ARC Book Review: The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Horror/Historical/Paranormal
Length: 480 pages
Author: Constance Sayers
Publisher: Redhook
Release Date: November 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.

1968: Actress Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Unfortunately, she’s on the cusp of slipping into obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has finally changed. But L’Etrange Lune’s set is not what she expected. The director is eccentric, and the script doesn’t make sense.

Gemma is determined to make this work. It’s her last chance to achieve her dream—but that dream is about to derail her life. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is still alive. She’s been transported into the film and the script—and the monsters within it—are coming to life. She must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2015: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of film history’s greatest mysteries—one that’s haunted film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw his first screening of L’Etrange Lune. The screenings only happen once a decade and each time there is new, impossible footage of Gemma long after she vanished. Desperate to discover the truth, Christopher risks losing himself. He’ll have to outrun the cursed legacy of the film—or become trapped by it forever.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS ONE.

I finally finished this and it was not what I was expecting. This weird combination of curses, demons, vampires, historical, movie stars, romance, and more. I wanted it to all work together and it just…didn’t.

For the initial 40-50% I felt pretty invested. I was rolling with the slow nature and curious how things were going to start connecting. And when they did is when this book lost me. It gave me the sense of things being added to solve the plot that’s been created rather than a natural movement through the story. The random romance did not fit and for a horror book I never once found myself creeped out.

Neither of the main characters were remarkably memorable. Everything was okay. That’s the best way I could describe it unfortunately. The ending worked out well enough (though I still have some questions??). This was my first book by the author and I was really excited for it and now I’m honestly not sure what to think.

Overall audience notes:

  • Horror/Historical/Paranormal
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: substance abuse, mentions of suicide, loss of a parent, multiple deaths

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Book Review: The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne #1) by Sara Hashem

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 523 pages
Author: Sara Hashem
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: July 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

EVERYTHING I LOVE.

I loved this book. It sang to everything I love about adult fantasy books. An intricate plot with complicated world building. An interesting magic system with hidden identities. A super slow burn romance with the forbidden enemy. All things I will soak up every dang time.

The audiobook was really great and I think that helped with some reviews saying it’s a bit slow. I didn’t have that issue and I liked seeing Sylvia’s story. She is ANGRY (and it comes across that way in the narration), rightfully so, but she also doesn’t have all of the facts. I loved seeing this beginning character arc and the ending was exactly what I hoped for to set up for book two.

I’m a sucker for this kind of romance. It’s slow, it’s dangerous, and the characters don’t even see it coming. Working with the enemy in a forced proximity situation is my lifeblood.

A great first book for a new series I will absolutely be looking forward to the sequel.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of loved ones, murder, weapons violence, near death experiences

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Book Review: Cursed (Gilded #2) by Marissa Meyer

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 496 pages
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: November 8th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Cursed, Marissa Meyer brings the fairytale-inspired Gilded duology to a conclusion..

Be still now, and I will tell you a tale.

Adalheid Castle is in chaos.

Following a shocking turn of events, Serilda finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of make-believe with the Erlking, who is determined to propel her deeper into the castle’s lies. Meanwhile, Serilda is determined to work with Gild to help him solve the mystery of his forgotten name and past.

But soon it becomes clear that the Erlking doesn’t only want to use Serilda to bring back his one true love. He also seeks vengeance against the seven gods who have long trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If the Erlking succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever.

Can Serilda find a way to use her storytelling gifts for good—once and for all? And can Serilda and Gild break the spells that tether their spirits to the castle before the Endless Moon finds them truly cursed?

HMM.

Well. You see, I wanted to love this, buuut I can only put it in the like category and that’s the first time I’ve done that for a Marissa Meyer book.

I already wasn’t sure after the [big redacted spoiler] from the ending of the last book. And I don’t think it played super well here. There was an interesting magic workaround that gave the characters some movement but ultimately the miscommunication it led to, led me to struggle with it all.

Where was Gild? Frankly, not sure. He was missing for SO MUCH of this book and he was the whole love interest in the first!! It was one of those cases where the romance dropped off the map rather than holding steady when it was the original purpose of the retelling. The time spent with the Erlking did not do it for me.

There were some good action sequences and I remember liking different parts here and there. I wish Serilda had accomplished a bit more rather than letting things continually happen to her or just hanging out when battles were fought. I hoped for more in this conclusion but oh well.

I do love Marissa Meyer’s writing style and will still pick up whatever she writes next.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, loss of life, possession, physical and magical altercations, childbirth

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Book Review: Easy as Pie (Sweater Weather #5) by Carina Taylor

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 243 pages
Author: Carina Taylor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 28th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My best friend is back in town—and I refuse to let my pesky attraction to him ruin our friendship.


Tripp Sharpe and I have been best friends since middle school. And when he moved away to go to medical school and become a doctor? We’ve kept up by texting, phone calls, and every funny reel we come across. I have one simple rule for protect our friendship at all costs—even from myself. But when Tripp moves back to town, I can’t ignore the attraction I feel. If it were anyone else, I’d just avoid him. But it’s hard to avoid a guy who thinks we’re still the same ol’ besties we’ve always been. Or are we? It turns out some things have changed for him too. Maybe I’m imagining the long stares, the lingering touches, or the flimsy excuses to spend time together, despite his ridiculous schedule. And when Tripp asks me to show him how I like to kiss? It seems like I’m not the only one blasting through our friendship rules…

FLIPPIN’ CUTE.

That’s the vibe of this whole book. It put a smile on my face and I adored Tripp and Hazel. There’s all of that easy banter that comes with having a best friend plus the slow realization that those best friend vibes have turned into something deeper.

The flirting was top notch and I loooved all of the micro tropes. Taking care of someone when they’re sick is always a romantic highlight. And the jealousy? I’m not sorry that those scenes turn me into a PUDDLE. THE TENSION. I loved the doctor and mechanic careers and how those played into the story. I loved the side characters and the absolute it’s always been you moments.

It’s a short, read in a day kind of book. It’s light and loving and easily one I would recommend for the fall.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of a parent due to cancer, neglectful parents

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