I’m so impressed that this was a debut novel. Shah transported me to India as we followed Preeti’s journey. I loved learning about her family’s culture and traditions. As a foodie, I also enjoyed the descriptions of the food and all I wanted while reading this book was a cup of hot chai!

There are some strong topics in this book including racism and the caste system plus death of an unborn child, but the author took care with each of these items and wrote the story around them beautifully.

The book took a little time for me to get into it, but once I did I flew through it.

I recommend this book of you want to learn more about the Indian culture. I have never been to India so it definitely opened my eyes to their lifestyle.

Thank you TLC Book Tours for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

What if you had a chance to actually go to the setting of your favorite book and meet the characters? Would you want to? Well, for Eamon, Caroline, and Mark, their dream is about to come true or is it really a nightmare?

The story started a bit slow for me, but once they arrive on Addington Island, things start to take off. I really didn’t know what to expect going into this one, and I honestly think that’s the best way to read this book. It’s hard to say too much about it without giving away spoilers.

The writing in this book is beautiful and poetic. It was hard to believe this was a debut. The way the author was able to twist this tale from something cheerful to something terrifying was impressive. I look forward to reading more from him.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy. The world building and character development are on point which is definitely what I look for in this genre.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Veronica and Nico are artists and friends. Veronica is a photographer and Nico does chaotic performance art. It is summer, and they are bored until Veronica meets Mick, her dream girl. Mick is a swimmer who has a toxic relationship with her mother. She ends up staying with Veronica and things start to get really crazy at this point.

She’s Too Pretty To Burn is a psychological thriller and a sapphic retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I had never read Dorian Gray so really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this. I loved the cover, which is what drew me into the book at first.

This was a roller coaster of a book with many twists and turns. I enjoyed the story although I did struggle to get into it at first. Once I was able to get into it, I was hooked though. I was invested in the characters and wanted to see what happened.

Art is a big part of this book, and I had no idea that environmental art installments were a thing. I liked reading this part of the story although it has some consequences that don’t end well. The ending of this book was extreme, but worked for the story.

I love a good retelling and was so excited to get to read this queer retelling of Peter Pan. The Sun and the Shadow takes place after the Peter Pan we are familiar with. Peter grew up and then he disappeared. Things in Neverland are not the same as they were when he ruled.

The writing in this story is so imaginative and I love the way the author recreated Neverland. Nathaniel, Peter’s best friend and love, was a great character. I loved his innocence even as he’s getting older and his love for Peter is so pure.

The book is told in three parts, and I really liked part two where we learned Peter and Nat’s backstory. I enjoyed reading about them and their journeys. It was a great way to learn about their relationship and how it affected the other characters.

In part three, we see the Crowning Games, where the king will be crowned. I liked hearing about the different magic the competitors had and wished this had been developed more. I think it would have been fun to see more of the competition.

One of my favorite parts of the story was how the author included some of the creatures and characters from the original Peter Pan. There are fairies and mermaids and maybe even an appearance from Captain Hook. Overall, this was a great story, and I loved how the author reimagined Neverland.

Thank you Pride Book Tours for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.