I Know You Remember | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: I Know You Remember

Author: Jennifer Donaldson

Format: Hardcover (own)

Pages: 326

Categories: Mystery, Grief, Recovering Addicts, Mental Health, Young Adult, Thriller, Twist

Zahra Gaines is missing.

After three long years away, Ruthie Hayden arrives in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska to this devastating news. Zahra was Ruthie’s best friend–the only person who ever really understood her–and she vows to do whatever it takes to find her.

Zahra vanished from a party just days before Ruthie’s return, but the more people she talks to, the more she realizes that the Zahra she knew disappeared long before that fateful night. Gone is the whimsical, artistic girl who loved books and knew Ruthie’s every secret. In her place is an athlete, a partier, a girl with secrets of her own. Darker still are the rumors that something happened to Zahra while Ruthie was gone, something that changed her forever…

As Ruthie desperately tries to piece together the truth, she falls deeper and deeper into her friend’s new world, circling closer to a dangerous revelation about what Zahra experienced in the days before her disappearance–one that might be better off buried.

My Attention: read in one night

World Building: Anchorage, Alaska – rugged trails and terrain, trailer parks, diverse population

Writing Style: quick read

Crazy in Love: not a romance

Creativity: major twist I didn’t see coming

Triggers: violence, racism, mentions of drug abuse, physical abuse, abuse in a church

My Takeaway: You think you know…but then you don’t.

Ruthie’s dad is a recovering alcoholic, and her mom just died. She is trying to deal with it when she moves back home to her dad in Anchorage, Alaska. Now she has a step-mom and step-sister, Ingrid who is her age. But all Ruthie wants to do is see her best friend, Zahra. But Zahra is missing, so Ruthie does her own investigating.
I like the diversity represented in this book, since I don’t know a lot about Alaska. I enjoyed the Native American and Samoan representation. Alaska is the perfect setting for this book too, because bears? (Frightening), woods and trails where you can get lost in (and maybe get mauled by a bear?) haha…but it lent the story some of the creepy vibe.
Usually mysteries bore me, but this one really had me guessing. We get a cast of characters who last saw Zahra and so one by one we follow Ruthie as she tries to find out what really happened to her.
I liked Ingrid. She seems sweet and cheery but underneath all of it is a past where her mom was a meth head, they lived in their car for awhile, so she did not have things easy.
The twist was good, in a messed up way. I had some suspicions but couldn’t quite put the puzzle together totally.

There were some parts along the way to the twist that made me think…what does this have to do with Zahra? It was a slow build but I really wanted to know what happened to Zahra so I stuck with it.

I bought this book last year and I haven’t read it until now because I was waiting for the right time. I don’t read many thrillers but since Halloween is near, I felt I was ready to read this and I really enjoyed it! It’s a quick read that led to a twist that was so unexpected. If you like to read mysteries and young adult thrillers, this one might be something you would enjoy.

💕~ Yolanda

BLOG TOUR | Smash It! by. Francina Simone

Welcome to the blog tour for SMASH IT! by. Francina Simone.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Smash It!

Author: Francina Simone

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 269

Publication Date: 9/22/20

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Coming of Age, Romance, Drama Club, Theater, Identity, Sex, Body Image, Family, Friendship

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

Olivia “Liv” James is done with letting her insecurities get the best of her. So she does what any self-respecting hot mess of a girl who wants to SMASH junior year does…

After Liv shows up to a Halloween party in khaki shorts—why, God, why?—she decides to set aside her wack AF ways. She makes a list—a F*ck-It list.

1. Be bold—do the thing that scares me.

2. Learn to take a compliment.

3. Stand out instead of back.

She kicks it off by trying out for the school musical, saying yes to a date and making new friends. Life is great when you stop punking yourself! However, with change comes a lot of missteps, and being bold means following her heart. So what happens when Liv’s heart is interested in three different guys—and two of them are her best friends? What is she supposed to do when she gets dumped by a guy she’s not even dating? How does one Smash It! after the humiliation of being friend-zoned?

In Liv’s own words, “F*ck it. What’s the worst that can happen?”

A lot, apparently.

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

Let’s break it down:

My Attention: caught

World Building: Orlando, Florida

Writing Style: raw and relatable

Bringing the Heat: 🔥🔥🔥

Crazy in Love: love triangle…sorta…

Creativity: It’s an Othello retelling, which I don’t remember much of – but I love how we get Liv who’s basically in a Desdemona situation

Mood: drama…and let’s talk about sex

Triggers: cheating, negative body image, insecurity

My Takeaway: F#ck it lists are great! As long as you don’t take it too far.

I liked being in Liv’s thoughts because we get to see her insecurities. Being a teen is all about insecurities! She’s best friends with two guy, one of which she is in love with – but maybe in honesty she’s attracted to both. Confusing? Can’t pick a lane? Yeah maybe, but she’s trying something new – it’s a year of saying YES to things that make her scared, or like she says…a year of F#ck Its. She writes a f#ck it list, and it leads her to so many new experiences. She’s a teen, making mistakes – and oh so relatable.
There is a lot of sex talk in this story – and not adults talking, teens talking and honestly I can’t say that my friends and I talked that honest about sex in high school. I WISH. It was the 90’s and we had songs like “Let’s Talk About Sex”…which was awesome, but I only talked about it when I went to college and let me tell you, it was a relief to have friends you can talk to about sex.
Lennox and Jackie become Liv’s first female friends! Liv grows a lot when she opens herself up to more experiences like auditioning for Othello and hanging out with the drama kids. I totally loved Lennox’s vibe – she wasn’t ashamed of her love of sex. But I thought it was cool that it was okay to be like Liv too – unsure about sex and not into something casual.
Diversity abounds in this book – we have POC characters, and bisexual representation. Now Liv isn’t someone exposed to much it seems – she’s shocked about Lennox’s sexual freedom, embarrassed at Jackie’s loudness at being black and proud (Jackie is from Atlanta). Mind you Liv is black but her mom taught her to basically be quiet about it. Her new black friends help her to embrace her body image and identity.
This story touches so many topics about identity, body image, race, cheating, sex, love, friendship and family.
I love how real the characters are. It’s the first book I’ve read from this author, but now I’m curious to read more. It had me laughing out loud at many parts because I felt like the characters were so relatable!

If you don’t like love triangles, this book may put you off. It’s not a “love” triangle, per se, she knows who she loves but it’s complicated. I thought the guys were fun, but at times I did want her to stand up for herself when she tried to shine within their little trio. I think the mistakes come when Liv is trying to figure out love, lust, like, etc…and it’s okay that she’s confused.
Liv’s problems become messy when certain events take place…I was happy with the conclusion, but this won’t work for some people. I would have equally happy if she ended up with no guy and just happy she had new girlfriends!

Smash It! is an engaging, drama-filled, coming of age story of a girl named Liv caught between trying to find her identity, loving herself – imperfections and all, and opening herself up to new experiences. Liv makes some mistakes along the way but with a new outlook on life and some new friends, she finds the strength to own up to it. This one got me cackling out loud and reminded me how we always make mistakes in life, we just better recognize it and fix it when they do happen.

💕 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Francina Simone believes in one thing: authenticity. She writes YA stories full of humor and hard life lessons with sprinkles of truth that make us all feel understood. Her craft focuses on stories about girls throwing caution to the wind to discover exactly who they are and what it means to love. Francina is also known for her BookTube channel, where she discusses controversial topics in books. http://www.francinasimone.com/

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | YouTube

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

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

Legendborn | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Legendborn (Legendborn, #1)

Author: Tracy Deonn

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: September 15, 2020

Categories/Themes: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance/Love Triangle, King Arthur, Diversity, Black MC, History, Secret Society, Demons, Magic, Grief, Contemporary

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

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her previous life, family memories, or her childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at a local university seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure reveals Bree’s own, unique magic and unlocks a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that she knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, Bree will do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn by becoming one of their initiates. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur and his knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I was nervous to read this book because I wanted it to be amazing! Look at that blurb, look at that cover! I could hold off no longer and I read all 500+ pages in one night. I was up until 5am in the morning and then was up at 8am to take care of two rowdy kids…I have NO regrets. 😬

My Reactions:

My Attention: totally captured and even though I needed my sleep, I just could not put the book down!

World Building: luscious, layered, epic world building – set in North Carolina, we get this secret society hiding at the University of North Carolina. This story combines the legend of King Arthur, Southern Black history, racism, and intricate magic systems.

Writing Style: the beginning is slower than the second half of the book but it’s because we are meeting Bree and she is dealing with major grief, but I was immersed in every aspect of this book and there are so many quotes I highlighted.

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – some kisses and flirtation but mostly pretty mild

Crazy in Love: ohhhhhh boy…the love drama between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot is VERY well known…so…I’ll leave it at that! Haha

Creativity: absolutely amazing, I love how everything blended together

Mood: excited, ecstatic, obsessed

Triggers: grief, racism, prejudice, violence, death

My Takeaway: you think you know and then you don’t

World building – I am in love with this world. King Arthur legend, secret society, mixed in with southern black history and magic? It made me feel warm all over, like it was ticking off all the boxes I love in a contemporary fantasy story. It was refreshing to see the King Arthur’s legend brought into our modern day world with a girl dealing with today’s societal issues plus the past and present of racism in America, especially in the South. The story has so many layers.
The magic systems combined in this book is so good. We have Merlins (mages) who protect our “knights of the round table” heirs (Legendborns), and the enemy are the Shadowborn or various demons that come through gates. Then we have the Southern black magic or rootcraft magic that I loved SO much. It’s organic, it’s powerful, it’s the magic I would choose to practice because it involves ancestors helping to guide you. It’s beautiful. You borrow magic from your ancestors as opposed to Legendborns who have taken magic at a cost(colonizer magic!).
Bree – I love that she’s not perfect and all her pain, all her journey through grief is relatable to me. I recognized all her stages of grief. She makes so many mistakes, but she also tries to do the right thing. And when she comes into her power…it is glorious! I was rooting for her all of the way!
Nick and Selwyn…okay – yes, there is a love triangle brewing but according to legend, it’s expected. I love Nick, he is such an Arthur…but Selwyn and the enemies-to-whatever he and Bree are? I can’t help myself with enemies-to-lovers tropes and they aren’t even lovers…YET and I don’t know if they ever will be. 😭 And around them is a diverse bunch of couples – love is love is LOVE.
There is action with so many demons to fight and a Page trial as well. There is a mystery about Bree’s mother, there is so much danger, there is friendship and love. There is truth, there is forgiveness, and there is a twist.

As I mentioned, if love triangles turn you off – then this book will not be for you.
For any new fantasy book with a lot of details and characters, it’s easy to get bogged down with info dumps but personally, I did not feel that way with this story. I was so engrossed in learning about Merlins, rootcraft and everything else in this world.

Some books give you that feeling: heart pumping, adrenaline in your veins, wanting to relive the world again and even wishing you could see the story come to life on screen. That was how I felt after I read this book. I was on this wild, emotional ride with Bree. I want more of the characters, more rootcraft, more of Bree and Selwyn, okay I don’t mind Nick too. I want book two in my hands right now. I think I’ve found a new book to obsess over.❤️

Fable | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Fable

Author: Adrienne Young

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 9/01/20

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Pirates, Young Adult, Adventure, Romance, Family, Survival, Fantasy

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

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

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

WOW.

My Reactions:

My Attention: absolutely swept away – read this in one sitting

World Building: epic – the setting is in the islands I’m sure inspired by the Caribbean but I could feel the humid air, see the school of fish in the reef, feel the pressure of the water as Fable dove deep….SO good.

Writing Style: flowed beautifully

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – barely any but it didn’t need it

Crazy in Love: slow burn love story

Creativity: I loved everything about Fable and her gem mage powers, I want to learn more about it

Mood: Excited

Triggers: violence, thieving

My Takeaway: Fable is abandoned by the only parent she has but makes a promise to herself to survive and take what is hers.

First off – that COVER. It is to die for! Absolutely beautiful.
Fable’s story is pretty amazing – she is surviving on her own, trying to get back to the father that left her to die (or survive). She has grit, brains and courage! It also helps she’s a gem mage, it helps her skills as a dredger (a diver). She does what she has to do to survive. My heart broke for her when it came to her relationship with her father.
In any pirate story, it’s ALL about the crew and the crew of the Marigold is great. We have a gay couple, siblings and lots and lots of secrets. West is the helmsman who commandeers the ship and he is as mysterious as they come but we learn about his background.
Fable’s dad, Saint, tells Fable she doesn’t belong in this world. She feels like he means in the world in general…but he means HIS world, this rough, dangerous, cold trading world of the Narrows. It’s cutthroat and he meant for her to be safe. I like the complicated feelings and history between them.
Danger is everywhere in this story and the author captures the setting so well. I was rooting for Fable and nervous for her from the moment I started the book and I could not STOP reading. And when the book came to an end, I wanted the next book.

I’ve read this author’s previous series but this one to me takes her writing to a whole new level. I was so immersed in this story.
The magic Fable has is as a gem mage and though she uses it while doing her work as a dredger – I think there is more to learn about her skill and her mother’s history. I want to definitely learn more about her mom’s family!
The romance doesn’t overtake this story, it’s slowly building and you wonder if it will turn into something and when it does…wow. We shall see what this means for the sequel!

I love a good pirate story, there is danger, high stakes, traders trying to be or stay the top dog and keeping their territories under their rule. This story hooked me right away! I loved everything about this book and I cannot wait to read the sequel.

Black Girl Unlimited | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Black Girl Unlimited – The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard

Author: Echo Brown

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 304

Publisher: Holt/Ottaviano

Categories: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Racism, Misogyny, Socioeconomic, Drug Abuse, Mental Illness, Sexual Abuse, Magical Realism, Own Voices, Violence

Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, where apartments are small and parents suffer addictions to the white rocks. Yet there is magic . . . everywhere. New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. Each day, Echo travels between two worlds, leaving her brothers, her friends, and a piece of herself behind on the East Side. There are dangers to leaving behind the place that made you. Echo soon realizes there is pain flowing through everyone around her, and a black veil of depression threatens to undo everything she’s worked for.

Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism—all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age.

My Attention: it had my full attention but I had to read it in sessions to process what I was reading

World Building: this is contemporary, set in the early 90’s, but with magical realism

Writing Style: so poetic and unconventional – there are times when author is writing about an even and it jumps (connects) to another event in her mind

Bringing the Heat: there is heat for the character as she processes new sexual feelings

Crazy in Love: nothing romantic, Echo has a few crushes in her life

Creativity: Echo and it seems most females in this book are wizards! She lists the wizard rules in this book as she tells you her story. The rules are more like a guideline on how to survive challenges in your life.

Mood: Absolutely inspired!

Triggers: rape, beating, abuse, drug use, thoughts of suicide

My Takeaway: We are wizards and we can get through our hardships!

This story cover some hard topics. It is Echo’s story and her parents use drug users, they live in poverty, and she feels ugly because she is black. Echo is also sexual abused, raped, bullied, beaten and yet she is a wizard and she recognizes this darkness that descends upon people who have internal struggles which is almost everyone around her. She learns to defeat the darkness.
This story has a lot going on. It explores…everything from drug abuse, racism, poverty, self-esteem, rape, sexual molestation, parenting, religion, oppression, it covered so much! But for me it worked, it made the conclusion so powerful when Echo perseveres over her dark times.
The author wrote this book in a way at first jarred me and I had to wonder if it was a mistake because I was reading an ebook. So I thought the formatting was WAY off..but nope – Echo would talk about something and slip into another memory, as they were connected in some way that you didn’t think it would be! I thought it was fantastic after realizing it wasn’t a mistake.
The writing is so powerful and strong, I was highlighting so many sentences or phrases in the book!
Echo’s voice is so strong. Her life shocked me – the sexual abuse, how she was living and surviving, and still being the smartest and most accomplished kid in school. I felt her fear, her anguish and pain. I felt her joy too. But I loved her speech in the end and the notes she and her friends wrote as well! No matter what Echo went through, I’m glad she had her friends beside her and she did have help. But this wasn’t only about Echo, it was about her friends, and her family too!

The magical realism was interesting, I don’t know that it fully worked and that my belief was suspended enough to believe Echo and some of her friends and family were wizards. I actually thought it was a metaphor or that Echo and her mom had a mental illness and being a wizard was the way to explain it but they are wizards. I think the wizard rules was an awesome guideline of survival though and that it applies to wizards and non-wizards alike.
There are so many topics and themes that arise in this story, I thought it would be too much but honestly, I thought it made for an impactful reading experience that I won’t ever forget.

Echo’s personal coming of age story is absolutely powerful, fearless, important, and inspirational. It is poetic, and raw. I cheered Echo on as she struggled through events that killed the light in her but what doesn’t kill her made her oh so much stronger. I admired her determination, strength and capacity to forgive. This is an amazing story full of despair but also full of hope, friendship, forgiveness and yes, wizards.

Today Tonight Tomorrow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Today Tonight Tomorrow

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: July 28, 2020

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

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

Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow…maybe she’s already fallen for him

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

My Reactions:

My Attention: caught

World Building: landmarks in Seattle – I’ve never been, so it was nice to learn the favorite local spots

Writing Style: loved the dialogue between Rowan and Neil

Bringing the Heat: whoa…🔥🔥🔥, definite sparks between them – and then some awkward teenage sex (which was actually sweet)

Crazy in Love: enemies to lovers

Creativity: love the HOWL game incorporated into the story

Mood: story made me go awww

Triggers: anti-semitism

My Takeaway: That boy you been hating so hard on might be the boy that you love. Also, it’s okay to love romance novels!!

It’s a feel good, last day of high school, emotional, and yet sweet story! This author made me feel like I was in high school again and yeah…that’s been a little over two decades for me so I loved how happy this story made me feel.
Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and although this story takes place in one night, it works because Rowan and Neil have MAJOR history. They have competed against one another all throughout high school. They have been trying to best one another until the very end of high school! 😅 I loved their dialogue and I how the love to hate on each other. But I enjoyed seeing how finally for one night they can truly enjoy one another’s company. It was so cute and these two have sparks, I loved it!
Rowan is a romance novel lover (YAY). She wants to be a romance novel writer but see people put her down about her love of the genre. I felt her on all of it. Why do we have to be shamed for reading what we love? It was nice to see her share her fears about what she really wanted to be.
Neil…aww I like that he wasn’t the drop dead gorgeous hunky jock that’s the usual love interest. Nope, he’s a nerd, ambitious, competitive and loves his family. But there is a lot going on under his persona of co-president and valedictorian.
This is a sex positive book which is really refreshing. Rowan has open dialogue with her parents about sex, isn’t afraid about knowing and having sex, she is informed and it’s awesome. Neil is the virgin in this case haha, which was sweet (when he blushes). I liked that their first time together was awkward and not perfect but sweet because they are so into each other.
Another issue that was addressed in the book was Rowan being Jewish and how she dealt with it in school. I liked hearing her experiences because my kids are being raised Jewish (dad side), though I am Catholic, but we celebrate both holidays.
Incorporating a Senior game on the last day of school called HOWL where they had to go around Seattle to do a scavenger hunt was awesome – it gave me so much insight into the city of Seattle, which I don’t know much about since I’ve never been. I felt the love for the city in this story.

This is a sex positive book which I love so there is sex in it which totally fits the story – it’s awkward, sweet and realistic! But it appears right at the very end of the book and I think by then, even without that scene, the story would have been great. For me it wasn’t needed – I could already feel the fire between these two the moment they kissed. 😍 The sex scene is fairly quick and not very descriptive though. The kiss was what made my heart pitter-patter!

I love that this book took place in a span of 24 hours but so much happened with the HOWL game giving me a tour around Seattle, the fun bantering between Rowan and Neil, the enemies to lovers trope, Rowan sharing her experiences about being Jewish and her feelings about wanting to be a writer – at times I was wondering how these kids fit ALL of this activity into one night, ah…youth! And speaking of youth, this book gave me all the feelings of last day of school, wondering about summer and going off to college (and it got me thinking about it all in this time of a pandemic where graduations were altered drastically 😞). All those feelings combined in this one book worked so beautifully.

The Black Kids | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Black Kids

Author: Christina Hammonds Reed

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Categories: Racism, Los Angeles History, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family, Friendship, Rodney King Riots, Coming of Age, Identity

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

Los Angeles, 1992

Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life. It’s the end of high school and they’re spending more time at the beach than in the classroom. They can already feel the sunny days and endless possibilities of summer.

But everything changes one afternoon in April, when four police officers are acquitted after beating a black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s one of the black kids.

As violent protests engulf LA and the city burns, Ashley tries to continue on as if life were normal. Even as her self-destructive sister gets dangerously involved in the riots. Even as the model black family façade her wealthy and prominent parents have built starts to crumble. Even as her best friends help spread a rumor that could completely derail the future of her classmate and fellow black kid, LaShawn Johnson.

With her world splintering around her, Ashley, along with the rest of LA, is left to question who is the us? And who is the them?

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I had to request this book because of the cover and it’s subject matter. It did not disappoint!

My Reactions:

My Attention: caught

World Building: Los Angeles, California 1992

Writing Style: slow beginning but the message is strong

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 the heat of the riots – yes, the sex or romantic scenes, not so much

Crazy in Love: not so crazy, there is a growing relationship but it’s in the second half of the story

Creativity: during the Rodney King riots, Ashley is coming of age and dealing with family problems/history, friendship problems, dating problems and being black in an affluent part of Los Angeles

Mood: eyes opened to Los Angeles history

Triggers: racism, bullying, violence

My Takeaway: When Ashley’s world comes crumbling down she finds out the truth about her friends, family and herself – and that’s a good thing.

This was the book I needed to read because I went to college in Los Angeles, back in 1996. I was only there for four years but this book opened my eyes very wide to the history of Los Angeles that I never knew about! I was unaware of the segregation of Santa Monica and the coastal towns but it explains what I see on the news today when I see white supremacist that are prevalent there! Also, this story takes place in 1992 and I was a high school freshman back then but the time setting definitely made me nostalgic for the music, which is tied into Ashley’s story.
Ashley is friends with the popular white girls in her school, and some of them use racial slurs around her casually. She likes fitting in but at what cost? Throughout the story she starts to question her friendships with these girls. It was a relief to see her venture out and talk to other people outside her group.
Speaking of Los Angeles history, another important history that Ashley explores is her family history. It’s so powerful when she says the history she knows starts with slavery in America…and that’s what was robbed from black people when they were taken from their motherlands and sold into slavery here in America, their true histories…histories that began in Africa, lost. At times Ashley doesn’t seem to care, she’s a teen going through friend and boy problems and the world outside doesn’t seem to matter. How much does it affect her that her grandma’s vacuum shop gets looted in the riots? She’s not close to that side of the family or it’s history, so how much should she care? So many of the mention of history in this story is powerful.
Her family problems are realistic. Every family has drama, and they are going through it with her older sister, who becomes part of the riots. Her parents have their marriage problems, her uncle and cousin being affected by the riots also appear in the story – so I felt like those issues were relatable. Also, I love her relationship with her nanny, Lucia – she was someone super close to her it seems, the one real friend she had maybe.
This story builds – at first it feels superficial being in Ashley’s head, in her life with her perfect white friends as they do whatever they want to do. But that’s what I think is great about this story, Southern California has that beach, casual, blasé, and Hollywood vibe. But this story gives us a history lesson about Los Angeles. I was waiting for this story to make an impact on me and it snuck up quietly, it was a crescendo. And though this was in 1992…it happened again in 2020, except the riots took over more than one city. It’s what makes this story so important today.

This is set in the 1990’s but at times I thought it was set in 2020! The racism, the violence of the riots, it was a repeat this year and on a bigger scale.
Another issue that was big in the 80’s and 90’s was HIV/AIDs. It does appear in this story very briefly. Also the teens in this story are out doing all kinds of things like smoking pot, drinking or doing drugs like E at prom. There is even a quick sex scene memory but it’s not graphic.
Ashley comes off superficial, especially in the beginning because of the friends she has and where she lives but it’s important that we are in her head. We do see growth throughout the story.

Ashley’s experience with the Rodney King riots, living on the outskirts of the rioting has a powerful and unexpected impact on her. She thinks the issues don’t affect her until she realizes it really does. She’s black. The racism against her and her family, her people, it affects her deeply but she’s been trying to fit in or blend in – but she can’t. I loved watching her change and grow as she confronts all the issues converging on her at once. This is a powerful story of an important time in history that’s absolutely relevant and relatable today.

ARC Review | The Dark Tide

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Tide

Author: Alicia Jasinska

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Young Adult

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

Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking.

Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and the only person to ever escape from the palace. But they draw the queen’s attention, and Thomas is chosen as the sacrifice.

Queen Eva watched her sister die to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city.

When Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, the two girls await the full moon together. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, they find themselves falling for each other. As water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice, they must choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island city relying on them both.

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

My Reactions:

My Attention: wavered

World Building: dark fantasy world with witches

Writing Style: atmospheric

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – not much heat, there is a slow burn romance

Crazy in Love: Lina has a major crush on Thomas and basically sets off to rescue him so is she crazy about him? YES…but…things change when Eva comes into the picture.

Creativity: love the dark witchy vibe

Mood: gave me a little but of The Hazel Wood vibes

Triggers: violence

My Takeaway: the Witch Queen is not all she seems

I like when a book about witches goes into the dark side. When Lina and her brother Finley make it to the Witch Queen’s palace is where things get fantastical, and dark! The world building is great – we learn about the cursed island and the witches that have to sacrifice a boy to keep the curse away. It’s a very dark story.
The Witch Queen Eva at first comes off evil…but…we learn she’s more than a witch queen needing a sacrifice to the sea serpent. She’s complicated. I liked learning about her past and her motivations, she has a lot riding on her shoulders to do the right thing.
Lina and her brother’s relationship made me a laugh a few times because they bicker like siblings do. They do not hold back with one another!

Lina was so in love with Thomas (the boy who escaped being sacrificed), that went to the witch’s castle to free him…like whoa…but at the end of the story, she starts having feelings for Eva. Like where did that crazy crush on Thomas go?! Haha…
I think Eva was the most interesting character in this story. At times the other characters felt flat and the story lacked depth.
Triggers: violence

I definitely would have been more in the mood to read this in the fall. I enjoyed the dark and witchy vibe. The world building with cursed island and the witch’s castle intrigued me and kept me reading until the end. At times I thought the story fell flat but I think if you like stories about witches, you may enjoy this one.