Book Review: The HOOK (The PAN #2) by Jenny Hickman

July 22, 2021May 25, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 350 pages
Author: Jenny Hickman
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Release Date: March 3rd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tomorrow isn’t promised, no matter how immortal you think you are.

In the aftermath of Vivienne’s capture, she discovers she’s destined to become one of the forgetful P.A.N. The devastating diagnosis leaves her questioning her relationships—and her place in Neverland. While on her second recruitment mission, she ignores a cardinal rule, and one of her fellow P.A.N. pays the ultimate price for her mistake.

Outrage over the death spurs Lee Somerfield’s growing rebellious faction to fight fire with fire, leaving H.O.O.K. in ashes and Neverland ripped apart from within.

Navigating new love and old secrets, Vivienne must now face the consequences of her actions … and decide if living forever is worth forgetting everything.

INCOMING.

A rant is incoming because I can’t even with this book.

First and foremost THERE WAS NO PLOT. NONE. Nothing happened.

The whole time the book focused on Deacon and Vivienne trying to bang each other but they keep getting interrupted. Or my personal favorite, they would get in a stupid argument and blow up at each other without communicating whatsoever to turn around and get back together within a chapter. AAAAAAAND the MANY instances of CHEATING that was played off as nothing. It was cheating. It should be taken seriously. Goodness gracious the rage I felt was next level.

I just couldn’t handle the level of immaturity Viv and Deacon resonated. They’re older teens (19 and 26). You would think they would be a bit more rational. I’m just begging for a little.

I am definitely not continuing this series. Even if a few side characters were okay and the only redeeming thing about this entire book.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy Romance
Language: a little
Romance: kisses to closed door scenes
Violence: physical altercations, fires, gun violence

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June 2021

June 30, 2021June 29, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

My reading was a bit all of the place this month. Started off super strong and I feel like downhill was the only place to go. That’s okay! Definitely a positive month overall.

Favorites: The Poplar Falls series (of which I binged in 3 days), KULTI!!!!!, Ugly Love if you’re looking for a good cry, Southern Sun Northern Star (for crying reasons as well), The War I Finally Won, and We Free the Stars

Least favorites: The Roommate Situation, and The Trustworthy Groom

Stone Hearts (Poplar Falls #2) by Amber Kelly – (☆☆☆☆☆)
Wicked Hearts (Poplar Falls #3) by Amber Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) by Amber Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
Crazy Hearts (Poplar Falls #5) by Amber Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John – (☆☆☆☆)
Kulti by Mariana Zapata – (☆☆☆☆☆)
In the Penalty Box by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount – (☆☆☆)
[ARC] A Feeling Like Home by Haleigh Wenger – (☆☆☆)
A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame #1) by K.A. Tucker – (☆☆☆)
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover – (☆☆☆☆☆)
[Graphic] Heartstopper Vol. 1 by Alice Oseman – (☆☆☆☆☆)
[Graphic] Heartstopper Vol 2. by Alice Oseman – (☆☆☆☆☆)
[ARC] Between You, Me, and the Honeybees by Amelia Diane Coombs – (☆☆☆☆)
Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett – (☆☆☆☆)
A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles #1) by Jennie Goutet – (☆☆☆)
Southern Sun, Northern Star (Glass Alliance #3) by Joanna Hathaway – (☆☆☆☆☆)
The War I Finally Won (The War That Saved My Life #2) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – (☆☆☆☆☆)
The Bone Thief (The Bone Charmer #2) by Breeana Shields – (☆☆☆☆)
At Love’s Command (Hanger’s Horseman #1) by Karen Witemeyer – (☆☆☆)
Pride and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1) by Tirzah Price – (☆☆☆☆)
Eye of the Beholder (Stone Springs #1) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell – (☆☆☆)
[Reread] The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom #1) by Danielle L. Jensen – (☆☆☆☆☆)
The Roommate Situation (Only in Atlanta #1) by Katie Bailey – (☆☆☆)
Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado – (☆☆☆☆)
Only When It’s Us (Bergman Brothers #1) by Chloe Liese – (☆☆☆☆)
[Graphic] Soppy by Philippa Rice – (☆☆☆)
The Trustworthy Groom (Texan Titans Romance) by Cami Checketts – (☆☆)
We Free the Stars (Sands of Arawiya #2) by Hafsah Faizal – (☆☆☆☆ 1/2)
Knitted Hearts (Poplar Falls #6) by Amber Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #3) by Jessica Townsend – (☆☆☆☆)

How was your reading month? Lets talk in the comments!

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Book Review: Sinking City (The Skilled #1) by Megan Walker and Janci Patterson

June 9, 2021November 9, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆
Audience: YA Urban Fantasy
Length: 315 pages
Author: Megan Walker and Janci Patterson
Publisher: Garden Ninja Books
Release Date: October 19th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On the streets of Venice, magic burns and wars wage, while powerful illusions and mind-bending magic keep the world of The Skilled hidden from ordinary people—or typics. The powerful Mardova Family rules Venice with an iron fist, keeping their powers secret and their eyes on their enemies.

Zan Mardova would rather use his magical Skills to do tricks on his motorcycle or fly over buildings than involve himself in Family politics, but when he discovers a rival Family has brainwashed a beautiful typic girl named Ellie, he begins to unravel a web of dangerous secrets with Ellie at the center. Zan’s loyalty has always been to the Mardovas and the fate of Venice, but as Zan’s feelings for Ellie grow, he can no longer ignore his suspicions about members of his own Family.

Even in a city as narrow and twisting as Venice, secrets can’t stay buried forever. Zan fears there’s a traitor in the Mardova Family—and it might be him.

Thank you to one of the authors, Megan Walker, for a copy in exchange or a review. All opinions are my own!

WELL.

This was unfortunately disappointing. Urban fantasy is a tough genre for me to get into, and that how it felt here too. I do think a younger audience would be more into some of the tropes/story lines than I was though.

Insta-romance abounded for these two teens. There was one cute date, and then BAM. Couldn’t be without each other. It wasn’t that Zan and Ellie didn’t have chemistry, I just wanted more of a build-up with them, a little more angst. So much was trying to happen at once that this story line fell to the side and then felt disjointed.

There’s a lot of action! Sinking City keeps you busy. The nature behind the magic system was interesting and I appreciated that it seemed to have clear definitions on what could/could not be accomplished. It always seems more ridiculous when magic doesn’t have boundaries so I’m glad they were present here. The Italian setting was nice too. It was a nice wanderlust adventure around the cities.

I liked Zan as a main character. I think he holds a lot of promise for the next book in growth and coming into his power. Ellie, on the other hand, needs to drop the damsel in distress vibes. There were many times she admitted it as well and I get annoyed when a character can’t take care of themselves (I’m cool with them learning/growing into it, but this was a continual issue).

Overall audience notes:

YA Urban Fantasy
Language: a little; light
Romance: Kisses
Violence: murder, magical attacks, physical altercations, guns
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a loved one

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Book Review: The Strom Crow (The Storm Crow #1) by Kalyn Josephson

May 24, 2021October 27, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: July 9th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life…until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything.

That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother’s death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost.

But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back what was taken from them.

A YA FANTASY BOOK.

A simple tagline for my main thought throughout this book. It was neither good nor bad. I just felt it was very typical for young adult fantasy. And since I’ve read a lot of them, I didn’t experience anything new.

Not to mention, my ship doesn’t seem to be sailing like I planned and that is always a let down. Especially because, another love triangle? YUP. Not even one I can get behind. One second they were sitting there talking, the next kissing out of nowhere. Ah, I’m so for the other guy.

I did like Anthia as the main character. The clear depiction of grief and depression resonated with me and while I didn’t always love how it was addressed, I overall thought it was well written in these regards.

The writing is engaging as well and I did read it very quickly. It is extremely trope-y and you’ll notice multiple of them. I’m not sure how much happened here because it mostly focused on this one crow, and that was it. In addition to the handful of things I didn’t love, I would have appreciated some more side character back story to help bring this book to life.

Overall audience notes: