Categories: Young Adult, Time Travel, Romance, Academy, Series
These days, I’ve been killing it when it comes to letting people down. Now I’ve been kicked out of high school, arrested, and accepted into a remote, off-the-grid school owned and operated by an inscrutable billionaire tech guru.
Gray Wolf Academy is looking for a certain kind of student. Ones that no one will miss. Like me.
Then there’s Braxton. The beautiful, oddly anachronistic guy who showed up right when the trouble started. And he’s a total enigma—which means that I definitely can’t trust him, even if there’s something about him that makes me want to. They all tell me I have a gift. A very rare gift. And Gray Wolf Academy wants me to learn it. To use it. Because if what they say is true, I have all the time in the world. And that makes me the most dangerous high school student you’ll never know…
Content Warning: violence, sexual assault
I’ve been curious about this title and saw it as available to borrow as an audiobook so I tried it out. But then I found it was on Kindle Unlimited so I stopped listening on the audiobook (which wasn’t bad or anything) and read it because I thought I could just read it faster. There are 100+ chapters but each chapter is short, like a page short.
Just an FYI, time-travel stories are usually a hit or miss for me. I think for this book it’s a hit! Natasha is going through some teenage things. And when her ex-best friend, Elodie, sets her up as a thief and she gets taken away to a secret academy she learns the truth about what Elodie is or does. Gray Wolf Academy is a training facility for time-traveling thieves under Arthur Blackstone’s tutelage and demands. He’s a wealthy man who covets historical artifacts and he needs Natasha to do retrieve some unconventional things from her trip missions.
It’s an academy book so I like the drama – I expect it with this trope. I like that Natasha doesn’t really know who to trust and something is happening at the academy, like people going missing or not coming back from their “trips”. I want to know why. Elodie lives up to that girl who is a frenemy. The romance between Natasha and Braxton is a bit of an insta-love moment (not that Natasha calls it love, but she’s testing the waters). I found all the training and time traveling fascinating and Arthur Blackstone is a mystery. The art and historical artifacts knowledge is fun – Natasha is just a wealth of information isn’t she?
Would like more character development in book two but for the most part I thought the story was entertaining, especially for a time-traveling story.
Tropes: insta-love, time travel, boarding school academy
Why you should read it:
you like time travel and boarding school academy settings
there is a lot of mystery and historical facts
there is romance and backstabbing
Why you might not want to read it:
not into the boarding school academy trope – I feel like teens and young YA readers would enjoy this one
insta love
My Thoughts:
I’m someone who loves books set at a boarding school and I thought the time-travel element was done well. I think I’d like to see more character development in book two. Everyone’s background is still quite a mystery and I think there is a lot more to learn about everyone.
Title: Taste of Torment (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #1)
Author: Stacey Trombley
Format: ebook (KU)
Pages: 424
Publication Date: 9/20/22
Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic
A magical prince wants to date me, but there’s one big problem.
This prince has claws.
Everyone at Shadow Hills Academy desires the dark and powerful Jarron Blackthorn. But I’m the only one who has seen the terrifying beast beneath his magical façade.
When my sister is murdered, and the case mysteriously dropped, I know where to begin my own investigation-Shadow Hills Academy, an elite school for supernaturals. Technically, I have zero magic, but just enough skills with potions to be accepted. Now I have the means to get close to the most likely culprits-powerful people like the demon prince Jarron.
I was friends with Jarron years ago, before I saw his true form, but I’m still shocked when he reacts to news of my sister’s death with a fierce determination for vengeance. He has an insane plan to help me get access to Elite Hall, where the most powerful students reside-by pretending to date me.
Dating a demon was NOT how I expected this year to start, but his plan will work. Hang on the arm of Jarron Blackthorn, the heir of the Under World, and everyone in school will be so desperate for my friendship they’ll spill their darkest secrets.
I just have to make sure Jarron never learns he is my number one suspect.
Keep your enemies close, right?
Content Warning: violence
I stumbled across this title one sleepless night (due to jetlag) and thought I’d give it a try since I was in the mood for an “academy” type of book that I assumed would be filled with all kinds of tropes. Candice enrolls at Shadow Hills Academy with the pretense of finding her sister’s killer. She’s a weak, mostly-human, girl who of course has history with the popular kids at this school. In fact she was once close to Jarron, the infamous demon prince. Now she hates him because he is a suspect on her list of people who could have murdered Liz, her sister. But she needs his connections in order to do her investigation.
I wasn’t totally invested in Candice’s investigation of her sister’s death but I was totally into her interactions with Jarron. It has the typical new, weak, human girl at a supernatural academy trope. She has to stay under the radar but it’s hard since Jarron singles her out. She does make new friends, and I did like them because they tried to help Candice when she was lost. There is fake dating, but it’s a very slow burn between Jarron and Candice because there are some complicated feelings and issues between them.
I found the beginning of the story to be okay and predictable but by the end I felt myself wanting to binge the whole series because of Candice and Jarron. There is something about a demon who is head over heels over a human, but she’s clueless about his feelings and I was hooked.
I did find Candice’s investigation about her sister’s death kind of weak – I felt no sense of urgency until the ending. All she was doing was getting information but I was hoping for some major digging into suspects, but there isn’t none. Also I wish there was more mention about the secret, illegal game that Liz might have been a part of – but that mostly comes at the end and on a cliffhanger. Candice as a character was ok but frustrating at times. I was rolling my eyes with all her back and forth feelings about Jarron. It was a quick read, and I moved onto book two right away. Overall, I thought it was entertaining enough, despite all the teen drama and it’s one of those series that you can binge quickly.
Title: Drop of Anguish (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #2)
Author: Stacey Trombley
Format: ebook (KU)
Pages: 404
Publication Date: 12/28/22
Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic
A soulless monster is hunting me. I might be a magicless human, but I won’t be easy prey. Everyone at Shadow Hills Academy thinks they know who I am. Canadice Montgomery, a weak magicless human whose only claim to power was her relationship with the demon prince, Jarron. The girl who’s so desperate for power, she’d be willing to kill her peers in a deadly competition. A broken-hearted girl who wasn’t good enough to keep the attention of a prince. They’re wrong, about nearly all of it. I don’t want their magic. All I care about is finding the demon that killed my sister and making him suffer. But that’s made extra difficult when I’m public enemy number one at a school full of immensely powerful beings. Not to mention the ominous notes I keep receiving signed “the Jinn.” Soon, I realize just how little I know about the games, and my sister’s death. When Jarron returns to the school, a shell of his former self, things get even more complicated. The dark beast inside of him is growing, clawing at him from the inside and tearing apart his soul. There isn’t a cure for his sickness in any of my potions books but that won’t stop me from seeking out any possible solution. Even if it means consulting with the enemy. The jinn has a plan for her next set of games. She knows my every weakness. And this time, she will not stop until I’m one of the contestants.
The angst between Jarron and Candice continues but this time Jarron has a war going on inside himself. I felt for Jarron and my frustration with Candice continued in book two. I love how patient he is with her though. So the problem between them is that he’s a demon and he supposedly imprinted with her sister when they were younger. But she died…so Candice doesn’t know if Jarron finds her to be the second best choice, or if he really wants her for her. Oh the angst…it drove me a bit crazy, but I also found it understandable because who wants to be second best?! But I love Jarron’s patience so I kept reading.
As far as Liz and the games – I wanted to know how it would end but once again Candice is dealing with some things going on at campus and Jarron’s war with his demon and her back and forth feelings. She busy making potions since that’s her biggest defense around supernaturals.
I can’t pinpoint what makes this series addictive but it is even if I don’t love the MC and the story is inconsistent in places. I think I just wanted to see that claiming bite from Jarron happen! 😅🤭
Title: A Dose of Agony (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #3)
Author: Stacey Trombley
Format: ebook (KU)
Pages: 404
Publication Date: 5/29/23
Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic
The final installment of the Shadow Hills Relentless series.
They say the games have only just begun, but I’m here to end them once and for all.
A civil war is brewing in the Under World, lead by the same villain who stole my sister from me. Jarron must return to his world for damage control, leaving me alone at Shadow Hills Academy again. This time, though, I’m protected like a precious gem, and trapped in Elite Hall until we’re certain it’s safe. I understand the caution but I’m not a delicate princess, and I’m not going to let someone else fight this battle for me.
There’s a way to end the Akrasia Games once and for all and free the Jinn from the Cosmic Council’s control. I’m going to find a way to put them all in the grave for what they’ve done to my sister, even if it means seeking out unlikely allies and sneaking away from the school– and the planet– the get the information I need.
This is my least favorite of the series because Jarron and Candice are separated. He’s back in his world dealing with the fallout of not being able to claim Candice and war. I skimmed a lot because why was Candice busy making potions and helping Thompson (which is fine but felt like a different story going on there) and how can she still be questioning Jarron’s love for her? I was rolling my eyes hard in this one because honestly she didn’t deserve him if she couldn’t choose him lol. Give him to me!😅 I mean how can they communicate and yet miscommunicate so much?! I wanted more from her, more growth but it just wasn’t there. I didn’t even feel that she was powerful just because she could make potions.
There is finally a sex scene between them but it’s not detailed at all. I was kind of disappointed that this ended as a book I skimmed through but it has a happy ending between Jarron and Candice so I’ll be satisfied with that. Jarron was probably the only reason I binged this series so quick!
Overall I think the whole series is addictive and bingeable, though the MC did get on my nerves in book two and three. If you are into supernatural academies, a slow burn and a demon who is clearly head over heels in love with a mostly human girl then you might enjoy this one.
Categories: Contemporary Fantasy, LGBT, Young Adult, Horror, Mystery
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 for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father’s death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn’t know existed, and is pulled into a dark–and ancient–bargain she is next in line to fulfill.
Kit’s father had always told her he had no family, but four months ago his sudden death revealed the truth. Now she has a grandmother she never knew she had–Agatha Starling–and an invitation to visit her father’s hometown, Rosemont.
And Rosemont . . . it’s picture perfect: the famed eternal roses bloom year-round, downtown is straight out of the 1950s . . . there’s even a cute guy to show Kit around.
The longer Kit’s there, though, the stranger it all feels. The Starling family is revered, but there’s something off about how the Starling women seem to be at the center of the all the town’s important history. And as welcoming as the locals are, Kit can’t shake the feeling that everyone seems to be hiding something from her.
Agatha is so happy to finally meet her only granddaughter, and the town is truly charming, but Kit can’t help wondering, if everything is so great in Rosemont, why did her father ever leave? And why does it seem like he never wanted her to find it?
Content Warning: violence, death, abuse
Right away this gorgeous book cover caught my eye and as much as it is beautiful, there is something sinister to it, just like the story. Here is what I thought:
+ I was sucked into this story right away. Kit and her mother travels to Rosemont, to meet Kit’s grandmother and her father’s old hometown. – place he never told Kit about. She’s grieving her dad, she’s trying to piece who he is in Rosemont but everything feels off. Right away it’s established that things are not what they seem.
+ Rosemont is a mysterious setting, surrounded by woods and a river where people have died. I got the eerie vibes right away when Kit described the place as Stepford-y. When Kit starts learning more about her family and the Starling legacy she realizes she’s walked into a nightmare.
+ There are a few twists in this story and the monster being the biggest creep of all. He is a true monster, true villain, charming when he wants to be, but evil to his core. I was rooting for Kit to destroy him!
~ I felt like the romance wasn’t needed. Kit’s only there for a week I feel like it was unnecessary for her to fall for someone since there was barely time to know one another.
~ It wasn’t scary, more creepy because of the history of the town and yuck with the way the bargain is set up.
Tropes: small town, family curse, town secret
Why you should read it:
you like young adult horror that isn’t super scary, mostly creepy
it’s a quick read and engaged me – I read it in one sitting
Why you might not want to read it:
not into YA horror
My Thoughts:
I thought this was pretty good in that I was engaged with the story and finished it in one setting. I like the creepy factor, the lore about the town, the family secret and the curse. The villain is written well – he’s a pretty evil monster. I don’t think the romance was necessary and I thought the situation was resolved pretty quickly but other than that I did find it entertaining. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Title: And Break the Pretty Kings (Sacred Bone, #1)
Author: Lena Jeong
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Pages: 448
Publication Date: 6/20/23
Publisher:HarperTeen
Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Korean Mythology
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to HarperTeen for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A crown princess. A monster the gods fear. A destiny no one can outrun. Inspired by Korean history and myths, the first book in the Sacred Bone series is a rich and evocative high-stakes fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gallant and Six Crimson Cranes . Mirae was meant to save her queendom, but the ceremony before her coronation ends in terror and death, unlocking a strange new power within her and foretelling the return of a monster even the gods fear. Amid the chaos, Mirae’s beloved older brother is taken—threatening the peninsula’s already tenuous truce. Desperate to save her brother and defeat this ancient enemy before the queendom is beset by war, Mirae sets out on a journey with an unlikely group of companions while her unpredictable magic gives her terrifying visions of a future she must stop at any cost.
Content Warning: violence
I love this book cover and the title which are both so strong. Unfortunately the story itself didn’t work for me.
There are some things I love about the book, especially how strong Mirae is. I love that it’s a Queendom and a matriarchy. Mirae is about to be crowned the next Queen and she is ready to take on the role when something happens at her ceremony and her brother goes missing. After that Mirae and her friends do what they can to find him and bring him back home. There is a lot of action, lots of fights with mythical monsters and even time-jumping!
But I felt like I was thrown into the story without getting my bearings and it made it hard to connect with the characters. There is a lot going on and the story moves fast. I found it hard to follow the story or maybe it was hard because I lacked the motivation to push on. There were some parts I was skimming just to get to the end. I do wish there was some romance in the story, but that’s a personal preference. Also she has this time-jumping ability but it doesn’t happen much.
I almost didn’t finish this book and I did wish I liked it more because it has so much potential.
Why you should read it:
Korean mythology, lots of action, family theme, Queendom
Why you might not want to read it:
too much happening in one book and confusing to follow
My Thoughts:
I am in love with this book cover and I so wish I loved the story more than I did but this one didn’t quite work for me. I think other readers will enjoy it but for me I just found it moving too fast and it didn’t give me time to connect to any of the characters.
Categories: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Graduation, Romance, Teen, Family
It’s Senior Week, that magical in-between time after classes have ended but before graduation, chock-full of gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn’t be more ready. Class salutatorian and confident in her future at LSU, she’s poised to sail through to the next phase of her life.
But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating at all, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family. Volunteering to help at a local golf tournament should do it, but since Olivia’s mom equipped her phone with a tracking app, there’ll be no hiding the fact that she’s at the golf course instead of all the graduation parties happening at the same time. Unless, that is, she can convince the Fab Four–her ride-or-die cousins and best friends Sophie, Charlie, and Wes–to trade phones with her as they go through the motions of playing Olivia for the week.
Sure, certain members of the golf team are none too pleased with Olivia’s sudden “passion” for the game. And sure, a very cute, very off-limits boy keeps popping up in Olivia’s orbit. But she is focused! She has a schedule and a plan! Nothing can possibly go wrong . . . right?
Content Warning:
How did I not realize this is from the same author as 10 Blind Dates until after I read the book?! I loved 10 Blind Dates and I think the author is on a roll with these family themed stories.
This is a really cute, fun and heart-warming coming of age story. Olivia comes from a tight-knit community and an even tighter large family, which made this story very wholesome. I loved the family aspects of the story because I could relate to growing up with all my cousins around me. Plus her cousin Charlie is the life of the party. I love her close bonds with Charlie, Sophie and her boyfriend Wes.
Olivia gets caught in a big dilemma and instead of telling her parents the truth, she tries to fix the situation by making up class hours and lying to them and almost everyone else she knows (except Charlie, Sophie and Wes). It was super funny when it was Charlie’s turn to help her out. And what is up with Olivia’s mom? I thought my parents were strict but maybe it’s a good thing I grew up in the age of no technology because if my mom tracked me back then – I’d be in a lot of trouble lol. I just thought her mom was so overbearing. Also I don’t think I’ve read a book with golf in it!
The romance is cute, the graduation events and parties sound like so much fun, and it ends happily.
Tropes: girl might not graduate from high school
Why you should read it:
you read 10 Blind Dates and want more Sophie’s family
a sweet love story
the family bond
Why you might not want to read it:
I think 10 Blind Dates was better
My Thoughts:
This one has been on my TBR for awhile so I’m glad I get to cross it off my list! I thought it was a cute book about family and graduation. I think I read it at the right time too since it’s graduation time!
Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Underlined for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
From horror powerhouse author Maren Stoffels comes the next pulse-quickening read! There’s nowhere to hide when three teens find themselves in the middle of nowhere, with no internet and a killer hunting them down.
Don’t think you can get rid of me so fast. . . .
No phones. No internet. No social media at all. That’s what it’s going to take to finally get serious about school and focus on exams. Nova, Vin, and Lotus even rented a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere so they won’t get distracted. After that, everything can go back to normal.
But they aren’t alone. Someone is watching them from the forest. Someone who knows their secrets. Someone who wants revenge. And things will never be the same again.
Horror and thrillers are not what I usually read but I wanted to delve more into the genre this year and requested this one. Here’s what I thought:
+ I like how quickly the ball gets rolling in this story. I was thrown into, trying to get my bearings and figure out what is going on and things happen very quickly in this book. Plus it’s barely over 200 pages so it’s a VERY quick read.
+ There are three best friends Nova, Vin and Lotus who seem like good kids that are just going to do some major studying at some secluded farmhouse. They have big dreams after graduation so this big study weekend is important but then things start happening. Lotus gets mysterious texts. Nova and Vin get hurt…but who is doing all of this?
+ I thought the twist in the story was clever. I like how as the story moves along we dig deeper into everyones secrets and there are a lot! I felt like the story made me ask who is the real villain?
~ I think at times the story moved way too fast, for example in the beginning – but I think it was to throw the reader off because I assumed all kinds of things between the three friends before knowing the truth. So it did throw me off but it also felt like I missed something as I was reading, which was a little jarring.
~ Definitely for younger readers, minus the whole student/teacher relationship scandal situation going on! At times it reminded me of the movie Scream because they were alone in the house with someone out there messing with them.
~ I don’t think the title matched the story. Who is the stranger here? Because they figure out who was messing with them. I didn’t think the story was super scary, but definitely suspenseful.
Tropes: secluded house in the woods
Why you should read it:
a quick read
if you like movies like Scream, you will like this one – it’s more suspenseful than scary
Why you might not want to read it:
it’s such a quick read you get thrown into the story and then it’s over
My Thoughts:
The story didn’t wow me or give me major thrills and chills, though I did like the plot twist, but I think if you go into it just to have a little suspenseful fun then you will enjoy it. This one is a super quick read and you may enjoy it if you are into Scream.
Title: These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Format: ebook (owned)
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 2/7/2023
Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult, Series
With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives. Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn. Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil. Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need. Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.
Content Warning: violence
I went into this with no expectations and of course, of course Tahereh Mafi throws in a love triangle. Is Cyrus the new Warner (Shatter Me series)? 😆 I can’t take it anymore. J/k, give me more! lol
What exactly happens in this sequel? I have no clue! Nothing much moves the story forward – so why did I enjoy it? Well, I didn’t enjoy Kamran and Alizeh being separated because then I wanted to read more of Alizeh’s interactions with Cyrus than all the emotional trauma Kamran was going through. He lost his grandfather, he lost the girl he was falling deeply in love with (he’s kind of obsessed but is it magic doing it to him or not?), and he’s now physically deformed and probably dying. Kamran’s scenes are best when he’s with Hazan, who he wants to kill but their bond goes deeper than that. I like their friendship, their banter is fun, even when it’s not meant to be.
Speaking of banter – what was going on with Alizeh and Cyrus? There is tension, hate, desire, and even at some points mutual understanding and maybe friendship – which I love. Alizeh is soft, beautiful, and naive. Cyrus is her exact opposite and when the two are together their fighting is so good – it’s pretty much the only thing that held me in thrall during the whole story. Who will Alizeh end up with? Cyrus who pretty much knows everything about her or Kamran, who fell in love with her before he knew what she was.
There is something about Alizeh that bugged me but I don’t know if that’s because I’m used to reading about bad-ass girls in books. Alizeh is a soft girl, and I don’t mean she hasn’t struggled, but her whole demeanor is soft. She’s a gorgeous girl who cries easily, a sweetheart basically and there is nothing wrong with that at all. She hasn’t had an easy life. She’s had to struggle in life because she’s different. I felt like she at least was stronger in book one. I think being with Cyrus brings out the fight in her though and I like that because she’s supposed to lead her people. If she’s someone destined to be Queen and lead her people, the Jinn, then I want to see her get stronger, while keeping her softness.
Where does this leave Kamran and Alizeh, I don’t know. He wants to kill her, but he’s also obsessed with her. I’m team Cyrus for now, but I’m afraid what the devil, Iblees, will do to him and I can imagine all the ways this story could break my heart if I root for Cyrus. 😅 I’ll root for him anyway.
Tropes: special girl, love triangle
Why you should read it:
the enemies to lovers between Cyrus and Alizeh, love how they fight and hoping to see them one day “love”
Why you might not want to read it:
it’s a filler sequel – nothing much happens
love triangle
My Thoughts:
For a sequel that’s basically just a filler, I know I gave it a high rating but Alizeh and Cyrus was really entertaining. I hate when there is a love triangle where I like both guys. It’s a guaranteed heartbreaker! I do wish more happened with the plot, because when I ended the book, I was left with the feeling of “what? that’s it?!”. Will I be reading book three? Most definitely yes, just to see who Alizeh ends up with – and I’m hoping it’s Cyrus, but the devil or Alizeh may kill him by then. 😒
Categories: Romance, Audiobook, Fantasy, Young Adult
Welcome to the Centennial.
Every 100 years, the island of Lightlark appears to host the Centennial, a deadly game that only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. The invitation is a summons—a call to embrace victory and ruin, baubles and blood. The Centennial offers the six rulers one final chance to break the curses that have plagued their realms for centuries. Each ruler has something to hide. Each realm’s curse is uniquely wicked. To destroy the curses, one ruler must die.
Isla Crown is the young ruler of Wildling—a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised, and are counting on Isla to end their suffering by succeeding at the Centennial.
To survive, Isla must lie, cheat, and betray…even as love complicates everything.
Content Warning: violence
I listened and read this book because reading it at first, I couldn’t get into it. I figured maybe if someone read it to me, I could get through the beginning much more quickly and it really did help! I listened to the book almost until past the halfway mark. The narrator did great for the most part but I really wanted my own imagination to voice Oro and Grim. But because I was listening to the first part, I can’t say I followed the story as good as I should have, because there were some parts that my mind just drifted like at times when they were discussing clothes.
I thought the world-building was interesting but also sometimes confusing. There are six realms in a competition, and one realm will die at the end. Each realm has powers, but the Wildling representative, Isla…does not. And she has to keep that secret. There is a way to break the curse and get her powers back though and that’s her main objective at the Centennial. Anyway, I didn’t quite feel the high stakes of the competition, but I did like the ending of the story.
As a character, Isla wasn’t my favorite, but I’m not sure if I had one. She has no powers but she’s a good fighter and that’s all I can really remember about her. The whole book feels like it’s written for teens, except there is an intimate scene – but it isn’t detailed. It’s pretty rushed through and I felt like that was the whole theme of this book. The chapters are short, which is fine, but everything in this book felt rushed – the writing felt stilted. But I’m hoping it will get better in book two?
There is a love triangle and I did like the drama around it, because I like drama even though I found myself rolling my eyes a lot of times! I did feel like Isla could’ve figured out a few things that was going around her if she wasn’t so caught up and easily mesmerized by Grim. She had goals and basically he was a big distraction and then some – so I’m leaning towards Oro, I guess. I did feel like she was not even on their level, like who is she?! 😅 My favorite part of this book I think is the ending and all the betrayal.
Tropes: special girl, love triangle
Why you should read it:
to see what the fuss is about
you like love triangles
Why you might not want to read it:
writing/scenes feel rushed and repetitive, and it needed more world-building and more character development
needed more high stakes in the Centennial competition
this is compared to ACOTAR and Hunger Games (a lot of books are) but I don’t think it should be because those are big shoes to fill
My Thoughts:
Did I read it because of the tiktok controversy? Probably, but also because I do like to consume bingeable YA fantasy reads with lots of drama, and a love triangle. Sometimes I’m just in the mood for it. But I couldn’t really get into this story though until halfway in because I saw no point of the Centennial competition. I did like the ending and I will read book two, in hopes there is more world building and character development – and maybe more betrayal. 😅 I also hope Isla becomes a stronger character. I feel like the girl wants to be a badass but is really not on the levels of the other realms and it was hard connecting to her. I think younger audiences will enjoy this one, unless the idea of love interest that are 500 years old turn you off. I’ll definitely borrow book two just to see what happens with the love triangle but I am predicting angst. Lots of angst.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Rocky Pond Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
An intense, beautiful debut about the power of finding your voice and sharing your story after trauma. Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Kathleen Glasgow.
Seventeen-year-old Virginia makes bad choices. In fact, she’s That Kind of Girl, according to the whispers. But as long as she has her tight group of best friends by her side, she’s able to ignore the gossipers. Until she finds herself spending time with Rumi, Poppy’s boyfriend. Breaking with tradition, she doesn’t hook up with Rumi. Worse, she falls in love with him.
While Virginia and Rumi’s relationship grows in secret, she discovers that his little sister, Lyra, is being groomed for abuse. The soon-to-be-abuser is a respected member of the community, and only Virginia knows who he is and what he does. If she stays quiet, Lyra will become a victim. But coming forward feels equally impossible.
Content Warning: drug use, grooming, child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicidal ideation
First off, I love this book cover – it’s beautiful. This is a story with heavy topics but it’s an important book. The thing that really hit me about the story was that it resonated with me and not because I experienced these things but I have friends who went through some of these things and the way these girls are a tight group of friends, reminded me of me and my friends in college. The partying, the secrets, the drama – I felt like I knew these girls in this story.
I know a Virginia, a few Virginia’s and that’s a sad and scary reality. But although Virginia and her friends’ story is scary, and heartbreaking – they are courageous and brave. The ending is full of hope which I loved. I also loved the diversity represented in the story.
This story is under 300 pages and it’s a quick read. I found the story powerful but the writing didn’t flow for me. It was a bit choppy at times and I always had to find my place again. I felt like I missed a word or a sentence and had to reread the previous sentence. I understand it’s supposed to probably reflect Virginia’s panic, pain and her fears, but sometimes it took me out of the story. Despite all of that, this story is devastating.
Why you should read it:
powerful story about child abuse and the courage to stop it from happening again
Why you might not want to read it:
lots of trigger warnings
My Thoughts:
If you can handle the trigger warnings then read this book. This is a story filled with pain, hard issues like abuse, but a story about courage as well. Stories like these are never easy to read but I like how we get Virginia’s story because she’s that girl who has a bad reputation, yet people don’t know what she’s been through. And even though she is scared of her abuser her bravery to speak about what happened saved someone else from him, no matter the consequences and that matters.
Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Razorbill for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.
After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn’t be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.
But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.
Perfect for readers of Natalie D. Richards, E. Lockhart, and Karen McManus!
Content Warning: drug use, death, violence
Taking classes on a cruise ship? This is definitely something I would have wanted to do while I was in college! And I think this setting made this story even more fascinating. I loved the travel aspect of it, because they did stop at ports to do some sightseeing.
But this story is focused on Jade and the heartbreak and betrayal she endured from her ex-best friend, Lainey and her ex-boyfriend, Silas. She assumes this semester away at sea would help her move forward but when she sees the both of them on the ship with her, things get messy. Jade is all in her feelings about missing Lainey and Silas, hurt that now they are together, and angry that they betrayed her. So when Lainey is missing from her room with just a room full of blood – Jade is suspect number one!
I think the cast of characters did a really good job of leading us away from the real suspect. I had my suspicions and I kind of was right. I didn’t want to be right though, so I’m glad I was partially right! Felix is someone Jade gets to know on the ship but he’s mysterious and she doesn’t know what his deal is. I loved them together. There was even a moment of fake-dating between them, but the two of them investigating Lainey’s disappearance was really fun. There were a few times I wished Jade would let go of her jealousy and anger but I can understand where she is coming from.
There is suspense, mystery, and so much drama between new friends and lovers, and a really good twist in the story. Also it’s another book set in college, which I’m happy about because we need more.
Why you should read it:
entertaining and full of suspense, mystery and even a little romance
a good plot twist
Why you might not want to read it:
not into suspense
My Thoughts:
This one was a fun read especially because the romance brewing between Felix and Jade was a nice edition! I read it in one sitting because I really was invested on trying to figure out what happened to Lainey and if Jade was maybe an unreliable narrator at some point! This is the second book I’ve read from this author and have really enjoyed both. I look forward to reading more from this author!
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