I started reading Hera’s Terrible Trap as a bedtime story for my 6 years old son on 5/4/18 and we finished it on 5/16/18. My son enjoys Tim Baker’s adI started reading Hera’s Terrible Trap as a bedtime story for my 6 years old son on 5/4/18 and we finished it on 5/16/18. My son enjoys Tim Baker’s adventures a lot. He likes that this time Tim stands up to defend himself against the bully, Leo. We both enjoy the humor Thesus provides. He likes to boast about his heroism and his good looks. My son memorizes Theseus� line by the end of the book, “Hey, we may be trapped, but at least my good looks can cheer us all up.� I like that line too. I like the time travel portion. I like the peacocks.
This book is told in the third person point of view following Timothy (Tim) Baker as he continues to protect the broken ancient vase. A few days ago, (book 1) Tim caught the goddess Hera and her servant Hermes� attempted to steal the vase. Tim overheard that Hera wanted to bring the vase back to Greece to trap Hercules in it again. These days Tim doesn’t leave the vase out of his sight much. Once again, he removes the cloth covering the vase to check if it’s still there, but Hermes appear out of nowhere and grab onto it. Tim grabs onto the vase to prevent Hermes from stealing but finds himself “swirling through the air at a great speed.� Tim ended up in ancient Greece, at the hometown of Hercules and Hera. Hera then take possession of the vase and Tim barely escapes her wrath. On his run away from Hera, Tim bumps into Hercules and got to meet his family. Zoe, Hercules� daughter wants to steal the vase back before Hera use it to trap her dad again. Zoe and Tim then sneaks into Hera’s castle’s antechamber to look for the vase but was caught by Hera and without warning, they were sent to a labyrinth. Somewhere along, a hero, the Minotaur Slayer, Theseus came to their rescue. Then they run into Stheno, Medusa’s sister, a monster with snakes on her head with the power to turn whoever looking at her into stone. Tim and Zoe are trapped!
This book is very well written and entertaining to read. A great book for introducing kids Greek mythology, heroes, and Ancient Greece. I like how Theseus seems to be hopeless at rescuing the kids because he couldn’t stop admiring himself and seems to lack the abilities to think up strategies, but then surprise readers in the end. I like the hopeless heroes because they are less intimidating and are fun to be around. I like that Tim is smart to think up strategies. I like reading the adventures with the snake hair monster. This book’s hero is Theseus, but my son likes that Hercules and the bully Leo are brought back, especially Leo because it teaches him to deal with bullies. This story is an excellent read and I highly recommend everyone to read the series.
Pro: fast paced, page turner, time travel, ancient Greece, mythology, humor, actions & adventures
(Side Note: I actually learned from this book that the publishers called Minotaur and Pegasus have both taken their name from Greek mythology! haha.. Definitely read more to learn more, and don’t need to read a non-fiction book to learn new knowledge haha..)
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Stella Tarakson, publisher Sweet Cherry Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
This book was an amazing read! A great story on magic and witches as well as friendship and family. A beautiful story for mother and daughter, but of This book was an amazing read! A great story on magic and witches as well as friendship and family. A beautiful story for mother and daughter, but of course anyone can read it and I do recommend it. The chapter titles were eye catching and interesting. I liked how the author created each character. They were unique and individual with their own sets of skills and talents. The ending was great and it got me a bit teary eyed. Would have been awesome if there was a cure for Antain's face because he's such a sweet guy. I loved how sorrow was spotlight in this book and the weapon to beat it.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon was very well written and a fast paced read! Such an original story unlike any others I have read before, though the beginning reminded me of The Hunger Games where a sacrifice was required from the poor population. The title was explained in the story and it was excellent. I loved the cover of this book! The characters were well developed and I couldn't help but felt for Antain and his wife as well as Glerk, Xan, Fyrian, and Luna. The origami paper birds are a plus! I used to hang my ceiling full of paper birds back in middle and high school. Loved the suspense and mystery and at times a couldn't put down kind of read.
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Many thanks to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest....more
I'm buddy reading this book with my 3rd grader but sometimes I also read out loud to my 17 months old daughter. This book was a great read. The start I'm buddy reading this book with my 3rd grader but sometimes I also read out loud to my 17 months old daughter. This book was a great read. The start reminds me of the TV show Lost because it took place on an unknown island. All about nature and animals. I like the fox's troubles with the porcupine. I loved the illustrations within the story. The possum's playing dead was an interesting part. The garden process was humorous, though it's the natural way of making compost but to invite all of the forest animals to come to poop in Roz's new yard just sounded funny to me. I liked how Roz has the instincts to learn to survive just by observing, learning, and reaching out for help.
About: Mirage is a young adult fantasy written by Somaiya Daud. It will be published on 8/28/18 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers,About: Mirage is a young adult fantasy written by Somaiya Daud. It will be published on 8/28/18 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, and science fiction. This book is the author’s debut and is intended for readers ages 13 to 18.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Amani, 18, as she gets ready to attend the majority night celebration to celebrate her and fellow villagers� coming of age by getting a face tattoo (daan). She lives on a poor forgotten moon in a small village with her parents and two older brothers in a tribe. The party was ambushed by droids and then Amani got taken away against her will leaving her family and all she’s known behind. She soon learns that she will become the body double for the wicked and cruelest Princess Maram, 17. Princess Maram’s life is in danger because she was born 50/50 between good & evil and since they both look alike, Amani is suited for the job. Amani will have to endure many harsh training lessons to eat, talk, and walk like Princess Maram. There are different cultures and languages in this book. Some languages are forbidden and some cultural practices are prohibited. The current King is ruthless and there are rebels that want to overthrow the King and Princess Maram. Amani is put to the test when she begins to journey to faraway places for an extended period of time as Princess Maram, but her challenge takes an unexpected turn where she least expected it.
A well written story, this book introduce an interesting plot and an unfamiliar language/culture to challenge readers. I have to admit that my pronunciation of names and locations in this book sounds as foreign to me as it looks. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to unravel how a village girl saves herself from her face when she no longer has her freedom. I like the forbidden love portion of the book as well as the importance of valuing your own history. I like that Amani know so much of everything even though she lives in a village far away from the city. I like the dispute Princess Maram struggles with, between good and evil and not knowing which direction to follow. The ending is a bit heart breaking as well as hopeful. I look forward to the sequel of this book. I highly recommend everyone to read this debut!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, adrenaline rush, outer space, cultural practices, forbidden love, espionage
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
From the Earth to the Shadows Blog Tour Review & Giveaway! (Visit my blog for giveaway details)
About: From the Earth to the Shadows is a young adult fFrom the Earth to the Shadows Blog Tour Review & Giveaway! (Visit my blog for giveaway details)
About: From the Earth to the Shadows is a young adult fantasy written by Amanda Hocking. It was recently published on 4/24/18 by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, 336 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, mythology, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 12 to 18. There are 2 books to this duology: book 1 is Between the Blade and the Heart and book 2 is From the Earth to the Shadows.
My Experience: I started reading From the Earth to the Shadows on 4/15/18 and finished it on 4/28/18. This book is a great read! I like how it makes me think about being pawns in a chess game and doing what has been set by others. It reminds me about real life, we are to follow the rules set by lawmakers and if we don’t follow, we risk breaking rules. If the lawmakers coming up with the laws in favor of people, it’s excellent, but if the lawmakers making laws in favors of what’s benefiting themselves personally, it can be unfavorable to the general citizens requiring to follow those set of rules. The citizens are in this case helpless, and just pawns in a chess game. I like the plot setting of above ground and below ground and both are a vast space of cities of its own. I like how this book continues where book one left off. I especially love the descriptions of Gods, locations, characters, and weapons when they are brought into the story because it makes the reading easier to understand.
This book continues with Malin (Mal) Krigare, told in the first person point of view, as she works on finding a way to rescue Asher who is currently being held captive by the underworld goddess Ereshkigal. Malin is a Valkyrie in training whose main job is to kill/send immortals to the underworld with her Sigrun, a blade made of dark purple crystal. In book one, Malin’s mom was murdered by a fellow Valkyrie, a rare occurrence. Malin wanted to avenge her mother’s death. The adventures led Malin to the entrance of the underworld called Kurnugia and where she went face off with her mother’s murderer. She learned that her mother’s murderer was only a pawn used by the immortals in the underworld to set the motions going because they are planning an uprising. Now, in book two, with Valeska, a new character and tasks set by Odin, Vanir God and Valkyries� highest authority, once again Mal finds herself planning a trip to the underworld to find a spear that might be able to prevent the uprising. The problem is that there aren’t enough space above ground for everyone and the immortals that were sent to live underground want to have the freedom to decide where they want to live. It’s a wonder if Malin’s mom has anything to do with everything because she is mysterious and secretive.
A well written story, From the Earth to the Shadows is a read filled with actions and adventures that will leave readers breathless. I like that this book involve more of Odin and why he creates Valkyries. I like the girls adventures. The romance in this book is a bit lacking, but definitely good if you enjoy less romance reads. I like how this book talks about life. I don’t read too many mother daughter relationship so this one is one to caught me off guard. I like the sort of puzzle solving, how Malin go from one task after another to solve a problem. This duology is an excellent read and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: actions and adventures, fast paced, mythology,
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Amanda Hocking, publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. I appreciate the invitation to host a blog tour with a giveaway for this book! Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
I started reading The Train of Lost Things for my 6 years old son as a bedtime story on 4/21/18 and we stopped it on 4/24/18. I resumed the read on myI started reading The Train of Lost Things for my 6 years old son as a bedtime story on 4/21/18 and we stopped it on 4/24/18. I resumed the read on my own starting 5/1/18 and finished it on 5/11/18. This book starts with a dying dad and my son doesn’t want to hear it anymore. I agreed that he may be too young for this topic. Maybe when he’s older I will invite him to read this book again because I love Marty’s special bond with his dad. I love Marty’s capabilities of being on his own and the progress he goes through to deal with loss. I like how he comes up with strategies on how to search and what it takes to make a difference.
In this book, told in the third person point of view, readers will follow Marty as he learns that his dad, sick with cancer, will only have days with him. Marty is close to his dad. They share a bond where memories are created for just between them. Marty’s dad gave Marty a jean jacket for his birthday. They started collecting pins/picture buttons to put on Marty’s jacket that contains their shared memories together. Marty likes his dad’s stories, especially one called The Train of Lost Things. His dad also likes telling Marty that story because he personally experienced losing his favorite egg-shaped whistle and The Train of Lost Things� story was then introduced to him by his mom, Marty’s grandmother. Marty feels this story connects to him somehow because he lost his favorite jean jacket and now he may be losing his dad. Inspired by his dad’s story, Marty decides that he must find the Train of Lost Things, but when he’s aboard the train, he notices something is wrong.
A well written book, The Train of Lost Things is a wonderful read for kids dealing with losing something they loved, a “heart’s possession�. I like the fantasy portion of the book with how the train fly around in the sky. I like the mini movie played out on someone’s heart possession if you hold on to it long enough to watch. I like how Marty figures out about friendship and enjoy reading his strategies. This book is definitely a great present for Father’s Day (with a focus on losing a loved one) because Marty and his dad is close and they would laugh with just a wiggle of an eyebrow and they would still be happy in silence as long as they are together. I love the ending. Marty is a good character to read about and I highly recommend this book to everyone ages 8 and above!
Pro: father and son relationship, magical train, actions and adventures, friendships, diversity
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
I started reading Eden Conquered on 12/5/2018 and finished it on 2/7/2019. (Please ignore the date in this case because it has nothing to do with the I started reading Eden Conquered on 12/5/2018 and finished it on 2/7/2019. (Please ignore the date in this case because it has nothing to do with the book being good or bad. I experience the worst reading slump ever.) This book is another great read! Definitely a duology for those readers who don’t like romance in their YA fantasy. I do like to read slow burning romance so the little bit that this book offers is too little for me. Both Princess Carys and Prince Andreus are among people who swore to protect them, yet some couldn’t be trusted. There are traitors among them and they are to find out who. I like following their strategies to act normal while investigating the traitors as they each try to survive on their own.
This book follows where Dividing Eden (book 1) left off. Dividing Eden left off at the part where the final task in the physical competition between Princess Carys and Prince Andreus ends. The one left standing will take control of the throne. Growing up, the twin siblings are very tight. They keep each other’s secrets and they defend each other. Everything changed when the competition takes place. Due to the sensitivity for her life, Princess Carys is leading life under the radar. Book two is also told in two points of views, told in the third person: Carys and Andreus, both seventeen years old. Princess Carys is hunting for those that betrayed the late King and she could be in company with the enemy. Those traveling with her are Lord Garrett, Lord Errik, and her commoner best friend Larkin. Lord Errik is the late seer Imogen’s cousin where his uncle considered himself as the rightful heir to the Throne of Light. Lord Garrett has his own claim to the throne as well and he knows Carys� secret. Prince Andreus is in a jam of his own. He is trying to find out who is out to assassinate him while doing his best to handle his new role.
Dividing Eden is very well written and a fast paced read. I like Princess Carys� weapon of choice, stilettos and her gift with the wind is pretty cool. The enemy’s strategic plans are interesting to follow, especially how it formulates over a span of time. I like when the siblings decide to work together to bring down the traitors and discuss of their strategies. I like how Prince Andreus gets down on his hands and knees to do the work just because he enjoys it rather than let his royalty position stops him from being too important to do the manual labor. The ending as clear as the story leads up, and I like the twist when it doesn’t end that way.
Pro: fast paced, twins-siblings, who to trust, friendship, traitors, strategies discussions, book covers
Con: rare romance, not a lot of humor
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Joelle Charbonneau, publisher HarperTeen, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: By a Charm and a Curse is a young adult fantasy written by Jaime Questell. It was recently publisheBy a Charm and a Curse � Review & Blog Tour
About: By a Charm and a Curse is a young adult fantasy written by Jaime Questell. It was recently published on 2/6/18 by Entangled Teen, an imprint of Entangled Publishing and distributed by Macmillan, hardcover, 291 pages. The genres are fantasy, young adult, romance, magic, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up. This book is the author’s debut.
My Experience: I started reading By a Charm and a Curse on 2/7/18 and finished it on 2/11/18. This book is an excellent read! Another circus book yes, but much different than The Night Circus and Caraval. For one, it’s modern. They travel from Oklahoma to Texas to Louisiana by trucks and trailers and make stops for gas. Dogs doing circus tricks and performers balancing on horsebacks. I like all of the characters� personalities and their humor. I like their individual backgrounds that lead them to Le Grand’s. This book mostly reads like a YA contemporary and the only fantasy part is the curse.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Emmaline (Emma, Em) King and Benjamin (Ben) Singer. Emmaline and her friend Juliet (Jules) are browsing around Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic exploring the sights and the foods. Benjamin works behind the scenes on the carnival grounds and has been trying to save up enough cash to leave the carnival’s life for good. He wanted somewhere to call home and when he found it, it was where he least expected to be. Emma has a love at first sight for Sidney, the Boy in the Box when she first set eyes on him. She throw herself at him and ended the night with a kiss. The kiss is no ordinary and the curse is then passed onto Emma. She is now the charm and the curse that act as the center point to hold the carnival together, keeping everyone in it young and safe. This curse left her as the new Girl in a Box, without taste, feel, or smell and cold to the touch, among others. Being condemned to this curse is worse, but when accidents started to occur where it had never occurred before and everyone at the carnival started to blame her, Emma has to find a way to fix it before her life ends in far worse than a curse.
This book is well written and developed. It’s a great love story and the meanest form of punishment for cheating. I enjoy the plot and the characters. I like Ben being projected as attractive even with his glasses on. I don’t remember reading about any heroine wearing glasses so this detail is a plus! I like the curse and the charm concept and how it was originally created. I like Whiskey and Gin’s nicknames. I feel such an adrenaline rush when I know something will happen and just waiting for it to happen is nerve racking. Even though knowing what will happen, the ending still gives me a happy feeling and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, easy to read, humor, dual POV, adrenaline rush, cover
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read, review, and host a blog tour! Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART REVIEW � BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY (Giveaway rules: 1 usa winner only, finished paperback copy, ends 1/20/18 midnight � Rt&BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART REVIEW � BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY (Giveaway rules: 1 usa winner only, finished paperback copy, ends 1/20/18 midnight � Rt&follow my twitter @howusefulitis to win).
About: Between the Blade and the Heart is a young adult fantasy written by Amanda Hocking. It will be published on 1/2/18 by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, 336 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, mythology, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 12 to 18. This is book one to a duology.
My Experience: I started reading Between the Blade and the Heart on 12/9/17 and finished it on 12/18/17. This book is a great read! It’s my second Norse Mythology inspired read after Beyond a Darkened Shore. I’m still not too thrilled with this Norse mythology because there are so many terms for names, places, and things I can’t pronounce and so many demons/gods/in-between I’m not so inclined to get to know. Other than that, I enjoy the story and I like following Malin’s adventures. I like that Malin is independent and in control of herself. I like the way the story is moving, it is like a little puzzle that lead forward from one step to another.
This book is told in the first person point of view, following Malin Krigare, 19, a Valkyrie with the responsibility to execute immortals and return them to the underworld. The reason to kill off the immortals is because there isn’t enough space for everyone on earth. In this new world where immortals and mortals co-exists and if the immortals are left to live forever then the earth will be over capacity. Malin’s mother, Marlow, also is an immortal executioner. As a Valkyrie, she has more strengths than others and the vengeance for her death is even riskier because she’s slaying other’s loved ones. One day, Asher Varja give a surprised visit to Malin and wanted vengeance against Malin’s mom, Marlow. Marlow didn’t kill an immortal, who in turn becomes dangerous and killed Asher’s mom. Now Malin and her mom have to help Asher chase down that immortal to get rid of him so that Asher can find closure, but more happened than what they bargained for.
This book is well written and developed. I enjoy the humor. I actually enjoy the love triangle in this book, especially the awkward moments when the three are together. I like Oona, Malin’s best friend/roommate and her ability with crystals. The romance is a bit quick for my liking, but it’s hot and most definitely with Asher. I like the mentions of how we are only pawns in the games of the gods. I can’t imagine human living among demons and other less humanoids. My goose bumps set itself free just thinking about it. This book is an interesting read and there were hardly any dull moments. I highly recommend everyone to read it.
Pro: humor, diversity, fast paced, love triangle, actions and adventures, a lot going on
Con: probably just me but those places, names, and things are super difficult to pronounce
I rate it 4.5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Amanda Hocking, publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. I appreciate the invitation to host a blog tour with a giveaway for this book! Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: The Coincidence Makers is a fantasy written by Yoav Blum. It will be published on 3/6/2018 by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of Macmillan PubliAbout: The Coincidence Makers is a fantasy written by Yoav Blum. It will be published on 3/6/2018 by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, paperback, 304 pages. The genres are fantasy and fiction. This book is the author’s debut.
My Experience: I started reading The Coincidence Makers on 2/4/18 and finished it on 2/15/18. This book is an excellent read! I love this whole idea of coincidences. I love the coincidence at the start of the book! I love the coincidence in action with Emily’s matchmaking on herself and Guy’s mission to use that sentence about kicking you in the head. I like following the characters as the coincidence is happening to them. I am hooked on the story of Alberto Brown! I love the Imaginary Friend and Guy’s relationship with Cassandra.
This book is very well written. The coincidences in action are definitely the best reads. The coursework and lessons in becoming a coincidence maker is good background building, though it slow down my reading pace greatly. I think I will become more observant after reading this book because of how Guy makes his decisions based on all the signs he sees. I like Emily at the train station with that crossword puzzle. Hilarious! This book read unlike any other. It’s original and addicting! All of the characters are well-liked. I love the twists at the end, one I was not expecting and I love every moment of it. Each story within the pages of this book is fascinating to read and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, couldn’t put down, mystery, love story, humor
Con: coursework, rules & lessons are slow to read
I rate it 4.5 stars!
***Disclaimer: I won this book in a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway from the publisher, St. Martins. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: Whisper is a young adult fantasy written by Lynette Noni. It will be published on 5/1/18 by KCP Loft, an imprint of Kids Can Press/Hatchette BoAbout: Whisper is a young adult fantasy written by Lynette Noni. It will be published on 5/1/18 by KCP Loft, an imprint of Kids Can Press/Hatchette Book Group, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, science fiction, and fantasy. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up, grades 9 and up.
My Experience: I started reading Whisper on 11/28/17 and finished it on 12/6/17 at nearly 1am. This book is a fantastic read! I love the plot and the characters. Enzo’s upbeat attitude is one of my favorite as well as Cami’s niceness. I love Abby and her kid-ish ways. I love the humor. That fire-water-ice cracks me up as well as Crew and Enzo’s bickering. I love the different abilities each person has and it’s a real treat to read them all in action. Kael’s humor is awesome as well and I can’t decide who I like more, Kael or Enzo. They are definitely great supporting characters!
This book is told in the first person point of view following Jane Doe/subject 684, being held captive by Lengard, a secret underground research facility. She has been kept there for over two and a half years. She is treated like a prisoner with handcuffs and guards when moving from one room to the next. She is on a strict daily schedule for analysis like a lab rat. She doesn’t utter a word during that entire time. When the program is about to lose hope on her, Falon, the Director assigns her to Landon Ward for a one-on-one session. Landon introduces her to being normal. She gets to read books and treated with respect. One day Landon offers to take her aboveground for a change of scenery. Something happened and she spoke her first word in over two and a half years. Her word have an effect that will shock readers!
This book is very well written and developed. I like the emphasis on the main character’s reactions with one word sentences. I like the mystery and suspense. I like not knowing what will happens next. I love the whole underground secretive world. I’m surprised how quickly Jane trust Kael. Vanek gives me goosebumps. I enjoy the writing and the story because it keeps me hooked. I like how the title is weave into the story multiple times. There is a start of a possible romance, but it’s up to readers� imagination. This book is an excellent read and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: easy to read, fast paced, page turner, mystery, suspense, humor, couldn’t put down, underground world
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Many thanks to Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: The Wicked Deep is a young adult fantasy written by Shea Ernshaw. It will be published on 3/6/18 by Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & SchusterAbout: The Wicked Deep is a young adult fantasy written by Shea Ernshaw. It will be published on 3/6/18 by Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, paranormal, witches, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up, grades 9 and up.
My Experience: I started reading The Wicked Deep on 11/10/17 and finished it on 11/15/17. This book has a fantastic love story! I like the mystery to the legend. I like the cover and the art at each chapter. I like the unexpected twist. I like having a glimpse into all the characters involved, past and present. I like how the title is weaved into the story. I like that I couldn’t guess the surprise twist even though I was waiting for it.
This book is told in the first person point of view, following Penny Talbot, 17 who lives on Lumiere Island and goes to Sparrow High School. Sparrow, Oregon has been ravaged by the legend of the Swan sisters (Marguerite, Aurora, and Hazel) where every year starting June 1st, three of the local girls are possessed by the three Swan sisters to lure young men to their deaths in the nearby harbor. Legend says that two centuries ago, the Swan sisters were thought to be witches and they were condemned to death. After that, they come back every year to haunt the locals and take their revenge. No one ever witnessed how the Swan sisters caused the boys� deaths so their deaths are ruled as drowning or suicides. This book is also told in the third person point of view following the Swan sisters, from their arrival to the town to how they become a legend. From early on, readers will know that Penny and her mom experience grief due to her father’s disappearance. When Bo, an outsider like Penny’s father came to town looking to stay, Penny offers to give him a job. Both are hesitant to share their secrets when it becomes obvious they each have something to hide.
This book is very well written. I like the start at once. Legends and curses definitely caught my attention. I couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery. The story is beautifully crafted and all the characters are well liked and well developed, especially the Swan sisters. Lumiere Island and Sparrow don’t sound like an ideal place to live because of it’s constant rain, but it’s a great setting for this book. The romance speeds too quickly for my liking with Penny and her friend Rose. One moment they just met the guys and the next it’s love. Even so, I enjoy the love story greatly and I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: cover, legend, mystery, fast paced, page turner, easy to read,
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Shea Ernshaw, publisher Simon Pulse, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: Beyond a Darkened Shore is a young adult fantasy written by Jessica Leake. It will be published on 4/10/18 by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCAbout: Beyond a Darkened Shore is a young adult fantasy written by Jessica Leake. It will be published on 4/10/18 by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins, 432 pages. The genres are young adult, fiction, fantasy, mythology, and historical. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up, grades 9 and up. This book is the author’s debut and a standalone fantasy.
My Experience: I started reading Beyond a Darkened Shore on 11/16/17 and finished it on 12/8/17. (It didn’t really take me this long to read. I had a Thanksgiving break in between). This book is a great read! I like the main character’s abilities and her encounters with time. I like Ciara’s love for her sisters and her desire to protect her family, even after finding out her true background. I like her independent nature and her ability to make decisions in tough situations. I like Leif and his love for his family as well. I like his good nature personality. I enjoy and appreciate the slow paced romance in this book. It’s a nice change when two characters met without prior loving feelings towards each other. They fall for each other through time from experiences of hardships and a common vengeance.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Ciara Leannan, 17, heir to the throne of Mide. She is the only princess among the 4 sisters that have abilities beyond a normal person. Due to her monstrous abilities, she is deemed a warrior for the kingdom and is treated as such. She receives no love from family and friends because everyone fear her and view her as a monster. With her abilities, she is able to receive a warning of an oncoming attack that will kill everyone including her sisters. To protect her kingdom, she is forced to join the kingdom’s long-term enemy, the Northmen, to destroy the jotnar before they attack. In their agreement to become allies, Leif Olafsson, 18 also shared a loss of a sister and he is out for vengeance on his sister’s death. Leif has the strength of a warrior unlike any other because he made a deal with the Valkyrie. Through their journey to defeat their common enemy, their reluctance to fall for each other is interesting to read because their enemy background is always in the way.
This book is well written and organized. There are many battles and I enjoy reading the battle scenes. I’m not familiar with the Norse mythology, Norse Gods, and Norse language so at times I find myself losing interest with the world building. Though there is hardly room for boredom as the actions and adventures are almost constant. I like that they are often on the move, traveling by horse or ship from one place to another. There are variety of characters involved: giants, immortals, gods, crows, ravens, Valkyrie, etc. The ending sums up everything beautifully and I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Jessica Leake, publisher HarperTeen, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: Mirror Me is a young adult paranormal written by Tara St. Pierre. It was recently published on 7/24/17 by Createspace Independent Publishing PlAbout: Mirror Me is a young adult paranormal written by Tara St. Pierre. It was recently published on 7/24/17 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, paperback, 270 pages. The genres are young adult, mystery, paranormal, fiction, and romance.
My Experience: I started reading Mirror Me on 10/26/17 and finished it on 10/30/17. I haven’t read a book that deals with mirrors and reflections before and this book makes it a refreshing read. I like the paranormal activity in this book. Nikki’s mirror side is interesting. The main character is a bit hard to relate to. She’s like a scared little cat in this new place and so afraid of her mom. When her mom can’t pick her up and her friend couldn’t drive her, somehow the bus isn’t one of her choice of transportation.
This book is told in the first person point of view, following Hannah McCauley, a senior in high school who has been on house arrest. Her bad girl days from the previous high school has caused her mother to transfer her into a new private school with strict-to-follow rules and no social life. Starting over hasn’t been so hard since her new friends at the new school are nice and law abiding. It’s only tough when Hannah looks at herself in the mirror because her reflections seems to always judging and criticizing her because they both knew of her rebellious past. Therefore, Hannah often avoids her reflection if she could, but when she couldn’t, it seems her reflection has a mind of it’s own and is out to get her. When she started noticing how her phone is not where she left the night before and her mom accused of driving her mom’s car during the night, she thought she may have Dissociative Identity Disorder. However, it becomes worse than that when she found herself being confronted and trapped on the other side. The mystery and suspense is a hard wait.
This book is well written. The plot is interesting. I like the supporting characters, especially Lorenzo aka Zo. When he talks, he puts a smile on my face. I like Grace and how she throws in a few Chinese vocabularies when she talks. This book really brings me back to high school and having lunch with my friends in the school cafeteria. I like how Hannah is nervous getting together with Cole for the first time at lunch. I like their flirting. Cole and his dimple is also a plus. This book has a good mystery and I do recommend everyone to read it.
Pro: mystery, suspense, friendship, diversity, easy to read, light hearted romance and actions
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author, Tara St. Pierre for the opportunity to read and review your book. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
Re-read 7/8/19 to 7/12/19 - still loved it but finished the book with many unanswered questions. I’m glad there’s a second book that will hopefully anRe-read 7/8/19 to 7/12/19 - still loved it but finished the book with many unanswered questions. I’m glad there’s a second book that will hopefully answer them, especially why David target Wren. —â¶Ä�////—â¶Ä”â¶Ä�-////—â¶Ä”â¶Ä� I started reading The Wren Hunt on 7/30/18 and finished it on 8/8/18. This book is fantastic! I like the Ask and its unique rituals to make a fair decision. I like following Wren’s point of view. She’s a quick thinker under stressful situations. I like the slow burning forbidden romance and their flirts makes me smile. I like the mystery and secrets. I like the centuries old stories set in Ireland, especially the meadowsweet. The talks of arts, flowers, puzzles, and gardens are interesting. I won’t be able to look at the gardener the same way again!
This book is told in the first person point of view following Wren, 17, as she tries to negotiate an end to her annual hunt on Stephen’s Day. The hunt is on TV as a fun entertainment to many people in neighboring towns, but in Kilshamble where she lives with her grandfather, it’s bloody. Every year, David, Cillian, and two other boys race after Wren as she runs ahead and tries to get away before they catch up to her. There are three groups of people: ruthless Judges, fair Augurs, and extinct Bards, where Judges and Augurs had a falling out many centuries ago. David and his friends come from a wealthy family of Judges, nephew of Judges� leader. Wren is an Augur laying low around the Judges with an ability to see the future in random patterns. She knows the history of her people and her enemy but she doesn’t know if they are aware of who she is. The Augurs� magic abilities are declining rapidly day by day. They have decided that Wren were to infiltrate the Judges to deceive them long enough to steal a valuable item that will help to resuscitate strengths for their people under the guise of an internship with the Judge’s leader, Calista Harkness. Wren grows up hearing Judges are awful and bloodthirsty and this mission scares her, but when time passes by while working at the Harkness House, she unravels more secrets and lies than she expected.
This book is very well written and organized. I like the unique magic and storyline. I like the different characters, and although there’s only one point of view, there are enough interactions to get what the other persons are thinking. I like the humor and mysterious Tarc and the oddities of Wren. It’s good for readers to relate to someone who doesn’t always know what to say. I like how the mystery slowly unravels and often while reading this book, I find that I couldn’t put it down. Wren runs when she’s stressed out and I like the humor when she reference herself not wanting to be like the stupid girl who runs to the woods but then she finds herself heading for the woods. This book is unique and an absolute fascinating read. I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: fast paced, page turner, suspense, mystery, secrets, spy, forbidden love, centuries old stories, Irish, art, humor
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: The Raven King is a young adult fantasy novel written by Maggie Stiefvater. It was published on 4/26/16 by Scholastic Press, 439 pages. The genAbout: The Raven King is a young adult fantasy novel written by Maggie Stiefvater. It was published on 4/26/16 by Scholastic Press, 439 pages. The genres are fantasy, paranormal, young adult, and magic. There are 4 books in The Raven Cycle series: 1. The Raven Boys, 2. The Dream Thieves, 3. Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and 4. The Raven King. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up, grades 9 and up.
My Experience: I started reading The Raven King on 9/4/17 and finished it on 9/30/17. I read this final book more than a year later from the first 3 books so it takes a bit of time getting into. This book explain a lot about the magic where I previously was extremely confused. (I took longer to read this book also because I can’t decide which book to read and ended up reading multiple books at once so it takes me longer to finish).  I like the detail views of many characters including Declan, Greenmantle, and his wife Piper as well as the main characters and the psychics. I even like the odd ball three brothers with the same name. I like that 6:21 time stamp concept as the start of many chapters. It gives a good suspense and mystery feel to it all. I like the slow burning romance in this book! The humor is phenomenal! It’s all very satisfying!
This book is told in the third person point of view following Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Blue. Readers will also get to follow the psychics where one of them, Maury, is Blue’s mom. Noah, the ghost where he dies so Gansey could live, is still around. This book expose the teens to where all of them have some sort of magic powers: Gansey has the ability to command magic, Ronan can bring things out of dreams, Adam has connection to magic, and Blue amplify and make everyone’s abilities stronger. The search for Glendower is still on and they are searching for him so that they could ask him to save Gansey. There are so many characters in this book and a lot going on. Readers will get a glimpse of all the happenings both good side and bad side. So much more in this book also includes more romance, humor, actions, adventures, and just deliciously more!
The writing is very inviting. I love the way it lures me to read on and on. I love following Gansey’s thinking process. He’s such a gentle old soul and sophisticated. I love Ronan in this book. He’s a bad boy externally with his foul mouth but he’s such a puppy with his loving feelings for someone he can only think of but not admit out loud. I also love Henry Cheng’s humor and his endless nicknames for Gansey. I would read this series again even though the plot in the first 3 books confuses me because I love the writing and the characters so much! Their lives are interesting to read, especially Gansey, Adam, and Ronan. I even beginning to like Blue in this book because of her brilliant idea with the price tags to drive the Laumonier brothers out. I would highly recommend everyone to read the series because these characters are amazing! I would rate this whole series a 4.5 stars!
Pro: characters, fast paced, page turner, cover, multiple views, third person point of view, suspense, magic, romance, diversity, humor
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: I borrowed this ebook from my library and my opinions are honest. ³æ´Ç³æ´Ç,
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About: Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a young adult fantasy written by Melissa Bashardoust. It will be published on 9/5/2017 by Flatiron Books, an imAbout: Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a young adult fantasy written by Melissa Bashardoust. It will be published on 9/5/2017 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publisher, 384 pages. The genres are young adult, retellings, fantasy, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 12 to 18. This is the author’s debut novel.
My Experience: I started reading Girls Made of Snow and Glass on 8/1/17 and finished it on 8/6/17. This book is a fantastic read! It’s another retelling like no other. I love the concept of snow and glass. This book has fresh ideas and I love both characters and plot. The retelling has resemblance to the original fairytale as well as something new. The story is light hearted and easy to read. I love the magic and the flow of past/present views leading up to the final showdown. I like following two sides to a story.
This book is told in the third person point of view and following two main characters: Mina and Lynet. Mina recounts her life at 16, living in the South where it is always warm, a daughter to Gregory, a cruel Magician. Her father tells her that she cannot love or be loved, but if people who are willing to love her, it would be for her beauty and so she spends a lot of her time looking at herself in the mirror admiring her beauty and feeling unloved. People take an instant dislike to her because of who her father is and she grows up believing she is unable to love or be loved. Even when her father unexpectedly pack up and ask her to move to the North to live at Whitespring, she’s as hated in the new city as in her hometown. The alternating view is Lynet in her current age of 15, a princess at Whitespring who always felt uncomfortable in her own skin. Her father often reminds her that she will grow up to be exactly like her dead mother, delicate and beautiful; however, she is anything but. Lynet likes to climb trees and walls of the castle. Without any siblings and forbidden to play with the commoners, she spends her time watching people from afar. Whitespring is always snowing and cold. People comes and goes. When Mina met Lynet, Mina has plans to do what she must to get what she wants. They both have secrets and it’s their individual secrets that will either bring them together or drive them apart because only one can be Queen.
This book is very well written and organized. I love the intricate details of how one character can see how the other is feeling behind a face they put forth when in public or when one person is trying to act strong when in fact they are nervous. I like the focus of the characters� insecurities as well as strengths. I love reading about characters that can think and make decisions for themselves. I love flaw heroines who overcome challenges. I love the light romance this story offers. I love the ending and one I didn’t expect to come. This book is definitely an awesome retelling and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: fairytale retelling, easy to read, light hearted, fast paced, page turner, glbt light romance, magic
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
About: The Hazel Wood is a young adult fantasy written by Melissa Albert. It will be published on 1/30/2018 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of MacmillanAbout: The Hazel Wood is a young adult fantasy written by Melissa Albert. It will be published on 1/30/2018 by Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publisher, 368 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 12 to 18. This is the author’s debut novel.
My Experience: I started reading The Hazel Wood on 8/6/17 and finished it on 8/18/17. I love reading this book, despite some creepy elements in it. It keeps me at the edge of my seats. The bad luck gives me goose bumps and makes me hold my breath but I could hardly put down the book. This book is fantastic! The fairytales within the fantasy is excellent! It’s unlike anything I have ever read before and I love that it’s different. I like that I could not guess what will happen next and when Alice share her past experiences, it’s always a pleasant surprise.
In this book, readers will follow the point of view of Alice Crewe (aka Alice Proserpine) as she and her mom move away yet again from the bad luck that is chasing them everywhere they go. Growing up, Alice and her mom Ella moved often from state to state and live temporary at family and friends� house until bad luck catches up to them and they would have to move again. This bad luck involves Alice’s grandmother, Althea Proserpine and the series of fairy tales of Hinterland that she authored. Alice has never read the stories no matter how hard she looked for them. On the internet, all she can find are fans of the book. The book is rare and few collectors have possessions of it. Despite using a different last name from her grandmother, classmate and superfan of the fairytale, Ellery Finch knows exactly who Alice is. Finch shows signs of crushing on Alice but since Alice moves often, she doesn’t want to get close to anyone. When her mom goes missing and it feels connected to her late grandmother, Alice relies on Finch to help find her mom because he has more knowledge of the highly sought after fairytale. In their search for Alice’s mom, they stumble upon many unexpected turns and it gets creepier the closer they get!
This book is very well written and I love how original it is. The fairytale of Alice-Three-Times is creepy yet addicting! I like the fairytale on The Door That Wasn’t There. The idea on bad luck chasing and how the photo was taken of Alice and Finch sleeping at David’s house gives me the creeps. I love the robbery at one of the house Alice stayed at, where the bookshelf holds something other than books! I smile at that. The plot and characters are all very interesting! This fantasy is truly one of a kind. It’s unpredictable and I highly recommend everyone to read this book!
Pro: cover, originality, fairytales, bad luck, suspense, mystery, couldn’t put down, fast paced, page turner, adrenaline rush, creepily captivating, some humor
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
An excellent read. This story followed Citra and Rowan, 16 going 17. They were both present when a scythe came to glean someone she/he each knew. EachAn excellent read. This story followed Citra and Rowan, 16 going 17. They were both present when a scythe came to glean someone she/he each knew. Each didn't approve of the practice but it must be done and they were mad by it. The scythe who's name was Faraday, decided to invite both to become his apprentice. Both will compete but only one will win while the other go back to live the life he/she had before. They didn't like the job but it gave their family immunity so they took it. Rowan actually didn't do it for his family but he had nothing going for him so he decided to take the challenge. They both trained on weapons, poisons, and ways to glean with compassion. But at scythe wide meeting, they were challenged to the next level, meaning that the one who win will kill off the other. Then Scythe Faraday was found dead. Rowan and Citra was split to become apprentice under different scythes. Citra got the nice Curie and Rowan got the bully Goddard. Their training were different from each other and different from Faraday. Citra then was blamed for the death of Faraday. Citra had to think of a plan to survive.
There weren't any romance in this story. I enjoyed the surprises and unexpected twists. The story is futuristic where deaths by car accidents, storms, common colds, etc don't exist anymore. To keep population under control, the new method is relying on scythes! I enjoyed reading this story because it's unlike any I have read and it was interesting. I also enjoyed clever characters and that scene with Curie and the man who wagged his finger was funny. I'm excited to read book 2!
Thank you SimonTeen for the opportunity to read and review!...more
About: All the Crooked Saints is a young adult fantasy written by Maggie Stiefvater. It was recently publAll the Crooked Saints *Review and Blog Tour*
About: All the Crooked Saints is a young adult fantasy written by Maggie Stiefvater. It was recently published on 10/10/17 by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Publishing, hardcover, 320 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, paranormal, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 14 and up, grades 9 and up.
My Experience: I started reading All the Crooked Saints on 10/13/17 and finished it on 10/25/17. This book is a miraculous read that deals with miracles. Reading this book is a nice surprise because the plot is very unique. This book also surprises me because of how much nonfiction is in a fiction book! I actually looked up tamarisk and Harry Harlow and they proved to be an actual fact! I have a belief that fiction books are all fake and only read as is and never look it up to verify. This time, from an unknown force, I look them up and find myself cringe at Harlow’s experiments and amaze at the tamarisk flowers. I guess those stories of the owls must be true? I do like that comparison to Pete’s feelings of the priest and Tony to Harlow’s experiment. Very interesting! There are so many interesting stories in this book that I try reading it as slowly as I can to absorb it all up!
In this book, readers will follow many amazing characters, each have a certain want in life and a certain thing they are afraid of. There are people with darkness lurking inside them that they want to get rid of and the place they go to is Bicho Raro, a place of strange miracles. The Sorias are born to be saints and they perform miracles for those who come seeking. After a miracle was given, a person transformed. They have to figure out how to overcome that transformation and then the darkness inside them will be gone for good. The Soria’s family has housing for the miracle seekers also known as the pilgrims. They come, receive their miracle, and stay until they overcome and then they can leave. One of the Saints in the Soria’s family is Daniel Lupe Soria. He became a Saint after the whole ordeal of trying to steal a painting. His cousin Beatriz, a girl without feelings is the strategist in the group. Daniel’s other cousin, Jaoquin wanted to be a famous DJ, hosting a radio show as Diablo Diablo, where it eventually used as a tool to communicate because there are taboos that forbid the Sorias from speaking directly to the pilgrims.
This book is very well written. I love the wild imagination the author have in this book! Beatriz’s impulse to press her thumb on the inside of Pete’s elbow is out of nowhere. I actually tested it as I read..haha.. I love the story of how the painting is light one moment and heavy the next. I like Jennie’s conversation trouble, definitely one of a kind idea. Marisita Lopez with her rain and butterfly is also really out there. I also like Pete’s father’s story when he was an infant in the womb. I like Antonia & Francisco’s story. I find each pilgrim’s story is fascinating to read, including Tony’s. I like Beatriz’s idea with the interview, another way to a banned communication. This book is most definitely unique and I highly recommend everyone to read it!
Pro: cover, one of a kind characters, fast paced, page turner, interesting facts twist together with fiction, unique
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Scholastic for the opportunity to host a blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
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