Tag: young adult romance

ARC Book Review: An Unlikely Proposition (Unexpected Seasons #2) by Rosalyn Eves

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Historical Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Rosalyn Eves
Publisher: Fierce Reads
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A standalone companion to An Improbable Season , this Regency romance ⁠― perfect for fans of Bridgerton ― is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.

Eleanor did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen year old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She’s hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband’s nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What’s not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle – a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?

Thalia is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn’t quite right.

Rosalyn Eves’s An Unlikely Proposition is a transportive Regency drama that captures the sparkle of London, thrill of friendship, and swoon of new love.

Thank you AustenProse PR and Fierce Reads for the gifted copy.

CHARMING.

I really enjoyed this! Another charming and delightful read in this standalone series. I love the London atmosphere and the balls and intriguing romances that come about.

Eleanor and Thalia both had a lot of character and I liked seeing their growth throughout the book. Eleanor needed to learn to lean on others and I was so happy to see how things worked out for her in the end. Thalia meanwhile, gained confidence in her writing and the courage to pursue her passions. Add in two handsome men and this brought a smile to my face.

A few small tidbits that kept me from that full five stars, but a genuine enjoyable read nonetheless. I like the voices the author creates for these characters and the drama and hope that flows throughout. If you’re needing something on the lighter side with a bit of swoon, I would absolutely recommend this (or book one! Which can be read on its own too).

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Romance
  • Language: none – low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a spouse (recounted), attempted sexual assault (one brief incident)

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Book Review: These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom #2) by Tahereh Mafi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives.

Kamran’s grandfather, the king of Ardunia, lays dead, the terrible secret of his deal with the devil exposed to the world. Cyrus, the mysterious copper-haired royal, has stolen Alizeh away to Tulan, the neighboring kingdom where he rules. Cyrus has made his own deal with the devil—one that would require Alizeh to betray her feelings for Kamran if she’s to reclaim the Jinn throne.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus, or his deal with Iblees. But with no means of escaping Tulan, and with the tantalizing promise of fulfilling her destiny as the heir to the Jinn, she’s forced to wonder whether she can set aside her emotions—and finally become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces of his broken kingdom. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows for certain is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she’s not yet become queen of Tulan.

WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO FEEL.

This book left me feeling super conflicted.

If I think about the romance in one context, I don’t necessarily mind it, I can see where it could work. Morally gray is my wheelhouse and romantic switch ups are fantastic. Lets do it.

Buuuut if I’m supposed to be thinking about it in a different way on the other side of the love triangle I didn’t realize was occurring then why were they separated the entire time??????

I DON’T KNOW. Honestly, I don’t know how to continue the review. There’s not much true plot movement. It’s mostly spent with Alizeh trying to decide if she should marry someone and Kamran wallowing about his new position. Grateful for an audiobook I could speed up.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Context Warnings: kidnapping, some physical altercations

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Book Review: Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses (The Zheninghai Chronicles #0) by Anastasis Blythe

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 387 pages
Author: Anastasis Blythe
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Dreams of magic and romance have no place in the heart of a poor farm girl. Or so Liena thought…

Magical visions have a way of turning the world upside-down. One minute Song Liena is a simple farm girl hoping for good luck at the matchmaker, and the next she is a student at the empire’s most rigorous and dangerous magic Academy.

It doesn’t take long for her to realize she’s ten years behind, her magic is weak, and she is in way over her head. But Liena is determined to work hard if it means a chance at a better life for her family.

She just wasn’t counting on being noticed by the handsome Crown Prince—a warrior-in-training said to have fire magic powerful enough to decimate entire armies.

But princes are not for peasants, and everything is not as it seems at the Academy. Monsters lurk around every corner, and someone is dabbling in dark, illegal magic.
Someone who has set their sinister sights on her.

THOUGHTS.

One on side of the review I enjoyed this. It has an easy writing style that makes for a fast pace. I liked the nods to Mulan (though maybe a little too close at the beginning and end?). It’s a good premise type of set-up that leaves plenty of room for more stories in the world.

What’s missing is the world though. My main issue stems from the fact that there’s no world building. Everything is set at an academy and there’s discussions on the different types of creatures they have to defend against buuuut that’s kind of it. There’s even a Prince! And I know NOTHING about his kingdom??! Or the magic. Everyone seems to have a different type of magic yet there’s no explanation as to why that is or what type of limits there are or why someone’s works better than the next.

The romance is sweet, would have loved even more development, it was cute enough. And the side characters are your typical bunch you find at school: the nice guy, the bully, etc. I’ve heard how the series differs from here so I’m tempted to give the second book a go.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical altercations, weapons violence, creature attacks, bullying

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ARC Book Review: The Getaway List by Emma Lord

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Emma Lord
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.

Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK.

Every time I read an Emma Lord book I think about how much I would have loved reading these when I was the characters age (18/19). There’s so many good themes about growing up, finding your path and making those life long connections that will hold you up when things get rough.

I was very much smitten with the friends to lovers romance. It was reallllly sweet and the clear chemistry between them is there from the GET GO. While this is not full romance (more sub plotish), there’s a lot to learn from Riley and Tom. I loved the dynamic between them and also how you could see both growing up, making mistakes and learning to communicate.

And I adored the friend group. This found family of new and old friends that just accepted everyone as they were, but yet found ways to push each other into new things when the time was right. I love these kind of powerful friendships and there’s even cute side romances between them too.

Filled with all the New York things, some good Taylor Swift references and those hard but necessary conversations with your parents, I highly recommend to pick this one up.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong (I will say this was the only issue I had for the YA audience)
  • Romance: kisses

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