I’m kind of invested in this now and need to see it through to the end 😅

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire for approving me for an eGalley!

I been working with Amelinda the past couple of weeks for an interview on Here There Are The Monsters so I was really excited when Soucebooks had approved me on NetGalley for an eGalley. Here There Are The Monsters was brilliant and memorizing. But as where Amelinda's writing was beautiful the story was also bone chilling and thrilling.

Skye has been Deirdre's protector for as long as she can remember, but now with a move across the country and a fresh start Skye has washed her hands of being the protector. Deirdre's is thirteen now, it is a fresh start for her to make friends and be normal. Only she isn't. Deirdre lives in these make believe worlds with make believe characters, but soon becomes obsessed with the woods behind their new home. Where Skye is thriving and making friends Deirdre is withdrawing. But one night, Deirdre doesn't come home.

The first half of the book was slow but incredibly interesting. It alternates between when they first moved to their new home and to the now when Deirdre's missing. But Amelinda uses this time to build her characters and show the complexities of their relationships. Deirdre's character is complex and in the alternating chapters you can see the codependency that Deirdre has for her older sister, but Deirdre also acts a lot younger then her actual age. In the first half of the novel we see the subtle but quick changes in Deirdre's personality. Her desperate need of protection from Skye, the with drawing, her disdain of William and the other "invaders." Deirdre wasn't normal to begin with but seeing her decline was haunting.

I loved Skye's character. The complexity of her relationship with her sister is a big focal point of the whole novel. Skye is done with Deirdre's childish games and she is over having to be the knight in shining armor all the time. Her sister is old enough. Skye is thriving in their new home: making friends, going out and even hanging out with her charming neighbor William, learning how to shoot a bow. We watch Skye make challenging decisions and sacrifice so much in the span of the second half of the book. At the end of the day Deirdre needs Skye's protection and Skye realizes that and will stop at nothing to find and bring her sister home.

I'm going to brush over the monsters and creatures that take up the second half of the novel so I don't spoil anything for anyone: but they were creepy as hell. I went back and reread the introduction of them a couple of times to make sure that I fully understand what I was reading because they were twisted as hell. They really gave this book the spooky horror feel that Amelinda was going for. The ending of the book really gave me a run for money, I had convinced myself that it wasn't going to end on a certain note and it didn't. At all.

Overall I really loved Here There Are Monsters and I can't wait for the world to get to experience the horrors that are waiting with in the pages of this novel.

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you so much Bridget for sending me an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review!

I've been interested in The Pioneer since the moment I read the synopsis and saw the cover when HarperTeen had revealed their winter 2019 books. I'm a sucker for anything space exploration and having to do with aliens. The Pioneer was right up my alley. The Pioneer was brilliant and different, Tyler created a planet and alien species that came alive right in front of me.

Earth is dying and their only hope is a the planet Tau Ceti E that is light years away. The Watson family has sacrificed a lot in the journey to make this beautiful planet their new home. After a horrible accident that left Jo horribly injured, her brother Teddy dead and their ship nearly destroyed and the trip to Tau pushed off several more years. Jo can't help but think of everything that has gone wrong. But it's a dream come true when they finally touch down on Tau and begin building a new life for themselves along with the rest of the E&P team. But shortly after arriving Jo uncovers secrets that have been hidden by the ISA (International Space Agency) and her own mother, the commander of this mission. Full of adventure, a swoon worthy romance and nonstop action The Pioneer swept me off my feet from the very first page.

I really enjoyed Jo's character. In the prologue she is still a cadet and living her dream of being the pilot that would bring the ship down to Tau. But within those few pages we see that ripped away from her. After the accident that killed her brother, Jo suffered damage to her heart requiring the assistance of little nanites to keep her alive. Her dream of flying was gone, the change in altitudes would cause her to pass out. We see Jo go through the aftermath of that to finding ways to be helpful on the settlement since now she is just considered a civilian.

Tyler's world building was amazing. Tau Ceti E came a live right in front of my eyes. The vibrant vegetation, the overall development of the land and technology, I had a clear image of this planet and its wild life. I knew this book was going to include aliens, but imagine my surprise when there were two alien species living on Tau (well, they belong there. So, that would make humans the aliens.) Bringing the two alien species to life with their differences, their ways of communicating and appearances as well as both being intelligent species was amazing. In YA we often read books where aliens are invading earth, but this is a book with humans are invading another planet. It brought a lot of things into question for Jo and the rest of the gang.

I loved the romance aspect in this book. I am a sucker for swoon worthy boys with smooth lines and that is exactly what Tyler included in The Pioneer. I am really excited to see more of Jay in the next novel and where his and Jo's new relationship is going to go.

Overall I really loved The Pioneer and I can't wait to see what Tyler has in store for us all next. Also, this just may be me but I would love to see The Pioneer as a movie, I think it would be amazing!

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

This review is going to be styled a little differently then other reviews I have written for the pure fact that I don't have much to say about this book:

- The idea behind The Fade was interesting but also cliche.

-It is slow until about the 50% mark.

-The story behind the missing girls was interesting and it gets you invested in the story.
One moments Haley is alive and the next she is dead. I feel like it was very abrupt and didn't fit into where the story was at.

-The romance wasn't rushed, but I didn't seem based on much. I wish there was more development.
The last several chapters of the book moved super quickly and was where the story picked up.
We suddenly learn who the murderer is, Haley's dismay at it being her sister's boyfriend, and Coops sudden death.

-After how Coop behaved through out the entirety of the novel and the fact that his actions caused Haley's death, I think it was extremely stupid for her to save him from the darkness that awaited by letting him look over her family and her going into the light.

I hate being nit-picky in books that I read, but I am super crossed on how I feel about this book. On one hand it was a quick read that did have a creepiness factor, but that was about it. I really hoped I was going to like this one since I have really enjoyed Lunetta's other YA titles.

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

*Thank you so much Page Street Kids & NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review!*

I ended up enjoying Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon more then I thought I was going to. I'm peculiar when it comes to steampunk books so I knew this book was going to be either a hit or miss for me. But Chinese warrior girls and steampunk dragons basically had me sold.

I really enjoyed Anlei's character and the fact she made the decision to marry the viceroy knowing it was the only way to save her village. I also liked how she wants to be a warrior and not some girl who is fluffed up and trapped in a castle all the time. Her warrior thinking is why she ended up on the quest to rescue the River Pearl with Tai who is searching for the River Pearl to save his people from Mowang and the gates of hell. I enjoyed Tai's carefree demeanor and how he never took anything seriously.

Overall I really liked Strong Than a Bronze Dragon and it had me intrigued from page one. I can't wait to read more from Mary.

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

*Thank you so much Skysape & NetGalley for the eGalley in exchange for an honest review!*

The Rule of Many picks off right where book one ended, and from page one it doesn't stop. Though I had my issues with the first book I was super excited to see where The Rule of Many was going to take readers considering the explosive end to The Rule of One.

I think my only complaint with The Rule of Many was the introduction of a lot of characters and very little explanation of who they were. I lost track a couple of times of who was who, and who was suppose to be doing what. But other then that I really enjoyed this one. I really liked seeing how much Ava and Mira grew through out this book and their overall growth in the series so far.

With how The Rule of Many ended off I am going to say it is safe to assume there is going to be another book. I am really excited to see what the Saunders sisters are going to have in store for readers next.

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Hi all, so I am going to be sleeping with my light on for the foreseeable future because the Thaumas sisters story and because all the scary descriptions. In her debut novel Erin did not fail to deliver. A bone chilling retelling of the The Twelve Dancing Princesses featuring twelve sisters and the curse that is going to tear them a part. House of Salt and Sorrows is both thrilling and horrifying with a romance that will make you swoon and a curse that will make you crazy. Erin A. Craig's debut novel is not to be missed in 2019!

The Thaumas twelve is now down to eight. Four of the Thaumas sisters have already met tragic and untimely deaths and Annaleigh will do anything to keep her remaining sisters alive. The novel opens with Eulalie's body being returned to the salt and then the memorial back at Highmoor, the Thaumas family estate. Something about Eulalie's death doesn't sit right with Annaleigh, and soon she is looking for answers to her sister's death. But on the same day of Eulalie's memorial the Thaumas sister's stepmother, Morella announces that she is expecting. With Highmoor coming out of mourning with the thought of new beginnings and the Thaumas sisters discovering a door that will take them anywhere they please and with the stress of finding husbands attend ball after ball, dancing the nights away. As time passes and Annaleigh begins to uncover the secrets of her sisters deaths and learns that not everyone is who they say they are, but will she be able to save her remaining sisters in time?

I really liked Annaleigh's character. She was relatable and imperfect. She seems to have the weight of the world, the supposed Thaumas curse, on her shoulders, regardless to the fact that she is in second in line to inherit Highmoor after Camille, the newest heir to Highmoor after Eulalie's passing. I really enjoyed seeing how Annaleigh stepped up to the plate in times where Camille couldn't or wouldn't, especially in things that involved Morella. Where Camille rather escape through the door at night to dance at the balls, Annaleigh continued to mourn and befriend Morella. Their father remarried a woman so young that she is sometimes mistaken as their sister, but her pregnancy is taking a toll on her and with the Churning coming up (A big seasonal celebration) Annaleigh and her sisters step in the help. It isn't until The Churning (About 50% in) where things start too move quickly.

Where the first half of House of Salt and Sorrows is interesting and did keep me interested it wasn't until the second half did everything you learned in the first half of the book basically get thrown out the door and leave you saying: "What the hell just happened!?" I really enjoyed the romance between Annaleigh and Cassius. I think it worked perfectly in the setting that the Thaumas sisters are struggling to find husbands and Annaleigh bumps into Cassius on her search for answers about the supposed curse.

Overall I really can't say much more about House of Salt and Sorrows with out spoiling it. But it is super spooky and had plenty of "I'm sleeping with the light on" moments. Erin A. Craig is a master storyteller and I can't wait to see what terrifyingly amazing things she is going to come up with next. I hope one day she comes back to visit the Thaumas sisters because I really loved their story!

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz


Would this really be a review is I didn't take a moment to gush about how much a love this cover? The colors and the design are stunning and really attracted me into looking into this book. Neverworld Wake is a little different then the books that I typically read. I am a die hard science fiction/fantasy/high fantasy kind of girl. So a contemporary/magic realism/mystery book is quite a stretch for me, but I was down for the challenge! (It also appears dark and moody and I am a dark and moody person so I figured it would be a good fit.)

After the unfortunate death of her boyfriend Jim, Beatrice looses contact with their other best friends Whitley, Cannon, Kipling and Martha. After a year and little answers to what happened the night Jim died Beatrice is invited to a weekend getaway with her once best friends, which she decides to attend with the intentions of finding out what happened to Jim once and for all. After a freak accident leaves the five in a perpetual time loop of the same day over and over for an undisclosed amount of time that is called Neverworld Wake, only one will survive it, for in the real world they are all lying in a ravine slowly dying. A unanimous vote must decide the one survivor of the Wake, but before that the group decides to use this as an opportunity to learn what happened to their friend once and for all.

The book is split up into three parts. The first dealing with the groups fate and the basics of the Neverworld. This part mainly deals with how each character deals with their impending fate. Who is going to die? Who is going to live? How did this happen? I enjoyed learned about the Neverworld and why it happens and why this specific set of characters were there. I do wish that the Keeper was more involved in the story. He is there and constantly watching, but we don't know much about him, plus his explanation of the Neverworld was super complicated to understand which resulted in me having to reread it several times.

The transition from the first part of the story to the second threw me off a bit. We go from how each character is in their own little hell in dealing with their fates and coping in their own ways. But then over the course of several pages they are all together and randomly decided that it was time to figure out what truly happened to their friend once and for all. It was a fast shift, not one that was eased into. I thought that Neverworld Wake was going to go in a different direction considering how the first fifty pages went.

Neverworld Wake was captivating. I was one of those books that I started reading and suddenly I was 200 pages in and questioning almost everything that I had learned so far. The mystery aspect of the story was alright, it wasn't my favorite mystery and I predicted part of it earlier on but it still held my attention. It had a depth to it that not many mysteries do. Neverworld Wake brings up the question of whether or not you can trust your best friends to tell you everything and what if it is your dark secrets that nobody knows that unknowingly brings you together.

Overall I enjoyed Neverworld Wake more then I thought I was going too. It did have it's few quirks that I talked about but those still couldn't take away from the underlying meaning of the story. The ending did pull at my heart a little bit and left me with tears in my eyes. Neverworld Wake is a story that will make you think about those around you and what love really is.