Tag: Book blog

Book Review: The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy Retelling + Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: November 5th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

STOP TYING KNOTS.

I didn’t love this.

I didn’t hate it either.

But in reading I compared it often to The Lost Queen Trilogy. And that by far has more of my attention. This more fantasy based retelling didn’t do it for me by the end.

Curious tagline ey? Well, our lovely main character Guinevere would not stop tying knots for everything. Goodness. It was apart of her magic system but it because incredibly tedious. I was hoping for a bigger display of power or just something else. Instead, she kept tying knots, and I kept wanting to unravel them myself.

I don’t know if this was supposed to be a romance. It had some times to one with two characters, but…there was no chemistry? With either of them. I didn’t feel swayed one way or another and when secrets and lies starting coming to the surface I still wasn’t feeling any sort of way.

I love the initial ideas here. Camelot is such an interesting concept for a story. That’s what really drew me in. The tale of Merlin, King Arthur, Lancelot, etc. I am immediately drawn to reading stories of this type. This writing is a little more prose based. Not as much dialogue (which I know everyone has different opinions on how much of which they enjoy).

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy / Retelling
  • Language: some light
  • Romance: Kisses
  • Violence: Swords, arrows, animal attacks, magical and physical altercations

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Book Review: Rocking Out (Wayfair Witches #7) by A.A. Albright

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Length: 263 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: April 26th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Call of the Wild are the most famous werewolf rockers in the supernatural world – but that might be about to change, seeing as their fans are turning up dead.

When the bodies of two young superfans are discovered, all evidence points to the Call of the Wild. Wanda hopes that the rockers aren’t the real killers – especially since her best friend has a thing for their singer.

Wanda and the gang must delve deep into the world of werewolf rock and roll. But the case proves far more complicated than it seems – particularly since the victims’ familiars have been murdered, too …

A FAV.

This will definitely be one of my favorites for the entire series. I loved the mystery and it really kept me on edge. I was so distracted by other points of the story the real murderers snuck in beautifully.

Wanda is just, an absolute gem. I love her. Great humor, ability to be brave when needed and vulnerable when the world calls for that too. I love her friendship with Max, Finn and Melissa. Dizzy, her bat familiar, is cute and has continued to be a perfect addition to series. Things are starting to come together in Wanda’s personal life too and there’s a prophecy being opened up so I am here for the last few books!!

These are short books and don’t need long reviews. Trust me when I say that if you’re looking to try out a cozy mystery, I would HIGHLY recommend these! I’m never bored and love revisiting these characters and world over again. I keep trying to read a different kindle book in between these and get totally sucked back into the Wayfair’s.

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal cozy mystery
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: murder (not in deep detail), animal attacks

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Book Review: Steelheart (The Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult dystopia + sci-fi
Length: 384 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Ember
Release Date: September 24th, 2013
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

David wants Steelheart — one of the Epics said to be invincible, who killed David’s father. For ten years, David has studied and planned for revenge. He wants to join the Reckoners. These rebels assassinate the Epics, super-powered tyrants. He has seen Steelheart bleed.

ALWAYS ON EDGE.

Does anyone else feel that way reading a Sanderson book? No? Just ME?

I feel like every time I read his books (and this is my…10th? book) he keeps me on edge constantly. No matter the genre, characters, setting, etc. I never know quite what’s going to happen, and when it appears a touch cliche, I am then TOTALLY caught off guard by the reveals. And this is why I keep coming back.

I absolutely loved David. Oh my goodness, so cute and adorable. I laughed out loud so many times reading this because his attempts at being smooth were undeniably precious. He was a gem of a main character who really grew up and took in the world around him to survive in the post-apocalyptic waste land.

My feelings towards dystopian books dropped off after reading The Hunger Games and Divergent so I haven’t picked up many (if any) since. I kept putting Steelheart off for this reason. But no longer! I must finish this series. The world building around these Epics and all of their powers is completely fascinating. Sanderson knows how to create a masterpiece in regards to magic/power systems so I can’t wait to know the final details for this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult sci-fi / dystopia
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: murder, gun violence, magical powers (energy blasts, control of elements, etc.), physical altercations, car wrecks
  • Content warnings: witnessing the loss of a loved one

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ARC Book Review: What’s Not to Love by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: April 20th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An academic enemies-to-lovers YA with all the nerdy drama, high school antics, and heartpounding romance of the Netflix original series Never Have I Ever

Since high school began, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed on almost everything. AP classes, the school paper, community service, it never ends. If Alison could avoid Ethan until graduation, she would. Except, naturally, for two over-achieving seniors with their sights on valedictorian and Harvard, they share all the same classes and extracurriculars. So when their school’s principal assigns them the task of co-planning a previous class’s ten-year reunion, with the promise of a recommendation for Harvard if they do, Ethan and Alison are willing to endure one more activity together if it means beating the other out of the lead.

But with all this extra time spent in each other’s company, their rivalry begins to feel closer to friendship. And as tension between them builds, Alison fights the growing realization that the only thing she wants more than winning…is Ethan. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own!

MY FAVORITE TROPE.

This was a fun ride! I enjoyed this one much more than their last (but not as much as my favorite, If I’m Being Honest).

I am always here for an enemies to lovers trope and this brought the heat in that department. The snarky banter and high-jinks that Alison and Ethan got into just to prove a point had me both laughing and eye-rolling. Oh teenagers! I liked how their relationship progressed once they finally started to admit some feelings. I wish it had happened sooner because it was adorable after that point.

There were some missed opportunities for character growth, especially for Alison. Dealing with her sister being home and trying to be the best at everything I was hoping to see some understanding and maybe relaxing a little on her grip. By the VERY end I could see that change starting. It would helped me love Alison’s character more if this had started sooner and we got to see that play out in her interactions.

The competitive nature was almost too far to come back from and I’m glad it ended when it did. It did create some clear tension and heat between Ethan and Alison. I liked that at times, it did deviate from the expected and some exploration of self was occurring. Honestly, I think it would be fun to follow these two to college to see what happens next. I enjoy that these books have clear teenage characters who are growing into themselves and make mistakes and remind me of that time in my life too.

And I always love a good run-in with old characters!

Overall audience notes;

  • Young adult contemporary romance
  • Language: some throughout
  • Romance: kisses, heated make out (with some clothing removed)

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