Tag: Advanced Reader Copy

The Project – Courtney Summers [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

Review:

Huge thank you to Wednesday Books and Negalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I discovered Courtney Summers in 2019 when I read her incredible book, Sadie. I was initially drawn to Sadie because of the way it was written . . . in dual perspectives with one being Sadie herself and the other a podcast host who is investigating Sadie’s disappearance. I am a huge fan of true crime and podcasts so I was totally into this. Sadie ended up being an incredible book. It was dark, emotional, and raw, but such a powerful read. So when I saw that Courtney Summers was releasing another “true-crime-esc” book I knew I had to read it! Especially because I am FASCINATED by cults!

The Project tells the story of two sisters whose lives have been forever changed by the group known as “The Unity Project.” The story is told through both sisters perspectives and in both the past and present. The Project is about the bond between sisters and the lengths they will go for each other.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: suicide, trauma/ptsd, cults, mental + physical abuse, and violence

Overall, I really enjoyed The Project. It hooked me from the very first page! The Project is a dark and suspenseful story that illustrates the rise of an enigmatic and charming cult leader. I thought that Summers did an excellent job of showing how vulnerable people are taken in and exploited by cults. The Project is ultimately a story of how loneliness and the desire to belong can affect vulnerable individuals.

On the outside “The Unity Project” appears to be an excellent, service driven organization that does incredible work for the community. But we know, and the lead character (Lo) discovers that there is much more going on than appears. Lev Warren is the quintessential, cookie-cutter cult leader. He wasn’t any different than any other movie/tv show/pop culture cult leader character. I do think that Summers did a great job of showing Lev’s manipulation and how he pinpoints what each vulnerable potential member needs. This is especially true with him and Lo. At some points it was actually hard to read Lo’s journey. I keep using the world vulnerable, but I don’t know how else to describe her. It was difficult to watch her (minor spoiler alert) get taken in by this manipulative man.

The Project is a shorter book at 352 pages so the plot progressed fairly quickly. The journey is intriguing, but it did not wow me. I did guess the reveal pretty early on as well. But I was still expecting there to be a bigger moment of excitement or a big climax. The book just kind of ended without much fanfare. The ending was almost too clean. The plot was wrapped up too quickly and too easily. I even felt like one of the plot points involving a character was sort of dropped and not really wrapped up.

Despite my couple of complaints, I still did really enjoy The Project. I just wanted more! It was super interesting though and kept me hooked from the start. Also I’m obsessed with the cover!! I think it’s so striking and it fits the story so well!

The Project is set to be released February 2nd by Wednesday Books.

Lore – Alexandra Bracken [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Review:

Huge thank you to Disney Publishing, Hyperion, and Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Lore by Alexandra Bracken. I was so excited to receive this arc because I am a big fan of Bracken’s The Darkest Minds series. I also am fascinated by Greek Mythology so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book.

I don’t really know how to review this book because it’s super complex plus half of it was brutally slow and hard to get into, but the other half was fast paced and totally awesome! It took me a couple weeks to read the first 50-60% of the book, but then I literally read the last 40-50% in one afternoon. I’ve been going back and forth between 3-3.5 stars.

Lore is basically the Greek Mythology Hunger Games! The synopsis summarizes the basic concept so well . . . “Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.” There is so much more to it, but our story centers around Lore, who is from the line of Perseides. We follow Lore as she is thrust back into this violent world with her heart set on revenge. There are fantastic messages of feminism, deciding your own fate, and the importance of being surrounded by loved ones.

This world is incredibly complex. The first half of the book is basically a massive information dump. There is just so much to remember . . . the original mythology, the new gods (plus the new names they have taken), the families, the powers, etc. etc. etc. It was honestly a lot to keep straight while reading. This is part of the reason why the first half of the book was so hard to get into. I was honestly a little bored because of all the information being thrown at me. I feel like all of the world-building, history, and info should have been more a part of the story and less just the characters reciting off info to each other. Although one exception to that is that I did love how the flashback chapters were woven into the story.

One other random minor dislike is that Lore is written in third person. It’s fine, but third person narrations are not my favorite.

Now all that being said . . . the second half of the book was awesome! Like I said, I literally read the second half in one sitting! The first half was a slow walk, but the second half took off running!! The story picked up and did not let go! The plot was fast paced and action packed! There were some truly great twists, turns, and reveals. I was finally completely pulled into the world of Lore. I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know what happened!

I really like that Lore is a standalone. It’s nice to read standalones sometimes! The story wraps up nicely with a definite end. I do think that there is an opening for Bracken to write some companion novels perhaps featuring Miles? Or maybe the other old gods? I think it would be fascinating to find out what the other gods were up to all this time!

I feel like I may need to reread Lore to fully appreciate it. Now that I have a grasp on the world and all its complexities I think I’d enjoy the first half more. Good news is that several book sub boxes are doing Lore for their January box so I will have a physical copy!!

Lore is set to be released January 5th, 2021 by Disney-Hyperion Books!

Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1) – Kerri Maniscalco [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series comes a new blockbuster series…

Two sisters.

One brutal murder.

A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…

And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is at is seems…

Review:

Huge thank you to JIMMY Patterson Books and Negalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Kingdom of the Wicked is my first venture into Kerri Maniscalo’s writing. I have always been super intrigued by her Stalking Jack the Ripper series, but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Gotta love that never ending TBR! Now that I’ve read Kingdom of the Wicked I am definitely hooked on Kerri’s writing.

Kingdom of the Wicked tells the story of Emilia and Vittoria di Carlo, twin witches who live nineteenth century Sicily. The twins spend their days hiding in plain sight and cooking at the family restaurant . . . until Vittoria is brutally murdered. Emilia sets off on a journey full of dark magic and ends up teaming up with Wrath, one of the Wicked princes of Hell.

Kingdom of the Wicked is a solid 3.5 star read for me. It was an exciting story full of action, mystery, and magic. There are parts I loved and parts that I thought were just ok.

My favorite part of Kingdom of the Wicked is the setting. It is simply stunning. Seriously go google pictures of Palermo, Italy and your jaw will drop. Maniscalco did an excellent job with her descriptions and truly painting a picture of the scenery. I have been to Italy, but just Rome and up from there. This story made me want to visit Sicily and Southern Italy. Simply stunning!!

This is also true for the food! My mouth was literally watering with all of the amazing food descriptions. Everything sounded so delicious! I love how Maniscalco seamlessly wove in food and cooking to the story. I feel like I really understand how much cooking is a part of Emilia’s life!

One super random thing that I loved about Kingdom of the Wicked is the mention of the card game Scopa. My mom is 100% Italian so all of our family gatherings are VERY Italian. Members of my family have been playing Scopa at every single gathering since I can remember. I never actually learned to play, but I totally associate Scopa with my family. It was so fun for me to see the game mentioned!

Another thing that I really loved about Kingdom of the Wicked is the Wicked! I am fascinated by the Princes of Hell!!! I was hooked from the second Emilia meets Wrath. He is such a great “enemies to lovers” trope . . . dark, mysterious, and a bit evil! My only complaint is that I want more of him. I feel like we got very minimal actual interaction between Wrath and Emilia. I want more!!! I have a feeling that the sequel will have lots more! And the other demon princes were so sinister! They make great villains!!

And now for the not so great things . . . my primary complaint about Kingdom of the Wicked is the pacing. Everything happened very quickly and felt super rushed. To me, it feels like not a whole lot actually happened in this book. This goes along with wanting more of Wrath and Emilia interactions. I just wanted more, but everything seemed rushed. My other issue was that the plot was fairly predictable. I guessed who the murderer was almost immediately and I also could see Emilia’s journey coming from miles away. That being said, I still really enjoyed the plot. It was exciting, mysterious, and definitely captivating! This was a super fast read and I really enjoyed it!

Kingdom of the Wicked ends on a pretty big cliffhanger. I’m keeping this review spoiler free so all I’ll say is that I am excited to see what Emilia has up her sleeve in the next book! I’m definitely excited to explore more of the Kingdom of the Wicked.

Kingdom of the Wicked will be released October 27th by JIMMY Patterson Books!

Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf – Hayley Krischer [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

“Ali Greenleaf’s story is complex and beautifully told; full of fury, heartbreak, and hope.” –Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and How to Make Friends With the Dark

Ali Greenleaf and Blythe Jensen couldn’t be more different.

Ali is sweet, bitingly funny, and just a little naive. Blythe is beautiful, terrifying, and the most popular girl in school. They’ve never even talked to each other, until a party when Ali decides she’ll finally make her move on Sean Nessel, her longtime crush and the soccer team’s superstar. But Sean pushes Ali farther than she wants to go. When she resists–he rapes her.

Blythe sees Ali when she runs from the party, everyone sees her. And Blythe knows something happened with Sean; she knows how he treats girls. Even so, she’s his best friend, his confidant. When he tells her it was a misunderstanding, she decides to help him make things right.

So Blythe befriends Ali, bringing her into a circle of ruthless popular girls, and sharing her own dark secrets. Despite the betrayal at the heart of their relationship, they see each other, in a way no one ever has before.

In her searing, empowering debut novel, Hayley Krischer tells the story of what happened that night, and how it shaped Ali and Blythe forever. Both girls are survivors in their own ways, and while their friendship might not be built to last, it’s one that empowers each of them to find justice on their own terms.

Review:

Huge thank you to the Penguin Teen Influencer program, Razorbill, and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t really know how to review this book. Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf is the story of Ali, who was raped by popular it boy Sean, and Blythe, who is the queen bee of high school and is Sean’s best friend. Hayley Krischer tells the story of Ali’s rape, the events that follow, and how both girls are forever affected.

Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf is quite hard to read at times. The trauma and emotions that Ali goes through are unimaginable but unfortunately so common. I had a very hard time sympathizing with Blythe at all, but I understand how the author was trying to show us another victim. Blythe is extremely unlikeable and I don’t agree with her actions but I do understand how she is a victim of Sean’s too.

This story is about rape culture in our society and the way victims are shamed and manipulated. It is a powerful story that shines light on a difficult subject. It at times made me sick to my stomach. But I am so glad I read Ali’s story. It is honest and heartfelt.

The author provides trigger warning and multiple resources for sexual assault survivors.

Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf is an intense, emotional, gut wrenching, and authentic story. While it can be difficult to read, this story is so important and powerful.

Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf is set to be released on October 6th.

Legendborn (Legendborn, #1) – Tracy Deonn [ARC Review]

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Amazon.com: Legendborn (9781534441606): Deonn, Tracy: Books

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Review:

Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a King Arthur retelling that follows sixteen year old Bree Matthews as she begins her Early College program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Bree hasn’t been the same since her mother was killed in a car accident. This program is the perfect escape for her to get away. On Bree’s first night on campus she witnesses a supernatural attack that sends her on an adventure to find answers. Bree is thrust into a world of demons, magic, knights, and legends. She discovers the Legendborn, a group who are the descendents of King Arthur and his thirteen knights. These Legendbord are all that stands between demons (the Shadowborn) and the human world. 

I absolutely LOVED this book! Legendborn is an incredible YA fantasy that tells a wholly original story. Yes, it is a King Arthur retelling, but Legendborn is so much more than magic, spells, and legends. Legendborn is an urban fantasy that deals with grief, loss, power, legacies of colonization and slavery, being a Black woman in the South, and finding oneself. 

I did not expect to be so profoundly affected by Bree’s story. Tracy Deoon tells an incredible fictional story that she connects to our society by directly confronting racism and the history plus the continued effects of colonization, slavery, and violence against Black people. As the reader, we see Bree encounter racism everyday . . .whether it be slurs, discrimination, stereotypes, or more. She also lives in a constant reminder of the slavery and brutality against Black people. As a white woman I will never understand what Bree is feeling or going through. I am so thankful that Tracy has given us this story and allowed me to gain more perspective through Bree’s eyes. I definitely recommend reading Tracy’s author’s note at the end of the book.

One of my favorite parts of Legendborn is Bree connecting with her answers and learning about her own family’s history. 

Legendborn contains magic, mystery, romance, competition, and some MAJOR twists! I will say that the King Arthur lore and the history involved with the society, inheritance and magic was a bit confusing. I didn’t know much about King Arthur besides a little bit from “Merlin” and “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” so not much lol. I didn’t really know what to expect. I definitely had to take my time and do lots of highlights to keep everything straight. It is so extensive and there is a ton going on, but it never felt overwhelming. I felt like I was with Bree discovering and learning with her as she did. The world-building is all encompassing and so complete. Tracy Deoon truly crafted an entire world and lore using the legend of King Arthur. 

The magic is also fascinating! From aether to Rootcraft . .. it was all so interesting! I was very excited to read the author’s note and discover that Rootcraft is inspired by African American history and spiritual traditions. Rootwork was created by enslaved Africans and their descendents. The Rootcraft that Bree encounters is fictional, but inspired by this Rootwork. This is such a cool detail and I love learning something new! Again . . . please read the author’s note. It is not only inspiring, but also provided some really awesome insight into the inspiration for Legendborn.

The cast of characters in Legendborn is amazing and so incredibly diverse! The best part is that the diversity is done naturally and it doesn’t feel like a “shtick” or just for token diversity points. A great example of this is one of the Legendborn pages, Greer. Greer is non-binary. This is not announced or a big deal in the slightest. Instead Greer’s non-binary status is seemlessly part of the story. I love that They are just another character and They are accepted as such. It’s incredible to see! I hope this is an inspiration for everyone that reads this to be more accepting and tolerant of those different than you. The world needs more kindness and respect.

Bree is an excellent lead. She is strong, fierce, and loving. It was heartbreaking to watch her experience the grief from losing her mother. I truly felt like I was with her on this adventure.

I am a little undecided on how I feel about the romance. It definitely was on the insta-lovey side. It kind of has to be though because the whole book only takes place over about three weeks. Also, there is an explanation for the insta-love near the end which helps. There’s also a potential love triangle that I think will be delved into more in the following books. I am not a huge fan of love triangles, but I am intrigued by this one! 

The only reasons why I deducted a star is because of the insta-love and the overall rushed-ness of the beginning. Everything felt very boom boom boom. It all progressed very quickly. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing, but it just felt a little rushed in the beginning. 

Legendborn is an exciting fantasy story that has so many important themes. I am so glad that I read this book because 1) it’s a fantastic and unique story & 2) I am thankful that I was able to read a modern day fantasy through the eyes of a young Black woman. It’s not enough and I will continue to work to improve myself to be a better ally, but Bree’s story is one step and allowed me to gain more insight into what Black men and women experience every day.  

I absolutely loved Legendborn. Even though it is inspired by the legend of King Arthur, this retelling feels totally original and utterly fascinating! I loved all the detail and the world building! And the ending was a rollercoaster of twists and reveals! I cannot wait to see where the story goes in the next book.

Legendborn will be released on September 15th by Margaret K. McElderry Books!

Skywatchers – Carrie Arcos [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

From National Book Award Finalist Carrie Arcos comes a thrilling, genre-bending mystery about the history of the Cold War and the UFO phenomenon. Perfect for fans of In the Woods by Tana French and Netflix’s Stranger Things.

The year is 1952. The threat of invasion from the Soviet Union has people in a panic. The government has issued a call to civilians to act as radar–and Teddy, John, Caroline, Eleanor, Bunny, Frank, and Oscar eagerly answer. As members of their high school’s “Operation Skywatch” club, they, along with others across the country, look to the sky in an effort to protect the country from attack.

But they’re not prepared for the strange green light they see when on duty, which looks like nothing they’ve been trained to look out for. So when the mysterious object lands in the forest, Teddy, John, Caroline, and Bunny go in to investigate. Then, they disappear.

In this thrill of a novel inspired by real events, one group of teens will come face to face with the UFO phenomenon and the vastness of the unknown as they try to save one another, and possibly, the world. A powerful exploration of what if.

Review:

Huge thank you to the Penguin Teen Influencer program, Philomel Books, and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Prior to receiving the Penguin Teen influencer Fall 2020 ARC email I had not heard about Skywatchers by Carrie Arcos. The cover immediately caught my eye so I had to check the book out. I was super intrigued by the plot.

Skywatchers tells the thrilling story of a group of teens in the 1950’s who are a part of the “Operation Skywatch” club. Their job is to watch the skies for enemy aircraft. The club is pretty boring, at least until one night when a strange light appears in the sky. Four of the teens go to investigate, but they all disappear. The teens return, but all of their memories of the incident have been erased, and one of their group is still missing. Skywatchers is an exciting mystery that combines sci-fi and history.

Skywatchers was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed the suspense and the mystery! The story took a turn for me once the teens started to regain their memories. I liked the way the author went back in time to reveal what happened to the teens. I liked the big reveal, but everything happened very quickly. The reveal, the climax, and then the resolution felt very rushed.

Overall I really liked this story. It was a fun mystery that is outside my normal realm of reading. I enjoyed the suspense and the sci-fi aspects. The ending was just too rushed and resolved too easily. However, it was still super fun and exciting!

Skywatchers will be released on August 18th by Philomel Books & Penguin Teen.

Fable (Fable, #1) – Adrienne Young [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.

Review:

When I saw that Netgalley had Fable available to read for seventy-two hours I immediately snatched it up! I had heard good things about Fable and the cover is stunning! So I was dying to read it! I am super happy to report that I absolutely LOVED Fable!

MASSIVE thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fable is an action-packed, fun-filled, exciting adventure set on the high seas! There’s traders, rivalry, treasure, and seafaring exploits! Fable follows the titular character four years after she was abandoned on an island by her successful trader father. This island is not paradise . . . Fable is left on a dangerous island full of men who will attack and steal from her whenever the chance arrives. Fable spends four years fighting against the odds and using her resourcefulness to survive. After working hard as a dredger (basically someone who dives for gems and treasure) she finally saves up enough coin to pay for passage off the island. But of course, nothing is ever easy for Fable and she must run for her life. To escape the island, Fable joins up with the crew of the Marigold. West, Willa, Hamish, Paj, and Auster are less than welcoming and there’s definitely more going on than meets the eye.

Fable is one of my new favorite characters. She is so strong, resourceful, and independent. No matter what life throws her way, Fable always gets back up. She is a fighter. I love how courageous and strong she is. This story is all about Fable finding herself and I loved being a part of her journey.

I also loved the entire crew of the Marigold. They are not the nicest to Fable when she arrives, but I totally understand it. Every single one of them (including Fable) is guarding and hiding something. They all have a reason to keep their secrets close. I love how the relationships develop. The dynamic between each of them is so well done. The crew of the Marigold is already family, but I love seeing Fable become a part of this. They are such a great found family for her! The romance is a little insta-lovey and totally obvious from the beginning, but it didn’t bother me. I actually loved it!! I can’t wait for the relationship to be explored more in the next book.

The world, setting, and adventures at sea were also amazing. It was all so immersive. I loved visiting the different port cities and exploring different parts of the sea. Even just the day to day life on the ship was exciting. One of my favorite parts is the scenes where Fable is diving. The imagery and scenery is beautiful and the way Fable senses the gemstones is so cool! And *that* scene where she dives in Tempest Snare is the best!

Fable ends with a giant cliffhanger that has me dying for more! I did see part of the cliffhanger coming, but there was more than I expected and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Fable will be released September 1st, 2020 by Wednesday Books!

Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars, #2) – Elizabeth Lim [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Maia Tamarin proved her skill as a tailor when she wove the dresses of the sun, the moon, and the stars, but it will take more than a beautiful gown to hide the darkness rising up within her. . . . The stakes are higher than ever in this breathtaking sequel to Spin the Dawn, perfect for fans of Six of Crows.

Maia Tamarin’s journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon, and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. Edan, the boy she loves, is gone–perhaps forever–and no sooner does she set foot in the Autumn Palace than she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be to keep the peace. When the emperor’s rivals learn of her deception, there is hell to pay, but the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within. Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has beenchanging . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red; losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It’s only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, and in the meantime she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.

Review:

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

So I absolutely adored the first book in this duology! Spin the Dawn was such a fun, magical adventure! I’m so bummed to say that Unravel the Dusk was a let down.

The story picks up right after the events of Spin the Dawn . In this story, Maia must face becoming a demon after striking a bargain to create the dresses of Amana. I did not connect to this story at all. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters or the plot. I just wasn’t invested in Maia’s journey. And honestly, I was pretty bored. The plot just seemed to drag. This was one of those books where I kept checking how long I had left because I just wanted to be done.

I would never guess that this was the sequel to a Mulan inspired tale of a girl competing to be the imperial tailor and then going on an adventure to make three fantastical dresses. This book honestly felt like a whole different world. There was also just too much going on. Maia’s battle against her literal inner demon should have been the focus. The addition of the emperor, the Shansen, and the impending war were just distracting. I felt like Lady Sarnai and the Shansen should have been a totally separate book. It just didn’t fit with Maia’s journey. And the ending was . . . interesting. I definitely didn’t expect it. It also seemed like it was a very easy resolution.

I am so disappointed that I didn’t love Unravel the Dusk . I wish that Spin the Dawn was a standalone. I will say that the cover of Unravel the Dusk is STUNNING. The imagery throughout the story was also gorgeous.

Unravel the Dusk will be released on July 7th, 2020.

The Faithless Hawk (The Merciful Crow, #2) – Margaret Owen [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in The Faithless Hawk, the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.

As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana’s merciless bid for the throne.

With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.

A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.

Review:

Huge thank you to Fierce Reads for providing this advanced readers copy of The Faithless Hawk! I was able to pick up this advanced copy at the Fierce Reads booth at C2E2 (Chicago Comic Con) this year! Fierce Reads was giving away The Faithless Hawk advanced copies if you purchased a copy of the first book. Did I already have two copies of The Merciful Crow!? Yep! Did that stop me from buying a third!? Not at all!! So now I’m the proud owner of three copies of The Merciful Crow and I have no regrets.

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen was one of my absolute favorite books from last year! From the world building to the caste hierarchy and the incredible magic system . . . The Merciful Crow is such a fun, action-packed, and unique story. The story ended with a big cliffhanger and I have been dying to know where the story would go next. I am happy to say that The Faithless Hawk did not disappoint!

I love the world that Margaret Owen has created. Everything is built and developed so well. This is especially true for the castes and magic system. This story takes place in the world made up of twelve castes, with each represented by a different bird. These castes were founded by thousands of gods who created the castes in their image and gifted each with a birthright (power). All of the castes have a birthright (fire, stealth, etc.) except for the Crows. There are also witches (who have stronger powers) born within each caste. The top caste is the Phoenixes, who make up the royalty and rule this world. The lowest caste is the Crows. They have no birthright and are universally looked down upon. They are abused, hated, and discriminated against. The treatment of the Crows is appalling. However, the castes rely on the Crows for a very important purpose . . . the Crows are the only ones immune to the Sinner’s Plague. The Sinner’s Plague is a horrible disease, highly contagious, and is fatal to anyone who contracts it. In order to stop the spread of the disease, any time someone contracts the Plague, the Crows are summoned to deliver mercy killings and to burn the bodies. This is why they are known as “The Merciful Crows.” Our lead, Fie, is a Crow chief and a Bone Thief witch. This means she can draw power from bones and teeth. For example: Sparrows have the birthright to hide in plain sight. Fie often calls upon Sparrow teeth to hide from enemies. I am just so fascinated by the incredible world and magic system that Owen has created!

My favorite part of The Faithless Hawk is the vivid imagery. Margaret Owen is able to create such stunning scenes that I can truly see in my mind. I especially love the scenes inside the palace. Everything is so gorgeous! Some of the imagery was so eerie! The skin ghasts and the effects of the Sinner’s Plague are so dang creepy! Owen is just so good at building the scenes.

I also loved how much Fie has grown throughout these two books. She has matured and become so much less selfish. This all happened naturally too. It wasn’t immediate or rushed at all.

Lastly, I loved all the espionage that takes place in The Faithless Hawk! There is so much spying, manipulation, and sneaking! Especially in all the palace scenes! It was so exciting and I couldn’t get enough of these parts!

The only reason I took off a star is the pacing. It was very on and off. There were lulls that seemed to drag, but then super exciting parts that were very fast paced! It was a mixed bag, but I overall really enjoyed The Faithless Hawk.

The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen is set to be released August 18th, 2020 by Henry Holt and Co.

The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy, #3) – S. A. Chakraborty [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war.

Daevabad has fallen.

After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people.

But the bloodletting and loss of his beloved Nahri have unleashed the worst demons of Dara’s dark past. To vanquish them, he must face some ugly truths about his history and put himself at the mercy of those he once considered enemies.

Having narrowly escaped their murderous families and Daevabad’s deadly politics, Nahri and Ali, now safe in Cairo, face difficult choices of their own. While Nahri finds peace in the old rhythms and familiar comforts of her human home, she is haunted by the knowledge that the loved ones she left behind and the people who considered her a savior are at the mercy of a new tyrant. Ali, too, cannot help but look back, and is determined to return to rescue his city and the family that remains. Seeking support in his mother’s homeland, he discovers that his connection to the marid goes far deeper than expected and threatens not only his relationship with Nahri, but his very faith.

As peace grows more elusive and old players return, Nahri, Ali, and Dara come to understand that in order to remake the world, they may need to fight those they once loved . . . and take a stand for those they once hurt.

Review:

Huge thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This review will contain some spoilers for The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper.

I freaked out when I got approved for this advanced readers copy on Netgalley! I have been dying to get my hands on The Empire of Gold since I read The Kingdom of Copper last year. The Daevabad Trilogy is one of my all time favorites. The story has kept me totally hooked from the very beginning. The Empire of Gold is an absolutely incredible conclusion to this breathtaking series.

The world and story that S. A. Chakraborty has created is absolutely incredible. There are only a few other authors that are able to write such all encompassing stories. Chakraborty has created an epic and stunning world with an entire culture in the Daevabad Trilogy. I genuinely don’t know how to describe how truly talented Chakraborty is. She is an author I consider to be a master storyteller.

The Kingdom of Copper ended on a huge cliffhanger! Actually multiple huge cliffhangers!! The Empire of Gold picks up right where The Kingdom of Copper left off with Dara in Daevabad and Nahri & Ali in Egypt. It hit the ground running and DID. NOT. STOP. The story is exciting, action packed, and full of adventure. There are so many twists and turns and I never knew what to expect next. I couldn’t put it down! One of my favorite parts is that the world of Daevabad is expanded upon beyond what we’ve already known. I absolutely love getting to explore more and more of this world. Especially Ta Ntry and the Marid!

Once again, the story is told through the multiple points of view of Nahri, Ali, and Dara. I can’t believe how much these characters have gone through. I’ve always loved Nahri and Ali, but I love them even more than I thought possible — even though they both took me through the ringer in this one! Dara’s chapters were difficult to read because it was really hard to have any sympathy for him. I ended KOC hating him and the feeling continued throughout EOG. That being said, he does have a great character arc. Dara’s character has taken me on quite the emotional rollercoaster throughout this series. Chakraborty really knows how to pull on my emotions.

Speaking of emotions . . . I went through the full spectrum while reading The Empire of Gold. Anger, fear, sadness, grief, happiness . . . you name it and I felt it! I truly felt like I was on this adventure and feeling everything Nahri, Ali, etc. felt. All of the characters in this world have experienced so much violence, trauma, and heartbreak. They all have made good and bad decisions. It’s one of the things that I like most about this series — no character is perfect. Each and every one has flaws. The character growth from the beginning of the series to now is truly amazing.

The Empire of Gold was an absolutely perfect ending to this amazing series. I honestly could not have asked for more. I totally loved every characters conclusions. The themes of love, family, acceptance, redemption, and willingness to change are so well done. I am seriously in awe of The Empire of Gold and I know that this series will stick with me forever.

The Empire of Gold will be released June 30th, 2020 by Harper Collins.