Book Review: All the Tides of Fate (All the Stars and Teeth #2) by Adalyn Grace

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 368 pages
Author: Adalyn Grace
Publisher: Imprint
Release Date: February 2nd, 2021
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BOOK SUMMARY:

Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.

CAN I JOIN THE KEEL HAUL?

I looooved this. Sometimes the second book in a duology fails me, TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY. I had such a great time reading All the Tides of Fate.

I’m absolutely in love with this entire crew. Bastian, that roguish pirate has my whole heart. HE’S SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL. Ohemgee, let me love him. Good thing Amora got it together in that regard. Also, Vataea, that mermaid is the most bada** one I’ve come across in books lately. Wow do I want to be her. And we have Shanty and Ferrick who round out one of my favorite found family/close friend groups. Seriously couldn’t get enough of them, even when it ’bout brought me to tears in the end.

I loved the pacing of this story. It moved quickly, but I felt each location had enough happening and didn’t feel rushed. I liked the premise of trying to break the curse and recovering from a devastating loss. Amora worked so hard to find a way to be helpful to her kingdom and to ultimately see what needed to be done to accomplish that goal. I loved her as a main character. Her wit and strength and the way she learned to lean on others makers her a favorite of mine.

Frankly I would have loved even more books in this series, so I’m definitely excited to see what this author writes next. It was a wonderful duology. I loved the world-building with all of the different islands and how the magic system was explained. I didn’t find anything confusing and just loved how great of a young adult fantasy series this was.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs; one slightly open door scene
  • Violence: magic system used blood/skin/bones, many character deaths, murder
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, depictions of PTSD and panic attacks, depictions of grief

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Book Review: Defy the Night (Defy the Night #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 496 pages
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Release Date: September 14th, 2021
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BOOK SUMMARY:

A fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.

The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand.

King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents’ shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King’s Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion–it’s the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited.

Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most–but it’s still not enough.

As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King’s Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it’s even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.

Y’ALL, I LIKED THIS ONE.

I feel it should be said first, I didn’t finish this author’s previous series (A Curse So Dark and Lonely). After book two, I shrugged my shoulders and didn’t want to read the last one and I left it at that.

THEN. Many of my bookstagram friends raved about this book. RAVED. So I found myself downloading my library’s copy and here we are. I am much more thoroughly invested in this initial read and wow I can’t wait for more!!

What helped sell me on this was the romance. It moved beautifully. I loved the connection Tessa had with him and how things were unraveled and explained. The conflict worked itself out just the way it should and I want mooooore of them desperately.

A lot of this is predictable, but the plot is solid enough to still feel like it’s giving me new things to love. I liked the set-up for the next book and that this didn’t end on some massive cliffhanger. This is a fantasy I found myself not wanting to put down. One of those, shirk your duties, reads and I’m so glad it turned out that way. Can’t wait for more.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: battles, physical altercations, weaponry
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of parents (and other loved ones), executions, rape and sexual assault discussed, epidemic, torture

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Book Review: Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Sarah Henning
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: July 20th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Friday Night Lights meets Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything in this contemporary debut where swoonworthy romance meets underdog sports story.

When softball star Liv Rodinsky throws one ill-advised punch during the most important game of the year, she loses her scholarship to her fancy private school, her boyfriend, and her teammates all in one fell swoop. With no other options, Liv is forced to transfer to the nearest public school, Northland, where she’ll have to convince its coach she deserves a spot on the softball team, all while facing both her ex and the teammates of the girl she punched… Every. Single. Day.

Enter Grey, the injured star quarterback with amazing hair and a foolproof plan: if Liv joins the football team as his temporary replacement, he’ll make sure she gets a spot on the softball team in the spring. But it will take more than just a flawless spiral for Liv to find acceptance in Northland’s halls, and behind that charismatic smile, Grey may not be so perfect after all.

With lovable characters and a charming quarterback love interest, Throw Like a Girl will have readers swooning from the very first page.

SUPER CUTE SPORTS ROMANCE.

Okay, read this in a day (via audio, great narrator!!). Really enjoyed. Highly recommend.

I could probably leave it at that, but I’ll go in a little bit deeper.

I loved these characters. Everyone felt like they actually belonged in high school, but that it wasn’t rudely dramatic. Liv (and others) learned to apologize and accept mistakes and consequences. New friendships formed and the girl vs. girl hate was tamped down to appropriate levels. I just love that this team felt real, and Liv’s family felt real. Fantastic characters who really sold my love for this book.

The rooooomance was one you wanted to root for. Grey and Liv hit it off with a bit of banter and a whole lot of swoon. There was a natural flow to their story and the sweet kisses gave me all the heart eyes. I love the support Grey gave Liv and the trust they showed in each other. All around a wonderful YA love story.

You never know how a sport is going to come off in a book. For the football aspects, I thought this did a great job. I don’t remember glaring inaccuracies that took me out of the plot. And it never overshadowed either. Those final scenes with Liv on that field were those magical movie sports moments you love to see. I found myself cheering alongside everyone else.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: recount of drunk driving accident (only involving the driver, no one else harmed), sports injuries (bruises, concussions, etc.), homophobic remarks, school expulsion, parent with cancer

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Book Review: Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian

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Rating: ☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 359 pages
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 24th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

NOT SWEET ENOUGH.

Meh.

That’s how this book made me feel. What seemed like a cute young adult rom-com really never reached that whatsoever. Amelia focused SO MUCH on her best friend Cate that I honestly started thinking that this book must be about her. I was tired of hearing about Cate because I wanted to see some development in Amelia. She had no backbone and whined the entire book about not being good enough. Wow did that get old.

I did think the romance was mostly sweet. If it had been a larger part of the story I think it would have helped the books overall case. Also, this book made me want to make ice cream. So those are the redeeming qualities I found.

Going back and forth in the timeline to a different character didn’t mesh well either. I felt taken out of the book each time it flipped to Molly’s perspective. Yes, it was integral to the story but only at a forced angle. Only the last few pieces added to Amelia’s world and finally made her get it together.

Very underwhelmed by this.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult contemporary / romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs
  • Violence: mentions of war and missing soldiers (WW2)

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