Violent Ends by. Chloe Gong | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Foul Lady Fortune by. Chloe Gong | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Handmaid’s Tale by. Margaret Atwood | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Handmaid’s Tale

Author: Margaret Atwood

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 311

Publication Date: 12/31/1984

Categories: Dystopian, Classic Fiction, Feminism, Banned Books

The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.

The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment’s calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions. The Handmaid’s Tale is funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing. It is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and a tour de force. It is Margaret Atwood at her best.

Content Warning: violence, death, killing, rape

This book is available on Kindle Unlimited and what a perfect time it is to read this with the state of politics in the USA. I’ve always wanted to watch the show series but I also wanted to read the book first. Thing is I never pick up classics but honestly, I may start doing so – especially if it’s a banned book, because I’m so annoyed with the news of books being banned.

I can see why people would want to ban this book because all these things can come true and it’s scary as hell, especially if you are a girl. It’s a dystopian story that left me angry, disgusted, scared and sad. I could only imagine living in such a world where women are controlled, where our rights are taken away, our humanity is stripped from us. What a horrible place to live where a woman is just a baby making machine and that’s the extent of our worth. The women are even taught to hate being a woman, and to be enemies of one another under the guise of unity. And yes the men are the “enemy” but not all of them – thank goodness for those that tried to help in their ways without being caught and punished.

As for how the story is written – it’s long-winded in some parts and a little chaotic because we are in Offred’s thoughts. She’s telling the story but she drifts from the present and into memories from the past and sometimes I had to figure out which was what. Also the ending of the story is abrupt and then goes into an epilogue

Why you should read it:

impactful cautionary tale

Why you might not want to read it:

not into dystopia
the things they do to women

My Thoughts:

I can imagine when this was published in 1984 people thought events happening in this book could never happen in real life and it sounded far-fetched. And yet here we are today… Read the book, and be cautioned.

Book Links:

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A Wilderness of Stars by. Shea Ernshaw | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Wilderness of Stars

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 11/29/22

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Dystopian, Sci-fi, Romance, Young Adult

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

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

An illness cursing the land forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.

If magic lives anywhere, it’s in the stars…

Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But after her mother dies, and Vega sees the fabled twin stars in the sky, it’s an omen she can no longer ignore, forcing her to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. But the outside world turns out to be much more terrifying than Vega could have imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives.

What Vega keeps to herself is that she is the Last Astronomer—a title carried from generation to generation—and she is the only one who carries the knowledge of the stars. Knowledge that could hold the key to the cure. And so when locals spot the tattoo on Vega’s neck in the shape of a constellation—the mark of an astronomer—chaos erupts as the threats her mother warned her about become all too real.

Fearing for her life, Vega is rescued by a girl named Cricket who leads her to Noah, a boy marked by his own mysterious tattoos. On the run from the men who are hunting her, Vega, Cricket, and Noah set out across the plains in search of the cure the stars speak of. But as the lines between friend and protector begin to blur, Vega must decide whether to safeguard the sacred knowledge of the astronomer. Or if she will risk everything to try to save them all.

Content Warning: death or a parent, death, sickness, violence

I’ve read two other books by this author and always loved her atmospheric writing. This book is way different than those books I read and here’s what I thought:

+ Atmospheric writing and mysterious world building. For some reason I thought this took place in the past…far into the past when settlers came to America. Think dirt roads, saloons, tonics, etc…I thought this story was set in the wild west! The story is raw and gritty, the people are sick with consumption and dying and it seems like a tough place to live. So this is a western, dystopian, sci-fi book and I loved the whole mix of it!

+ I say this is sci-fi but only at the ending and I can’t say much without revealing things about the story.

+~ Vega is the chosen one. She holds a secret and she needs to get to her final destination to do something (no one knows what, even the reader). She’s very mysterious and determined to get to where she is going. But because she has been so sheltered and only taught astronomy – she doesn’t know much about surviving in the wild until it’s time for her to go and find the Architect. She frustrated me at times – especially because she was rash in her decisions and because she’s the chosen one, everyone around her dies because of her. I was getting annoyed with that by the ending.

+~ The romance is pretty passionate and insta-love. Vega and Noah are like a fated romance which works for me because they are living in the end of days and desperate times – why not fall in love and kiss a boy before you die, right? I was all for it…but that ending! It saddened me.

~+ I’m all for mystery but 3/4ths into the book I just wanted to know what the heck the Astronomer and Architect needed to do to save everyone. I was over the mystery and wanted information. Everything is so vague until the end. I will say I read this book quick though because I was curious to know what was causing the people to be sick and why Vega was so special. I did like the reveal at the end, I thought that was a cool reveal. I just didn’t like how things ended between Vega and Noah.

Tropes: chosen one, insta-love

Why you should read it:

the story is atmospheric and mysterious with a good reveal
Vega and Noah falling in love before the world ends

Why you might not want to read it:

the mystery takes too long and you might be bored and tired by the time everything is explained
Vega is the chosen one and everyone dies around her

My Thoughts:

I had to process my thoughts on this book a lot because when I realized it was a western/dystopian story and the big reveal at the end, the feeling I had was I really enjoyed the book. Then my mind picked apart the things I could have done without like how long the mystery and vague information went on in the book and how Vega got on my nerves because she is the chosen one and protected and everyone is going to die and sacrifice themselves around her. I also loved the ending because of the reveal but I was so sad about Noah…so my feelings are all over the place about this book but I’m glad I read it. Overall, I’m going to say I did enjoy it more than disliked especially the ending when things started to make sense.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review: The Wicked Deep ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Review | Winterwood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Getaway by. Lamar Giles | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Getaway

Author: Lamar Giles

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/19/22

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Mystery, Dystopia, Suspense

Welcome to the funnest spot around . . .

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only… they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew–and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Content Warning: gore, violence, racism

I went into this blind! I like the creepy cover and since it’s October, I wanted something to set the spooky season mood. This wasn’t as spooky as I wanted it to be but horrifying…absolutely. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The cover sets the tone. The concept for this story is great! Karloff County is a famous resort – think amusement park, high quality service, someplace people go to be entertained. I kept thinking of Disneyland when I read this book and how nothing is “perfect”. So this pretend utopia living is not all what it seems – there is something wrong and throughout the story it just gets worse!

+ World building was interesting. We get a really good glimpse of how people Karloff County is run and who lives there to make it function. They rely on workers called Helpers to make people who visit get the full, happy experience. This is set in a dystopian society though so apparently everything outside the walls of the county is chaos. Jay, one of our main characters, mentions world hunger, riots, and protests outside of the county so it sounds dire. We eventually learn the real goals of the Karloff family and investors and it is quite sinister.

+ I think the story did a good job of keeping me engaged to get me to the big reveal. And the reveal is pretty horrifying. Karloff County is supposed to be this refuge that Jay and his family and others have found as a blessing, but when things change – the place they love starts to turn on them. The story did a good job of addressing race and classism in this story especially since it is set in such a place as Karloff County.

~ It’s told through four perspectives so although I liked getting to know each of the four friends: Jay, Zeke, Connie and Chelle – I felt like we didn’t get to know them very well. I think I connected to Jay more than anyway and Chelle, I didn’t trust. There is a little romance that gets addressed in the beginning but it’s not something that is sustained throughout the book. It’s not a focus but I thought maybe because it was discussed right away, it would have made a bigger impact down the line.

Tropes: amusement park horror, suburban-utopia creepiness

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

to see what is really going on in Karloff County
I love how Karloff County was known as this paradise to all the world, but it’s a fake/bought paradise – all an illusion and the author let us know how scary that can be
you like the kind of thrillers that builds slowly but really horrifies you at the end of it

Why you might not want to read it:

definitely be in the mood for a dystopian, mystery-thriller with the payoff at the end

My Thoughts:

I found this to be a quick read and one that wasn’t super and blatant horror until the last pages. I love the concept of the story and how the story brings in racism and classism into the story. The setting of Karloff County is perfect and made me realize how creepy an amusement park type of utopia can be! I’m glad I read this one and look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Monsters Born and Made by. Tanvi Berwah | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Monsters Born and Made

Author: Tanvi Berwah

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 9/6/22

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Race, Family, Politics, Romance

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

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

Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.

In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral’s family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they’re lucky―survive.

When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can’t afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral’s only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.

But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister’s―before the whole island burns.

Content Warning: violence, illness, abuse

Well, I didn’t expect this to be like the Scorpio Races and Hunger Games combined! This is what worked and didn’t work for me:

+ I thought the world-building was interesting, there are very cool aspects to it. The story takes place on an island and the rich people, Landers, live below ground. Renters are the hardworking people in Sollonia and there is a divide. There are sea monsters in this story also. They have aquabats, capricorns, maristags (which are like monster horses that they race), and so much more.

+ I liked how hard Koral is. She is a survivor and won’t give up. There is a lot of anger in her, her brother Emrik, most of the Renters in Sollonia, in the rebels, so much anger in this book that I could relate because of the world we live in today. Koral is relatable. All she wants is a good life, to care for her family, she wants a chance, she fights daily for this chance and she wants glory but always comes out on the losing end. I definitely sympathized with her anger and frustrations.

+ The ending is kind of bonkers – but the final race is high adrenaline. I was cheering on Koral, but it’s a brutal race. But it doesn’t end after the race…

+~ There is a friends to rivals to maybe lovers thing going on with Koral and one of the wealthiest boys in Sollonia, Dorian. They have history that we know a little about. Presently they are rivals but there is an undercurrent of something like hate and desire. Would have liked more interaction between them. There is barely any romance between them just lots of hard feelings.

~ Though the world-building is fascinating it was confusing as well. I don’t think I have a clear picture of what a maristag looks like in my head. I’m just going off of the book cover and maybe like a horse body? There were just some things about the world-building I couldn’t quite pin down and flesh out in my mind despite the author’s descriptions.

~ The ending is so abrupt – is there a sequel? Because how could it end like that?!

~ I wasn’t sure what parts of the books represented South Asia because the races felt like a Roman inspired race? It had chariots and a dome called a Drome. I’m going to say it was the caste system between the Landers, Renters and Rebels but I wish it was clearer to me.

Why you should read it:

fascinating world-building, an island surrounded by a sea of monsters
Koral is a survivor and a fighter, this girl won’t back down
the final race is pure action

Why you might not want to read it:

some parts of the world-building while fascinating was also confusing at times – I couldn’t get a good feel of how things looked like a maristag for instance…
very abrupt ending – is there a sequel?

My Thoughts:

This one has so much potential and I did love the aspect of the Glory Races and people racing these violent creatures called maristags. The races were a pure rush to read! I did wish I could visualize more of the world-building because it’s so fascinating but I needed more details. I thought Koral was the perfect character for a story such as this because she’s a fighter and the feelings of the Renters and rebels were all encapsulated in her character The ending was so climatic and then ended abruptly so I hope there is a sequel. For the most part I had fun reading this book and hope to read more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Genesis Wars by. Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Genesis Wars (The Infinity Courts, #2)

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 4/19/22

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Categories: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Dystopian

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

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

Nami’s continuing adventures as she fights to free her friends.

It’s been ten months since Nami narrowly escaped the Four Courts and Ophelia’s wrath. Ten months since she was betrayed by someone she once considered a friend. Someone she poured her heart out to. And now her family here in the afterlife are gone, captured, and Nami is utterly alone.

On the run, only steps ahead of the AI forces pursuing her, and desperate to free her friends, Nami must take the allies she can find, even if she doesn’t fully trust them. And as she tests the limits of her own power, she must also reckon with the responsibility that entails.

Stakes are high as Nami navigates old enemies, unexpected allies, and an ever-changing landscape filled with dangers and twists at every turn. Along the way, she’ll learn powerful truths about who she can trust and the sacrifices that must be made in order to fight for a better, freer world for all.

Content Warning: Violence, Torture

In the sequel to The Infinity Courts, things get more dire for Nami. Book one left us with a big, shocking plot twist at the end and now Nami has to deal with the outcome of the events that occurred. She is in the Borderlands, trying to train hard enough to fight the Residents and trying to gather allies to help her get her friends. But she is at her wits end – everyone seems to be against her. Nami won’t give up trying to go back to the Courts to find her friends though, even if she has to infiltrate Caelan’s mind to do so.

Nami…what can I say about this girl? She is stubborn, rash, makes so many mistakes but she is fighting to save her friends because she carries guilt for trusting Caelan She blames herself for their capture and she’s heartbroken and angry because he betrayed her. Nami is hardened in book two, she is eaten up with guilt and anger. Her focus is only on saving her friends, and keeping the Borderlands alive so humans have a safe space to go to when they cross over. People like her sister Mei. Nami frustrated me because her plans took precedent over everyone else’s. But as it was reiterated many times in the story – she’s only been there for one lifetime whereas the others, have been fighting for many lifetimes. She’s a baby compared to everyone else there, she has a lot to learn and she does – the hard way.

I enjoyed meeting the characters in the Borderlands and learning about the different tribes. Kasia was a kind friend to Nami – bless her heart and Nix’s. Nami needs a friend and Kasia was gracious enough to extend that friendship to her. Caelan is back and I was wary about him as Nami was but we learn a few things about him that explains his actions in book one.

Once again this book ends in a cliffhanger. This series I will say, has some amazing plot twists and cliffhangers. The writing is wonderful, it just flows so well and the story moved fast. I like how the story tackled issues about leaders and their responsibilities to their people. Also there were questions about a person’s free will and sacrifice. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book!

Why you should read it:

you read The Infinity Courts and need to find out what happens next after that cliffhanger ending
it has action, plot twists and a cliffhanger – writing flows so easily
Nami’s character growth – she suffers through guilt and anger in this sequel, she makes mistakes but she does not stop fighting to find her friends. There is a lot of room to grow for her.

Why you might not want to read it:

Not into sci-fi/dystopian set in the afterlife

My Thoughts:

This sequel gave us a chance to see Nami struggle with guilt, anger, making mistakes, and being rash with her decisions but sticking steadfast to her goal of finding her friends and keeping the Borderlands alive to help humans find a safe haven. She is challenged at every turn, she trusts no one and has to really keep her wits about her. Her character frustrated me a lot but I understood why she acted out the way she did. The story moves quickly and of course there is a cliffhanger that makes me eager for book three. This is a solid sequel that sets up for book three in a big way.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Blood Scion by. Deborah Falaye | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Blood Scion

Author: Deborah Falaye

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 3/8/22

Publisher: Harperteen

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Military, Yoruba-Nigerian Mythology, Fantasy

This is what they deserve. They wanted me to be a monster. I will be the worst monster they ever created.

Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.

Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.

Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely, and becoming the very monster that she ahbors.

Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, this deeply felt and emotionally charged debut from Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Daughter of Smoke and Bone that will utterly thrill and capture readers.

Content Warning: Death, Murder, Violence, Mentions of Rape, Genocide, Sexual Assault, Racism, Colonialism, Self-Harm

I was so excited to be able to borrow this book on Overdrive right away that I pushed all other books aside to read it. I was not disappointed.

First, the cover is what made me want it in the first place. I may need to buy the hardcover one day (add that to my list of all hardcovers I want to buy 😅). And the synopsis was definitely intriguing!

This story is BRUTAL. It gave me The Poppy War and Hunger Games vibes. Sloane wants answers about her mother who went missing a few years ago but the only place she could find it was in the enemy camp. The enemy is the Lucis, who came to their lands, colonized and brutalized her people, committing genocide on anyone who had magic in them, anyone who were Scions like her. Sloane has suppressed and ignored her fire powers all her life, to stay safe, except for times she couldn’t control it which led to deadly consequences. But now she has been drafted to become a Lucis soldier and has a way to find the Book of Records that could give her answers about her mom’s disappearance.

This story gives you no chance to look away from violence. There are kids killing kids, soldiers assaulting girls, soldiers killing people, training that is abusive, punishment that is gruesome and Sloane’s anger and pain resonates in her every action.

I love learning more about the Yoruba-Nigerian mythology and becoming more familiar with their god! I loved learning some of the rituals and chants and the different powers each gods extended to a Scion.

As for the characters – Sloane is 15, but I felt like she was older than that. She acts older and even has a moment with a soldier older than her…so I kind of wish she was 19 instead of 15. But I guess she had to be younger because the point of young people being recruited to be killers. She’s not someone who has experience with knowing her power but she meets other recruits like Izara who helps her. I loved her found family/friendship with Izara, Jericho and Nazanin. But some of Sloane’s decisions were questionable, which made me frustrated – she’s a morally grey character because war has made her that way.

There is action, there is betrayal and the information Sloane learns about her mother really makes me want to read the sequel ASAP. The ending was quite a reveal and I need her to get revenge. Sloane is a like a phoenix rising from ashes! It was quite a powerful ending.

One warning if you read this book: don’t get too attached to the characters. This author has no qualms about killing them off. 😭 Also the heavy topics of genocide and colonialism are throughout the story – the fact that they make teens train to be soldiers to kill their own people is horrendous. But I like how it shows how war is sick and how when you think you’ve gotten rid of the person who started the war…there is someone else waiting in the wings for their turn and their war. When does it end really?

Why you should read it:

it’s got Yoruba/Nigerian mythology
it’s got a heist, action, betrayal – it’s a fast paced story
writing flowed so well, easy to read and I read it in 2 days

Why you might not want to read it:

you are assaulted with brutality throughout the book – see content warnings above

My Thoughts:

I sped through this one because I wanted to see Sloane grow and see if she could be the one to help take down the royals. It’s a fast paced story and I found that refreshing because I’ve been reading a bunch of books that felt a little too long. I love the mythology and the found family Sloane makes. It’s an absolutely brutal read that starts and ends with violence. But taking down rulers is not that easy and Sloane learns a hard lesson about trust and betrayal. There is a lot more story to tell in the next book and I’m looking forward to reading it!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

My world is only half of what it should be, and I am only half of what I really am. I cannot afford to be whole.
― Deborah Falaye, Blood Scion

We are not helpless; we are not broken. Despite what scars they leave behind, our bodies are our own. Everything we feel, everything we are, belongs to us and us alone. Yes, we are girls, but we are not prey.
― Deborah Falaye, Blood Scion

This life, this world, it changes you.”
― Deborah Falaye, Blood Scion

“Children of war are born from war, Sloane. And we are, both of us, a legacy of this ruined world.”
– Deborah Falaye, Blood Scion

Dustborn | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Dustborn

Author: Erin Bowman

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 4/20/21

Categories: Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Romance, Survival, Young Adult

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

Delta of Dead River has always been told to hide her back, where a map is branded on her skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. In a wasteland plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man known as the General attack her village, Delta suspects he is searching for her.

Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly learns that in the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire world.

When it takes me days to read a book it usually means I’m not into it. This isn’t the case with Dustborn ~ I think I’ve been so immersed in fantasy worlds that coming back to dystopian takes some getting used to, but really I enjoyed how cutthroat and no F’s given is this world that Delta lives in. I would not survive…at all.
Aesthetic ~ the cover made me request the book! Love how fiery it looks.
World Building ~ you get a sense right away, life is tough in this world where water is scarce, and dust storms rage often. Think Mad Max, where people live in small groups or packs. I could really feel Delta’s despair from the first chapter when she needs to get her sister some help. From there everything went downhill for Delta. I think it was unique, especially parts where they described how to make water in desperate times and vehicles they use with old tech/parts that they find.
Characters ~ Delta is strong because she’s had to be in able to survive. The Wastes coddle to no one. Asher is Delta’s friend from long ago and when they meet again, she’s not sure if she can trust him. We meet other characters like the General who runs Bedrock and his people are loyal to him. The General has something Delta has and will do anything to get the information he seeks. Then there is the Prime who runs Powder Town, Delta gets caught in between trying to figure out who to trust in order to free her pack.
Romance ~ yes…I mean how can romance bloom in a world like this? But something grows between Delta and Asher, not that it takes over the story at all, this one is all about survival and truth.

I didn’t totally connect to Delta and Asher, but that’s not a bad thing, it gave the book more of a desperate vibe, and seriously…reading this made me feel like I would die on day one without barely any water! Haha, you know how in reality we always say to hydrate? How do you do that when you have to turn your pee into water and you are dehydrated?! Ugh…I’m so grateful to have water right now haha. I was really intrigued by the characters in Powder Town though. Loved that they had a female ruler and soldiers.
The twist in the end was good, we get to find out more history and what really happened in the early days.
Triggers: violence, death

If you like dystopian stories set in basically a desert world, then you will enjoy this one. Delta is practically alone in the world and has to save her pack. She has to do the impossible to do it. But when people come along can she trust them to help her reach her goal? Dustborn is a gritty dystopian story filled with adventure, desperation and even a little romance in the desert.

🧡 ~ Yolanda

The Princess Games | Book Review

My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Title: The Princess Games (The Princess Trials, #2)

Author: Cordelia K Castel

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 516

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

The stakes are higher and the competition more brutal in round two of the Princess Trials. Zea’s relationship with Prince Kevon intensifies, and she must choose between the prince and the rebel who holds her heart.

When her enemies uncover a secret that drives a rift between Zea and Prince Kevon, she’s not only battling for survival but facing execution.

Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and The Selection, this exciting tale of courage, intrigue, and betrayal will have you turning pages.

We get to see a bit more of Zea and Kevon’s feelings growing for one another and we get confirmation that Ryce is a jerk. Honestly, I’m glad there was some drama between Zea and Kevon because we know something between them…their relationship just needs more chemistry.
Glad we got to see what the Ambassador Pascale of the Amstraad Republic wanted from Zea because I was starting to not really care. But they just kept showing up in convenient moments so it was good to finally learn something about their schemes. I also liked the few twists that occurred in the story.
I liked it when Zea needed to save her family because finally we see her being a badass for something meaningful.

I read this book hoping for more romance or see some chemistry between Zea and Kevon and it’s just mild. With what Zea is going through in this princess trials, you’d think there would be something more explosive between them but it’s fairly sweet.
Also…what is the point of these princess trials? Kevon barely has dates with any of the girls. They have all these very trials, a lot of them deadly – but Kevon has no personality. He’s nice and a good guy, but what do we really know about him? I think maybe the story just lacks depth because I feel the same about Zea ~ I want more from her and finally got it when her mom was about to die.
I skimmed a few parts because we know they are after Zea, but at some point I just didn’t care. Like why does the Queen hate her so much? Just because she isn’t Noble? Queen Damascena is working so hard to keep Zea there yet she wants to kill her also? It didn’t work for me, it was exhausting.
I think it was weak for Ryce to be her crush in book one, we barely see or hear from him, then in this book he’s awful and not what she thought he was – but he’s barely in this one too! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m going to read the next book because I’m almost done with the series but so far. Usually I wouldn’t bother reading the next book if I found the previous books problematic, but I want to see what happens with Zea and Kevon. I think there are a lot of good ideas in this series – it just needs focus and so much more chemistry between Zea and Kevon. My favorite part was when Zea showed mettle especially when she was trying to save her family, that’s when I felt like she finally had something to fight for. We shall see if the next book can redeem this series in my eyes. Will we get more out of Zea and Kevon? I hope so.

📚 ~ Yolanda