Blog Tour + Review: Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Beyond the Shadowed Earth (Beneath the Haunting Sea #2)
by Joanna Ruth Meyer
My rating: 3 hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pub. date: January 14, 2020
Publisher: Page Street

Synopsis:

It has always been Eda’s dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she’s convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.

Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he’s trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.

Set in the same universe as Joanna’s debut, Beneath the Haunting Sea, Beyond the Shadowed Earth combines her incredible world building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead.

Add to Goodreads!

Slow start but amazing end - Becoming Review

Becoming: The Balance Bringer (The Balance Bringer Chronicles #1)
by Debra Kristi
My rating: 3.5 hearts
Publication date: January, 2018
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Ana still blames herself for her boyfriend's death two years prior. Now, what she thought were mere dreams are starting to enter her waking life.

As Eerie shadows hunt Ana, strange new abilities develop. Her dream guy becomes reality, and Ana is becoming something...other.

Ana feels like she's becoming something beyond human, or maybe she's just going crazy. But there's no one for her to turn to. Her mother and her best friend are keeping a dark secret about who Ana really is―a secret that could restore the balance between worlds or hurtle them deeper into darkness.

Ana is not only discovering the world is far stranger than she ever expected, but that its survival is dependent on her. But for there to even be a glimmer of a chance at salvation, she must make it alive to the home she's never known.

If you devoured the Mortal Instruments series you'll love this award-winning, action-packed, romance-touched, coming-of-age adventure told from the point-of-view of a confused and unreliable high-school senior.

Add to Goodreads!

Blog Tour + Review: Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud

Truly Madly Royally
by Debbie Rigaud

My rating: 3 hearts

Publisher: Point

Publication date: July 30, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Fiercely independent and smart, Zora Emerson wants to change the world. She's excited to be attending a prestigious summer program, even if she feels out of place among her privileged, mostly white classmates. So she's definitely not expecting to feel a connection to Owen, who's an actual prince of an island off the coast of England. But Owen is funny, charming...and undeniably cute. Zora can't ignore the chemistry between them. When Owen invites Zora to be his date at his big brother's big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. Everyone is talking about her, in real life and online, and while Owen is used to the scrutiny, Zora's not sure it's something she can live with. Can she maintain her sense of self while moving between two very different worlds? And can her feelings for Owen survive and thrive in the midst of the crazy? Find out in this charming romantic comedy that's like The Princess Diaries for a new generation.

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Blog Tour + Review: Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale

Small Town Hearts
Lillie Vale
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: March 19th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
My rating: 3.5 hearts

Rule #1 – Never fall for a summer boy.
Fresh out of high school, Babe Vogel should be thrilled to have the whole summer at her fingertips. She loves living in her lighthouse home in the sleepy Maine beach town of Oar’s Rest and being a barista at the Busy Bean, but she’s totally freaking out about how her life will change when her two best friends go to college in the fall. And when a reckless kiss causes all three of them to break up, she may lose them a lot sooner. On top of that, her ex-girlfriend is back in town, bringing with her a slew of memories, both good and bad.
And then there’s Levi Keller, the cute artist who’s spending all his free time at the coffee shop where she works. Levi’s from out of town, and even though Babe knows better than to fall for a tourist who will leave when summer ends, she can’t stop herself from wanting to know him. Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had – to never fall for a summer boy?

Great Mythology, but Slow-paced - Beyond a Darkened Shore Review

Title: Beyond a Darkened Shore

Author: Jessica Leake

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pub. date: April 10, 2018

Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis: The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. 

The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. 

Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. 

With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Faery's Guide to Surviving the Mythic World

Hi guys! And welcome to my new feature on the blog! I recently started The Guild Codex: Spellbound, an Urban Fantasy series by Annette Marie, and really enjoyed it. In the series, the reader is introduced to the world of mythics, people able to use magic of different kinds. But how do you survive in the world of mythics? Keep reading to find out! Or you can check out my review of the first book here. 

A Fun, Original Fantasy - Three Mages and a Margarita Review

Title: Three Mages and a Margarita

Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound #1

Author: Annette Marie

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Pub. date: September 14, 2018

Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.

Synopsis: Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig.

It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview—to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right?

I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they… offered me the job?

It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here.

So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course—with a pay raise. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Terrifying and twisty, but a little slow - Spectacle ARC Review

*Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader's Copy from Netgalley for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Spectacle

Author: Jodie Lynn Zdroc

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical

Pub. date: February 12, 2019

Publisher: Tor Teen

Synopsis: A YA murder mystery in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.

Paris, 1887.

Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day's new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered--from the perspective of the murderer himself.

When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie's search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie's strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer's identity--and she'll have to do it before she becomes a target herself. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Magical but slow-paced - The Crowns of Croswald Review

*Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: The Crowns of Croswald

Series: The Croswald Series

Author: D.E. Night

My rating: 3 hearts

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

Pub. date: July 21st 2017

Publisher: Stories Untold Press

Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret… 

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The magic of libraries - Assassin of Truths ARC Review

*Disclaimer: I received an Advance Readers Copy from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Assassin of Truths

Series: The Library Jumpers #3

Author: Brenda Drake

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pub. date: February 6th 2018

Synopsis: The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers.

And it’s not your normal bump-in-the- night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. The kind that include an evil wizard hell-bent on taking her down.

Gia can end his devious plan, but only if she recovers seven keys hidden throughout the world’s most beautiful libraries. And then figures out exactly what to do with them.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of falling in love. But when an impossible evil is unleashed, love might be the only thing left to help Gia save the world. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: The Two Princes of Summer by Nissa Leder

Title: The Two Princes of Summer

Author: Nissa Leder

My rating: 2.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis: Running away to Faerie isn’t quite the fairytale Scarlett had hoped it would be.

After her mother's suicide, Scarlett's grief consumes her. So much so, she can't even visit her grave. Escaping the mortal world seems the best option when Cade, a fae prince, lures her into Faerie by promising to take away her pain.

Cade seems the perfect answer to Scarlett's problems. Gorgeous, mysterious, with a gift that keeps her numb. But everything that makes him alluring also makes him dangerous. As things between them heat up, Scarlett must decide how far she's willing to go to avoid her guilt and heartache.

The more Cade feeds from her emotion, the further Scarlett's life in the mortal realm drifts. And it isn't just Cade she has to worry about. She's captured the attention of his older brother, Raith, too. Scarlett is caught in between the two brothers as they prepare to fight for the Right of Heir to the Summer Court crown.

As her boundaries are tested, will Scarlett lose herself in the world of magic, lust, and danger? Or will she find a way to cope with her sorrow and untangle herself from the two princes before they've devoured her completely? (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Children of Neptune by Makenna Snow

*I received a review copy from the author in exchange for review consideration. This does in no way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Children of Neptune

Author: Makenna Snow

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Pub. date: June 5th 2017

Publisher: Champagne Book Group

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Jet can talk to animals with her mind, but she gets tongue-tied with someone her own age. She can use her ancient powers to hydroshift, but she's still figuring out how to be smooth out of the water. 

Sheltered behind the palace walls, Jet trains to become queen of a secret island. All that changes when she's forced to accept a mission she isn't prepared for — fitting in at high school. Jet's powers, never before tested, are pushed to their limits. 

Jet learns that handling high school life is just as complicated and dangerous as the mystery that brought her there. Jet's journey leads her to friendship, romance, and her first taste of freedom. But betrayal threatens to take all that away. 

Jet faces an enemy that could cost her everything she loves. She must succeed…or die trying. (synopsis from Goodreads)

ARC Review: Blood Rose Rebellion (Blood Rose Rebellion #1) by Rosalyn Eves

*I recieved an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not in any way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

Title: Blood Rose Rebellion

Author: Rosalyn Eves

My rating: 2.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical

Pub. date: March 28th 2017

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Synopsis: The thrilling first book in a YA fantasy trilogy for fans of Red Queen. In a world where social prestige derives from a trifecta of blood, money, and magic, one girl has the ability to break the spell that holds the social order in place.

Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister’s debutante spell—an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic—Anna finds herself exiled to her family’s once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary.

Her life might well be over.

In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani Gábor. Not the society she’s known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can’t seem to stop herself from breaking spells.

As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna’s unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romanies, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she’s always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever. (synopsis from Goodreads)

ARC Review: The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco

I have mixed feelings about this book, actually. On one hand, I really loved the characters and it was really original and unique, both the plot and the change between present time and Tea’s past. On the other hand, the plot was pretty slow, which made it difficult to get into it.

Title: The Bone Witch

Author: Rin Chupeco

My rating: 3.5 hearts

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pub. date: March 7th 2017

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Synopsis: When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha — one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco! (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Death in Neverland (Neverland #1) by Heather C. Myers

*I recieved a review copy from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not in any way affect my opinion, and all thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*

 

Title: Death in Neverland
Author: Heather C. Myers
My rating: 3 hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pub. date: November 12th 2014
Synopsis: In the Neverland, people don't grow up. Because they're dead.

Remy Cutler dies, and somehow escapes certain death. She returns to the land of the living with nothing but a ripped gown and a fear of heights.

Two years later, she plans to escape her arranged marriage by stowing away onto a ship in hopes to leave her home with no one none knowing. However, she is found out, and the sailors aren't happy. Before any damage can be done, she is yanked from her predicament back to The Neverland, a place where death resides - the very place she escaped from years ago. Souls are ferried by her savior. To her, he's known as Nick, but to The Neverland, he's the slippery Nicholas Grey.

The more time Remy spends with Nick and his crew, however, the more she realizes he's shockingly misunderstood. Pirates aren't all bad the way gentleman aren't all good. One such gentleman goes by the name of Peter, and he has nothing but power on his mind and revenge against Grey in his heart. And then there are those that are completely indiscernible, like James Hook, a Viking and ruler of The Other World, whose sole ambition is attaining more souls to rule over, no matter what the cost.

This dark retelling of Peter Pan infuses familiar characters created by J. M. Barrie with new characters and Greek mythology. It is the first in a trilogy. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Always Kiss Me Goodnight by Megan Gaudino

Title: Always Kiss Me Goodnight
Author: Megan Gaudino
My rating: ❤❤❤
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Publication date: August 26th 2015
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Synopsis: Sophia Destino is supposed to die.

All seventeen-year-old Sophia wants is to coast through her junior year. But with her parents obsessed with her Olympic-swimming-hopeful brother, a psychic best friend with a penchant for reading tarot cards, and prophetic dreams that predict her death—that won’t be easy. As her nightmares begin to come true, Sophia finds herself dodging death and longing for the time when getting over her ex-boyfriend was her biggest problem. Until she meets Leo Knight. The mysterious stranger seems determined to keep her alive—and steal her heart. But Leo has a secret that is about to change everything and Sophia is about to learn that sometimes…your number is up. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Sweet Liar (Candy #2) by Debra Doxer

*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This did not in any way affect my rating or my review in the slightest. All thoughts expressed in this review is unbiased and my own.*

 

Title: Sweet Liar
Author: Debra Doxer
My rating: 3.7 hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Publication date: October 20th 2015
Synopsis: Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth.

Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his Eye.

That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back.

But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him.

When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Review: Losing It (Losing It #1) by Cora Carmack

Title: Losing It
Author: Cora Carmack
My rating: 3.7 hearts
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication date: October 15th 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Synopsis: Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Blog Tour and Review: The Queen B* Strikes Back (The Queen B* #2) by Crista McHugh

 

I am so excited to share the Queen B* Strikes Back Blog Tour, hosted by Rockstar PR. Stay tuned for the first chapter.

Title: The Queen B* Strikes Back
Author: Crista McHugh
My rating: 3.5 hearts
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication date: September 29th 2015
Synopsis: Alexis Wyndham isn’t quite sure what to think about her “friendship” with star quarterback, Brett Pederson. Sure, he has more intelligence than the entire football team combined. Not to mention that fact he’s a great kisser. When he asks her to help him with his college admission essays, she isn’t sure if he’s doing it to spend more time with her or if he’s just using her for her brains. But after her nemesis, Summer Hoyt, makes it clear she’s not finished chasing after Brett, Alexis begins realize how hard she’s fallen for Brett. Now the war is on, and the head cheerleader will find out why she should never take on a Queen B*. (synopsis from Amazon)

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Blog Tour: Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts

I'm so excited to share with you the blog tour for Playing the Player organized by YA Bound Book Tours. There is a giveaway at the end of the post, so stay tuned!