Tag: macmillan audio

ALC Book Review: A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea #1) by Hafsah Faizal

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Author: Hafsah Faizal
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Release Date: February 20th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

DID I OVERHYPE MYSELF?

I’ve been really excited about this book y’all. After loving the conclusion to Faizal’s previous duology I knew I wanted my hands on this. But it wasn’t quite what I was hoping.

Audiobook notes: I thought the narrator did a great job, I don’t have any issues there at all. I do wish there would have been a second or third narrator for the other POV’s. There’s three POV’s in total and I continually found myself confused as to whose I was reading at that time.

The story was intriguing, and the pacing was slow. I looove found family, and I do think that was presented well. I love the mash up of personalities and loyalties and connection that this trope brings. There’s even some romantic plots brewing, I was kind of into them? I’m hopeful for book two expansion on this and some more tension.

I found myself easily able to put this down and never felt like it was grabbing my full attention. There were some good scenes and I did enjoy what we got of the characters. I loved that this was set in the same world as We Hunt the Flame too. I could definitely feel those vibes.

Overall audience notes:

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

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ALC Book Review: Silence and Shadow (Blood and Moonlight #2) by Erin Beaty

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy + Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Erin Beaty
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Release Date: October 3rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After confronting a killer and fleeing her home to be with each other, Cat and Simon arrive in the sprawling city of Londunium pretending to be a newly married couple, but don’t expect to keep up the ruse for long. Cat looks forward to honing her healing magick at the local Selanae university, but instead finds a council of ruthless leaders threatening to erase her non-Selanae “husband’s” memories to protect their secrets.

Terrified to lose him, Cat takes desperate steps to keep him safe. But when a string of mutilated bodies turns up in the woods outside the city, and Simon is recruited to profile the killer, Cat is pulled back into a world of murder, mayhem, and magick—one that threatens to swallow her, and everything she loves, whole.

The sequel to Erin Beaty’s buzzworthy YA medieval fantasy-thriller Blood and Moonlight, Silence and Shadow is full of swoony romance, dangerous magick, and murder—perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Mary E. Pearson.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

A GREAT MYSTERY.

I just have no complaints. I really enjoyed listening, I thought the story was great, the subtle romance was sweet (with some fade to black steam) and I love these characters. They’re flawed without making you feel like pushing them off a cliff. There’s apologies and strength and I love the way Erin Beaty crafts her characters.

The mystery kept me guessing and I love the change of location from the previous book (which you do have to read before this one!!). Exploring a new area, side characters and a killer on the loose. This has a slight cozy vibe while also being on the darker edge. With some action mixed in and some twists that made the ending feel like you have to keep going.

I’m a big fan girl of Erin Beaty and this continues to ring true. Another brilliant book!

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: light
  • Romance: multiple fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: serial killer, blood/gore depiction

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ARC Book Review: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sadie Montogmery has had good breaks and bad breaks in her life, but as a struggling artist, all she needs is one lucky break. Things seem to be going her way when she lands one of the coveted finalist spots in a portrait competition. It happens to coincide with a surgery she needs to have. Minor, they say. Less than a week in the hospital they say. Nothing about you will change, they say. Upon recovery, it begins to dawn on Sadie that she can see everything around her, but she can no longer see faces.

Temporary, they say. Lots of people deal with this, they say. As she struggles to cope―and hang onto her artistic dreams―she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. Thankfully, she can still see animal faces. When Peanut gets sick, she rushes him to the emergency vet nearby. That’s when she meets veterinarian Dr. Addison. And she’s pleasantly surprised when he asks her on a date. But she doesn’t want anyone to know about her face blindness. Least of all Joe, her obnoxious neighbor who always wears a bowling jacket and seems to know everyone in the building. He’s always there at the most embarrassing but convenient times, and soon, they develop a sort of friendship. But could it be something more?

As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her haunting past, and handle falling in love with two different guys she realizes that happiness can be found in the places―and people― you least expect.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

INCREDIBLE.

Audiobook notes: Abolutely LOVED the audiobook. This brought Sadie to life and I’m in love with the entire production.

NEW FAVORITE KATHERINE CENTER BOOK. I am a weepy mess after finishing this. Couldn’t put it down, binge read, cry at the end, smile like a fool and love every single second kind of read.

I LOVED Sadie. She was my favorite kind of FMC. Personable and relatable. Flaws and strengths. All mashed together into this woman I adored. She made this book sing. Alongside her was the ROOOOMANCE. I don’t want to say too much because going into this without knowing too much is best. I just LOVED IT SO MUCH. It was swoony and real and full of everything I love about Center’s writing. Her ability to craft a story that I want to hug makes her one of my favorite all time authors.

Such a fated, sweet romance. Many powerful things Sadie learned. Another amazing read I will not get over!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: make-out
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sibling abuse (emotional, verbal, psychological) recounted, cheating recounted, prosopagnosia, brain surgery and recovery, grief and loss, death of a parent recounted

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