Tag: knopf books

ALC Book Review: Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 288 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: February 10th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

8 HOURS TO STOP AN EXPLOSION… 8 HOURS TO FALL IN LOVE.

From the NYT bestselling co-author of Illuminae and Aurora Rising comes a high-stakes, high-chemistry sci-fi romp about a stowaway girl and the richest boy in the galaxy, racing the clock to outwit a gang of mercenaries.

It’s 2067, and the Graves family has transformed Mars from lifeless rock into a chaotic patchwork of settlements—and everybody wants a piece.

Enter Hunter Graves: handsome, ambitious, and with spectacularly bad timing. He shows up at the United Nations base just as an emergency evacuation sends everyone scurrying for safety. Except he’s left behind. Uh oh.

Also stranded: Cleo, a sharp-tongued stowaway with no intention of dying today, and even less patience for overconfident trust fund boys. But the enemy of your enemy might just help you survive, so here we are.

Turns out the evacuation was just a cover for the mercenaries who came next, and they plan to blow up the base—and every trace of their crime—in eight hours.

Now, Hunter and Cleo have one shot to stop the explosion, escape alive, and deal with the inconvenient fact that they’re falling for each other.

The clock is ticking.

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underline for the gifted copy.

STELLAR STANDALONE.

I admit to thinking this was a series starter before seeing another friend’s review and I’m glad I knew going in this is a STANDALONE because my frame of mind was much better.

I think Amie Kaufman writes some of the best overall dialogue in the young adult genre. I love the quippy comebacks and sentiments, the right amount of snark and gentleness. This combined with the incredible audiobook made this story come alive. I loved the multiple narrators and sound effects that made the downfall of this Martian settlement all the more intense.

The romance wasn’t 100% believable for me within such a short time line, but I did like it well enough. Hunter and Cleo are a reluctant allies from different walks of life and I liked seeing them come together and find a stronger understanding between them.

This really covered a lot of ground for 250 pages and I had such a good time reading/listening to it. Highly recommend!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Dystopian Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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ALC/ARC Book Review: Better in Black (Shadowhunter Chronicles) by Cassandra Clare

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance Novella Collection
Length: 464 pages
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: December 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ten original love stories by the reigning queen of romantasy, featuring fan-favorite couples from her #1 New York Times bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles—one of the most popular series of all time, with more than 50 million copies in print worldwide!

Ten couples. United by love. Divided by danger.

Jace and Clary, seeking out an exiled Shadowhunter and learning that love can save the world—or destroy it. Will and Tessa, honeymooning in Paris when a séance sends them down an unexpected path. Simon and Izzy, observing increased demonic activity around New York, on a hilarious urban romp.

These are just a few of the beloved couples whose romantic escapades will have you on the edge of your seat across time and storylines from Cassandra Clare’s expansive Shadowhunters series. Don’t miss a chance to reunite with:

• Anna and Ari
• Emma and Julian
• Kieran, Mark, and Cristina
• James and Cordelia
• Thomas and Alastair
• Sebastian and the Seelie Queen
• Jocelyn and Luke

A love letter to every fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, this riveting story collection also includes a sneak peek at The Wicked Powers, the majestic trilogy that will be the grand finale of the entire series!

Thank you PRH Audio and Get Underlined for the gifted audiobook and physical copy.

I LIKED IT.

I feel like I haven’t read a Shadowhunter book in a hot minute and it was fun to be back in this world with so many of my favorite characters.

Each novella felt like a mini story and brought a swoony edge each time. I think even some of them might be hinting at future things to come? [There’s another series coming right??]

I’m not sure I’d say this is 100% a necessary book to read but I do think you’ll enjoy it if you’ve been a fan of the Shadowhunters over the years.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance Collection
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate

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ARC/ALC Book Review: A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA FantasyRomance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: June 3rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the final copy.

ANOTHER GEM.

I really liked this book!! And the audiobook was such a great listen. This had some beauty and the beast vibes I was all over. Add in some dragons and this was a winner.

I loved that this had three sisters who all loved and supported each other. The bonded family dynamic was powerful and a theme I appreciated throughout. It’s beautifully written and brought to life all of the nuanced layers of the story. I loved all of the mythical creatures + creatures of the deep. The world is gorgeous.

I loved Truyan. She’s a strong and loyal FMC who continually made me want to cheer her on. I loved her character arc and journey. And y’all know I LOVE a marriage of convenience. Tru and Elang had some good banter and there were a lot of sweet moments too. I found myself with the feels at those closing scenes!! Thank heavens for great epilogues.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle #4) by Christopher Paolini

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 860 pages
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: November 8th, 2011
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It began with Eragon… It ends with Inheritance.

Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the spellbinding conclusion to Christopher Paolini’s worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

WHAT WAS THAT.

Yeah yeah yeah this book was a pretty good conclusion and wrapped up most of the plot lines and things ALMOST ended as they should, but I can’t help my romantic brain, why did the author have to do this to me? This didn’t even feel like an eventually matter, it’s just straight unrequited forever. Booooooo.

Anyways, I did love all of the dragon content, and the evolution of Eragon has been great. I liked the other POV’s we saw and that Murtaugh got some good moments as well because I do plan to read his book.

That’s about all I can dive into without fully spoiling everything at the end of this first era of the series. I’m not mad I read these, they’re verrrrry long winded though and I’m glad I did them on audio.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: unrequited nonsense
  • Violence: moderate-high

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