Tag: reading

Book Review and Blog Tour:  The Iron Sword, by Julie Kagawa

Image belongs to Inkyard Press.

Title: The Iron Sword    
Author:   Julie Kagawa
Genre:   YA, fantasy
Rating:   5 out of 5

As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery…

Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey.

Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.

I really love anything the author writes in this world, and this was no exception. I enjoyed the continuing story of Ash and Meghan, although I did enjoy Puck’s POV very much in the last book. Lots of action, intriguing magic, and hints of romance made this a perfect mix that I practically devoured. Highly recommend!

Julie Kagawa is a bestselling author. The Iron Sword is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review:  Made in Manhattan, by Lauren Layne

Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title:   Made in Manhattan
Author:   Lauren Layne
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  3.8 out of 4

Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City’s elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company…but to say he’s not exactly an eager student is an understatement.

 Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn’t know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet’s attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.

 But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding—and the uptight Violet realizes she’s not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society’s rules doesn’t lead to happiness…and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

 This was a decent read:  predictable and there weren’t any surprises (except for one incident towards the end of the book). It was also a quick read, or I probably would have put it down; not because it was bad, but because it wasn’t distinctive enough to be truly attention-grabbing. But, if you’re looking for an opposites-attract romance with an HEA, this is a good bet. It just wasn’t what I felt like reading at the moment.

Lauren Layne is a bestselling author. Made in Manhattan is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Getting His Game Back, by Gia De Cadenet

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title:   Getting His Game Back
Author:   Gia De Cadenet
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Khalil Sarda went through a rough patch last year, but now he’s nearly back to his old self. All he has to do is keep his “stuff” in the past. Real men don’t have depression and go to therapy–or, at least they don’t admit it. He’s ready to focus on his growing chain of barbershops, take care of his beloved Detroit community, and get back to being the ladies’ man his family and friends tease him for being. It’ll be easy . . . until Vanessa throws him completely off his game.

Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she’s been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she’ll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil’s barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he’d treat a woman right . . . but he’s not Black.

 Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?

 I really enjoyed this read! The portrait of depression is sadly accurate (in my experience), and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into what Khalil was experiencing. I enjoyed his romance with Vanessa and how unsure they both were when they met and realized their attraction. The cover makes this look like it’s a romcom, but this story has depth.

Gia De Cadenet is from Florida but lives in France. Getting His Game Back is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Light Years from Home, by Mike Chen

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title:   Light Years from Home
Author:   Mike Chen
Genre:  SciFi
Rating: DNF

Every family has issues. Most can’t blame them on extraterrestrials.

 Fifteen years ago while on a family camping trip, Jakob Shao and his father vanished. His father turned up a few days later, dehydrated and confused, but convinced that they’d been abducted by aliens. Jakob remained missing.

 The Shao sisters, Kass and Evie, dealt with the disappearance end ensuing fallout in very different ways. Kass over the years stepped up to be the rock of the family: carving a successful path for herself, looking after the family home, and becoming her mother’s caregiver when she starts to suffer from dementia. Evie took her father’s side, going all in on UFO conspiracy theories, and giving up her other passions to pursue the possible truth of life outside our planet. And always looking for Jakob.

 When atmospheric readings from Evie’s network of contacts indicate a disturbance event just like the night of the abduction, she heads back home. Because Jakob is back. He’s changed, and the sisters aren’t sure what to think. But one thing is certain — the tensions between the siblings haven’t changed at all. Jakob, Kass and Evie are going to have to grow up and sort out their differences, and fast. Because the FBI is after Jakob, and possibly an entire alien armada, too.

I liked the premise of this story, but the writing style and characters just weren’t for me. I read about 10% and didn’t feel any sort of connection to any of the characters, so I stopped reading. This isn’t a reflection on the story itself or the quality of the writing, it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Mike Chen lives in the Bay Area. Light Years from Home is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  One True Loves, by Elise Bryant

Image belongs to HarperCollins.

Title:   One True Loves
Author:   Elise Bryant
Genre:   YA
Rating:  4 out of 5

Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.

 She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

 When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.

 Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.

 But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.

I enjoyed this read! Lenore was a bit over-the-top at first, with her brashness and in-your-face attitude, but when she tamped it down a bit, she was much more relatable. She’s under a lot of pressure from her family, and I felt sorry for her in that respect. It was good to see some character growth from her, as she slowly started to figure out who she is and what she wants from life.

Elise Bryant is from California. One True Loves is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Must Love Books, by Shauna Robinson

Image belongs to Sourcebooks Landmark.

Title:   Must Love Books
Author:   Shauna Robinson
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:  3.8 out of 5

Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

 When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

 With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet…and maybe poach some Parsons’ authors along the way.

 But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or…herself and her future.

I liked the style and writing of this novel, and I enjoyed Andrew and Nora…except that Nora thought it was okay to be unethical, lie, and steal (authors). She was under a lot of stress, but that doesn’t excuse poor morals. So no matter how much I enjoyed her and Andrews’s banter, that made the whole book much less enjoyable than it should have been.

Shauna Robinson lives in Virginia. Must Love Books is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Her Hometown Hero, by Jacquelin Thomas

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   Her Hometown Hero
Author:   Jacquelin Thomas
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  3.0 out of 5

Can a wounded hero let go of the past?

 Wounded marine Trey Rothchild has returned to Polk Island. People call him a hero, but will he ever feel that way after losing his team? Reuniting with high school crush Gia Harris buoys his spirits. Though she’s focused on making her physical therapy clinic a success—and avoiding romance with patients—Gia can’t bear watching the former athlete sit on the sidelines of life. Could helping Trey recover include loving him fearlessly? 

I enjoyed the family bonds in this novel but found the rest to be mostly a dud. I know Trey experienced something horrific, but he came across as a whiny brat who just wanted to sit around and feel sorry for himself and not actually do anything about his issues. He leaped to wild conclusions with no reason, and then was surprised when Gia got mad. And Gia seemed to be a head-in-the-sand person who was always surprised when her problems followed her. I felt like the characters were just talking heads, too. Maybe this just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Jacquelin Thomas is a bestselling author. Her Hometown Hero is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  The Storyteller, by Kathryn Williams

Image belongs to HarperCollins/HarperTeen.

Title:   The Storyteller
Author:   Kathryn Williams
Genre:   Historical fiction, YA, mystery/thriller
Rating:  4.2 out of 5

It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.

 For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?

 With the help of a supremely dorky, but undeniably cute, local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.

 But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.

I enjoyed this read! It was sweet and fun and I was completely engrossed in the mystery—and both Jess’s story and Aunt Anna’s kept me intrigued. I liked Jess’s friends…but I couldn’t stand her boyfriend. Evan was a lot more relatable and fun. This makes a good weekend binge-read.

Kathryn Williams lives in Maine. The Storyteller is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Anatomy: A Love Story, by Dana Schwartz

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   Anatomy: A Love Story
Author:   Dana Schwartz
Genre:   Fantasy, YA
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Edinburgh, 1817.

 Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

 Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

 When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect.

 Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then.

 But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

I was a little bit disappointed in the last section of this (not just the ending). For the entire novel, Hazel is determined to do the right thing for people and in the end she just sort of slowly caves? Eh. That was disappointing. For most of the book, I really enjoyed her determination, but then she just kind of chickened out, which was disappointing.

Dana Schwartz lives in L.A. Anatomy:  A Love Story is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  Bad Luck Bridesmaid, by Alison Rose Greenberg

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   Bad Luck Bridesmaid
Author:   Alison Rose Greenberg
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:  3.5

It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle.

 After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction?

 Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine.

 Okay, the woman definition of fine (NOT FINE).

 Determined to turn her luck around, Zoey accepts her role and vows to get Hannah down the aisle—all the while praying her best friend’s wedded bliss will allow her to embrace marriage and get Rylan back.

 But as the weekend goes on, Zoey is plagued with more questions than answers. Can you be a free spirit, yet still want a certain future? Can you have love and be loved on your terms? And how DO you wrangle a bossy falcon into doing your bidding?

This read was a tiny step above “meh” for me. Solid writing, and parts of it were funny, but Zoey was pretty awful. She was very selfish, and she didn’t care who she hurt as long as she got what she wanted. She came across as childish to boot, and that didn’t make for a read that made me want to sing its praises. I’d read this author again, because I think the writing was well-worth it, but I just didn’t care for Zoey.

Alison Rose Greenberg lives in Atlanta. Bad Luck Bridesmaid is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)