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ARC Book Review: Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be #3) by Zoraida Cordova

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Retelling
Length: 320 pages
Author: Zoraida Cordova
Publisher: Hyperion Avenue
Release Date: August 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love and finding your voice, Kiss the Girl is the highly anticipated third installment in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection.

Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters—together, known as the band Siren Seven—have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she’s the girl who has everything. 

But lately, she wants more . Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can’t wait to spend the summer just living a normal life—part of a world she’s only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show. 

The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It’s there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father—and goes with him. 

Caught between the world she longs for and the one she’s left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

Thank you to Disney Hyperion for the ARC.

A CUTE RETELLING.

This is one of those books where the three star rating might make it seem like a don’t read this book, but honestly, I think it was a me thing and that a lot of others will enjoy this. I won’t say run out and buy it, but I’m also not saying skip it either.

I thought the retelling aspects were subtle and connected well. I noticed nuanced things (as well as big picture) that were fun to see how The Little Mermaid was woven into a contemporary rock star romance. Eric being a hopeless romantic was cuuute. I loved his personality and his optimism. While the insta-attraction didn’t work for me I did like some aspects of the chemistry between Eric and Ariel.

The plot is filled with kind found family band mates and some humorous antics that happen on tour. I did like seeing Ariel find her voice (see what I did there), and stand up to her Dad. AND I absolutely LOVED that her sisters were continually supportive and helpful. I looove tight sibling relationships and that might have been my favorite part of the book.

It’s a sweet book, easy to fly through, a bit of a third act break and a grand gesture to bring it all back together. Take this as you will.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance Retelling
  • Language: light (but strong)
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a Mother (mentioned), strained parent relationships

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Book Review: Echoes of Time (Surviving Time #3) by Calia Read

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Time Travel Romance
Length: 321 pages
Author: Calia Read
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: May 25th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For Etienne and me, our love has always left a trace. 
It reigns over kingdoms, and rules over time. 
With Etienne now in the present day, the echoes of time grow louder. 
We must face the answers we seek to set things right.
However, we must be incredibly careful. One false move and everything we love will be destroyed.
And this time, could be the end of our surviving trace.
 
Echoes of Time is the epic finale in The Surviving Time Series.

ONE BOOK TOO LONG.

I think this would have been a great duology, but as a trilogy the plot was stretched too thin and this book didn’t have enough substance.

Most of the focus was just on the couple sleeping together? And I already skip over that, and when it really doesn’t feel apart of the plot it gets boring. I LOVE Etienne and Serene. They are fantastic together. I wanted more of them actually working with the overall story. There was another [spoiler redacted] sub-plot I was fine with, yet, once again, it took over too much of the story.

I liked that there were chapters from Nathalie’s perspective. She’s an underrated character and I would love to check out her story too (separate novel!). It also gave another side to the story so that things at least kept moving in some direction.

It was a fast listen, and it did have a good (and wild) ending. It was all satisfying by the last page.

Overall audience notes:

  • Time Travel Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door; high explicit
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: a loved one with a traumatic brain injury, physical altercations, murder, weapons violence

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ARC Book Review: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga #0.75) by Fonda Lee

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Novella
Length: 136 pages
Author: Fonda Lee
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Release Date: July 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fonda Lee returns to the acclaimed Green Bone Saga with four prequel short stories that delve into the personal histories of the Kaul and Ayt families.

The Witch and Her Friend. Before she was the ruthless leader of the Mountain clan, Ayt Mada was an orphan without friends at school except for one: Aun Ure, a teenage girl feared and renowned as an assassin but yearning for a simpler life.

Not Only Blood. Before he was the heir apparent of the No Peak clan, Kaul Lan challenged his grandfather and clan patriarch to help a boy who had lost everything.

Better Than Jade. Before they were married, Kaul Hilo and Maik Wen were a young couple facing long odds: the son of a top Green Bone clan in love with a stone-eye girl from a disreputable family.

Granddaughter Cormorant. Before she left and returned to Kekon, Kaul Shae was the apple of her grandfather’s eye…as well as a daring secret informer to a foreign country.

Contains an introduction and story notes by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

I MISSED THEM ALL.

I loved this collection so much!!! The Green Bone Saga is one of my all time favorite fantasy series and when I heard we were getting a few more short stories, I HAD TO HAVE IT. And it delivered.

Seeing everyone again, learning some more back stories, seeing the beginnings of love, it’s all here. I love that Fonda Lee wrote these and that I got a chance to be back in this world. I found each one engaging and quick and that it added another layer to how I view the characters from the trilogy. This is a must read for those who love this series!

Note: I think this is best read after finishing the series (but also could be read after at least reading book one, Jade City). The author adds some comments after each short story about why she chose to write it and its connection to the larger story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Novella Collection
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2 open door; high explicit
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: suicide, physical altercations, murder, loss of a parent

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Book Review: Scales of Ash & Smoke (Ash & Smoke #1) by Emily L. Schneider

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 310 pages
Author: Emily L. Schneider
Publisher: Magic Keepers Press
Release Date: October 5th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She lived her whole life enslaved to the dragons.
But now she’s one of them.
Seventeen-year-old Kaida, a human, has spent her entire life enslaved to the dragons who slaughtered half the human population a thousand years ago. She is forced to serve her ruthless Master, Eklos, until one deadly summer day when the Prince of Elysia saves her life.
Prince Tarrin steals her away to the Royal Palace, shocking Kaida when he reveals that she is mutator formarum.
He promises her safety, but when they uncover a dangerous conspiracy to rid Elysia of the Royal Family, she begins to question how safe she truly is.
And when desire blooms between Kaida and Tarrin, in the midst of fighting for their lives, she must choose whether to save the very creature she swore to hate, or allow him to perish…
And destroy her own heart.

IT WAS OKAY.

Maybe this is better for a younger audience? I don’t know, things didn’t hit all the way for me. Lets get into it.

I am ALWAYS here for a marriage of convenience trope. What I didn’t quite get behind is how quickly the enemies were apparently lovers? For a fantasy that tops out at 300 pages I can see the difficulty in formulating the necessary depth in connections and relationships needed to fully be on board with what was happening.

There’s some decent world building. I didn’t feel confused by the set-up or how the magic worked. It wasn’t fully defined, but at least easy to follow. I loved the concept of dragon shifters and thought that was executed well.

This tried to be dark at times, and while things that were brought up were definitely dark, I don’t know that it fit? The whole overall vibe of the book + what it was trying to accomplish kind of clashed for me. Once again I think it goes back to the depth of connections I was looking for.

I won’t be continuing this series at this time! As it isn’t bringing anything new that I want to pursue.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes, executions, torture, descriptive and graphic violence, weapons and physical violence, loss of loved ones

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