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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received the e-arc from the publisher and the arc copy from a local bookstore (not bought, they had it set out to take). Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Blood Like Magic
Author: Liselle Sambury
Book Series: Blood Like Magic Book 1
Diversity: Big family, step parents and a trans cousin (male to female), Black MC and main/side characters, Trans (female to male) love interest, Not skinny MC (she has big hips and butt), Pronouns used and normalized, Hispanic love interest, LGBT+ characters, Demiromantic character
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, LGBT+, fantasy, witchcraft, sci-fi, urban fantasy
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 496
Recommended Age: 15+ (Discussion of slavery, Gore, Violence, Language, Alcohol mentioned, Discrimination, Microaggressions, Mentions of police brutality, Media protrayal of Black people as violent)
Explanation of CWs: Slavery and the trauma of it in the family is discussed. Damn is the only curse I saw used. Alcohol is mentioned in the context of the adults drink and one of the teens tries to sneak some, at a family function the MC had some shandy, and the MC drinks rum to watch a very gorey scene. Police brutality a thing of the past and officers now from convicted, but still happens. This is very brief in the book. Media protrayal of Black people as violent is still happening and is frowned upon by MC and by the tone of the book in general.
Synopsis: After years of waiting for her Calling—a trial every witch must pass in order to come into their powers—the one thing Voya Thomas didn’t expect was to fail. When Voya’s ancestor gives her an unprecedented second chance to complete her Calling, she agrees—and then is horrified when her task is to kill her first love. And this time, failure means every Thomas witch will be stripped of their magic.
Voya is determined to save her family’s magic no matter the cost. The problem is, Voya has never been in love, so for her to succeed, she’ll first have to find the perfect guy—and fast. Fortunately, a genetic matchmaking program has just hit the market. Her plan is to join the program, fall in love, and complete her task before the deadline. What she doesn’t count on is being paired with the infuriating Luc—how can she fall in love with a guy who seemingly wants nothing to do with her?
With mounting pressure from her family, Voya is caught between her morality and her duty to her bloodline. If she wants to save their heritage and Luc, she’ll have to find something her ancestor wants more than blood. And in witchcraft, blood is everything.
Review: Okay so in the running for my favorite book of 2021, no other book really stands a chance against this one now I think LOL. This book absolutely blew me away and it's so unique and phenomenal I cannot not rave about it. The book is like this weird love child of a Sci-Fi mixed with techno mixed with murder mystery elements and witchcraft. And it works! I really love all of the characters and there is so much diversity in this book. All the characters, even down at the miniscule small ones are so well developed. The world building is absolutely amazing. The plot, though a little complex, immediately draws you in and refuses to let you leave. And the pacing is very consistent throughout the book. And bonus points because the cover is in like one of my favorite colors LOL. And I also want to talk about how the main character, who is painted to be in that "not like other girls" trope in the beginning is totally not like that at the end of the book and the book does really well to show that that character comes into their own. I also want to highly commend the book for involving periods as a coming of age rituals and making the male characters also experience a version of this lol. I have to say that this was one of the most unique books I have read in a long time and I am stoked to see the other books in the series and where this author goes from here because this author is going to be someone that you want to keep on your radar.
The only little bit of criticism that I had in this book is that there was a lot going on, especially in the beginning, and it forced me to slow down in my reading. But I think that was completely intentional by the author and while my brain was rushing to memorize a lot of facts, I love how the author wrote the book.
Verdict: Absolutely amazing and I highly recommend!
Book: Blood Like Magic
Author: Liselle Sambury
Book Series: Blood Like Magic Book 1
Diversity: Big family, step parents and a trans cousin (male to female), Black MC and main/side characters, Trans (female to male) love interest, Not skinny MC (she has big hips and butt), Pronouns used and normalized, Hispanic love interest, LGBT+ characters, Demiromantic character
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, LGBT+, fantasy, witchcraft, sci-fi, urban fantasy
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 496
Recommended Age: 15+ (Discussion of slavery, Gore, Violence, Language, Alcohol mentioned, Discrimination, Microaggressions, Mentions of police brutality, Media protrayal of Black people as violent)
Explanation of CWs: Slavery and the trauma of it in the family is discussed. Damn is the only curse I saw used. Alcohol is mentioned in the context of the adults drink and one of the teens tries to sneak some, at a family function the MC had some shandy, and the MC drinks rum to watch a very gorey scene. Police brutality a thing of the past and officers now from convicted, but still happens. This is very brief in the book. Media protrayal of Black people as violent is still happening and is frowned upon by MC and by the tone of the book in general.
Synopsis: After years of waiting for her Calling—a trial every witch must pass in order to come into their powers—the one thing Voya Thomas didn’t expect was to fail. When Voya’s ancestor gives her an unprecedented second chance to complete her Calling, she agrees—and then is horrified when her task is to kill her first love. And this time, failure means every Thomas witch will be stripped of their magic.
Voya is determined to save her family’s magic no matter the cost. The problem is, Voya has never been in love, so for her to succeed, she’ll first have to find the perfect guy—and fast. Fortunately, a genetic matchmaking program has just hit the market. Her plan is to join the program, fall in love, and complete her task before the deadline. What she doesn’t count on is being paired with the infuriating Luc—how can she fall in love with a guy who seemingly wants nothing to do with her?
With mounting pressure from her family, Voya is caught between her morality and her duty to her bloodline. If she wants to save their heritage and Luc, she’ll have to find something her ancestor wants more than blood. And in witchcraft, blood is everything.
Review: Okay so in the running for my favorite book of 2021, no other book really stands a chance against this one now I think LOL. This book absolutely blew me away and it's so unique and phenomenal I cannot not rave about it. The book is like this weird love child of a Sci-Fi mixed with techno mixed with murder mystery elements and witchcraft. And it works! I really love all of the characters and there is so much diversity in this book. All the characters, even down at the miniscule small ones are so well developed. The world building is absolutely amazing. The plot, though a little complex, immediately draws you in and refuses to let you leave. And the pacing is very consistent throughout the book. And bonus points because the cover is in like one of my favorite colors LOL. And I also want to talk about how the main character, who is painted to be in that "not like other girls" trope in the beginning is totally not like that at the end of the book and the book does really well to show that that character comes into their own. I also want to highly commend the book for involving periods as a coming of age rituals and making the male characters also experience a version of this lol. I have to say that this was one of the most unique books I have read in a long time and I am stoked to see the other books in the series and where this author goes from here because this author is going to be someone that you want to keep on your radar.
The only little bit of criticism that I had in this book is that there was a lot going on, especially in the beginning, and it forced me to slow down in my reading. But I think that was completely intentional by the author and while my brain was rushing to memorize a lot of facts, I love how the author wrote the book.
Verdict: Absolutely amazing and I highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Season of Sinister Dreams
Author: Tracy Banghart
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: found family, romance, fantasy, YA readers
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: June 22, 2021
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 402
Recommended Age: 14+ (Death, Implications of sex, Violence, Gore, Grief)
Explanation of CWs: Death - before and during book and includes parental and sibling death
Implication of Sex - one of the MCs sleeps with another character and wakes up in bed with him
Synopsis: Annalise may be cousin to the prince, but her past isn’t what she claims, and she possesses a magic so powerful it takes all her strength to control it. Evra is a country girl, and has watched as each friend and family member came into their own magic, while hers remains dormant. But everything changes after Annalise loses control of herself and Evra begins experiencing the debilitating visions of a once-in-a-generation clairvoyant meant to serve the crown.
Thrown together at court, Evra and Annalise find that they have the same goal: to protect their kingdom from the powerful men who are slowly destroying it. But neither is quick to trust the other — Evra’s visions suggest a threat to royal rule, and Annalise worries that her darkest secrets will be revealed. Their magic at odds, the young women circle each other, until the truth must come out.
Review: For the most part I thought that this was an okay book. I like the characters, Evra was my favorite. I thought that, while they could have been a bit more developed especially some of the side characters, that the author did pretty good at developing them. I also have to give praise to the author who wrote a surprise villain into the story. I thought that it was weird that the character was wrote like a villain, until it turned out she was lol. I also really like the plot of this book and I hope to see a sequel to it in the future.
However, there were a lot of things that I really didn't like about this book. The book took a bit for me to get into for Annalise's side because I was not able to really connect with her character. I also found the magic system to not be explained whatsoever and the World building overall was not well developed whatsoever. One of the most important parts of the book, where a character is turned into some sort of beast, is very poorly written in my opinion. It took me so long to figure out what happened to that character and then it took me even longer to get some sort of details as to what the character had been turned into AKA what kind of beast. I also found the romance was too speedy and too "first look" cliche.
Verdict: It was a good idea but needs more development.
Book: A Season of Sinister Dreams
Author: Tracy Banghart
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: found family, romance, fantasy, YA readers
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: June 22, 2021
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 402
Recommended Age: 14+ (Death, Implications of sex, Violence, Gore, Grief)
Explanation of CWs: Death - before and during book and includes parental and sibling death
Implication of Sex - one of the MCs sleeps with another character and wakes up in bed with him
Synopsis: Annalise may be cousin to the prince, but her past isn’t what she claims, and she possesses a magic so powerful it takes all her strength to control it. Evra is a country girl, and has watched as each friend and family member came into their own magic, while hers remains dormant. But everything changes after Annalise loses control of herself and Evra begins experiencing the debilitating visions of a once-in-a-generation clairvoyant meant to serve the crown.
Thrown together at court, Evra and Annalise find that they have the same goal: to protect their kingdom from the powerful men who are slowly destroying it. But neither is quick to trust the other — Evra’s visions suggest a threat to royal rule, and Annalise worries that her darkest secrets will be revealed. Their magic at odds, the young women circle each other, until the truth must come out.
Review: For the most part I thought that this was an okay book. I like the characters, Evra was my favorite. I thought that, while they could have been a bit more developed especially some of the side characters, that the author did pretty good at developing them. I also have to give praise to the author who wrote a surprise villain into the story. I thought that it was weird that the character was wrote like a villain, until it turned out she was lol. I also really like the plot of this book and I hope to see a sequel to it in the future.
However, there were a lot of things that I really didn't like about this book. The book took a bit for me to get into for Annalise's side because I was not able to really connect with her character. I also found the magic system to not be explained whatsoever and the World building overall was not well developed whatsoever. One of the most important parts of the book, where a character is turned into some sort of beast, is very poorly written in my opinion. It took me so long to figure out what happened to that character and then it took me even longer to get some sort of details as to what the character had been turned into AKA what kind of beast. I also found the romance was too speedy and too "first look" cliche.
Verdict: It was a good idea but needs more development.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Warsaw Orphan
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Jewish MC, Adopted MC
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, young adult books, world war 2
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Publisher: Grayson House
Pages: 416
Recommended Age: 17+ (Starvation, Antisemitism, Mentions of rape/sexual assault, Rape TW, Pregnancy, Violence, Gore, Death)
Synopsis: In the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.
Using Sara's credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.
From Nazi occupation to the threat of a communist regime, The Warsaw Orphan is the unforgettable story of Elzbieta and Roman's perilous attempt to reclaim the love and life they once knew.
Review: For the most part I really enjoyed this book. I really like the time period that this book is set in so it's usually really easy to please me, but I really like the focus of the book. I like how the book is duel POV and we got to see a fictionalized story of the movement to save the Jewish children and the fictionalized account of people who survived the ghettos and were able to tell the story and collect the history from that time. I also felt like the book had really well developed characters for the most part and that the world building was pretty well done.
However, I do have some critiques about the book. There is a part towards the end where Emilia's character has something drastic happened to her and it entirely changes her character. If about 30% left in the book I don't think that the offer did well to redevelop Emilia's character after that event. I also didn't agree with the direction that the book went, because while I do know that a lot of women were forced to do what Emilia had to do at the end of the book, there were also alternatives that the character could have done and at the character seemed to want to do and I'm saddened that those weren't even brought up as an alternative even though those methods have existed for centuries before this time period even begins. I also didn't like that the book didn't have an epilogue, I really felt that that was stolen for me as a reader because I felt so invested in these two characters. There was a plot point in the first part of the book that, towards the end was resolved but was never mentioned how it was resolved and it just leaves the reader with lots of questions. And lastly I felt like the plot was really solid until about 30% away from the end of the book, and then it became a bit of a jumbled mess. I think that the last 30% of the book could have been better in a separate book, maybe a sequel. But the book had a nice flow with the first plot point and then it was so rushed in the second plot point that it felt way too rushed for me as a reader and I didn't connect with the story as I was in the beginning.
Verdict: It was good but it lacked at the end for me.
Book: The Warsaw Orphan
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Jewish MC, Adopted MC
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, young adult books, world war 2
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Publisher: Grayson House
Pages: 416
Recommended Age: 17+ (Starvation, Antisemitism, Mentions of rape/sexual assault, Rape TW, Pregnancy, Violence, Gore, Death)
Synopsis: In the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.
Using Sara's credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.
From Nazi occupation to the threat of a communist regime, The Warsaw Orphan is the unforgettable story of Elzbieta and Roman's perilous attempt to reclaim the love and life they once knew.
Review: For the most part I really enjoyed this book. I really like the time period that this book is set in so it's usually really easy to please me, but I really like the focus of the book. I like how the book is duel POV and we got to see a fictionalized story of the movement to save the Jewish children and the fictionalized account of people who survived the ghettos and were able to tell the story and collect the history from that time. I also felt like the book had really well developed characters for the most part and that the world building was pretty well done.
However, I do have some critiques about the book. There is a part towards the end where Emilia's character has something drastic happened to her and it entirely changes her character. If about 30% left in the book I don't think that the offer did well to redevelop Emilia's character after that event. I also didn't agree with the direction that the book went, because while I do know that a lot of women were forced to do what Emilia had to do at the end of the book, there were also alternatives that the character could have done and at the character seemed to want to do and I'm saddened that those weren't even brought up as an alternative even though those methods have existed for centuries before this time period even begins. I also didn't like that the book didn't have an epilogue, I really felt that that was stolen for me as a reader because I felt so invested in these two characters. There was a plot point in the first part of the book that, towards the end was resolved but was never mentioned how it was resolved and it just leaves the reader with lots of questions. And lastly I felt like the plot was really solid until about 30% away from the end of the book, and then it became a bit of a jumbled mess. I think that the last 30% of the book could have been better in a separate book, maybe a sequel. But the book had a nice flow with the first plot point and then it was so rushed in the second plot point that it felt way too rushed for me as a reader and I didn't connect with the story as I was in the beginning.
Verdict: It was good but it lacked at the end for me.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Spells Trouble
Author: P.C. and Kristen Cast
Book Series: Sisters of Salam Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, witches
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (Alcohol usage, Sex scene, Language, Violence, Gore)
Synopsis: Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.
When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.
Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good.
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. It did well with the world building and that prologue was absolutely amazing. I also felt like the plot, as far as the prologue and what's advertised on the back, was a good promise.
However, this book is a mess. The book definitely doesn't know where it's going and the plot is all over the place. If I had a book with just Sarah Goode I'd be in love because the prologue was amazing. The rest of it? Mediocre at best. The world building was non-existent, the characters were strangers, and I felt so confused by some of the random stuff thrown into this book, like a sex scene in the middle for... Laughs? The teen rating? I don't know for sure.
Verdict: It wasn't for me and there's better witch books.
Book: Spells Trouble
Author: P.C. and Kristen Cast
Book Series: Sisters of Salam Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, witches
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (Alcohol usage, Sex scene, Language, Violence, Gore)
Synopsis: Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.
When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.
Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good.
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. It did well with the world building and that prologue was absolutely amazing. I also felt like the plot, as far as the prologue and what's advertised on the back, was a good promise.
However, this book is a mess. The book definitely doesn't know where it's going and the plot is all over the place. If I had a book with just Sarah Goode I'd be in love because the prologue was amazing. The rest of it? Mediocre at best. The world building was non-existent, the characters were strangers, and I felt so confused by some of the random stuff thrown into this book, like a sex scene in the middle for... Laughs? The teen rating? I don't know for sure.
Verdict: It wasn't for me and there's better witch books.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Witch King
Author: H.E. Edgmon
Book Series: The Witch King Book 1
Diversity: Trans MC ownvoices
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, fae
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 16+ (Deadnaming, Panic attacks, Dissociation, Violence, Gore, Drugs usage, Misgendering, Transphobia, Child abuse, PTSD, Murder, Death, Sexual assault, Fantasy racism, Sexual content)
Synopsis: In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.
Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.
Review: Overall, I liked the concept of this book and I liked how the character, who is very angry and a little off-putting at the beginning, quickly comes and warms your heart and makes you want to comfort him. The book did excellent developing the characters and did very well on the world building. I really liked this fae take and thought it better suited me than some other fae books. I also love all of the diversity and how the book discusses systematic oppression, colonialism, and power imbalance.
My only criticisms of the book are that the pacing can be a bit wonky in the book, slow and fast parts, and that the book takes awhile to get into. I'd say about 30-50 pages in is where you should be hooked if this is your type of book.
Verdict: It's great and I need more!
Book: The Witch King
Author: H.E. Edgmon
Book Series: The Witch King Book 1
Diversity: Trans MC ownvoices
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, fae
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 16+ (Deadnaming, Panic attacks, Dissociation, Violence, Gore, Drugs usage, Misgendering, Transphobia, Child abuse, PTSD, Murder, Death, Sexual assault, Fantasy racism, Sexual content)
Synopsis: In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.
Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.
Review: Overall, I liked the concept of this book and I liked how the character, who is very angry and a little off-putting at the beginning, quickly comes and warms your heart and makes you want to comfort him. The book did excellent developing the characters and did very well on the world building. I really liked this fae take and thought it better suited me than some other fae books. I also love all of the diversity and how the book discusses systematic oppression, colonialism, and power imbalance.
My only criticisms of the book are that the pacing can be a bit wonky in the book, slow and fast parts, and that the book takes awhile to get into. I'd say about 30-50 pages in is where you should be hooked if this is your type of book.
Verdict: It's great and I need more!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Second Review:
Disclaimer: I bought this book for this reread! Support your authors! All opinions are my own!
Book: Ember of Night
Author: Molly E. Lee
Book Series: Ember of Night Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, urban fantasy, angels, demons
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (Language, Violence, Child abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Romance, Panic attacks, Religion slightly, Illusions to self harm, Illusions to attempted sexual assault)
Explanation of CWs: There are curse words used throughout the book. Child abuse is shown, as is lots of violence and gore. Suicidal thoughts are mentioned. There is some sexual content, but most of the romance is fade to black. Mentions of panic attacks and one episode of it. Religion is the backbone of this book, but isn’t brought up a lot. The way things are described in the book gives it the appearance of self-harm and attempted sexual assault, but they aren’t (but can be read that way by others).
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 386
Synopsis: I’ve never been a stranger to the darkness. But when darkness comes knocking and looks that good, who wouldn’t invite him in?
Draven is mysterious, evasive, and hot as sin. The only thing more infuriating than how much he won’t say is how obnoxious he is every time he does open his mouth. But when a group of strangers attacks me and he fights back, causing them to vanish into a cloud of black dust, I know Draven is more than he seems.
He finally shows me there’s a veil separating the world I know from a world of demons living all around us. Turns out, good and evil are just words. Some of the demons don’t fall into either category. And I’m realizing just how easily I fit in among the ancient warlocks, the divine soldiers, and the twisted supernaturals...
There’s so much more to me. To my past. And to what I am truly capable of than I ever thought possible. So when all signs point to me having the ability to unleash Hell on earth? I’ll have to decide if I want to do the world a solid and save it, or give it one hell of a makeover.
Review: I really loved my reread of this book! I had more fun with it the second time than I did the first and I loved a lot of the little things that I didn’t see the first time I read through it. The triggers of this book are in the front of the book and I loved that. The book is realistic to family issues and with court (a lot of things that most authors miss in their contemporary books! Like it’s kidnapping if you take your sibling and any court would side eye you for that!). I enjoyed the character development and world building. The book also did well with the plot and it kept me going.
The only issue I had with this reread is that the pacing lagged in the middle of the book, but it picked back up again towards the end. I also still have issue with the book using the age difference it did for the main couple. It gives me a creeper vibe.
Verdict: It was good!
First review:
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ember of Night
Author: Molly E. Lee
Book Series: Ember of Night Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, paranormal, fantasy, romance, demons
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 400
Recommended Age: 16+ (Violence, Physical child abuse, Sexual content, Language, Gore, Suicidal ideation, Alcoholism)
Synopsis: I am a weed.
Unloved by my abusive, alcoholic dad. Unwanted by my classmates. Unnoticed by everyone else.
But I’d suffer anything to give my kid sister a better life—the minute I turn eighteen, I’m getting us the hell out of here. And some hot stranger telling me I am the key to stopping a war between Heaven and Hell isn’t going to change that.
Let the world crumble and burn, for all I care.
Draven is relentless, though. And very much a liar. Every time his sexy lips are moving, I can see it—in the dip of his head, the grit of his jaw—even if my heart begs me to ignore the signs.
So what does he want?
I need to figure it out fast, because now everyone is gunning for me. And damn if I don’t want to show them what happens when you let weeds thrive in the cracks of the pavement…
We can grow powerful enough to shatter the whole foundation.
Review: For the most part this was an okay book. The book was fairly unique and I liked the plot of it. The book also did well pacing wise and for the most part is was fairly evenly paced and very few bits were slower.
However, I have significant problems with this book. I don't think a book should be dependent on the blurb to help the reader know what's going on, but the book just jumps into the story and it almost expects the reader have some sort of backstory info. The book, especially the beginning, was highly confusing and I felt like the character development was lacking in all of the characters. I also thought the world building was lacking as well.
Verdict: It's good just romance heavy and not well drafted.
Disclaimer: I bought this book for this reread! Support your authors! All opinions are my own!
Book: Ember of Night
Author: Molly E. Lee
Book Series: Ember of Night Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, urban fantasy, angels, demons
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (Language, Violence, Child abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Romance, Panic attacks, Religion slightly, Illusions to self harm, Illusions to attempted sexual assault)
Explanation of CWs: There are curse words used throughout the book. Child abuse is shown, as is lots of violence and gore. Suicidal thoughts are mentioned. There is some sexual content, but most of the romance is fade to black. Mentions of panic attacks and one episode of it. Religion is the backbone of this book, but isn’t brought up a lot. The way things are described in the book gives it the appearance of self-harm and attempted sexual assault, but they aren’t (but can be read that way by others).
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 386
Synopsis: I’ve never been a stranger to the darkness. But when darkness comes knocking and looks that good, who wouldn’t invite him in?
Draven is mysterious, evasive, and hot as sin. The only thing more infuriating than how much he won’t say is how obnoxious he is every time he does open his mouth. But when a group of strangers attacks me and he fights back, causing them to vanish into a cloud of black dust, I know Draven is more than he seems.
He finally shows me there’s a veil separating the world I know from a world of demons living all around us. Turns out, good and evil are just words. Some of the demons don’t fall into either category. And I’m realizing just how easily I fit in among the ancient warlocks, the divine soldiers, and the twisted supernaturals...
There’s so much more to me. To my past. And to what I am truly capable of than I ever thought possible. So when all signs point to me having the ability to unleash Hell on earth? I’ll have to decide if I want to do the world a solid and save it, or give it one hell of a makeover.
Review: I really loved my reread of this book! I had more fun with it the second time than I did the first and I loved a lot of the little things that I didn’t see the first time I read through it. The triggers of this book are in the front of the book and I loved that. The book is realistic to family issues and with court (a lot of things that most authors miss in their contemporary books! Like it’s kidnapping if you take your sibling and any court would side eye you for that!). I enjoyed the character development and world building. The book also did well with the plot and it kept me going.
The only issue I had with this reread is that the pacing lagged in the middle of the book, but it picked back up again towards the end. I also still have issue with the book using the age difference it did for the main couple. It gives me a creeper vibe.
Verdict: It was good!
First review:
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ember of Night
Author: Molly E. Lee
Book Series: Ember of Night Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, paranormal, fantasy, romance, demons
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 400
Recommended Age: 16+ (Violence, Physical child abuse, Sexual content, Language, Gore, Suicidal ideation, Alcoholism)
Synopsis: I am a weed.
Unloved by my abusive, alcoholic dad. Unwanted by my classmates. Unnoticed by everyone else.
But I’d suffer anything to give my kid sister a better life—the minute I turn eighteen, I’m getting us the hell out of here. And some hot stranger telling me I am the key to stopping a war between Heaven and Hell isn’t going to change that.
Let the world crumble and burn, for all I care.
Draven is relentless, though. And very much a liar. Every time his sexy lips are moving, I can see it—in the dip of his head, the grit of his jaw—even if my heart begs me to ignore the signs.
So what does he want?
I need to figure it out fast, because now everyone is gunning for me. And damn if I don’t want to show them what happens when you let weeds thrive in the cracks of the pavement…
We can grow powerful enough to shatter the whole foundation.
Review: For the most part this was an okay book. The book was fairly unique and I liked the plot of it. The book also did well pacing wise and for the most part is was fairly evenly paced and very few bits were slower.
However, I have significant problems with this book. I don't think a book should be dependent on the blurb to help the reader know what's going on, but the book just jumps into the story and it almost expects the reader have some sort of backstory info. The book, especially the beginning, was highly confusing and I felt like the character development was lacking in all of the characters. I also thought the world building was lacking as well.
Verdict: It's good just romance heavy and not well drafted.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Spark to Shadow
Author: Atima Kim
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Thai own voice
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, Thai culture and own voice, sex positive z gender reversed
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 468
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, consent, purity culture, xenophobia, sex positive, and gender norms)
Synopsis: 1Long ago, the covens of the east made a pact to bring peace to the continent. To unite the clans and create a new era of witches, starting with the next generation of matrons. Fang is the first witch of her generation to reach her debut, as the next matron of her coven she has the unique honor of being the first one to fulfill the pact. For the first time in centuries, a Miangese witch will take a foreign consort. Luckily, Fang already has someone in mind. Taken in by the Sun coven in the mountain kingdom of Anda, Fang is more than happy to entertain the alluring young lords of the ruby clan as they compete to win her affections, not knowing her choice has already been made. Or so she thought. Until a chance encounter brings to light the existence of something Fang previously thought to be quite rare, a male witch. The meeting of this young shadow witch— a boy who Fang now owes a debt— starts a chain of events that will make Fang question everything she thought she knew about her Andan allies. In an effort to help him escape his oppressors, Fang and the shadow witch discover a dark presence that is slowly poisoning the innocent citizens of mortal Anda, and a dangerous weapon that could threaten the very peace of the pact that Fang is bound to uphold. As she, her friends, and her new shadow witch companion work to fight against these looming forces, Fang's feelings towards her own choices slowly start to shift. She must decide what is more important to her, who she wants by her side, and most of all- what she's willing to give up in order to be the leader her people need.
Review: I really liked this book! It's own voice, it's gender reversed, and it's so good! The book had me hooked at the beginning and the world building kept me there. The characters were also highly developed and I loved the overall story!
My only concern is that some of the pacing lags a bit in the middle but overall I loved it.
Verdict: highly recommend!
Book: Spark to Shadow
Author: Atima Kim
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Thai own voice
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, fantasy, Thai culture and own voice, sex positive z gender reversed
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 468
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, consent, purity culture, xenophobia, sex positive, and gender norms)
Synopsis: 1Long ago, the covens of the east made a pact to bring peace to the continent. To unite the clans and create a new era of witches, starting with the next generation of matrons. Fang is the first witch of her generation to reach her debut, as the next matron of her coven she has the unique honor of being the first one to fulfill the pact. For the first time in centuries, a Miangese witch will take a foreign consort. Luckily, Fang already has someone in mind. Taken in by the Sun coven in the mountain kingdom of Anda, Fang is more than happy to entertain the alluring young lords of the ruby clan as they compete to win her affections, not knowing her choice has already been made. Or so she thought. Until a chance encounter brings to light the existence of something Fang previously thought to be quite rare, a male witch. The meeting of this young shadow witch— a boy who Fang now owes a debt— starts a chain of events that will make Fang question everything she thought she knew about her Andan allies. In an effort to help him escape his oppressors, Fang and the shadow witch discover a dark presence that is slowly poisoning the innocent citizens of mortal Anda, and a dangerous weapon that could threaten the very peace of the pact that Fang is bound to uphold. As she, her friends, and her new shadow witch companion work to fight against these looming forces, Fang's feelings towards her own choices slowly start to shift. She must decide what is more important to her, who she wants by her side, and most of all- what she's willing to give up in order to be the leader her people need.
Review: I really liked this book! It's own voice, it's gender reversed, and it's so good! The book had me hooked at the beginning and the world building kept me there. The characters were also highly developed and I loved the overall story!
My only concern is that some of the pacing lags a bit in the middle but overall I loved it.
Verdict: highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: 10 Truths and a Dare
Author: Ashley Elston
Book Series: Companion to 10 Blind Dates
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: YA readers, contemporary, romance
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 13+ (romance)
Synopsis: It's Senior Week, that magical in-between time after classes have ended but before graduation, chock-full of gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn't be more ready. Class salutatorian and confident in her future at LSU, she's poised to sail through to the next phase of her life.
But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating at all, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family. Volunteering to help at a local golf tournament should do it, but since Olivia's mom equipped her phone with a tracking app, there'll be no hiding the fact that she's at the golf course instead of all the graduation parties happening at the same time. Unless, that is, she can convince the Fab Four--her ride-or-die cousins and best friends Sophie, Charlie, and Wes--to trade phones with her as they go through the motions of playing Olivia for the week.
Sure, certain members of the golf team are none too pleased with Olivia's sudden "passion" for the game. And sure, a very cute, very off-limits boy keeps popping up in Olivia's orbit. But she is focused! She has a schedule and a plan! Nothing can possibly go wrong . . . right?
Review: So, I'm not gonna lie. I'm horrible at actually reading a blurb and just getting books based on authors, if I see it on bookstagram, or if the cover just looks pretty. So when I started this book I thought that there were a lot of things that were very familiar about it, and it took me until about 65 pages in to realize that this is a companion to one of my favorite contemporary books: 10 Blind Dates. So after I realized that it made me love the book so much more LOL. For clarification you do not have to read 10 blind dates before you read 10 truths and a dare, but the contexts helps a lot LOL. I really loved the continued character development and I loved how this character was set up. I also thought that the pacing was very well done and the plot kept me hooked throughout the book. I even thought that the third act climax was very well done because it circled back to the first act climax LOL.
The only thing that I didn't really like about this book is that the World building is very dependent on 10 blind dates. So if you choose to read this book before reading 10 blind dates then there will be a little confusion on that part.
Verdict: I loved it so much.
Book: 10 Truths and a Dare
Author: Ashley Elston
Book Series: Companion to 10 Blind Dates
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: YA readers, contemporary, romance
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 13+ (romance)
Synopsis: It's Senior Week, that magical in-between time after classes have ended but before graduation, chock-full of gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn't be more ready. Class salutatorian and confident in her future at LSU, she's poised to sail through to the next phase of her life.
But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating at all, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family. Volunteering to help at a local golf tournament should do it, but since Olivia's mom equipped her phone with a tracking app, there'll be no hiding the fact that she's at the golf course instead of all the graduation parties happening at the same time. Unless, that is, she can convince the Fab Four--her ride-or-die cousins and best friends Sophie, Charlie, and Wes--to trade phones with her as they go through the motions of playing Olivia for the week.
Sure, certain members of the golf team are none too pleased with Olivia's sudden "passion" for the game. And sure, a very cute, very off-limits boy keeps popping up in Olivia's orbit. But she is focused! She has a schedule and a plan! Nothing can possibly go wrong . . . right?
Review: So, I'm not gonna lie. I'm horrible at actually reading a blurb and just getting books based on authors, if I see it on bookstagram, or if the cover just looks pretty. So when I started this book I thought that there were a lot of things that were very familiar about it, and it took me until about 65 pages in to realize that this is a companion to one of my favorite contemporary books: 10 Blind Dates. So after I realized that it made me love the book so much more LOL. For clarification you do not have to read 10 blind dates before you read 10 truths and a dare, but the contexts helps a lot LOL. I really loved the continued character development and I loved how this character was set up. I also thought that the pacing was very well done and the plot kept me hooked throughout the book. I even thought that the third act climax was very well done because it circled back to the first act climax LOL.
The only thing that I didn't really like about this book is that the World building is very dependent on 10 blind dates. So if you choose to read this book before reading 10 blind dates then there will be a little confusion on that part.
Verdict: I loved it so much.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Technopaladin: Clarity’s Edge
Author: Elizabeth Corrigan
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For…: sci-fi fans, ya readers
Publication Date: May 17, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, death, grief, kidnapping)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 193
Synopsis: Clarity’s paladin order forbids her from entering the Azure District, the one location in her high tech city that refuses paladin rule and technology. When she receives an illicit invitation to violate the prohibition, spurred on by rumors of suffering in the district, she passes through the crumbling brick entryway into no-man’s land. Within, she finds the residents lack not only the ocular implants and three dimensional computers she takes for granted, but also medicine to fight a disease infecting the children.
Clarity knows her order isn’t perfect—after all, they stole her from her parents when she was a small child to raise her with their values—but she cannot believe they know what’s going on in the Azure District. When she confronts the head of the order, he refuses to aid people who have rejected his help in the past, even the children. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Clarity enlists the help of the leader’s son Cass and takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate both to cure the children and keep her place in the order that is her only home, Clarity engages in increasingly questionable behavior—deleting official records, lying to her friends, and manipulating people who can help her. As the nefarious nature of her actions tarnishes the purity of her cause, she must determine what it truly means to be a paladin, in both name and action.
Review: For the most part I thought this was a well done book. The book had a strong overall plot and the pacing was fairly well done. I really liked the world the author thought up as well and it was developed well.
The only issue I had with the book is that the character development was not as strong as I would have liked it. It just felt like they were flat for the most part.
Verdict: It’s good, just needs a little work on the characters.
Book: Technopaladin: Clarity’s Edge
Author: Elizabeth Corrigan
Book Series: Standalone for now
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For…: sci-fi fans, ya readers
Publication Date: May 17, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, death, grief, kidnapping)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 193
Synopsis: Clarity’s paladin order forbids her from entering the Azure District, the one location in her high tech city that refuses paladin rule and technology. When she receives an illicit invitation to violate the prohibition, spurred on by rumors of suffering in the district, she passes through the crumbling brick entryway into no-man’s land. Within, she finds the residents lack not only the ocular implants and three dimensional computers she takes for granted, but also medicine to fight a disease infecting the children.
Clarity knows her order isn’t perfect—after all, they stole her from her parents when she was a small child to raise her with their values—but she cannot believe they know what’s going on in the Azure District. When she confronts the head of the order, he refuses to aid people who have rejected his help in the past, even the children. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Clarity enlists the help of the leader’s son Cass and takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate both to cure the children and keep her place in the order that is her only home, Clarity engages in increasingly questionable behavior—deleting official records, lying to her friends, and manipulating people who can help her. As the nefarious nature of her actions tarnishes the purity of her cause, she must determine what it truly means to be a paladin, in both name and action.
Review: For the most part I thought this was a well done book. The book had a strong overall plot and the pacing was fairly well done. I really liked the world the author thought up as well and it was developed well.
The only issue I had with the book is that the character development was not as strong as I would have liked it. It just felt like they were flat for the most part.
Verdict: It’s good, just needs a little work on the characters.
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Strong like the Sea
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Native Hawaiians and some culture
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Mg readers, Mystery
Genre: MG Mystery
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 8+ (Some scary moments, Puzzles)
Synopsis: Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won’t surf or swim with her friends—not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom’s latest challenge
Alex’s mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a “treasure” at the end. It’s a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom’s puzzles—especially the tricky ones—but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.
Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom’s challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.
Review: For the most part I loved this cute middle grade novel. It was full of puzzles and I loved the adventure. The characters were all well developed and the world building was well done. I also liked the plot and thought it was a great read for littlies and oldies.
My only criticism of the book is that the pacing does slow down in the middle and it's a little rough getting through that section, but overall I highly enjoyed it.
Verdict: It was adorable!
Book: Strong like the Sea
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Native Hawaiians and some culture
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Mg readers, Mystery
Genre: MG Mystery
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 8+ (Some scary moments, Puzzles)
Synopsis: Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won’t surf or swim with her friends—not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom’s latest challenge
Alex’s mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a “treasure” at the end. It’s a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom’s puzzles—especially the tricky ones—but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.
Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom’s challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.
Review: For the most part I loved this cute middle grade novel. It was full of puzzles and I loved the adventure. The characters were all well developed and the world building was well done. I also liked the plot and thought it was a great read for littlies and oldies.
My only criticism of the book is that the pacing does slow down in the middle and it's a little rough getting through that section, but overall I highly enjoyed it.
Verdict: It was adorable!