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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ricochet
Author: Katheryn Berla
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: North Star Editions
Pages: 328
Recommended Age: 16+ (some violence, science stuff)
Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Tati sends a saliva sample to a DNA ancestry testing site her results come back inconclusive. What’s wrong with her DNA? And what does it have to do with her unexplained seizures and the beckoning tunnel she sees during them?
What Tati discovers is more than she could have ever imagined possible. Parallel universes exist and her abnormal DNA compels and condemns Tati and her other selves—shy Ana—privileged Tatyana—and on-the-run Tanya, to a lifetime of ricocheting between their parallel lives in the multiverse.
With knowledge of their existence a deadly threat in every universe, the only chance all four have to survive is to work together to take down the scientist responsible: their father.
Review: I really like the premise of this book and I thought the characters were well developed and the world building was well done as well.
However, this book is confusing and the ending doesn't make sense to me. It was also slow and overall I had to downgrade my rating because of the ending.
Verdict: It wasn't for me.
Book: Ricochet
Author: Katheryn Berla
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: North Star Editions
Pages: 328
Recommended Age: 16+ (some violence, science stuff)
Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Tati sends a saliva sample to a DNA ancestry testing site her results come back inconclusive. What’s wrong with her DNA? And what does it have to do with her unexplained seizures and the beckoning tunnel she sees during them?
What Tati discovers is more than she could have ever imagined possible. Parallel universes exist and her abnormal DNA compels and condemns Tati and her other selves—shy Ana—privileged Tatyana—and on-the-run Tanya, to a lifetime of ricocheting between their parallel lives in the multiverse.
With knowledge of their existence a deadly threat in every universe, the only chance all four have to survive is to work together to take down the scientist responsible: their father.
Review: I really like the premise of this book and I thought the characters were well developed and the world building was well done as well.
However, this book is confusing and the ending doesn't make sense to me. It was also slow and overall I had to downgrade my rating because of the ending.
Verdict: It wasn't for me.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Boneless Mercies
Author: April Genevieve Tuckolke
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 384
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence and gore)
Synopsis: A dark standalone YA fantasy about a band of mercenary girls in search of female glory.
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.
When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The plot was interesting and the writing was amazing. It was a fairly good Beowulf retelling.
However, I did think that the characters weren't well developed in this book and the world building was lacking. The fighting was also really simplistic and I wish the book challenged it's characters.
Verdict: A decent retelling.
Book: The Boneless Mercies
Author: April Genevieve Tuckolke
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 384
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence and gore)
Synopsis: A dark standalone YA fantasy about a band of mercenary girls in search of female glory.
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.
When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The plot was interesting and the writing was amazing. It was a fairly good Beowulf retelling.
However, I did think that the characters weren't well developed in this book and the world building was lacking. The fighting was also really simplistic and I wish the book challenged it's characters.
Verdict: A decent retelling.
Disclaimer: I bought this book in an owlcrate box! Support your authors!
Book: Crier's War
Author: Nina Varela
Book Series: Crier's War Book 1
Diversity: F/F main romance!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Pages: 449
Recommended Age: 15+ (gore, violence, some mature content mentioned, and romance)
Synopsis: After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will.
Now Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death…by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
Crier was Made to be beautiful, flawless, and to carry on her father’s legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla.
Now, with growing human unrest across the land, pressures from a foreign queen, and an evil new leader on the rise, Crier and Ayla find there may be only one path to love: war.
Review: I absolutely loved this book!! The characters were well developed, the plot was intriguing from start to finish, the writing was absolute perfection, and the pacing was on point! I had so many feels reading this book and I can't wait for the next one!
The only downside is the cliffhanger ending!! I need more!
Verdict: A must read!
Book: Crier's War
Author: Nina Varela
Book Series: Crier's War Book 1
Diversity: F/F main romance!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Pages: 449
Recommended Age: 15+ (gore, violence, some mature content mentioned, and romance)
Synopsis: After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will.
Now Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death…by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
Crier was Made to be beautiful, flawless, and to carry on her father’s legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla.
Now, with growing human unrest across the land, pressures from a foreign queen, and an evil new leader on the rise, Crier and Ayla find there may be only one path to love: war.
Review: I absolutely loved this book!! The characters were well developed, the plot was intriguing from start to finish, the writing was absolute perfection, and the pacing was on point! I had so many feels reading this book and I can't wait for the next one!
The only downside is the cliffhanger ending!! I need more!
Verdict: A must read!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Shadows Between Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature content regarding sex, TW rape mentioned, murder, violence, gore)
Synopsis: Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.
But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
Review: Holy cow this book was absolutely amazing!!! I loved this book so much and it was the perfect book for my once Slytherin heart. The characters were well developed, the writing was impeccable, and the plot was intriguing! Definitely recommend this one!
The only downside is that there's a lot of characters and in my haste to get more Alessandra, I got lost in the names. They're also all unique name so it gets hard to follow sometimes.
Verdict: Definitely recommend. Read now!
Book: The Shadows Between Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 16+ (mature content regarding sex, TW rape mentioned, murder, violence, gore)
Synopsis: Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.
But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
Review: Holy cow this book was absolutely amazing!!! I loved this book so much and it was the perfect book for my once Slytherin heart. The characters were well developed, the writing was impeccable, and the plot was intriguing! Definitely recommend this one!
The only downside is that there's a lot of characters and in my haste to get more Alessandra, I got lost in the names. They're also all unique name so it gets hard to follow sometimes.
Verdict: Definitely recommend. Read now!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The First I Do
Author: Sarah N. Ham
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Publication Date: September 15, 2019
Publisher: indie published
Pages: 188
Recommended Age: 14+ (marriage and promises made)
Synopsis: The First I Do - September 15th, 2001 seemingly fit the category of an uneventful day for Maybelle Lloyd and Michael Hawkins, but unbeknownst to them, it was one of the most important days of their lives.
Thirteen years later, the two teenagers are met with the shocking discovery that on that day, they promised before God to be wed till death do they part! Who in their right mind would allow a pair of toddlers to wed? Yet, when they learn it was done with the intent to just be ceremonial for Michael’s terminally ill mother, it begins to click. Somehow, it was legally recognized, and now, the two teens are met with the question, do they honor the promise they made as children, or do they annul it?
Review: This was such a sweet read. The writing was absolutely so sweet and the characters adorable. Absolutely a book you want to read when you're feeling bad.
My only issue is that there wasn't much plot wise, but it was a solid, mild romance novel for those who prefer books that aren't graphic or who prefer "clean" (I hate that term) reads.
Verdict: A sweet book
Book: The First I Do
Author: Sarah N. Ham
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Publication Date: September 15, 2019
Publisher: indie published
Pages: 188
Recommended Age: 14+ (marriage and promises made)
Synopsis: The First I Do - September 15th, 2001 seemingly fit the category of an uneventful day for Maybelle Lloyd and Michael Hawkins, but unbeknownst to them, it was one of the most important days of their lives.
Thirteen years later, the two teenagers are met with the shocking discovery that on that day, they promised before God to be wed till death do they part! Who in their right mind would allow a pair of toddlers to wed? Yet, when they learn it was done with the intent to just be ceremonial for Michael’s terminally ill mother, it begins to click. Somehow, it was legally recognized, and now, the two teens are met with the question, do they honor the promise they made as children, or do they annul it?
Review: This was such a sweet read. The writing was absolutely so sweet and the characters adorable. Absolutely a book you want to read when you're feeling bad.
My only issue is that there wasn't much plot wise, but it was a solid, mild romance novel for those who prefer books that aren't graphic or who prefer "clean" (I hate that term) reads.
Verdict: A sweet book
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book during a book festival. Thanks @yatllive and @harpercollins! All opinions are my own.
Book: When You Ask Me Where I'm Going
Author: Jasmin Kaur
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 256
Recommended Age: 17+ (TW mental health, TW sexual assault, some violence, some mature content)
Synopsis: scream
so that one day
a hundred years from now
another sister will not have to
dry her tears wondering
where in history
she lost her voice
The six sections of the book explore what it means to be a young woman living in a world that doesn’t always hear her and tell the story of Kiran as she flees a history of trauma and raises her daughter, Sahaara, while living undocumented in North America.
Delving into current cultural conversations including sexual assault, mental health, feminism, and immigration, this narrative of resilience, healing, empowerment, and love will galvanize readers to fight for what is right in their world.
Review: See, this is why I'm angry. There are books like this where the author touches beautifully on social issues like sexual assault, mental health, immigration, etc. And they don't get the notarity. It's only those who want to sensationalize it who get the fame, such as someone who's book is on Oprah's book choice recently. Anyways, this book was beautiful. It's broken into 6 sections that weave a gorgeous but painful tale through poetry.
My only issue with the book is that it can be really hard to read in some sections and, again, poetry isn't my forte.
Verdict: Overall? I definitely recommend this one.
Book: When You Ask Me Where I'm Going
Author: Jasmin Kaur
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 256
Recommended Age: 17+ (TW mental health, TW sexual assault, some violence, some mature content)
Synopsis: scream
so that one day
a hundred years from now
another sister will not have to
dry her tears wondering
where in history
she lost her voice
The six sections of the book explore what it means to be a young woman living in a world that doesn’t always hear her and tell the story of Kiran as she flees a history of trauma and raises her daughter, Sahaara, while living undocumented in North America.
Delving into current cultural conversations including sexual assault, mental health, feminism, and immigration, this narrative of resilience, healing, empowerment, and love will galvanize readers to fight for what is right in their world.
Review: See, this is why I'm angry. There are books like this where the author touches beautifully on social issues like sexual assault, mental health, immigration, etc. And they don't get the notarity. It's only those who want to sensationalize it who get the fame, such as someone who's book is on Oprah's book choice recently. Anyways, this book was beautiful. It's broken into 6 sections that weave a gorgeous but painful tale through poetry.
My only issue with the book is that it can be really hard to read in some sections and, again, poetry isn't my forte.
Verdict: Overall? I definitely recommend this one.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Diaciples of Trikhall
Author: Varun Sayal
Book Series: Prequel to Time Travelers Series
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Indie Published
Recommended Age: 17+ (time travel, death, violence)
Synopsis: His death was tied to a demon's...
...and his boon turned into a curse
Will he still sacrifice himself to save mankind?
Aru thought of Nemi as a friend, as a co-disciple who worshipped alongside him. But could he have been more wrong?
When they both received their boons from goddess of time, all Aru sought was knowledge of past and future. But Nemi had different plans.
While Aru was imprisoned, sedated and separated from his pregnant wife, Nemi time traveled through the ages, writing a gory tale of death and destruction. His latest journey targeted the last survivors of the human race.
Aru could either escape the talons of the demon or stay and save the world. But the price of doing the right thing was too high.
You will love this prequel sci-fi fantasy story because it's a time travel tale with a twist.
Get it now.
Review: I thought this was a well done sci-fi short story. The characters were well done, the plot was intriguing, and the writing was great!
However, I did feel like the pacing was really fast and that the book could have been better if slowed down and developed the world building and characters a bit more.
Verdict: Overall, a well done sci-fi.
Book: The Diaciples of Trikhall
Author: Varun Sayal
Book Series: Prequel to Time Travelers Series
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Indie Published
Recommended Age: 17+ (time travel, death, violence)
Synopsis: His death was tied to a demon's...
...and his boon turned into a curse
Will he still sacrifice himself to save mankind?
Aru thought of Nemi as a friend, as a co-disciple who worshipped alongside him. But could he have been more wrong?
When they both received their boons from goddess of time, all Aru sought was knowledge of past and future. But Nemi had different plans.
While Aru was imprisoned, sedated and separated from his pregnant wife, Nemi time traveled through the ages, writing a gory tale of death and destruction. His latest journey targeted the last survivors of the human race.
Aru could either escape the talons of the demon or stay and save the world. But the price of doing the right thing was too high.
You will love this prequel sci-fi fantasy story because it's a time travel tale with a twist.
Get it now.
Review: I thought this was a well done sci-fi short story. The characters were well done, the plot was intriguing, and the writing was great!
However, I did feel like the pacing was really fast and that the book could have been better if slowed down and developed the world building and characters a bit more.
Verdict: Overall, a well done sci-fi.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Odriels Heir
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Book Series: Odriels Heirs Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: February 23, 2020
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 197
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, some mature scenes)
Synopsis: The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon's Rage....
As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancer’s undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her family’s farm.
But when the necromancer’s undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle.
With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see.
And time is running out.
Review: For the most part this is a great fantasy. The story is intriguing, the world building is fantastic, and the writing was well done.
However, the character development lacked a bit for me. The main character wasn't very likable and while that can be done amazingly in some book I felt it lacked in this one.
Verdict: An excellent fantasy read!
Book: Odriels Heir
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Book Series: Odriels Heirs Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: February 23, 2020
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 197
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, some mature scenes)
Synopsis: The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon's Rage....
As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancer’s undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her family’s farm.
But when the necromancer’s undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle.
With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see.
And time is running out.
Review: For the most part this is a great fantasy. The story is intriguing, the world building is fantastic, and the writing was well done.
However, the character development lacked a bit for me. The main character wasn't very likable and while that can be done amazingly in some book I felt it lacked in this one.
Verdict: An excellent fantasy read!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Killer Domes and the Chosen One
Author: Gibbo Gibbs
Book Series: Standalone so far
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: July 5, 2019
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 138
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence and weird humor and mature scenes)
Synopsis: As the old world burned, the elite departed to colonise space in search of a new home. Most of the human species perished on earth's surface, but a protected few remained. Many generations passed without question, but now suspicions are starting to rise.
Follow the story of Maz and her best friend Hap, as a chance encounter with a stranger lures them into a mission to decide the future of humankind.
Review: I felt that this book had an interesting premise and the book was intriguing from start to finish. The world was also well done for a novella.
However, I felt like the book had very underdeveloped characters and the writing is kinda funky. It tries to be quirky but in my opinion it's kinda forced and weird.
Verdict: It's a good novella, just wasn't for me.
Book: Killer Domes and the Chosen One
Author: Gibbo Gibbs
Book Series: Standalone so far
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: July 5, 2019
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 138
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence and weird humor and mature scenes)
Synopsis: As the old world burned, the elite departed to colonise space in search of a new home. Most of the human species perished on earth's surface, but a protected few remained. Many generations passed without question, but now suspicions are starting to rise.
Follow the story of Maz and her best friend Hap, as a chance encounter with a stranger lures them into a mission to decide the future of humankind.
Review: I felt that this book had an interesting premise and the book was intriguing from start to finish. The world was also well done for a novella.
However, I felt like the book had very underdeveloped characters and the writing is kinda funky. It tries to be quirky but in my opinion it's kinda forced and weird.
Verdict: It's a good novella, just wasn't for me.
Disclaimer: I bought this book. Support your authors!
Book: Ashlords
Author: Scott Reintgen
Book Series: Untitled Duology
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: January 21, 2020
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 368
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, horse death)
Synopsis: Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they've raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.
Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That's all legal and encouraged.
In this year's Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest--a champion's daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary's son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?
Review: For the most part I enjoyed this book. The character development was great and the story was intriguing from start to finish.
However, there are some issues with this book. The book kinda jumps into this world with very little world building. The whole of this world is a mystery and it's hard to comprehend it at times. The book could have been better, more fleshed out. It could have been less jumpy and less chaotic as well. The tense in this book is also an issue. Pippas chapters are mostly in the "you" tense except for a few instances here and there while the other chapters are in "I" tense. It's confusing and I'm not sure why the tense is like that.
Verdict: it's a great book but could have used more refining.
Book: Ashlords
Author: Scott Reintgen
Book Series: Untitled Duology
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: January 21, 2020
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 368
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, horse death)
Synopsis: Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they've raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.
Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That's all legal and encouraged.
In this year's Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest--a champion's daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary's son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?
Review: For the most part I enjoyed this book. The character development was great and the story was intriguing from start to finish.
However, there are some issues with this book. The book kinda jumps into this world with very little world building. The whole of this world is a mystery and it's hard to comprehend it at times. The book could have been better, more fleshed out. It could have been less jumpy and less chaotic as well. The tense in this book is also an issue. Pippas chapters are mostly in the "you" tense except for a few instances here and there while the other chapters are in "I" tense. It's confusing and I'm not sure why the tense is like that.
Verdict: it's a great book but could have used more refining.