Rating: 2/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, death, confusion, historical inaccuracies, plot holes, and weak writing).

Pages: 336

Author Website

Amazon Link

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother―a noted scriptologist―constantly alters and expands their reality.
But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology―and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.
In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created―and only she can stop it.

I am really disappointed in this book. I like steampunk and I liked what I heard about this book, so I was really hyped to read it. But avast, it was not so. The story is great and the use of the Oxford comma in the title was a plus for me. But sadly, that’s where the fun times end.

This book is really hard to get into. Not counting the fact that the e-arc had a lot of issues with how it was displayed (random chopped up words and random spaces in words) this book was really boring for me. The book was confusing from the get go and I read at least every other chapter twice because of how confused I was. There are numerous plot holes in this book and when you think about it, this world doesn’t make any sense and neither does the main characters actions. The book had little character development and the world building was missing. This book needs world building and it’s just not there. It also took a bit for me to figure out the time period this book was set in. Also, some of the book takes place in Sardinia but there’s no mention of the native, main language. The point of a steampunk novel is to have modern day inventions with a twist, but there’s none of that for a lot of the items like flamethrowers for instance. The core drive of a steampunk is to be a technophobes dream, but this book had little technology building to it (which I don’t include on every review, but for a steampunk I believe it’s important).

Verdict: It was a skip for me for several reasons, but if you’re looking for a Last Magician esque book then by all means please read this one. This book did not do it for me sadly.

Rating: 3/5

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Dystopian

Recommended Age: 14+ (some violence, slight sexual content)

Pages: 368

Author Website

Amazon Link

I purchased my own copy of this book, but I do represent Blaze Publishing. My opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Maia Graystone lives in a world of fear. Trapped inside the hellish pit below Rhine prison with psychopaths and murderers, she spends every second worrying about the brother she left behind, knowing that if the other inmates don't kill her first, the asteroid hurtling toward the earth definitely will.

When a mysterious benefactor rescues her from prison and offers her a spot in the Shadow Trials, she jumps at the chance to receive a coveted place for her and her brother on the space station in the stars. Things get complicated when she's paired with Riser, a dark soul harboring his own reasons for wanting the Emperor dead. With the asteroid days away, the Trials looming, and her brother's fate hanging in the balance, she discovers the only thing more dangerous than the Emperor's court is her conflicted heart.

A bit of sci-fi and dystopian on my weekend? Heck yea! I love this common combo between the two genres and I wasn’t that disappointed in this read. It was beautifully written and the world building was awesome. The character development was also really good and all in all I thought it was a decent read.

However, there were some things that bugged me about this book. There are numerous plot holes in this book that aren’t explained at all and the plot points seemed to be one in the same. This made the book really boring to read and I actually fell asleep during part of this read. The pacing was also really slow for me and I didn’t like how the book seemed to mainly focus on the romance. The draw of the overall story kept me going, but it was a wrestle for me to get through some of the book.

Verdict: It’s a decent read and if you like this genre you’ll surely enjoy this book.

Rating: 3/5

Genre: YA sci-fi/dystopian

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore)

Pages: 305

Author Website

Amazon Link

I received a copy of this book for free courtesy of Blaze Publishing. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Terrorist. Rebel. Traitor. One rash decision during the Shadow Trials led to unspeakable horrors that left innocents dead, friends injured and hunted by the Empire, and Maia Graystone imprisoned in the Tower at the Archduchess’s mercy. Unsure if Riser Thornbrook survived, Maia must find a way to battle the Empire from within its own walls and escape so she can fulfill the promise to her father and stop the asteroid. But when she breaks free and joins Nicolai's Rebel army, she discovers she’s been branded a traitor. With war between the Rebels and the Empire looming, old alliances shifting, and suspicion hanging over her head, she must fight in the Rebel Blood Courts—and win command—to regain their trust. Only problem is, first she has defeat the reigning champion, someone she knows all too well. Will Maia’s emotions lead to her defeat, or will she rise up and claim her victory?

While the first book wasn’t my favorite beginning books for series, I did go ahead and read the sequel over the weekend while I could. And again, it was a decent read for me. I felt that the ending was decent and that the character development and world building was much better. The book was also much more action packed for my tastes.

However, the first part of the book is really really slow and boring for me. It took a lot for me to make it through that section. I’m still really confused on some of the aspects of the book and I also found that a lot of the book is forgettable.

Verdict: If you liked the first book, you’ll like this one. Just get through the first half of the book.

Rating: 5/5



Genre: YA Fantasy



Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, trigger warnings for those who have been victims of mass shootings. Please protect yourself before reading if you are triggered.)



Pages: 464



Author Website



Amazon Link



Synopsis: Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within.



I will admit that I love Romeo and Juliet. It’s always been my weak spot and I enjoy reading spin-offs of the story. One of my favorites is now This Savage Song. While not directly a Romeo and Juliet retelling, you can tell there are many borrowed references. The book, however, is nothing short of unique and wonderful in its own right. The character development is marvelous and the world building is as well. The plot kept me intrigued throughout the book and the pacing was marvelous for the book. And the best thing about this book is how the monsters are incorporated and created and how music is incorporated as well.



However, I just wish that this book had went more into the other cities and countries around Verity, but it looks like book 2 will do that so I’m excited! Definitely a must read for me!



Verdict: I just want to talk more about this book, but it’s something you should experience blind. Go into it. Don’t read anymore reviews. Experience it, feel it, and enjoy.

Rating: 4/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, language, sexual assault/mentions of rape)

Pages: 342

Author Website

Amazon Link

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley. Thanks! I also then went out and bought my own copy halfway through this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most--a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian's heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby--it's his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she's more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good--But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind's greatest enemy?

Under the sea
Under the sea
Darling it’s better
Down where it’s wetter
Take it from me
Up on the shore Elian sails away
From his kingdom he doesn’t want anyway
While Lira is stealin’
Princes hearts while beatin’
Under the sea!

Okay now that I got that out of my system, let’s start this review! If you couldn’t tell from the song I really liked this book! I felt the character development was well done for the main characters, the plot kept me intrigued, the pacing was well done, and I also felt that the book did a great job at re-doing the tale of The Little Mermaid. For a book that was marketed as a retelling, it was completely it’s own.

That being said, this wasn’t a direct retelling. If you’re looking for The Little Mermaid, this isn’t it. Lira is bloodthirsty and brutal. But the author does do a hilarious job at including several little stabs at The Little Mermaid. The book is duel POV between Lira and Elian, and the e-copy I had from Netgalley did not have chapter headings. When the POV would change it took me a bit to figure out that a different narrator had taken control. Fortunately, this was fixed in the final version of the book. The book had some plot holes concerning language and how easy it was for everyone to be multi-lingual and the book didn’t do a good job at world-building. At one point a character was introduced with a circus background from a kingdom the reader was not introduced to and then it was never mentioned ever again. Homeboy disappeared out of the book. We also didn’t get any real development or connection with the side characters even with how lovable they seemed.

Verdict: Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I loved the story. Although it’s a stand-alone it didn’t feel too short and it was a beautiful high seas adventure tale.

Rating: 2.5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (mentions of child molestation, language, sexual content)

Pages: 342

Author Website

Amazon Link

Disclaimer: I received this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: What if the worst thing isn't that they don't believe you? What if the worst thing is that they just don't care? Seventeen year-old Emily has accepted the truth of her past trauma and made peace with her battered egos. She's won the first battle...barely...but the war in her psyche still rages. The same day Mom is released from rehab and Emily finishes detox, Dad announces he's ready to be a family again, throwing Emily into panic. Determined to protect her younger brothers and sister from Dad, she gathers the strength to do the hardest thing she's ever done: speak her Secret. But it isn't enough. Nobody will intervene. Emily is more alone and helpless than ever. Her therapist suggests that the key to resolving her crises lies within the mysterious First Realm, where Emily has access to her Fae abilities and where she can find her Champion…the one person with enough power to end the destructive cycle of abuse and help Emily transform from victim to survivor. Desperate for guidance, Emily returns to the First Realm only to discover the Seven Kingdoms in total chaos. She has just a few days to find her Champion before Dad comes for her. Can she complete her task and return to the Second Realm in time to save her family, or will her dreaded premonition turn out to be true: that she is her own worst enemy?

We return to Emily after an exciting first book. Her story continues where we left off, but this time when she thinks things will go okay, they don’t. Things spiral again for our heroine, but will we see her rise from the ashes? Personally I thought the story was okay. The characters were expertly developed and the world building was wonderful. The author also has a natural talent for writing as it was simply amazing. I also have to praise the book again on discussing mental illness and having a somewhat realistic take on what PTSD and trauma can look like in a young girl’s brain.

However, I didn’t think this book was as good as the first book. The “real” story seemed really slow and the cliffhanger conclusion was disappointing. I didn’t feel like the story was connecting to me outside of First Realm. I also had issues with the “real” story. I’m pretty sure Emily’s detox center is in Nevada. If not please correct me. In Nevada the statue of limitations is 10 years for child sex cases according to their official website. They also have mandatory reporting laws in place in the state. The fact that Emily “couldn’t” report the case because it was “too old” should not have been an issue and her “counselor” Nancy should have reported the case to the police ASAP. Even if a case is “too old” the police will still investigate the case. I’ve worked in juvenile court systems and I know that if there is any inkling that a child is in danger of being placed with a parent who sexually abused them or abused them in any fashion then the police and CPS will step in to handle the situation and remove the children until a full investigation can be conducted with the children and within the home. Furthermore, which I failed to point out in the first review but have since looked into for this one, the father should not have been able to even drive to California from wherever he designated as his home because of his parole. He would have had to obtain a certificate of release from the supervision officer, should have obtained a job within the first few weeks of his parole, and he should have not been eligible to start his own business as he would have also had restitution he would have had to pay because of his offense of securities fraud. As a 17 year old I would have also suspected Emily of knowing about his parole status. She could have called his parole officer to tell him about the molestation and the father would have been charged with violation of parole. She could have also just informed the police herself since Nancy was not able to follow mandatory reporting laws. And if she was too afraid, she could have phoned an anonymous tip into CPS and reported through there. The workers would have responded and spoke to Emily where she could have made her allegations and then the children would have been taken out of the home. While the children might have been split up into foster homes I believe Emily would have preferred that over the possibility of them being in the home with a sexually deviant father. I know that stuff like what happened in the book happens in real life, but it’s very very rare. And for so many things to go wrong all at once? Not having one adult in the situation speak up? Not having the justice system work? That creates a very unlikely story.

Verdict: A good fantasy story, but an unbelievable realistic story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, death, child death, psychotic AIs, teenagers taking charge)

Pages: 615

Author Website (Amie Kaufman) (Jay Kristoff)

Amazon Link

Disclaimer: None, I bought this book on my own!

Synopsis: Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza--but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys--an old flame from Asha's past--reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.

I think this series will always hold a special place in my heart. I loved this series and I was so sad to see it end. But being the anxious beaver I was I had to read it ASAP. The story picks up from where we last left off in the series with our heroes and we have two new ones. I thought the story picked up from the last book right where we left off and that the characters blended well together. The character development of all 5 of our previous heroes was well done as well and the plot and the pacing kept the story interesting. I also thought the writing was well done as well, if really does sound like different voices talking instead of just 2. I think co-authoring works well with this book.

However, I did have an issue with Asha and Rhys. Asha, while developed, didn’t get much book time. Rhys wasn’t very well developed in my opinion and we didn’t really learn a lot about them. Their reunion and him deciding to help her out seemed really quick. The plot they came up with at the end of the book wasn’t also explained for the audience, which could make it confusing.

Verdict: An action-packed adventure with your favorite heroes, plus two new ones that don’t get as much book time as I would have liked. Great if you like throwbacks to the old IM chat books.

Rating: 2/5

Genre: YA Horror

Recommended Age: 13+ (jump scares and creepy)

Pages: 310

Author Website

Amazon Link

Disclaimer: None, I bought this book on my own!

Synopsis: For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline Dorm—formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start exploring Brookline's twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum's dark past. Because Brookline was no ordinary mental hospital, and there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

I like scary books sometimes and I’ve always heard Madeleine Roux wrote some really good ones. When I read House of Furies last year I wasn’t that impressed, but decided to trudge on with Asylum anyways. While I felt it was better, I still didn’t enjoy the book that much. I thought the world building was much better than House of Furies and the book has really creepy and cool illustrations, but for the most part I was disappointed.

I thought the storyline of haunted school was a bit overdone and this one didn’t strike me as anything unique. The pacing is a huge issue in the book. There’s action over 2-3 pages and then everything is normal again. The chapters are very weirdly done as they do nothing to help with the flow of the book. The character development was almost non-existent and the main character was very frustrating to me.

Verdict: If you can get past how choppy this book is, it’s a really good horror book .Otherwise it’s frustrating and tired.

Rating: 4.5/5



Genre: YA Contemporary



Recommended Age: 14+ (some sexual content, confrontational scenes, depression and anxiety, death)



Pages: 340



Author Website



Amazon Link


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from KidLitExchange and the publishing company. All opinions are my own.



Synopsis: Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.
 
But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. 
 
Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.
 
But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?



I thought this book was really touching and sweet, which would make it a perfect book to cry to. And honestly I did. I thought this book was amazingly well done. I loved the way the story was written with Spanish and English, some explained and some not. I loved the writing and how well the story flowed. The pacing and the plot was well done and the world building was as well. I also felt I learned a lot about the Mexican culture and I feel smarter for reading this book.



However, I do feel that the main character was way too confrontational. Although I could see where it works well for her character, it just made me not connect with her as much. I also had an issue with understanding why education was less important than family. I mean I can assume things, but I don’t want to. If any Mexican readers here could explain this to me I’d love to know why.



Verdict: Other than a couple of issues on my part, I feel this book was amazing and a book you should read if you’re looking for a diverse book on Mexican culture.

Rating: 3/5

Genre: YA Mystery/Romance

Recommended Age: 15+ (slight sexual content

Pages: 333

Author Website

Amazon Link

Disclaimer: I received this book for free courtesy of KidLitExchange and the publishing company in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Theo's always been impulsive. But telling Paige how he feels? He's obsessed over that decision. And it's time. Tonight. At the party on the riverbank, under the old walking bridge, site of so many tales of love and death.
Paige has had a crush on Theo since they first met, but she knows her feelings are one-sided. She's trying to move on, to flirt. A party at the river is just what she needs. Except a fight breaks out, and when Paige tries to intervene―Theo's fist lands in her face.
All Theo and Paige want to do is forget that fateful night. But strange events keep drawing them back to the bridge. Someone, something is determined to make them remember...and pay for what they each did.

Mystery and romance and a story about struggling with ADHD? Sounds like a great book, and for the most part this was. I thought this book had awesome character development and the plot was intriguing. The book discussed a variety of mental health issues and I really liked how it was woven in the book. I also felt the world building was pretty well done, except that I didn’t feel like it really belonged.

This book had a lot of stuff going on in it. I felt that the mystery element of the book didn’t really belong and it just made the story really confusing with all the different elements going on. The pacing felt off to me and I felt that the characters were too reliant on each other. Overall, this book just wasn’t for me.

Verdict: A YA Mystery/Romance book with amazing mental illness representation.