Sisters of Sword and Song is a young adult fantasy standalone by Rebecca Ross. I love long series, but every now and again I also really enjoy mixing it up with well done standalones because there is something so satisfying about wrapping everything up in one novel. Which is exactly what I loved about Sisters of Sword and Song. Sisters of Sword and Song is a great fantasy standalone. It is a really heartwarming tale of the bonds of sisterhood, all set in a really wonderfully developed world.

In Sisters of Sword and Song  we meet sisters  Evadne, or Eva, and Halcyon. The book is told in dual narrative between the two sisters, which was perfect. I loved Eva and Halcyon. Even though they are quite different, this book was a really powerful story about the strong bonds of sisterhood, which I loved. Halycon uses her magic to fight in the queen's army, and Eva is left at home magic-less (but is she really??) . But when a tragic accident occurs and Halycon has to bear the weight of the punishment, Eva steps up to help her sister out and take on some of her punishment. Which then sets the reader of on a wonderful adventure. I fell into this story so easily because I could picture everything author Rebecca Ross was describing. The world came to life for me, the magic system and the ties to mythology were huge pluses for me, and there was also a really strong cast of characters. I got so swept up in the plot that I read this book in one sitting.

There is also a romance in Sisters of Sword and Song, which was a welcome surprise, but it was secondary to the plotline between the two sisters in my opinion. The story's main plot line involves a quest style adventure, which is where we see some of the gods and ties to Greek mythology. The pacing and world building in this novel was perfect! Noting ever felt rushed or too slow, and I was certainly never bored.  I enjoyed Sisters of Sword and Song even more than I thought I would. This was a delightful story about sisters, with plenty of magic adventure, danger and a bit of romance to hold the readers attention right until the very end! What a great story. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers.

Not Like the Movies is a romantic comedy and is the second book in a series of interconnected standalones in the Waiting For Tom Hanks Series from author Kerry Winfrey. I read Waiting for Tom Hanks as a re-read right before Not Like the Movies and I was so glad that I did, because seeing Annie in Chloe’s story was even better for me because I had just read her story. And like the first book, Not Like the Movies is an adorable romcom featuring heartfelt characters that put a big smile on my face. I liked it even more than the first book in the series.

Not Like the Movies takes place some time after the events of the first book. Annie has written a rom com movie called Coffee Girl and has announced that it is based on the true story of Chloe and Nick, her boss from the coffee shop. Only problem is, even though everyone can plainly see the sparks between Chloe and Nick, they haven’t actually dated in real life. But Not Like The Movies is their story and I was there for all of their banter. Not Like the Movies is a completely character driven novel, which as you know if right up my alley. I saw so much of myself in Chloe that it was so easy for me to relate to everything she was going through.

Chloe is a helper. She takes on all of the problems of the people around her and she tries to help everyone. The main person she is helping is her dad, who has Alzheimers. Taking care of a loved one with a memory related disorder is extremely difficult and taxing on family, so I really appreciated seeing how that was taking a toll on her. On top of her father, she also has a mother who walked out on her and a brother that moved away and is only recently back in town, plus her college classes and her job at the coffee shop. Needless to say, she has a lot going on. And she is reluctant to accept help because she knows everyone else also has a lot going on. View Spoiler » I felt like I got Chloe, so I was rooting for her and Nick in a big way. I love how helpful and understanding Nick is. Their story is completely adorable and was a great mix of real life drama with rom com moments, with plenty of great movie references.

Bottom line: If you are a romantic comedy movie fanatic like I am, I think you would really enjoy all of the little movie references as you watch this rom com come to life. This book was a lot of fun. I liked it even more than the first book, and I am personally hoping that there will be a third so we can check in on Annie and Chloe again!

Balthazar’s Bane is the sixth book in the Gaslamp Gothic series by author Kat Ross. The gaslamp Gothic series, was previously known as the Dominion Mystery series, which includes The Daemoniac, The Thirteenth Gate, and Bad Breed (among others). I loved, loved loved the first three books in the series but then I missed books 4 and 5, and I am completely kicking myself for missing them because I always love Kat Ross’ books! Her writing is always so on point and engaging, which these days is one of the most important aspects I look for when I picking what books I want to read. I love her ability to write an atmospheric story that completely captures my attention.

Though Balthazar’s Bane is the sixth book in the Gaslamp Gothic series, it can be read as a standalone, so if you really don’t want to, you do not have to reads the first five books. However, I really enjoyed both The Daemoniac , The Thirteenth Gate, and Bad Breed, so if you love a good dark series, I would read them all in order. As I mentioned before, I skipped books 4 and 5, and I was completely fine while reading Balthazar’s Bane. It totally works well as a standalone book. However; you will see plenty of characters from Kat’s previous books and other series, so you may want to take some time and read all of her books in order. I think once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

In Balthazar’s Bane, we get to see more of…you guessed it…Balthazar! I am super excited that he got his own book. We have gotten to see peeks of him in previous novels, but here we really get to know him, which was super interesting because upon first glance he is not what I would describe as a “good guy”. I mean, this story is premised on him trying to track down his talisman and steal it back. The very same talisman that he used to steal other’s life force and keep him alive eternally. Yea, that talisman. But the grey ambiguity of his morality just made him an even more interesting character in my book.

As always, I love the setting in Kat’s book, and I love how effortlessly she blends, mystery, paranormal, and historical all into one really awesome adventure. Balthazar’s Bane takes place in Egypt and Al Miraj, and we get to see a bunch of beloved characters from the previous books like Lucas and Zarifa. I loved Balthazar himself so much! His adventure felt very fast paced and high stakes intense for almost the entire length of the novel. It made for a very exciting read! Whether you read this one as a standalone, or you read the series in order, I think you will love Balthazar’s story, and the mystery woven in. I am really, really hoping to see more of Balthazar in Kat’s future books!

Bottom line: Balthazar’s Bane is perfect for fans of the Jackaby series and of the Netflix tv show Penny Dreadful, and fairy tale reimaginings with a dark feel. I really enjoyed the ride this mystery took me on. Read it in the fall for a great atmospheric mystery.

No Judgments is the first full length book in the contemporary romance Little Bridge Island series by author powerhouse Meg Cabot. I love Meg Cabot’s romances, and this one was no exception. No Judgments was an adorable book featuring plenty of swoons, sizzle and dogs!! So many dogs! How can you not love a book featuring characters that are rescuing dogs in a Hurricane?? I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

No Judgments takes place on Little bridge Island…named for the little bridge that you have to cross to reach it. The island is located south of Miami, Florida and is a tiny town with a small population. Bree is our main character, and she is Little Bridge Island’s newest inhabitant. when a hurricane sets it’s path on Little Bridge island most of the people pack up and leave town, but a few of the locals including Bree because she has no where else to go, stay. One of those locals is Drew, who is also the nephew of Bree’s boss.

No Judgments tackles a serious topic amidst it’s flirty bantering romance. The topic of abandoned pets in a natural disaster. Unfortunately, many times when a family evacuates “for a few days” to let a storm pass through, they leave their pets in the boarded up houses. Bree notices and she takes it upon herself to break into the houses and rescue the pets from the flooding and damage caused by the storm. I loved Bree and I really admire her determination and sense of self. Watching her banter with Drew was also lots of fun. Overall, No Judgments was different than I expected it to be, but in a good way. I enjoyed Drew and Bree’s story and I am ready for more from the inhabitants of Little Bridge Island, which is perfect timing because book 2 releases in a couple of weeks!

No Offense is the second full length book in the contemporary romance Little Bridge Island series by Meg Cabot. The Little Bridge Island series is an adult contemporary romance series set on Little bridge Island...named for the little bridge that you have to cross to reach it. The island is located south of Miami, Florida and is a tiny town with a small population. Each of the books in this series are standalones that center around a difference set of main characters. You do see some character crossover because it is such a small town. So if you are fan of the series, you will get to visit old favorites, like Bree from No Judgments, but you do not need to read the books in order if you don't want to. 

In No Offense we meet the new town children's librarian Molly and the town Sheriff, John. The story kicks off when Molly discovers an abandoned baby in the library bathroom. When Molly calls the police and John shows up, a comedy of offensive errors occurs. Mostly, John offending Molly, and John not wanting to offend Molly. I really enjoyed each of their interactions because John is just so darn nice and likable that it was kind of funny to me that Molly found him so offensive so many times.In addition to the budding romance (or bickering) of Molly and John there are also two mysteries present in No Offense. There is the mystery of who abandoned baby Aphrodite? (so dubbed as the goddess of the sea..err bathroom "sea"...on the Little Bridge Island community facebook gossip page) and second, the unsolved mystery of the high school bandit. Molly being a true crime aficionado tends to butt into John's actual police work, which means that their paths are continually crossing. 

All in all, No Offense was a lot of fun. Some light mystery, some light flirting and a cute romance made this book a joy to read. There were times where I was hoping for more in terms of character connection and romance development. No Offense was more of a plot driven novel with the mysteries taking center stage and the romance sometimes taking a secondary plot role, but overall No Offense was a very enjoyable read. I loved seeing peeks of Bree in the book and I am ready for more from the inhabitants of Little Bridge Island, which is perfect timing because book 2 releases in a couple of weeks!

They Wish They Were Us is a young adult mystery thriller by Jessica Goodman. I thought this book was a good read, but it wasn't my favorite mystery ever. I think this book would be perfect for readers that are new to young adult murder mysteries, because the plot and characters are fun. But I think for readers who have read many mysteries, They Wish They Were Us was really easy to figure out. It was still an enjoyable read set in a prep school setting, with a secret society element added in.

They Wish They Were Us alternates between present day, where our main characters are seniors in high school and three years prior, to their freshman year, when one of their best friends was murdered. The main character in They Wish They Were Us is Jill, who attends the prestigious Cold Coats Prep on a scholarship. Along with her best friends Nikki and Shaila, were recruited into the school's secret society- The Players. The Players affords its' members with endless advantages, in school and in life through answer keys and valuable connections. But when Shaila is murdered during the final phase of hazing, everything changes. Her boyfriend confesses to her murder and the story fast forwards three years to their senior year, where her boyfriend is now rescinding his confession, claiming innocence.

As Jill tries to figure out if he is really innocent or not, she is also juggling her senior year, college admissions and struggling with the reality of her younger brother becoming a player. In addition to the murder mystery that is the primary plotline, secondary plots of hazing hazards and friendships are also present and they were my favorite part of the story. I figured out the murder pretty early on, but I enjoyed the journey the characters went on enough to keep reading. Overall, They wish they were us was a decent read, but it didn't blow my socks off. If you are new to young adult mysteries, I think you will really enjoy this book. If you are a true crime aficionado or a mystery buff, then this might be too easy for you to figure out- but it is still a fun read.

Chasing Starlight is a young adult mystery set in 1930s Hollywood by Teri Bailey Black. I love an old Hollywood back drop and I love a good mystery so I was really excited for Chasing Starlight. It has all of the fixings for an intriguing read, and Chasing Starlight delivered all of that and more. There was even a romance woven into the story! 

In Chasing Starlight we meet our main character, Kate, who moves to Hollywood to live with her grandfather who used to be a movie star. When she gets there she basically walks right into a murder scene and off we go as she tries to gather clues and piece together what the heck happened. I really admired Kate. She has persevered through a pretty traumatic childhood, and I love how strong she is. She really doesn't let anything get her down, even though it is clear that her past events have left a mark on her. 

My biggest compliant was that I wanted to get to know all of the characters and suspects a little bit better. I felt like some of the guys that were staying in Kate's grandfather's house were just kind of around most of the time. I wanted to do a bit of a deeper dive into their heads. The mystery was good, and though it was a tad predictable at times, I still really enjoyed the adventure it took me on. The movie making process and the Hollywood backdrop made this book even more exciting for me. I loved the glamorous feel of it all. If you are a fan of mysteries and you love the vibe of an older american setting, then I think Chasing Starlight will be a great read for you to check out. I enjoyed this one!

The Dating Itinerary is an adult romantic comedy by Brooke Williams. I loved this book. I had such a great time while reading it. It was the first book I read on my vacation, and it really started me off in a great reading mood. If you are a looking for a fun, romantic feel good read, The Dating Itinerary is really going to hit the spot. 

In The Dating Itinerary we meet our main characters, Penny and George, or Geo as he is going by now. Penny and George are rival journalists, but they didn't start out as rivals. They used to be friends working for the same publication but when George "got" a promotion that Penny wanted, their friendship turned bitter. Now Geo does free lance work. When Penny's publication sets her off on a several week publication trying out different dating methods, she is a reluctant participant. They are calling it her dating itinerary, but when she is on her first dating method and Geo is also there, things start to get a bit interesting. Turns out, Geo is doing the same type of column and he is strangely on the same itinerary as Penny. 

As you can imagine, plenty of sparks, bad dates and funny moments ensue, and I loved every moment of their dating itinerary. They did speed dating, match making, tinder, dating in the dark, and watching them do it all together was a blast. I thought this was a wonderful romantic comedy for the modern dating age. I loved The Dating Itinerary. 

Eighty Days to Elsewhere is a contemporary romance by kc dyer. The book is billed as an amazing race type adventure, which is one of my favorite competition shows, so I was immediately all in. This book was such a fun literary adventure around the world filled with traveling, hijinks and romance. I really enjoyed this read. It was a lot of fun. There is a lot packed into this book. If you are in the mood for a past paced book lovers adventure around the world, Eighty Days to Elsewhere is a fun book to check out. 

In Eighty Days to Elsewhere we meet our main character Ramona, or Romy. Her family bookstore is in dire need of financial help, so Romy decides that she needs another job to try and get some money. She grabs a job at a literary expedition company, which by the way- how cool does that sound? The company plans trips to various locations based on books to create cool bookish vacation trips. Romy's first job sends her on a trip around the world, as she tries to plan a vacation for fans of Around the World in 80 days by Jules Verne. Romy's trip takes her all over the place. In this time of quarantine, I loved getting to jet off to all different destinations. Her trip also has her meeting lots of different people. 

I thought Eighty Days to Elsewhere was a really fun read. It is very fast paced because Romy is always go go go, and at times that made me feel a bit frantic and rushed as I was reading, but it was very fitting with the events of the book, so I kind of enjoyed that aspect of the pacing. On top of all the jet setting, I also really enjoyed the romance in the book. I thought the romance was going to be a bigger aspect of the story initially. It wasn't. It is present but it is kind of simmering in the background rather than taking center stage. I think Eighty Days to Elsewhere is perfect for literary lovers who are currently experiencing wanderlust. This is a great way to virtually travel around the world. It was a fun read. 

Where Dreams Descend is the first book in the Kingdom of Cards series by Janella Angeles. Where Dreams Descend is a young adult fantasy book that is filled with atmospheric magic, twists and turns, a dangerous and dark world and plenty of secrets. I really enjoyed this book, though it did have a bit of a slow start for me. As I continued reading, this was a book that built and built like a great performance with a spectacular crescendo. Overall, I enjoyed Where Dreams Descend and I am excited to continue on with this series.

In Where Dreams Descend, we meet our main character Kallia who is the star of her clubs performances. But Kallia dreams of getting out and becoming a real star. She wants to enter a magic performance competition in the city to grab a coveted spot in the Conquering Circus. The city and vibe of the book had a bit of New Ryenes, from Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. The dark seedy underbelly of a city filled with secrets and sin. It lent itself well to the overall atmosphere of Where Dreams Descend. 

When I first started this book it was hard for me to grasp just what was going on. The writing felt jarring to me, but it kind of all fell into place as I went on and I grew to love the world that Janella Angeles had created. It is full of magic and secrets, plus the idea of a magical circus is super appealing to me. I could vividly imagine the performances and acts. There is a romance in Where Dreams Descend and I am hoping to see more of that in the next book. I can't wait to see how this duology is going to wrap up. This was an exciting and gripping read. It just kept getting better and better as it went on. If you love a dark atmospheric setting in a book filled with magic, then the Kingdom of Cards series is going to be a good book for you to check out!