Hi everyone! It’s been a long time since my last post but I’m back with yet another Creative Book Tour (hosted by MTMC Tours) post today. Read on if you like small town and second-chance romances because I’ve got some amazing book recs for you!! But first…
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: THE HISTORY OF US (BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS + INTL GIVEAWAY!)”
Hi everyone! I’m back with yet another Bookstagram & Creative Tour (hosted by MTMC Tours) post and this time it’s going to be a mini-review plus book recommendations for young adult horror fans.
Today I’ll be talking about Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton & Faith McClaren. This addictive YA horror was published on February 1st, 2022 from Underlined/Penguin Random House!
Continue reading “BOOKSTAGRAM & CREATIVE TOUR | BOOKS TO READ AFTER FINISHING HORROR HOTEL”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the Bookstagram & Creative Tour for The LeNoir Legacy by Cristen J. Faulkenberry hosted by MTMC Tours. This is the first book in an Epic Fantasy trilogy and it was published on March 11th, 2022 from DragonNook Publishing LLC!
Continue reading “BOOKSTAGRAM & CREATIVE TOUR | CHARACTER Q&A – THE LENOIR LEGACY”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the Bookstagram & Creative Tour for Arya Winters and the Tiramisu of Death by Amita Murray hosted by MTMC Tours. This is an Adult Cozy Mystery and was published on November 9, 2021, from Agora Books!
Continue reading “BOOK TOUR | FIVE REASONS TO READ ARYA WINTERS AND THE TIRAMISU OF DEATH”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the book tour for The Ivory Key written by Akshaya Raman, hosted by the UK publisher Hot Key Books. The Ivory Key is out today and you can purchase it from your local bookstores & online retailers- links to some of which are mentioned below.
Continue reading “BOOK TOUR | Book Review: The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the book tour for The Jasmine Throne written by Tasha Suri, hosted by Caffeine Book Tours. The Jasmine Throne is out in the world already and you can purchase it from your local bookstores & online retailers- links to some of which are mentioned below.
Continue reading “BOOK TOUR | Book Review: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri”
Hi everyone! Love it or hate it, but everyone still wants to watch Bridgerton and it will be in no time that we see season 2 gracing our screens. To keep you company, I’ve compiled a list of five romance audiobooks that you can listen to! All you need to do is download the Storytel app.
Continue reading “Five audiobooks to keep you company till Bridgerton season 2 comes out”
Hi everyone! Today’s post is a bit different from my usual ones as you know-if you’re a regular reader of my posts- that I post book reviews mostly. If you ever wanted to chat with a bookstagrammer who’s also a self-published writer then, let me introduce you to Fathima Ashab(@fathima.ashab)!
I interviewed Fathima a while ago and am so thankful for her thoughtful answers to my questions! She posts informative and entertaining Instagram reels(and videos) about topics like reading, content creation, book recommendations, etc. Please give her follow her blog a follow and you can find her book Hold Me While I Fix Myself on Amazon.
Here’s what she had to say about a normal day in her life, why book content creators should be paid, three things she would like to change about the book community and lots more!!
Continue reading “Interview with a #bookstagrammer: Fathima Aashab”
Today I’m excited to participate in the cover reveal of No Beauties or Monsters by Tara Goedjen! For fans of Rory Power and Stranger Things comes an all-new, hair-raising mystery about a girl whose family secrets are as threatening as the desert that surrounds her—but whose quest to expose the truth may tear apart reality itself. No Beauties or Monsters will be published by Delacorte/Random House on December 7th, 2021!
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the book tour for Act Your Age, Eve Brown written by Talia Hibbert, hosted by Hear Our Voices Book Tours. Eve Brown releases today and you can purchase it from your local bookstores & online retailers- links to some of which are mentioned below.
Continue reading “BOOK TOUR | Book Review: Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert”
Hi everyone! Today I’m going to be reviewing What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo, available now from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Continue reading “One of the Weirdest Books I’ve Ever Read | Book Review: What Big Teeth, written by Rose Szabo”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for A Pho Love Story, written by Loan Le, hosted by Colored Pages Bookish Tours. A Pho Love Story releases today in the US and will be available to purchase from your local bookstores & online retailers.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Book Review: A Pho Love Story, written by Loan Le”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Cold Cruel Kiss, written by Toni Anderson, available now from all major retailers.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Book Review: Cold Cruel Kiss(Cold Justice: Crossfire #4), written by Toni Anderson”
Hello everyone! Lately, I haven’t felt like blogging and have been putting all my energy into my Instagram(and reading some). Now that finals are over, I really wanna kick procrastination’s a** , so here I am. This blog post – i am hoping – will be the start of a series of posts where I talk about TV shows or movies I’m excited about.
Continue reading “Netflix Adaptations and me.. let’s talk about the upcoming adaptation of Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I”
Today I’m excited to participate in the cover reveal of An Heir Comes to Rise by C.C. Peñaranda! Fans of A Court of Thorns & Roses and Red Queen will enjoy this first instalment in a gripping new fantasy series that portrays the unbreakable strength of friendship, the struggle for honor, and the ache of sacrifice. An Heir Comes to Rise releases on February 25th, 2021!
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for The Diabolical Bones, written by Bella Ellis, published and hosted by Hodder and Stoughton.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Book Review: The Diabolical Bones(Brontë Sisters Mystery #2), written by Bella Ellis”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for People of Abandoned Character written by Clare Whitfield, published by Head of Zeus and hosted by Midas PR. If you’re looking to read a unique take on the story of Jack the Ripper and revisit Victorian London, then look no further. Thanks to the publisher for sharing an excerpt from the story!
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Excerpt: People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Secrets in the Dark – Book 2 in the Black winter series, written by Darcy Coates, published by Sourcebooks Fire and hosted by Midas PR.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Excerpt: Secrets in the Dark, written by Darcy Coates”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Even If We Break, written by Marieke Nijkamp, published by Sourcebooks Fire and hosted by Midas PR.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR | Book Review: Even If We Break, written by Marieke Nijkamp”
Hello everyone! How are you all doing? I know, I know, that you must be getting tired of being asked this question! But, seriously, I hope you’re okay and even if you’re not..that’s okay too.
Today, I’m bringing you a book review of an adult romance that has A LOT of baked goodies and angst! Without any further ado, let’s dive into it…
Continue reading “Book Review: A Sweet Mess, written by Jayci Lee”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour of WE ARE NOT FREE by Traci Chee, organised by Colored Pages Bookish Tours! My tour post was supposed to be published yesterday, so I apologise for the delay. This OwnVoices young adult fiction is about the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II. We Are Not Free releases tomorrow from HMH Teen!
Read on to learn more about Traci Chee’s upcoming book We Are Not Free and lots more!
Continue reading “Blog Tour: Interview with Traci Chee, author of We Are Not Free”Today I’m excited to participate in the cover reveal of Blood and Honor by Miranda Lyn! For fans of adventure, battle toughened fae, budding romance, and glory-destined heroines comes the first novel in the Fae Rising trilogy. Releases on January 4th, 2021!
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for The Octopus, written by Tess Little, hosted by Hodder and Stoughton.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: The Octopus, written by Tess Little”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar, hosted by Hear Our Voices tours.
Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: STAR DAUGHTER by Shveta Thakrar”
Hello everyone! Today I’m going to be reviewing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, published by Scholastic. It’s a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy and tells the story of a teenager who would later be known as President Snow.
Continue reading “Book Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes(The Hunger Games #0), written by Suzanne Collins”
Hello everyone! Today I’m going to be reviewing Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, published by Quercus Books(UK) on June 30th. The first book I read and loved by Moreno-Garcia was The Gods of Jade And Shadow. Mexican Gothic proved to be even more of a captivating and stunning book.
Continue reading “Book Review: Mexican Gothic, written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to review Ana Huang’s NA contemporary romance, If We Ever Meet Again, book one of If Love Duet. It’s available on Amazon KU and on kindle for only $1.31!
Continue reading “Book Review: If We Ever Meet Again, written by Ana Huang”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour of I KILLED ZOE SPANOS by Kit Frick! For fans of Sadie and Serial, this gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost. This YA thriller debut releases on June 30th, 2020 from McElderry Books!
Read on to learn more about Kit Frick’s upcoming book, I Killed Zoe Spanos, her writing process and lots more!
Continue reading “Interview with Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the cover reveal of SING ME FORGOTTEN by Jessica S. Olson! SING ME FORGOTTEN is a gender-swapped, darkly gothic retelling of The Phantom of the Opera set in a world of forbidden, music-based magic. This YA Fantasy debut releases on March 9th, 2021 from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins!
Without any further ado……………
Continue reading “COVER REVEAL: SING ME FORGOTTEN by JESSICA S. OLSON”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for He Started It by Samantha Downing, hosted by Penguin(Michael Joseph).
Publication date(hardcover): June 11th, 2020
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Buy: BOOK DEPOSITORY | Wordery
Synopsis:
Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven’t all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we’ll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.
But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.
It’s even harder when you’re all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory—a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won’t stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there’s a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.
But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen hosted by FFBC! It’s the second book in the Dark Shores series but there are new protagonists this time around.
Dark Skies(Dark Shores#2) by Danielle L. Jensen
Publication date: May 5th, 2020
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 464
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy
Buy: GOODREADS | BOOK DEPOSITORY | Wordery | B&N
Synopsis:
A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.
A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.
A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.
– My Thoughts –
You don’t need to read Dark Shores to read Dark Skies as it’s set in a different world with an entirely different cast of characters..well, except one.
In Dark Skies, we follow Teriana’s(from Dark Shores) friend Lydia to a place called Mudamora where there’s politics, Gods, and so many other things at play.
The story begins in Celadon, and during the same timeline as Dark Shores. Lydia escapes from Cel and lands in Mudamora where she comes face-to-face with two dangerous things, only one of them won’t kill her. Killian, marked by the God of war and the commander of his King’s army, meets Lydia during a fight. He saves her life and in return, Lydia repays him by saving him. This is where we stumble into a whole new world; a world where a god would suddenly appear and bestow their ‘gifts’ upon you. The gifts can be healing, fighting, growing things, water breathing, etc.
I love Danielle Jensen’s writing which gets better with every book. I never thought I’d be able to finish this book in a day, but I did. The pacing is wonderful and even though there are so many things happening, you’ll forget your bathroom break and watch(err.. read). There are assassination plots, mysteries, magic, chases, a BLIGHT(Or, a virus. I should’ve included a trigger warning) zombies, evil god, evil army leaders, more evil people, more scheming.. There’s a lot of slashing people, and more darkness.
I loved Lydia and Killian. They were both compassionate, loyal, brave and so very human. When I say ‘human’, I mean that they feel afraid, helpless, anxious considering the fact that they were god marked. The other characters in the book like Malahi, Killian’s mother, brother, Finn were written impeccably well, with just enough context to their characters.
Overall, I would highly recommend this if you love fantasy, great characters, a couple that you’ll root for, magic, politics, intrigue, plot twists, and of course if you loved Dark Shores!
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review and to FFBC for including me in the blog tour!
– Giveaway –
Win one copy of DARK SKIES. Enter here. Open to US residents only! Ends on May 19th, 2020
Click this link to see the entire Tour Schedule. Make sure to visit the rest of the tour stops to get more chances to win!
– About the Author –
Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of The Malediction Trilogy (Angry Robot), the Dark Shores series (Tor Teen), and The Bridge Kingdom series (Audible Originals). She lives in Calgary, Alberta with her family. Follow her on:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram
Thank you for reading! Do you think you’ll read Dark Skies? Have you read Dark Shores or any of the author’s books? I’d love to you thoughts in the comments below!
Hi everyone! Today I’ll be talking a little bit about Vagabonds, Hao Jingfang’s debut futuristic novel for my stop in the VAGABONDS blog tour by Midas PR. This has been translated by Ken Liu and has been published by Head of Zeus in hardback on 14 April 2020.
Continue reading “Blog Tour: Vagabonds by Hao Jingfang(Translated by Ken Liu)”
Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters hosted by Headline Eternal! To Have and To Hoax is author Martha Waters’ debut historical romance novel set in regency era England.
Continue reading “TO HAVE AND TO HOAX, written by Martha Waters BLOG TOUR: REVIEW POST”
I heard about the Magical Readathon last year and even though it sounded fun, I couldn’t participate. However, this year I have the time to participate and hopefully pass my O.W.L.s. I will probably be updating everyone on my O.W.Ls on Instagram as I basically live on there but I wanted an “accountability” post here on my blog.
Continue reading “My Magical Readathon TBR | First Year, Gryffindor House”
Today I’m excited to participate in the bookstagram & creative blog tour for The Veiled Threat by Sophia Menesini hosted by MTMC Tours! The Veiled Threat is an LGBTQ Romance Fantasy-Adventure where pirates, court intrigue, rebellion against slavery, and romance clash on this first installment of The Veiled Duchess series.
Continue reading “THE VEILED THREAT BY SOPHIA MENESINI BLOG TOUR: 5 REASONS YOU SHOULD READ IT + INTL GIVEAWAY”
Hi again! I’m back with another cover reveal today. Today I’m excited to participate in the cover reveal of THE HUNTER AND THE MAGE by Kaitlyn Davis! Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
Without any further ado……………
here’s…………………………….
THE COVER!
(cover artist is Salome Totladze/@morgana0anagrom)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: The Hunter and the Mage
Series: The Raven and the Dove #2
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Publishing Date: September 21st, 2020
Genres: YA Fantasy
Preorder: Amazon
Add on Goodreads!
Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A mage written in prophecy…
When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.
A hunter forged in blood…
Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.
Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…
With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known. With even more romance, angst, and stunning betrayal than ever before, scroll up and click buy now to continue the adventure!
ABOUT THE RAVEN AND THE DOVE:
Add The Raven and the Dove (book 1) to your TBR!
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
International Cover Reveal Giveaway!
Head over to my Instagram account to enter the cover reveal giveaway to win a hardcover copy of The Raven and the Dove! (And check the hashtag #TheHunterandtheMageCoverReveal to get in more entries!)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family.
Website|Twitter|Goodreads |Instagram
Hosted by:
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to host the cover reveal for Crush, the sequel to Crave by Tracy Wolff. Crush, a YA paranormal, will be published by Entangled Teen but the date has not yet been revealed!
Without any further ado, here’s the cover:
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jaxon and Grace’s story continues in New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff’s captivating sequel to Crave.
I’m in the fight of my life. For my humanity. For Jaxon. And for the world I’ve only just begun to be a part of. I’m all in, even if saving the people I love means I risk losing myself forever.
ABOUT CRAVE:
My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.
Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.
Which could spell death for us all.
Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tracy Wolff is a lover of vampires, dragons, and all things that go bump in the night. A onetime English professor, she now devotes all her time to writing dark and romantic stories with tortured heroes and kick-butt heroines. She has written all her sixty-plus novels from her home in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her family. You can find her on Goodreads or her website
Hi everyone! Today I’ll be reviewing My Dark Vanessa and while it has been on my list of 2020 releases to look out for, the book was too dark for me to review it in depth. This book deals with topics such as child grooming and sexual abuse so be prepared before you dive into it.
Publication date: March 10th, 2020
Publisher: Harper Collins/ Fourth Estate
Pages: 384
Genre: Fiction, Adult
Buy: Book Depository| Wordery
Synopsis:
Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.
2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.
2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?
Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.
– My Thoughts –
My Dark Vanessa is one of the most uncomfortable reads I’ve had the pleasure of reading. A sentence I never thought I’d utter.
We read the book from Vanessa(the protagonist)’s perspective where she doesn’t see herself as a victim at first. The entirety of the book has scenes that made me throw the book and rush outside to try and control my emotions; to remind that while the situations are hardly fictional but the story I was reading is.
The story alternates between 2008 and 2017 and we see how Vanessa is groomed and then raped by her teacher Jacob Strane. The battle Vanessa has with the realisation that she has been abused rather than anything else is described so painfully well that it gets under your skin. You grow up reading horror stories about mythical monsters and ghosts and whatnots but the real monsters are ones right in front of us, entangled in our daily lives. Teachers like Jacob Strane and other figures you probably see on the news and some you don’t see.
The book goes on for long, too long when it wasn’t really needed. Sometimes the lines would blur and it felt as if the sex scenes were romanticized. Besides those grievances, there were similarities to Lolita and #MeToo; another piece of reality would slap you in the face when you see how the people close to Vanessa responded to her.
Overall, I don’t whether to “recommend” it. If my friends ask for a recommendation, I don’t know if I’ll blurt out My Dark Vanessa as the first answer. This novel is dark and claustrophobic starring a real-life monster that will make you want to tear said monster from limb-to-limb. For a debut novel, if I were still rating, I’d rate My Dark Vanessa a solid 4/5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
Kate Elizabeth Russell was born and raised in eastern Maine. She holds an MFA from Indiana University and a PhD from the University of Kansas. My Dark Vanessa is her first novel.
Thank you for reading! Do you read books that are out of your comfort zone? Will you read My Dark Vanessa? If you’ve already read it, then I’d love to know what you thought as well!
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for Conviction by Denise Mina! Conviction is out now and this highly anticipated novel has been selected as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, as a book of the year by The Times, Observer and Telegraph and as one of the Guardian’s books of the month.
Continue reading “Blog Tour: Conviction, written by Denise Mina (Review + GIVEAWAY)”
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the blog tour for NIGHT SPINNER by Addie Thorley hosted by FFBC! It is described as, “A must-read for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, transforming The Hunchback of Notre Dame into a powerful tundra-inspired epic.”
Publication date: February 11th, 2020
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings
Buy: Book Depository| Wordery
Synopsis:
Guilt stricken and scarred, Enebish tries to be grateful for her sanctuary, until her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, returns from the war front with a tantalizing offer. If Enebish can capture the notorious criminal, Temujin, whose band of rebels has been seizing army supply wagons, not only will her crimes be pardoned, she will be reinstated as a warrior.
Enebish eagerly accepts. But as she hunts Temujin across the tundra, she discovers the tides of war have shifted, and the supplies he’s stealing are the only thing keeping thousands of shepherds from starving. Torn between duty and conscience, Enebish must decide whether to put her trust in the charismatic rebel or her beloved sister. No matter who she chooses, an even greater enemy is advancing, ready to bring the empire to its knees.
– My Thoughts –
“I’m still me beneath these scars. I’m still a girl beneath the monster.”
Night Spinner is a YA fantasy inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was not what attracted me to the book at first. The ability of the character to control darkness is one magic I have yet to read in a fantasy so I was naturally intrigued.
Enebish, our protagonist, is an ex-soldier living at a monastery now after she allegedly lost control of her powers and killed an entire caravan of merchants. She’s both physically and mentally disfigured, has no hope left until her adopted sister Ghoa comes along offering her the chance to gain freedom. However, it comes with a high price: Enebish has to work with the rebels as a spy. The only one on her side is her friend Serik who believes in her with all his heart.
“I want to claw these thoughts from my head, but, like parasites, they’ve already burrowed too deep.”
What I didn’t like was how naïve the character acted at times though and I didn’t like the first half of the book. I loved Enebish’s character development and my heart really broke for her when we came to the ultimate twist in the story. Ghoa and Temujin were two other side characters who I was genuinely excited for. Both of these morally grey characters were someone Enebish was glad to follow(after some persuasion, for one) and in the end, you end up either hating or loving them.
“Be humble, for you are made of Earth.
Be noble, for you are made of Stars.”
I loved the magic system here and I would love to see how other powers work in the upcoming book(/s). I also loved that meddling gods and their children are present in this story as well. The story also has little romance and plenty of political intrigue so for those craving these elements in a fantasy book, you won’t be disappointed
Overall, I would recommend this if you’d like to read about a fantasy about a country in war and a girl trying to save it without losing herself. Although there are some similarities to The Hunchback.., I don’t know if it’d be right to call it a retelling.
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review and to FFBC for including me in the blog tour!
– Giveaway –
Win one hardcover of Night Spinner. Enter here. Open to US/CAN residents only! Ends on February 25th, 2020
Click this link to see the entire Tour Schedule. Make sure to visit the rest of the tour stops to get more chances to win!
– About the Author –
Addie Thorley is the author of An Affair of Poisons, a YA historical fantasy, which was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and is a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee. Her forthcoming novel, Night Spinner, will be released on February 11, 2020. She spent her childhood playing soccer, riding horses, and scribbling stories. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in journalism, Addie decided “hard news” didn’t contain enough magic and kissing, so she flung herself into the land of fiction and never looked back. She now lives in Princeton, New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and wolf dog. When she’s not writing she can be found gallivanting in the woods or galloping around the barn where she works as a horse trainer and exercise rider. Follow her on:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram
Thank you for reading! Do you think you’ll read Night Spinner? If you’ve already read it, then I’d love to know what you thought as well!
Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the bookstagram & creative blog tour for BREAK THE FALL by Jennifer Iacopelli hosted by MTMC Tours! Break the Fall is a fiercely told survivorship YA Contemporary novel about one girl’s determination to push her body to win gold at the Olympics, and the power of uniting as women to speak out. Publishing on February 18th, 2020 from Razorbill and February 20th, 2020 from Hodder Children’s (UK).
Continue reading “Bookstagram & Creative Blog Tour: Break The Fall, written by Jennifer Iacopelli (Review + INT’L GIVEAWAY)”
Publication date: January 9th, 2020
Publisher: Two Roads
Pages: 368
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Buy: Book Depository | Wordery
Synopsis:
Maddy is sixteen. She has loyal friends, a mother with whom she’s unusually close, a father she’s never met, devoted grandparents, and a crush on a boy named Jack. Maddy also has cancer. Deeply curious, wry, and vivacious, she’s poised at the outset of adulthood, ready to untangle all the mysteries that living holds—if she survives her teens.
All the Water in the World is the story of a family doing its best when faced with the worst. Told in the alternating voices of Maddy and her mother, Eve, the narrative moves between the family’s lake house in Pennsylvania, their home in Washington, DC, and London. Hungry for experience despite living in the shadow of illness, Maddy seeks out her first romantic relationship, ponders philosophical questions, finds solace in music and art, and tracks down her father, Antonio. She continually tests the depths and limits of her closeness with her mother, while Eve has to come to terms with the daughter she only partly knows, in a world she can’t control.
Unforgettable and singularly moving, with voices that range from tender to funny, despairing to defiant, this novel is a testimony to the transformative power of love, humor, and hope.
– My Thoughts –
All The Water in the World tells the story of sixteen years old Maddie and her mother Eve. Maddie at sixteen has cancer and Eve raised her alone after her father announced that he didn’t want children. Later, Maddie decides to reach out to her father and the two of them start keeping in touch secretly. Meanwhile, there’s Eve who tries to take care of Maddie with her parents, her partner Robin, all the while ignorant from the fact that her ex-husband and her daughter are in touch.
The story is narrated from both Eve and Maddie’s perspectives, and I kept going until I reached halfway through the book. I wanted to go on and enjoy this book but I couldn’t force it.
Overall, this book didn’t prove to be an enjoyable read for me. However, if you like how the synopsis sounds then go for it, you might love it. In the blog banner you can see four other bloggers who participated in this tour, so please check out their reviews as well.
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
KAREN RANEY recently gained an MA in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths with a Distinction and was awarded the 2017 Pat Kavanagh Prize for All Water In the World when the novel was still a work-in-progress. Born in Schenectady, New York, Raney attended Oberlin College, graduated from Duke University, and worked as a nurse before moving to Londonto study art. She lives in London with her husband and daughter, and teaches at the University of East London.
Thank you for reading! Have you read All the Water in the World? or, Have you ever reviewed a book you did not finish? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Publication date: February 4th, 2020
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 336
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Buy: Book Depository | Wordery
Synopsis:
All Beth has to do is drive her son to his Under-14s away match, watch him play, and bring him home.
Just because she knows her ex-best friend lives near the football ground, that doesn’t mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her. Why would Beth do that, and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn’t seen Flora for twelve years. She doesn’t want to see her today, or ever again.
But she can’t resist. She parks outside the open gates of Newnham House, watches from across the road as Flora and her children Thomas and Emily step out of the car. Except… There’s something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older. As Beth would have expected. It’s the children. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were five and three years old. Today, they look precisely as they did then.
They are still five and three. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt – Hilary hears Flora call them by their names – but they haven’t changed at all.
They are no taller, no older… Why haven’t they grown?
– My Thoughts –
Perfect Little Children is a standalone thriller/psychological suspense, also known as “Haven’t They Grown”, from the author of The New Hercule Poirot Mysteries and other mystery novels. Even though this book had an interesting premise, I found it a bit too far-fetched in some places.
Beth, our protagonist, takes a detour while dropping off her son at his football match. My confusion, my “head-scratching” starts from here. I wondered why would she suddenly park her car in front of her ex-best friends’ old house. Flora and Lewis Braid who were once close friends of Beth and her husband’s, have now moved to Florida with their three children. After dropping off her son at his match, Beth drives back to her friends’ old house and notices Flora Braid entering her home. However, that’s not THE surprise. The surprise is that Flora’s two children Thomas and Emily looked exactly like they would’ve 12 years ago.
The story gets crazier from here on and I had to constantly remind myself that this is fictional.
After Beth drives back home, she confides in her husband and daughter Zannah and both of them are dubious about the whole incident but Beth has unwavering faith in what she saw. So, she starts investigating and her daughter starts helping her too; soon, they realize that indeed something sinister is going on. Beth’s husband was also supportive of her need to uncover the secrets despite being aggravated by her obsession at times. There are several twists which with the pace demand your attention to the book; however, all the build-up gave way to a very dissatisfying ending.
What I didn’t like was every time Beth reminded Zannah to revise for her GCSEs, she was the one who quickly forgot about it. I would’ve liked to see Beth’s son solving these mysteries alongside his parents and sister too but we see very little of him. I have already mentioned how disappointed I was with the conclusion.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you loved Sophie Hannah’s previous books or if you’re looking for a mind-bending thriller with a unique premise.
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
Sophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie’s crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
Thank you for reading! Will you add Perfect Little Children / Haven’t You Grown to your tbr? Have you read any of the author’s previous books? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Publication date: February 25th, 2020
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 336
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Buy: Book Depository | Wordery
Synopsis:
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.
But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
– My Thoughts –
“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart.
And they never will.”
The Shadows Between Us starts with the trope, “boy you might be hot and all, but imma still kill you as it suits me” but it quickly turned to “oh noooo.. boy you’re THE brooding hero of my fanfic dreams..how in the f-ing hell can I kill you”.
Alessandra, the second daughter of a nobleman, started off as an ambitious heroine. It seems that she has everything, riches to freedom to do whatever she wants but Alessandra knows that as a woman she has to marry someone eventually. Alessandra shocks her father when she tells him she’ll marry the Shadow King. Alessandra is confident that the King won’t be able to help himself and fall for her. When he does, Alessandra is going to kill him and rule the kingdom in his place. Of course, things don’t go her way. For starters, there are others in line ahead to kill the king.
I won’t say I didn’t enjoy the book because I loved every bit of it. There are pretty great moments( some of which I’ve included above) like Alessandra’s sense of humor, her passion for designing clothes, female friendships, moments of female empowerment, great banter and Demodocus of course! I was intrigued by the Shadow King too; not the King part but the “Shadow” part. The pacing was decent as well as I had finished reading it in two days. I loved the twist at the end as well. I couldn’t predict the villain until before two pages of the revelation but it was anticlimactic.
Now let’s talk about what I didn’t like. To me, it seemed like Alessandra quickly forgot about her plans. I didn’t like the Alessandra that we got to see after she joined the royal household. I also wanted to see her in the role of Royal Tailor or something..since there are paragraphs detailing her love for designing. There was also minimal worldbuilding so I’d advise you to steer clear of this if you prefer detailed world-building.
Overall, I would recommend this book. I think if you enjoyed The Cruel Prince, you might enjoy this! If you like anti-heroes, stabby romance, a character-driven fantasy that prioritizes romance, then go buy or borrow this YA fantasy when it hits the shelves on 25th February!
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
Thank you for reading! Will you add The Shadows Between Us to your tbr? Have you read any of the author’s previous books? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Hi everyone! I’m back with another Top Ten Tuesday post and this week’s prompt is to list the The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf.
I love doing these type of posts. I’ve never written blog posts about book hauls, mostly photographed them and posted them on IG. Today I’m listing some of the latest additions to my shelf, most of these books I’ve listed below are gifted or received for review.
I loved the last Sophie Hannah book I read so I’m eager to start Perfect Little Children
I’ve already read Rules for Vanishing already and oh boy..it was so spooky!!
Added it to my bookshelf because I love the cover and the synopsis of Woven in Moonlight
Diamond City: Got this as a review copy!
Got a review copy of The Shadows between Us. Read it in a day and loved it!
I didn’t read Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey so I’m super glad I got a copy of Love Her or Lose Her to read from the publisher!
Husband Material is yet romance I’ve added recently to my bookshelf.
Added Don’t Read The Comments to my Goodreads TBR so long ago and recently received a copy from the publisher.
Received a review copy of Tweet Cute and had loads of great things about it from my blogger friends!
Loveboat, Taipei: I’m on a blog tour for this one!
What about you? Do you have any of these books in your bookshelf? Let me know in the comments below!
Almost Just Friends(Wildstone #4) by Jill Shavis
Publication date: January 21st, 2020
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 384
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
Buy: Book Depository | Wordery
Synopsis:
Piper Manning’s about as tough as they come, she’s had to be. She raised her siblings and they’ve thankfully flown the coop. All she has to do is finish fixing up the lake house her grandparents left her, sell it, and then she’s free.
When a massive storm hits, she runs into a tall, dark and brooding stranger, Camden Reid. There’s a spark there, one that shocks her. Surprising her further, her sister and brother return, each of them holding their own secrets. The smart move would be for Piper to ignore them all but Cam unleashes emotions deep inside of her that she can’t deny, making her yearn for something she doesn’t understand. And her siblings…well, they need each other.
Only when the secrets come out, it changes everything Piper thinks she knows about her family, herself…and Cam. Can she find a way to outrun the demons? The answer is closer than she thinks-just as the new life she craves may have already begun.
– My Thoughts –
“Chin up, Princess, or the crown slips.”
I can’t remember the last time I read a Jill Shalvis book. When I saw this pop up on the available eARCs on Edelweiss, I had to request it.
Almost Just Friends has multiple POVs, Piper(our mc), Camden, and Piper’s brother Gavin’s. There are two romances as well, one of which is an M/M romance that I would have loved to read more about.
Piper has raised her siblings since the day their parents died. She had to push her dreams and hopes aside to see to it that her siblings’ are fulfilled, until now. Her brother and sister are grown-up enough that Piper can finally sell the Lake House and go to university.
Then she meets Camden Reid at her birthday celebration. Although she bids goodbye to Cam soon after, a storm brings them face-to-face again! Surprisingly, both of them have a lot in common and that includes grief. Recognizing the pain in each other, they form a tentative friendship, a friendship that involves kisses everywhere.
That’s not the only surprise in store for Piper. Her sister and brother turn up announced at the lake house with secrets of their own. Will Piper be able to achieve her dreams? Can she and Cam have any future together?
Piper is my kind of woman. She is a planner and in her journal, she has all her hopes and dreams written to be checked out. When her siblings come back home, her planner doesn’t work anymore. I loved the whole family dynamics in this story. Each character has their backstories are that well fleshed out and it’s a treat to read their character growths as well. As I mentioned before, there are two romances. Cam and Piper’s can be described as “strangers at first but found out acquaintances later” kinda romance and the other romance was a “second chance” one.
I loved every bit of the story which was about overcoming grief, accepting help, being vulnerable and to let the love of others heal you. This story is also about hope and there are so many instances of it(all them are spoilers) that I couldn’t help but feel peaceful.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. This has a heroine who journals, sibling love, two romances that’ll make you emotional and blush a lot. If you want to read a beautiful story where people who were never supposed to find love does so and in turn heals others, then go to your nearest bookstore or the library and pick this one up!
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.
Look for Jill’s ALMOST JUST FRIENDS and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold. Visit http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and fun blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
Thank you for reading! Have you read Almost Just Friends or any of the author’s previous books? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer
Publication date: June 27th, 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 374
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary
Buy: Book Depository | Wordery
Synopsis:
When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.
Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.
When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship…
This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?
– My Thoughts –
After reading A Curse so Dark and Lonely, I was eager to read more of Brigid Kemmerer’s books and many blogger friends recommended Call It What You Want. I was supposed to pick up this book in 2019 but I kept putting it off; however, this wholesome YA contemporary was exactly what I needed after reading a horror story.
“I’m not lost. I want to do the right thing.”
“Most of us do,” she says ruefully. “The problem is that it doesn’t always look the same for all of us”
Rob Lachlan was once THE popular guy in school but now, he’s a nobody. His father stole half the towns investment money and people think that Rob was in on it too. If that’s not enough, his father committed suicide and Rob saw it all.
Maegan was a good girl but she cheated on the SATs and nothing been the same since. Her classmates blame her for getting caught and forcing everyone to rewrite the tests all over again. Maegan’s dad is also a cop and definitely won’t like it when his daughter is friendly with the son of a criminal.
Maegan and Rob are paired up as partners by a teacher, one of my favourite YA trope! At first, none of them wants to each other’s partners but later, they realise that their project meet-ups provided a welcome escape from their complicated families. This unlikely relationship between them was so beautiful to read; both insecure and presume the wrong things about each other at first. There were so many other lovable characters in the book: Owen, Owen’s mom, Sam, Mr. London.
The main theme here is how anyone can be misjudged and that we truly don’t know what is going on in their lives. Either we ignore them or treat them like garbage. Also a slight paragraph about racism was included through a character called Drew, when he says that at least people aren’t Rob like a criminal. Even though Drew’s delivery came off rude he was right, Rob got off easy because of the colour of his skin. If a black kid like Drew’s dad would have committed such a crime, the punishment would be far worse. Another representation comes from Owen who’s gay and it was so amazing to see his mother asking him to keep his door open when Rob was alone with him; a contrast to Mr London’s parents who wanted to get “rid of the gay” in him.
“Other people don’t have the challenges that we have, Owen. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own.”
Overall, I would highly recommend this. If you loved A Curse so Dark and Lonely and want to read more of the author’s books, then you won’t regret picking this contemporary up. I loved the Robin Hood easter egg in the story and way male friendships were portrayed. I was a bit miffed about the lack of female friendship in this book and I would love it if Brigid wrote a more present female friendship in her next book.
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
– About the Author –
Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring Young Adult novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA stories like The Elemental Series and Thicker Than Water (Kensington). A full-time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband, her boys, her dog, and her cat. When she’s not writing or being a mommy, you can usually find her with her hands wrapped around a barbell.
Thank you for reading! Have you read Call It What You Want or any of the author’s other books? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Book Rambler 