Better Than Revenge by. Kasie West | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Better Than Revenge

Author: Kasie West

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 12/31/24

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult

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

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

A swoony new romance from the author of Sunkissed! When her football-player boyfriend and now ex lands the podcast job she’s been dreaming of, a girl takes matters into her own hands by enlisting the help of his nemesis to get revenge.

Seventeen-year-old Finley has only ever had one to become a famous podcaster. This includes coming up with the perfect pitch to land her on her school’s podcast team. But when her football-obsessed boyfriend, Jensen, decides to also try out—and uses her idea—she’s left confused and betrayed.

Determined to get back at him, Finley and her friends try to find the perfect revenge scheme, but quickly discover that Jensen is almost-impossible to best. Keyword, almost.

By chance, Finley discovers a knack for kicking and decides to take Jensen’s spot on the football team. To help her train, she recruits Jensen’s cute but conceited nemeses, Theo. Soon the two discover that their connection runs deeper than football. But Finley can’t let herself get distracted, and Theo has secrets of his own. Is true love really better than the perfect revenge?

I haven’t read a Kasie West book in awhile! Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Finley is out for revenge because he boyfriend took the podcast spot at school that she was trying for. I didn’t blame Finley at all for her revenge plot because her boyfriend, or should I say ex, was really a jerk. Throughout the whole book he was taking her ideas, making her feel like she wasn’t good enough and that sucked a lot. But I liked her journey with trying to figure what she wanted to do after her dreams were crushed and making things right in the end.

+ One of the cutest things in this story though is Finley’s relationship with her grandmother who has the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s. Finley does a podcast interview with her throughout the story and I love how it’s how she bonds with her grandmother and shows off her talent with podcasting and interviewing people.

+ Finley’s friends are really the best. They are with her even when this revenge plot goes into uncharted territory and when she messes up sometimes they don’t shut her out but they work it out. I loved Max!

+ The romance between Finley and Theo (her ex’s rival) is really cute. Theo is the popular guy with a reputation. Theo and Finley have really good chemistry when it comes to being rivals, then friendship and then into a romance. I like how they pushed one another to be better. I thought the way it paralleled somewhat with her grandma’s romance story was super cute!

Dislikes:

~ I did not like Jensen. And Finley wasn’t perfect, especially with her desperately wanting to get back at him so bad – but I can understand where she is coming from. Jensen, not so much, he was just a jerk.

Final Thoughts:

This story has heartfelt moments between family and friends and there is a cute romance Theo and Finley. It’s a quick read and teens and young adults will enjoy this one, especially if you have read other books by this author.

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Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Maybe This Time | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Sixteen Scandals | ARC Review

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Title: Sixteen Scandals

Author: Sophie Jordan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 256

Publication Date: 5/25/21

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Categories: Historical Romance, Young Adult

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

In this irreverent regency romp by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of My Lady Jane.

I’ve read Sophie Jordan’s adult historical romances so I really wanted to see how a young adult romance would work out. I thought the Sixteen Candles twist to it was cute, since it’s one of my most favorite movies of the 80’s.
Prim definitely takes chances by sneaking out of the house and going to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. I think it’s important to remember in history and historical romances, girls got married at 16+. So Prim sneaking out, really had the risk of being caught in a scandal that could ruin her life.
Her family life is drama-filled with her sisters and a mom who is laser focused on getting each girl married, except Prim, of course, it’s like she’s too tired to care about Prim, poor girl. Glad Prim doesn’t let that hold her back though.
The romance is sweet and cute. Prim and Jacob get to know each other all in one night, but the sparks are definitely there by the end.
It’s a happy ending for Prim, thank goodness because her mom’s plan for her life was pretty harsh.

This was a quick read – and it’s meant for teens. As an adult reading it, it wasn’t for me. But this would be definitely perfect for teens – it has a little romance, adventure, and a girl trying to live her young life. I had a hard time trying to stop comparing adult historical romance and this one meant for a younger audience.
And being a Sixteen Candles fan, where was Farmer Ted?! Haha, I mean Jacob obviously is Jake (the duke). The story takes place all in one night, just like the movie, but I think because of the amazing supporting cast in the movie, Prim and Jacob’s one night escapade in this book fell so short. It had some action, the kind you would get in a pleasure garden haha.
Everything comes to such a predictable and anti-climatic ending.

I do wish there was a little more to the Sixteen Candles retelling like having more of a supporting cast like the movie did. Other than that, the story is quick and the romance is sweet. This one is perfect for teen readers who want to read a historical romance story.

💜 ~ Yolanda

Havenfall | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Havenfall

Author: Sara Holland

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 305

Categories: Young Adult Fantasy, Magic, Mystery

A safe haven between four realms and the girl sworn to protect it—at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds—each with its own magic. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic firsthand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie’s brother. It’s where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it’s where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens—a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She’ll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer, Taya, who seems to know more than she’s letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie—no one can be trusted, and no one is safe…

My Attention: waned a bit

World Building: great world building about a meeting house for the supernatural from other worlds

Writing Style: easy and quick read

Bringing the Heat: none

Crazy in Love: not so much

Creativity: I thought it was cool how there is a meeting place for creatures from other worlds meet to keep the peace and do business

Mood: in love with the cover

Triggers: violence

My Takeaway: When you are a given a chance to lead, take it and do the best you can.

The cover…it’s one of my favorite covers ever, I think. The moons, the colors, the title placement? It’s so GOOD.
It’s a quick read and more geared for teens than young adult.
I enjoyed the idea of an Inn on a mountain where it’s a crossroads for other worldly magical creatures come to congregate and keep the peace between them.
As far as Maddie is concerned, she’s a girl running from some troubling things going on in her family and Havenfall is the place she loves the most. Maddie finds that trouble followed her there as well though and now it’s responsible for making sure things don’t take a turn for the worst.

Learning about the Inn was important to the story, obviously, but because everyone is pretty much stuck there – at times I found myself bored. It would have been cool to visit a different world, maybe where the Silver Prince is from.
The romance is mild, Brekken and Maddie already had something going but they don’t see each other much. So there is one scene where they are together and that’s about it. He’s gone for most of the book.
Most of the book is a mystery because there are some things going on at the Inn that has just come to light. Maddie is investigating the players and what it could mean to her and Havenfall.

Havenfall is a light fantasy read suitable for teen readers. It has a wonderful concept with the Havenfall Inn as the crossroads where delegates from other worlds meet. There is mystery, magic, secrets and betrayal, a little something for everybody.

💕 ~ Yolanda