Book Review: Knight (Fae Games #2) by Karen Lynch

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Urban Fantasy + Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Karen Lynch
Publisher: Tempest Press
Release Date: January 5th, 2021
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BOOK SUMMARY:

Jesse risked everything to bring her mother and father home, but her life is far from back to normal. With her parents’ memories of their abduction gone, Jesse is no closer to finding answers, and the threat still looms over her family.

When the Agency announces that a powerful Fae artifact is missing, Jesse suspects it’s connected to her parents’ disappearance. Until the artifact is found, her family will never be safe. This job might be more than she can handle alone, but is she willing to accept help from the people who betrayed her, from the one person she is trying hard to forget?

The only thing Jesse knows for sure is that the game is not over. The rules have changed, there are dangerous new players on the board, and the stakes are higher than ever. She’s always been smart and resourceful, but it might take the goddess herself to save Jesse from what comes next.

THAT ENDING THOUGH.

This series has been so good so far. Exactly what I needed. New adult urban fantasy with all the faes I could want. These books are hard to put down.

Jesse is still the same character as before. I thought she grew even more here with all of the things thrown at her this round. She’s gotta be one of my new fav heroines. I love her inner dialogue and witty banter. How passionate she is about caring for her family and taking care of business.

I neeeeed more Lukas though. That’s my only minor complaint. I want more of this fae prince and I want it now. The romance could be built up a little bit more. Things amped up a bit between the two but I wholly expect that to change in the last book (hopefully).

I liked the narrative here and where the story went. The plot flows pretty seamlessly through bounty catches, espionage and recoveries. The ending definitely dropped some huge information and I must know how that plays out in the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: kidnapping, murder, physical and magical altercations, blood depiction

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Book Review: Dark of the West (Glass Alliance #1) by Joanna Hathaway

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Rating: ☆☆ ☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Joanna Hathaway
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: February 5th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner’s Curse in Joanna Hathaway’s Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.

Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.

HERE FOR THIS.

What a great start to a series. I’m glad I picked this one up, and enjoyed it as an audio version too!

I’ve heard this had some World War vibes and I can definitely see that. It was really interesting to match that up with a fantasy world (but with no magic). My only issue was that the world was a bit confusing. I had a hard time remembering which nation was which and who was mad at who. By the end that was mostly cleared up, but I’m hopeful that book two expounds further.

I also want to mention that I’ve seen some comparison to The Winner’s Curse (which is one of my favorite series FORRRREVERRRRR) and I can see some semblance. Competing nations, forbidden romance, a princess. So yes, if you enjoye that series, I’d give this one a try.

Smitten with the romance. I was worried there would be some insta-love based off of how the plot was rolling, BUT ALAS, there was not. Just some genuine attraction and burgeoning feelings. I love that Aurelia and Athan wrote letters to each other. It made the fact that they were in different locations not seem as big of an issue since I still got those connections over the letters.

I’m genuinely thrilled to see where this goes. There’s a lot here. Plenty of things to still happen. I love the action and pacing of this first book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: kiss
  • Violence: airplane battles (and crashes), physical altercations, gun violence
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, depictions of wartime

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Book Review: All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 240 pages
Author: Wendy Loggia
Publisher: Underlined
Release Date: November 3rd, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This sweet and magical romance about a girl who has just one wish–someone to kiss under the mistletoe–is the perfect holiday escape!

Bailey Briggs is counting down the days to Christmas: she lives for holiday music, baking cookies, going on snowy sleigh rides, and wearing her light-up reindeer ears to work at Winslow’s bookstore. But all she really wants this year is the one thing she doesn’t have: someone special to kiss under the mistletoe. And she’s 100 percent certain that that someone isn’t Jacob Marley–athlete, player, and of questionable taste in girlfriends–and that Charlie, the mysterious stranger with the British accent, is the romantic lead of her dreams. Is she right? This will be a December to remember, filled with real-life Christmas magic . . . and, if she stays on Santa’s nice list, a wish that just might come true. 

DEFINITELY CHRISTMASY.

Welllllll. I’ll give it points for bringing out every Christmas vibe possible. It did have me wishing I could whip out a sweater in the 100 degree heat outside my window.

This turned out to be a love triangle and we allllll know I tend to not love them. This was another case of that fact. Bailey came off as really whiny most of the time and was focused a lot on looks rather than character/personality of the two boys. Quickly it became clear who was going to choose and when that reveal came out I found myself not too keen on it all. Magical realism thrown into a story to finish it off, isn’t a great finisher in my mind.

Super cheesy and I do think younger audiences would enjoy all of the holiday atmosphere. It’s overall sweet and charming. I loved all of the activities that Bailey got to go do and I just wish the love triangle was taken out of it.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: minor car accident

Book Review: The Mask Falling (The Bone Season #4) by Samantha Shannon

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 514 pages
Author: Samantha Shannon
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: January 26th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Dreamwalker Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion’s downfall and those who would kill to protect the Rephaim’s puppet empire.

The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus Mesarthim-her former enemy-at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles. Her risks promise high reward: the Parisian underworld could yield the means to escalate her rebellion to outright war.

As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige must fight her own memories after her ordeal at the hands of Scion. Meanwhile, she strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them-and could end with them.

MY EYES BETTER HAVE DECEIVED ME.

UH.

I REFUSE TO BELIEVE WHAT I JUST READ.

RE. FUSE.

No no no no no no no.

Yes, it did end on a cliffhanger. One of those what just happened kinda moments. Fair warning. We’ve waited years for this book and IT HURT.

Though honestly, this book was fantastic. I was so excited when I finally got my library copy. I love this story and the characters. It’s really impressive world building and its magic system is intensely intricate.

I am smitten with Arcturus and Paige. SMITTEN. To finally have some moments between them had me shouting YESSSSSS. I love their connection and the way they lift each other up and provide steady support.

My only tiny issue (and why I took half a star off) was because of Paige’s antics. She kept having to do something dumb to further the plot and it was annoying me. Paige is intelligent and sharp so seeing some of the decisions had me shrugging.

Otherwise. Great read. Fantastic. For a thick fantasy book it really flew by. I liked the change of location and the new plot lines unraveling. Getting more answers to questions needed was a nice touch too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses to closed door scene
  • Violence: skirmishes, physical altercations, torture (fairly gruesome descriptions)
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: PTSD, loss of loved ones

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