Tag: Book Reviews

King of Scars: Book Review

While King of Scars didn’t land true for me, it is still filled with the beautiful writing and character building that we have come to expect from Bardugo.
3.75 Stars

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Falling Kingdoms: Book Review

Over dramatic, yet enthralling, Falling Kingdoms is a YA mashup of Game of Thrones and mid-day soap operas. And I mean that in both a good and bad way.
Rating: 3 stars

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The Backlist: Mistborn Era 2

The Era 2 books of the Mistborn series are as close to perfection as one can get to in storytelling. Any Mistborn fans who skip the Era 2 books are depriving themselves of some of the best dry humor, classic Sanderson heartbreaking plot twists, and a cast of fantastically built characters, specifically, the best character of all time: Wayne. You’ll thank me when you meet him.
Rating: 5 stars

FYI: This is a general review of the series as a whole and is SPOILER FREE!

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The Backlist: The Mortal Instruments

The Mortal Instruments is where the Shadowhunter world begins, and while the plots can get muddled and weird, readers will remain hooked for the drama, the relateble characters, and most importantly, Magnus “I am the best character in this series” Bane.
Series Rating: 4 Stars

FYI: This is a general review of the series as a whole and is SPOILER FREE!

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Memento: Book Review

Memento
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 2019
Synopsis: December, 2574. Forty-three days before the BeiTech attack on Kerenza IV.
.
This is the story of my first friendship.
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This is the tale of my first murder?
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Some monsters are born.
.
But I?
.
< ERROR >
.
I was made.

Rating: Pretty sure that Kaufman and Kristoff have made some gnarly sacrifices to the writing gods to be able to pack such an intense emotional punch into such a tiny little book. Either way, I loved Memento.
5 stars

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The Loneliest Girl in the Universe: Book Review

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
Author: Lauren James
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Synopsis: The daughter of two astronauts, Romy Silvers is no stranger to life in space. But she never knew how isolating the universe could be until her parents’ tragic deaths left her alone on the Infinity, a spaceship speeding away from Earth.

Romy tries to make the best of her lonely situation, but with only brief messages from her therapist on Earth to keep her company, she can’t help but feel like something is missing. It seems like a dream come true when NASA alerts her that another ship, the Eternity, will be joining the Infinity.

Romy begins exchanging messages with J, the captain of the Eternity, and their friendship breathes new life into her world. But as the Eternity gets closer, Romy learns there’s more to J’s mission than she could have imagined. And suddenly, there are worse things than being alone….

While there are no outright spoilers for the story, I do describe certain elements of the plot and though vague, they could be viewed as spoilery. If you want to go into this book pure, then maybe skip this review.

Rating: An absolute delight of a story that expertly builds up the tension until it crescendos into a series of plot twists that leave the reader breathless.
4 stars

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The Beckoning Shadow: ARC Review

This ARC was sent to me by the publisher via Storygram Tours. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own and not influenced in any way. After reading the ARC I pre-ordered my own copy of the book. Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and Storygram Tours for giving me a chance to read this book early.

The Beckoning Shadow
Author: Katharyn Blair
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Synopsis: Vesper Montgomery can summon your worst fear and turn it into a reality—but she’s learned the hard way that it’s an addicting and dangerous power. One wrong move and you could hurt someone you love.

But when she earns a spot in the Tournament of the Unraveling, where competitors battle it out for a chance to rewrite the past, Vesper finally has a shot to reverse the mistakes that have changed her forever. She turns to Sam Hardy, a former MMA fighter who’s also carrying a tragedy he desperately wants to undo. However, helping heal Sam’s heart will mean breaking her own, and the competition forces her to master her powers—powers she has been terrified of since they destroyed her life.

Rating: The Beckoning Shadow is the electric debut novel from Katharyn Blair, filled with snarky and strong characters, a magical fight club, and heart-breaking plot twists. Welcome to my new favorite book!
4.75 stars

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The Merciful Crow: ARC Review

This ARC was sent to me by the publisher at my request. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own and not influenced in any way. Thank you to Henry Holt (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this book early.

The Merciful Crow
Author: Margaret Owen
Publisher: Henry Holt BYR
Release Date: July 30, 2019
Synopsis: A future chieftain: Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince: When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard: Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?

Rating: The Merciful Crow is an intriguing debut that tackles some hard issues, but suffers from too much journey and a writing style that can be off putting for some.
3 stars

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