Tag: Book Review

ARC Book Review: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga #0.75) by Fonda Lee

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Novella
Length: 136 pages
Author: Fonda Lee
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Release Date: July 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fonda Lee returns to the acclaimed Green Bone Saga with four prequel short stories that delve into the personal histories of the Kaul and Ayt families.

The Witch and Her Friend. Before she was the ruthless leader of the Mountain clan, Ayt Mada was an orphan without friends at school except for one: Aun Ure, a teenage girl feared and renowned as an assassin but yearning for a simpler life.

Not Only Blood. Before he was the heir apparent of the No Peak clan, Kaul Lan challenged his grandfather and clan patriarch to help a boy who had lost everything.

Better Than Jade. Before they were married, Kaul Hilo and Maik Wen were a young couple facing long odds: the son of a top Green Bone clan in love with a stone-eye girl from a disreputable family.

Granddaughter Cormorant. Before she left and returned to Kekon, Kaul Shae was the apple of her grandfather’s eye…as well as a daring secret informer to a foreign country.

Contains an introduction and story notes by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

I MISSED THEM ALL.

I loved this collection so much!!! The Green Bone Saga is one of my all time favorite fantasy series and when I heard we were getting a few more short stories, I HAD TO HAVE IT. And it delivered.

Seeing everyone again, learning some more back stories, seeing the beginnings of love, it’s all here. I love that Fonda Lee wrote these and that I got a chance to be back in this world. I found each one engaging and quick and that it added another layer to how I view the characters from the trilogy. This is a must read for those who love this series!

Note: I think this is best read after finishing the series (but also could be read after at least reading book one, Jade City). The author adds some comments after each short story about why she chose to write it and its connection to the larger story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Novella Collection
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2 open door; high explicit
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: suicide, physical altercations, murder, loss of a parent

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Book Review: Scales of Ash & Smoke (Ash & Smoke #1) by Emily L. Schneider

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 310 pages
Author: Emily L. Schneider
Publisher: Magic Keepers Press
Release Date: October 5th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She lived her whole life enslaved to the dragons.
But now she’s one of them.
Seventeen-year-old Kaida, a human, has spent her entire life enslaved to the dragons who slaughtered half the human population a thousand years ago. She is forced to serve her ruthless Master, Eklos, until one deadly summer day when the Prince of Elysia saves her life.
Prince Tarrin steals her away to the Royal Palace, shocking Kaida when he reveals that she is mutator formarum.
He promises her safety, but when they uncover a dangerous conspiracy to rid Elysia of the Royal Family, she begins to question how safe she truly is.
And when desire blooms between Kaida and Tarrin, in the midst of fighting for their lives, she must choose whether to save the very creature she swore to hate, or allow him to perish…
And destroy her own heart.

IT WAS OKAY.

Maybe this is better for a younger audience? I don’t know, things didn’t hit all the way for me. Lets get into it.

I am ALWAYS here for a marriage of convenience trope. What I didn’t quite get behind is how quickly the enemies were apparently lovers? For a fantasy that tops out at 300 pages I can see the difficulty in formulating the necessary depth in connections and relationships needed to fully be on board with what was happening.

There’s some decent world building. I didn’t feel confused by the set-up or how the magic worked. It wasn’t fully defined, but at least easy to follow. I loved the concept of dragon shifters and thought that was executed well.

This tried to be dark at times, and while things that were brought up were definitely dark, I don’t know that it fit? The whole overall vibe of the book + what it was trying to accomplish kind of clashed for me. Once again I think it goes back to the depth of connections I was looking for.

I won’t be continuing this series at this time! As it isn’t bringing anything new that I want to pursue.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes, executions, torture, descriptive and graphic violence, weapons and physical violence, loss of loved ones

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ARC Book Review: All Alone With You by Amelia Diane Coombs

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Amelia Diane Coombs
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Release Date: July 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

HBO Max’s Hacks gets a romantic twist in the vein of Jenn Bennett in this swoon-worthy novel about a standoffish teen girl whose loner status gets challenged by a dynamic elderly woman and a perpetually cheerful boy.

Eloise Deane is the worst and doesn’t care who knows it. She’s grumpy, prefers to be alone, and is just slogging through senior year with one goal: get accepted to USC and move to California. So when her guidance counselor drops the bombshell that to score a scholarship she’ll desperately need, her applications require volunteer hours, Eloise is up for the challenge. Until she’s paired with LifeCare, a volunteer agency that offers social support to lonely seniors through phone calls and visits. Basically, it’s a total nightmare for Eloise’s anxiety.

Eloise realizes she’s made a huge mistake—especially when she’s paired with Austin, the fellow volunteer who’s the sunshine to her cloudy day. But as Eloise and Austin work together to keep Marianne Landis—the mysterious former frontwoman of the 1970s band the Laundromats—company, something strange happens. She actually…likes Marianne and Austin? Eloise isn’t sure what to do with that, especially when her feelings toward Austin begin to blur into more-than-friends territory.

And when ex-girlfriends, long-buried wounds, and insecurities reappear, Eloise will have a choice to make: go all in with Marianne and Austin or get out before she gets hurt.

Thank you to Book Club Favorites and Simon and Schuster for the gifted copy.

REACHED MY SOUL.

I know that depression and anxiety have many, many different representations. And I gotta say, I loved the way this book portrayed them. As someone with both, I thought it was a great representation. Realistic, frustrating, and just doing your best.

The dynamics between Austin and Eloise were PERFECT. Reverse grumpy x sunshine at its finest. I loved the way they balanced each other out and the way they went from strangers to friends to having a relationship was so sweet. Filled with some teenage drama and a little bit of angst, I thought it was great for the YA category (and there’s only kisses!).

I adored the plot and the growth I saw throughout the book from Eloise. I really felt so much of what she was going through and the doubt that anxiety creates. I loved Marianne and learning her story and just how this entire cast functioned together.

It was a great read. I have no major complaints and this is my new favorite book by this author!

Overall audience notes:

  • Young Adult Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong (I will say it’s a bit strong for a YA book)
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depression and social anxiety depictions, loss of a father (side character, mentioned), stroke

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Book Review: One Last Play (Sweet Peach #4) by Annah Conwell

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 271 pages
Author: Annah Conwell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her. My friend tells me to forget about her, but how can I when she becomes Maddie’s art teacher and our paths cross again? I ask her out, she turns me down. Rinse and repeat. But I don’t plan on giving up any time soon. My instincts are always right, and they’re telling me Meadow Jane Carter might just be my future wife.

One Last Play is an age gap, reverse grumpy/sunshine romcom for fans of sweet romantic comedies. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any explicit scenes. Check out the fourth and final installment of the Sweet Peach Series, a four-book sweet romcom collection about best friends living in Atlanta, Georgia!

THIS BOOK.

I read this off of the recommendation of a friend as this is the first book by this author I’ve read and it did NOT DISAPPOINT Y’ALL. Consider this a new favorite in the sweet sports romance category.

I am an absolute sucker for he falls first and hard. Sebastian was that man. From the first meeting I was already swooning. It was laid out so well and I loved the progression. There’s cute moments, relatable commentary and some swoooony kisses. The third act was handled amazingly. Realistic conflict with communication is my jam.

Maddie was an adorable addition and I just loved her. She was the sweetest girl and brought another great level of depth to this book.

Meadow Jane was a character that frustrated me in a positive way? I got where she was coming from and she slowly made growth and listened to loved ones around her about being open to new love and new things and I loooove those moments.

The football content is perfect. Not overwhelming but I was an immediate Thrasher fan from the get-go. I love that Sebastian was a coach instead of a player and now I’m all excited for this spin-off series with Meadow Jane’s brothers.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones (childbirth and cancer), a car wreck with minor injuries

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