Categories: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Dragons
My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.
Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.
Which could spell death for us all.
Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.
I love vampire books so when I saw this series and it had many reviews I decided to finally read it. Yes the cover is so Twilight-esque but I loved Twilight so I was looking forward to see how different Crave would be. I think this one is different enough that it keep me reading it…until I started skimming it in the end.
I liked the hot, brooding vampire boy Jaxon, of course. He definitely fit that role. I really liked that this one has dragons in it, because usually paranormal stories stick to the usual: vampires, shifters, and witches storyline, but this one has dragons and one in particular named Flint who is so mischievous – love him too.
For the most part I thought the story was interesting because Grace was clueless about the “monsters” – she knows something is up, but she doesn’t really know for sure. The story is written for teens though and I would have devoured this book if I was fourteen. It has the hot guys, the one friend/cousin that Grace has who has her back, it has a villain and boarding school life.
Triggers: violence
I started to skim the last 25% of the book because I was a little over Grace being so hypnotized by Jaxon, which means I think this book could’ve been 200 pages shorter. I get it, Jaxon is hot, he’s a vampire and she loves him. They love each other, a lot and this happens in what…a week? She’s new to the school and missed a few classes because all the events going on so I’m pretty sure it’s insta-love. I don’t mind insta-love but this one made me roll my eyes.
Grace – she is special, we just don’t know why so there’s that trope. But she still needs a lot of saving and they all watch over her because someone is trying to kill her. Her being coddled gets kind of old.
I giggled in so many parts of this book and did the face palm or rolled my eyes so in that way I found it entertaining lol but so many cringe worthy moments.
I can see why people would enjoy this story, I mean it made me laugh because of the cringe moments. It’s filled with many common YA tropes which I actually enjoy. There is the nostalgia aspect and the hot, brooding vampire that I love. I liked the addition of dragons and yes this is an outright, unashamed homage to Twilight, Jaxon even gifts Grace a copy of the book haha. It’s not a series I will be continuing because I think the writing just didn’t hold my attention. It’s definitely a book I would have been very into if I was a young teenager though.
Happy Book Birthday to these new releases. There are so many books I want to read, it’s ridiculous lol.
Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.
The breathtaking sequel to The Princess Will Save You in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky duology — a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride
To stay together forever, Princess Amarande and her stableboy love, Luca, must part: Amarande to reclaim her kingdom from usurpers, and Luca to raise a rebellion and find his destiny. Arrayed against them are all the players in the game of thrones for control over the continent of The Sand and Sky. Facing unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds, their only hope is the power of true love…
The New York Times bestselling author of the The Book of Lost Names returns with an evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.
Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel.
In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong.
In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.
For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages — and if he doesn’t, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she’s smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn’t sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.
Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.
This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.
Carry On was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.
Everyone knows the legend. Of Arthur, destined to be a king. Of the beautiful Guinevere, who will betray him with his most loyal knight, Lancelot. Of the bitter sorceress, Morgana, who will turn against them all. But Elaine alone carries the burden of knowing what is to come–for Elaine of Shalott is cursed to see the future.
On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends–countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic.
When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where magic is outlawed, the rules of society chain them, and enemies are everywhere. Yet the most dangerous threats may come from within their own circle.
As visions are fulfilled and an inevitable fate closes in, Elaine must decide how far she will go to change fate–and what she is willing to sacrifice along the way.
The Lady of Shalott reclaims her story in this bold feminist reimagining of the Arthurian myth from the New York Times bestselling author of Ash Princess.
Three days. Two girls. One life-changing music festival.
Olivia is an expert at falling in love . . . and at being dumped. But after the fallout from her last breakup has left her an outcast at school and at home, she’s determined to turn over a new leaf. A crush-free weekend at Farmland Music and Arts Festival with her best friend is just what she needs to get her mind off the senior year that awaits her.
Toni is one week away from starting college, and it’s the last place she wants to be. Unsure about who she wants to become and still reeling in the wake of the loss of her musician-turned-roadie father, she’s heading back to the music festival that changed his life in hopes that following in his footsteps will help her find her own way forward.
When the two arrive at Farmland, the last thing they expect is to realize that they’ll need to join forces in order to get what they’re searching for out of the weekend. As they work together, the festival becomes so much more complicated than they bargained for, and Olivia and Toni will find that they need each other, and music, more than they ever could have imagined.
Packed with irresistible romance and irrepressible heart, bestselling author Leah Johnson delivers a stunning and cinematic story about grief, love, and the remarkable power of music to heal and connect us all.
From the author of Mask of Shadows comes a dark and intricate story of a girl who must tether herself to a violent ruler to save her crumbling world.
Lorena Adler has a secret—she holds the power of the banished gods, the Noble and the Vile, inside her. She has spent her entire life hiding from the world and her past. She’s content to spend her days as an undertaker in a small town, marry her best friend, Julian, and live an unfulfilling life so long as no one uncovers her true nature.
But when the notoriously bloodthirsty and equally Vile crown prince comes to arrest Julian’s father, he immediately recognizes Lorena for what she is. So she makes a deal—a fair trial for her betrothed’s father in exchange for her service to the crown.
The prince is desperate for her help. He’s spent years trying to repair the weakening Door that holds back the Vile…and he’s losing the battle. As Lorena learns more about the Door and the horrifying price it takes to keep it closed, she’ll have to embrace both parts of herself to survive.
“A triumphant dark fantasy, What We Devour serves up an incredibly smart magic system with a side of eat-the-rich energy.” —Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are the Stars
TBR: July 8, 2021
Cross your heart and hope to live.
I should leave them alone and be done with vampires. I finally have my mother back, I’m dating the perfect guy, and I’ve parted ways with Adrian Teresi.
But I have an opportunity to help the hunters and hopefully learn something that could save more humans. Not to mention, I need answers about the venom burning through my veins.
So I go back to The Alabaster Heart to strike another deal with the vampire prince. The game of cat and mouse that follows is expected, and maybe even a little fun, but nothing prepares me for the day that our games end—and the consequences begin.
From USA Today Bestselling author Nina Walker comes the second installment of the Vampires & Vices—Cruel Stakes. Sink your teeth in but be warned, once you start you won’t be able to stop.
Orphaned. Trained to fight. Raised to fear the power of Underhill. Secretly in love with a man who doesn’t want me.
I’m still just Alli, aka the half-human orphan fae, but my life is looking up for the first time. It only took me my whole 24 years.
But when Underhill—the ancestral home of the fae—shatters, making it impossible for any fae to enter, I’m the only one who knows who did it.
A secret that will be the death of me if I do nothing.
A brutal madness spreads through the fae as they lose their connection to Underhill, and to save my people, my only choice is to leave all I have fought for and go on the run.
Unless I figure out how the hell magic that has existed since the dawn of time was destroyed with a single touch, well, an entire life spent fighting to prove myself isn’t going to mean anything at all.I must find the answer to the riddle of Underhill’s shattering.
Hunted by the very man I loved once upon a time.
If you love Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Mass, Holly Black or Elise Kova, you will love this dive into a world of the fae, forbidden love, and a story that will leave you breathless for more.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!
This week’s topic is:
Reasons Why I Love to Read
I’m Addicted – it started when I was a young child and I just cannot stop reading!
Escape – I mean where else can I escape into worlds of the fae, vampires, etc…? I get to travel to different countries, realms, even outer space by reading books.
Bond – I get to bond with other book lovers out there and it’s nice to be a part of a big community. I also bond with my kids through books which is amazing.
Exercise my brain – reading exercises my brain and God knows it needs it! lol
Feels – I love the feel of a book in my hand. I read a lot of ebooks too now, but there is just something about holding a physical book that feels like it’s magic or that I’m home.
All the Feels – I love how reading makes me feel every emotion possible! Books can make me laugh, angry and cry. It can make me fall in love.
Book Covers – why do they have to be so pretty? Book cover art is beautiful! I can’t help reading a book because of an enticing cover and title as well.
Words – I love words, and the art of crafting words into a story. I can’t do it very well, but these authors put their heart and soul, blood, sweat, tears into their work and it’s an art I want to keep supporting.
Representation – when I can relate hard to a book, I feel seen which is so important.
Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
I am a sucker for stories about the Fae so I was intrigued by the premise of this book. This was like a combination of ACOTAR and Cinderella. I love the world building with the Fae world and the history between the humans Fae.
Brie has a problem – she needs to save her and her skills as a thief is the only want to help her. She gets caught in a power struggle game between the Unseelie and Seelie court and there is deception everywhere. But who can Brie really trust? I honestly didn’t know who to trust either as I read the book.
I liked the second half of this book way more than the first half. It had much more intrigue, reveals and twists that I wasn’t expecting. Also that part in the blurb that calls this book sexy…yeah well, things do get sexier in the second half!
The Princes – oh for Brie to be caught between two handsome fae princes? Lucky girl. Did she choose the right one? I still don’t know!
I got bored in the middle of the story, because of the love triangle and mistrust – it was a lot of angst and drama. I just didn’t care for the “Cinderella” or The Selection vibe to Prince Ronan finding’s a bride.
Love triangle (Think Tamlin/Rhysand from ACOTAR). I don’t blame Brie but she kept reminding herself she loved Sebastien. Does she really if she has to keep reminding herself?
I think this will definitely appeal to fans of ACOTAR because it has so many similar themes. I had trouble connecting to Brie but the story does get juicy at the end when some secrets are revealed. Will I be reading the sequel? Most definitely after that wild ending. It will be interesting to see how this story concludes.
I love crafting – it’s been a part of me for so long. It used to be just a fun hobby until I took the plunge and opened an Etsy shop almost 9 years ago now? It was while I was pregnant with my son (who is turning 9 next month) and I had stopped doing massage therapy because I just couldn’t do it in my 3rd trimester. So I made bracelets and keychains and sold them on Etsy. I’ve done various things over the years but today I just wanted to show you my yarn rainbows that I made last week.
It’s been so hot to do resin crafts, because I work outside which isn’t ideal but the fumes can be a little much, so that’s why I work outdoors. But living in Hawaii means it’s warm and humid which makes my resin harden way too fast. I have to work fast and it’s stressful so I’m going to hold off on that until the weather cools down.
I was looking up some crafts I could do that require minimal supplies and these rainbows made me feel happy so I wanted to try and make them. I looked through a few DIY videos on youtube and some pins on Pinterest to learn how to make them.
The first three rainbows I made were okay but the technique of hot gluing the layers together was not working for me. Maybe my glue gun stick is old? It left a mess and the layers wouldn’t stick together! 🤦🏻♀️ So instead I sewed each layer together with yarn. It’s holding together so far! I bought a new hot glue gun and I’ll glue the knots on the back from the sewing. That means yes, the front side is way nicer than the back side haha, but I still think they are cute!
I found it relaxing to make them once I got the hang of it.
Are you a crafter? What kind of arts and craft do you like to dabble in?
#SixforSunday is… it’s really just that. You choose 6 books (normally) that you’d choose to fit whatever the prompt is that week. This meme is hosted by A Little but a Lot and you can follow the link to find the prompts for July to September.
This week’s topic:
Summer-y Colours
I’m going to do this one a little but different since it is July 4th here in America and the birthday of our country. Happy July 4th!
Another month has passed and it’s time to take 5 more books off my Goodreads TBR list – I don’t even know if these help since all I do is add more books to my list…lol…but here are the 5 books:
Heartless by. Marissa Meyer – I love her books and was interested in this years ago, but not anymore.
Shadowcaster by. Cinda Williams Chima – my Goodreads list is pretty screwed up. I don’t think I even read the first book in this series, or maybe I was going to or started and never finished? Anyway, this one has to go. No interest now.
The Fates Divide by. Veronica Roth – I read book one but lost interest in finishing the series.
The Savage Dawn by. Melissa Grey – another series where I lost interest because I got invested in other books. I really should read a series when all the books are available lol.
The Last of the Firedrakes by. Farah Oomerbhoy – I loved this cover for so long but never got a chance to read the book.
I found this fun summer book tag from I’m All Booked Up and since I’m trying to add more book tag topics on my blog, this one is perfect for the season!
So let’s get started:
1. Iced Drink: A Refreshing Book
Pumpkin is fun, heart-warming, feel-good story and perfect for Pride Month!
2. Cotton Candy: A Book That Was Fluffy and Sweet
Paris, ballerians, criossants and love? This one was definitely a sweet book.
3. Sunglasses: A Dark Book
This isn’t dark just because of the amazing book cover, but from chapter one it’s pretty intense and graphic.
4. Picnic on a Rainy Day: A Sad Book
This book cover looks fun and summery but nope – this one made me cry and broke my heart. 😭
5. Sand: A Book That Irritated You
This was a DNF for me because I couldn’t stand how one of the characters often talked in caps.
6. Summer Blockbuster: Favorite Book to Screen Adaptation
I loved watching this series come to life on Netflix. I think they picked the perfect people to play these beloved characters and the movie aesthetic was spot on!
7. Dropped Ice Cream: A Book You Were Anticipating That Wasn’t Good
This series has amazing reviews and the first book was pretty good, didn’t love it but I liked it. Then I read the second one and I struggled to finish it. Told myself not to even bother with book three. I blame it on the hype and my high expectations haha. It’s not for me.
8. Palm Tree: A Large Book That You Loved
Her books are getting massive! 🤦🏻♀️ But I did love this one.
9. Bonfire: A Book You Want to Burn
I don’t hate it though it was one I DNF’ed – it’s just not for me and I’d never burn a book unless it was necessary for survival! 😆 But since we are talking about bon fires – this one had a bon fire scene!
10. Fireworks: A Book That Exploded Into the Scene
I was there when it exploded haha! I mean, it was undeniable but this series was a force to reckon with when it published in 2005 and the iphone wasn’t even out until 2007 – we didn’t even have bookstagram or all this social media to push it out into the world. I bought it because of the cover from Barnes & Noble. When it caught fire, with the whole series out, I lent my hardcovers to so many family and friends and these were people who didn’t even like to READ! That’s how powerful this series was. I even lent it to my Pentecostal Christian friends who are against vampires and paranormal anything and I respected their views but they were the ones asking me for the books lol 🤷🏻♀️. It was quite a phenomenon.
Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Friendship, LGBT+
Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
How cute was this book? I haven’t read anything from this author but this looked like it would be a fun read and it didn’t disappoint me.
First off, this is a love story, a platonic love story between two best friends who have the same crush on Matt Olsson. Kate and Andy have been best friends for a long time, he’s the boy next door, he’s the boy she first kissed and she was the first one he came out to. They are tight as can be and the most adorable platonic couple ever. They made me laugh, they made me feel warm inside with all the affection they shower upon one another. They are each other’s hype person and we all need that someone! But their friendship is tested when the crush they have on Matt gets deeper. Personality wise, I love how Kate and Andy balance each other out. Kate is that romantic, head in the theater clouds kind of girl, with some bouts of anxiety when she starts over thinking things. Andy is super confident, funny, and says what he means.
Communal crushes are a bad idea – because someone is going to get hurt. But Kate and Andy thought they were stronger than that, and I loved their communication. They hit a bump in their friendship because of Matt but in the end, their friendship really wins out. I love that about the story a lot.
There is so much diversity in this book. Andy is gay, their other theater squad member, Raina, is transgendered and so much more.
I think books with theater kids are so fun to read. Maybe because theater is all about drama and it brings that natural to the story.
I thought Noah and Kate’s relationship was also cute. She’s very judgmental about jocks, though her older brother is one and his best friend, Noah. Kate was traumatized by an incident that involved being teased and bullied by jocks and since then she has judged them harshly but she gets to know Noah more than him just being her brother’s best friend.
Triggers: bullying, online bullying
Kate is judgmental when it comes to jocks. She and her squad refer to them as f-boys. (Insert 4 letter F word there, haha). If they are a jock and play a sport they automatically get categorized an F-boy or F-girl which I think is kind of harsh. It’s the popular, party kids that get labeled that but of course, not her dear brother, even if he is a jock. Noah is an f-boy until they decide he’s chill. So Kate had to open her eyes a little just to see Noah as something more than a jock.
I read this book in one sitting because I was in love with Kate and Andy despite their communal crush on Matt. You already know it’s a bad idea from the start but their friendship is everything and it stands strong against hurt feelings. I love the diversity in the story and how easily the story flowed. I enjoyed all the characters, even her brother Ryan who was pretty mellow and seemed like someone without much of a personality – but he cares for his sister in his older brother kind of way and that seemed realistic. This was a feel good, heartwarming, funny book that made me fall in love with friendship.
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 