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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
dark
emotional
slow-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-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: You’ve Reached Sam
Author: Dustin Thao
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Asian Characters, Queer Characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, paranormal, romance, grief processing
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 13+ (death, grief, underage consumption of alcohol, racism, language, bullying)
Explanation of CWs: Death and grief are the main focal point of the book. There are a couple of scenes of underage consumption of alcohol. There is some racism and bullying shown in the book. There is some cursing in the books.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 304
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.
Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.
And Sam picks up the phone.
In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I loved the premise of it and it kind of reminded me of a Reddit post I saw one day. The book does great at showing the grieving process and how teens deal with death. However, the book is ultimately about how if you hold onto the past then you can’t live on in the present and into the future. The book had great character development and world building.
However, I felt like the book had some areas that needed some work. A lot of things that happen in the book are just about grieving and going over the same things the book went over previously. The book kept repeating a lot of things and it made it hard to keep reading and with the slow pacing it made it hard to keep going. The ending that exists in this book is very out of place. An event happens in the last 10% of the book and it’s rushed through. I wish that ending was pushed back some more so we got more out of it. The book also occasionally showed other characters interacting with Sam, but no one thought it was weird or that Julie was having a breakdown. Overall, the book had a great concept but weird execution.
Verdict: It was good, just a little weird.
Book: You’ve Reached Sam
Author: Dustin Thao
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Asian Characters, Queer Characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, paranormal, romance, grief processing
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 13+ (death, grief, underage consumption of alcohol, racism, language, bullying)
Explanation of CWs: Death and grief are the main focal point of the book. There are a couple of scenes of underage consumption of alcohol. There is some racism and bullying shown in the book. There is some cursing in the books.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 304
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.
Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.
And Sam picks up the phone.
In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I loved the premise of it and it kind of reminded me of a Reddit post I saw one day. The book does great at showing the grieving process and how teens deal with death. However, the book is ultimately about how if you hold onto the past then you can’t live on in the present and into the future. The book had great character development and world building.
However, I felt like the book had some areas that needed some work. A lot of things that happen in the book are just about grieving and going over the same things the book went over previously. The book kept repeating a lot of things and it made it hard to keep reading and with the slow pacing it made it hard to keep going. The ending that exists in this book is very out of place. An event happens in the last 10% of the book and it’s rushed through. I wish that ending was pushed back some more so we got more out of it. The book also occasionally showed other characters interacting with Sam, but no one thought it was weird or that Julie was having a breakdown. Overall, the book had a great concept but weird execution.
Verdict: It was good, just a little weird.
fast-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from Booktasters. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Kitty Counts Her Blessings
Author: Kat E. Erikson
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: childrens, picture books, animal main characters
Publication Date: October 2, 2021
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Recommended Age: 0+ (religion)
Explanation of CWs: There was a slight religious undertone to the book, but nothing specifically mentioned
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 36
Synopsis: Children are experts at finding delight everywhere they look, even when life gets a little dark. Kitty Counts Her Blessings celebrates that gift-and shares a lesson in counting besides.
As the story begins, Kitty has no trouble counting her blessings, from the sun on her nose to the zing of the bees. But when rain threatens to spoil her fun, finding blessings isn't so easy. Then she remembers learning hide-and-seek, and suddenly joys are around every corner-and before long, so is her boy, ready to play and count along with her.
This cheerful, rhyming picture book invites children and the grownups who love them to seek the blessings in their own world.
As the story begins, Kitty has no trouble counting her blessings, from the sun on her nose to the zing of the bees. But when rain threatens to spoil her fun, finding blessings isn't so easy. Then she remembers learning hide-and-seek, and suddenly joys are around every corner-and before long, so is her boy, ready to play and count along with her.
This cheerful, rhyming picture book invites children and the grownups who love them to seek the blessings in their own world.
Review: This was a very cute and colorful children’s book about remembering the blessings you see and get each day. The artwork was adorable, the kitty explained what blessings were well and how to find them. The book veered a bit on the religious side, but wasn’t obviously religious and would probably be ok for children that parents are wanting to raise without religion.
Verdict: It was sweet!
emotional
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Honest June
Author: Tina Wells, Brittney Bond (Illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC with Anxiety, Black and BIPOC side characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, magical realism
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: MG Contemporary Magical Realism
Recommended Age: 10+ (Bullying, Religion, Panic attack, anxiety, Disordered eating, Racism)
Explanation of CWs: There is bullying shown in the book. There is some religion mentioned and church going mentioned as well. There are two scenes with panic attacks shown. Anxiety is mentioned and shown. There is disordered eating shown in one scene, in which the father is inadvertently instilling it into the main character. There is also some racism mentioned as a past event and not to the main character, not shown.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240
Synopsis: June Jackson is an expert at exceeding people's expectations. She can't help it; she's a people-pleaser! She'll do everything she can to be the perfect student, daughter, and friend, even if it means ignoring her own feelings sometimes. Cue Victoria, June's secret fairy godmother, who blesses June with the ability to never tell a lie in the hopes that June will finally be honest with her loved ones. Instead of telling them the truth to their faces, June turns to a secret online blog--the only place she can write out her true feelings without hurting people.
When all of her responsibilities start to pile on--field hockey, the school paper, family responsibility, her friends--June begins feeling so overwhelmed that sometimes it feels hard to breathe. Not to mention June is desperately trying to figure out how to overthrow the spell at the same time! When the pressures reach new heights, will Honest June finally be able to break free and tell whole truth and nothing but?
Review: This is probably one of my favorite middle grade books of 2021! I absolutely loved the magical realism of this book (it’s small, but there) and I loved how the book normalized puberty and normalized stress. Stress is oftentimes treated as an unspoken concern in kids books, but this one tackled it head on. The book did well to highlight issues in the education system currently. It's really sad how far the education system has gone to where 6th graders are now thinking about college applications. Kids have enough pressure as is these days and school clubs and sports should be something they want to join for fun instead of something that they feel like they have to do in order to get into a good college. I also want to commend the author on making parents in a kids book that make mistakes. While I felt like punching the parents for my cinnamon role/main character June, I also only felt that way because the author wrote the book so well. No parent should be making their child feel inadequate or stressed because of college that's like at least 6 years away. The father in particular made me angry because he was taking the college issue too far, completely eliminating June’s choice and wants and desires, and going into a total control spree where, at one point in the novel, he was trying to control what his daughter eats and that leads to disordered eating. The characters are well developed, the world building is well done, and the story is wonderfully well written. The plot is also sound and the pacing is spot on. The book is also illustrated and is based in Atlanta!
The only real issues I had with the book is how the parents were written and how the author allowed them to punish the daughter after she finally told the truth about how she felt. The way that it was done in the book could make kids believe that they’ll be punished anyways for telling the truth. It should have been gone about a different way so kids reading the book would feel better about telling the truth to their parents. However, most of the blame is on the parents in the book and I hope that parents who read this book take notes from it.
Verdict: An absolutely well done book and a highly recommend from me!
Book: Honest June
Author: Tina Wells, Brittney Bond (Illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC with Anxiety, Black and BIPOC side characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, magical realism
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: MG Contemporary Magical Realism
Recommended Age: 10+ (Bullying, Religion, Panic attack, anxiety, Disordered eating, Racism)
Explanation of CWs: There is bullying shown in the book. There is some religion mentioned and church going mentioned as well. There are two scenes with panic attacks shown. Anxiety is mentioned and shown. There is disordered eating shown in one scene, in which the father is inadvertently instilling it into the main character. There is also some racism mentioned as a past event and not to the main character, not shown.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240
Synopsis: June Jackson is an expert at exceeding people's expectations. She can't help it; she's a people-pleaser! She'll do everything she can to be the perfect student, daughter, and friend, even if it means ignoring her own feelings sometimes. Cue Victoria, June's secret fairy godmother, who blesses June with the ability to never tell a lie in the hopes that June will finally be honest with her loved ones. Instead of telling them the truth to their faces, June turns to a secret online blog--the only place she can write out her true feelings without hurting people.
When all of her responsibilities start to pile on--field hockey, the school paper, family responsibility, her friends--June begins feeling so overwhelmed that sometimes it feels hard to breathe. Not to mention June is desperately trying to figure out how to overthrow the spell at the same time! When the pressures reach new heights, will Honest June finally be able to break free and tell whole truth and nothing but?
Review: This is probably one of my favorite middle grade books of 2021! I absolutely loved the magical realism of this book (it’s small, but there) and I loved how the book normalized puberty and normalized stress. Stress is oftentimes treated as an unspoken concern in kids books, but this one tackled it head on. The book did well to highlight issues in the education system currently. It's really sad how far the education system has gone to where 6th graders are now thinking about college applications. Kids have enough pressure as is these days and school clubs and sports should be something they want to join for fun instead of something that they feel like they have to do in order to get into a good college. I also want to commend the author on making parents in a kids book that make mistakes. While I felt like punching the parents for my cinnamon role/main character June, I also only felt that way because the author wrote the book so well. No parent should be making their child feel inadequate or stressed because of college that's like at least 6 years away. The father in particular made me angry because he was taking the college issue too far, completely eliminating June’s choice and wants and desires, and going into a total control spree where, at one point in the novel, he was trying to control what his daughter eats and that leads to disordered eating. The characters are well developed, the world building is well done, and the story is wonderfully well written. The plot is also sound and the pacing is spot on. The book is also illustrated and is based in Atlanta!
The only real issues I had with the book is how the parents were written and how the author allowed them to punish the daughter after she finally told the truth about how she felt. The way that it was done in the book could make kids believe that they’ll be punished anyways for telling the truth. It should have been gone about a different way so kids reading the book would feel better about telling the truth to their parents. However, most of the blame is on the parents in the book and I hope that parents who read this book take notes from it.
Verdict: An absolutely well done book and a highly recommend from me!
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from Netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Words in My Hands
Author: Asphyxia
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5 (just so I don’t lower the rating due to book formatting issues)
Recommended For...: young adult readers, science fiction, dystopian
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Annick Press
Pages: 388
Synopsis: Set in an ominously prescient near future, All the Words that Matter is the story of Piper: sixteen, smart, artistic, and rebellious, she's struggling to conform to what her mom wants--for her to be 'normal, ' to pass as hearing, and get a good job. But in a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption, Piper has other things on her mind--like survival.
Deaf since the age of three, Piper has always been told that she needs to compensate in a world that puts those who can hear above everyone else. But when she meets Marley, a whole new world opens up--one where Deafness is something to celebrate rather than hide, and where resilience and hope are created by taking action, building a community, and believing in something better.
Review: If I wasn’t having to put a review in Netgalley I wouldn’t be writing one for this book at all. I’m also posting this on my pages because I use Goodreads, Storygraph, etc. and my blog as a journal keeping method since I do not retain a lot of information in my brain well enough. I’m sure this is a lovely book, but the format I was given is very screwed up. The pages are sideways and out of order. I really want to read this book, so I will come back to it one day, but for the purposes of getting it removed from my Netgalley lists I have to write this review and say I DNFed it at 6% in.
Verdict: I’m sure it’s great, but it was not in a format that was readable for me.
Book: The Words in My Hands
Author: Asphyxia
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5 (just so I don’t lower the rating due to book formatting issues)
Recommended For...: young adult readers, science fiction, dystopian
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Annick Press
Pages: 388
Synopsis: Set in an ominously prescient near future, All the Words that Matter is the story of Piper: sixteen, smart, artistic, and rebellious, she's struggling to conform to what her mom wants--for her to be 'normal, ' to pass as hearing, and get a good job. But in a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption, Piper has other things on her mind--like survival.
Deaf since the age of three, Piper has always been told that she needs to compensate in a world that puts those who can hear above everyone else. But when she meets Marley, a whole new world opens up--one where Deafness is something to celebrate rather than hide, and where resilience and hope are created by taking action, building a community, and believing in something better.
Review: If I wasn’t having to put a review in Netgalley I wouldn’t be writing one for this book at all. I’m also posting this on my pages because I use Goodreads, Storygraph, etc. and my blog as a journal keeping method since I do not retain a lot of information in my brain well enough. I’m sure this is a lovely book, but the format I was given is very screwed up. The pages are sideways and out of order. I really want to read this book, so I will come back to it one day, but for the purposes of getting it removed from my Netgalley lists I have to write this review and say I DNFed it at 6% in.
Verdict: I’m sure it’s great, but it was not in a format that was readable for me.
slow-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Freedom
Author: Mike Bond
Book Series: America Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, war
Publication Date: November 4, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Big City Press
Pages: 375
Synopsis: From the war-shattered jungles of Vietnam to America’s burning cities, near-death in Tibet, peace marches, the battle of Hué and the battle of the Pentagon, wild drugs, rock concerts, free love, CIA coups in Indonesia and Greece, the Six Days’ War, and Bobby Kennedy’s last campaign, Freedom puts you in the Sixties as if it were now.
Mick leaves for the Himalayas while Troy heads to Vietnam with the Marines. Daisy starts her PhD in brain research, and Tara battles heroin as her rock band reaches stardom.
Troy is soon caught up in mind-numbing combat in Vietnam, while Mick returns to the States to lead the antiwar effort. Tara’s band signs a Motown contract amid the Detroit riots. At Stanford, Daisy expands her study of the human brain under LSD and other mind-altering drugs. Troy falls in love with a Vietnamese teacher and is slowly losing faith in the War.
Freedom ends the night before the Tet uprising in Vietnam that will change the War, and trap Troy and his beloved in the fires of hell.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 15%. I tried to get into this book, but the way it’s told is not for me and I also noticed that this is the second in a series, which was not told to me when I received this book. The book also talks about war and is based on real events, which is something I’m finding out I don’t like to read about as a reader. So for those reasons I had to DNF.
Verdict: It’s ok, just not for me.
Book: Freedom
Author: Mike Bond
Book Series: America Book 2
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, war
Publication Date: November 4, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Big City Press
Pages: 375
Synopsis: From the war-shattered jungles of Vietnam to America’s burning cities, near-death in Tibet, peace marches, the battle of Hué and the battle of the Pentagon, wild drugs, rock concerts, free love, CIA coups in Indonesia and Greece, the Six Days’ War, and Bobby Kennedy’s last campaign, Freedom puts you in the Sixties as if it were now.
Mick leaves for the Himalayas while Troy heads to Vietnam with the Marines. Daisy starts her PhD in brain research, and Tara battles heroin as her rock band reaches stardom.
Troy is soon caught up in mind-numbing combat in Vietnam, while Mick returns to the States to lead the antiwar effort. Tara’s band signs a Motown contract amid the Detroit riots. At Stanford, Daisy expands her study of the human brain under LSD and other mind-altering drugs. Troy falls in love with a Vietnamese teacher and is slowly losing faith in the War.
Freedom ends the night before the Tet uprising in Vietnam that will change the War, and trap Troy and his beloved in the fires of hell.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 15%. I tried to get into this book, but the way it’s told is not for me and I also noticed that this is the second in a series, which was not told to me when I received this book. The book also talks about war and is based on real events, which is something I’m finding out I don’t like to read about as a reader. So for those reasons I had to DNF.
Verdict: It’s ok, just not for me.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: U-Day
Author: Rapha Ram
Book Series: Memory Full Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: science fiction, dystopian, big brother
Publication Date: December 17, 2021
Genre: Science Fiction Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can’t Recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t Recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 402
Synopsis: In the midst of the 2040s, Livvy Blunt, a girl with an unquiet mind, lives in confinement. Her home is a monastery, a place of silence and meditation created to keep her mind free from the frivolous matters of the modern world.
The Monastery is a corporation with a clear goal: transform young Empty-heads into skilled Silver-hairs. The means to do that are controversial: uploads of skills to the brain. The more youngsters manage to keep their minds empty of gossip and avoid overthinking life, the more skills can be transferred.
Livvy has a hard time trying to keep her mind idle, but her sacrifice should pay off by the promise of a successful future as a Silver-hair, a professional any recruiter would fight to hire. But when time comes for her to choose her set of skills, she is denied every professional and fun skill she ever longed for.
People say she’s lucky for being selected to the Monasterial Upload Program, but she's not so sure.
Review: I had to unfortunately DNF this book at 25%. I think the book’s premise is great and I’ll probably give it another shot in the future, but I couldn’t get into the book at all and it felt like a chore to read. The story was a bit weird for me in the beginning and it was just going a little too slow for me. I did like how the characters were being developed though and I’ll be sure to check this one out again at a later time.
Verdict: It was ok, just not for me. Maybe for you!
Book: U-Day
Author: Rapha Ram
Book Series: Memory Full Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: science fiction, dystopian, big brother
Publication Date: December 17, 2021
Genre: Science Fiction Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can’t Recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t Recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 402
Synopsis: In the midst of the 2040s, Livvy Blunt, a girl with an unquiet mind, lives in confinement. Her home is a monastery, a place of silence and meditation created to keep her mind free from the frivolous matters of the modern world.
The Monastery is a corporation with a clear goal: transform young Empty-heads into skilled Silver-hairs. The means to do that are controversial: uploads of skills to the brain. The more youngsters manage to keep their minds empty of gossip and avoid overthinking life, the more skills can be transferred.
Livvy has a hard time trying to keep her mind idle, but her sacrifice should pay off by the promise of a successful future as a Silver-hair, a professional any recruiter would fight to hire. But when time comes for her to choose her set of skills, she is denied every professional and fun skill she ever longed for.
People say she’s lucky for being selected to the Monasterial Upload Program, but she's not so sure.
Review: I had to unfortunately DNF this book at 25%. I think the book’s premise is great and I’ll probably give it another shot in the future, but I couldn’t get into the book at all and it felt like a chore to read. The story was a bit weird for me in the beginning and it was just going a little too slow for me. I did like how the characters were being developed though and I’ll be sure to check this one out again at a later time.
Verdict: It was ok, just not for me. Maybe for you!
adventurous
emotional
slow-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-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Shattersteel
Author: Benjamin Sriduangkaew
Book Series: Her Pitiless Command Book 3
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Multiple characters and LGBTQUIA2S+ relationships
Recommended For...: science fiction, fantasy, LGBTQUIA2S+
Publication Date: December 14, 2021
Genre: Science Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is lots of violence and gore in the book. There is also some romance in this book.
Publisher: Apex Publications
Pages: 162
Synopsis: For her entire life, Nuawa has made herself a weapon to assassinate the Winter Queen.
She failed. Her secrets are laid bare and she has lost everything.
The queen keeps Nuawa as a tool, and soon a sacrifice as she brings her ultimate goal to fruition: to harness the divine power of her makers that'll make her lover General Lussadh immortal.
But Nuawa isn't done fighting yet. She has one final chance—and she will take it, trading her soul to try one last time to end winter's eternity... even if it means she must lose Lussadh forever.
Review: For the most part this was a wonderful book. I felt like the world building was wonderfully written and the characters well developed. The plot was amazing and it kept me intrigued in the story. I also loved all of the sci-fi elements and queer representation used!
However, I did think that the book was too detailed. There were passages where the author went on a bit too long in her detail of the work. I also felt that the pacing suffered from the detailed passages, in which the book slowed down so painfully slow. The book is also a 3rd in the series and I wasn’t aware of that at first. I would like to see how the other books fair against this one.
Verdict: It was good, just long winded!
Book: Shattersteel
Author: Benjamin Sriduangkaew
Book Series: Her Pitiless Command Book 3
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Multiple characters and LGBTQUIA2S+ relationships
Recommended For...: science fiction, fantasy, LGBTQUIA2S+
Publication Date: December 14, 2021
Genre: Science Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is lots of violence and gore in the book. There is also some romance in this book.
Publisher: Apex Publications
Pages: 162
Synopsis: For her entire life, Nuawa has made herself a weapon to assassinate the Winter Queen.
She failed. Her secrets are laid bare and she has lost everything.
The queen keeps Nuawa as a tool, and soon a sacrifice as she brings her ultimate goal to fruition: to harness the divine power of her makers that'll make her lover General Lussadh immortal.
But Nuawa isn't done fighting yet. She has one final chance—and she will take it, trading her soul to try one last time to end winter's eternity... even if it means she must lose Lussadh forever.
Review: For the most part this was a wonderful book. I felt like the world building was wonderfully written and the characters well developed. The plot was amazing and it kept me intrigued in the story. I also loved all of the sci-fi elements and queer representation used!
However, I did think that the book was too detailed. There were passages where the author went on a bit too long in her detail of the work. I also felt that the pacing suffered from the detailed passages, in which the book slowed down so painfully slow. The book is also a 3rd in the series and I wasn’t aware of that at first. I would like to see how the other books fair against this one.
Verdict: It was good, just long winded!
emotional
slow-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 e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Immortal Souls
Author: Phoenix Vieira
Book Series: Immortal Souls Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: romance, fantasy
Publication Date: December 12, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, violence, gore, language)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of romance and sexual content in this book. There is some violence and gore. There is also some slight cursing.
Publisher: Koa Tales
Pages: 308
Synopsis: A fallen Empire. A forbidden royal romance. An ancient treaty with the Fae.
In a world tainted by greed and rebellion, death prowls the shadows of the once glorious Sun Empire, waiting to devour those who dare fight back.
Corvus, heir to the most powerful House, is a threat to the Emperor, despite being the dearest friend of Crown Princess Saphyr. When the Emperor forbids their friendship, Corvus forms an Alliance to overthrow him, until betrayal forces Corvus into exile.
After the lethal Queen of the Sirens emerges from the secret realm of Sirenibus, Corvus is tempted by an irresistible deal at a dangerous price. Caught up in a conspiracy and a war between light and darkness, can he and Saphyr save the people from a terrible destiny and restore the Empire to its former glory? Or will Corvus have to sacrifice more than he is willing to give? Will his life be enough, or will it also demand his soul?
Review: For the most part this was an ok read. The book had a great premise and I was immediately intrigued by it. The plot was fairly solid and I loved all of the world building the author did.
However, I felt like the character development was sorely lacking. You’re thrown into the story and not given time to figure anything out. The romance is also not convincing and I found myself bored with it after awhile.
Verdict: It was ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
Book: Immortal Souls
Author: Phoenix Vieira
Book Series: Immortal Souls Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: romance, fantasy
Publication Date: December 12, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, violence, gore, language)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of romance and sexual content in this book. There is some violence and gore. There is also some slight cursing.
Publisher: Koa Tales
Pages: 308
Synopsis: A fallen Empire. A forbidden royal romance. An ancient treaty with the Fae.
In a world tainted by greed and rebellion, death prowls the shadows of the once glorious Sun Empire, waiting to devour those who dare fight back.
Corvus, heir to the most powerful House, is a threat to the Emperor, despite being the dearest friend of Crown Princess Saphyr. When the Emperor forbids their friendship, Corvus forms an Alliance to overthrow him, until betrayal forces Corvus into exile.
After the lethal Queen of the Sirens emerges from the secret realm of Sirenibus, Corvus is tempted by an irresistible deal at a dangerous price. Caught up in a conspiracy and a war between light and darkness, can he and Saphyr save the people from a terrible destiny and restore the Empire to its former glory? Or will Corvus have to sacrifice more than he is willing to give? Will his life be enough, or will it also demand his soul?
Review: For the most part this was an ok read. The book had a great premise and I was immediately intrigued by it. The plot was fairly solid and I loved all of the world building the author did.
However, I felt like the character development was sorely lacking. You’re thrown into the story and not given time to figure anything out. The romance is also not convincing and I found myself bored with it after awhile.
Verdict: It was ok, but not for me. Maybe for you!
emotional
slow-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Turnabout
Author: Laury A. Egan
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, romance
Publication Date: November 29,2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Romance
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: NineStar Press
Pages: 212
Synopsis: The summer of 1964. Four teenage lives intertwine as each searches for love, identity, and a passage through painful family conflicts, social isolation, and the confusion of sexual orientation.
During a sailing class, four teenagers meet. Jessie Schaffer is fourteen, an intelligent and solitary girl, who dreams of becoming a writer. When she sees nineteen-year-old Lindsay Ames, the instructor, standing on a dock, sunlight illuminating her blond hair and blue eyes, Jessie falls in love but is too afraid of her feelings and what they mean. In an attempt to reassure herself she is “normal,” Jessie becomes involved with two boys in the class: Kenny Crenshaw, also fourteen, a darkly handsome and flirtatious guy, and Calvin Brayburn, a year younger, who will be in their freshman class because he’s academically brilliant. On the first day of sailing, Cal is smitten with Jessie, though he is hindered by shyness. As the romantic relationships take unexpected twists, Jessie, Lindsay, Calvin, and Kenny relate their individual stories, their hopes, fears, and longings, all the while being buffeted by intense pressures. Set in coastal New Jersey, the plot roams from its beautiful rivers to lush scenes in St. Thomas and Vietnam’s jungles during the war.
Review: DNFed at 30%. I was interested, though cautious due to the character's ages, about the premise due to the love story and the potential LGBTQIA2S+ storyline, but the story felt too slow for me and the writing wasn’t doing anything for me unfortunately. I felt like if the story was sped up a bit or even if the story was more centralized it would have worked better for me.
Verdict: It was ok, just not for me at the moment.
Book: Turnabout
Author: Laury A. Egan
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, romance
Publication Date: November 29,2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Romance
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Explanation of CWs: Can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: NineStar Press
Pages: 212
Synopsis: The summer of 1964. Four teenage lives intertwine as each searches for love, identity, and a passage through painful family conflicts, social isolation, and the confusion of sexual orientation.
During a sailing class, four teenagers meet. Jessie Schaffer is fourteen, an intelligent and solitary girl, who dreams of becoming a writer. When she sees nineteen-year-old Lindsay Ames, the instructor, standing on a dock, sunlight illuminating her blond hair and blue eyes, Jessie falls in love but is too afraid of her feelings and what they mean. In an attempt to reassure herself she is “normal,” Jessie becomes involved with two boys in the class: Kenny Crenshaw, also fourteen, a darkly handsome and flirtatious guy, and Calvin Brayburn, a year younger, who will be in their freshman class because he’s academically brilliant. On the first day of sailing, Cal is smitten with Jessie, though he is hindered by shyness. As the romantic relationships take unexpected twists, Jessie, Lindsay, Calvin, and Kenny relate their individual stories, their hopes, fears, and longings, all the while being buffeted by intense pressures. Set in coastal New Jersey, the plot roams from its beautiful rivers to lush scenes in St. Thomas and Vietnam’s jungles during the war.
Review: DNFed at 30%. I was interested, though cautious due to the character's ages, about the premise due to the love story and the potential LGBTQIA2S+ storyline, but the story felt too slow for me and the writing wasn’t doing anything for me unfortunately. I felt like if the story was sped up a bit or even if the story was more centralized it would have worked better for me.
Verdict: It was ok, just not for me at the moment.
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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: True Teryn
Author: S.G. Blaise
Book Series: The Last Lumenian Book 2
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, science fiction, romance, fantasy
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, violence, gore)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence and gore in this book. There is also a lot of romance.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 247
Synopsis: ALL BEGINNINGS COME AT A PRICE. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY IT?
Lilla must recruit the biggest and most dangerous army in the Seven Galaxies, but the Teryn emperor will not comply unless Lilla earns the blessing of the Teryn Guardian Goddess Laoise.
Dealing with gods is never easy. Guardian Goddess Laoise’s condition for bestowing her blessing is for Lilla to bring her the mysterious Heart Amulet. Now Lilla is trapped in a strange place with no way out, no idea where to go or how to find the amulet.
The only way for Lilla to complete her mission is to uncover the biggest secret of all Teryns. Will she survive discovering the secret of what it means to be a True Teryn?
Review: Overall, this went better than the first book. I had some context as to what was going on and who these characters were. The book had a lot of promise and the plot was decent enough to keep me reading the book. I also thought the author did a bit better explaining the magic system in this one.
However, I still had issues with this book. It was still as confusing as the first book and the fast pacing had me racing to figure out what was going on in this book. The characters are still not fully developed in my opinion and I still think that the world building could be better.
Verdict: It was ok.
Book: True Teryn
Author: S.G. Blaise
Book Series: The Last Lumenian Book 2
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, science fiction, romance, fantasy
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, violence, gore)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence and gore in this book. There is also a lot of romance.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 247
Synopsis: ALL BEGINNINGS COME AT A PRICE. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY IT?
Lilla must recruit the biggest and most dangerous army in the Seven Galaxies, but the Teryn emperor will not comply unless Lilla earns the blessing of the Teryn Guardian Goddess Laoise.
Dealing with gods is never easy. Guardian Goddess Laoise’s condition for bestowing her blessing is for Lilla to bring her the mysterious Heart Amulet. Now Lilla is trapped in a strange place with no way out, no idea where to go or how to find the amulet.
The only way for Lilla to complete her mission is to uncover the biggest secret of all Teryns. Will she survive discovering the secret of what it means to be a True Teryn?
Review: Overall, this went better than the first book. I had some context as to what was going on and who these characters were. The book had a lot of promise and the plot was decent enough to keep me reading the book. I also thought the author did a bit better explaining the magic system in this one.
However, I still had issues with this book. It was still as confusing as the first book and the fast pacing had me racing to figure out what was going on in this book. The characters are still not fully developed in my opinion and I still think that the world building could be better.
Verdict: It was ok.