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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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 arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Knockout
Author: Sajni Patel
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Indian MC and characters, Filipina character, Hawaiian side character, Diabetes character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, muay thai, badass female characters
Publication Date: January 27, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, romance, sexual content, bullying, lesphobic comments, dieting, weight)
Explanation of CWs: The book focuses on a Muay Thai competitor, so there is violence and very slight gore in discussion with her fighting. There’s also some discussion on dieting and her weight in relation to her competing. The book also focuses on the main character’s romance, so there’s insta-love romance in the book and very slight sexual content. The book shows bullying, which is dealt with, and has a couple of lesphobic comments, which are also dealt with very quickly.
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 358
Synopsis: If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She’s landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport wasn’t seen as something too rough for girls, something she’s afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, exceling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena’s never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse.
Which is inconvenient, since she’s starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world’s most perfect Indian. Admitting her feelings for Amit will cost Kareena more than just her pride–she’ll have to face his parents’ disapproval, battle her own insecurities, and remain focused for the big fight. Kareena’s bid for the Olympics could very well make history–if she has the courage to go for it.
Review: I loved this book so so much! The book shows a very strong female character who’s a Muay Thai competitor and I loved that the book went into the MC’s culture and how she comes back into it after being separated from it due to her sport, but not trading away any part of her sport or personality in the process of coming back. The book is a phenomenal contemporary read and I can’t believe that I’ve not heard more about it. The character development is great. The world building is great. The pacing is well done. The plot is sound. And it’s honestly one of the best contemporaries I’ve read ever. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
The only issue I had with the book is that it got a bit too long winded in the middle, but it quickly cleared up towards the end.
Verdict: Highly recommend! I loved it!
Book: The Knockout
Author: Sajni Patel
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Indian MC and characters, Filipina character, Hawaiian side character, Diabetes character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, muay thai, badass female characters
Publication Date: January 27, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, romance, sexual content, bullying, lesphobic comments, dieting, weight)
Explanation of CWs: The book focuses on a Muay Thai competitor, so there is violence and very slight gore in discussion with her fighting. There’s also some discussion on dieting and her weight in relation to her competing. The book also focuses on the main character’s romance, so there’s insta-love romance in the book and very slight sexual content. The book shows bullying, which is dealt with, and has a couple of lesphobic comments, which are also dealt with very quickly.
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 358
Synopsis: If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She’s landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport wasn’t seen as something too rough for girls, something she’s afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, exceling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena’s never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse.
Which is inconvenient, since she’s starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world’s most perfect Indian. Admitting her feelings for Amit will cost Kareena more than just her pride–she’ll have to face his parents’ disapproval, battle her own insecurities, and remain focused for the big fight. Kareena’s bid for the Olympics could very well make history–if she has the courage to go for it.
Review: I loved this book so so much! The book shows a very strong female character who’s a Muay Thai competitor and I loved that the book went into the MC’s culture and how she comes back into it after being separated from it due to her sport, but not trading away any part of her sport or personality in the process of coming back. The book is a phenomenal contemporary read and I can’t believe that I’ve not heard more about it. The character development is great. The world building is great. The pacing is well done. The plot is sound. And it’s honestly one of the best contemporaries I’ve read ever. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
The only issue I had with the book is that it got a bit too long winded in the middle, but it quickly cleared up towards the end.
Verdict: Highly recommend! I loved it!
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Red Palace
Author: June Hur
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Korean MC and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, own voice, historical fiction, murder mystery, thriller
Publication Date: January 25, 2022
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Mystery
Recommended Age: 15+ (death, murder, violence, gore, torture, parental abandonment)
Explanation of CWs: The book is a murder mystery novel and shows violence, death, murder, and gore. There is some torture mentioned in the book and a scene of parental abandonment shown and some mentioned here and there.
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.
In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.
Review: This was another out of the park read by June Hur! I absolutely love her work and this one is probably my favorite. I loved the story and I love how June weaves in the mystery and bases it on historical people and places. The book was well plotted and had me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed as is the world building. I also loved how evenly paced the book is.
The only issue I really had with the book is that I felt some of the details were quickly skimmed in the book and I wish that we spent more time figuring out the whodunit.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: The Red Palace
Author: June Hur
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Korean MC and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, own voice, historical fiction, murder mystery, thriller
Publication Date: January 25, 2022
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Mystery
Recommended Age: 15+ (death, murder, violence, gore, torture, parental abandonment)
Explanation of CWs: The book is a murder mystery novel and shows violence, death, murder, and gore. There is some torture mentioned in the book and a scene of parental abandonment shown and some mentioned here and there.
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.
In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.
Review: This was another out of the park read by June Hur! I absolutely love her work and this one is probably my favorite. I loved the story and I love how June weaves in the mystery and bases it on historical people and places. The book was well plotted and had me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed as is the world building. I also loved how evenly paced the book is.
The only issue I really had with the book is that I felt some of the details were quickly skimmed in the book and I wish that we spent more time figuring out the whodunit.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: This Vicious Grace
Author: Emily Thiede
Book Series: The Last Finestra Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Male and female partner fontes, one lesbian character, but for the most part the book isn’t very forthcoming with labels on the characters. The book also focuses on platonic friendships via the fonte plotline.
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 17+ (death, gore, violence, religion, grief, parental abandonment, alcohol consumption, language, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of violence, gore, and death in the book and a lot of discussion about grief and parental abandonment through either their own choice or through death. There is a lot of religion in this book as it’s the backbone of the book, but the religion is fairly made up. However there is prayer and reverence to holy things and people in the book. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book by teenage characters. There is some cursing in the book, but it’s slight. There is some sexual content, including consensual groping and one sex scene. There is also romance in the book and the romance is enemies to lovers.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?
Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!
Review: I am blown away with how much I loved this book. The Italian inspired doomsday book is wonderfully well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is well plotted and I absolutely loved how a lot of the book focused on plantonic relationships and, while there was a romance in the end, the book also held true to being unique in not making the relationship the focal point by the end but the partnership that was created by many friends and showing a platonic relationship. The book also showed the possibility of male and female partner fontes and at least one lesbian character. The book did well to be unique and it had really well done character development and world building.
The only things that I really didn’t like are that I think the book would have been better as a standalone, but I am excited to read the sequel, and I didn’t like how the book didn’t have clearly defined labels for the characters.
Verdict: I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it!
Book: This Vicious Grace
Author: Emily Thiede
Book Series: The Last Finestra Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Male and female partner fontes, one lesbian character, but for the most part the book isn’t very forthcoming with labels on the characters. The book also focuses on platonic friendships via the fonte plotline.
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 17+ (death, gore, violence, religion, grief, parental abandonment, alcohol consumption, language, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of violence, gore, and death in the book and a lot of discussion about grief and parental abandonment through either their own choice or through death. There is a lot of religion in this book as it’s the backbone of the book, but the religion is fairly made up. However there is prayer and reverence to holy things and people in the book. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book by teenage characters. There is some cursing in the book, but it’s slight. There is some sexual content, including consensual groping and one sex scene. There is also romance in the book and the romance is enemies to lovers.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?
Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!
Review: I am blown away with how much I loved this book. The Italian inspired doomsday book is wonderfully well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is well plotted and I absolutely loved how a lot of the book focused on plantonic relationships and, while there was a romance in the end, the book also held true to being unique in not making the relationship the focal point by the end but the partnership that was created by many friends and showing a platonic relationship. The book also showed the possibility of male and female partner fontes and at least one lesbian character. The book did well to be unique and it had really well done character development and world building.
The only things that I really didn’t like are that I think the book would have been better as a standalone, but I am excited to read the sequel, and I didn’t like how the book didn’t have clearly defined labels for the characters.
Verdict: I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-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: Coming Back
Author: Jessi Zabarsky
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: BIPOC characters, f/f romance and side f/f romances
Recommended For...: young adult readers, graphic novel, fantasy, romance, LGBT+
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Graphic Novel Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 13+ (grief, death)
Explanation of CWs: There are scenes of death and grief shown in the book.
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Preet is magic.
Valissa is not.
Everyone in their village has magic in their bones, and Preet is the strongest of them all. Without any power of her own, how can Valissa ever be worthy of Preet's love? When their home is attacked, Valissa has a chance to prove herself, but that means leaving Preet behind. On her own for the first time Preet breaks the village's most sacred laws, and is rejected from the only home she's ever known and sent into a new world.
Divided by different paths, insecurities, and distance, will Valissa and Preet be able to find their way back to each other?
A beautiful story of two young women who are so focused on proving they're meant to be together that they end up hurting each other in the process. This gorgeous graphic novel is an LGTBQ+ romance about young love and how it can grow into something strong no matter what obstacles get in the way.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much. I really loved the message about change and growth and moving forward without constantly looking back. The book is a very sweet romance about going on your own journey to find the truth about yourself and about each other. I loved the illustrations and the ending had me crying a little. The characters are well developed as is the world building. The book is also very reminiscent of Moana if you’re a fan of it because the main message is the same: sometimes you have to leave to find yourself and to expand your story.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wish more of the world was developed. What we had was well done, but I’d love to see how the world works as it was previously and I’d love to see expansion on this all-female society.
Verdict: It’s absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it.
Book: Coming Back
Author: Jessi Zabarsky
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: BIPOC characters, f/f romance and side f/f romances
Recommended For...: young adult readers, graphic novel, fantasy, romance, LGBT+
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Graphic Novel Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 13+ (grief, death)
Explanation of CWs: There are scenes of death and grief shown in the book.
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Preet is magic.
Valissa is not.
Everyone in their village has magic in their bones, and Preet is the strongest of them all. Without any power of her own, how can Valissa ever be worthy of Preet's love? When their home is attacked, Valissa has a chance to prove herself, but that means leaving Preet behind. On her own for the first time Preet breaks the village's most sacred laws, and is rejected from the only home she's ever known and sent into a new world.
Divided by different paths, insecurities, and distance, will Valissa and Preet be able to find their way back to each other?
A beautiful story of two young women who are so focused on proving they're meant to be together that they end up hurting each other in the process. This gorgeous graphic novel is an LGTBQ+ romance about young love and how it can grow into something strong no matter what obstacles get in the way.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much. I really loved the message about change and growth and moving forward without constantly looking back. The book is a very sweet romance about going on your own journey to find the truth about yourself and about each other. I loved the illustrations and the ending had me crying a little. The characters are well developed as is the world building. The book is also very reminiscent of Moana if you’re a fan of it because the main message is the same: sometimes you have to leave to find yourself and to expand your story.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wish more of the world was developed. What we had was well done, but I’d love to see how the world works as it was previously and I’d love to see expansion on this all-female society.
Verdict: It’s absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-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 e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Bound By Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters, Disabled side character, Mute characters and characters who experience mutism
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, parental death, war, torture, sexism mentioned, grief, romance, drugs referenced, religion)
Explanation of CWs: The book has a lot of scenes of violence and gore and also shows active war/coup and mass death, including a parental death and grief. There is also torture shown in the book. There is some romance. The book also references a drug-like substance. The book has one instance of sexism mentioned and the book has a lot of scenes where the characters practice their religion and see a God.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa's punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar’s nastiest criminals—many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay.
Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa’s betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante... but now he’s just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he’s going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won’t be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources—a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk.
Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already... Now, can they save themselves?
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. The book is still reading a little young, so it’d be good for younger YA readers. The book did good with the character development and world building. I also still love the South Asian characters and inspiration into this book and I still loved seeing some of the quirks of the MCs from the first book carry over to this one.
However, there are concerns from South Asian own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. I also have concerns about the use of mutism and sign language in this book. I liked that the characters used some sign when they became mute, but I didn’t like how it quickly became “we write words above our heads instead of just learning sign”. I feel like that aspect could have been done better. I also didn’t like how mutism was treated in the book overall. While the characters were involuntarily muted as a form of torture and it fit the book, it just doesn’t feel very fair to akin being mute to being tortured. It overall gave me a bad vibe and I’d love to see Mute/Sign User ownvoice reviewers point of view on this because I might be completely wrong about this. There was also a lot of stuff to pack into this book and it got confusing very quickly. Lastly, the plot wasn’t really sound in this book and I also didn’t like the pacing.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
Book: Bound By Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters, Disabled side character, Mute characters and characters who experience mutism
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 18, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, parental death, war, torture, sexism mentioned, grief, romance, drugs referenced, religion)
Explanation of CWs: The book has a lot of scenes of violence and gore and also shows active war/coup and mass death, including a parental death and grief. There is also torture shown in the book. There is some romance. The book also references a drug-like substance. The book has one instance of sexism mentioned and the book has a lot of scenes where the characters practice their religion and see a God.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa's punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar’s nastiest criminals—many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay.
Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa’s betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante... but now he’s just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he’s going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won’t be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources—a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk.
Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already... Now, can they save themselves?
Review: For the most part this was an ok book. The book is still reading a little young, so it’d be good for younger YA readers. The book did good with the character development and world building. I also still love the South Asian characters and inspiration into this book and I still loved seeing some of the quirks of the MCs from the first book carry over to this one.
However, there are concerns from South Asian own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. I also have concerns about the use of mutism and sign language in this book. I liked that the characters used some sign when they became mute, but I didn’t like how it quickly became “we write words above our heads instead of just learning sign”. I feel like that aspect could have been done better. I also didn’t like how mutism was treated in the book overall. While the characters were involuntarily muted as a form of torture and it fit the book, it just doesn’t feel very fair to akin being mute to being tortured. It overall gave me a bad vibe and I’d love to see Mute/Sign User ownvoice reviewers point of view on this because I might be completely wrong about this. There was also a lot of stuff to pack into this book and it got confusing very quickly. Lastly, the plot wasn’t really sound in this book and I also didn’t like the pacing.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
adventurous
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:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Knight’s Ransom
Author: Jeff Wheeler
Book Series: The First Argentines Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: high fantasy, magic
Publication Date: January 26, 2021
Genre: High Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, romance, slight language, slight sexual content, death)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence, death, and gore in this book. The language is very G rated in this book. There is also some romance and some very slight sexual content.
Publisher: 47North
Pages: 433
Synopsis: Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. A brutal war of succession has plunged the court of Kingfountain into a power struggle between a charitable king who took the crown unlawfully and his ambitious rival, Devon Argentine. The balance of power between the two men hinges on the fate of a young boy ensnared in this courtly intrigue. A boy befittingly nicknamed Ransom.
When the Argentine family finally rules, Ransom must make his own way in the world. Opportunities open and shut before him as he journeys along the path to knighthood, blind to a shadowy conspiracy of jealousy and revenge. Securing his place will not be easy, nor will winning the affection of Lady Claire de Murrow, a fiery young heiress from an unpredictably mad kingdom.
Ransom interrupts an abduction plot targeting the Queen of Ceredigion and earns a position in service to her son, the firstborn of the new Argentine dynasty. But conflict and treachery threaten the family, and Ransom must also come to understand and hone his burgeoning powers—abilities that involve more than his mastery with a blade and that make him as much a target as his lord.
When the Argentine family finally rules, Ransom must make his own way in the world. Opportunities open and shut before him as he journeys along the path to knighthood, blind to a shadowy conspiracy of jealousy and revenge. Securing his place will not be easy, nor will winning the affection of Lady Claire de Murrow, a fiery young heiress from an unpredictably mad kingdom.
Ransom interrupts an abduction plot targeting the Queen of Ceredigion and earns a position in service to her son, the firstborn of the new Argentine dynasty. But conflict and treachery threaten the family, and Ransom must also come to understand and hone his burgeoning powers—abilities that involve more than his mastery with a blade and that make him as much a target as his lord.
Review: For the most part this book was ok. The book did well with the plot. The characters were well developed and the world building was ok. I also really liked how multilayered the characters were and how honest the author was about the characters good and bad traits. I also like the political intrigue of the read.
However, I really couldn’t connect to the book and it felt like it dragged for me. I felt like some of the things went into too much detail and I just couldn’t keep myself entertained with this read.
Verdict: It’s not for me, but maybe for you!
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
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: Star Mother
Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Book Series: Star Mother Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: science fiction, romance, fantasy, time travel
Publication Date: November 1, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Recommended Age: 17+ (sexual content, grief, pregnancy, slight miscarriage mention, slight pregnancy death mention, attempted sexual assault, violence, gore)
Explanation of CWs: The book had some sexual content and contains a pregnancy storyline, with some small mentions of miscarriage and death by pregnancy. There is some violence and gore and an attempted sexual assault.
Publisher: 47North
Pages: 268
Synopsis: A woman’s heart proves as infinite as the night sky in a breathtaking fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.
When a star dies, a new one must be born.
The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.
Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.
Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.
When a star dies, a new one must be born.
The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.
Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.
Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.
Review: This is an ok book, but unfortunately I don’t have a lot of good to say about it. The book has an interesting story and the magic system is equally as interesting. I liked the god/goddess/solar system aspect and I felt like the author did well on the world building.
However, the book was not for me. The book is very fast paced and it feels like I was running to keep up with it. The love triangle is weird and unexpected. The characters weren’t developed, especially our main character, and her motives were just “I want to bone the Sun for attention” and “this other dude hot tho” and “woo is me”. She was super annoying and I quickly wanted to punch her in the face. The plot dragged in the middle and the book was just so difficult to get and stay into.
Verdict: It was not for me, but maybe for you!
adventurous
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 bought this e-book. Support your authors!
Book: Cast in Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 19, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, drugs, animal butchering scene, slight sexual content, some fetishization, romance, religion)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence, mass death, and gore in this book. Drugs are not used in the book but are mentioned and are a plot point. There is one animal butchering scene and it’s graphic. There is some slight sexual content and some fetishization scenes shown. There is romance and the book heavily leans into religion (the religion is one that is set up in the book).
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.
Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross... and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I thought it was a well written book that utilized the old enemies to lovers/mistaken identity trope well. I loved the little competition between the MCs and it had a cute Swan Princess movie feel to it. The book was also South Asian inspired and starred South Asian characters, which I loved seeing. The character development was well done and the world building was as well.
However, there are concerns from own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology and how the author utilized the fetishization scene when that’s a problem that many South Asian women and children face in their day-to-day life. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. The book also had some pacing issues and I felt like it slumped in the middle.
Verdict: It was ok, but please please please read the ownvoice readers comments on this book.
Book: Cast in Firelight
Author: Dana Swift
Book Series: Wickery Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: South Asian MCs and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, romance, South Asian inspired
Publication Date: January 19, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, mass death, drugs, animal butchering scene, slight sexual content, some fetishization, romance, religion)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence, mass death, and gore in this book. Drugs are not used in the book but are mentioned and are a plot point. There is one animal butchering scene and it’s graphic. There is some slight sexual content and some fetishization scenes shown. There is romance and the book heavily leans into religion (the religion is one that is set up in the book).
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.
Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross... and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I thought it was a well written book that utilized the old enemies to lovers/mistaken identity trope well. I loved the little competition between the MCs and it had a cute Swan Princess movie feel to it. The book was also South Asian inspired and starred South Asian characters, which I loved seeing. The character development was well done and the world building was as well.
However, there are concerns from own voice readers about the author and how she was chosen to write a story for South Asian readers instead of a South Asian writer. Some of the concerns also revolved around the incorrect terminology and how the author utilized the fetishization scene when that’s a problem that many South Asian women and children face in their day-to-day life. Their voices are valid and should be read in full. They can be found on Goodreads, so please review their concerns. The book also had some pacing issues and I felt like it slumped in the middle.
Verdict: It was ok, but please please please read the ownvoice readers comments on this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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 e-arc from the publisher and then went and bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Within These Wicked Walls
Author: Lauren Blackwood
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Ethiopian MC and characters, Disabled side character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, retelling, Jane Eyre retelling, horror, gothic, paranormal
Publication Date: October 19, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Recommended Age: 16+ (hunger, religion, gore, violence, slight sexual content, alcohol consumption, romance, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, emotional child abuse, slight physical child abuse, bullying mentioned, child sex trafficking mentioned briefly, death, parental death, generational trauma)
Explanation of CWs: Hunger and poverty is shown and discussed in the book. Religion is a huge part of the book and God is mentioned frequently. There is lots of gore and violence. There is some slight sexual content and romance. Alcohol consumption between older teens and adults is shown. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are shown. There are some brief mentions of emotional child abuse and some very slight physical child abuse. There is one incident of bullying mentioned that resulted in injury. There are a couple of mentions of child sex trafficking via a child at the age of 5 being sold to a brothel (she is rescued before anything happens don’t worry). There is lots of death in the book as well as parental death mentioned and shown. The book is also a huge allegory of generational trauma, showing that the trauma of one generation impacts the other and it’s up to the younger to come to terms with it in order to be free of the literal demons.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 326
Synopsis: Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! It took me so long to read because I wanted to slowly devour it. The book is a Jane Eyre retelling with Ethiopian inspired fantasy and Ethiopian characters. The book also has ghosts, which makes it perfect for Halloween. The book also openly discusses menstrual cycles and it can be read as a huge allegory for generational trauma. It shows two types of generational trauma, one that Jember inflicts on Andromeda and one that Magnus’ father inflicts on him. One is from literal trauma and the other is from greed/perception of others and how it will impact themselves. I will say that I did cry while reading this book and that I was absolutely blown away with how well done this book was and it’s an amazing debut read that needs more attention. The characters are well developed, the world building is rich and wonderful, and the plot will keep you hanging in there until the last page.
The only issue I had with the book is that some of the pacing was a bit wonky in the middle, it felt slowed down and a bit out of place, but other than that this will be a book that will stay with me.
Verdict: I highly recommend this one!
Book: Within These Wicked Walls
Author: Lauren Blackwood
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Ethiopian MC and characters, Disabled side character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, retelling, Jane Eyre retelling, horror, gothic, paranormal
Publication Date: October 19, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Recommended Age: 16+ (hunger, religion, gore, violence, slight sexual content, alcohol consumption, romance, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, emotional child abuse, slight physical child abuse, bullying mentioned, child sex trafficking mentioned briefly, death, parental death, generational trauma)
Explanation of CWs: Hunger and poverty is shown and discussed in the book. Religion is a huge part of the book and God is mentioned frequently. There is lots of gore and violence. There is some slight sexual content and romance. Alcohol consumption between older teens and adults is shown. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are shown. There are some brief mentions of emotional child abuse and some very slight physical child abuse. There is one incident of bullying mentioned that resulted in injury. There are a couple of mentions of child sex trafficking via a child at the age of 5 being sold to a brothel (she is rescued before anything happens don’t worry). There is lots of death in the book as well as parental death mentioned and shown. The book is also a huge allegory of generational trauma, showing that the trauma of one generation impacts the other and it’s up to the younger to come to terms with it in order to be free of the literal demons.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 326
Synopsis: Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! It took me so long to read because I wanted to slowly devour it. The book is a Jane Eyre retelling with Ethiopian inspired fantasy and Ethiopian characters. The book also has ghosts, which makes it perfect for Halloween. The book also openly discusses menstrual cycles and it can be read as a huge allegory for generational trauma. It shows two types of generational trauma, one that Jember inflicts on Andromeda and one that Magnus’ father inflicts on him. One is from literal trauma and the other is from greed/perception of others and how it will impact themselves. I will say that I did cry while reading this book and that I was absolutely blown away with how well done this book was and it’s an amazing debut read that needs more attention. The characters are well developed, the world building is rich and wonderful, and the plot will keep you hanging in there until the last page.
The only issue I had with the book is that some of the pacing was a bit wonky in the middle, it felt slowed down and a bit out of place, but other than that this will be a book that will stay with me.
Verdict: I highly recommend this one!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Book Series: The Celestial Kingdom Duology Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Chinese MC and characters
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, romance, adult literature, YA cross-over
Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Recommended Age: 18+ (grief, gore, violence, romance, sexual content, kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, bullying)
Explanation of CWs: The book explored themes of grief. There was gore and violence and a lot of fighting scenes. There is romance and some slight sexual content. There is also one brief scene of an attempted sexual assault. There are two incidents of a kidnapping. There was also some bullying early on in the book.
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 512
Synopsis: Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Review: For the most part I really loved this book. The book did well with the romance and there was a lot going on. It was a love triangle/friends to lovers to enemies/forbidden romance. The book also showed off a lot of cool and interesting Chinese mythology and lore and I loved how much I learned from this book. The characters are well developed, the world building was beautiful, and the plot was intriguing from beginning to end. The book is also fast paced.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. I felt like it was confusing sometimes and that the flowery language of the book was a bit too much. The book was also fast paced, which I liked for the length of this novel, but the confusion was further compounded by how fast we sped through some of the plot points.
Verdict: I highly recommend it!
Book: Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Book Series: The Celestial Kingdom Duology Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Chinese MC and characters
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, romance, adult literature, YA cross-over
Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Recommended Age: 18+ (grief, gore, violence, romance, sexual content, kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, bullying)
Explanation of CWs: The book explored themes of grief. There was gore and violence and a lot of fighting scenes. There is romance and some slight sexual content. There is also one brief scene of an attempted sexual assault. There are two incidents of a kidnapping. There was also some bullying early on in the book.
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 512
Synopsis: Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Review: For the most part I really loved this book. The book did well with the romance and there was a lot going on. It was a love triangle/friends to lovers to enemies/forbidden romance. The book also showed off a lot of cool and interesting Chinese mythology and lore and I loved how much I learned from this book. The characters are well developed, the world building was beautiful, and the plot was intriguing from beginning to end. The book is also fast paced.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. I felt like it was confusing sometimes and that the flowery language of the book was a bit too much. The book was also fast paced, which I liked for the length of this novel, but the confusion was further compounded by how fast we sped through some of the plot points.
Verdict: I highly recommend it!