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Prince Rhen has been cursed to relive the same season over and over, turning into a different monster every time and destroying everything he loved. The only thing that can end this cycle? Falling in love. But Rhen has had little success, until his Commander Grey accidentally captures Harper Lacy and brings her back to Emberfall.

Harper has had her share of difficulties as well; a sick mother, an absent father, er brother barely holding her family together, underestimating Harper's ability to help because of her cerebral palsy. When she's transported to Emberfall, all she wants to do is get back to her family. However, things are worse in Emberfall than anyone thought. Will Harper be able to help break the curse before it's too late?

I am so glad that I won this book in an Instagram giveaway because it was absolutely enchanting. Once I started it, I was drawn into Rhen's fight to break the curse and the dark magic surrounding Emberfall. Emberfall itself is written in so much detail that it's easy to immerse yourself into the story. There's a sense of foreboding that you can feel throughout the entire novel, and that's what will carry you into the next book (since there will be a sequel!). Since Beauty and the Beast is probably one of my favorite Disney princess movies, I loved seeing what Kemmerer did with this original story.

Harper might have been my favorite part of the entire book. She was fierce and strong, and you can really see her grow and learn that as she works to help Rhen break the curse. And there's disability rep! I don't think I've read a YA fantasy book with a narrator that has cerebral palsy, and I liked how Kemmerer showed that cerebral palsy effects everyone differently. It shows a different side that often isn't portrayed in young adult literature, and she effectively makes the reader see how Harper isn't strong in spite of her disability but in addition to (as she mentions in her author's note).

Rhen's story is just as compelling as Harper's, and I thoroughly enjoyed that we got to hear from both characters in the book. This will be a perfect wintry read when it comes out this January! You'll want to curl up with a cozy blanket, a cup of coffee, and a candle and just read until you reach the end. And when you reach the end, you'll definitely want the sequel immediately.

Dark, enchanting, and magical, this is a book you won't want to miss this January!

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In the future, the human body is a place for experimentation, striving for perfection. Eradicating disease, making us indestructible and pretty to look at. Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful examines six different stories advancing on this idea. Through these stories, Arwen Elys Dayton explores what might happen as we continue to create the perfect human body–and the things that we might create instead.

Right off the bat, this book reminded me of Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse, also a book that gets further and further into the future with each story. The thing that intrigues me the most about these kinds of books is the way that the authors weave together these different stories; I’d imagine that in re-reads, you’d notice even more connections between characters and years, even more foreshadowing that draws the reader into what is to come. Grounding them in reality also makes them more believable and more relatable. Could I see people wanting to alter their appearance until they are unrecognizable? Absolutely.

Out of the six stories in Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful, my favorite was the one where the child lived underwater, able to learn anything except how to empathize with other human beings. Though not all the stories held my interest in exactly the same way, there was enough connecting them to propel me though the ones that didn’t strike a cord. But, skipping one of the stories would mean that you might miss a crucial piece of information for a future story. The stories are true to the blurb that’s used in order to market the book, for fans of Black Mirror and Westworld. Dayton shows how technology and the pursuit of perfection can be good, but it also can have dire consequences.

If you’re looking for a thought-provoking read this holiday season, check out Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful when it comes out December 4!

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With so many loose ends to tie up, it's not surprising that this book clocks in at almost 1,000 pages (980 to be exact). And quite honestly, every single one of those pages are needed. Maas has introduced such an intricate net of characters that no second of this book is boring. Switching between everyone also gives us a unique view of everything that is going on. We know who's fighting what battles, who's desperate for help, who's helping to get the advantage against the Valg. Despite the length, it's action packed, and you'll be hanging onto the story until the very last page.

I definitely flew through this book, and the rest in the series, honestly. I think the entire series merits a re-read, because there are just so many little details included in each book. Though some of the events seemed a bit too convenient, I almost liked that they connected so well. It makes for a good ending to such a long series; no loose ends were left once you finished the book. Maas created such an intricate world; I'm excited to see what she comes up with next.

Hannah Gould knows that there's been a mistake; she doesn't need to be here, she doesn't need to be institutionalized. Everything that happened with Agnes was just a mistake. The sooner the doctors here figure that out, the sooner she can get back on track. She just has to convince them that she isn't a danger to herself or others. When Lucy arrives, Hannah jumps on the opportunity to show them that she can get along with other people. But her relationship with Lucy reveals more than Hannah ever though possible.

I requested this for review from NetGalley because both the cover and premise intrigued me. And once I started reading, I didn't want to put the book down. There's something about the way Hannah narrates the novel that just makes you want to keep reading; she's unflinchingly honest and is so sure about herself in the beginning; she knows how to manipulate people. The writing style reminded me a bit of Mindy McGinnis, with a not-so-likable narrator that you grow to like as you move further into the novel. Hannah is the reason that I kept reading, desperate to know where her story was going to take her.

The plot itself was a bit predictable to me, but I've also read quite a few texts that deal with mental health. The portrayal of mental health, overall, in this novel is more fleshed out than some, showing that mental health can affect anyone anywhere. Hannah is from a very privileged background; I only wish that we got more interactions with here family because these were most interesting to me. Since her parents value appearance so much, it'd be interesting to see how their family relationships change after the diagnosis.

There's a little bit of a thriller element to this novel as well, as Hannah tries to remember what happens with her summer school roommate, Agnes (who is in a coma at the beginning of the novel). All of these elements work well together to create a novel that will be difficult to put down once you pick it up.