Book Review: The Bluestocking (Wicked Wallflowers, #4)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Christi Caldwell

Format: E-book

Pages: 348

Categories: Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

Gertrude, the eldest Killoran sister, has spent a lifetime being underestimated—especially by her own family. She may seem as vulnerable as a kitten, but given the chance, she can be as fierce as a tiger. Her adopted brother, Stephen, has just been snatched back by his true father, and she’ll be damned if she relinquishes the boy to the man reviled throughout London as the Mad Marquess.

Still haunted by a deadly tragedy that left him publicly despised, Lord Edwin holds only hatred for the Killorans—the people he believes kidnapped his son. And not one of them will ever see the boy again. But when Gertrude forces her way into the household and stubbornly insists that she remain as Stephen’s governess, Edwin believes he may have found someone madder than himself.

With every moment he shares with the tenderhearted Gertrude, Edwin’s anger softens into admiration…and more. Is it possible that the woman he loathed may be the only person who can heal his broken soul?

MY REVIEW

The Bluestocking, is the fourth book in the Wicked Wallflowers series and I’ll be honest, I didn’t even read book three yet because I wanted THIS book. I wanted to read Gertrude’s story ever since I was introduced to her in the first book. In summary, the series follows the Killoran family, who were raised by a vicious man in St. Giles. They learned a life of pickpocketing, thieving and violence. Gertrude Killoran is blind in one eye and comes off as the weakest link in the Killoran clan. But I knew her story would be good.

And it is so good. The Killorans have a younger brother, Stephen, but earlier in the series it’s revealed he isn’t really their brother. He was kidnapped and his father is really the Marquess of Maddock. Stephen was kidnapped, and Lord Maddock’s pregnant wife at the time dies in a fire as well. All of this happened because of Gertrude’s father.

This story continues Stephen’s story as he is returned to Lord Maddock, but Gertrude accompanies Stephen and refuses to leave his side.

This story is so emotional it pulled at my heartstrings and broke it. I could imagine the pain Lord Maddock had to live through. I could also empathize with Stephen who loves the Killorans, the only family he’s known and who needed time to adjust to his new situation. Also the Killorans were heartbroken at losing Stephen, but felt horrible at the truth of how he came to be their brother. There is so many conflicting emotions.

Gertrude Killoran is an amazing character. Her past isn’t innocent, no child of Diggory’s ever had the luxury of innocence. She is usually the overlooked Killoran but this was her chance to shine. But she is patient, smart, strong, fearless, compassionate and has the biggest heart.

This story even made me cry. 😢 I shed a few tears for Lord Maddock and Stephen. Lord Maddock comes off so emotionally withdrawn because of fear. He loves his son so much and is so afraid of losing him again. He doesn’t know how to be a dad to a hardened eleven year old. And Stephen lashes out, as a pre-teen would, who’s ripped from the life he knows.

And yet despite the despair I felt in the characters, there is hope. Gertrude is the hope. She is the person who helps the father and son forgive and try to move past the bitterness of the past.

This story is about love, forgiveness, and family. After all the emotional turmoil the characters go through in this book, the ending was such a satisfying happily ever after. Thank goodness for that because it was well deserved. Love this book!

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Book Review: Rule (Rule, #1)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Ellen Goodlett

Format: Hard cover

Pages: 376

Categories: Magic (**involving self-harm), Political Intrigue, Romance, Cliffhanger Ending

Book Blurb:

Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos.

Or rather, three unexpected options.

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she’s already gone.

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom.

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady’s maid and scheming her way out of the servants’ chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she’s done.

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny… to rule.

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut.

MY REVIEW

Three sisters vying for a throne? Sounds familiar. When I saw this book at the library, the cover caught my eye because it’s beautiful but I was wary. I’ve read so many books with crowns on the cover the past few months 😂 – honestly, I’m getting crown fatigue. But usually with fantasy books there is a map as well – where is the map for this book? 😔 I’ve been spoiled with maps in the fantasy books I’ve been reading. I love maps. But anyway, I borrowed this book and I’m glad I did.

The story is written from three different perspectives: Zofi, Ren, and Akeylah who are all bastard daughters of King Andros, king of Kolonya. Zofi is a traveler, she comes from a nomadic culture. Ren was raised at court as a lady’s maid and Akeylah comes from the Eastern reaches. All different sisters, one sister will rule.

Except every one of them has a fascinating secret they are hiding and there is someone out there who knows them all. They have to find out who is blackmailing them before it ruins each of their chances for the throne.

I enjoyed the mystery in this story a lot. I thought I had it figured it out but I was wrong. 😲 Also, there is enough action in this book to keep it moving as well, which I appreciated. I thought the author balanced the time between each characters’ perspective really well. The writing flows nicely and there is queer romance, straight romance, there are heartaches and distrust. Each girl has an interesting back story. The sisters were different enough that their voices stood out and so far my favorite is Zofi. I don’t know yet that I’d pick her to rule a kingdom, per se, but character wise, she’s my favorite. She’s a bit wild, tough and physical. Ren is the expert at court intrigue and Akeylah is the bookworm, always researching.

The magic system in this book is performed with self-harm so definite trigger warning there. That’s the only way their magic works which is through blood being shed. They call it the Blood Arts. But there is a counterpart to the magic, called the Vulgar Arts which is forbidden. It’s interesting for the most part what they can do with blood magic but every time they do it, I’m like OUCH. I would not be able to live in Kolonya or I wouldn’t be able to be a soldier in Kolonya since that’s who uses the blood arts most often.

The ending is a cliffhanger – like a serious cliffhanger where I was like, WHAT?! 😱 Now that I’m done with the book, I’m glad I only picked it up now because I only have to wait a few weeks for the sequel to be published. Yay for me! Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a fun read if you like court intrigue, blackmail and a mystery. I’m looking forward to the sequel to see who will be chosen to rule.

Book Review: Beau and Bett

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Kathryn Perla

Format: E-book

Pages: 256

Publication Date: June 25, 2019

Categories: Beauty and the Beast Retelling, Romance, Young Adult

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

Book Blurb:

After Beau LeFrancois’s mother wrecks Bett Diaz’s luxury SUV, his family faces an impossibly large bill—with no car insurance to help pay it. To pay off the debt, Beau spends his weekends working at the Diaz Ranch.

Beau’s prepared to work, but he’s definitely not prepared for the infamous temper of Bett Diaz, also known as “The Beast” at school. As Beau learns the secrets behind Bett’s tough exterior, he finds himself falling for her . . . until he catches Bett in a lie.

A contemporary twist on a classic fairy tale, Beau and Bett is a timely story of family, friendship, and the power of speaking out and standing up for yourself.

MY REVIEW

Thank you to Edelweiss+ for the opportunity to read this free e-arc for an honest review.

Beau and Bett, is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, minus the magic and minus an actual beast. This time Bettina Diaz, is the “Beast” in personality and Beau is Belle, which I thought was a cute twist. I thought the book got better in the middle where Beau and Bett spend more time getting to know each other. That’s where the story finally caught my interest.

Beau is a really good kid who is trying to help his family. He’s hard-working and seems like a pretty chill guy. Bettina is misjudged, she comes off like the materialistic rich girl. But she’s a lonely girl who loves the farm she lives on and finally makes a friend in Beau. I love that Beau didn’t give up on her.

This is a pretty straight forward contemporary retelling with no real surprises. Beau and Bett is a quick read, and a light-hearted young adult romance novel.

Book Review: In Bloom (The Brightside Book 1)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Katie Delahanty

Format: E-book

Pages: 428

Categories: Romance, Celebrity, New Adult

Book Blurb:

My name is Olivia Bloom and I. Am. Free.I left for LA with everything I owned piled into my old Volkswagen and dreams of becoming a costume designer. Little did I know I’d wind up designing for a lingerie company—yeah, not sure how I landed this gig—and taken under the wing of two young Hollywood insiders. The fashion shows and parties were great, but life really got exciting when the seriously hottest lead singer of my favorite band started to fall for me.　How does someone like me, an ordinary girl from Pittsburgh, wind up in the arms of the world’s sexiest rock star—surrounded by celebrities, fashion, and music—and not be eaten alive? Berkeley is everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, but the paparazzi, the tabloids, the rumors, it’s all getting a bit too crazy. My life has become every girl’s dream come true, if only I don’t blink and lose it all…　

MY REVIEW

This was a fun romance story and a very quick read. I’m a sucker for the celebrity romance trope and this had everything I was looking for: romance and humor.

Olivia Bloom is a young woman from Pittsburgh who tries to make a living in L.A. and finds it challenging. Luck would have it she runs into the lead singer of her favorite band, Berkeley and the Brightside. It’s a fluke first meeting but then her new friends who are Hollywood insiders, turn her into project “It girl”. They teach her the rules of surviving life in L.A and see if they can turn a nobody into a somebody. This leads her to another chance meeting with Berkeley and soon things take off, in her career and love life.

I adored Olivia’s friends, especially Parker, who reminded me of some of my own friends. He kept making me laugh throughout the book. The author captured the feeding frenzy of the celebrity lifestyle really well from dealing with tabloids and faking it until you make it in Hollywood.

The romance is sweet and tender as Olivia and Berkeley get to know each other and try to make it work in the crazy world of fame. With rumors flying everywhere, Olivia has to figure out if Berkeley’s attentions are real or fake, like everyone else in Hollywood. I enjoyed Olivia’s adventures in Hollywood. I wanted a light-hearted story with a happily ever after and I was not disappointed.

Book Review: Repeat

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Kylie Scott

Format: E-book

Pages: 304

Categories: Contemporary Romance, Memory Loss, Second Chances

Book Blurb:

When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she’s forced to start over. Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did – which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before.

Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him. The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can’t seem to let her go again. Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance?

MY REVIEW

Repeat is a second chance romance by the awesome, Kylie Scott. It’s an interesting story about a young woman named Clementine who loses her memory due to a head injury. So learning about who she was before and after her injury is quite fascinating. Especially when her “before” included a handsome ex-boyfriend, Ed, who seems to hate the sight of her. Interesting.

From that moment, I had to find out why, along with Clementine, Ed struggled with seeing her. Why did his friends hate her, what did old Clementine do before her injury? Was she really that awful? But there is also a mystery to be solved involving how she came by her injury – was it random or deliberate? If it was deliberate, who’s behind it? That mystery takes a back seat to the focus of the story though, Clementine and Ed’s second chance at love.

I love Kylie Scott’s writing but I had trouble getting into this story like I usually do with her other books. I wasn’t feeling Clementine or Ed until midway into the book. I think I just kept trying to piece together old Clem, but eventually I just wanted to forget about old Clem, because new Clem was pretty cool. She’s a survivor! Ed didn’t stand out much for me, except in the bedroom of course. 😬 And those bedroom scenes are sizzling hot. But I will say he’s very patient with her after getting rid of his anger for her.

I thought the ending was a little rushed but overall, I enjoyed reading this book and seeing Clementine find her new self and getting a second chance at love.

Book Review: Nightchaser

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Author: Amanda Bouchet

Format: E-book

Pages: 352

Categories: Romance, Adventure, Space Opera, Sci-Fi Romance

Book Blurb:

Tess Bailey: the galaxy’s Most Wanted.
Captain Tess Bailey is in deep trouble. She and her crew are on the run, pursued by a tyrant who’ll take them dead or alive. Tess’s best hope is a tall, dark, and much-too-appealing stranger, Shade Ganavan, who says he can help her. But his motivations are far from clear…

Shade Ganavan: arrogance, charm…and that special something that makes you want to kick him.
With the dreaded Dark Watch closing in, what Tess and Shade don’t know about each other might get them killed…unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other before it’s too late.

MY REVIEW

Nightchaser is the first book in a new series by Amanda Bouchet. I read her Kingmaker Chronicles and enjoyed it so seeing her go in this direction was intriguing to me.

This book starts off with a lot of action as we meet Tess Bailey and her crew trying to flee the Overseer’s henchmen, the Dark Watch. Tess has stolen something very important to the government. The story caught my interest right away and I was ready to surrender myself to this space adventure.

Then there is the mysterious and attractive bounty hunter, Shade Ganavan. He’s not just a pretty face – he’s got an agenda. But getting to know Tess messes up his plans. There is something special about Tess, which is the reason she’s on the run, so does he turn her in to the Dark Watch or let her go?

I enjoyed the characters in this story. Tess is a female Robin Hood and has a big heart, but sometimes she takes too many risks. She’s strong, smart, brave yet vulnerable at times too. Shade is flirty, protective and basically he’s a good guy underneath his rough exterior. Tess’s crew was an interesting array of people who helped me to get to know her past and I was rooting for them all the way.

After the excitement in the first part of the book, I thought it lagged a bit in the middle. I was still interested because Shade comes into the story and we learn more him. The flirting builds up the tension between them, but there was a moment where the story lost me a little probably because there wasn’t much action going on. They were in one place because Tess’s banged up ship had to be repaired, so it focused more on Tess and Shade’s budding romance. I wanted the urgency that was present in the beginning of the story to show up again. Tess is being hunted, but I don’t feel that until later in the book and when it does happen it got my senses alert again.

I do love Amanda Bouchet’s writing style – she writes fun stories. The banter and interaction between Shade and Tess made me smile, I do love them together. The sex scenes are steamy yet you get that sense of fun too within them, which is excellent.

Overall, a good first book in a new series, and I will definitely read the sequel to find out what happens in The Fold, the rebel hideout the crew landed in at the ending of the book. I just hope the second book builds up to some exciting action, rather than leave me with a slow middle.

Book Review: Pride

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Ibi Zoboi

Format: Ebook

Pages: 304

Categories: Romance, Pride & Prejudice Retelling, Young Adult

Book Blurb:

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

In a timely update of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic.

MY REVIEW

Pride & Prejudice has to be one of my top five favorite stories of all time. And I have found that no matter the retelling, whether it’s through books, TV series or movies, I can’t get enough of it.

Pride, by Ibi Zoboi is a vibrant retelling of Jane Austen’s classic story. The story takes place in Brooklyn and the Bennett family is now the Benitez family. The Benitez family is well known in their neighborhood of Bushwick, but Zuri Benitez feels everything is changing around her and with the arrival of new, rich neighbors, she sees the changes even more.

I absolutely loved this retelling. It had all the elements of Pride & Prejudice which makes this a very quick read for me. I knew what was going to happen and I was looking out for the similarities to the classic story but I loved everything about this book that made it different as well.

I could relate to Zuri, growing up in a tight-knit neighborhood. The author made that neighborhood come to life! Reading this story made me hungry for the food Zuri’s mom is always cooking. I could hear the noise of the neighborhood she describes and it made me nostalgic. I grew up in a busy loud neighborhood in Hawaii, the noises eventually became comforting.

“Hot tea or iced tea? Spill it! I got my teacup right here!”
Pride by Ibi Zobo

The tension between Zuri and Darius Darcy is present and I liked Zuri’s sass. She came off as too dramatic, and plenty confident. Darius is true to his stiff, controlled personality and put those two together, they create the right spark. The secondary characters were all there in full force making it a story filled with people that were like my old friends, just in a different neighborhood. One of the main differences I noticed is Colin’s character. He isn’t obnoxious in Pride like he is in the original story and doesn’t have much of a role in this retelling. Also Wickham, is now Warren and he’s so smooth, I loved the way he and Zuri flirted, it reminded of the boys in high school always trying to talk to the girls.

I really enjoyed the poetry that’s added into the story. It gives us insight into Zuri’s personality – she’s not only this tough girl who seems resistant to change. She’s creative and feels deeply about the people and places she loves.

And because it’s a reimagining of a classic that was written 200+ years ago, times have changed a lot. Zuri doesn’t need to marry Darius, like how Elizabeth Bennett was required to find a good match according to society back then. Thank goodness for progress and a woman’s ability to pursue her dreams.

Overall, Pride is a fantastic lively retelling of a true romantic classic. It was nostalgic in a way I didn’t expect and left me feeling happy.

Book Review: LUCID

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Kristy Fairlamb

Format: E-book

Length: 248 pages

Publication Date: April 23, 2019

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

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

Book Blurb:

A Terrifying Power. A Horrifying Curse.

Lucy Piper lives a lonely existence on the precipice between life and death. She possesses the horrifying ability to resurrect real-life tragic events in her nightmares, reliving over and over, as if she were there, the last few moments before the victim takes their final breath. Car accidents, drownings, plane crashes – Lucy has seen it all. No one understands what it’s like living death by night and fearing sleep by day.

When Tyler Sims and his family move to town to escape past traumas, Lucy is drawn to him. The two of them are linked through their dreams, and with Tyler’s trust and friendship, hope for a brighter future returns to Lucy’s world. But Tyler’s presence awakens something else in Lucy, and with this new knowledge she will be forced to make impossible decisions. Decisions that will change history, and the future.

Chilling, haunting and compelling, this novel is the first in a two-part series for fans of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Hidden Memory of Objects that will leave you breathless for days.

MY REVIEW

I wanted to read something different from the romance and fantasy novels on my TBR list so thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book. LUCID, is more mystery than thriller, but still very unique.

What I really enjoyed about this book was venturing into Lucy’s dreams, or should I call them nightmares? After Lucy hears about an event or an accident, she dreams about it. I would not want to have her gift – saving people’s lives is cool yes, but enduring the nightmares, NOPE. For most of the beginning of the book, Lucy wonders why she dreams these things.

Tyler moves to her small town, which happens to be a mountain tourist town in Australia known for their snow. And he and Lucy are drawn to one another, but not because they find each other attractive – which they do. But Lucy has seen him before, in her dreams. Tyler has a past that is linked to one of her dreams. So what will happen if she alters the dream that he is tied to? Does she have the strength to do it, if it means losing Tyler?

The one thing I wanted more from this book was information about why she dreams this way. Her Grandma Tess has had similar dreams before so I’m thinking it runs in the family but I felt like Lucy needed someone who could give her concrete answers. With a power like altering reality, I would think there would be someone to guide her to do the right thing. Grandma Tess does her best, but even this is out of her realm, at least that’s the way it seems. Lucy eventually figures things out on her own, but still, what a responsibility to have on her shoulders.

Overall this was an enjoyable, solid debut from this new author. It was a quick read at only 248 pages. I am very curious to see what happens next in Lucy’s dreams!

Book Review: Serious Moonlight

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Jenn Bennett

Format: E-book

Pages: 434

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

Publication Date: April 16, 2019

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

Book Blurb:

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

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

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

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

MY REVIEW

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

What I Liked:

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

What I Didn’t Like:

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

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

Book Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me #5)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: E-book

Pages: 352

Categories: Dystopian, Young Adult, Romance

Book Blurb:

Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is.

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

Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

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

She has to remember who she was.

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

MY REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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