BLOG TOUR | Furia by. Yamile Saied Méndez

Welcome to the blog tour for Furia by. Yamile Saied Méndez!

“In this stirring novel by Argentine American author Méndez, passion for sports and personal growth intersect in Camila’s powerful, feminist first-person narrative about her experiences as an ambitious athlete, a teenager deeply in love, the daughter of an abusive father at the point of taking charge of her own life, and a young woman finding her voice in a deeply sexist, patriarchal society… A riveting coming-of-age story.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Furia

Author: Yamile Saied Méndez

Format: Paperback (gifted by Publisher)

Pages: 358

Publication Date: 9/15/20

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Categories: Own Voices, Coming of Age, Contemporary, Young Adult, Soccer/Fútbol, Family, Friendship, Romance, Latinx

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

Camila Hassan lives a double life. At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father. On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far her talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university, but the path ahead won’t be easy. Her parents, who don’t know about her passion, wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. Meanwhile, the boy she once loved, Diego, is not only back in town, but has also become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Things aren’t the same as when he left: Camila has her own fútbol ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, she is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and passion of a girl like her.

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me an ARC of Furia.

Let’s break it down:

My Attention: engrossed ~ finished in one sitting

World Building: Rosario, Argentina ~ a melting pot of various cultures

Writing Style: beautiful, easy to digest and heartfelt

Bringing the Heat: 🔥

Crazy in Love: sweet love story

Creativity: Camila wants to be a fútbol star but she has to keep it secret for now ~ I loved learning about Argentine culture and the people

Mood: Inspired

Triggers: misogyny, abuse, death

My Takeaway: If you don’t see a way to your dream, pave your own way!

Camila is so inspiring! She is of mixed ancestry: Russian, Palestinian, Andalusian, African. Camila’s African roots is what came out physically in her but her heart is all Argentina. She is complex: smart, beautiful, independent, ambitious, athletic and determined. Camila’s is also a teenager who is trying to balance going after her dreams, and chasing after love.
Life isn’t perfect for Camila, her family has secrets. Her dad is an overbearing misogynist, who wants a way to riches and fame through his kids! Camila’s mother is trapped in a loveless marriage and her brother, a talented fútbol player has the pressure to elevate his family. It all falls apart when her dad goes too far, but that’s when they find their strength as a family.
Part of the reason Camila keeps secrets is because people in their town thinks fútbol is mainly a male sport. Her brother and their friend, Diego, a young superstar are praised for their talents. Camila is as talented but fairly unknown except in the women’s leagues.
The book touches on many issues like poverty, domestic abuse and women’s rights. There is a feminist movement growing and the story connects it to Camila’s fight to play fútbol and shine as a talented, female player.
The romance is so sweet! I loved Diego and Camila’s relationship and yes, it didn’t seem to stand a chance with their life paths going different ways. But man, did I cheer them on and hope so hard that they would have a happy ending! They are young and in love and I felt it was realistic. The two of them had to make tough choices for their future.
The fútbol scenes were pretty awesome! I’m not a huge fan, but I’ve watched my fair share of the FIFA World Cup. I felt the excitement, I felt the tension ~ it was like watching a real game.

There is a violent family abuse scene in the book but Camila’s dad is the worse. I’m glad Camila was strong enough to not let her dad destroy her self-esteem and dreams.

Furia is a fantastic Own Voices story about a girl who will stop at nothing to achieve her dreams. Camila deals with many challenges from an abusive father, and a love life she wants but cannot ultimately have. There are tough choices to be made in life, but Camila shows she’s strong enough to make them. By the end of the book I was inspired and overwhelmed with joy as Camila achieves her dreams. Furia is inspiring!

❤️~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Yamile (sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is a fútbol-obsessed Argentine American who loves meteor showers, summer, astrology, and pizza. She lives in Utah with her Puerto Rican husband and their five kids, two adorable dogs, and one majestic cat. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she’s a graduate of Voices of Our Nations (VONA) and the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Méndez is also part of Las Musas, the first collective of women and nonbinary Latinx middle grade and young adult authors. Furia is her first novel for young adult readers. https://yamilesmendez.com/

Red, White & Royal Blue | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Red, White & Royal Blue

Author: Casey McQuiston

Format: eBook (KU)

Pages: 421

Categories: M/M Romance, American Politics, LGBTQIA+, Family, Royalty, Adult, Contemporary

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

My Attention: read in 3 days

World Building: the political First Family world of the USA and the Royal family of England

Writing Style: dialogue was great, moved fast

Crazy in Love: so crazy, the first son and a royal prince

Creativity: Love how we get a fictitious peek at the American political life, on the verge of a re-election campaign, and what being a royal in England would be like if one was a gay prince

Triggers: homophobia, anxiety, depression, grief

My Takeaway: Love is love and sometimes you have to fight for the one you love.

This is an enemies to lovers queer romance that had a lot of spark to it. I can’t say they are true enemies since the hate was one sided and misunderstood. I loved the dialogue between Alex and Henry, there were some pretty funny scenes. Alex is the loud, confident one and Henry is the quiet, mysterious guy. There is a lot of love making, a lot of it were booty calls at first but things change between them with romantic emails and confessions.
I love Nora and June who rounds out the White House Trio with Alex. They are young, ambitious, smart, and a force to be reckoned with! Alex’s parents are divorced but they work together to help each other out the best they can, so they have a modern family. Alex and June are also half white and half Mexican which adds to the diversity of this story.
Alex is on a road to self-discovery in this story. Henry is gay and always knew he was. Alex has been with girls, but has fooled around with guys too and just never thought he was bi, until Henry. I liked that we got into Alex’s thought process when he felt confused about his past and actions.
There are some mental health issues touched on in this story as well. Henry’s dad passed when he was a child, and he has his moments of depression, a wall that at times Alex can’t understand or get through. But he wants to know and understand. Alex on the other hand keeps moving, jumping from project to project so he doesn’t have to stay still and deal with life issues like his parents divorce.

I went into this thinking it was a young adult book, but with how many times they have sexy scenes, I’d say it’s more like a new adult/adult book. It didn’t get super detailed though, but you know what happens. Thing is Alex and Henry are apart most of the time, because they live in different countries, so the romance grew mostly through texts, phone calls, emails and the occasional hook-ups.
Alex was the main character…but he wasn’t my favorite. Like I said, he’s a firecracker or a tornado, he was busy and overwhelming. I related more to Henry who was quieter haha. I guess that’s why they work, opposites attract. But Henry has a great scene where he finally explodes and it was quite emotional.
Since Alex is the First Son and his mom is the first female President of the USA, and from Texas – I thought the take on White House life was fascinating and optimistic. In current reality? I’d say it’s volatile haha, but yes there is American politics in this book.

Overall, I had fun reading this one, and I think it’s the first true M/M romance I’ve read. I’ve read books in the fantasy genre where there are M/M relationships. Red, White & Royal Blue is an enjoyable queer romance that has fun dialogue, sexy scenes, a great cast of secondary characters, and a happily ever after.

💕 ~ Yolanda

Aloha Friday | 9/11/20

Going to try and do a weekly recap on Friday’s since at times I don’t have book reviews to post but I still want to stay engaged on this blog. So let’s take a look at my week so far:

New Books Acquired:

Red, White & Royal Blue – Casey McQuinston (KU)
Ninth House – Leigh Bardugo (KU)
Heart Bones – Colleen Hoover (KU)
Incendiary – Zoraida Cordova (Overdrive Online Library)
Clap When You Land – Elizabeth Acevedo (Overdrive)

NetGalley Books I’m Reading:

Warmaidens – Kelly Coon
A Golden Fury – Samantha Cahoe
The Ravens – Kass Morgan & Danielle Page

What I’m Watching/Finished Watching:

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (K-Drama, Netflix)

Other News:

Covid cases are starting to level off here in Hawaii, thank goodness! My family still lives in the town with the highest cases but the state is on lockdown for another two weeks.
My son is doing remote learning until the end of 1st quarter…which is in 3 weeks? And then he has Fall Break…and we shall see what happens! I have a feeling we will be continuing remote learning after the break though. It’s been a challenge but he likes his teacher and he is learning more computer skills than I ever had at 8 years old! 😱 It’s frustrating, challenging, but we are getting through it together. 💙
I am still carless haha, but I guess it’s a good thing we are on lockdown. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hopefully I get my car back by the end of this month? We shall see…

Have a nice weekend everyone! 😘 ~Yolanda

You Should See Me in a Crown | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: You Should See Me in a Crown

Author: Leah Johnson

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 328

Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, F/F Romance, Racism, Sickle Cell Disease, Friendship

Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

My Attention: read in 3 days

World Building: Campbell County, Indiana – where prom is the event of the year

Writing Style: easy to read, flowed beautifully

Crazy in Love: cautious in love

Creativity: a prom giving away prize money? I can see the appeal of running for prom court!

Triggers: racism, outing, mention of death, illness, homophobia

My Takeaway: “I was born royalty. All I had to do was pick up my crown.” ~ Leah Johnson

Liz Lighty, is smart, talented and queer. Only her friends and family know but now she’s running for prom court because there is a money prize she needs to attend the college of her dreams. So everything about her now is in the spotlight at school – who she talks to, who she hangs with and who she likes.
The f/f romance was so cute and Amanda’s promposal was a winner! These two don’t have it easy dating each other but it’s obviously easier for Amanda because she’s a new girl, quirky and white. Liz is black, in Indiana and queer. She has it harder on all levels but they try to make it work and mostly do with some challenges.
For me the friendship stories really stood out in this book. Liz has a different crew of friends, each with their own quirks and talents – but Gabi is her best friend. Gabi is also all in with helping Liz win prom court, but it gets too be a bit overwhelming for their friendship. And an old friend, Jordan, reunites with Liz because they are both running for prom court – but they have a troubled past and relearn to be friends again.
The message of taking the crown for your own is empowering. Liz stays classy while fighting for her right to run for prom Queen despite her race and who she loves. I absolutely loved that moment when her friends help her come up with her motto! It was so inspirational.

I can see this one as a movie or tv show.

This story is an inspirational story about a black girl, Liz, who is trying to be prom queen and win a crash prize in a small conservative town while being queer. What starts off as a story about winning money to attend her dream college ends with a girl who takes the crown by being unapologetically herself. YES. “Eff your fairy tale.” 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

💕 ~ Yolanda

BLOG Tour | Road Out of Winter by. Alison Stine

Welcome to the blog tour for Road Out of Winter by. Alison Stine!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Road Out of Winter

Author: Alison Stine

Format: ebook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 9/1/20

Publisher: MIRA

Purchase Links: Harlequin |Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Powell’s

Categories: Dystopia, Climate Change, Eco Thriller, Survival

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

Surrounded by poverty and paranoia her entire life, Wil has been left behind in her small Appalachian town by her mother and her best friend. Not only is she tending her stepfather’s illegal marijuana farm alone, but she’s left to watch the world fall further into chaos in the face of a climate crisis brought on by another year of unending winter. So opens Alison Stine’s moving and lyrical cli-fi novel, ROAD OUT OF WINTER (MIRA Trade; September 1, 2020; $17.99).

With her now priceless grow lights stashed in her truck and a pouch of precious seeds, Wil upends her life to pursue her mother in California, collecting an eclectic crew of fellow refugees along the way. She’s determined to start over and use her skills to grow badly needed food in impossible farming conditions, but the icy roads and desperate strangers are treacherous to Wil and her gang. Her green thumb becomes the target of a violent cult and their volatile leader, and Wil must use all her cunning and resources to protect her newfound family and the hope they have found within each other.

Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

Let’s break it down:

My Attention: intrigued but kind of waned in the middle

World Building: fascinating – Appalachia Ohio enduring a very long winter, resources are low and people are in survival mode

Writing Style: slow, tense

Bringing the Heat: more like cold, VERY cold

Crazy in Love: no time for love in this story

Creativity: weed, an endless winter, and trying to survive makes for a very interesting story!

Mood: mixed feelings

Triggers: drug use, violence, mention of rape

My Takeaway: The currency of the future in a climate crisis will be seeds and someone who knows how to grow them.

I don’t read many eco-thrillers but this caught my eye because Wil is a weed grower and it’s a skill that will help her survive this endless winter. Wil comes from a place of poverty and heavy drug use, she’s been around all kinds of drug users since she was a child, and that helps her navigate her way out in this new cold world.
I like how the author describes what’s happening in the towns as winter doesn’t let up. We see resources grow scarce, people panicking and leaving for someplace else. There is no internet, no way to really communicate, no news…it’s a dire situation and it’s something that could happen in reality. That’s the thrilling and scary part of the story.
Wil is on a mission to get to her mom, so she needs to leave her town but she meets people along the way, and the further they get from home – they get into harrowing situations and meet other people on the road. They encounter different groups of people out there which made me wonder if Wil would get to her destination at all or intact?

Who knew being a weed grower would be a skill to come in handy? There isn’t much weed growing happening in this story but I understand that once she settles down somewhere it will be the knowledge that will help her grow food to survive.
I didn’t connect much to any character. But I think the story gets much more interesting when Jamey and Starla enters the picture.
The beginning for me was a slow build but the later half is definitely when things pick up. There is more action as Wil and her friends try to get out of certain situations.
The ending felt rushed, but will there be a sequel? I felt like more of the story could be told.

I think this was a solid eco-thriller. It made me feel this story could become reality in the future especially with how our planet is undergoing climate change. Wil is an interesting character who has survival skills because she grew up around drug users and she herself is a weed grower. Wil’s journey to her destination is filled with challenges and terror. If you like eco-thrillers, I think you will really enjoy this one.

About the Author:

ALISON STINE lives in the rural Appalachian foothills. A recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), she was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. She has written for The Atlantic, The Nation, The Guardian, and many others. She is a contributing editor with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

Author Website | Twitter: @AlisonStine | Instagram: @AliStineWrites | Goodreads

Monthly Wrap Up | August 2020

August was an awful month for me personally – the Leo vibes were not working with me. I got into a car accident, then Hawaii’s COVID numbers started exploding and then I had that COVID scare with my family. Also, online schooling started for my son and the first week was a total, chaotic mess – for students, parents and teachers alike). It was a month filled with dread and anxieties.

On the book front – I did manage to read some books to take my mind off of things. But also, do you ever find yourself not being able to read when you are under a lot of stress? I just wanted to sleep the days away. So let’s see what I managed to read and post:

Out of these titles – I think I really only read 5 of these in the month of August, the rest I read months before but posted closer to their publication dates. I did read other arcs in August that will be posted later.

Fable by. Adrienne Young – 5 Stars

Chosen Ones by. Veronica Roth – 2 1/2 Stars

Secret Crush Seduction by. Jayci Lee – 4 Stars

The Damned by. Renee Ahdieh – 3 Stars

Here to Stay by. Adriana Herrera – 3 1/2 Stars

The Silvered Serpents by. Roshani Chokshi – 4 Stars

The Last Story of Mina Lee by. Nancy Jooyoun Kim – 4 Stars

Master of Poisons by. Andrea Hairston – 3 1/2 Stars

Havenfall by. Sara Holland – 3 Stars

These Vengeful Hearts by. Katherine Laurin – 3 1/2 Stars

How was your August? I hope you had a good reading month and let’s have a great September!

♥️ ~ Yolanda

The Traitor Queen |Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2)

Author: Danielle L. Jensen

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 346

Categories: Adult Fiction, Romance, Fantasy

Lara has only one thought when her husband is taken prisoner: I will do whatever it takes to set you free.

A queen now in exile as a traitor, Lara has watched Ithicana be conquered by her own father, helpless to do anything to stop the destruction. But when she learns her husband, Aren, has been captured in battle, Lara knows there is only one reason her father is keeping him alive: as bait for his traitorous daughter.

And it is bait she fully intends to take.

Risking her life to the Tempest Seas, Lara returns to Ithicana with a plan not only to free its king, but for liberating the Bridge Kingdom from her father’s clutches using his own weapons: the sisters whose lives she spared.

But as Lara and her companions formulate a plan to free Aren from her father’s palace, they soon discover that while it is easy to get in, it will be quite another thing to get Aren, and themselves, back out. Not only is the palace inescapable, there are more players in the game than Lara ever realized, enemies and allies switching sides in the fight for crowns, kingdoms, and bridges. But her greatest adversary of all might be the very man she’s trying to free – the husband she betrayed.

With everything she loves in jeopardy, Lara must decide who – and what – she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or for herself.

My Attention: read in one night

World Building: warring kingdoms, a bridge that controls trade between them, an evil King who raised assassin daughters for one goal…absolutely love this world

Writing Style: so much tension, action and emotion

Crazy in Love: they are crazy for each other but will Lara’s deception end it between the two of them? 😫

Creativity: this series got me in the first chapter of book one when Lara has done something heinous…until we find out her motivations

Triggers: violence, death, torture, snakes, sharks, drowning

My Takeaway: Fight for what you love.

I like how fast pace this book is, it continued right away from book one. There is high stakes, political chess moves, rescue mission, reunions, and a few battle scenes. The story had me from beginning to finish.
There is so much tension in this book from Aren being a prisoner and tortured, his struggle to make sense of his feelings for Lara and then what to do when he gets out. Lara on the other hand is living with guilt, trying to fix what she had done, and making hard decisions along the way. I was torn for both of them. I just wanted them to be together, but they had a lot of things to work through on to of saving the people of Ithicana.
We are introduced to Keris, Lara’s older brother and Lara’s half sisters! I definitely want to know more about Keris and his motivations but wow…Lara’s sisters are ah-mazing. I loved their reunion and I hope we get to see them again sometime in future books!
The ladies kick major butt in this book. I love how they are strong and smart they are, even the women in the harem who would be looked upon as just slaves and docile – nope…they had their ways to fight as well.
This book had me emotional, I even shed a few tears at the end. I wondered how much more Lara can give of herself – yet I understood the distrust of the people she betrayed as well. Yet how can someone who was raised in torture, learn what love is? She was bound to make mistakes after being so brainwashed by her dad…but I love Lara. I loved watching her transformation, with Aren by her side.

Like I said, I hope we get to see Lara’s sisters again. I do know Keris’ story will be told next and he is such a mystery, it will be interesting to know how he grew up.

The Traitor Queen was the perfect conclusion to The Bridge Kingdom duology. It had everything I wanted: action, humor, broken hearts, and it took me on an emotional journey. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I read this book. I can’t believe Lara and Aren’s story is over because I love them so much but I look forward to reading whatever Danielle L. Jensen writes next.

💕 ~ Yolanda

Shielded | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Shielded

Author: KayLynn Flanders

Format: Hardcover (own)

Pages: 352

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It’s losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.

As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn’s–her brother’s–magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong–the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it’s too late–for her and for her entire kingdom.

My Attention: read in 2 days

World Building: kingdoms at war with one another, a marriage will bring them together

Writing Style: easy to read

Crazy in Love: slow burn

Creativity: I’ve read many of these stories before

Triggers: violence, death

My Takeaway: Keep moving forward.

I love the cover!
Creativity wise – I’ve read this story many times before. I did enjoy the story telling though. I liked Jenna’s connection to her family, especially her brother Ren.
Jennasara our MC has lived quite a sheltered life. She faces a bunch of challenges when she ventures outside of Halendi to meet her betrothed. We see her grow as she experiences the world outside of Halendi.
I thought the romance was cute and didn’t take over the story which was nice! Enzo, the Prince, is a nice guy, nothing problematic there.
I think this is a wonderful book for teens and young adults alike. It doesn’t have too much angst and the focus on Jenna finding her way in a different land, without family, after a traumatic experience is inspiring.

The villains didn’t stand out as big bad guys. They were bad but almost comical – one guy was gray…and his name is Graymere. And at times it got confusing trying to follow the story when a chapter from the villain’s perspective would appear. I didn’t know it was the villain at first!
Pacing wise, I think the beginning was a bit slow because Jenna is traveling but it definitely picks up once she she reaches the Wild and Turia. From them on I was engaged in the story.

This book is an enjoyable young adult fantasy that is easy to read. The story follows a princess who has to stop the villain that has hurt the people she loves the most. Jenna finds strength, friendship, family and love in the most challenging time in her life. Though it may sound similar to many other young adult fantasy book out there I still enjoyed it very much. The message to stay strong and keep going will resonate with many readers out there.

💕 ~Yolanda

New Book Finds on Kindle Unlimited

Do you read ebooks and have Kindle Unlimited? I do, so I scour the new titles once in awhile trying to see if there is anything that I wanted to read but couldn’t afford to buy. I’m a mom on a budget so I can’t splurge on books like I used to. I usually use Kindle Unlimited to read indie authors.

I was checking out what was available on Kindle Unlimited last night and I found a bunch of titles I’ve been wanting to read. With the monthly subscription you can basically read whatever is in their Kindle Unlimited catalog without paying extra. So here’s what I added to my Kindle Unlimited library:

I’m reading Red, White & Blue first!

Some other titles I saw that I hope I can get to are:

I actually have a copy of The Great Alone on my shelf but honestly it’s easier for me to read an ebook at night than a physical book with a light on. I already have a bunch on my TBR for September so I hope I can get to these.

Happy Reading!

💕 ~ Yolanda

The Hunter and the Mage | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove, #2)

Author: Kaitlyn Davis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 525

Publication Date: 9/21/20

Publisher: Kaitlyn Davis

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

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

A mage written in prophecy…

When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.

A hunter forged in blood…

Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.

Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…

With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known.

Thank you to Kaitlyn Davis for giving me a chance to read a copy of this book for an honest review.

Let’s break it down:

My Attention: intrigue by the world in the mist

World Building: love the world building of these two worlds separated by mist and lore…but two different versions

Writing Style: easy to digest, flows nicely

Bringing the Heat: 🔥

Crazy in Love: Rafe and Lyana will always be…but the other couple? We shall see…

Creativity: I enjoyed learning more about this world of magic and winged people

Mood: curious

Triggers: violence, betrayal

My Takeaway: Forgiveness.

We get more of Xander and Cassi. Yes I wanted more of Cassi and honestly, but wow…Cassi. Oh Cassi. She fascinated me in book one, especially after that cliffhanger ending. I wanted to know her motivations and how far she would go…and how she could put aside her love and friendship with Lyana. She almost went too far for her to be redeemed in my eyes…but Lyana has a bigger heart than I do!
The world building is as lush as ever. I love this innovative story of bird people, it’s so different.
Since this is mostly Xander and Cassi’s story, we get a few chapters on Rafe and Lyana. They are going through their own challenges and hardships but it’s a trial they have to go through.
The twist was unexpected! It came at the end and made me wish book three was out.

The are many perspectives in the story and this time around for some reason there were times I felt like I was zoning out of the story. There is Xander, Cassi, Rafe, Lyana, Malek and even Brighty (a new character), gets a chapter. So there was a lot going on.
This is a light fantasy and for me the second half of the book was better than the first half because it had so much more action with people finally coming together after being apart for most of the book.
Malek is an interesting character because he’s training Lyana to use her real magic and comes off as maybe someone who isn’t conniving and scheming – he even made me forget for a moment that he sent Cassi to infiltrate Lyana’s world. But he really is a villain…ugh…

There is a lot to like in this sequel, especially if you were waiting for Xander and Cassi to get some page time. You get it in this book! We get to venture into the mist with Rafe and Lyana. Also, we get to learn more about Malek. It makes me wonder what book three will be like…what will Malek do? How will everyone react to Lyana and Rafe? Will Cassi ever find happiness? And will Brighty’s role be in all of this?! So many more questions to answer and I look forward to reading book three.

💕 ~ Yolanda