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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this copy from NetGalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: The Age of Darkness Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, povs out the yingyang, and dark themes)
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: The Age of Darkness approaches.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it... or unleash it?
For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.
All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:
A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.
One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer?
Review: Okay this is a behemoth of a book for multiple reasons. The book is loaded with information and that makes the story very interesting. The characters are all well developed and the worldbuilding is gorgeous.
However, that info dump was a lot on me and the five different povs was just a tad overwhelming for me. The book is great but I just got overwhelmed.
Verdict: A decent book and I think the series will be amazing.
Book Series: The Age of Darkness Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, povs out the yingyang, and dark themes)
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: The Age of Darkness approaches.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it... or unleash it?
For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.
All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:
A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.
One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer?
Review: Okay this is a behemoth of a book for multiple reasons. The book is loaded with information and that makes the story very interesting. The characters are all well developed and the worldbuilding is gorgeous.
However, that info dump was a lot on me and the five different povs was just a tad overwhelming for me. The book is great but I just got overwhelmed.
Verdict: A decent book and I think the series will be amazing.
Disclaimer: I received this copy from NetGalley and then bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Seafire Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, slight romance, and pirates in futuristic quasi-waterworld!)
Publisher: Razorbill
Synopsis: After her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to chart her own course on the dangerous and deadly seas. She captains her ship, the Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, who have lost their families and homes because of Aric and his men. The crew has one mission: stay alive, and take down Aric's armed and armored fleet.
But when Caledonia's best friend and second-in-command barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all . . . or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for?
Review: Holy cow this book was amazing! I loved the story, the characters were well done, the story was engaging and not reliant on the romance at all, and the book featured a ton of very tough and powerful women!
However, I do feel like the book could have advertised that the setting was like techno punk futuristic quasi-Waterworld because then I would have read it faster lol.
Verdict: Read this now!
Book Series: Seafire Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, slight romance, and pirates in futuristic quasi-waterworld!)
Publisher: Razorbill
Synopsis: After her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to chart her own course on the dangerous and deadly seas. She captains her ship, the Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, who have lost their families and homes because of Aric and his men. The crew has one mission: stay alive, and take down Aric's armed and armored fleet.
But when Caledonia's best friend and second-in-command barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all . . . or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for?
Review: Holy cow this book was amazing! I loved the story, the characters were well done, the story was engaging and not reliant on the romance at all, and the book featured a ton of very tough and powerful women!
However, I do feel like the book could have advertised that the setting was like techno punk futuristic quasi-Waterworld because then I would have read it faster lol.
Verdict: Read this now!
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy but then got a copy on Netgalley. Yay me! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: August 20, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (self-identity)
Publisher: Delacorte
Synopsis: Who is Nevaeh Levitz?
Growing up in an affluent suburb of New York City, sixteen-year-old Nevaeh Levitz never thought much about her biracial roots. When her Black mom and Jewish dad split up, she relocates to her mom's family home in Harlem and is forced to confront her identity for the first time.
Nevaeh wants to get to know her extended family, but one of her cousins can't stand that Nevaeh, who inadvertently passes as white, is too privileged, pampered, and selfish to relate to the injustices they face on a daily basis as African Americans. In the midst of attempting to blend their families, Nevaeh's dad decides that she should have a belated bat mitzvah instead of a sweet sixteen, which guarantees social humiliation at her posh private school. Even with the push and pull of her two cultures, Nevaeh does what she's always done when life gets complicated: she stays silent.
It's only when Nevaeh stumbles upon a secret from her mom's past, finds herself falling in love, and sees firsthand the prejudice her family faces that she begins to realize she has a voice. And she has choices. Will she continue to let circumstances dictate her path? Or will she find power in herself and decide once and for all who and where she is meant to be?
Review; I thought this was a very lyrical and poetic book. The book kind of just sings to you and I loved how the book was mostly about the author's own and I liked how the characters were written dependent of each other.
However, it did feel like this book didn't really have an overall plot, but it was still amazing.
Verdict: Read this now!
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: August 20, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (self-identity)
Publisher: Delacorte
Synopsis: Who is Nevaeh Levitz?
Growing up in an affluent suburb of New York City, sixteen-year-old Nevaeh Levitz never thought much about her biracial roots. When her Black mom and Jewish dad split up, she relocates to her mom's family home in Harlem and is forced to confront her identity for the first time.
Nevaeh wants to get to know her extended family, but one of her cousins can't stand that Nevaeh, who inadvertently passes as white, is too privileged, pampered, and selfish to relate to the injustices they face on a daily basis as African Americans. In the midst of attempting to blend their families, Nevaeh's dad decides that she should have a belated bat mitzvah instead of a sweet sixteen, which guarantees social humiliation at her posh private school. Even with the push and pull of her two cultures, Nevaeh does what she's always done when life gets complicated: she stays silent.
It's only when Nevaeh stumbles upon a secret from her mom's past, finds herself falling in love, and sees firsthand the prejudice her family faces that she begins to realize she has a voice. And she has choices. Will she continue to let circumstances dictate her path? Or will she find power in herself and decide once and for all who and where she is meant to be?
Review; I thought this was a very lyrical and poetic book. The book kind of just sings to you and I loved how the book was mostly about the author's own and I liked how the characters were written dependent of each other.
However, it did feel like this book didn't really have an overall plot, but it was still amazing.
Verdict: Read this now!
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy but then got a copy on Netgalley. Yay me! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (suicide TW, dark themes, and violence)
Publisher: Clarion Books
Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates, Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his noblemen.
Review: I thought this book was.... Not for me. The book did have some good points, the nature scenes were gorgeous and the survival techniques were pretty spot on from what I know.
However, that's where the good points ended for me. For the most part I was bored with this book and i fell asleep like 4 times reading it. The pace is so slow it was agonizing. There was suicide in the book. While there's nothing wrong with that, it was just badly written and I can see where this can be harmful for some. It was very insensitive in my opinion. The writing is not well done. It reads like it would be for younger kids but it doesn't deal with dark topics well at all. Telling rather than showing the character development. Lastly the book just wasn't a robin hood retelling. The book told me about some thieving, but some of it was for personal gain and in my opinion the best part of robin hood is how he evades the law, so why avoid that?
Verdict: Not my thing.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (suicide TW, dark themes, and violence)
Publisher: Clarion Books
Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Sylvie’s brother takes over management of their family’s vast estates, Sylvie feels powerless to stop his abuse of the local commoners. Her dearest friend asks her to run away to the woods with him, and soon a host of other villagers join them. Together, they form their own community and fight to right the wrongs perpetrated by the king and his noblemen.
Review: I thought this book was.... Not for me. The book did have some good points, the nature scenes were gorgeous and the survival techniques were pretty spot on from what I know.
However, that's where the good points ended for me. For the most part I was bored with this book and i fell asleep like 4 times reading it. The pace is so slow it was agonizing. There was suicide in the book. While there's nothing wrong with that, it was just badly written and I can see where this can be harmful for some. It was very insensitive in my opinion. The writing is not well done. It reads like it would be for younger kids but it doesn't deal with dark topics well at all. Telling rather than showing the character development. Lastly the book just wasn't a robin hood retelling. The book told me about some thieving, but some of it was for personal gain and in my opinion the best part of robin hood is how he evades the law, so why avoid that?
Verdict: Not my thing.
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy. Yay me! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Cursebreakers Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, romance, suicide/self harm TW)
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Synopsis: Fall in love, break the curse.
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she's pulled into a magical world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
Review: Holy cow this was an amazing adventure! I loved the writing, it just flowed so beautifully, and the world building. The characters were well developed and the story was interesting through the whole thing. The book almost doesn't read as a retelling and I think that's it's biggest strength.
The only downside was I have to wait until January 2020 for book 2....
Verdict: Best book of 2019 for me!
Book Series: Cursebreakers Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, romance, suicide/self harm TW)
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Synopsis: Fall in love, break the curse.
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she's pulled into a magical world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
Review: Holy cow this was an amazing adventure! I loved the writing, it just flowed so beautifully, and the world building. The characters were well developed and the story was interesting through the whole thing. The book almost doesn't read as a retelling and I think that's it's biggest strength.
The only downside was I have to wait until January 2020 for book 2....
Verdict: Best book of 2019 for me!
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy times 3 and had a Netgalley arc. Yay me! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 6, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some violence, some gore, some slight sexual content, romance, and death of young girls)
Publisher: Delacorte
Synopsis: In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.
Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.
Review: Oh my god, this book was AMAZING. The story and writing just drew me in immediately. The writing was almost poetic in how it told the story. The characters were all well developed and kudos to the author for making each girl have a distinct personality. The book was also dark and mysterious and it was a great read overall!
However, I do have some lingering questions about the book that I feel should be addressed. Sequel? Side-story?
Verdict: One of the best books of 2019!
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: August 6, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some violence, some gore, some slight sexual content, romance, and death of young girls)
Publisher: Delacorte
Synopsis: In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.
Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.
Review: Oh my god, this book was AMAZING. The story and writing just drew me in immediately. The writing was almost poetic in how it told the story. The characters were all well developed and kudos to the author for making each girl have a distinct personality. The book was also dark and mysterious and it was a great read overall!
However, I do have some lingering questions about the book that I feel should be addressed. Sequel? Side-story?
Verdict: One of the best books of 2019!
Disclaimer: I received this book from netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Author: Amelie Wen Zhao
Book Series: Bloor Heir Trilogy Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: November 19, 2019
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, hate, and prejudice/racism portrayed through magic in the book)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Synopsis: In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls.
When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew. Corruption rules the land, and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of her world. And there is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to its core: Ramson Quicktongue.
A cunning crime lord of the Cyrilian underworld, Ramson has sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.
Review: I’m really happy that the author decided to move forward with publishing this book and I’ve seen a lot of similar sentiments around as well. I think the book is pretty decent. I loved the character development and the pacing of the book was well done. It had a very even pace and I felt that works well for most readers. I also think the writing is amazing and you can tell the author poured her all into this work. I liked that the book also discussed racism and prejudice via the affinities. I do have the version that came before the author made some revisions so I will be buying the finished copy one day to compare/contrast on my own, but from what I see I liked it.
My only complaints were that the book was a bit heavy on the Anastasia story. I think the book could have been better if we weren’t constantly reminded of her tragic backstory/this is an Anastasia retelling, but I also think that this story didn’t need to use an Anastasia foundation to make it magnificient. I’m all for retellings and I think retellings are the modern version of a campfire story that gets passed down generation to generation by word of mouth, but I think this story was strong enough to stand in its own category, not that of Anastasia. I also didn’t like the POVs through Ransom, but that was just me and my feelings. I skimmed his sections and read Ana’s, which I don’t think impacted the story at all for me.
Verdict: Definitely worthy of a read, whether you’re for or against it.
Author: Amelie Wen Zhao
Book Series: Bloor Heir Trilogy Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: November 19, 2019
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, hate, and prejudice/racism portrayed through magic in the book)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Synopsis: In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls.
When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew. Corruption rules the land, and a greater conspiracy is at work—one that threatens the very balance of her world. And there is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to its core: Ramson Quicktongue.
A cunning crime lord of the Cyrilian underworld, Ramson has sinister plans—though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.
Review: I’m really happy that the author decided to move forward with publishing this book and I’ve seen a lot of similar sentiments around as well. I think the book is pretty decent. I loved the character development and the pacing of the book was well done. It had a very even pace and I felt that works well for most readers. I also think the writing is amazing and you can tell the author poured her all into this work. I liked that the book also discussed racism and prejudice via the affinities. I do have the version that came before the author made some revisions so I will be buying the finished copy one day to compare/contrast on my own, but from what I see I liked it.
My only complaints were that the book was a bit heavy on the Anastasia story. I think the book could have been better if we weren’t constantly reminded of her tragic backstory/this is an Anastasia retelling, but I also think that this story didn’t need to use an Anastasia foundation to make it magnificient. I’m all for retellings and I think retellings are the modern version of a campfire story that gets passed down generation to generation by word of mouth, but I think this story was strong enough to stand in its own category, not that of Anastasia. I also didn’t like the POVs through Ransom, but that was just me and my feelings. I skimmed his sections and read Ana’s, which I don’t think impacted the story at all for me.
Verdict: Definitely worthy of a read, whether you’re for or against it.
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Support your authors!
Author: Kim Chance
Book Series: Keeper Duology
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Recommended Age: 14+ (witchcraft and wizardry… wait that’s that other series, romance, violence)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Flux Books
Synopsis: When a 200-year-old witch attacks her, sixteen-year-old bookworm Lainey Styles is determined to find a logical explanation. Even with the impossible staring her in the face, Lainey refuses to believe it—until she finds a photograph linking the witch to her dead mother.
After consulting a psychic, Lainey discovers that she, like her mother, is a Keeper: a witch with the exclusive ability to unlock and wield the Grimoire, a dangerous but powerful spell book. But there’s a problem. The Grimoire has been stolen by a malevolent warlock who is desperate for a spell locked inside it—a spell that would allow him to siphon away the world’s magic.
With the help of her comic-book-loving best friend and an enigmatic but admittedly handsome street fighter, Lainey must leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book.
Review: I thought this was a pretty good book. The pacing was great, the story was unique for the most part, and the writing was decent.
However, I do feel that the book was way too cliché for me. The side characters aren’t totally developed and the main character is your typical YA girl. The magic in the world wasn’t really explained and sometimes stuff happened that was really mind boggling. The relationship really irked me too.
Verdict: It was decent and definitely for you if you like the cliché ya fantasy.
Author: Kim Chance
Book Series: Keeper Duology
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Recommended Age: 14+ (witchcraft and wizardry… wait that’s that other series, romance, violence)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Flux Books
Synopsis: When a 200-year-old witch attacks her, sixteen-year-old bookworm Lainey Styles is determined to find a logical explanation. Even with the impossible staring her in the face, Lainey refuses to believe it—until she finds a photograph linking the witch to her dead mother.
After consulting a psychic, Lainey discovers that she, like her mother, is a Keeper: a witch with the exclusive ability to unlock and wield the Grimoire, a dangerous but powerful spell book. But there’s a problem. The Grimoire has been stolen by a malevolent warlock who is desperate for a spell locked inside it—a spell that would allow him to siphon away the world’s magic.
With the help of her comic-book-loving best friend and an enigmatic but admittedly handsome street fighter, Lainey must leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book.
Review: I thought this was a pretty good book. The pacing was great, the story was unique for the most part, and the writing was decent.
However, I do feel that the book was way too cliché for me. The side characters aren’t totally developed and the main character is your typical YA girl. The magic in the world wasn’t really explained and sometimes stuff happened that was really mind boggling. The relationship really irked me too.
Verdict: It was decent and definitely for you if you like the cliché ya fantasy.
Disclaimer: I received this copy from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Author: Kim Chance
Book Series: Keeper Duology Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
Recommended Age: 14+ (Bella makes really poor… wait different book, violence, magic, love)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Flux Books
Synopsis: Lainey’s normal, bookworm life no longer exists. With her family murdered by the Master, she joins forces with a group of Supernatural rebels. But as she struggles to cope with her new role as Keeper and the uncontrollable power it gives her, Lainey realizes that magic does indeed leave a mark—but it’s not always physical.
Ty isn’t one of the good guys. He’s done terrible things, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. Even if it hurts. Even if it means betraying the girl he loves…again.
For Maggie, all her comic book dreams have come true, and her new life as a Shifter is just beginning. But with war closing in, is it truly a dream or a death sentence?
In the ultimate battle for power, Lainey, Ty, and Maggie must face-off against the Master, and work together to discover the greatest weapon of all.
Seek and you will find.
Review: For the most part the second book was enjoyable. The writing was great, the main character was much more developed, and the pacing was on point. The book was an enjoyable read and it would even be considered a guilty pleasure read.
But again, it’s another cliché romance. I can definitely tell by the cover it’s targeted to a specific audience and the book definitely hit the high points for the audience. The world building wasn’t there enough for me and I feel that the romance was too focal in the story than what it needed to be. I also felt like the comic references were a bit too much for me. There were so many. So. Many.
Verdict: It’s a decent read and if you like the paranormal romance books this is your series!
Author: Kim Chance
Book Series: Keeper Duology Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
Recommended Age: 14+ (Bella makes really poor… wait different book, violence, magic, love)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Flux Books
Synopsis: Lainey’s normal, bookworm life no longer exists. With her family murdered by the Master, she joins forces with a group of Supernatural rebels. But as she struggles to cope with her new role as Keeper and the uncontrollable power it gives her, Lainey realizes that magic does indeed leave a mark—but it’s not always physical.
Ty isn’t one of the good guys. He’s done terrible things, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. Even if it hurts. Even if it means betraying the girl he loves…again.
For Maggie, all her comic book dreams have come true, and her new life as a Shifter is just beginning. But with war closing in, is it truly a dream or a death sentence?
In the ultimate battle for power, Lainey, Ty, and Maggie must face-off against the Master, and work together to discover the greatest weapon of all.
Seek and you will find.
Review: For the most part the second book was enjoyable. The writing was great, the main character was much more developed, and the pacing was on point. The book was an enjoyable read and it would even be considered a guilty pleasure read.
But again, it’s another cliché romance. I can definitely tell by the cover it’s targeted to a specific audience and the book definitely hit the high points for the audience. The world building wasn’t there enough for me and I feel that the romance was too focal in the story than what it needed to be. I also felt like the comic references were a bit too much for me. There were so many. So. Many.
Verdict: It’s a decent read and if you like the paranormal romance books this is your series!
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Heck ya! Support your authors!
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Book Series: The Blood of Stars Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: July 9, 2019
Diversity: Steeped in Chinese culture!
Recommended Age: 15+ (sewing lol, some violence, some slight gore, some magic)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Review: For the most part I thought this book was so magical and amazing! I loved the spin on the classic Mulan tale and I loved how it was part Project Runway too! I felt that the book was well written, the story was intriguing, the characters well developed, and the world development within the first part of the book was fantastic.
However, I did have some issues with the book. I felt like these were two totally different books with the same characters. The plot of the first half finished so well and so cleanly, but then the plot of the second book was a bit of a mess. The romance felt a bit rushed for me and honestly Edan gave me some creeper vibes. The magic of this book also went a bit haywire in the second half of the book. I think the second book will clean things up but it was a bit of a weird turn from the first part of the book to the second part of the book.
Verdict: An enjoyable book!
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Book Series: The Blood of Stars Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: July 9, 2019
Diversity: Steeped in Chinese culture!
Recommended Age: 15+ (sewing lol, some violence, some slight gore, some magic)
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Synopsis: Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Review: For the most part I thought this book was so magical and amazing! I loved the spin on the classic Mulan tale and I loved how it was part Project Runway too! I felt that the book was well written, the story was intriguing, the characters well developed, and the world development within the first part of the book was fantastic.
However, I did have some issues with the book. I felt like these were two totally different books with the same characters. The plot of the first half finished so well and so cleanly, but then the plot of the second book was a bit of a mess. The romance felt a bit rushed for me and honestly Edan gave me some creeper vibes. The magic of this book also went a bit haywire in the second half of the book. I think the second book will clean things up but it was a bit of a weird turn from the first part of the book to the second part of the book.
Verdict: An enjoyable book!