Tag: Book Review

ARC Book Review: The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Historical fiction + romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: June 16th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s captivating new novel.

Everyone journeys to Key West searching for something. For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler’s legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person’s paradise can be another’s prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.

The Cuban Revolution of 1933 left Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position. After an arranged wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to the stranger she’s married, her new husband’s illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.

Elizabeth Preston’s trip from New York to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles as a result of the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.

Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys.

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

FOREVER A CLEETON FAN.

This is the third historical fiction book I’ve read of Cleeton’s and I am HOOKED. I love the story set-up and strength of the women in her books. It’s all captivating and I have a hard time putting them down.

I initially wasn’t sure where this book was going with the length + three different women’s stories together. While I still felt like a direct plot was missing, the three women’s stories moved me each in their own way.

What’s incredible impressive to me is how easy I fall for the romance plot lines in Cleeton’s works. Her writing makes the love story seem magical and real all together. This book literally happens over 3 days (with some increased time differences towards the end) and I was shipping every single couple with all that I was worth. I wanted their happiness, and their choices to matter. I wanted Helen, Mirta and Elizabeth to get the ending they wanted and it was delivered.

I love the way each women’s story also had connections between them. It’s an interesting thought to consider how small interactions with those around us may influence and effect our entire lives. I was also smitten with the men of this book too. How could I not mention them? I just love how each character stood out. I was never confused as to what chapter I was reading and who was speaking. Everything flowed and wove together beautifully and I will sit here and impatiently wait for Cleeton’s next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fiction + romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses, some closed door scenes with little detail
  • Violence: guns, murder, hurricane, physical
  • Trigger warnings: a physically abusive husband, an incredibly destructive hurricane, attempted assault and robbery, brief mentions of a characters two family members committing suicide

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Book Review: All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) by Adalyn Grace

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Adalyn Grace
Publisher: Imprint
Release Date: February 4th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

A SOLID DEBUT.

I sat on buying this book for awhile, but I finally convinced myself that this was going to be a good read and that I would want the sequel. Hallelujah, I WAS RIGHT.

This was a beautiful debut that had all the hallmark notes that I love about YA fantasy. Daring action and adventure, a sweet romance, a sassy crew and a villain who’s mind has been twisted by his own fantasies. YUP. All here guys.

I was nervous with the amount of info dumping that happened in the first few chapters. I didn’t want the entire book to be this way. Once an understanding of the magic system and islands was laid out there the story significantly increased in pace and ease of knowing which place was where. There’s a lot of info here (with a smattering of islands to keep track of). Yay for book maps that help keep everything separated.

The crew that Amora embarks with to help save her kingdom was the best. I loved having the pirate Bastian, ex-fiance Ferrick and mermaid Vataea. It was a great mix of banter, flirtations, honest moments, and a found family all its own. The romance between Amora and Bastian made me smile. It grew well over the time period, never rushed into anything, and I felt the heat brewing between them. The way things wrapped up leave a lot to interpretation for the second book. I’m hoping my HEA is in the midst.

I really liked this villain. Sometimes I feel YA villains are a bit laughable and not corrupted enough for me to feel invested in the story. This guy was trying to things right the wrong way and brought all the action this book needed. I was kept on my toes with the twisted magic running rampant through these islands. Definitely made me cringe at times with the descriptions (in a good way). This has an edge of darkness to it without being a dark novel.

I appreciated that the ending wasn’t a giant cliffhanger, but wrapped enough of the story line up to feel satisfied with the conclusion. I’m excited for book two and getting to see how all of these characters develop!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs
  • Violence: magic, physical, swords, knives, poison, mythical creature attacks

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Graphic Novel Book Review: Wires and Nerves (Wires and Nerves #1) by Marissa Meyer

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy graphic novel
Length: 238 pages
Author: Marissa Meyer [Illustrators: Douglas Holgate & Stephen Gilpin]
Publisher: Fiewel & Friends
Release Date: January 31st, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers’ leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the series.

LOVED THIS CONTINUATION.

Yay for my library having this book because I have been looking for a chance to continue this series! What beautiful artwork and well put together graphics. Definitely easy enough to read in one sitting and feel wrapped back up in The Lunar Chronicles.

I loved the way everyone was portrayed and that this story focused on Iko. I think she totally deserves her own book and doing it as an illustrated book was such a great idea. I love her personality and love for her friends. Iko is funny, witty, and incredibly loyal. She’s an easy heroine to love and cheer on.

Getting to see the cast of TLC again was also fantastic. I love that series and getting to have them also in this book was perfect. Those couples are just precious and I could always use more of them. Seeing Cinder as Queen and working towards a better future of Lunar was impressive. This book worked on multiple levels, tackling the story from many different pieces.

This is a cute and fun read. Highly recommend if you enjoyed the original novels to check out this book!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Graphic Novel
  • Language: none
  • Romance: a few kisses
  • Violence: werewolf/hybrid solider attacks, guns, physical

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Book Review: The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3) by Neal Shusterman

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult sci-fi + dystopian
Length: 627 pages
Author: Neal Shusterman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 5th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

In this pulse-pounding conclusion to Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.

I THINK I LIKED THIS?

This was an…interesting finale. And I had REALLY hyped it up (especially after the ending of Thunderhead). I was expecting a lot from this book, and something a lot different which is why my feelings are a bit mixed up over it.

Who did I miss most? ROWAN AND CITRA. I felt like they were barely in this. And I thought they were supposed to be the whole crux of the story, it really turned out to be the Thunderhead. That was different in its own right.

Y’all. I had seen multiple reviews about people not knowing what was happening. And I was thinking how odd that was…then I read it. No lie, til about 500 pages in I didn’t quite know where everything was going. It was a tad ridiculous. Everything was hidden so much that I felt it dragging because the level of action in the previous book wasn’t present here.

I’m finding it difficult to write out this review because everything was not as I imagined. It was honestly kind of heart breaking watching the demise of the planet because of Goddard. I liked having so many different POVs though because that gave me perspectives from truly every angle. I saw what the protagonists and antagonists were thinking, and even what some random side characters were witnessing. It helped round out the narrative.

The evolution of the Thunderhead was intense. This all powerful AI somehow had some actual humanity in him and helped lead the charge for change. I would go into more detail on this, but it would be best if you went into this blind! I promise it’s at least interesting and will make you think.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult sci-fi + dystopian
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: a lot (which should be no surprise), page 107 – suicide by drowning, multiple killings in hundreds of different ways

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