Begin Again by. Emma Lord | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Begin Again

Author: Emma Lord

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 1/23/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, New Adult, College

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

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

As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together.

But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time.

But sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones.

Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Begin Again is an unforgettable novel of love and starting again.

Content Warning: grief, death of a parent

I am a fan of Emma Lord ever since Tween Cute! I think it’s safe to say she’s an auto-read author for me. Here’s what I thought about Begin Again:

+ I feel like there isn’t enough books set in college and I loved that this one is, with Andie entering her dream college as a freshman transfer. So she didn’t get in right away, worked hard to get in and did it on her own merit which is admirable. And we watch Andie try to keep up with classes, class activities, have a social life and she struggles, which is so relatable. It reminded me of being in college and the struggles of being away from home, old friends, making new friends and enjoying college life.

+ Andie is an interesting character because she is grieving her mom, has a strained relationship with her father, and was basically raised by her awesome grandma’s after her mom’s death and things fall apart. She’s a capable young woman, who wants to make her mother proud but is struggling to find her own way. She’s a “fix-it” person because she hides from problems she doesn’t want to face but I found that relatable. The other characters like Milo, Shay and Valeria were wonderful.

+ So Andie has a boyfriend she’s known since childhood – they have a close bond until college happens. Andie meets Milo, her RA, and their friendship grows while Andie is learning more about herself and her relationship with her boyfriend, Connor. On the other Milo is dealing with his own heartbreak and family drama. I like how their friendship grows into something else – it’s very sweet. They make a good couple.

+ Things got emotional for Andie and her father at the end of this book and I almost cried. I love how it’s more than a story about a girl going to college and wanting to honor her mom’s memory. I could feel her emotional struggles, and it was so nice to see her make friends who had her back and how in the end a conversation with her dad really helps heals some festering wounds between them.

~+ The only thing that maybe would bother some readers is how Andie has a boyfriend but starts falling for Milo. Honestly, having been in a long distance college relationship before – I related to her feeling 100%. How do you quit someone you’ve known your whole life and made future plans with? And yet…how do you not if it means being happier with who you are? I’m glad it’s a realistic situation.

Tropes: first year in college

Why you should read it:

sweet romance between Andie and Milo
set in college, first year transfer student, realistic situations – challenges, making friends, falling in love
emotional story about Andie, her mom’s memory and healing with her dad

Why you might not want to read it:

Andie does have a boyfriend but I think things stay pretty friendly and innocent between her and Milo until she ends things with Connor.

My Thoughts:

I loved this one! I just liked seeing Andie grow and shed the things that she didn’t need to hang onto (Connor) and try and find herself at the college of her dreams. Her meeting Milo was icing on the cake because how amazing is he? I love that they both had their own issues to deal with and they do before coming together. There was an emotional scene between Andie and her dad that almost made me cry. I think this had a little bit of everything, a character with growth, new friends, college fun and struggles, family issues and romance. I will continue to read whatever this author writes!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Friday I’m in Love by. Camryn Garrett | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Friday I’m in Love

Author: Camryn Garrett

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 1/10/23

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Teens, LGBT+, Coming of Age

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

Thank you to Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen but what if Mahalia had a Coming Out Party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, black joy and queer pride.

Mahalia Harris wants.

She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying–about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.

Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.

The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?

A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.

Content Warning: racism, n word use in classroom setting, parental issues

What drew me to this book was the colorful, vibrant cover. The synopsis sounded intriguing and here is what I thought about the book:

+ This is a great book for teens. Mahalia has turned sixteen but instead of a big sweet sixteen party that her mom can’t afford she thinks of doing a coming out party instead. And she will save up her paychecks from her part-time job to be able to afford the party. I love that Mahalia has a plan, she works, she goes to school, and she helps her mom who is a single mother.

+ Mahalia is queer and I like how we get to see her crush on a girl and see how it goes. The representation in the story is fantastic. I loved the playlist Mahalia makes for Siobhan – it gave a deeper glimpse into Mahalia’s personality.

+ I like that Mahalia is sixteen, and acts sixteen. She’s going through a lot of teen related things like trouble in her friendship, crushing on someone and hoping something happens, stress from trying to save money for a party and helping her mom out when money gets tight. She’s very relatable! Her life isn’t perfect but this book was all about hope.

+ I thought the romance was cute – Siobhan is the girl Mahalia is crushing but she has a boyfriend. It’s very confusing for both of them but I think it’s realistic.

~ Adults may find this book a bit cheesy but remember this is for teens and I think it’s perfect for that age group.

~ There is the use of the N word when Mahalia’s class reads a classic novel in class but I like that it brought up race issues that Mahalia has to go through, such as feeling uncomfortable in class

Tropes:

Why you should read it:

a great coming of age and coming out story for a black, queer sixteen year old
Mahalia is relatable – she goes to school, works part time, and helps her mom out – she’s also falling in love and having some challenges with her bestie
perfect book for it’s target audience

Why you might not want to read it:

might read too young for adults — because it is targeted for teens

My Thoughts:

I think teens would love this book because Mahalia is a relatable sixteen year old. She deals with typical issues that a queer, black girl who is being raised by a single mother, would go through. Mahalia wants to through a coming out party, she wants the girl who she likes to be into her too and she wants her best friend to be on the same page as her. There are some challenges she deals with but I think she handles each situation very well. I like that she was putting in the work to throw her own party. I thought the tone of this book was hopeful, and I love the happy ending where Mahalia gets to celebrate how amazing she is.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

The Poison Season by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Title: The Poison Season

Author: Mara Rutherford

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 12/6/22

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, 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 Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Outsiders are always given a choice: the Forest or the lake. Either way, they’re never heard from again.

Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla.

When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she’s supposed to do. But in a moment that will change everything, Leelo betrays her family, her best friend, and Endla by making an unthinkable choice.

Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren, but as they grow closer, Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself.

Content Warning:

This one is a DNF for me. I love the cover and I enjoyed some other books from this author but this one just wasn’t doing it for me. Here’s what I thought:

+ Interesting concept, was intrigued about the Forest and mysterious island.

~ I felt no connection to the characters and kept wondering what is happening and wishing the story would move faster.

~ I think it would appeal to teen readers. For me, I just wanted more. I was bored and didn’t want to struggle to finish it.

Tropes: secret island

Why you should read it:

you like the author’s other works
interesting concept – mysterious island, a poison lake, magic through singing

Why you might not want to read it:

too slow and wasn’t keeping my attention

My Thoughts:

I tried many times to finish this book but I think it was clear I was just not interested and it wasn’t for me. I think this will still appeal to young adult fantasy fans though.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Arc Review: Crown of Coral and Pearl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BLOG TOUR | Kingdom of Sea and Stone by. Mara Rutherford ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Luminous by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bloodmarked by. TracyDeonn | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bloodmarked (Legendborn, #2)

Format: ebook (own)

Author: Tracy Deonn

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 11/8/22

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Urban Fantasy, Romance, King Arthur Reimagined

The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

Content Warning: violence, grief, racism, mention of slavery, trauma, drugged

This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and I finally read it ~ here’s what I think:

+ I’m going to start off with the characters because I fell in love with this series because of them. We get more Alice, Bree’s best friend, which is awesome. Also we get lots of William who I loved in book one. There is less Nick (boo!), but more Selwyn (yay) and of course Bree who is going through too much turmoil in this sequel. There are some new fascinating characters in this book like Erebus, Valec, and Lark.

+ Bree does some memory walking in this story which means she travels back into King Arthur’s time a lot. But she also goes down her family tree memory line too which I think is awesome because we see the past and how it’s forged what Bree is today. I love how the history of slavery is discussed in this book because the story is set in the American South. It’s why I love Bree’s Root powers and we get to learn from her ancestors which is a beautiful thing.

+~ Bree is going through a LOT. She’s the rightful heir but who will back her claim? She has a loyal bubble around, thank goodness but there are those trying to keep her down. On top of the chaos in the Order, there are demons hunting for her and she finally finds out why. This is the book where Bree is down bad. She gets hurt a lot, and people around her get hurt because of her lack of control and her temper too. I do wish she actually learned to use her powers…like no one is there to help her at all and she struggles a lot. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into her and hope that William and Alice could shake some sense into her. But I know she’s going to come back kicking some major butt in the next book. This is just the story where she has to figure out a lot of stuff, she makes some poor decisions and I’m just hoping she makes better ones in book three.

+~ This love triangle is not for the faint of heart lol…it is not clear at all and usually I pick a guy right away. Nick isn’t in this book much, which is a shame because when he is…oh my heart. He is comforting and they have a connection. And then there is Sel and honestly the bad boys always win it for me but he was such an ass at times in this book…by the end I understand why but Sel and Bree fight a lot and their communication isn’t the best, but he will always take care of her, and always save her.💔 How can I love both boys? It’s the whole Guinenvere, Arthur, and Lancelot drama except here we have Arthur, Lancelet and Merlin? 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m gonna say it’s gonna be Bree and Sel in the end because of the ending of this book but their lack of communication and fighting worries me…it’s the only reason I feel at times Nick is better for her.

~ I honestly wish at times we got Sel’s perspective in this book – I know that boy has lots of thoughts and emotions!

~ There is a lot going on with this book and I think the author did well enough that I didn’t get lost with all the explanations but I think the story lagged a bit in the middle.

Tropes: chosen one, secret society

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

you loved Legendborn and want to return to the world and characters
Bree’s journey with her powers and how she tries to make sense of it all
lots of action

Why you might not want to read it:

you hate love triangles

My Thoughts:

Did this live up to my expectations? I think so because I had it a bit low because sequels are mostly a miss than a hit it seems but this is the book where Bree has to struggle and she does, a lot. I was getting frustrated with her for her poor decisions but I expect her to grow a lot from this sequel. There is a lot going on with the story, some I loved, some I thought maybe was too much but the story ends in a cliffhanger so we shall see what happens next. As for the love triangle? I don’t know where this it’s gonna go but I’m ready for it. Overall, I was entertained even though the middle got a bit slow for me. I felt like this story could be made into a Netflix series, I’d definitely watch it! I’m excited to see what happens next.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Legendborn | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Nothing More to Tell by. Karen M. McManus | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Nothing More to Tell

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Author: Karen M. McManus

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 8/29/22

Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Murder Mystery, Romance, Crime

True crime can leave a false trail.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favourite teacher. The case was never solved, but she’s sure that the three kids who found Mr. Larkin’s body know more than they’re telling, especially her ex-best friend Tripp Talbot. He’s definitely hiding something.

When Brynn gets an internship working on a popular true-crime show, she decides to investigate what really happened that day in the woods. But the further she dives into the past, the more secrets she finds.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. Now it’s time to uncover the truth . . .

Content Warning: neglectful parent, murder scene description, underage drinking

I’ve read one book from this author and enjoyed it. I’ve been meaning to read more so I decided to borrow this one and enjoyed it! Here’s what I thought:

+ The story flows so well and I could not figure who the murderer was yet had all my suspicions! I like many of the twists the story took, it really kept me on my toes and engaged. I read this in one sitting.

+ I like Brynn and Tripp a lot. They used to be friends, until Tripp pushed her away. Brynn moved away and is now back in Sturgis. Clearly Tripp had the biggest crush on her when they were kids, but it’s cute to see her like him now as they are older. I liked them together and though the romance takes a back seat, I did like that it was there because I’m a romance lover.

+ I thought the whole cast was great and had their roles to play. I love Brynn’s younger sister who actually helped Brynn kind of solve this murder mystery.

~ My major issue with the book is the ending. It didn’t seem like a totally shut case for who they suspected the murderer to be. I know the story was pulled in so many directions which left me guessing as to who really committed the crime, but even the ending didn’t give us solid evidence or a confession of the crime. This story may bug me…unless they turn it into a series. I want closure! lol

~ This is supposedly set in a private school and though it mentions the division between elite and dregs…not much comes out of that. It doesn’t show much division between the kids. So I’d say it didn’t really give off those vibes.

Tropes: childhood friends to enemies to lovers

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

kept me on my toes, it’s fun, engaging and entertaining – read it in one sitting
Brynn and Tripp’s little romance was cute in the midst of the murder mystery

Why you might not want to read it:

ending felt a little anti-climatic, is it going to be a series? 🤔

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I read this one, it kept me on the toes to the very end! I just wish the ending evidence around the supposedly killer was more concrete – it was left a bit open I think. So I’m not sure if there will be a spin off? It would be cool to see Brynn’s sister have her own story because that girl was on it and helping Brynn figure stuff out. Overall, I enjoyed this book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Cousins | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The River Has Teeth by. Erica Waters | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The River Has Teeth

Format: hard cover (own)

Author: Erica Waters

Pages: 393

Publication Date: 7/26/21

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Horror, LGBT+, Witches

Natasha’s sister is missing.

Her car was found abandoned on the edge of a local nature preserve known as the Bend, but as the case goes cold, Natasha’s loss turns to burning anger.

She’ll do anything to find answers.

Della’s family has channeled magic from the Bend for generations, providing spells for the desperate. But when Natasha appears on her doorstep, Della knows it will take more than simple potions to help her.

But Della has her own secrets to hide.

Because Della thinks she knows the beast who’s responsible for the disappearance — her own mother, who was turned into a terrible monster by magic gone wrong.

Natasha is angry. Della has little to lose.

They are each other’s only hope.

Content Warning: murder scene, violence, drugging someone

I’ve had this book on my shelf since summer and it was time to finally read it for spooky season! I love the book cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. Here is what I thought of the book:

+ I enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the story. I love the witchcraft and history and lore about The Bend and Lloyd family. I was intrigued with it throughout the whole book. I loved the atmosphere of the Bend and the woods, it was definitely creepy at times, especially in the abandoned prison!

+ The story is told between two perspectives. Natasha who is looking for her missing sister and Della, the witch, a recluse of a girl who lives in the woods with her dad. Della is a Lloyd and we learn about the magic and history through her. I felt like the author did a great job highlighting how women are treated if they disappear – she even mentions the difference between white and black women and who gets the most coverage in the news.

+ There is a romance that happens between Natasha and Della and though it doesn’t overtake the story, I thought it worked for this type of suspense and mystery story. It’s not a sweet romance, more like one of desperation and desire because of the heavy emotions both are going through but I like how they do fit together. They are opposites that attract one another. Natasha is headstrong and Della is more of someone who thinks things through.

~ I wasn’t vibing with Natasha’s character. I know she was in a rage and desperate to find her sister, I related to that but she was angry throughout the whole book. So angry she was blinded by it and her actions really weren’t thought out. It’s why Della being with her was a good balance. Natasha could have really lost herself in the anger by the end and transformed into something else but Della pulled her back.

Tropes: opposites attract, rich girl/poor girl

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

creepy, mysterious, great setting and very atmospheric
f/f romance, opposites attract
loved the lore of the The Bend and the witchcraft

Why you might not want to read it:

Natasha’s POV was full of anger, rightly so, but made her be rash about some of her decisions which annoyed me

My Thoughts:

I’m so glad I chose this to read for spooky season! It had the perfect creepy vibes, witchcraft, girls going missing and a possible serial killer on the loose. The Lloyd family has a fascinating history and a strong character in Della. I wish Natasha was just as likable but at times I was annoyed with her character. Overall though an enjoyable and entertaining story and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} Silver in the Mist by. Emily Victoria | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Silver in the Mist

Author: Emily Victoria

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 11/1/22

BUY HERE: Bookshop.org | IndieBound | B&N | Amazon

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Asexual, LGBT+, Fantasy, Teen Readers

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

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

Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria is a YA fantasy featuring asexual representation that follows a palace spy sent to infiltrate a neighboring kingdom in hopes of returning magic to her dying land.

Eight years ago, everything changed for Devlin: Her country was attacked. Her father was killed. And her mother became the Whisperer of Aris, the head of the spies, retreating into her position away from everyone… even her daughter.

Joining the spy ranks herself, Dev sees her mother only when receiving assignments. She wants more, but she understands the peril their country, Aris, is in. The malevolent magic force of The Mists is swallowing Aris’s edges, their country is vulnerable to another attack from their wealthier neighbor, and the magic casters who protect them from both are burning out.

Dev has known strength and survival her whole life, but with a dangerous new assignment of infiltrating the royal court of their neighbor country Cerena to steal the magic they need, she learns that not all that glitters is weak. And not all stories are true.

Content Warning: violence, strained relationship

I read Emily Victoria’s This Golden Flame and really thought it was creative and had a great asexual main character. Silver in the Mists sounded totally different so I was curious to read it. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The world building is once again, unique and creative. Two kingdoms are kept apart by a phenomenon called the Mists- in Aris, but called the Hush in Cerena. There is a phenomenon that separates the kingdoms called the Mists (in Aris), and the Hush (in Cerena) – and in these mists are monsters. The magic system is different too, magic casters work with filigree.

+ Devlin is the main character and she is asexual. She’s a spy who is sent to Cerena on a mission to kidnap their most powerful magic caster, Alyse. So she spends more time in Cerena than in her home of Aris but we learn about the conflict and history between the two kingdoms while she is there. I enjoyed all the secondary characters too, especially Milla who helps Devlin complete her mission. Dev does have issues to deal with in regards to her mother, The Whisperer – who is basically her boss. They have a very strained relationship but all Dev wants is her mother’s love and approval and she hopes this mission will bring her both.

+ I like that this book was fast paced and it kept me engaged from beginning to end! I do feel like this will appeal to teen readers more than young adult.

~ Although the world-building is very unique I did wish we had a little more information about the magic system. I just went with everything because the story was moving quickly and I was invested in Dev’s undercover mission. But it would be nice to learn more about the filigrees. Also there was one thing in the story that kept throwing me off and it was the word Layde. Is it pronounced “lady” or “laid”? And it was applied to upperclass citizens I believe but I kept stumbling over how to say it.

Tropes: spy, asexual main character, strained Mother/Daughter relationship

Why you should read it:

fast paced story
unique world building
a spy/undercover story that is entertaining

Why you might not want to read it:

more geared towards teen readers

My Thoughts:

It’s rare to find stand alone fantasy books these days but I like what this author is doing with the ones she’s written so far. She has her signature unique world-building and a main character who is asexual. I found Silver in the Mist quite entertaining and feel like it would appeal to teen readers.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR } This Golden Flame by. Emily Victoria ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Author:

Emily Victoria is a Canadian prairie girl who writes young adult science fiction and fantasy. When not wordsmithing, she likes walking her overexcitable dog, drinking far too much tea, and crocheting things she no longer has the space to store. Her librarian degree has allowed her to work at a library and take home far too many books.

Author Website: https://www.avictoriantale.com/

Twitter: @avictoriantale

Instagram: @avictoriantale

Tokyo Ever After by. Emiko Jean | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Tokyo Ever After (#1)

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Author: Emiko Jean

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/17/21

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Japanese Royalty, Contemporary, Teen

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity… and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.

Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?

Content Warning:

I found this on kindle unlimited and thought I could use something different from my fantasy books. This totally reminded me of the movie “What a Girl Wants” with Colin Firth and Amanda Bynes! Do you remember it? American girl finds out her dad is like a wealthy guy in England and she goes to meet him? Anyway here’s what I thought about Tokyo Ever After:

+ It’s a fun trope – girl finds out she’s actually daughter of the Crown Prince of Japan! So she goes to finally meet him and learn about royalty life and try to get know her dad.

+ The setting of Japan and learning Japanese culture is wonderful. I love the mentions of the royal family, the food, different cities like Tokyo and Kyoto – Izumi gets a whirlwind introduction to her homeland plus learning princess duties on top of that. Mind you she’s only there for 2 weeks – so a lot happens.

+ Another fun trope in the book: princess falling for her bodyguard. Swoon! I thought their romance was so sweet as he starts off grumpy and she’s new to the country. They get to know each other more because of close proximity, but it moves fast and we get some stolen kisses and even a scandal in the story.

+~ Izumi is a teenager and when she leaves American to visit Japan, she tries to figure where she belongs. She doesn’t feel American enough in America, and doesn’t feel Japanese enough in Japan. So she really does her best, trying to figure those things and I think she does great. She has a great group of girlfriends who is always keeping her grounded.

~+ It’s a book definitely that will appeal to teens. Don’t know if it will appeal to older readers but I enjoyed it a lot, and I’m way older.

~ Whirlwind romance in two weeks means it’s insta-love but I don’t mind it. Just noting it for those who don’t like insta-love.

Tropes: girl learns she is a princess, princess falls for bodyguard, girl tries fitting in

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

lots of enjoyable tropes
light-hearted, fluffy story – reminds me of the movie “What a Girl Wants” or “Princess Diaries” but with Japanese culture
cute insta-love story

Why you might not want to read it:

insta-love
more appealing for teens

My Thoughts:

I thought this story was entertaining and fun. I love the trope where the girl finds out she’s a princess! There are other fun tropes in this book as well. I’ll definitely read the next book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

That Dark Infinity by. Kate Pentecost | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: That Dark Infinity

Author: Kate Pentecost

Format: hard cover (own)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/18/21

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Lite Horror, Paranormal

By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary. By day, a witch’s curse leaves him no more than bones. Caught in an unending cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the death that has been prophesied for him, especially once he begins to rot while he’s still alive….

After the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, loyal handmaiden to the princess, is assaulted and left for dead. As the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to find the princess she served. When the Ankou agrees to help her find the princess, and to train her in exchange for her help in breaking his curse, she accepts. But how can she kill an immortal? Especially one whom she is slowly growing to understand—and maybe even to love?

Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, break curses, and race not only against time, but against fate itself.

Content Warning: gory scenes, death, rape, assault, violence

I’ve had this one on my shelf for half the year and wanted to read it during spooky season. Here’s what I thought:

+ My favorite thing about this book was the creative world-building. There are monsters, different kingdoms, an awkward but efficient monster slayer, automatons and even a tiny bit of romance.

+ The characters are great! We have the Ankou, Lazarus, who is cursed to be a monster slayer. I loved how awkward he was outside of monster slaying. Flora has gone through so much – she lost her best friend, her position as a ladies maid and her innocence in one violent event. The friendship she builds with Lazarus is careful – I love how he gives her space and the friendship grows into something more but it’s never the focus of the story. And then there is Antonais who is a lightning mage and helps them on their quest to break Lazarus curse. He is a fun character who is into everything science and engineering.

+ I loved the darkness of the story. I don’t feel like the story itself was dark in a scary way, it just had dark themes but I felt like the writing was light-hearted and lyrical. Lazarus turns into a skeleton every night, which is kinda awesome. A lot of the descriptions got gory but never in a spooky way – hence why I dubbed it lite horror. I also loved all the action of fighting different monsters on their quest, that was fun.

~ Pacing was a bit off at times. For example, Lazarus is going to train Flora to fight and I swear it took one page of training and she was deemed proficient (yes time goes by…but quickly!). Also…there was modern day humor to the dialogue and the characters which was kind of strange but I went with it!

~ Also, Lazarus wants to break his curse, and Flora wants to know what happened to her best friend Beth and if she escaped the massacre. Flora’s goal kind of gets pushed aside – maybe because their goals were intertwined but I felt like we could have gotten more of Flora’s thoughts. She suffered through a lot. I just felt like she forgot she was looking for Beth at times. Maybe I just needed more of her perspective.

~+ There isn’t much to the romance – it’s barely there which is a good thing if you are there for the quest and action scenes. The romance happens basically at the ending and I did love how they went from companions to friends to lovers. It’s very sweet when you think about it.

Tropes: quest, monster slayer, girl who overcomes trauma, found family

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

there is a quest and lots of actions scenes battling monsters
Lazarus is the most reluctant monster slayer but he’s so good at it and he’s funny and awkward at times. Love him!
great world building, creative and unique

Why you might not want to read it:

pacing is a bit off at times – at times rushed, maybe because it’s a standalone?

My Thoughts:

This was the perfect read for spooky season! The story is about a monster slayer who basically hates his job but is so good at it – he wants the curse to be over. Then there is Flora who has been seriously traumatized by a horrific event and has lost everything but she gains back strength, and love. There is a quest, lots of adventure and monster slaying and a happy ending. Only thing that threw me off at times was the pacing but overall and enjoyable story!