Tag: audiobook

Book Review: Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Rachel Griffin
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: August 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tana Fairchild’s fate has never been in question. Her life has been planned out since the moment she was she is to marry the governor’s son, Landon, and secure an unprecedented alliance between the witches of her island home and the mainlanders who see her very existence as a threat. Tana’s coven has appeased those who fear their power for years by releasing most of their magic into the ocean during the full moon. But when Tana misses the midnight ritual―a fatal mistake―there is no one she can turn to for help…until she meets Wolfe. Wolfe claims he is from a coven that practices dark magic, making him one of the only people who can help her. But he refuses to let Tana’s power rush into the sea, and instead teaches her his forbidden magic. A magic that makes her feel powerful. Alive. As the sea grows more violent, her coven loses control of the currents, a danger that could destroy the alliance as well as her island. Tana will have to choose between love and duty, between loyalty to her people and loyalty to her heart. Marrying Landon would secure peace for her coven but losing Wolfe and his wild magic could cost her everything else.

OHHH SO GOOD.

Can confirm. This is my new favorite book of Griffin’s. I was absolutely wrapped up in the forbidden romance between two witches who both wanted better for their groups.

I thought the pacing of the story was enchanting and oh my gosh it gave me ALL of the autumnal vibes. I love the aura of Griffin’s writing and how captivating it becomes. I loved watching Wolfe and Tana come together. THE SWOON. Catch me talking out loud to my audiobook because I could not keep my squeals and stop it right now‘s inside.

A gorgeous story. I loved the themes and romance. I loved the characters and energy of the whole book. I loved all of the witchy drama. READ IT. And the audiobook was amazing too!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: one vague fade to black
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: near death experiences

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Book Review: Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical + Fantasy Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Olivia Atwater
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: April 5th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment – a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season – but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora’s reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater’s charming, magical version of Regency England!

PROGRESSIVELY ENCHANTING.

I do admit to this getting off to a bit of a slow start. But, gratefully, I super enjoyed this by the end.

I loved the combination of genres here! I loooove fantasy books and I loooove regency books. Why aren’t they put together more often?! I need more of this ASAP. The plot was unique to me and I loved the half a soul concept.

Dora was a great character and I loved her relationship with her cousin. Even knowing that she was missing part of herself that didn’t stop her from taking care of things that needed to be done and even falling in love. Her perseverance was inspiring.

The romance turned out to be so sweet!! Elias and Dora started from reluctant acquaintances to teammates saving children for the faeries. The ballroom scene was one of my favorites and I’m glad they had some good swoony moments too.

It turned out to be a much faster read than I thought and I did like the balance of action vs. quiet that worked well for the setting. I adored this combination and look forward to more books by this author!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical + Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping of children, brief war themes

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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: Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary + Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.

There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?

Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.

LOOOOOOVED.

Well this was magnificent and everything I could hope for when I picked it up. I’ve been looking forward to this book since it was announced and it’s an easy must read from me.

I loved the plot surrounding Willow, dealing with the fallout of her parent’s divorce, and Mason, dealing with the foster care system and wanting to know where his Mom is located. Both of these teens flat out needed some LOVE. And by golly, they found that and more. As someone who had to deal with her own parent’s divorce I felt really seen by many of the things Willow mentioned and talked about.

There is a very subtle romance between Willow and Mason that is just the sweetest. Why not at the forefront of the book (don’t think this is a romance please!), it gave both characters another layer to their stories and I adored it all the more. I loved how unassuming and caring they were to one another. Allowing the chance to be seen and heard and just to have someone on their side. My heart was an absolute puddle.

Misty eyes found their way to me with some of those ending conversations with parents and guardians. It was incredible and beautiful and pulled at every heart string I have. I loved this book and all it presented. READ IT.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary + Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, a parent with a substance abuse

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