White Smoke by. Tiffany D. Jackson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: White Smoke

Author: Tiffany D. Jackson

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/14/21

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Categories: Thriller, Young Adult, Horror, Contemporary

The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

I wanted a Halloween read to give me chills and make me afraid to read it at night and I can say this story did a pretty good job and almost made me not read it at night. But I wanted the chills lol…

Marigold and her family move into a new neighborhood that is rebuilding but it’s in a town that is rundown. To make matters worse, her stepsister Piper is creepy as heck. According to people who live around the town, Marigold’s house is haunted and the story delivered in giving me the chills. If I was living in that house, I don’t know that I would ever want to be alone in it!

Marigold is an interesting character because she has a background of drug use and some major anxiety about bedbugs. So is she seeing things? Her anxiety gave ME anxiety! Personality wise, I can see Marigold is trying to be better than her past self but I wish she made some better choices. I love her brother Sammy who is a sweetheart and eventually is the one to believe Marigold when things get crazier in the house.

Yusef is a solid character and I felt safe when Marigold was with him. He gives her background about the history about the town. I also liked how the story shows gentrification and how so many of the townspeople ended up in jail because of the people running it. In the back story we also learn about Ms. Suga, the “ghost” or imaginary friend that Piper has, it really lent to the spooky vibes in the book.

There is a good twist to the story and I like how there was a buildup to it.

Content Warnings: drug use, bed bug phobia, scary scenes

The book is more creepy and at times scary than straight “horror”. I don’t read much horror and this was good enough to scare me but not too much!

The ending is so abrupt – I was a little bummed about that.

Why you should read it:

to get creeped out
you like haunted house stories
good twist in the story

Why you might not want to read it:

bed bug phobia – so much anxiety
abrupt ending
might not be scary enough/horror for you

My Thoughts:

I can handle this kind of spooky story where the house is haunted enough to make me consider putting down the book but I power through it anyway just to get the chills lol. It’s a story filled with creepy scenes, and perfect for a Halloween read if you want a quick read with an interesting twist at the end.

📚 ~ Yolanda

That Weekend by. Kara Thomas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: That Weekend

Author: Kara Thomas

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 6/29/21

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Mystery, Young Adult

Three best friends, a lake house, a secret trip – what could go wrong?

It was supposed to be the perfect prom weekend getaway. But it’s clear something terrible happened when Claire wakes up alone and bloodied on a hiking trail with no memory of the past forty-eight hours.

Three went up the mountain, but only one came back.

Now everyone wants answers – most of all, Claire. She remembers Friday night, but after that… nothing. And now Kat and Jesse – her best friends – are missing.

That weekend changes everything.

What happened on the mountain? And where are Kat and Jesse? Claire knows the answers are buried somewhere in her memory, but as she’s learning, everyone has secrets – even her best friends. And she’s pretty sure she’s not going to like what she remembers.

I wanted to read some spooky reads before Halloween and seriously pick a few books up because of the cover, this being one of them. This is not spooky – it is a murder mystery and when I was reading it, I thought of how real this story could be so that makes it more suspenseful.

I like how Claire is an unreliable narrator. We only have information about what happened on the mountain she went hiking with her friends – but she was injured and has amnesia about that day. We get her shaky accounts about what took place that weekend and through her we try to piece together the events that took place which resulted in her being injured and her two best friends missing.

I thought the author did a great job keeping me invested and wanting to find out what really happened but I did suspect what was going on halfway into the story. I still wanted to know how things unfolded though. This is a quick read and I read it in one sitting.

Content Warnings: physical abuse

I didn’t like how rushed the ending felt, it was almost anti-climatic. And the family secrets is such a turn off, so this story left me with an icky feeling! lol…and here I was looking for spooky vibes. It definitely wasn’t spooky, just kinda gross!

Why you should read it:

you like mysteries and an unreliable narrator
quick read
some good twists in the story

Why you might not want to read it:

rushed ending
one story twist that was gross

My Thoughts:

I can say I was fairly enjoying this mystery until one of the twists in the end – did it really have to go there? 🤦🏻‍♀️ I don’t think the story needed it but maybe it was just for shock value. I was shocked and disgusted and ready to end the book. Overall a decent mystery with an unreliable character that kept me guessing even though I predicted the outcome early in the book.

📚 ~ Yolanda

BLOG TOUR} You Can Go Your Own Way by. Eric Smith | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for You Can Go Your Own Way by. Eric Smith!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: You Can Go Your Own Way

Author: Eric Smith

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 272

Publication Date: 11/2/21

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Grief, 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.

No one ever said love would be easy…but did they mention it would be freezing?

Adam Stillwater is in over his head. At least, that’s what his best friend would say. And his mom. And the guy who runs the hardware store down the street. But this pinball arcade is the only piece of his dad that Adam has left, and he’s determined to protect it from Philadelphia’s newest tech mogul, who wants to turn it into another one of his cold, lifeless gaming cafés.

Whitney Mitchell doesn’t know how she got here. Her parents split up. She lost all her friends. Her boyfriend dumped her. And now she’s spending her senior year running social media for her dad’s chain of super successful gaming cafés—which mostly consists of trading insults with that decrepit old pinball arcade across town.

But when a huge snowstorm hits, Adam and Whitney suddenly find themselves trapped inside the arcade. Cut off from their families, their worlds, and their responsibilities, the tension between them seems to melt away, leaving something else in its place. But what happens when the storm stops?

I’ve read one other book from this author and what I love about his work is that he writes about young adults and gaming. In You Can Go Your Own Way, we have old school gaming – pinball machines and on the opposite end we have the esports cafes that are overtaking these gaming arcades from the 80’s. As an 80’s kid myself the pinball machines are nostalgic, along with the many 80’s/90’s music references.

Adam and his mom are trying to keep their dad’s pinball arcade alive, but the dad of his ex-friend Whitney, who is now an esports cafe owner wants to buy their place and turn it into another cafe location. Adam and Whitney both run the social media accounts for their family businesses and constantly get into a twitter war. But through a series of events, Adam and Whitney find themselves talking again and making up in a deeper way.

Adam is dealing with a lot of grief from his dad’s passing and it was heartwarming how he wanted to keep the pinball arcade because of it. He goes through an emotional journey because he knows he will have to let go of the arcade soon, but does that mean he has to let go of his dad too? I think it’s wonderful how Adam comes to the decision to let go in his own time and his own way.

Whitney is the popular girl with her clique and she goes through some changes as well. She realizes with her dad’s new fame and wealth, people only want her for her connection to him. She has to navigate some of her feelings and work up the nerve to tell her dad how she feels. I liked seeing how she and Adam befriend one another again and confront the issues between them.

Content Warnings: grief

I did sympathize with Adam but Whitney does come off as the popular girl who dissed people. She has remorse over how she used to act when she was her clique of friends – but I don’t know that I saw a major change in her except being friends with Adam again.

The romance was a bit lacking for me. It’s supposed to come off as a friends to enemies to lovers kind of thing but the “lovers” part comes so fast. I just didn’t feel it between them but then again, I like my enemies to be really hating one another. The way they get together eventually is sweet and cute, but I just wanted more passion.

Why you should read it:

story has a good message
nostalgia – pinball machines, 80’s
quick read

Why you might not want to read it:

needs more romance

My Thoughts:

I wish I connected more to the characters and story but my lack of connection didn’t take away from the message of the story. This book is a look into the past and how to move on into the future with Adam dealing with his grief over his father and losing the pinball arcade they loved as a family. It gives some great lessons about appreciating what is important, being present in the moment and learning to let go in order to let other blessings in.

About the Author:

ERIC SMITH is an author and literary agent from Elizabeth, New Jersey. When he isn’t working on other people’s books, sometimes he tries to write his own. He enjoys pop punk, video games, and crying during every movie. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and best friend, Nena, and their son, Langston. WWW.ERICSMITHROCKS.COM

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

The Best Laid Plans by. Cameron Lund | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Best Laid Plans

Author: Cameron Lund

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 368

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: 4/7/20

Categories: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Romance, Contemporary

High school senior Keely Collins takes on firsts, lasts, and everything in between in this sweet, sex-positive rom-com for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.

It seemed like a good plan at first.

When the only other virgin in her group of friends loses it at Keely’s own eighteenth birthday party, she’s inspired to take things into her own hands. She wants to have that experience too (well, not exactly like that–but with someone she trusts and actually likes), so she’s going to need to find the guy, and fast. Problem is, she’s known all the boys in her small high school forever, and it’s kinda hard to be into a guy when you watched him eat crayons in kindergarten.

So she can’t believe her luck when she meets a ridiculously hot new guy named Dean. Not only does he look like he’s fallen out of a classic movie poster, but he drives a motorcycle, flirts with ease, and might actually be into her.

But Dean’s already in college, and Keely is convinced he’ll drop her if he finds out how inexperienced she is. That’s when she talks herself into a new plan: her lifelong best friend, Andrew, would never hurt or betray her, and he’s clearly been with enough girls that he can show her the ropes before she goes all the way with Dean. Of course, the plan only works if Andrew and Keely stay friends–just friends–so things are about to get complicated.

Cameron Lund’s delightful debut is a hilarious and heartfelt story of first loves, first friends, and first times–and how making them your own is all that really matters.

First times are so awkward and I think the author captures that perfectly in this story. Keely is a virgin, and she thinks she’s the only one left at school who hasn’t done it. But when she meets a college guy who she wants to lose her virginity to, she doesn’t know how to go about it and asks her best friend Andrew to help her out.

Keely has a pretty good high school life. She’s part of the “in” crowd and gets invited to all the parties. Andrew’s best friends even consider her one of the guys. Her group of girlfriends are varied, Hannah, she totally clicks with, and Danielle not so much. These kids party, hook up a lot (except Keely) and they are soon going to graduate and get out of there – they definitely have that last hurrah vibe going on.

Keely and Andrew’s relationship is super cute. They are best friends but when things get hot and heavy, they try and go back to being best friends but it’s hard because Keely is starting to have feelings. It doesn’t help that Andrew is liking a new girl every week!

I like how the story shows how different everyone’s first time experience is with sex. It’s also awkward, and hopefully not humiliating (like Danielle’s experience), but no one wants to seem inexperienced even though they are! Also the story delved into the double standards of what happens when a girl loses their virginity, versus a guy losing theirs – totally not fair that right away a girl can be called a slut and a guy a stud.

Content Warning: slut shaming, underage drinking, misogyny

I wished Andrew and his friends stood up for Danielle more when someone was writing stuff about her on school walls. Or when Ryder was mouthing off and saying stupid things. It doesn’t seem like the girls at that school did much to defend her either, which was interesting so both guys and girls were slut shaming her. A lot of the guys in this book got away with being players and boy behaviors, which was annoying but I guess that was the point – to show the double standards between guys and girls.

Why you should read it:

sex positive
best friends to lovers
high school dating dramas

Why you might not want to read it:

high school dating dramas
the boys are so annoying 🤦🏻‍♀️
slut shaming and virgin shaming

My Thoughts:

The guys in this book are getting it way too easy. I liked how the story showed the double standards that girls face when it comes to sex. I thought Keely and Andrew’s friends to lover arc was cute. I found Keely’s concerns about being a virgin something that girls can relate to and all the other girl’s thoughts about sex was something I heard over the years from friends growing up as well. So overall I enjoyed the story and all the high school drama going on.

📚~ Yolanda

Year of the Reaper by. Makiia Lucier | ARC Review

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Title: Year of the Reaper

Author: Makiia Lucier

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal

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

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

The past never forgets . . .

Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer’s apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.

Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.

When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer…one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.

I requested this book because the cover caught my eye! I love how dark it is and the title is great too. The aesthetics of the books matches the story – there is a plague ravaging kingdoms and it’s death out there.
Now I was very surprised with this book – I was expecting the fantasy but not the mystery aspect of the book. The writing is great and really kept me engaged in the story. It’s a quick read and I read it in one sitting.
I enjoyed Cas, the main character. He has escaped a slave camp, survived the plague, we meet him as a grave digger, and now he is back at home and searching for a killer. He’s the perfect person taking on the task because he has Lena (a historian apprentice) at his side, he’s smart, level-headed and can even see ghosts.
I thought it was lovely for Cas to have a supportive cast. He has a loving brother, the King and Queen has his back, Lena is a new friend and it just has a feel good vibe about it despite there being an assassin on the loose.

Triggers: death, violence

As great as the writing was in engaging me, the story was predictable. There were hints along the way and I figured it out early.
I’m not the biggest mystery fan so I was waiting for this to have more action, but that happens at the end. I was in it for the fantasy aspect for sure and the mystery was surprising to me but if you like mystery I think it was well done.
Cas being able to see ghosts was interesting and there’s no explanation for it. I was coming up with my theories which was fun but none of them panned out though.

Overall I enjoyed the Year of the Reaper. I was expecting something a little different but the end result was still a good story that kept me engaged until the very end. If you enjoy a young adult fantasy with a mystery at it’s core, you will like this one.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Year of the Witching by. Alexis Henderson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Year of the Witching

Author: Alexis Henderson

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 368

Publisher: Ace

Publication Date: 7/21/20

Categories: Young Adult, Dark Fantasy, Witches, Puritanical Society

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

I picked this book up to read because we are in spooky season and I wanted to get into the mood. The funny thing is the scary witches that are in this story didn’t scare me at all, but instead it was the Father-fearing, Father-loving puritanical society Immanuelle lives in that frightened me.

Immanuelle is different from the rest of Bethel. She’s half black, her father was an Outsider and her mom Miriam was cursed. But Immanuelle goes about living her life with her grandfather and their small family until she gets lost in the forbidden Darkwood and has an encounter with witches. From there, events unfold and Immanuelle has to figure out how to break this curse that her mother placed on her. I love her character – she was willing to help the people of Bethel even though she never fit in there. I felt connected to her story and her journey to find out about her parents. I love that she stands up to the Prophet, sacrificing herself to try and end his power.

The setting for this story is perfect. We have a puritanical society in Bethel where the flock follow the word of the Prophet. They are a polygamous group where men marry multiple wives and sire many children. The Prophet is the leader, what he says, goes. He is the monster, hiding behind his religious beliefs. The surrounding Darkwood is where the witches live and the descriptions are atmospheric and eerie. People are forbidden to go into Darkwood and for good reason.

I enjoyed a lot of the other characters like Leah, Immanuelle’s best friend. And Ezra, who is the Prophet’s heir. He questions everything about their way of life and wishes he could leave and explore the world. There is a romance growing between them but it’s not a romance book. It starts off as friendship and grows into something stronger. They are there for each other and envision a better society, they both want the Prophet to lose his power. I was happy they had one another and that whatever feelings growing between them stayed in the background.

My favorite part has to be the ending when Immanuelle uses her curse/power to fight the Prophet and the witches. It’s a powerful statement about a girl fighting for what she believes in and doing the right thing. I also like how the book was written with each curse in succession, I think it built nicely to the climax.

Content Warnings: cutting, blood, pedophilia, misogyny

The world building is tight in the sense we stay in Bethel for the most part and maybe we are supposed to feel as stifled as the society they live in. Ezra wants out and Immanuelle explores the Outskirts and does get to leave for a little bit but it would be amazing to know what’s out there. It looks like this is a series and the next book Immanuelle gets to leave Bethel so I’m excited to see what happens next. It would have been nice to get more back story on the holy war.

This book gave me no spooky vibes at all, but I was frightened for Immanuelle and Leah when it came to the Prophet. He was just creepy and gross. I hated what he stood for and what he was doing and polygamous societies always give me the creeps when young girls are marrying men old enough to be their father or grandfather. The Darkwood is eerie and mysterious but it wasn’t enough to scare me. There is a lot of blood in the story but nothing too gory.

Why you should read it:

you enjoy witch stories
good story telling, Immanuelle is a great character
great message about women and their roles and power

Why you might not want to read it:

dark themes
you don’t care for stories about strict puritanical polygamous societies

My Thoughts:

I went in wanting to be spooked but I came out finishing this in one day and really immersed in the world of Bethel. I was entranced with Immanuelle’s story and needed to know about the Darkwood and her mother’s curse. In the end I was treated to a powerful moment of Immanuelle taking back her power, sacrificing herself for the greater good of Bethel – even if it wasn’t the best place for her. I enjoyed this dark, eerie, witchy tale and look forward to reading the sequel.

📚~ Yolanda

The Gilded Cage by. Lynette Noni | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Gilded Cage (The Prison Healer, #2)

Author: Lynette Noni

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 10/12/21

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Political Intrigue

Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace in this dark and dangerous sequel to The Prison Healer, which Sarah J. Maas called “a must-read.”

Kiva Meridan is a survivor.

She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.

As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.

Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

The Prison Healer ended on such a crazy cliffhanger, I needed to read this sequel right away. This one is a much slower story, still with good tension, but Kiva is out of her element. She went from a death prison to Jaren’s home where people are nice to her and care about her despite her wearing a prison mark. Of course it helps that the Jaren is her number one defender.

Speaking about the Prince, Jaren is the sweetest guy ever. The romance is a SLOW BURN…seriously, too slow at times for me but so absolutely sweet because he doesn’t push her at all. Jaren gives her space, he even works and keeps busy because you know, he’s an heir and soon to be ruler of his kingdom but wow…Kiva got herself a keeper, if she doesn’t mess things up.

We get to meet Kiva’s siblings and I love Tor but her sister Zulee? Wow…she is hateful. Kiva is torn about her family and Jaren, especially when the secrets starts to be revealed. We also meet Kiva’s grandmother (her mom’s mother) and wow did she through a few more twists into the story.

I found some new loves in this book, Caldon – Jaren’s cousin. He and Kiva have a fun, love/hate relationship and honestly, I like how he is protective of Jaren. Jaren is a sweetheart but Caldon is my kind of guy! Also Tor, Kiva’s brother is the only one who really cares about her and I loved getting to know him.

This is what I love most about the story – it’s twisty and so good! It keeps me on my toes. Every time I thought I knew what Kiva would do and choose with the facts laid out for her, her manipulative sister would step in and I wanted to yell at Kiva to tell her to see the danger that I could see coming. Of course the ending is another cliffhanger which made my jaw drop and now I have to wait again to continue the story.

Content Warnings: toxic family, death, grief, family betrayal, drug use, abuse

This story deals with so many toxic issues, a lot of them being about broken families. Kiva’s sister is awful, thank goodness her brother is a good guy. But just learning about Kiva’s family secrets made me feel bad for her – she was stuck between falling for Jaren, or choosing her awful family. I understand loyalty but wow, I thought Kiva was too forgiving.

Kiva has to make some hard decisions. She knows Jaren and what kind of guy he is – she knows his friends and family (for the most part). And Kiva is just starting to know her own family…and not liking what she learns. I didn’t like some of her decision making. She was confused between her loyalty to her family and then her love for Jaren and honestly this made her do some rash things. Like trusting her sister because she is family, even though she treats her like crap…Kiva is too forgiving and too trusting and you would think living in a death prison would have taught her a few things about seeing through people and their true intentions.

Why you should read it:

slow burn romance
political intrigue, lots of twists in the story
my new favorite character, Caldon

Why you might not want to read it:

toxic family relationships
Kiva’s indecisiveness got annoying

My Thoughts:

Though not as intense as book one, I thought this sequel was entertaining mostly because of Caldon being his amazing self and Kiva’s family drama. I dislike Kiva’s sister so much and I got a little annoyed with Kiva’s actions but overall, I love all the twists in the story. I’m starting to think this author definitely knows how to write a cliffhanger ending! Will be looking forward to book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Anatomy: A Love Story by. Dana Schwartz | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Anatomy: A Love Story

Author: Dana Schwartz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 1/18/22

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Gothic, Mystery, Romance, Historical Fiction

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.

A gothic tale full of mystery and romance about a willful female surgeon, a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living, and the buried secrets they must uncover together.

Edinburgh, 1817.

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

I was totally surprised about this book. When I was asked to review it, I was first drawn to the cover. Look at that cover, it is outstanding! The synopsis sounded intriguing with the a young woman trying to become a surgeon in a time when women were not allowed to practice medicine, let alone become a surgeon!

Hazel is a wonderful main character. As a lady she is expected to marry well and keep her future husband happy but the thought doesn’t bring her joy at all. She wants to become a surgeon but how? I love her fortitude and persistence to pursue her dream of being a surgeon even when many challenges were thrown her way. I loved the scenes of Hazel practicing medicine for those who couldn’t afford to pay for good medical service. Reading this story reminded me of when once upon a time I thought I was going to be in the medical field.

Now Jack is a fun character because he is not a nobleman, he is a stagehand and a part time resurrection man – meaning he digs up dead bodies on the side and sells them to doctors. It’s a high risk job and if caught Jack can be hung for grave robbing. He befriends Hazel when she needs dead bodies to study and practice surgery on to pass her medical exam. I love their interactions together.

There is a sweet romance budding between Hazel and Jack even though she is betrothed to her cousin. It’s a heartbreaking romance too because their stations in life really don’t allow them to be together.

The story isn’t just about Hazel wanting to become a surgeon, there is a mystery going on in Edinburgh. There is an illness going around called the Roman fever and also something else is happening where people, mostly the poor, are going missing or coming back with a missing limb. It reminds me of the story of Jack the Ripper, obviously it’s not the same story but the chilling vibes are the same.

Content Warnings: gore, dissecting bodies/animals, bullying, misogyny

Though the ending was definitely a plot twist and fascinating, I don’t know that it totally worked for me. It worked when it came to the romance part but it still left me a bittersweet feeling. But it’s an interesting twist to the mystery of the people with missing limbs or people dying not from the Roman fever – it did seem a bit farfetched but I went with it for the sake of the romance.

Just being reminded of how the field of medicine didn’t allow women to study or how they had to dig up bodies in order to study them is so amazing to me. It’s awesome to see how far we have come in the field of medicine and yay to women who broke through such a male dominated field.

Why you should read it:

history of medicine fascinates you and you aren’t squeamish about dissecting bodies
a sweet romance
good mystery
woman empowerment

Why you might not want to read it:

gory
farfetched ending

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t realize how much I missed reading books about the history of medicine, even if this one is a historical fiction, I was still inspired by Hazel’s ambition to become a female surgeon. I adored the romance between Hazel and Jack but it isn’t exactly happily ever after for them. The ending is just something I went with even though it seems a little bit out there but it’s a fun book to escape into if you are into gothic settings with mystery and romance.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Skin of the Sea by. Natasha Bowen | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Skin of the Sea

Author: Natasha Bowen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, West African Mythology

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

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

An unforgettable fantasy debut inspired by West African mythology, this is Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid, in which a mermaid takes on the gods themselves.

A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata–a mermaid–collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable–she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .

Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn’t, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

First off, this book cover is gorgeous and made me want to read the book!

As for the story, there is so much to like. I love our main character Simidele. She is a Mami Wata/mermaid and she blesses the journeys of the dead, mostly people who are found dead in the sea thrown off slave ships. We learn about Simi’s past life through memories and flashbacks. As a Mami Wata she is supposed to let go of her past but memories always resurface for her and it’s poignant and heartbreaking especially when you know what happens to Simi and how she becomes a mermaid. But Simi is courageous and strong and so graceful She honors the gods/orishas and when she has to go against one, she does it because she cares for others, Kola and his family plus the Mami Wata family.

Kola is the boy Simi saves in the water and she helps him get back to his family. When there, they must go on a quest to find his special twin siblings and rings that would help save the Mami Wata. Kola is a leader and sometimes headstrong. Simi definitely looks to him for strength and it’s interesting because he’s the first alive human she’s interacted since becoming a mermaid. The romance between them is barely there, and not a main focus of the story because the quest is at the forefront.

There are some great secondary characters in the book like Issa and Yinka. It was interesting to learn about the different gods in the story. The world building was wonderful as we get to know the gods and how they interfere with the lives of humans and how they get into situations among themselves as well.

An emotional part of the book is when we find out about Simi’s past and Kola’s present. They were both on slaver ships and we get a small part of the trauma from what Simi and Kola experienced on the ships but it’s heart wrenching, especially Simi’s backstory. But what I love is how as a mermaid, they would bless the souls of the dead.

Content Warning: slavery, enslavement, violence, death

The ending is so abrupt and I’m not sure if this is a standalone but I would like to see Simi’s story continue especially with that ending.

Why you should read it:

Little Mermaid story with West African mythology mixed in
Simi is a strong and a kind main character, I love her role as a Mama Wata
emotional story

Why you might not want to read it:

Abrupt ending that feels like this could be a series? But not sure…

My Thoughts:

I adored Simi who was just doing her job as a Mama Wata and then breaking the rules because she wanted to save someone who was still alive. But I love her grace and wanting to do good even when it was challenging for her on sea legs or confronting Gods that were more powerful than her. My only issue is the ending which felt rushed or open ended – not sure if this is a standalone but it would be nice if it was a series. Other than that, I enjoyed this story a lot.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Within These Wicked Walls by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Within These Wicked Walls

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Paranormal, Fantasy, Gothic Romance, Young Adult, Ethiopian Inspired, Jane Eyre Reimagined, Lite Horror

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 an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Forgive me for not knowing right away that this is an Ethiopian inspired, Jane Eyre reimagined story. The NetGalley blurb gave no indication of it but when I went to Goodreads after I read the book, I was surprised. In a way, I liked not knowing it was Jane Eyre inspired because as I read the book I kept wondering why it kept reminding me of one of my favorite books! So in that instance, it did it’s job in capturing the classic story.

Within These Wicked Walls is a mash-up of everything I was craving! It is set in a very unique location where the cleansing takes place in a castle, but in a desert landscape and our main character Andromeda is a debtera. She is trained to exorcise households cursed by the Evil Eye. The house she is currently exorcising has walls that bleed and a Librarian demon that threatens people by leaving books open to a certain quote. Be still my heart! Then there is Andromeda’s conflicted relationship with the man who raised her and of course the new young man in her life, her employer – an eccentric, sometimes sweet, sometimes oblivious guy named Magnus. Put this altogether and for me, at least, it was a match made in light horror heaven.

I found the debtera and exorcisms unique. I liked how they used amulets for protection. I liked how the house is a horror show (and I’m a wimp with horror) with staff disappearing and residents getting hurt. Andromeda was trained to be a debtera by the man who raised her, Jember. Andromeda is a great character. She is tough and independent because how she was raised but still good at heart. A secondary character I loved as well was Saba who showed Andromeda love through action.

It’s because of Jember, Andromeda finds herself in a challenging spot with Magnus and this job to cleanse his house. She didn’t finish her training and is unlicensed, so patronage through Magnus is her best bet to make a living. It’s that or survive on the streets. Eventually she realizes cleansing the house would mean more to her than a patronage, it would mean helping the people she has come to care about.

I realized it was a Jane Eyre retelling when Andromeda and Magnus would interact. The banter between them is so good, and the longing made me swoon. They balanced each other out, Magnus trying to open Andromeda to fun and affection, and Andromeda grounding Magnus when he was losing himself.

Triggers: abuse, depression, blood, violence, death, gore, toxic relationships, kidnapped

I think some people will have a problem with the insta-love between Magnus and Andromeda. But I didn’t mind because it’s a Jane Eyre retelling, and the reason I love Jane Eyre was because of Jane and Mr. Rochester. So yes, give me the insta-love.

The abusive relationship is hard to swallow but Andromeda confronts Jember about it and makes her peace with him in the end. Could I be as forgiving as Andromeda? I don’t think I could but who knows if I were in her shoes?

I’ve been looking for something different to read and this was unique and familiar at the same time so it checked all the boxes for me! I read this book in one sitting. I loved how it was creepy enough but it didn’t scare me, it had a lot of action and the story was filled with all the romance drama I was craving. I love this reimagined story of Jane Eyre.

📚 ~ Yolanda