sassyowlreads's Reviews (910)

This is very What a Girl Wants/Princess Dairies with a dash of Crazy Rich Asians and I loved it! The premise isn't unique but I loved the multicultural and Own Voices aspect of it. I found myself drawing more parallel's to What a Girl Wants than Princess Diaries actually, especially after Akio quotes a line from the movie, albeit not verbatim.

Izumi's hilarious inner monologue and witty banter with Akio were delightful. I love when the love-interest has a surprising and dry sense of humor. I also liked that the emphasis was more on Izumi getting in touch with her Japanese heritage than on all the rules of being royalty.

I was so glad to see that despite being by herself in Japan, Izumi's gal pals were still crazy supportive of her. It's a shame they didn't get more screen time but the plot didn't allow for that much. 

 Ali Ahn is an excellent narrator and really embodied Izumi's personality.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I'll be honest, I was skeptical when I first started Ink and Foxglove because I REALLY loved The Night King and it's quickly apparent that about 100 years have passed since then. But the witty banter between Wren and Luka won my heart in no time and the plot kept me guessing.

After that ending, I desperately want the next book!

Also, another stunning cover!

Thanks so much to Bethany Anne Lovejoy for a free copy of the book to read and give an honest review.

I haven't enjoyed a contemporary romance book this much since The Hating Game! Eve Brown and Jacob Wayne were so cute I couldn't stand it. I loved that the story mostly takes place at a B&B and the fact that it's all because Eve hit Jacob with her car is hilarious. 

I haven't read either of the other books in the Brown Sisters series but I'm definitely going to now and didn't feel at all like I was missing out not having already read them. I know this is the last book but I think Talia Hibbert should explore Jacob's friends next *hint hint*

I loved the autistic representation and body positivity included as well. Overall, Act Your Age, Eve Brown is an excellent read to kick off the summer with!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher!

Yellow Wife is a powerful Historical Fiction book set in the South in the mid-1800's. The story follows Pheby Delores Brown's heartbreaking life of slavery, made all the more horrific by being inspired by true events. Sadeqa Johnson did not sugar coat the history so there are a number of graphic scenes, making this an even heavier read due to the heinous treatment of slaves.

This seems to be Sadeqa Johnson's first Historical Fiction book but I hope it is not her last!

Sweethand by N.G. Peltier was a fun contemporary romance that is perfect for summer. Cherisse and Kieran are a classic enemies to lovers pair and were delightful to read about. I enjoyed the secondary characters quite a bit and loved that it's set in Trinidad. And how cute is this cover??

The main thing that kept this from being a 4 star read or higher for me was the dialogue. Sometimes it was just a little too over the top for me. Otherwise, Sweethand is a cute, steamy romance you won't regret reading.

Chrystal Bethell was an excellent narrator for the story!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the audio-arc!

Shuriken of Honor by A.C. Ward is the fourth book in The Kami Prophecy, a YA series inspired by Feudal Japan that is full of mythology and romance.

Shou is fiercer than ever in Shuriken of Honor as she uncovers pieces of her past and fights to stay alive as both mortals and Kami alike try to kill her. Shou spends a large portion of the book unhappily separated from Masaru while he fights his enemies within and outside of the Date clan and strives to find his way Daimyo.

Another part of the prophecy is unearthed but the future couldn't be more unknown for the Marked and the Fated.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series! Hopefully it has even more of Geki in it.

Thanks so much to A.C. Ward for the e-arc!

A.C. Ward has blown me away once again! Spear of Courage was just way too short and that ending 😭 I'm going to need book 4 ASAP! I'm so glad Yosuke shows up again and I loved the addition of Yuki and Geki. Masaru is the king of slow-burn and he's giving Katashi a run for his money in terms of who will claim my affection. I'm so glad A.C. is cranking these out because I have to know what happens next!

Ordinarily, I don't think Shoulder Season would have caught my attention but I've been in the mood for a good summer read and I was not disappointed! The Wisconsin Playboy House in the 1980's quickly became far more interesting than I ever expected. The life of a Bunny was both glamorous and difficult and it was interesting to see how it contrasted with the Midwest way of life.

The pace and flow of Shoulder Season felt very natural and I was able to lose myself in the story for hours. Sherri spends a large part of the book trying to reinvent herself before she had even figured out who she was resulting in her being lost for most of the book. This made her unlikable at times but also kept me reading in the hopes that she would find herself. Christina Clancy's Shoulder Season the page-turner beach read everyone will be reaching for this summer!

I highly recommend the audiobook version of Shoulder Season when it releases! Karissa Vacker was able to really embody Sherri's character.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio-arc!

I officially love this series! Stones of Light by Zack Argyle is just as good as Voice of War if not a tiny bit better.

First and foremost, Argyle is just a good writer. The story flows and just really draws you in. He expands the world-building, fleshes out the characters and thickens the plot. Even more impressively, this does not have the 2nd book drag that a lot of series fall victim to.

Stones of Light continues to follow Chys, Laurel and Alverax as their paths twist and weave around one another. I'm very intrigued by Willow and was glad to see more of her. I enjoyed the new characters introduced as well.

There were several quotes I highlighted while reading but the quote below is the one that stuck with me the most.

I was surprised and very pleased as well that he included a brief recap of what happened in Voice of War. It's a small thing I wish more fantasy books had.

Overall, this was an excellent sequel and I cannot wait for the 3rd book! A huge thank you to Zack for a copy of the book!

Awakening Shadows by Sydney Hawthorn is a delightful YA Fantasy full of magic and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building and characters. Joseline really matures from the somewhat spoiled princess to someone who wants to be able to defend herself. Her blossoming relationship with Quinn was so sweet and he is the broody love-interest you can't help swooning over. I was intrigued by Dax and Evalyn even more than Joseline and Quinn but I won't say more on that front. 

The pacing of the book is pretty steady and there's good foundation for the sequel. I am definitely looking forward to the next book!

Thanks so much to the author for a digital copy of the book!