Audiobook Review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

Title: Sadie
Author: Courtney Summers
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 308
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A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she's left behind. And an ending you won't be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

If you know me then you know I love podcasts. In fact, sometimes it's hard to break away from my favorite podcasts long enough to listen to whatever audiobook I have checked out of the library! So when I heard that Sadie was partially in the form of a true crime podcast investigating a missing person, I knew I had to pick it up!

Sadie does indeed follow a podcast host, West McCray, but that was a smaller part of the book than I'd hoped. The majority of this book follows Sadie on her journey to find the man who she thinks is responsible for her sister's death. I did find Sadie to be a great character and admired her dedication to bringing her sister's murderer to justice. Her story was heartbreaking and hard to read at times, and I was constantly rooting for her to get what she wanted, although her methods were questionable.

Unfortunately, this part of the book really wasn't for me simply because I don't enjoy contemporary fiction. So much of the story was about Sadie going from place to place, meeting different people, and getting to her goal that very little time was about the mystery. It took awhile to get going and there was definitely a lot of repetition in her travels. I definitely hoped for more of the true crime feel and the podcast and investigative journalism portions of the book were the standout.

Sadie should definitely come with trigger warnings for pretty much everything you can imagine - this is a book some readers will need to approach with caution. Overall, I did enjoy Sadie and most of my issues with it were simply because I'm not much of a contemporary reader and expected more mystery. Still, it's worth picking up if you enjoy podcasts and can handle the gritty nature of this story.

ARC Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

Title: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2)
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 464
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Review for book 1

Find the heir, win the crown.

The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.

Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war. 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely was easily one of my favorite reads of 2019. When I had the opportunity to snag an early copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken, I definitely started reading immediately and barely took a break till it was over! This book continues the story of Rhen, Harper, and Grey and it's everything I hoped for and more!

Grey was an incredible character in the first book in the series and I totally was not expecting to get an entire book about him going forward but I love the direction the author took! Grey's story was so much more in depth than I ever would have guessed and I very quickly fell even more in love with his character. There is also a new character, Lia Mara, who I was very skeptical of, but I quickly grew to appreciate. I loved the relationship between Grey and Lia Mara. The character growth in both of them, but especially Grey, was amazing! They are both such strong characters - I can't wait to see what happens next with their story!

Something I couldn't have prepared for was all the feelings I'd have about Rhen. I did have some small issues with him in A Curse So Dark and Lonely, but I loved him! It almost felt like Brigid Kemmerer pulled a Sarah J. Maas in making Rhen seem so polar opposite from his previous self. I did really appreciate that she explained it though. His change in character did at least make some sense. Harper was still the strong and brilliant woman I already loved!

Although I had suspicions about where Grey's story would go, A Heart So Fierce and Broken pulled off a few twists and turns. The world became larger and the stakes were higher and I could not get enough of the story! There was so much going on here but I never wanted it to end. Karis Luran and her daughter were fascinatingly evil and I can't wait to see what becomes of Emberfall!

If you enjoyed book one of this series and are open to new characters in your series, you will probably love this book! I wish I could get my hands on book three now, but either way I'm excited to see what happens in the next part of the Cursebreakers saga!

Audiobook Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Arden
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Del Rey
Pages: 323
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At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

The Bear and the Nightingale is a book I've been wary of starting for years. I was intrigued by the summary and the fandom but everyone has told me that it's slow and I probably wouldn't like it. The mood struck recently and I decided to go for it, even knowing it would probably take some time to get through. I'm so glad I stuck with it!

Vasilisa lives with her father and siblings in the Russian wilderness. The story begins when she is born and follows her throughout her life. Vasya can see the spirits no one else can - the people say she is a witch. I loved Vasya! I loved how strong and sure of herself she was from a very young age. Although her world is full of misogyny and people set on marrying her off, Vasya never accepts "a woman's lot in life" and forges her own path.

This story is steeped in Russian folklore. Admittedly, I am not well versed on Russian tales, but even I picked up on a few references from other fairy tales. Although this book is indeed slow, I loved all of the mythology throughout. The household spirits and forest spirits were all so interesting and their individual personalities were so much fun to read. The world, while small, is wonderfully built and made me feel like I was there with the family in the harsh Russian winter.

Vasya's life is fascinating, but this 323 page book did take me a couple weeks to get through. I switched from a hardcover to the audiobook once I realized it might take forever. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story because I definitely did! It wasn't even a particularly heavy book. It was just long and meandering and at times a bit boring.

I am excited to see what happens in book two of this series! I've heard that it's much faster paced and that there may even be a hint of romance. It was certainly set up, so I'm eager to find out. If you're a lover of intricate fairy tales and folklore, this is a book you definitely do not want to miss.

Book Review: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Title: The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1)
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 533
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Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for...

I have avoided The City of Brass for two years for one simple reason: it is massive. The book itself was intimidating at over 500 pages and the audiobook was approximately one million hours long. But recently the mood struck and I decided to finally give it a chance. Within a few hours of audio I was absolutely hooked and had to switch to the ebook halfway through because I just couldn't wait to see what happened! Suffice it to say I'm glad I took the chance.

Nahri lives in Cairo making a living through a combination of healing and stealing. At one healing ceremony she accidentally summons a djinn and is swept away on an adventure to a world she'd thought was only fantasy. Much of this story is about Nahri and her journey to Daevabad with Dara. There is a lot of walking and talking and I never grew bored of it because I loved every moment I got to spend with these two characters! Nahri is tough and smart and jaded and Dara is a mess of a warrior. I loved them so much, together and separately!

Of course, there are many more characters I could talk about, but my favorite (obviously) was Alizayd. He starts out as a supremely unlikable character who immediately dislikes Nahri, who distrusts him (as she should), but eventually he grew on me and their relationship was one of the most interesting parts of this story.

The world of The City of Brass was as amazing as its characters! Daevabad was fascinating and, while I never fully understood all of the lore, I did love spending time in the world the author created. The magic system was complex and the mythology built up around the world was one can't wait to dig into deeper. Every time we were given another glimpse into the vast history of the djinn I was on the edge of my seat.

There isn't much I can say about the story without giving things away, but I was absolutely enthralled from beginning to end. The City of Brass has definitely found a spot on my favorites shelf, which is unfortunate because it means I have to locate several editions to collect. There were so many twists and turns and the ending caught me completely off guard! I can't wait to dive right into book two.

Book Review: The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Title: The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) 
Author: Holly Black
Publication Date: November 19, 2019
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 308
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Reviews for book 1 & book 2

After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world.

When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal.

When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

Here I am once again with another review that's sure to be full of unpopular opinions. I'll say right off the bat that I haven't settled on a rating - this review should help me figure out how I really felt about this one. Needless to say, I was disappointed in Queen of Nothing. The Cruel Prince was a five star read that completely blew my mind! The Wicked King was just okay, but The Queen of Nothing was still one of my most anticipated 2019 releases.

This one picks up with Jude and Oak in the human world after Jude's exile from Faerie and almost immediately Taryn shows up to set things in motion. From there, events unfold at breakneck speed, very unlike the events of the first two books. Jude finds herself back in Faerie despite being banished and it isn't long before she and Cardan fall back into their relationship.

A lot about this book is jarringly different from the other two in the series and Cardan is chief among them. The relationship between Cardan and Jude has been my favorite part of these books and here it is completely different. Gone is the Cruel Prince. In his place is the softest, cheesiest love interest I'd never wish to see in a Folk of the Air novel. There was no real transition between the Cardan we've come to know over two books and this cuddly one and I was not here for it.

The other highlight of The Folk of the Air has been the politics and deception and yes, there is a bit of that here too. The plot was fine and did keep me turning pages. My real issue is that it was all so rushed! The Queen of Nothing could have had another hundred pages and been much more fleshed out and I would have felt much more invested. As it was, characters bounced from place to place (seeing more of Faerie was nice), things happened quickly, and no real consequences were enacted.

I was so, so disappointed in this series ender. It was so weirdly paced and plot threads were dropped constantly. The big twist was very much out of left field and didn't really seem to fit with the rest of the series at all. I never felt any real sense of concern or urgency because everything happened so quickly that it was over almost as quickly as it started. And the absolute worst is that a major point of conflict was due to a misunderstanding, one of my most hated tropes.

So did I like anything? Well, Jude was okay. I wish more had been explored between her and Taryn, but I did like her character growth from the first book. I especially enjoyed her scenes with Grima Mog. The ending was fine, but not what I hoped for or expected. Really, "fine" sums up how I feel about this book. I wanted so much more and expected to love it! I'm beginning to think The Cruel Prince was a fluke and Holly Black just isn't for me.

DNF Review: The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Title: The Deathless Girls
Author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Publication Date: September 19, 2019
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Pages: 304
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They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin.

On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community.

Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts.

They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate...

The Deathless Girls caught my eye with its gorgeous cover and wonderfully gothic synopsis. I've only read a couple Dracula retellings and I was SUPER excited to get my hands on this one. I traded literally five books to get the Waterstones exclusive edition with the beautiful sprayed edges and jumped right in as soon as it arrived.

Lil is the main character of this story. She and her sister are Romani travelers, enslaved and forced to work for the cruel Boyar. Lil and Kizzy were fine but halfway into this book I found I wasn't really connected to either of them. Kizzy was the superior sister in my opinion, fighting at every turn, while Lil just kind of went along with her fate. There was a bit of an instalove romance between Lil and one of the other girls who literally start falling for each other without speaking.

There's actually just not a lot going on in this book. I made it to the fifty percent park before giving up and the Dragon had yet to make an appearance. Supposedly this is a story about the brides of Dracula, but I never made it that far. There were no vampires, although I suspect there must be later in the book, but by a hundred and fifty pages in I was bored to death of these girls gutting fish and Lil making heart eyes at someone she'd never spoken to.

I wanted to love this book so much but nothing EVER happened! At the very least I expected an atmosphere that would sweep me to another world, but I never saw that at all. The only locations explored were a few minutes in the sisters' camp and a kitchen. I may come back to this eventually to see how it plays out, but right now I'm just disappointed.

ARC Review: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu

Title: Mooncakes
Author: Suzanne Walker
Artist: Wendy Xu
Publication Date: October 22, 2019
Publisher: Lion Forge
Pages: 256
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

I spotted Mooncakes for the first time at ALA where my friend Erin told me that I absolutely HAD to read it! I missed out on grabbing an ARC of it there but thankfully received one from Netgalley later. The art style was what really made me want to pick this one up and I couldn't wait to dive in! Unfortunately, once I started reading it took me way too long to get through this relatively short graphic novel.

Mooncakes is a story about a witch named Nova and her friend Tam, who happens to be a werewolf and may also be more than a friend. First let me say there is so much amazing rep in this book! Nova wears hearing aids, Tam is non-binary, both are Chinese American, and they're in a relationship with each other.

I adored watching Nova and Tam learn about their magical sides and the friendship between these two was so cute, although their romance was a bit instalovey. I know that there was already history between them before the start of the book, but I wish there had been a bit more lead up to their romance.

While I did enjoy the art style and the story was fun, I did wish there had been a bit more depth to it. The plot was a bit generic and surface level and the villain was underwhelming. It definitely felt like younger YA than I expected. I did find myself a bit bored at times, but it was still a cute read. I'd definitely give it a try if you're in the mood for a cute, witchy, and diverse graphic novel!

ARC Review: Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Title: Winterwood
Author: Shea Ernshaw
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 320
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Be careful of the dark, dark wood . . .

Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even.

Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing.

But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago. 

Winterwood caught my eye with its gorgeous cover and magical synopsis. I had no idea what to expect going into this book, having never read a Shea Ernshaw novel before. I hoped for a story that was a little magical, a little spooky, and a little romantic and that's basically what I got, although I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped.

Nora Walker lives in the woods near a camp for troubled boys. She and her family are some of the few to brave the winters and the only family to go into the woods. Walker women are able to venture into the woods where others don't dare to venture. Oliver is a boy at the camp nearby and he has been missing for weeks, only to be discovered by Nora in the woods on one of her trips inside.

Together, Nora and Oliver form a tenuous relationship while they ride out the harsh weather. Meanwhile, Nora tries to get to the bottom of what has happened amongst the boys in the camp and how that relates to Oliver. There are other characters important to this story, but I didn't feel particularly connected to a single person in Winterwood. None of them were particularly likable.

While this story was by no means bad, I definitely think Winterwood is a case of "it's not you, it's me." Shea Ernshaw's writing was beautiful, but I found myself quickly becoming frustrated at how many words were used to say not much of anything. It's definitely worth pointing out that I usually don't enjoy overly flowery writing and that definitely could have been my problem here. The story was interesting, but it took so long to get to any point that I accidentally zoned out more than once.

The best part of Winterwood was the atmosphere. I loved the spooky woods and the winter setting. The seclusion of Nora and the camp made everything just a little bit more unnerving than it would have been otherwise. Just the thought of being stuck with no way out because of the weather reminds me of why I did not love Alaskan winters when I lived there!

I've also seen some people call this story and its twists predictable and, while I felt like something was going to happen, I wasn't able to put my finger on it. The twist defintiely caught me off guard and that's something I loved despite my other issues. If you're already a fan of Earnshaw or flowery prose is your jam, you'll probably love this book, but for me it was just okay.

Blog Tour ARC Review: Songs From the Deep

Title: Songs From the Deep
Author: Kelly Powell
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 304
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

A girl searches for a killer on an island where deadly sirens lurk just beneath the waves in this gripping, atmospheric debut novel.

The sea holds many secrets.

Moira Alexander has always been fascinated by the deadly sirens who lurk along the shores of her island town. Even though their haunting songs can lure anyone to a swift and watery grave, she gets as close to them as she can, playing her violin on the edge of the enchanted sea. When a young boy is found dead on the beach, the islanders assume that he's one of the sirens’ victims. Moira isn’t so sure.

Certain that someone has framed the boy’s death as a siren attack, Moira convinces her childhood friend, the lighthouse keeper Jude Osric, to help her find the real killer, rekindling their friendship in the process. With townspeople itching to hunt the sirens down, and their own secrets threatening to unravel their fragile new alliance, Moira and Jude must race against time to stop the killer before it’s too late—for humans and sirens alike. 

Songs from the Deep caught my eye with its gorgeous cover and the promise of sirens pulled me in completely. This book is a fascinating combination of historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery. I loved the way the author wove sirens into a story that seems so firmly rooted in reality without going fully into the world of magical fantasy. I'm not sure I've ever read a book entirely like it.

Moira is the heroine of this story. She prefers to play her violin on the cliffside where she can see the sirens so many others fear. When one of her students is found dead, supposedly at the hands of the sirens, she is the only one who feels something isn't quite right. Moira was such an interesting, strong character. I loved how she stood up to the authorities to fight for what she believed was right.

Jude is the keeper of the lighthouse and an old friend of Moira's. The death of Moira's student brings them back together and their relationship begins to grow into something a bit more and I was here for all of it! I loved the dynamic between these two. Moira was definitely the more headstrong of the two, while Jude was a bit more calm and collected. Their relationship was so organic and sweet, although not always easy, and I loved them.

The atmosphere of Songs from the Deep was wonderfully crafted and made me feel like I was on this little island that's haunted by sirens right along with the characters. The writing is lyrical and, while it was a bit slow at times, it did grow on me and I loved the mood the author brought to the story. It was the perfect environment for a murder mystery.

Speaking of mystery, this one certainly kept me guessing! I had some suspicions right away, but there were plenty of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I loved that the sirens were not automatically the big bad in this book. Still, I did wish there had been a bit more of the murdery sirens that are mentioned so often on the page.

Overall, I really liked Songs from the Deep! I loved the characters and their romance and the mystery kept me guessing. I did wish there had been a bit more sirens and it was a bit more slow-paced than I'm used to, but that wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment! I'll definitely be watching for what this author does next.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Powell writes fantasy for young adults and currently lives in Ontario, Canada. She has a bachelor’s degree in history and book & media studies from the University of Toronto.

Her YA debut, SONGS FROM THE DEEP, will release from Simon & Schuster in November 2019.

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ARC Review: The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

Title: The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1)
Author: Kiersten White
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
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There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution--send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name--and her true identity--is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old--including Arthur's own family--demand things continue as they have been, and the new--those drawn by the dream of Camelot--fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

As you may know if you have visited my blog in the past, I am obsessed with the And I Darken series by Kiersten White! When I saw she was writing a book based on the King Arthur legends I knew I had to have a copy! I didn't know much about this book going into it and I never could have prepared for what I got.

This story begins as Princess Guinevere is entering Camelot for the first time, only she isn't Guinevere at all. She has been placed in Camelot by Merlin to protect Arthur and his people, but from what she doesn't know. I loved Guinevere so much! If you're in search of a strong, empowered female lead, look no further! Much of the book is spent following her around as she navigates Camelot while having no idea how to be a princess, and trying to keep her magic under wraps while also keeping Arthur safe.

Speaking of Arthur, I really enjoyed him too, but he actually had a much smaller part in The Guinevere Deception than I expected. There was a bit of romance, but it certainly didn't overtake the plot. Lancelot was another character who I absolutely adored despite the fact that they were nothing like I expected! I loved how Kiersten White was able to take such familiar characters from a tale most of us already know and make them unique and exciting, as she did with the rest of this incredible book.

Like I said, a lot of The Guinevere Deception is focused on court life and Guinevere trying to keep her magic hidden, but there is still plenty of magic and mystery. I loved seeing Camelot through a new lens and the surrounding lore was fascinating. The Lady of the Lake was probably one of my favorite parts of the story. The mystery of who or what the threat to Camelot was also kept me guessing until the very last second. This might be the first time I've actually sat up in bed and audibly gasped at a twist.

If you're a fan of Arthurian legends or Kiersten White's other retellings, you'll definitely want to give this one a try. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I have so many questions that I'm dying to know the answers to!

Book Review: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Title: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1)
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 528
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Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

I saw this book at ALA over the summer... and totally overlooked it. I'm not quite sure why, but Serpent & Dove just didn't catch my interest at all, even after I read the back. When I read it again though, shortly after it was published, I knew I HAD to have it! I've seen a bit of controversy about this one so this review will be a bit long since I want to share some of my own opinions where that's concerned. 

Louise is a witch in a world where magic isn't allowed and a witch is not permitted to live. She's also on the run from her coven. With her mother hot on her trail, finds herself accidentally married to a witch hunter, which happens to work in her favor. She spends her days attempting to hide her magic from everyone around her, husband included, while training to defend herself from her coven, should the need arise. She has no intention whatsoever of actually liking her husband who would want her dead if he knew what she really was. 

I did not expect to love Louise and Reid as much as I did. Louise is unapologetically crass and is constantly embarrassing her husband and his fellow Chasseurs because of it. At first I wasn't sure if like her, but she definitely grew on me and I loved them as a couple once they finally decided they could tolerate each other. 

Reid was also extremely frustrating through much of this book. Having been raised in the Church by the archbishop and trained as a witch hunter from childhood, Reid was undeniably a bigot. I've seen a lot of controversy over this character, but allow me to explain why I didn't hate it. I was raised in the American South surrounded by a lot of extremely bigoted people. (The internet also wasn't widely available in my childhood.) That was what I knew until I left my small town and started exploring the world. While Reid's behaviour was reprehensible, it was understandable because of the environment he was raised in. To me what mattered was that he changed when he was shown that he was wrong. 

Like I said, I wasn't sure about these two at first, but they grew on me until I adored them. Their romance was slow and swoon-worthy and I loved how much they grew together! If you're a fan of enemies to lovers, you'll probably enjoy this romance! That being said, the romance does take a turn in the direction of maybe-not-YA towards the end. 

This is another point I've seen controversy on and I'll jump on board with that one. The author has insisted that this book is YA despite the sex scene. All I'll say about that is, just because body parts are not named doesn't mean a scene isn't explicit. This sex scene is four pages long and doesn't leave much to the imagination. I was fine with it, but I'm also quite a bit older than the target demographic.

Controversy aside, I absolutely adored this book! I would have liked to know more about the larger world, but the town Serpent & Dove is set in was so well developed, I felt like I could see it. The Chasseurs were terrifying in their single-minded bigotry and I was constantly on edge for the witches. The magic was also fascinating and I loved the different factions of witches. I can't wait to learn more about the blood witches and maybe even others?? 

There's so much more I could say about this amazing book, but if I keep going this review will be ridiculously long. I loved it! I have the two special editions on their way to my shelves right now and I can't wait to hopefully snag an ARC of book two. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a witchy romance that leans a bit older and darker. 

Book Review: Teeth in the Mist by Dawn Kurtagich

Title: Teeth in the Mist
Author: Dawn Kurtagich
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 447
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Before the birth of time, a monk uncovers the Devil's Tongue and dares to speak it. The repercussions will be felt for generations...

Sixteen-year-old photography enthusiast Zoey has been fascinated by the haunted, burnt-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House for as long as she can remember--so she and her best friend, Poulton, run away from home to explore them. But are they really alone in the house? And who will know if something goes wrong?

In 1851, seventeen-year-old Roan arrives at the Mill House as a ward--one of three, all with something to hide from their new guardian. When Roan learns that she is connected to an ancient secret, she must escape the house before she is trapped forever.

1583. Hermione, a new young bride, accompanies her husband to the wilds of North Wales where he plans to build the largest water mill and mansion in the area. But rumors of unholy rituals lead to a tragic occurrence and she will need all her strength to defeat it.

Three women, centuries apart, drawn together by one Unholy Pact. A pact made by a man who, more than a thousand years later, may still be watching... 

This is the time of year when I usually start hunting for my next favorite horror book. The first Dawn Kurtagich book I read was And the Trees Crept in and it really wasn't for me. At first I was skeptical about picking up a second book by this author, but Teeth in the Mist sounded way too spooky to skip and I'm so glad I didn't!

Although this book is told in three different time periods following three different women, Roan is the main character and most of the story follows her. After the death of her father, Roan finds herself at the Mill House as a ward of its owner, alongside two others. The three of them don't know why they've been taken in, but accept the generosity nonetheless. Roan also has a secret she can't allow anyone to find out about, but she finds it harder and harder to keep it hidden as things spin more out of control.

Roan was an amazing, badass heroine and I absolutely loved the side characters as well! There is a bit of a romance in the second half of the book but it's very minor and doesn't overshadow the plot. Zoey from the present-day timeline was also fascinating and I loved the mystery in her part of the story. I didn't care a whole lot about Hermione, but definitely appreciated what her timeline added to the overarching plot.

The best thing about this book is the atmosphere. Mill House is a massive, centuries-old house set on a mountain that's often shrouded in storms and fog and it was chilling. The story is slow to unfold and was a bit confusing at the beginning, but the house itself made uneasy from the first page that it was introduced. By the time Roan arrives half the house is cordoned off and it's completely dilapidated in Zoey's timeline and it was so creepy! The house and the mountain itself with its caves and mist were almost characters on their own.

Like I said, Teeth in the Mist has a lot of layers and it can be confusing at times. I didn't realize until deep into the book that it was actually a retelling of a German legend and I immediately had to look it up upon finishing. This story is horrifying and absolutely gave me the chills I'm looking for in a good horror book.

If you're looking for something super spooky, but a bit more involved than your typical horror novel, you will probably love Teeth in the Mist! I have a feeling this will be a seasonal re-read for me and I can't wait to pick up some of Dawn Kurtagich's other books.

ARC Review: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Title: The Grace Year
Author: Kim Liggett
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 416
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No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.

Girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for their chance to grab one of the girls in order to make their fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between. 

I stumbled upon The Grace Year in a happy accident at ALA over the summer. While I had seen it previously, the very pretty in pink cover made me think it was definitely not something I wanted to read. Luckily, someone went to a signing and let me read the synopsis and I RAN to the line to get a copy!

The Grace Year is not what you'd think based on the cover. This is a dark and terrifying story about a community controlled by its men and the terrible things the women endure. Every girl has a Grace Year. During this year they go together to a community in the wilderness surrounded by walls and are forced to survive with poachers waiting to pick them off, all while ridding themselves of magic. No one speaks of the Grace Year so no one knows what to expect, but every year the girls come back shells of their former selves or not at all.

Tierney is the main character of this story of her own Grace Year. She questions everything including the magic the girls supposedly have to purge from themselves. She has never wanted to be a wife and is an outcast among the others who have all had that goal from childhood. Once inside their new home in the wild, Tierney attempts to help the girls survive, only to be further ostracised and in fear for her life with poachers and maybe even ghosts all around.

I can't actually say much about this book without spoilers and that's one of my favorite things about it! I was absolutely not expecting this story to be as brutal as it was and I loved trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't alongside Tierney. There are so many layers to this story including some that were very unexpected.

The relationship between the girls was fascinating and often painful to read. Their relationship to the men was even more difficult. Even the men who thought they were doing what was best for the characters were only doing what they thought was best, rather than discussing with the women what would be best for them. Although this book does take things to the extreme, it's a great exploration of patriarchy and how women contribute and resist, terrifying in the same vein as The Handmaid's Tale.

Although I really did love this book, I did have some issues with it. I almost feel like this should have been a series as it does cover the events of an entire year and sometimes things felt rushed. I would have loved some of the relationships being explored a bit more. I also did not particularly care for the ending. It was a realistic ending, but wasn't as satisfying as I wanted it to be.

The Grace Year is an incredible read that's fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book will definitely make you think and I found it to be incredibly empowering. I really wish more YA books about how strong women can be together had been around when I was a teen. Despite my minor qualms, this is a must read!

Book Review: Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4)
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Publication Date: September 10, 2019
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson
Pages: 453
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Reviews for book 1, book 2, & book 3

In the shocking finale to the bestselling series that began with Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are on the hunt for the depraved, elusive killer known as the White City Devil. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse has them fighting to stay one step ahead of the brilliant serial killer---or see their fateful romance cut short by unspeakable tragedy.

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London they knew. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.

Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas begin their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him---and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device---is another.

Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end---together and in love---or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?

Stalking Jack the Ripper has been an odd series for me. I thought book one was just okay, really liked book two, and liked book three enough to keep reading. Capturing the Devil was also a mixed bag for me. I was so excited for this one because it focused on H.H. Holmes, but that was also kind of its downfall.

Right off the bat, the fourth book in this series is the most romance-heavy by far. The first half of Capturing the Devil revolves almost entirely around Audrey Rose and Cresswell's relationship and potential marriage. While I do really love the relationship between these two, it was strange that a series that has been so mystery focused so far would spend such a huge page count on romance. That being said, I did enjoy them together! I was a bit surprised by Audrey Rose being in such a hurry to marry given her character. (I also didn't realize they'd only known each other five months!)

Aside from the romance, the White City Devil was a blast to read about, to an extent. Although H.H. Holmes is my favorite serial killer (in the most non-morbid way possible), the fact that I knew so much about him made this a bit difficult to read. It was blatantly obvious who the killer was very early on and I knew who victims would be before they were found dead. Knowing a bit about the true story this was based on also made accepting many of the details given by Maniscalco hard to accept. In particular, the timeline was drastically off in a way that made the killer's actions much too unlikely.

I have really enjoyed the murder mysteries in all the previous books in this series, but I think basing this off of a serial killer who we know so much about was a mistake. In real life Jack the Ripper was never caught and the stories in Hunting Prince Dracula and Escaping From Houdini were mostly fictional. There are just too many things to compare this one too and I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.

Despite all my issues, I did still have a lot of fun reading Capturing the Devil! I loved seeing Audrey Rose, Cresswell, and Company in America and at the World's Fair. I also really enjoyed the romance and the banter between the two, even though it took up a bit more of the book than I feel it should have.

If you're in this series for the romance, you will LOVE this book! If you're in it for the murder mystery, well, there isn't much of a mystery if you know anything at all about Holmes.

ARC Review: The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Title: The Beautiful
Author: Renée Ahdieh 
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 448
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In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

Let me start by saying that I am SO here for vampires making a comeback in YA! I missed the first vampire craze, not knowing YA was a thing and all. The Beautiful was on the top of my ALA list and I was so excited to have the chance to read a copy! (Meeting Renee Adhieh was also incredible.)

Celine has newly arrived in New Orleans, fleeing Paris after committing a necessary crime. She is fortunate enough to be taken in by a convent, but must follow their rules which she quickly finds stifling. It isn't long before Celine finds herself tied up with La Cour des Lions and intrigued by its leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. She also keeps ending up much too close to women being murdered.

Celine was a fine heroine, strong and with a dark secret that made her much more interesting as it was slowly revealed. Sébastien was my favorite character, of course. He was mysterious and a bit frightening and I really enjoyed every minute he was on the page. Unfortunately though, this book had both instalove and a love triangle, neither of which I particularly liked. The romance was still fine, I just wanted more from it.

The more I think about this book, the more I'm not sure how I feel about it. For a book I expected to be about vampires there wasn't very much vampire action. This was much more a murder mystery than it was a vampire novel, I'm sorry to say. That isn't to say that it wasn't a good story, because it was. It just wasn't anything like what I was expecting to read. The vampires were more hinted at here and there than being a main focus, which was a shame.

My favorite thing about The Beautiful was by far the atmosphere. It felt like being back in an Anne Rice novel. You know, just with less vampires. I appreciated the way New Orleans was written and the dark, creepy nature of the streets at night with a killer on the loose.

I went into The Beautiful expecting a dark, romantic vampire novel and was surprisingly disappointed. I don't know if my expectations were more due to marketing or hype, but they were not met. I still enjoyed this book and will probably pick up the second one to see what happens next, but I don't think this is going to be the story that brings vampires back into the mainstream.

Audiobook Review: Lost Girl by Chanda Hahn

Title: Lost Girl
Author: Chanda Hahn
Publication Date: December 13, 2016
Publisher: Chanda Hahn
Pages: 328
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Wendy doesn't remember anything about Neverland—or the experiments done on her there as a child. Seven years later, all she wants is a normal life, but shape-shifting shadows plague her dreams and turn her life into a waking nightmare. When the shadows attack at a football game and a boy disappears right in front of her, she realizes these wraith-like shadows are real. They’re not just haunting—they’re hunting.

A mysterious boy named Peter, his foul-mouthed sidekick, and a band of misfit boys intervene before Wendy faces a similar fate. But can they trust Wendy enough to take her to Neverwood Academy and reveal all of their hidden secrets when she's hiding a secret of her own, or will the dreaded Red Skulls find her and drag her back to Neverland?

Lost Girl has been on my to-read list for years! I am a huge fan of Peter Pan retellings. Some of my favorite books are Pan retellings, in fact. I was so open to reading a new take on the story that I jumped at the chance when the audiobook popped up on my library app!

Wendy has been to Neverland and back and has been adopted by a loving family. She's plagued with nightmares and haunted by shadows and runs away when her parents try to send her to an inpatient clinic. Again. She ends up with the Lost Boys, trying to figure out if she belongs with them at all.

There are a lot of things I didn't love about Lost Girl, the first of which is that it really is not a Peter Pan retelling at all. This is a science fiction novel about a lab that experiments on children and what happens after they escape with characters named Peter, Wendy, Tink, etc. There are lots of nods to Peter Pan. For example, Peter plays Monopoly with the thimble piece, the kids have a "kiss" brand on their necks, and some of them have an ability called "Panning." But this isn't a retelling of Peter Pan in any way, shape, or form. It is a fun story, but I feel that calling it a Pan retelling is misleading.

My second issue is that, when a book is set in the real world as this one is, it needs to follow real world rules. Early on Wendy runs away from home rather than be sent to a clinic. She proceeds to live in a park and then get a job. She even uses the phone at her workplace to call home and her mom picks up. I don't know what universe they live in that a seventeen year old couldn't be found in this scenario.

This story was fine even if it wasn't perfect. If I'd gone into it planning to read an X-Men style sci-fi, I probably would have really enjoyed it! I'd definitely still recommend this if that's what you're looking for. But I went into this expecting a Peter Pan retelling and came out pretty disappointed.

ARC Review: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ninth House (Ninth House #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron
Pages: 480
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Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

Ninth House seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere and then it was impossible to escape. I knew I had to have it before I even knew what it was about. Honestly, I was a bit worried after not loving Six of Crows or King of Scars, but I was more than willing to give Leigh Bardugo another chance and I am so, SO glad I did! Ninth House is wholly unlike anything else Leigh Bardugo has written and (spoiler) I loved it!

First things first, this is NOT a YA book by any stretch of the imagination. Ninth House deals with some extremely dark, graphic topics and readers should certainly be aware of that. Other reviewers have listed trigger warnings so I won't do that here to avoid spoilers, but definitely go check them out if you feel like you may need them.

This dark, adult novel follows Alex Stern, a girl who would never have gotten into Yale without a very unique gift - she can see ghosts. The ninth secret society house of Yale, Lethe House, offers her a full ride in exchange for her services and she takes them up on their offer, throwing her into a dark world she never guessed existed. I wasn't too sure about Alex at first, but she quickly grew on me and I loved her by the end. I also adored the other characters of Lethe House, especially Dawes.

It's hard to know what to say and what to leave out in this review because this book is so cram packed with magic and mystery and conspiracy, but I think it's best to reveal very little about the plot. Suffice it to say this story will keep you guessing. It's written in alternating chapters between past and present and I loved the way this style of writing kept me in the dark for so long.

If you've read Leigh Bardugo before, then you know this is a book that brings you right into its pages. Although the setting of Ninth House is Yale, it feels like so much more than that. It's spooky and dangerous and I felt like I was there on the street with Alex looking into the cemetery. The world building is exactly what you'd expect from Leigh.

Ninth House is an incredibly atmospheric, magical, and gritty novel full of twists and turns. I absolutely loved this story and cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!