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Of Curses and Kisses is the first book in the young adult contemporary/magical realism series called the St. Rosetta's Academy series by Sandhya Menon. I am such a huge fan of retellings, re-imaginings and books based on fairy tales, so when I heard this was going to be a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast, and that it was going to be set at a boarding school, I was completely sold! Not to mention I love Sandhya Menon's writing style. Her books are always heartwarming and completely addictive. Of Curses and Kisses was a fantastic addition to collection of novels, and I am super excited that it is the first book set at St. Rosetta's Academy. I can't wait to revisit the school and read stories of more of the school's students.
Of Curses and Kisses is is a contemporary story with a magical realism/fantasy element woven in. You get to be a judge of how large the magic element in the story is, and I absolutely loved that facet of the "curse" that plagues our main characters. This is a take on Beauty and the Beast but it is done as a contemporary novel, and I absolutely loved this modern re-imagining of the classic tale. In Of Curses and Kisses, we meet our two main characters Princess Jaya Rao and Lord Grey Emerson, who are family rivals. Their families have been feuding for generations, and it all centers back around a rumor that one member of the Emerson family stole a Rao family jewel. And because of this stolen jewel, the Rao's have cursed the males of the Emerson family to all die on their 18th birthday. (or at the very least something very gruesome would happen to him.)
Jaya finds herself at St. Rosetta's intent on getting revenge on behalf of her sister, which puts her in close proximity with Grey. I loved watching Jaya and Grey interact, particularly once Jaya's walls started to come down. I loved that grey could tell when she was being genuine and when she was being fake. Watching the two of these family enemies connect and grow closer was so satisfying and heartwarming fro me. I also rather enjoyed the gang of characters at this school, and I can't wait to revisit them in future installments. I am personally hoping that Jaya's sister Isha will be the main character in her own story because she is delightful. I loved that she is so clearly her own person. She is so much less wrapped up in other's opinions that Jaya is.
Bottom line- If you like modern spins on classic fairy tales, and you love a good enemies to lovers romance, the Of Curses and Kisses is an adorable tale that I think will put a smile on your face. I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for more in this series and in general from author Sandhya Menon. I love her books!
Of Curses and Kisses is is a contemporary story with a magical realism/fantasy element woven in. You get to be a judge of how large the magic element in the story is, and I absolutely loved that facet of the "curse" that plagues our main characters. This is a take on Beauty and the Beast but it is done as a contemporary novel, and I absolutely loved this modern re-imagining of the classic tale. In Of Curses and Kisses, we meet our two main characters Princess Jaya Rao and Lord Grey Emerson, who are family rivals. Their families have been feuding for generations, and it all centers back around a rumor that one member of the Emerson family stole a Rao family jewel. And because of this stolen jewel, the Rao's have cursed the males of the Emerson family to all die on their 18th birthday. (or at the very least something very gruesome would happen to him.)
Jaya finds herself at St. Rosetta's intent on getting revenge on behalf of her sister, which puts her in close proximity with Grey. I loved watching Jaya and Grey interact, particularly once Jaya's walls started to come down. I loved that grey could tell when she was being genuine and when she was being fake. Watching the two of these family enemies connect and grow closer was so satisfying and heartwarming fro me. I also rather enjoyed the gang of characters at this school, and I can't wait to revisit them in future installments. I am personally hoping that Jaya's sister Isha will be the main character in her own story because she is delightful. I loved that she is so clearly her own person. She is so much less wrapped up in other's opinions that Jaya is.
Bottom line- If you like modern spins on classic fairy tales, and you love a good enemies to lovers romance, the Of Curses and Kisses is an adorable tale that I think will put a smile on your face. I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for more in this series and in general from author Sandhya Menon. I love her books!
Loveboat, Taipei is a young adult contemporary romance book, and is the first book in the Loveboat, Taipei series by debut author Abigail Hing Wen. I am super excited to see that this is going to be a series, likely of interconnected standalones, because I loved Loveboat, Taipei. It follows a group of young adults at a summer school in Taiwan. If you read the author’s note, it was extra special because this program is something the author actually participated in. In fact, it is where she met her husband! I loved that real life connection, and it made me even more excited to read this book.
Loveboat, Taipei follows a group of students at this summer program, but the main focus is on our main character Ever. I loved Ever. I found her to be a very relatable teenager, and watching her and her new found friends explore what the next phase of their post-high school life holds was simply magical. This book was so much fun. When Ever gets to Taiwan, she soon discovers that this is nothing like the strict school she(and her parents, no doubt) imagined. No, no- it is basically one giant party, complete with hookups, sneaking out and plenty of care free summer fun. And while Loveboat, Taipei is a lot fun, there are also plenty of more serious themes explored in this novel. Abigail Hing Wen managed to mix in the serious topics with the levity of summer romance in a wonderful way that never felt bogged down with the heavy subject matter, but at the same time did not minimize the seriousness of the issues presented to the characters. There was a great balance. Watching Ever learn more about herself and figure out what she really wanted out of the next phase of her life was super satisfying. And Ever was not the only character that we got to see such growth from. The whole gang learned and experienced so much throughout the course of this novel. I honestly enjoyed reading about all of the characters, which is not always the case for me. I sometimes have a tendency to get attached to the main character, not care too much about the secondary plotlines, but here I enjoying reading about everyone and taking a peek into their life. They each grew in their own ways and pretty much all of the characters encountered some obstacle or had a growth/learning moment throughout the novel, and all of them added to the story in a meaningful way.
The romance in Loveboat, Taipei was fantastic. I loved that I honestly had no idea what was going to happen. I will note that there is a bit of love triangle, and maybe even a hint of a love quadrangle but honestly was so wonderful! I got swept up in the romance and the excitement of a summer romance and I was on the edge of my seat to see how the book would pivot and where the romance would end up. And let me just say that I was so happy with the way it turned out! I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in the next book. I am not sure if we are going to follow a completely new group of summer students or if we are going to revisit this cast of characters. I am personally hoping that we get to re-visit these characters because I honestly enjoyed the whole group of them. If you are a fan of fun summer romances featuring a whole cast of well developed characters, I think Loveboat, Taipei has a wonderful balance of serious topics and lighthearted romance. This was a novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Loveboat, Taipei follows a group of students at this summer program, but the main focus is on our main character Ever. I loved Ever. I found her to be a very relatable teenager, and watching her and her new found friends explore what the next phase of their post-high school life holds was simply magical. This book was so much fun. When Ever gets to Taiwan, she soon discovers that this is nothing like the strict school she(and her parents, no doubt) imagined. No, no- it is basically one giant party, complete with hookups, sneaking out and plenty of care free summer fun. And while Loveboat, Taipei is a lot fun, there are also plenty of more serious themes explored in this novel. Abigail Hing Wen managed to mix in the serious topics with the levity of summer romance in a wonderful way that never felt bogged down with the heavy subject matter, but at the same time did not minimize the seriousness of the issues presented to the characters. There was a great balance. Watching Ever learn more about herself and figure out what she really wanted out of the next phase of her life was super satisfying. And Ever was not the only character that we got to see such growth from. The whole gang learned and experienced so much throughout the course of this novel. I honestly enjoyed reading about all of the characters, which is not always the case for me. I sometimes have a tendency to get attached to the main character, not care too much about the secondary plotlines, but here I enjoying reading about everyone and taking a peek into their life. They each grew in their own ways and pretty much all of the characters encountered some obstacle or had a growth/learning moment throughout the novel, and all of them added to the story in a meaningful way.
The romance in Loveboat, Taipei was fantastic. I loved that I honestly had no idea what was going to happen. I will note that there is a bit of love triangle, and maybe even a hint of a love quadrangle but honestly was so wonderful! I got swept up in the romance and the excitement of a summer romance and I was on the edge of my seat to see how the book would pivot and where the romance would end up. And let me just say that I was so happy with the way it turned out! I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in the next book. I am not sure if we are going to follow a completely new group of summer students or if we are going to revisit this cast of characters. I am personally hoping that we get to re-visit these characters because I honestly enjoyed the whole group of them. If you are a fan of fun summer romances featuring a whole cast of well developed characters, I think Loveboat, Taipei has a wonderful balance of serious topics and lighthearted romance. This was a novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The Shadows Between Us is a young adult fantasy by Tricia Levenseller. Right now I am pretty sure this book is slated to be a standalone, but I am also fairly certain after the ending of Shadows Between Us that there needs to be a sequel. I am keeping all of my fingers and toes that there will be another book because I LOVED The Shadows Between Us. This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2020 so far. This book rocked my socks off and then some! It is being taglined as “a Slytherin Romance” and I couldn’t agree more. This was all kinds of swoony and wonderful and I could not get enough of these characters or their story. I want more, more MORE!
In The Shadows Between Us, we meet our main character Alessandra, who is wonderfully devious. She plans to become Queen by wooing the fearsome Shadow King and then killing him. But the Shadow King, Kallias, is no dummy, and he is pretty devious himself. I hung on every single interaction between the two of them, and I couldn’t get enough. These two are so well suited for each other, it is crazy. Not to mention the plot of the story was also a lot of fun. I loved learning about Kallias’ shadow magic, and when it becomes apparent that someone is trying to kill him, watching Alessandra save him so she could continue to woo him (and ultimately kill him herself) was a lot of fun. It was also fun to see her intentions slowly shifting. Their romance is a slow build, but oh so worth it! There are lots of secondary characters to get to know and to love as well. It was a varied cast, with plenty of secrets, twists and turns to keep readers engaged.
Fans of fantasy romances will fall in love with this villain romance. The Shadows Between Us is a book that I know I will want to revisit time and time again. I loved everything about it. The writing and the world are wonderful and include so many of the fantasy elements I love- Secrets, court politics, great characters and a fantastic romance. This book is one of the best fantasies and romances I have read this year. The Shadows Between Us will be a hard book to top! I am such a fan of Tricia Levenseller.
Beneath Cruel Fathoms is the first book in the adult fantasy Bitter Sea Trilogy by author Anela Deen. Anela Deen is a new author to me, but she has very powerful, descriptive writing that I really enjoyed. It is no secret that I love fantasy books, but I don't read too many adult fantasy. I really enjoyed Beneath Cruel Fathoms, so I would like to change that. Let me know your favorite adult fantasy recommendations in the comments below and I will check them out! Beneath Cruel Fathoms is a fantasy set in the sea featuring merfolks, gods and plenty of magic. I enjoyed this book, and am certainly interested in continuing on in the series.
In Beneath Cruel Fathoms, our story starts out with our main heroine Isaura as a feirce storm hits and destroys the boat she is on. It was an intense start, but it did feel a bit slow to me. The start of the book was much more focused on descriptive, flowery prose that did a great job of setting up the world, but I didn't feel like there was too much in the way of actual plot advancement. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to get into the story, but boy oh boy was I wrong. After the bit of a slow start, this story really took off. It is a book that builds and builds. It gets better as the story goes on. And once I was half way through the book, I was really appreciative of the descriptive world set up because I felt like I really knew the motivations of the gods and the setup of the underwater sea court, and it was a really cool world! I can't wait to discover more in the next two books. There is a big cast of characters in Betneath Cruel Fathoms. It is easy for me to get tunnel vision and only see Isaura and Leonel, but that would be doing this story a disservice. All of the secondary characters really helped bring this story to life because they helped paint the picture of what wonderful people Isaura and Leonel are.
The romance in this story was wonderful. It was soft and felt really natural, and I loved Isaura and Leonel. Leonel is one of the last of the merfolk, which you would think would make him revered and special, but no. He is basically an outcast in the underwater court. I felt for him most of all. I think I made a deeper connection with Leonel than I did even with Isaura, which was surprising to me. The gods in this story are no joking matter. They are based on Norse mytholgy, and they can be very cruel. I liked this darker depiction of the gods- it added to the dark atmosphere of the story, and Anela Deen does a fantastic job writing a rich atmosphere that jumps off the page. The story becomes very complicated and involved and by the end of the story I was dying to get my hands on book two! If you are a fan of norse mythology, Beneath Cruel Fathoms is a book that you need to read. It is totally unlike any other merfolk story that I have ever read.
In Beneath Cruel Fathoms, our story starts out with our main heroine Isaura as a feirce storm hits and destroys the boat she is on. It was an intense start, but it did feel a bit slow to me. The start of the book was much more focused on descriptive, flowery prose that did a great job of setting up the world, but I didn't feel like there was too much in the way of actual plot advancement. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to get into the story, but boy oh boy was I wrong. After the bit of a slow start, this story really took off. It is a book that builds and builds. It gets better as the story goes on. And once I was half way through the book, I was really appreciative of the descriptive world set up because I felt like I really knew the motivations of the gods and the setup of the underwater sea court, and it was a really cool world! I can't wait to discover more in the next two books. There is a big cast of characters in Betneath Cruel Fathoms. It is easy for me to get tunnel vision and only see Isaura and Leonel, but that would be doing this story a disservice. All of the secondary characters really helped bring this story to life because they helped paint the picture of what wonderful people Isaura and Leonel are.
The romance in this story was wonderful. It was soft and felt really natural, and I loved Isaura and Leonel. Leonel is one of the last of the merfolk, which you would think would make him revered and special, but no. He is basically an outcast in the underwater court. I felt for him most of all. I think I made a deeper connection with Leonel than I did even with Isaura, which was surprising to me. The gods in this story are no joking matter. They are based on Norse mytholgy, and they can be very cruel. I liked this darker depiction of the gods- it added to the dark atmosphere of the story, and Anela Deen does a fantastic job writing a rich atmosphere that jumps off the page. The story becomes very complicated and involved and by the end of the story I was dying to get my hands on book two! If you are a fan of norse mythology, Beneath Cruel Fathoms is a book that you need to read. It is totally unlike any other merfolk story that I have ever read.
3.5/5 stars
Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a young adult contemporary romance by auhor Sara Fujimura. Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a skating romance that felt different than previous skating romances that I have read in the past. In the past, the books centered around skating focused on one kind. Either hockey, or figure skating mostly. But Every Reason We Shouldn’t centers around a skating rink and the people that own and use it. The cool part of Every Reason We Shouldn’t is that so many different kinds of skating are showcased.
Our main character Olivia was a once semi-famous pairs skater that had hopes of an Olympic Gold, but instead found herself (maybe?) washed up at the young age of 15. Jonah is a speed skater that shows great promise, and has tons of Gold medals from various competitions to show for his hard work and dedication. And Olivia’s best friend, and Ice rink co-worker Mack is a roller derby girl. Though this story is mainly centered on Olivia and Jonah’s romance, there is plenty of spotlight for the whole cast of characters, which I loved. Mack is my favorite by far. She is smart, a hard worker, hilarious and a wonderful friend to Olivia. I am really hoping that she gets her story told in the next book.
Olivia is a young main character, and because she is younger than most young adult heroines at just 15 vs. 17 or 18, I think she was very age appropriate. She had a different than most upbringing. She was homeschooled secondarily to her primary goal of figure skating. After one too many disastrous performances at a senior level, she is taking a break from professional skating at the start of our story. She is grappling with the idea of trying to adjust to life as a normal teenager, all the while asking herself the question, “is she really a has been skater at just 15?” I felt for Olivia. I can’t relate to her skating talent, but having to deal with normal teenage desires like fitting in at school and with your friends, and also juggling not so normal desires, like should she get back into the world of competitive figure or pairs skating? And if so, does she have what it takes to make it?
In the middle of this internal struggle, speed skating hotshot Jonah shows up at her parents Ice Rink and a really adorable romance ensues. I loved watching them bond of skating, and even watching them skate together. I loved the whole cast of characters, including Jonah’s parents. I thought they were what parents should be like. I was most disappointed in Olivia’s mom. I thought she could have been a whole lot more supportive of Olivia overall. Jonah and Olivia were supr sweet. I enjoyed watching them bond and watching their romance bloom. They got each other in a way that most other kids couldn’t relate. Skating is such a huge part of each of their lives that it makes up a big chunk of who they are.
Overall, I really enjoyed Every Reason We Shouldn’t. It was a really cute ice skating romance that felt different than the previous Ice Skating books I have read in the past .
3.5/5
Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a young adult contemporary romance by auhor Sara Fujimura. Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a skating romance that felt different than previous skating romances that I have read in the past. In the past, the books centered around skating focused on one kind. Either hockey, or figure skating mostly. But Every Reason We Shouldn’t centers around a skating rink and the people that own and use it. The cool part of Every Reason We Shouldn’t is that so many different kinds of skating are showcased.
Our main character Olivia was a once semi-famous pairs skater that had hopes of an Olympic Gold, but instead found herself (maybe?) washed up at the young age of 15. Jonah is a speed skater that shows great promise, and has tons of Gold medals from various competitions to show for his hard work and dedication. And Olivia’s best friend, and Ice rink co-worker Mack is a roller derby girl. Though this story is mainly centered on Olivia and Jonah’s romance, there is plenty of spotlight for the whole cast of characters, which I loved. Mack is my favorite by far. She is smart, a hard worker, hilarious and a wonderful friend to Olivia. I am really hoping that she gets her story told in the next book.
Olivia is a young main character, and because she is younger than most young adult heroines at just 15 vs. 17 or 18, I think she was very age appropriate. She had a different than most upbringing. She was homeschooled secondarily to her primary goal of figure skating. After one too many disastrous performances at a senior level, she is taking a break from professional skating at the start of our story. She is grappling with the idea of trying to adjust to life as a normal teenager, all the while asking herself the question, “is she really a has been skater at just 15?” I felt for Olivia. I can’t relate to her skating talent, but having to deal with normal teenage desires like fitting in at school and with your friends, and also juggling not so normal desires, like should she get back into the world of competitive figure or pairs skating? And if so, does she have what it takes to make it?
In the middle of this internal struggle, speed skating hotshot Jonah shows up at her parents Ice Rink and a really adorable romance ensues. I loved watching them bond of skating, and even watching them skate together. I loved the whole cast of characters, including Jonah’s parents. I thought they were what parents should be like. I was most disappointed in Olivia’s mom. I thought she could have been a whole lot more supportive of Olivia overall. Jonah and Olivia were supr sweet. I enjoyed watching them bond and watching their romance bloom. They got each other in a way that most other kids couldn’t relate. Skating is such a huge part of each of their lives that it makes up a big chunk of who they are.
Overall, I really enjoyed Every Reason We Shouldn’t. It was a really cute ice skating romance that felt different than the previous Ice Skating books I have read in the past .
3.5/5
3.5/5 stars
Jo & Laurie is a young adult romantic retelling of little women by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am going to share it anyway. I liked the original Little Women, but I didn’t love it like most people. I never felt compelled to re-read it, and it didn’t skyrocket to a favorites list of mine. However, I love both of these authors and when I saw this being dubbed as a romantic retelling I knew I had to check it out. And I am so glad that I did, because I loved Jo & Laurie. So much more than the original! (I know, don’t throw virtual tomatoes or stones just yet!) I know some purists and fans of the original will not want anything to do with a retelling, but I happen to love retellings. They allow new spins to be taken on classics, and I can’t get enough of them. Jo & Laurie is a great book. One I think old and new fans of Little Women will enjoy. And if you have never read Little Women, Jo & Laurie is a really accessible option for you to explore. I think you will love it.
I will start off by saying that I did enjoy Jo in the original Little Women. I loved how independent and headstrong she is. Jo & Laurie explore the possibility of what if, Jo got together with her best friend Laurie (aka Theodore). I felt like the start of this book was trying to mimic Little Women, and it felt a bit dense and slow to me. But at about the half way point, I felt like the authors hit their groove the the pace and story picked up in tempo. I flew through the second half of the book, and I absolutely loved the ending. The characters all felt true to themselves from the original. It was just a different take on the events. I fun little “what-if” played out. I really dug it.
If you have always shipped Jo & Laurie from the original Little Women, or you just like to play the What If game like I do, then I think Jo & Laurie is a romantic retelling that fans will enjoy. It was a story that gained momentum as it went on, and by the end I was really enjoying myself!
3.5/5 stars
Jo & Laurie is a young adult romantic retelling of little women by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am going to share it anyway. I liked the original Little Women, but I didn’t love it like most people. I never felt compelled to re-read it, and it didn’t skyrocket to a favorites list of mine. However, I love both of these authors and when I saw this being dubbed as a romantic retelling I knew I had to check it out. And I am so glad that I did, because I loved Jo & Laurie. So much more than the original! (I know, don’t throw virtual tomatoes or stones just yet!) I know some purists and fans of the original will not want anything to do with a retelling, but I happen to love retellings. They allow new spins to be taken on classics, and I can’t get enough of them. Jo & Laurie is a great book. One I think old and new fans of Little Women will enjoy. And if you have never read Little Women, Jo & Laurie is a really accessible option for you to explore. I think you will love it.
I will start off by saying that I did enjoy Jo in the original Little Women. I loved how independent and headstrong she is. Jo & Laurie explore the possibility of what if, Jo got together with her best friend Laurie (aka Theodore). I felt like the start of this book was trying to mimic Little Women, and it felt a bit dense and slow to me. But at about the half way point, I felt like the authors hit their groove the the pace and story picked up in tempo. I flew through the second half of the book, and I absolutely loved the ending. The characters all felt true to themselves from the original. It was just a different take on the events. I fun little “what-if” played out. I really dug it.
If you have always shipped Jo & Laurie from the original Little Women, or you just like to play the What If game like I do, then I think Jo & Laurie is a romantic retelling that fans will enjoy. It was a story that gained momentum as it went on, and by the end I was really enjoying myself!
3.5/5 stars
Where There Be Humans is a young adult fantasy by Rebekah L. Purdy. I have read a few of Rebekah's books in the past and I have always really enjoyed them, so when I saw this new release coming out from her, I jumped on it before I even read the synopsis. Then, once I did read the synopsis, and I saw that it is a fantasy set in a world where humans are the creatures of myth and Goblins inhabit and rule the world, I was even more pumped! What a cool, totally unique idea! Where There Be Humans was a quick read that was a lot of fun, and had a really cool world concept that I loved exploring. This was a solid read for me, and I am hoping for the possibility of more in this world. (though this book reads as a standalone in my opinion.)
In Where There Be Humans we meet our main character, Ivy, who has always been a bit of an outcast in her town of Gob Hollow. Ivy is half goblin, and her other half has always been a mystery to her (not-so-surprising hint: her other half is human) Despite only being half goblin, Ivy is a wonderful warrior. I instantly like Ivy. I found her to be spunky, strong and dedicated. Her father is an advisor to the Goblin King, and when the Goblin Prince Dorian gets kidnapped, Ivy takes off in search of him. What initially seems like a simple plot, does get twisty as some secrets are revealed later in the story. Parts of the book were a bit predictable for me, but it was still an enjoyable and fun read. There were parts of the book that I wish were fleshed out a bit more and some questions and details, I was hoping for more of an explanation of, but overall the tempo of the book clipped along at a fast pace, and I wasn't really ever confused about the world.
Where There Be Humans is a young adult fantasy perfect for younger readers that is part quest, part coming of age story for our heroine Ivy, and all set in a cool world. This book is perfect for younger readers because the romance in the story is very light. While, I wish there was more of a heavy romance (because hello- I love that!) I think this book is very age appropriate for older middle grade readers looking to try out young adult fantasy. With a satisfying ending, Where There Be Humans wrapped up very nicely for me. I enjoyed this fun coming of age fantasy tale in a topsy-turvy world where humans are thought to only exists in myth, and our mythical creatures reign supreme. Take a journey to Gob Hollow and see what you think of Ivy and her gang!
Life's a Witch is a paranormal romance and is the first book in the Guild of Guardians series by Skyler Andra. The Guild of Guardians series is a reverse harem paranormal romance set in a supernatural prison, and is great for readers in the new adult and adult age groups. I think that setting is so cool! I can only imagine the types of creatures and big bads that are housed in a supernatural prison, and Skyler Andra did not let my imagination down. I really enjoyed Life's a Witch and I cannot wait to continue on in the series. I have read the first two books in her Operation Cupid series, and I liked them, but I never really completely fell in love. I enjoyed Life's a Witch and the characters within it a lot more! I can't wait for book two!
In Life's a Witch we meet our main character, Astra. Astra is arrested when she is caught trying to steal a magical object. Our story starts with her being transferred to the Guild of Guardians unit, which is a unit meant to track down supernatural criminals. Astra has to hunt these criminals in order to try and lessen her prison sentence. It is here that we meet the other members of her unit- Knoxe, Raze, Pascal, and Tor. I loved all the members of her team. Some of them are a bit surlier and more of a mystery than others (CoughKnoxeCough) but it only made me more interested to get to know them better in the next installment. I liked that her teammates didn't make it easy for her, and that they were a bit of a jerk in the beginning because Astra is one tough cookie. She can give it back just as hard, and I was rooting for her from page one! The guys also grew on me, and their bickering was so much fun! I do have some favorites so far, but I am going to hold off on sharing my opinions until I get to book two.
I love the world that Skyler Astra creates in the Guild of Guardians. These inmates are no joke! They are scary as all get out. And when you add in supernatural abilities on top of their general bad-ness, it really amps up the stakes of tracking them down. I felt all kinds of tension in this book while I was reading, and I completely loved it! Tension to catch the bad guys as well as plenty of tension among the team. There is also great diversity in the cast. Two of the characters are on the autism spectrum, which I think was presented wonderfully throughout the book. I really enjoyed that element. All of the characters were well developed and came to life for me. I feel like I was a part of their adventure, and I can't wait for more. Bring me book two ASAP please!
In Life's a Witch we meet our main character, Astra. Astra is arrested when she is caught trying to steal a magical object. Our story starts with her being transferred to the Guild of Guardians unit, which is a unit meant to track down supernatural criminals. Astra has to hunt these criminals in order to try and lessen her prison sentence. It is here that we meet the other members of her unit- Knoxe, Raze, Pascal, and Tor. I loved all the members of her team. Some of them are a bit surlier and more of a mystery than others (CoughKnoxeCough) but it only made me more interested to get to know them better in the next installment. I liked that her teammates didn't make it easy for her, and that they were a bit of a jerk in the beginning because Astra is one tough cookie. She can give it back just as hard, and I was rooting for her from page one! The guys also grew on me, and their bickering was so much fun! I do have some favorites so far, but I am going to hold off on sharing my opinions until I get to book two.
I love the world that Skyler Astra creates in the Guild of Guardians. These inmates are no joke! They are scary as all get out. And when you add in supernatural abilities on top of their general bad-ness, it really amps up the stakes of tracking them down. I felt all kinds of tension in this book while I was reading, and I completely loved it! Tension to catch the bad guys as well as plenty of tension among the team. There is also great diversity in the cast. Two of the characters are on the autism spectrum, which I think was presented wonderfully throughout the book. I really enjoyed that element. All of the characters were well developed and came to life for me. I feel like I was a part of their adventure, and I can't wait for more. Bring me book two ASAP please!
Live Like Legends is a standalone young adult fantasy romance by Kate Cornell. This book is blurbed as being perfect for fans of Lindsay Duga's Kiss of the Royal and Sara Wolf's Bring Me Their Hearts series, which excited me to no end because those are some of my all time favorite fantasy romances. Entangled Teen does some of the best fantasy romances in my opinion. They always have the perfect recipe for a book that I just can't seem to put down. I loved Live Like Legends, I thought it had a great premise, wonderful characters, and a fantastic romance that was really interesting.
The romance was so interesting in this story because there was an element that I have not read before in young adult fantasies, but one that I feel like should come up much more often than it has. Because our main character, Princess Kalista is married off to a Prince from a foreign kingdom, it would stand to reason that such foreign kingdom's would not always speak the same language. Kalista and her betrothed Prince Carson do not speak the same language in more ways than one. First off, they literally do speak different languages. I loved this, and like I said earlier, I can't believe this doesn't come up more often, but they also are very different individuals. I loved watching their interactions and watching them try to learn to communicate with one another. It was an additional element to the story that really helped me connect with each of the characters in a new way. It also helped that Kalista has trained her entire life to be betrothed to someone else, but she is refreshingly realistic about her expectations of love. It made the connection and feelings that grew between her and Carson so much more satisfying. I also loved how fierce she became. She certainly had her fair share of whiny moments, but I don't fault her for that. It felt more genuine honestly, I would have a whiny moment...or two...if I found myself in a situation even way less scary than hers.
The plot of Live Like Legends was also great. While I did have a few moments of confusion throughout the story (mostly at the beginning) I do feel like almost all of my questions were answered by the end. I fell into the story early on, and once I got my groove I devoured this novel. There are monsters, prophecies and curses to deal with. There was never a dull moment in the novel. Some parts were action packed and others were very character development driven, and honestly I loved both aspects of the story equally. While Kalista and Carson are our main characters, and I adored both of them, there are also some other great secondary characters that I fell in love with. My favorite was Emmett, who among other things, acted as a tutor for Kalista and interpreter between her and Carson. He was super snarky and sarcastic and the perfect amount of comic relief.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a fantasy standalone that is romance heavy, then look no further than Live Like Legends. Live Like Legends is an impressive debut from author Kate Cornell. I can't wait to read her next novel!
The romance was so interesting in this story because there was an element that I have not read before in young adult fantasies, but one that I feel like should come up much more often than it has. Because our main character, Princess Kalista is married off to a Prince from a foreign kingdom, it would stand to reason that such foreign kingdom's would not always speak the same language. Kalista and her betrothed Prince Carson do not speak the same language in more ways than one. First off, they literally do speak different languages. I loved this, and like I said earlier, I can't believe this doesn't come up more often, but they also are very different individuals. I loved watching their interactions and watching them try to learn to communicate with one another. It was an additional element to the story that really helped me connect with each of the characters in a new way. It also helped that Kalista has trained her entire life to be betrothed to someone else, but she is refreshingly realistic about her expectations of love. It made the connection and feelings that grew between her and Carson so much more satisfying. I also loved how fierce she became. She certainly had her fair share of whiny moments, but I don't fault her for that. It felt more genuine honestly, I would have a whiny moment...or two...if I found myself in a situation even way less scary than hers.
The plot of Live Like Legends was also great. While I did have a few moments of confusion throughout the story (mostly at the beginning) I do feel like almost all of my questions were answered by the end. I fell into the story early on, and once I got my groove I devoured this novel. There are monsters, prophecies and curses to deal with. There was never a dull moment in the novel. Some parts were action packed and others were very character development driven, and honestly I loved both aspects of the story equally. While Kalista and Carson are our main characters, and I adored both of them, there are also some other great secondary characters that I fell in love with. My favorite was Emmett, who among other things, acted as a tutor for Kalista and interpreter between her and Carson. He was super snarky and sarcastic and the perfect amount of comic relief.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a fantasy standalone that is romance heavy, then look no further than Live Like Legends. Live Like Legends is an impressive debut from author Kate Cornell. I can't wait to read her next novel!
This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is a standalone young adult fantasy adventure by Karsten Knight. It is almost impossible to pinpoint the genre on this bad boy of a book. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is a mash up of so many different genres. It is part romance, part fantasy and mythology, plus a ton of adventure...of yea...and a murder mystery! I love fantasies, mythology and murder mysteries, but I don't really read too much of that mash up. And I have to say, after reading This Eternity of Masks and Shadows I am really digging it! This book was great!
In This Eternity of Masks and Shadows we meet our main character, Cairn, who also happens to be the daughter of the latest reincarnation of the the goddess Sedna. Sedna is the Inuit goddess of seal life and marine animals. I loved the diversity in all of the cultures gods and goddesses that were represented in this novel. It didn't just focus on Greek or roman gods, but rather I saw a ton of gods and goddesses that I have never had the pleasure of reading about in a young adult fantasy story, all mingled together in this world that Karsten Knight created. Cairn finds herself thrown in the middle of a big mystery between the Gods as she tries to figure out who killed her mother and why. Joining her is her best friend, and romantic interest- Delaphine, along with plenty of characters that they meet along the way. The romance in this book was very sweet, but it felt overall secondary to the action and mystery plotline. I also kept hoping we would see more of the ever cute and adorable pet Squall. I loved him!
The action in this book was pretty much non-stop from chapter 2! There is so much going on in this book, and with so many characters, I will admit that I had a tough time keeping track of them all at first. But don't worry, if that happens to you, just keep reading. By the end of the story you will have a better handle on who everyone is and their roles. It got easier for me to catalog everyone as we progress on trying to solve the mystery. As far as the plot goes, it oscillates between present day and various past events and the flow works out nicely as Carin is trying to piece the whole puzzle of the mystery together. Obviously, I don't want to give anything away, but I will say this was one totally epic journey. The Gods themselves were so diverse, not only in culture but on the spectrum of good to totally completely evil. This book also has a broad spectrum of completely light fun moments all the way to moments that felt honestly very scary and violent. I loved how diverse this book was in so many different aspects.
I will say that I was able to predict some elements of the story, but overall I was swept away in this vast tale and murder mystery featuring all kinds of gods and goddesses. I was enthralled. I loved all the different aspects and jobs that the gods have. It was unlike any other depiction of gods in fiction than I have read in the past. For instance, the detective on the case was a Polar bear god! I have always really enjoyed Karsten Knight's books, but it has been some time since I have picked one up. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows was a great reminder of how much I enjoy his writing and story telling abilities. If you are looking for a book that truly does feel unique, fresh and different look no further than This Eternity of Masks and Shadows. This book was one heck of an awesome ride!
In This Eternity of Masks and Shadows we meet our main character, Cairn, who also happens to be the daughter of the latest reincarnation of the the goddess Sedna. Sedna is the Inuit goddess of seal life and marine animals. I loved the diversity in all of the cultures gods and goddesses that were represented in this novel. It didn't just focus on Greek or roman gods, but rather I saw a ton of gods and goddesses that I have never had the pleasure of reading about in a young adult fantasy story, all mingled together in this world that Karsten Knight created. Cairn finds herself thrown in the middle of a big mystery between the Gods as she tries to figure out who killed her mother and why. Joining her is her best friend, and romantic interest- Delaphine, along with plenty of characters that they meet along the way. The romance in this book was very sweet, but it felt overall secondary to the action and mystery plotline. I also kept hoping we would see more of the ever cute and adorable pet Squall. I loved him!
The action in this book was pretty much non-stop from chapter 2! There is so much going on in this book, and with so many characters, I will admit that I had a tough time keeping track of them all at first. But don't worry, if that happens to you, just keep reading. By the end of the story you will have a better handle on who everyone is and their roles. It got easier for me to catalog everyone as we progress on trying to solve the mystery. As far as the plot goes, it oscillates between present day and various past events and the flow works out nicely as Carin is trying to piece the whole puzzle of the mystery together. Obviously, I don't want to give anything away, but I will say this was one totally epic journey. The Gods themselves were so diverse, not only in culture but on the spectrum of good to totally completely evil. This book also has a broad spectrum of completely light fun moments all the way to moments that felt honestly very scary and violent. I loved how diverse this book was in so many different aspects.
I will say that I was able to predict some elements of the story, but overall I was swept away in this vast tale and murder mystery featuring all kinds of gods and goddesses. I was enthralled. I loved all the different aspects and jobs that the gods have. It was unlike any other depiction of gods in fiction than I have read in the past. For instance, the detective on the case was a Polar bear god! I have always really enjoyed Karsten Knight's books, but it has been some time since I have picked one up. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows was a great reminder of how much I enjoy his writing and story telling abilities. If you are looking for a book that truly does feel unique, fresh and different look no further than This Eternity of Masks and Shadows. This book was one heck of an awesome ride!