Hi everyone! Here’s another book review! If you’ve been following me for a while now, you’ll know that I absolutely adore Sarah Sutton and her books! Her newest one is Halloween-themed which is perfect for the month of October (and for people like me who just have an insane love for Halloween in general!) Without further ado, read ahead for my review!
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Blaire hates Halloween. Halloween is a reminder of things she’d rather not remember, a pain she’d rather not experience again. When Blaire and her boyfriend break up, she decides to shut him out of her life. However, he has other plans, like teaming up with her best friend in an attempt to get her to appreciate Halloween. To top things off, a letter arrives for Blaire from the last person she wants to talk to. As her anger, hurt, and bitterness grow, she begins to become distant, isolated. Blaire is left to figure out what she wants and how to put her life back together; not to mention, she has to figure out who she wants in her life as well.
Okay, as most people know, Sarah is my favorite YA contemporary romance author! I’m convinced she can’t write a bad book! This book was shorter than her other two books, but I loved it just as much. I’m a sucker for all things Halloween/autumn so that definitely contributed to my love for this book! Blaire is super sarcastic and I loved her; I want Donnie to be my best friend, and Lucas is so sweet! As always, Sarah is a master of writing not just the main character and her romantic relationship, but all of the side characters and those relationships! While there is a lot of cute moments, there’s also a lot of hard, difficult moments as well. For example, Blaire’s relationship with Delia was one of my favorite relationships in the book. I also thought the concept of Gram’s business was cool and unique! This book definitely has me super pumped for Halloween now!
If you love YA, Halloween, romance, or are just looking for a short and sweet read, this is the book for you! And if you haven’t already, make sure you check out Sarah’s other two books!
Hi guys! Here’s another review; I’m working on getting some old ones up on here! Today’s is a bit different from normal as it’s a non-fiction book! I don’t read non-fiction often, but I occasionally make exceptions. Jennie Allen’s book was an exception and it was definitely worth it!
4/5 stars
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Thoughts seem like small, trivial things, but they can actually have a huge impact on your life. Your thoughts affect your behavior, your emotions, etc. Once your thoughts turn negative, it can be easily to get stuck in a spiral of negativity. This negativity can easily start to hurt you; it’s a dangerous path to start down. Jennie Allen explains the way thoughts work, and with biblical support, she explains how one can turn these thoughts into more positive ones.
First off, this is a Christian non-fiction book. Readers who are not Christian will probably not find this to be a helpful read because of all the references to Scripture and God. However, if you are a Christian, I would definitely recommend this book! Without discrediting people with mental health issues, Jennie discusses the idea of taking our thoughts captive and fighting against the spiral of negativity. As she explains, the devil would like nothing more than to get us stuck in a spiral of negativity as it has a bad effect on our behavior and can often make us upset with God. I liked the graphics used to reflect the spiral that our thoughts can lead us into; overall, this was an informative book on winning the battle for your mind and keeping your thoughts positive.
In the end, I think this book is a rather helpful resource for Christians struggling with negative thoughts. I would definitely recommend it!
Hi everyone! Here’s another book review for you all! Enjoy!
4/5 stars
Zora had been a pretty decent person her whole life. Until her (ex) boyfriend turned out to be a scumbag and thought she was incapable of a lot of things, all because she was a girl. What else could she do by taking her revenge, knocking him out of the competition, and taking his place in the Games for herself? Despising love and being looked down on, Zora decides she’s going to win the Games to save her people and prove that she can. With a prince trying to knock her out of the competition, another prince forcing her to play weird games, and someone trying hard to murder her, Zora has a lot to worry about whether she’s in the arena or not.
Zora is such an awesome main character! I loved how she didn’t let people walk all over her, even the royalty! Her desire for revenge (mostly to spite all the men looking down on her) was quite amusing and her sarcastic nature was so entertaining! I didn’t care for how she seemed to cry somewhat frequently for someone who claims to be strong, though. However, her clever tactics and determination to win were definitely brilliant!
The world-building, particularly the idea of the Dark Valley, was so fascinating! The idea of the Royal Games was cool as well, though there’s still a lot about it we don’t know. I have a lot of questions about it, but I guess more will be revealed in the next book! The political games that were being played were also interesting; there’s some plot twist stuff towards the end that made me rather curious! The romance fell a little flat for me, and I didn’t really care for most of the side characters, but it’s always possible things will change in the next book.
Ultimately, I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to see a female fighter as a main character and who appreciates unique world-building, political games, and competitions!
Hey guys! You might have noticed that I missed Top Ten Tuesday yesterday. I’m a little behind on things, especially blog posts and reviews, due to school work. Today I’ll be sharing a review with you all, and I’ll hopefully share a few other reviews with you throughout the rest of the week!
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Three very different sisters set out to solve a mystery about their mother! After the oldest sister has recurring dreams, she and the other sisters discover a photo of their mom that they can’t figure out. Trying to find clues, the girls go searching for information about their mother which seems to be related to the recurring dreams.
First of all, the illustrations in this book are absolutely breathtaking! From the characters to the backgrounds/scenery, the illustrations were absolutely magnificent! The story itself was rather short and sweet, perfect for younger readers! Like most siblings, the girls have their ups and downs with each other. The mystery of the photo of their mother and the dreams was intriguing and also sad. Overall, this was an excellent graphic novel with beautiful illustrations, a lovely story, and unique characters! I’d definitely recommend it to younger readers!
Hey everyone! I’ve been bad about writing and posting reviews lately as I’ve been dealing with lots of college assignments. I’m finally posting another review today! This book was what I call a hidden gem–aka it blew me away and I was not expecting it! I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 for a few reasons mentioned below, but the story itself was a solid 5.
4/5 stars
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book! I am leaving this honest review completely voluntarily!
Humanity was almost wiped out a few hundred years ago; however, the remaining survivors fled up to Mountaintop, surrounded by a wall that protected them from The Threat Below. Having grown used to the peaceful and boring life on the mountain, humanity is suddenly faced with a crisis unlike anything they’ve experienced since they fled to safety so many years ago. Their water source is being poisoned, by something Down Below, and the only option for survival is to figure out what it is and put a stop to it. Icelyn Brathius ends up joining the expedition and quickly realizes how dangerous things are on the outside of the wall. Soon she ends up learning all kinds of secrets, ones that will forever alter how she sees the world and everything in it.
Wow, this book was so unexpectedly amazing! I’m don’t often read dystopian books, and I’m very picky about the ones I read. This one was definitely worth it! I struggled to get into it a bit at first—there are multiple POVs in both first and third person, the writing style is very unique, and the beginning was a bit slow to start. I ended up really loving the writing style as it added so much to the experience of reading this book and the multiple POVs do an excellent job of letting the reader experience the plot from the viewpoint of all kinds of characters. The beginning was a bit tedious, but I did appreciate learning more about the fascinating lifestyle of the descendants of the survivors on the mountain.
Icelyn is the main character; the reader gets to hear her viewpoint the most often. The reader listens to a lot of her thoughts as the story progresses. I liked her a lot more at the beginning than I did at the end, but I’m still very curious about where book two will take us. The other characters have viewpoints here and there which all contribute to the story. I ended up being extremely intrigued by the mystery and all the secrets about the truth behind the near-extinction of humanity and the current state of the world. The middle of the story progressed faster than the beginning, so I rushed onward to the end, hoping to get some answers. The journey this book took me on was remarkable, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The end left me anxious for more, so I can’t wait to get started reading it as well!
This book is perfect for anyone who likes dystopian, fantasy, or apocalyptic books! I would definitely recommend it to middle grade, YA, or even adult readers! (Just a heads up, this is what I would consider a clean read, but the violence might be a bit much for some readers.) Do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this book!
Hey everyone! I’m back again with another Top Ten Tuesday! In case you missed my last two posts, Top Ten Tuesday is a challenge hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! There’s a different bookish theme for every week that bloggers can choose to participate in. You can find the prompt list here!
This week’s challenge was a bit difficult for me as I am ridiculously bad at keeping track of release dates! After going through my TBR to figure out which books are actually coming out soon, I finally settled on these ten as my most anticipated fall reads. I’m still probably missing a few (sorry to any authors I forgot!) Click on the titles to find their descriptions on Goodreads!
Hi guys! Once again, I’m participating in Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! Check out her blog and the prompts here! This week’s theme was “Cover Freebie” so I decided to share my top ten covers with people on them. A few of them were actually done by the same artist (Charlie Bowater) who is amazing! I’ll post the covers below; make sure to check them out on Goodreads for more information and my reviews!
Hi everyone! I’m trying something new today! That Artsy Reader Girl runs something called, “Top Ten Tuesday,” where she lists a prompt for bloggers to respond to. To see this list, head over to this page! This Tuesday’s prompt is “Books for My Younger Self” so I’ll be sharing ten books that I wish I read (or could have read) as a child. All of the blurbs came directly from Goodreads!
The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night
Blurb:
In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
My thoughts:
I wasn’t expecting to love this series as much as I did! It reminds me of Harry Potter, but it’s still very unique! You can find my review for this book here. It’s a middle grade novel that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of their age. Currently, there are three books out with the fourth and final one coming out in the future. It’s definitely worth a read if you like fantasy or Harry Potter!
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Blurb:
Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.
My thoughts:
Skyward is very near and dear to my heart. I just read it recently and completely fell in love with it. It was the first Sanderson novel I’ve read, and it was spectacular! Spensa is the kind of character that you can’t help but root for, and I think younger me would have loved her! You can find my review here. So far, only two books are out in this series and I’m dying to get my hands on book 3!
Moonscript by H.S.J Williams
Blurb:
“It is said that Darkness is empty and whatever vanishes into its depths is lost forever. I know this better than anyone. For I have suffered here in the shadows, and there are none who might find me.”
Seventy years. Seventy years the elven prince has been lost to the darkness, assumed dead by his people and endlessly broken for a book that connects to the hidden realm of his ancestors, a land untouched by evil.
And now a light in the shadows. A chance for freedom. But those willing to help him come from the unlikeliest of worlds.
The orphan girl, yearning for a loving family, and the boy who won’t leave her side. A healer maiden given an unexpected chance for a life beyond narrowed expectations. A grieving creature flown far from home.
They all search for something and now their fates are tied to his. If their quest for life can pull him from the dark mire in which his soul drowns, then perhaps he can be saved.
Or else he will drag them all down to a fate worse than death.
The beginning of an epic saga, MOONSCRIPT is a journey of innocence, despair, and redemption.
My thoughts:
Here is another book that I wished I read as a child. This book was so wholesome; the characters were so lovable and the story was so interesting! Tellie and Kelm would definitely have been inspiring to tiny me. My review can be found here. Moonscript is the only book in the series to be out, so I’m eagerly awaiting book 2!
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Blurb:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
My thoughts:
The Selection is the type of book I would have probably loved as a child: unique world, love story, drama, etc. I’m surprised I only read it this year. Younger me loved the Matched series and this book somewhat reminded me of that series. Now that I’m older, the series doesn’t appeal to me as much, but it’s definitely something I would have read at a younger age. My review can be found here. I’m not sure when I’ll get around to the rest of the series, but I will eventually!
Shielded by Kaylynn Flanders
Blurb:
For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.
The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It’s losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.
As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn’s–her brother’s–magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.
Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong–the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it’s too late–for her and for her entire kingdom.
My thoughts:
Man, this book was so good! I had the privilege of getting an ARC of Shielded, and I had no idea what it was about. It was another surprisingly good book with a strong, determined heroine. It was a clean read too, which I very much appreciated. It also has a beautiful cover! The romance hasn’t gotten too far yet, but it was cute! Younger me would definitely have read this series! My review is here, and it’s another series where I’m dying for the sequel!
The Phantom’s Curse by Shelley Wilson
Blurb:
An old evil threatens to rise from the depths of the warded city… Sixteen-year-old Marianne lives a simple life as a healer in the Link, looking after her younger brother since their parents’ exile. Little does she know how everything will change after attending the blessing in the city of Obanac. After her brother is wrongfully imprisoned, Marianne seeks his release from Crawford Reign, the Lord of Obanac. But she’s faced with an impossible choice—the lord wants her in exchange. To save her brother she turns to the daring outlaw Robbie and his friends for help. Along with the help of Theo, the holy man’s son, a daring rescue soon uncovers rumors of an old sorcerer who may still live and whispers of the phantom’s curse—an evil that requires a host and seeks to destroy the world—threatening to resurface. With the threat of an old evil rising in Obanac and the attacks of the Black Riders throughout the realm, nowhere seems safe. To save the people of the land and everyone she cares about, Marianne must unlock the secret to who she really is and embrace the mage magic that stirs within her.
My thoughts:
I read this book a few months ago, and I thought it was good; however, I definitely thought it was intended for younger readers. I still was able to enjoy the book, but I think I would’ve been more into it as a child. I definitely think I would have appreciated it more back then. It’s not a bad book, though! My review can be found here! I think middle grade readers would probably like this book!
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Blurb:
If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
Everything is going to change.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
Remember. Survive. Run.
My thoughts:
I didn’t write a review for this series, but I wish I did. This was one of those books that everyone was super into, but I wasn’t going to read it just because it was popular. When I finally decided to pick it up, it had been years since the series was popular and the movies had already been made. I ended up loving it, but I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it since I waited so long to read it! Needless to say, younger me should have read this when I had the chance! If you have not read The Maze Runner series but would consider reading it, just go for it and learn from my mistakes!
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Blurb:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth – that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
My thoughts:
This book would have been something I enjoyed as a kid: fae, love triangle, battle scenes, etc. Sadly, I only recently started this series. I haven’t even finished it yet… I’m hoping to get through all of the books soon though! I never wrote a review for this book, but it was a rather interesting read!
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Blurb:
As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.
My thoughts:
I read a lot of the classics as a kid: Black Beauty, The Secret Garden, Heidi, etc. One of the ones I didn’t read was Anne of Green Gables. After watching Anne With An E on Netflix, I decided to read the classic. I’m ashamed it took so long for me to get to it! Little me would definitely have loved this story! I didn’t review this one either, but I might review the second book in the series once I get around to reading it!
The Crush by Allyson Kennedy
Blurb:
Never settle for anything less.
A combination hopeless romantic and old soul trapped in a teenager’s body, closet musician Emery Brooks wonders if she’ll ever find a love as timeless as her grandparents’. Fear of judgment and social alienation due to her older brother’s past mistakes render her incapable of writing a love song. Still, Emery holds fast to the ideals her Grandma Adeline instilled in her from a young age, vowing to allow God to handwrite her love story, to never settle for anything less.
That is, until love cynic Sawyer Alston enters her world. Broken by the wrath of his parents’ failed marriage, Sawyer has been uprooted from everything he’s ever known and now sees love as a void of empty promises. When Emery and Sawyer meet due to their mothers’ rekindled friendship, Emery soon realizes she’s in over her head.
For, despite her resistance, her first crush, her first glimpse at love, involves a boy who doesn’t believe in love at all.
My thoughts:
I just finished reading this book a few days ago! It was a very emotional book! I read an ARC, so it won’t be published for a few more weeks. Despite how emotional this book was, I think it would have appealed to younger me. It’s a Christian romance; it has a lot of valuable lessons for young girls about finding the right person. It was sweet and heart-breaking all at the same time. Younger me always had a hard time finding Christian romance books that weren’t meant for adults, so I think I would have loved this. My review is up here.
Hi there! I’ve got another book review to share with everyone today!
4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Emery has a goal in life: she wants to find a love like the love between her grandparents. However, the people in Emery’s small town don’t care for her family too much. It doesn’t help that Emery has an old soul, discouraging most people from being friends with her. Suddenly, the Alston family moves into town. Emery meets Sawyer, a boy who no longer believes in love after the disastrous marriage of his parents. With his disbelief in love, he couldn’t be more opposite from Emery and her dreams of a beautiful romance. Despite her desire to stay away from him, she can’t help but want to get to know him. Emery soon has a crush, but she’s not sure how she could ever have a love like her grandparents with a boy who has given up on love.
This book was enchanting and heart-breaking and beautiful all at once. I fell in love with the setting and the characters pretty quickly. This book is definitely an emotional roller coaster though, rapidly going through highs and lows. The author handles some dark, difficult concepts very well and balances them out with the love and forgiveness of God. I also really liked how we get to see Emery’s romance while getting glimpses of the romance between Adeline and Amos. Also, be prepared to cry. I was expecting fluff, but like I said, there’s a lot of dark and difficult things in this book that will most likely break your heart. The ending was quite unexpected and that’s all I can say without spoiling things. God’s love is interwoven and demonstrated throughout the story as well, which I greatly appreciated. This book is definitely worth a read for anyone looking for an old-fashioned, beautifully-told love story.
Hey guys! Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far! I’ve got another book review to share with you all today so I hope you enjoy it!
First of all, look at that cover!! Gorgeous, right?!
4/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ash is a non-savant. She can’t raise a phantom. She is a practiced wordsmith, but there’s a lot more to her than that, secrets that even she is unaware of. Marcus is the Heir to the throne of his kingdom, plus he raises a powerful warrior savant. Now, he just has to learn to control it. Along with a few others, they travel to the island of Aku for Marcus’s training. The journey there is harrowing, and the travelers learn that there is a very intense danger to them and to the kingdom. And Ash might be the key to saving them all.
The magic system in this book is so cool and unique! Savants are those who can raise and control phantoms. The phantoms themselves have different appearances and abilities. In some ways, it reminds me of the Persona video games. This book has multiple POVs, mostly focusing on Ash and Marcus. Ash is rather amusing, and I was fascinated at monitoring Marcus’s progress with his phantom throughout the story. There are still a lot of secrets yet to be explained by the end of the book, but I’m looking forward to the next one! The only reasons it got a 4 instead of a 5 were that I had a hard time connecting to the characters and sometimes I felt lost in the world-building. However, the whole story is thrilling, and I can’t help but be drawn in by the magic system! I would definitely recommend reading this!
