Book Review: Serious Moonlight

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Jenn Bennett

Format: E-book

Pages: 434

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Sex, Mental Health

Publication Date: April 16, 2019

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Book Blurb:

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

MY REVIEW

Jenn Bennett is becoming one of my favorite young adult contemporary authors. When I saw this book cover, I didn’t realize it was the same author from Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes, two books I really enjoyed, but now she is an author under my radar! So let’s talk about Serious Moonlight ~

What I Liked:

The writing – the author sucks you into the setting. I felt like I was in Seattle and I’ve never traveled there before in my life! This story is complex, it’s not just a romance novel. In this book the author touches on mental health, dealing with death, sleep disorders, love of mysteries, sex, and how to bridge two people coping with these issues and falling in love.
The characters – they are so wonderfully unique. There’s Birdie, who has an interesting upbringing, plus her sleep disorder. Mona, her aunt, who was my favorite. She comes off the page as eccentric and lovable, just a huge personality that I wanted to hug. Daniel is half Japanese, which I love about Jenn Bennett’s books. She adds diversity and that’s always needed. Daniel is easy-going, funny, but with a very surprising past as well.
The romance – it’s a sweet slow burn. The slow part is mostly because Birdie and Daniel trying to get together is challenging. They both have their own issues to deal with, more so Birdie since it’s like she’s been freed from her cage. They are awkward, there is miscommunication when they try to talk, and basically it reminds me of my own teenage years. When I read the romance parts of the book I cringed, I laughed and I smiled.

What I Didn’t Like:

I’m not a big mystery buff, so the beginning was hard for me to get into. If you LOVE mystery (think Columbo and Murder, She Wrote) – you will love all these elements in the book. For me, it dragged but I got through it. I thought it was super cute that Daniel picked up on Birdie’s love for mysteries and basically got her out of her shell by enticing her with a mystery at their work place.

While it’s not my favorite Jenn Bennett book, I still loved the story once I got through the beginning. The writing is fantastic, the setting draws you in and the characters are people you want to know in real life. I definitely enjoyed this unique take on a young adult romance contemporary novel.

Children’s Book Review: Summer Days Fall Days

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Kate Colley

Illustration: Dale Nigel Gobel

Publication Date: September 24, 2019

Categories: Flip Book, Seasons, Children’s Book

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

MY REVIEW

This book had me at “flippable book”! I always engage my kids in these book reviews, and my daughter saw the ice cream on the cover and was immediately excited. Now, because I read this book to her on an iPad as an e-book, she lost interest by the time I went to flip the book. But if this was a physical copy, I have a feeling this would be added to our night reading pile because it’s colorful with large pictures, it’s short and it flips. I enjoyed the flipping part to the Fall Days section, because we live in Hawaii, we don’t really experience fall but that doesn’t stop me from showing my kids how autumn is experienced around the world. Overall it’s a great book! I’d buy a physical copy for my child and it would make a great gift for other children as well.

Book Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me #5)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: E-book

Pages: 352

Categories: Dystopian, Young Adult, Romance

Book Blurb:

Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is.

Nothing in her world is what it seemed. She thought she’d finally defeated the Reestablishment. She thought she’d finally taken control of her life, her power, and her pain. But Juliette has only just begun to unravel a lifetime of lies, and she finds herself faced with a familiar choice:

Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

This time, she’s not alone. Stronger, braver, and more resilient than ever, Juliette will fight for life and love with her friends by her side—but first, she has to survive the war being waged against her mind:

She has to remember who she was.

Narrated by Juliette, Warner, and Kenji Kishimoto, this gripping novel perfectly sets the stage for the highly anticipated forthcoming conclusion to the Shatter Me series.

MY REVIEW

Defy Me, is the fifth book that just released in the Shatter Me series. I’m still wrapping my head around the magnitude of what was revealed in this book. This book was wild! It was non-stop twists and turns.

Not going to lie, I’m having a hard time with the name change though. Juliette is really Ella. I’ve invested eight years of love towards this series, haha, so Juliette is now Ella – got it, but my mind is rebelling against it a little. I’m glad Kenji is still allowed to call her “J” though – it makes the transition a more bearable.

We already knew about the abuse Warner and ~~Juliette~~ Ella went through as teenagers but it broke my heart reading about the truth of their earliest years. Yes, I even teared up 😢. It made me want to protect them from their horrible parents.

We get three different perspectives from Juliette, Warner and Kenji. There is a lot of secrets coming to light in the beginning, so there was a lot of talking. And I just have to get this off my chest, has Adam always been this annoying? I’m glad his appearance was very brief. Being in Kenji’s head was great, I enjoyed his perspective the most because we pretty much know what goes on in the minds of Warner and Juliette.

Speaking of Warner and ~~Juliette~~Ella, they finally have the happy moment I was craving for. Yay! It was a bit over extended in the ending, in my opinion, just a few repetitive things, but it’s okay, let them bask in the love, they deserve it.

Some major things happen in the story which I won’t spoil but I felt like this book ended on a good, hopeful note. It wasn’t a cliffhanger so whatever happens in the next and final book would basically, I’m assuming, be about the war they have to fight and more about Emmaline. And maybe we find out if Kenji will get his happy ending too? 😉 I loved Defy Me, it broke my heart and mended it. Now Warner and Ella will be better for it, with the past behind them, they are strong in their present moment and the future looks promising.

Book Review: Little Bear Wants to GROW

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Judith Koppens

Illustrator: Suzanne Diedren

Publication Date: April 19, 2019

Categories: Children’s Fiction, Growing Up

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

MY REVIEW

This book is perfect for my two year old daughter who is enamored by cute, fuzzy creatures. I read this book to her and she smiled happily when she saw the Little Bear. From an adult’s perspective, the book’s illustrations are charming and colorful. I chose it for my daughter because of the cover and she’s a two-year old, so lately I keep telling her she’s a big girl now, especially because she just gave up her pacifier. This book covers the concept of “growing” for children in a sweet-mannered, simple way. It’s perfect for toddlers who might be wondering why adult’s keep talking about them growing up all the time.

Book Review: Restore Me (Shatter Me #4)

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My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: E-book

Pages: 434

Categories: Dystopian, Young Adult, Relationship Drama, Grief

Book Blurb:

The girl with the power to kill with a single touch now has the world in the palm of her hand. Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander of North America, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her.

Who will she become in the face of adversity? Will she be able to control the power she wields, and use it for good?

MY REVIEW

Oh Juliette…🤦🏻‍♀️

I read the first book in this series when it first published, back in 2011 so I’ve been on this journey with Juliette Ferrars for eight years. Shatter Me was so different. Tahereh Mafi’s writing is poetic, and the story was like journal entries with lots of crossed out phrases but it worked. It was the perfect way to be introduced to Juliette Ferrars, a special girl held captive because she was very different. We got to enter her mental prison. As the series went on we see the writing change, it is still poetic but less journal-style, because Juliette evolves – its one of the reasons I love this series. Juliette goes on an emotional, mental and physical journey and we are there along for the ride. Plus the fact that Juliette’s romance with Warner was such a beautiful hot delicious mess. Warner is my ultimate book-boyfriend. 😍

It ended perfectly for me in the third book, Ignite me. But I was happy to hear Tahereh Mafi was bringing us back into Juliette’s world with Restore Me because let’s face it, I really missed Warner. Was I a bit worried at how much the characters would change? Maybe…

This is my second time reading Restore Me. The first time, I skimmed through a lot of it. Why? Was I over dystopian stories? Not in the mood for it? Or did I skim it because Juliette is a seventeen year old Supreme Commander not fit to lead? I wasn’t totally mad at her for not being ready to lead – but where is her support? Why isn’t Warner helping her and filling her in on everything he knows? Why isn’t Castle advising her, he’s like the oldest person around them? Why is Juliette not heeding advice? I was seriously frustrated and I needed to remind myself she’s only seventeen! Warner, though he’s tough and more experienced, is barely twenty.

And honestly, I thought we got over a lot of these humps in the first three books. Juliette ends the trilogy being confident and strong. I was so proud of her.

The first half of Restore Me is Warner grieving the death of his evil father. He’s in shock, conflicted about his feelings and trying to move on but it’s challenging. Totally understandable. Juliette is trying to run a country and finding it harder than she thought it would be. She’s constantly questioning herself but I was missing that confidence she worked so hard to build. Thank goodness Kenji is there to make her laugh and make me laugh! Between Warner’s grieving and Juliette’s issues it was getting a bit sad.

But the drama doesn’t end there. We find out secrets that Warner’s kept from Juliette and she’s devastated and hurt once more. So they break up. And at one point I had to cringe because “breaking up” seemed so trivial with all the major things taking place, like The Re-establishment coming to kill everyone in Sector 45. Or the secrets that Warner had just revealed. I was thinking, who cares if you are breaking up – save your people! I wanted to shake some sense into them. Warner and Juliette was having mental break-downs and I wish Castle could have just stepped in and taken the helm of the sinking ship. Do you feel my frustration? 😂 Trust me, it’s only because I love this series, that I’m passionate about it.

Juliette and Warner have some serious relationship issues to deal with…or should I rephrase that and say they have some serious personal issues to deal with first, by themselves, before getting together again.

Now those issues bugged me because like I said I’ve had time in between reading that first book and this one. I’ve invested eight years to my love of Warner and seeing Juliette grow. I didn’t hate this book. I like it a lot actually, I just didn’t want to be introduced back into this world with my loves falling apart. 😩 It pained me. But I understand…two steps forward, one step back, right? That’s what progress is.

I still love the writing, and how the characters have their own strong voices. The parts where we meet new characters was good too. I like Nazreen because Juliette needs a strong girlfriend in her life telling her to get herself together. Let’s just hope Nazreen is trust-worthy. I will always love Warner, he just needs some support. I hope his relationship with Adam flourishes because he needs to know he’s not alone, he still has family.

And I didn’t even mind Lena, Warner’s ex-girlfriend, because I think it’s okay for Warner to have a past. Like I said he and Juliette really need some down time, and they need to communicate.

As for that ending…all I said was, what just happened?! What a cliffhanger. So I can’t not read the next book coming out Tuesday. I need to know what happens and I’m kind of happy that I chose to re-read this book now, since now I don’t have to wait so long for the next one. *Happy dance*

This book wasn’t quite what I expected but it hooked me at the last moment, oh Tahereh Mafi, what you do to me! I’m ready for Defy Me, bring it.

Book Review: Broken Wings (Dark Legacy – Book One)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Authors: Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Format: Kindle E-book

Pages: 325

Categories: Alpha Males, Dark Romance, Bully Romance, Major Cliff Hanger, Car Racing

Book Blurb:

They rule my new town, my school, and with more money than God, there’s very little out of their reach.

Four gorgeous, perfect, scary boys. There used to be five, but one of them died, leaving a fifth position that I now fill.

I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want to be part of this billionaire-boys-club. But no one cares about what I want.

Sebastian Beckett is the worst of them. Their leader. He draws me in, and strips me of every defense I have. He calls me Butterfly, but it’s not a pet name, it’s a threat. Beck wants nothing more than to break my wings, pin me to a board and watch me writhe.

He wants to see me broken. Body, heart and soul.

And what these elite want, they get.

Only they’ve never met Riley Jameson.

Let the battle begin.
**This dark romance features four sexy, dangerous boys but is NOT a reverse harem.**

MY REVIEW

Broken Wings was, WOW. It is the first book in what looks like a two book series. The story takes place in a high school but this reads as a New Adult novel. It has alpha males and steamy sex. If you do not enjoy dark romance/bully romance novels, this book isn’t for you. What is it about bad boys who are bullies at first? It’s those guys we love to hate, who come off hard but has some issues to deal with inside. All it takes is that one girl that penetrates their wall and makes them fall in love, hard. It just makes for a juicy tension filled story. But I did grow up with four alpha male cousins, and I know that bully romances in real life sometimes just do not end very well. Thank goodness this is fiction though!

I will note that although there are four main alpha males this is not a reverse harem, which made me happy because I’m not the biggest fan of reverse harem quite yet. I’ve found a few I liked though so I’m working my way into it. But I’m a big sucker for a soul-mate connection.

In Broken Wings, we meet Riley Jameson who is in a car accident, loses both her parents and finds out the life she believed was all based on a lie. She is not a Jameson, but a Deboise and her real parents brings her back into the family again – with an agenda. Riley finds herself thrown into a world of the rich and powerful. But with riches come power and with power comes sacrifice and a multitude of dangers as Riley comes to find out immediately.

Riley is no push-over, which I love. She stands up to Catherine, her cold biological mom (did that woman really birth her? Because my goodness, the hate from that woman), she loves to race fast cars, and she can handle herself among the alpha males even when they scare her. Then there’s Sebastian Beckett, the leader of this little group of four alpha males she’s tied to through the family business. The tension between them is strung tight and yes eventually they have some very amazing sex. Sebastian is a typical hot alpha male, but trained in extreme survival skills no twenty year old has business knowing. He was born into this life but a life that was void of family love, so he’s not all bad, or is he? But why was my heart sort of pining for Riley to hook up with Dante, her best friend? I know she’s crazy about Beck (Sebastian) but Dante is awesome too.

Dante has been there for Riley since before she became a rich girl. He’s got her back. I love him! Hot, rich, powerful, sexy Sebastian Beckett? Or hot, tatted, got his own connections, best friend Dante? What’s a girl to do? And Riley does find a female friend among this sea of alpha males. A girl needs her girlfriends, right? Her new best friend Eddy, sister to one of the alpha males, is a cool chic that welcomes her right away. Thank goodness for Dante and Eddy for keeping Riley grounded.

This book was a fast read! I could not put it down. I will say though that some things about the story made me pause: The unprotected sex scene – I get it – it happens in real life, but I was rolling my eyes like Riley, you’re going to get pregnant at seventeen! 🤦🏻‍♀️ And Beck (Sebastian) is 20 but it’s crazy to think he’s not even 21 yet with all that financial power – I felt like I was reading about a 30 year old! I know they live a fast lifestyle because of their status and position but at some points I had to remember Riley was only 17 and so the boys had to between 18-20. To think these boys would rule the world? Yikes…

Other than those minor things this book was a fun, exciting, intense read. There is sex, violence, high school parties, car racing and that cliffhanger ending! Oh my! I’m ready for book two because I have to know what happens, that twist in the end. Like, WHAT? How dare they…oh it’s so good. I’m so glad I don’t have too wait long for book two to come out. I’m ready to fall back into Riley’s world again.

Book Review: The Queen’s Rising

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Rebecca Ross

Reading Format: E-book

Pages: 480

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Book Blurb:

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

MY REVIEW

The first time I attempted to read this book, I had borrowed a physical copy from the library. I thought it was too slow for me. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood to read it? I can’t quite pinpoint what didn’t interest me about this book.

Fast forward to present day, I borrowed this book on Overdrive as an e-book. I started it earlier in the day when my daughter napped because I remembered how slow the beginning was. I recognized pages I’ve already read and it enticed me back into the world. This time I was interested, very interested. And what really drew me in as I immersed myself in this world was the oh so beautiful writing!

Brienna is half Maevana and half Valenian. She lives in the kingdom of Valenia and is sent to Magnalia House at ten years old, a place where girls learn certain subjects and excel in them. Later on these girls “passion” (think of it as graduating and earning a degree) and find a patron to contract themselves too. The passions are: Wit, Drama, Knowledge, Music and Art.

I loved reading about Brienna’s interaction with her fellow ardens or sisters, as she calls them. Yes to sisterhood! She has trouble picking a passion but eventually settles with Knowledge. Her relationship with her Master (her instructor), is verging on being taboo so though it doesn’t go further than tension filled glances, and one touch on the hand in the beginning, I think it stays pretty mild. Now romance is not the main theme in this book, which I actually appreciated a lot. There was enough intrigue and plotting going on that romance wasn’t needed. It does come back later in the story though when Brienna isn’t a student anymore and her Master is someone she didn’t expect him to be.

Although the beginning is slow, I believe it’s due to the world building being outstanding. I was transported to Valenia while reading the author’s very lyrical writing. I’m glad it went slowly because I had a chance to savor the words. I felt like I was Brienna and when a plot to overthrow the ruler of the neighboring country Maevana takes place, I got very nervous things would not work out. I could not put the book down, even though I had to! I started at noon, took a break here and there because of my kids, then once they fell asleep at night I picked it up again and thankfully didn’t have to read past midnight. By then I managed to finish the book before midnight. Yippee!

There is a lot happening within the story after Brienna finds a patron. She is involved in a scheme to overthrow the ruthless ruler of Maevana. Brienna also harbors memories of her dead Maevana ancestor – which means she is the only person who can find two objects that the rebels need to secure the loyalty of the people to help fight in the rebellion. I was so glad Brienna got to learn about her Maevana side. I mean a kingdom that used to only be ruled by Queens with magic? Yes please!

I’m so glad I decided to read this book again! Brienna started off as just a girl with so many missing parts: no mom, didn’t know her dad, her grandpa sent her away to school. She wasn’t the strongest in her passion, she was always conflicted. But Brienna managed to balance her conflicted thoughts and emotions to her strength and found a way to help her Maevana friends and newfound family. I actually felt this could have been a stand alone book but I know the second book, The Queen’s Resistance, has just been published. I look forward to reading part two in Brienna’s journey and read more of Rebecca Ross’s gorgeous writing! 😍

Book Review – The Hidden Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 1)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Author: Chandelle LaVaun

Format: Kindle Edition E-book

Pages: 414

Categories: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Academy, Teen Romance, Arcana.

Book Blurb:

Magic. Isn’t. Real.
At least that’s what I thought. But now, my story is changing…

You know you’re invisible when even your bullies forget to pick on you. That’s me, Bettina Blair, hidden in plain sight. No matter how hard I try I just never fit in with my classmates.

Now I know why. I’m a witch…apparently.

One little demon attack and my parents confess their ugly secret…and ship me off to an elite academy of magic- for witches only.

I can’t summon magic. I can’t fight with my hands or my fists. I just don’t belong here, and Jackson Lancaster keeps reminding me every single chance he gets. This boy is the most insufferable, intolerable, unbearable, judgmental person to ever have the right to be that gorgeous. I don’t care how sexy his British accent is, or that literally everyone else on campus adores him. He hates me, and the feeling is mutual.

Suddenly, I’m sent on a quest into the Old Lands to find the only thing that can save Eden from a demon invasion. I’m in way over my head, and my best chance of coming back alive lies in the hands of the guy who wants me gone…

The Hidden Witch is the first book in a brand new, fast paced urban fantasy adventure featuring a sharp-witted heroine, swoon-worthy hero, and one epic hate-to-love rollercoaster set inside a magical academy!

MY REVIEW

Bettina Blair is a teenage girl who finds out she’s a witch after being attacked by a demon. She gets sent to Edenburg Academy, a school where she learns about her powers, the history of witches and how to train to become a Sword.

Bettina struggles with her combat training at first but with help from her new friends and coven leaders she eventually rises to her potential at being a Sword. Of course there is the issue of her gorgeous instructor, Jackson Lancaster, who always seems angry with her – but the tension between them is far from hateful feelings brewing, it’s just the opposite.

This was a quick read and it was exactly the fast paced kind of story I was looking for. I like how Bettina developed into a kick-ass fighter at the Academy. She’s a character that’s easy to like. There is a great supporting cast of characters and with the next books I hope we get to know them much better.

The last half of the book throws Bettina and her friends into some battle situations where she gets to use her combat skills. She is then chosen to partake on a mission to the Old Lands, a dimension not part of Earth. The book does end in a cliffhanger so I was ready to download Book 2 when I finished this book at almost one in the morning but book 2 doesn’t come out until May 19, 2019! Other than the ending which I felt was a bit rushed, it’s a great start to a series and I look forward to reading more of Bettina Blair and her adventures.