Review: Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this for Battle 27

Hanalei has been on her own for 10 years after her father stole a dragonfruit, a dragon egg, to save Hanalei from a poison she and the princess consumed, making them both sick and stay in a coma. The dragonfruit was supposed to be for the princess until it was stolen, and Hana has been exiled from the home she loved with all of her heart. But with stealing and using a dragonfruit comes consequences, and once Hana got better, her father died, leaving her alone at age 8. 

Ten years later, Hana is reconnected with her home island and her closest friend Sam, son to the princess. She is on an adventure to find another dragonfruit to help the princess, but is having a lot of conflicting emotions when it comes to harming the seadragons and their dragonfruit. 

I honestly adored this book. I read it in one sitting and gobbled up the story so quickly! I loved all of the dragon parts and how Hana had a connection with them. I love how they learned more about these seadragons as the story grew. I love the culture in this book and how easy it was to picture everything so clearly. It was a great novel and I'm glad I got the chance to read it! 

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Review: Stay Dead by April Henry

Stay Dead by April Henry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 27

This book takes you on an ultimate survival story, showing you that anything is possible if you have the determination to survive. This novel has 3 POVs: Milan, Janie, and Lenny. 

Milan is a 16 year old girl who lost her father in a car accident, and has now just lost her mother in a plane accident. Both accidents Milan was with them and both times she survived the crashes. Only now when the plane crashes, she's alone on top of a mountain and has to survive the cold weather along with wild animals. With thoughts of her parents life lessons, Milan takes one step at a time to find help and also find out why her whole family has been targeted.

Janie has lived on her family farm her whole life. But farm life is showing signs of struggle and when she's offered the chance to give up a little bit of her land for a lot of money, she decided to take the deal. But the longer the workers are there digging, the worse her farm gets. Animals and family members are getting sick, the water is getting extremely dirty, and construction workers are literally in her front yard. What she discovers had really happened, Janie's sole mission is to take down the company that has destroyed her life. 

Lenny grew up with a hit man as a dad, so it's no surprise Lenny also became a hit man. And now she is currently hunting down any one who was in that plane crash that survived: Milan. Lenny is there for a party check. She had no qualms about her target, until she finds out it's the same girl she helped after the car accident she cause that killed Milan's dad. But a target is a target, so Lenny, while extremely impressed by Milan's resources and talent to survive, is on a mission to complete her assignment. 

This book had a lot of suspense and thrilling moments. My biggest issue was the beginning was excruciatingly slow. I need dialog to get immersed into the story and when Milan was on her own after the plane crash, not a whole lot of dialog happened. Because of that it took me a lot longer to get through this book. Definitely a me issue and not the story, but my brain is already mushy in what occurred for the first 45% of the book. The ending was really good though! 

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Review: A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm quite surprised at how much I love this novel! I thought it would be a good read, but there is so much packed in here and I was bursting to read more and more. 

I am stunned this is a standalone and honestly, as much as I usually want more single novels, I wish there was more to come for Tru and Elang. I'm a bit sad is all done in one book and i can't pine for the rest of their story! 

I adore that this is a retake is Beauty and the Beast, but underwater with talking turtles and mermaids, and a talented painter with swimming dragons. So much encumbered in this book that kept my attention the entire time. 

I love how much Tru is a fighter and will do whatever it takes to keep her family safe. Even marry the Demon Prince who is then discovered to be the Dragon Prince. Tru has always wanted to go on an adventure, and an adventure she got when she met Elang!

Elang is so full of secrets, I'm shocked Tru didn't bash him on the head. But she also so smart and figured out so many hidden secrets without his help. They really are synced up with each other. 

I thought the author did a phenomenal job describing the multiple worlds these characters lived in. I felt like I was right there with them, seeing it all through my own eyes. 

I'm so glad I decided to read this and may just have to explore more books by this author! 

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Review: Mountain of Fire by Rebecca E.F. Barone

Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E.F. Barone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 27

This is a narrative non fiction describing the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. The author interviewed numerous witnesses and survivors of this event to be able to write this short but powerful story about a true event. When Mount St. Helens stated having earthquakes in April 1980, scientists, reporters, and tourists all rushed to the site to see what would happen. Many thought it would be safe and nothing would erupt. Others were treading lightly with information saying it was possible the mountain could erupt, but couldn't give any detailed information. This eruption was the first of is kind with a rare timeline of events that couldn't be predicted. If the technology today was available in 1980, more information could have been discovered. 

This very short book has a lot of information provided in a way that can be easily read like a story but also gives great information on how this time frame passed for the people who were involved in this natural disaster. I didn't really know a lot about this event so it was nice to learn some history while also feeling the emotions of the survivors. 

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Review: Dreamslinger by Graci Kim

Dreamslinger by Graci Kim
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 27

Aria lives in a world where nightmares can leave magic inside of you unless you release the build up once she wakes up. This is magic that she has feared for the last 3 years when she discovered she had it at age 13. But when the royal family opened up a competition to allow anyone to come to their kingdom and see if they can find a dreamcompanion and live in their society, Ariana thought this would be a good way to spy on their world and report back to her father, who wants to contain people with magic to make the world a safer place. 

But once Aria arrived in this new world, she realized that her father's way may NOT be the only way to live her life. Here she is accepted for her magic and dreams. Here she can learn to control the magic and not be scared to hurt someone. And she found new friends and got her own dreamcompanion, Rio, her unique tailed dragon. 

Now Aria is trying to find all the answers to what happened 10 years ago with the Battle that killed her mom, the secrets of the royal family, and the untold lore of how the magic came to be, all while trying to stay in the competition and be the top 20 that passes, and find a way to still help her father, even when her feelings are becoming conflicting... And the answers that she discovers changes everything she thought she knew her entire life. 

With the help of her new friends Tui and Lion, Aria is slowly learning to trust her heart and make the right decisions for her future and the future of their world. 

I honestly thought i would like this more than I did. Fantasy is right up my alley. I think i struggled the most because there were so many words and terms that were unfamiliar to me. So many dream___ that distracted me. Just a lot of unknowns that brought me out of the story and made me ho "what?". I think Aria definitely grew as a person throughout this book. She had a lot of growing up to do in a very short amount of time. I was proud her her reasoning at the end of the book. But I'm not going to read the next novel because my brain might explode trying to keep up with everything to remember again. 

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Review: The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald

The Right Call: A Game Changer Companion Novel by Tommy Greenwald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 27

This book is more than sports and baseball, surprisingly. This is about a 15 year old baseball superstar going through a lot of emotional decisions about his sport, his family and his life. The entire novel is told only through text messages, transcriptions, and announcements that explain what Cal Klondike is going through during a pivotal moment in his baseball career as a high school student. This story also goes into depth in how one bad moment and one good moment should not define a person as a whole. 

Cal's dad got too involved in the idea that Cal is talented enough to play in pro baseball in his near future. Cal grew as a great pitcher overnight and once that happened, so many changes happened for the Klondikes. Going to a specific school to improve his talent. Having scouts, college recruiters, and even professional team recruiters come to games to watch his games. 

But the biggest change was attacking the manager or umpire for calls that were made not to his dad's liking. Arguments, yelling matches. Embarrassing moments. Moments that distracted Cal from playing the sport that he loves. Moments that made Cal not love the sport he used to love. 

I didn't think I'd like this format of a book, but I was actually very invested. And the message was really great. I loved how Cal had his guidance counselor and how he reached out to the umpire, discovering a whole new person than the umpire he thought he knew. Very glad i read this. 

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Review: Good Girl Exception by Maren Moore

Good Girl Exception by Maren Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maren moore always writes amazing romances filled with tension but also some really deep emotional battles for her characters. This book has both in spades and did not disappoint! 

Maisie is such a joy to read about. She literally has no bad bone in her body. Always wanting to help everyone and had such a great personality that makes everyone around her happy with her contagious perspective on life. But I loved how she met Wilder and how she decided to put her own wants first for once. Rather than letting her parents choices dictate her life. 

Wilder has so many past demons to work out. And Maisie is the perfect person to be next to him helping him through those nightmares. I love how polar opposite they are from each other because it makes them the perfect match. 

So glad I got the chance to read this book and I'm always looking forward to more from Maren Moore! 

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Review: The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen

The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 27

Living on Mars had always been talked about, but this book people actually do live on Mars. And dragons exist. Each planet and moon have their own dragons and some dragons have a crew of humans who ride on their dragons and protect their space (whether it be the moon or the planet the drain is in charge of).

Mars' dragon, Ares was killed by it's 2 moon dragons. After Ares died, the planet of Mars started to die. No plants or food can grow. Wild animals hunt humans. Pretty much the planet and humanity are going extinct. 

Lunar was born on Mars and only knows this dying planet. He scraps for metal and any other sources that had been buried to receive money and food for the people who live with him. On one of his hunts, he stumbles and finds a bunker where a dragon is being kept secret. And then gets chosen by that dragon, named Dread, to be the leader of his crew, the dragoon. 

Each crew can have up to 15 members, and there are 20 members who have been trained for 5+ years to be chosen on this crew. Proctor was sure she was going to be the dragoon and now has to accept she will not be the leader. And now the actual leader has zero military experience, but has instinct and bravery that Dread wanted.

While still training, Lunar gets thrust into another war where other dragons are trying to kill him, his crew, and his dragon Dread. Now they have to find allies and save Mars while he is still learning his role as dragoon and while his dragon is still learning, since he was only hatched less than 20 years ago. 

This was an interesting story. It was hard at first to get a grasp of this world but eventually I got used to it and just enjoyed the adventure that Lunar was on with his new mission with Dread. I won't be continuing the series but I'm sure more adventures will come up after the ending of this book. 

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Review: Edge of Obsession by Megan Crane

Edge of Obsession by Megan Crane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was very intrigued by the synopsis. Dystopian Viking? How can this be? And overall the idea was good, but the writing style was not my favorite. It is a lot of observation and not as much dialogue. Large paragraphs really do get my eyes to wander too much and jump ahead to see if anything happens. 

I liked the connection between the two main characters, and the world is a unique setting, but overall, I just don't think this book was for me. Glad I read it though!

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Review: Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles

Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With this being my first Catherine Cowles book, I wasnt sure what to expect going in. But I'm glad I decided to read it because I was hooked! 

Braedyn is a great character. She is determined, focused and resourceful. She is not going to back down from anything and i love that quality about her. I love her connection with her son Owen. I absolutely freaking love that she got Yeti and trained her to be a search dog. And I love that she was determined to get answers about Nova, no matter the result, because she loves that human. 

Dexter is great. I love that he's a badass but also extremely nerdy. And how he connected with Owen over computers was really adorable. 

For once in my romance only reading lifestyle, I didn't care about the romance! I wanted to know who the unsub was. I wanted to know about Nova. I needed to know all of those things and got pretty nervous because I got so close to the end without those answers. Thankfully it all came rushing at the end and I got my answers, but I was pretty amped up that i would have to wait until book 2.

The Archer brothers are pretty awesome not gonna lie. Wylder, Kol, Orion, Dex and Maverick. All 5 are so different from each other, but they 100% have each other's back after what their serial killer father did. I can't imagine the trauma they have gone through, and are still going through. I'm glad they have Kols daughter, Skylar there and their Uncle Waylon.

I will absolutely be reading book 2 because I need to know more about those two characters. And I will need to read Orion's story to see him get his HEA after everything he's been through. Plus I gushed when he started opening up to Brae and how protective he became towards her. I know it will be even better when he's with the woman he falls for! 

Glad i dived into this book and can't wait for the rest of the series! 

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Review: When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was extremely hard to get into. In fact, it took me 3 tries before finally being able to get into the story and not feel extremely lost. But I was determined to give it another try because I love all of is the editions I bought and I love dragons and romantasy stories and was not going to give up without my full effort. 

And I finally did get their the whole 750 pages. Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? Not really. Will I read the next book? If i can remember enough of the story to not have to painstakingly reread this book again. 

Which is why from here on out I'm having spoilers in my review. Proceed with caution. I need to reread this and remember all the details. You've been warned. 

SPOILERS

Raeve/Elluin is such a strong willed character who is utterly terrified. Those don't make sense together but she is so loyal and fierce for people in her life, but terrified to remember her life as Elliun. Terrified to open up to Raan and be the part of herself that he remembers. 

Her past as Elluin was devastating. She loved her mah and pah and her brother Haedean fiercely. She loved her Moonplum dragon Slatra with every heart beat she had. And she loved Raan even though she was forced to be with his evil brother Tyroth until her and Slatra's death into the sky. She had Raan's child posed as Tyroths kid to keep her alive. Her daughter, Kyzari. Who Kyzari is NOW being held by the Scavenger king. 

Raeve was tortured by a mystery half brother of Raan's, Arkyn (Scavenger King), when she was reincarnated? Brought back to life by Slatra? Not sure how she's back after all these years to be honest. The Scavenger King called Raeve Fire Lark. 

Raeve loved Fallon (when imprisoned by the Scavenger King) and Essi. Both died. One from the Scavenger King and the other by Rekk Zharos. Both have caused a crate of devastation inside of Raeve that she had buried deep inside of her where she doesn't have to deal with it. 

There are 5 elemental gods. They are Caelis (Aether/Space), Bulder (Ground/Earth), Rayne (Water), Clode (Air), and Ignos (Fire). Raeve has four elemental gods inside of her: Bulder, Rayne, Clode, and unknoen to her, Ignos. There is also inside of her: The Other who is controlling Ignos. Iron hids the thoughts of the gods so Raeve usually wears an iron ring until she wants them to take control. 

Raan has 4 siblings: Arkyn (secret, half brother), twins Tyroth & Cadok (evil, malicious), and sister Veya, who when born, their mother died in childbirth. Veya has found the diary of Elluin and can now find out some secrets of Elluin to hopefully help Raeve remember her past life. 

Raeve is helping a new moonplum dragon heal, Liri, who was tortured by Rekk Zharos and was made to fly in the blistering sun, which is deadly to Moonplums and goes blind by the sun and gets burned on their scales/skin. 

Raeve/The Other catches Rekk Zharos and is now torturing him because he killed Essi and whipped Raeve with an iron tipped whip. 

Alright I believe that gives the most details is what transpired in this book. Hopefully it will bring me up to speed for book 2 when it releases in May. 

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Review: Wrecker by Carl Hiassen

Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 26.

I thought the character, Wrecker, was left to his own devices a bit too much in this book and found himself in some hairy any sketchy situations. I liked that he was cleaning the gravestone for Mr. Riley, but the ending for that storyline was a bit bittersweet. The repeating of the family history was a bit overdone and i could have been reminded less of all the Valdez's before him. The relationship with Willi was just weird. And yet another book revolving around COVID as a medal winner. Hopefully that trend will die down soon as we don't need to keep reading them over and over.

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Review: Once Upon a Demon's Heart by KM Moronova

Once Upon a Demon's Heart by K.M. Moronova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has a pretty slow pace but enough to keep me intrigued and find out what happens on the next page. I loved the revealed secrets at the end even though I guessed most of them. Alira has been through a lot in her life so far and the amount of guilt she has is a insane. I dont think her life will get any better, especially since it seems like her husband and everyone she lives with in her new home hates her. Kalel is full of secrets and mixed feelings about everything it seems. I'll be curious to see how these two pan out after his devious secrets are revealed. 

I definitely enjoyed this book and I'm glad I decided to read it! 

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Review: Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova

Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Elise Kova book and of course I had to pick the dragon one. And it was okay. I found that there were a lot of slow parts for me where I lost interest for one reason or another. The rules is this world confused me somewhat and I got tired of the characters repeating things over and over. Lucan was frustratingly all over the place with his loyalty and his statements. I could tell he was hiding a big secret. Sephia - that was shocking to me.  

And Isola was okay as the FMC. She had trust issues not just with the people in her life but also herself. She didn't like the path she was being led to but didn't do anything about it. She had a strained relationship with both her parents. The situation with her and Lucan felt awkward and forced. Honestly she just felt like a puppet with every person in her life. 

I'm glad i read this. I keep trying to find a dragon book that will scratch my fourth wing itch but nothing comes close sadly. I'm not sure if I will read the second book when it releases as I did get somewhat bored with this one. But I could see a lot of readers enjoying this story. 

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Review: By Your Side by Kasie West

By Your Side by Kasie West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC copy in exchange from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Kasie West's novels and "By Your Side" was definitely not a disappointment!! I love it so much. Granted, it could be because the main character, Autumn, gets locked inside a library for a whole weekend and I work in a library. Though I really don't envy her, because I wouldn't want to be locked inside a library for 3 days. I get cold at work during the day; I can only imagine how cold it would be for the whole weekend without being able to control the temperture.

But it's not only the library aspect that made me love this novel. I loved Dex. He is so down to earth and real. He reminds readers that not all of the characters are these perfect people that give us how that we can find a man just like him. No, Dex has a crappy life and he is just waiting for the day that he can be in control of his life to really make a difference.

And he gives Autumn another perspective of life and how she doesn't have to give in to peer pressure and do things that her friends want to do, but not necessarily what she wants to do. Autumn wants to impress and make her friends happy, but it is affect her health condition at the same time. Dex gives her the atmosphere of non-pressure and he is concerned about her health, making Autumn realize that she doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to do.

All of the other characters, especially Jeff and Dallin, are great friends to Autumn, but she is keeping a big secret from them that will come to bite her in the butt later on.

This is such a great book that all book loves will love (cause of the library aspect) but also good for dealing with peer pressure, making decisions about what one really wants in their life, and finding a way to come to terms with a health condition that needs to be acknowledged rather than hidden and ignored. There are so many great lessons in this book that I think a wide variety of readers will love it!

I'm so glad that I was able to get an eARC copy of this novel and it will definitely be a book that I will re-read again and may even have to buy a print copy when it's released in January! I will definitely be recommending this to other readers!

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Review: The Wolf and the Crown of Blood by Elizabeth May

The Wolf and the Crown of Blood by Elizabeth May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ummm I truly did not expect to love this as much as I did! Bravo to Bookish Box for picking it and getting me to read before my subscription renewed! I probably wouldn't have picked it up based on the cover of the book so I'm very pleased with this revelation. 

Bryony is such an amazing character. The fearlessness she portrays and the amount of sass she gives is fantastic. After literally dying for a god she didn't respect but for her people that she loves, she truly does not give a rats ass about proper attitude towards the Gods she should be terrified of. And I loved it so much! 

And for that recklessness to attract Evanders attention? Brilliant. He was just a shadow of himself, mindlessly following orders before he stumbled into Bryony. But the second he met her, he was instantly intrigued and amused. And that was his downfall towards the obsession that would become later. 

The politics and the multiple names for everyone was all background noise to me, honestly. It was done well and I'm sure if I focused on those parts more I would know everything, but my main focus was this connection between these two characters. The fact that they were meant to be after what their pasts or past family members did is incredible.

I'm so glad the uncle got what was coming to him. And Theo? How she can block so the Gods can't get into her mind? Fascinating. I can't wait to see her and Bastian butt heads (among other parts I'm sure) in what I'm guessing is the next book in the series! 

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Review: Fates Entwined by Elizabeth Briggs

Fates Entwined by Elizabeth Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved reading these 4 novellas and 1 epilogue with all the characters we wanted HEA endings for. I got really sad reading the authors note that Elizabeth planned to write 4 novels but because of her cancer, she decided to do this instead to make sure us readers had their stories, even if they are shorter than planned. 

All stories for me were 4 stars and these are the titles and couple pairings:

Fire Mated = Stella & Jordan

Water Fated = Mira & Wesley

Air Kissed = Larkin & Ethan

Earth Blessed = Madison & Killian

Fates Entwined = Ayla & Kaden

Most of these couples were predicted throughout the first 4 books but I was pleased to see Killian and Madison mated! Also I think my favorite part was seeing all of their kids playing in the snow that was created by Ayla's oldest and just having fun. It was so sweet!

So glad I got to read this series finally. I loved all of the reveals, all of the solutions, and all of the love the characters have for one another. 

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Review: Zodiac Aligned by Elizabeth Briggs

Zodiac Aligned by Elizabeth Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a great ending to Ayla and Kadens story! I loved all of the twists and turns and how strong Ayla became not only as a wolf but also as a witch. I'm so excited there is another book full of everyone's HEA that I'm about to dive into. 

I am glad the Moon Witches stopped being scared. I'm glad the Sun Witches have a new leader. The only thing that could have made this better was seeing everyone get their true mates which is what I'm expecting is going to happen in book 5!

Very glad I finally decided to read these and I'm extremely glad I kept my SE Arcane set to put in my shrine! 

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Review: Sun Crossed by Elizabeth Briggs

Sun Crossed by Elizabeth Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a roller coaster! I'm so mad at Kayden and his crazy mood swings. And the way he never listened to Ayla. I love her backbone and her standing up for her beliefs even though her choices made her distant from Kayden. She's strong and determined and I think she's a great leader. 

I think Ayla had grown so much into the great woman she is now and I can't wait to see how she defeats the Sun Witches. Also the Moon Witches need to stop being scared little mice and stand up for themselves. I'm actually quite disappointed in them. 

I'm very much enjoying this series and am curious how much annoyance I'll go through before the end gets here.

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Review: Star Cursed by Elizabeth Briggs

Star Cursed by Elizabeth Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The twists and turns that happened in this book! I desperately hate Jordan and think he's scum. The Sun Witches are ridiculous and power hungry and I hope the coven leaders who are bad get what they deserve. Kaden finally giving in to his true feelings for Ayla was amazing. Glad he finally decided to go for it. And Ayla stuck in the middle of literally everything in this series. I hope she meets her mom in book 3 and that she can finally unlock her true power and get rid of the fake mating bond soon!

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Review: Moon Touched by Elizabeth Briggs

Moon Touched by Elizabeth Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been on my list for so long to read and I finally decided the time is now. I really liked this book and I like Ayla. She's had a pretty awful life with her father's pack and I was just as excited as she was for the moment she could leave. I'm not sad about her dad and stepmother but I do think her brother might still be alive.

The connection between her and Kaden is intense and I commend them for ignoring it as long as they did. I think Kaden is being a little too guarded though which will cause issues for their story in book 2 after this ending. 

Very happy I finally decided to start this and can't wait to see what will happen on this journey. 

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Review: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As I predicted, I loved this book yet I feel so lost and confused and overwhelmed with emotion.

Violet grew so much in this book. Seriously, she is such a different person than who we met at the Parapet. I'm so glad she is becoming the woman she is but also sad she's had to grow so much in such a short amount of time.

Xaden is so frustratingly delicious it's hard to know how I feel about him sometimes. I get he's in a bad situation but he locks Violet or so much. It's amazing how she is still fighting for what will be.

Rhiannon, Sawyer and Ridoc are still the best friend and squad anyone could ask for.

Tairn, Saegel and Andarna are still fantastic dragons! Though Andarna needs to figure out her life choices; she's on my list.

So many answers revealed only to get new questions! So many new characters introduced to build this world even more. So many hilarious laugh out loud moments. So many jaw dropping scenes and events. So so so many tears!

I can't say I comprehended every reveal and understand every new signets revealed, but I was along for this ride 100% and a reread will be in my future soon. I wish I didn't have to wait so long for more deals but I'll have to be patient for yet I'm sure will be another cliffhanger ending. So good, I loved this adventure!

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Review: Part of Your World by Liz Braswell

Part of Your World by Liz Braswell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm a die hard Disney movie fan, so going into the twisted tales is always rough because I love the original stories I grew up with. And this was a decent twisted story. I really like how much Ariel matured and grew in the last 5 years, though it makes me sad that she changed so much from the happy, carefree and adventurous girl she was before. I liked that she immediately took charge to rescue her father when she discovered he was alive all this time. 

Eric annoyed me a little too much. I know he was under a spell for the last 5 years which probably means no growing up or maturity happened, but once he saw Ariel again and was like you are here for "me"... not everything is about you dude. 

Not sure i liked the open ended ending. Also definitely not a fan of king Triton 😒 Ariel risked everything to save you, she does, and then you tell her she can't go to the Dry Land?! She could have left you be seaweed and did what she wanted! That really ticked me off. 

Overall this was an interesting read. Not sure i will read many more because again OG Disney lover but it was definitely interesting. 

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Review: Dance of Monsters by Jagger Cole

Dance of Monsters by Jagger Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, I completely consumed this novel by Jagger Cole. I have no idea what he puts in his books, but I can't get enough apparently. 

I have been waiting for Evie's story for so long! She's such a sweet, naive, innocent ballet dancer surrounded by all of her friends who are not at her level and make fun of her intensely. In good fun of course. So being able to see her in a different light and see her go outside of her comfort zone was great. 

Vaughn has been a mystery for readers since he mysteriously showed up, but I couldn't imagine him with anyone else. He has so many demons from his past and Evie is the most serene, gentle and understanding person who can handle all that Vaughn deals with. 

It was great to have these characters be the end of this series, even if it is a little bit bitter sweet to see the end. I get entranced with these chartered and will definitely miss them. But as always, I'm already excited for what's to come next from this author! Very glad i got the chance to read this! 

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Review: Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I may not be a chess player, but I really loved how this book delved into so many layers when it came to chess competitions. I know most probably won't think chess is a sport like football, but i wholeheartedly understand how this is just as involved as any other sport. 

I loved seeing the schedule made for training for chess. The fact that Mallory couldn't understand why exercise was needed was comical (sitting in one spot for that long is HARD!). Seeing a male dominate sport having a female player flying through the ranks made me proud. And how Mal realized her stepping away from chess helped her not get bullied and intimidated by other members and showed her to really focus on her game rather than the ugly things said about her gender. 

The family dynamics for both Mallory and Nolan were real and sad. They have two different scenarios going on but both have impacted each character to their core. I'm glad they both were able to find a safe space with each other in the end. 

They're were a lot of prep statements and moments in this book that resignate deeply when the reader stops and takes a moment to think about them. This is only the 2nd book I've read by Ali Hazelwood, but she definitely dives deep into a lot of moments in her stories. Very glad i decided to read this and experience chess at a whole other level of my own experiences. 

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Review: Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez

Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss. This is my honest review. 

Omg. Omg!!!! So much happened in this book. In this duology really!!!!! The surprises never stopped. Inez's life never calmed down for a second. How that woman survived the heartache she had to go through? I'll never know. She seemed too understanding during all the reveals and maybe because she had to be but I'm sure she was haunted by some of these events for years to come. 

Whit. Ugh he annoyed me like I thought he would and then he made my teary eyed. He's a complicated man and I was so emotional watching him this whole series. 

I loved this series so much. There are still moments here and there but there was adventure, emotion, archeology, betrayal (So. Much. Betrayal!), and love. I can see myself rereading this in my future to take my time and find the little details I missed. I'm so glad I waited to binge read and I'm so glad I loved this series! 

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Review: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

So much happened in this book, my brain is still trying to wrap itself around everything. Inez is such a strong character but she is left in the dark too much and has become a pawn in so many schemes. Seriously I don't know how she has the will to keep going after finding out everyone around her is just lying and using her left and right. She is so sweet and naive but fierce and passionate and all of those things meld together makes for a horrible disaster. She's very bold too, and I love her spirit so much!

And the betrayal of her own flesh and blood? I understand her revenge 100% and would be right there with her. 

Whit is going to tick me off, I already know. Hopefully he's not yet another person to betray Inez. I could see her going on a spree of revenge if that were to happen. 

I'm so glad I waited to read this book once I had the ending novel to dive into, because that ending was brutal and I need to see how this all ends! 

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Review: The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz

The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

I really thought i would like this novel more than I did. And the beginning chapters were fantastic, even though extremely fast pace with little information. But once MJ was in her fathers kingdom, it went downhill from there. 

She has 1 month to learn about a country she's never been to, learn a royal system to become queen, go to school, and find her royal magic. That's a lot of pressure.

 But what does MJ do? She zones out in class, sleeps in late, roams to the town to frolicking with Nix, stresses over a boy... she didn't study or read books about protocols she's needs to know. She doesn't take being a queen seriously until she was treated like a child. I get she wants to change things, but in order to do that, she had to know what the current law is to then change!

Basically MJ was a spoiled brat who didn't know what she was doing and her immaturity was too much for me to handle. After the ending and then reading about vampires for book 2, I thought i could try to read it to see what progresses, but love triangles are annoying for me and it seems like even if Lucas is stuck, he's not putting up much is a fight for MJ if he's getting married to another girl. And neither is MJ fighting that hard? I think book 1 is enough for my patience. 

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Review: Artifice by Sharon Cameron

Artifice by Sharon Cameron
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

This book had a rough start for me. I had a lot of difficulty with the terms used and just words explaining something that meant nothing to me, so trying to figure out what Isa was talking about was hard to follow. After awhile I got the hang of it, or enough to get by. And I liked the message of the story and what good deeds Isa was doing. I'm not sure i could been as brave as she was but desperate times call for crazy acts of desperation. 

The twists and turns with Michel and Wiilem got a bit old after awhile. Then again I'm sure it was really hard to know who to trust in those circumstances. 

I really loved the ending and how determined Isa was in her decisions. 

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Review: Brighter Than the Sun by Daniel Aleman

Brighter Than the Sun by Daniel Aleman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

There is so much heavy stuff in this book, i was a bit surprised by that. Sol is a wonderful person. She is 16 and doing more than most adults are. The fact that she gets up at 5am and has a 1 hour commute to school across the boarder? That alone shows her determination to make sure she achieves her goals. And then to take on a part time job and work as many hours around her schooling that is allowed? At really awful times? I don't know how she did it. 

I also could feel her sadness and loneliness and tiredness throughout this book. Seriously, I can't even comprehend the level of emptiness she felt. I just wanted to hug her and make everything better for her. 

I hate that her fault asked her to do this extremely massive thing as a teen. I get why she was the only one who could do it, having been born in America, but that was too much responsibility for Sol. 

A very eye opening novel to me. Glad I read it. Puts a lot of small things in my life in perspective. 

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Review: Invisible Son by Kim Johnson

Invisible Son by Kim Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

This is a powerful book. Discussing in detail how COVID 19 and Black Lives Matter impacted Andres life was really heartbreaking. And it brought back a lot of memories of that time in my life. Then to add the mystery of Eric and the hypocrisy of his neighbors household? This book packed a lot of sensitive subjects that will make any reader feel every emotion. I wasn't ready for this level of brutal honestly that Kim Johnson delivered.

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Review: Heroes by Alan Gratz

Heroes by Alan Gratz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

This is a very quick read. I can see why a lot of students like reading Alan Gratz's novels because it's all about history but with a splash of fun and a story to go along with it. This was the first one I've read and I was entranced into the story from the start. 

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Review: Half City by Kate Golden

Half City by Kate Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been hearing a lot about this book lately and I'm glad I got the chance to read it early. The beginning was a little slow for me, but once Viv got to Harker, I was locked in. I love how unique this book is compared to other books I normally read. I also love how strong Viv is. She knows exactly who she is and what she meant to do, but she decided to try Harkers because she can always learn more. She's smart and catches on to things very quickly. 

Reid is intriguing and I love how he is an abnormality of this world. The attraction between these two is intense. 

I adore all of Viv's new classmates and Penny. Her mother and sister are too judgemental for my taste and James is an idiot. I thought the lies Viv was telling her family were too much and there's no way they couldn't have figured out she was lying to everyone. 

But overall I'm surprised at how much I liked this book and I'm already excited for book 2 to find out what happens after that ending! 

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Review: Royal Blood by Aimee Carter

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle of the Books 26

I adored the beginning part of this book when we first met Evan and she's taking a serious risk to help her roommate that she never talks to. That Evan was bold, determined, fearless.

Then the Evan we get for the rest of the book is, to me, a shell of herself. Which is understandable. She's thrust into this world she had no knowledge of our how to play the game properly, so she stumbles so much. I missed seeing the confident woman she truly is. Every once in awhile she'll come back out but it's definitely missing because of all the rules and etiquette. And also because of the royal family. Those people really are messed up and they treated Evan like crap even though it was Alexander who made his choice all those years ago. Taking it out on Evan is cruel. 

So surprisingly I actually really enjoyed this novel. I thought about continuing the series but will need to wait until the 3rd book is out so I can binge read them. 

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Review: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read for Battle 26

At first I struggled with this book because of the 3 viewpoints and different locations/time frames. I also struggled because the world in 1933 is not so different from a possible world in our near future and it was a lot to take in knowing this has happened and could very well happen again. 

But I stuck with it to see how each characters stories unfold. And I'm so glad I got to the end because I was moved by the ending. Moved in sadness and happiness and just pure emotion honestly. What each of these characters went through, are going through, is life changing. One of which I did live through.

The message in this book is powerful. I'm really glad I read it. I know I won't forget about these characters for a long time to come. 

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Review: The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson

The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read this for Battle or the books 26. 

I thought it was unique and a quick read. Some surprises that caught me off guard. Overall it was a good story. 

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Review: Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Diving into a Samantha Young novel is like coming home, each and every time. I read this book in one sitting and adored these characters so much. I was sad to see it end! 

Baird is wonderful. He fell first, love at first sight, years ago but he knew she was taken and decided to check his ego and be her best friend, even with his strong feelings. I loved that he came up with the game plan to lead into telling Maia his true feelings. And I love that he's always there for her when she needs him. His teddy bear composure really made me feel the love he had for Maia and how deep he truly cares for her and that was so wonderful to see!

Maia's situation with her ex-fiancee hit a little too close to home for me, but she did what I did. Grew into herself, realized the mistake she was about to make, and focused on herself and what made her happy. She was determined not to live someone else's life again and took charge of her own goals and I love that for her. Her bully at work was awful and I would never have kept the composure Maia did in any of those situations. 

And both characters had a lot of growing from past trauma that did cause their story to be a little bumpy. But because both were so madly in love (but let's face it, Baird was king of the love club), they were able to help one another through their trauma. 

I'm so glad I got the chance to read this next installment in the 2nd generation series and I can't wait for more by this incredible author! 

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Review: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh. My. Lanta! I honestly can't believe how much I loved this book! I went in pretty blind but got immediately ensnared by this story and almost finished in one sitting!

Odessa is one amazing woman. Being forced into a marriage she wasn't expecting, leaving her family and hometown, learning to adapt to a whole new culture. Learning to fight and evade monsters. Seriously, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and Odessa really grew throughout this journey.

It's hard to talk about the love interest without spoiling anything. Let's just say, from the moment of the wedding, i knew exactly what had REALLY happened and having to wait so long for the reveal? Torturous. And the amount of lies and deceit and secrets the Wolfe family has? Insanity. I figured it about half. But the other reveals? Didn't see them coming.

I cannot wait for the next book to come out. Seriously, this has become a high anticipated release for me now!

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