Tag: book review

Mixed Feelings — The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins {Book Review}

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne CollinsTitle: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: May 19th, 2020
Standalone/Series: Series (Prequel)
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopia

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My rating in stars: 3 stars
My rating in words: Mixed feelings

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Ambition will fuel him.
Competition will drive him.
But power has its price.

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes. 

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Galactic Intrigue & Questioning Loyalties In The Queer Space Opera The World Needs — Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie {Book Review}

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Bonds of Brass by Emily SkrutskieTitle: Bonds of Brass (The Bloodright Trilogy #1)
Author: Emily Skrutskie
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Release Date: April 7th, 2020
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: Adult – Science Fiction

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My rating in stars: 4,5 stars
My rating in words: Loved it!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend–the man he trusts most and might even love–only to learn that he’s secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire.

Ettian Nassun’s life was shattered when the merciless Umber Empire invaded. He’s spent seven years putting himself back together under its rule, joining an Umber military academy and becoming the best pilot in his class. Even better, he’s met Gal Veres–his exasperating and infuriatingly enticing roommate who’s made the Academy feel like a new home.

But when dozens of classmates spring an assassination plot on Gal, a devastating secret comes to light: Gal is the heir to the Umber Empire. Ettian barely manages to save his best friend and flee the compromised Academy unscathed, rattled both that Gal stands to inherit the empire that broke him and that there are still people willing to fight back against Umber rule. As they piece together a way to deliver Gal safely to his throne, Ettian finds himself torn in half by an impossible choice. Does he save the man who’s won his heart and trust that Gal’s goodness could transform the empire? Or does he throw his lot in with the brewing rebellion and fight to take back what’s rightfully theirs?

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An Insightful, Witty & Emotional Take On The Fake Dating Trope — If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane {Book Review}

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If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlaneTitle: If I Never Met You
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: March 24th, 2020
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Genre: Adult – Contemporary – Romance

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My rating in stars: 4,5 stars
My rating in words: Loved it!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

If faking love is this easy… how do you know when it’s real?

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend…

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Everything I Wanted And More — Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped by Annette Marie {ARC Book Review}

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Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped by Annette MarieTitle: Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (The Guild Codex: Demonized #3)
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy
Release Date: April 3rd, 2020
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: New Adult – Urban Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: NEW ALL-TIME FAVORITE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

I thought I understood power.

My parents taught me that magic attracts equal danger, and everything I’ve seen since becoming a demon contractor confirms it. I’ve witnessed how power twists and corrupts–and I’ve tasted power no human should wield.

I thought I knew greed.

Ambition and avarice drove my family into hiding. My parents died for someone else’s greed. I’ve never hunted anything in my life, but now I’m hunting their killer–with my demon’s help.

I thought I’d seen evil.

But with each step closer to my parents’ murderer, I’m uncovering a different sort of evil, piece by hidden piece. I’ve stumbled into an insidious web that silently, secretly ensnares everything it touches. My demon and I came as the hunters…

…but I think we might be the prey.

—
Author’s Note: The Guild Codex includes two series, Demonized and Spellbound, which can be read and enjoyed all on their own; however, this book contains spoilers for Demon Magic and a Martini (Spellbound #4). If you were thinking about giving Spellbound a try, I recommend reading it first.

—
THE GUILD CODEX

Demonized Series:
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)
Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (#3)
Delivering Evil for Experts (#4)

Spellbound Series:
Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)
Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)
Demon Magic and a Martini (#4)
The Alchemist and an Amaretto (#5)
Druid Vices and a Vodka (#6)

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Edge-Of-Your-Seat, Scream-At-Your-Book, Nail-Biting Brilliance (& OMG THE FRIENDSHIP!) — House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas {Book Review}

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House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. MaasTitle: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: Adult – Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: New all-time favorite

 

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Bound by blood.
Tempted by desire.
Unleashed by destiny.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

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Mage Academy Monsters, Magic and Mistletoe, Oh My — The Alchemist and an Amaretto by Annette Marie {ARC Book Review}

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The Alchemist and an Amaretto by Annette MarieTitle: The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #5)
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy
Release Date: October 11th, 2019
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: New Adult – Urban Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: NEW ALL-TIME FAVORITE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

As a guild bartender, I can handle pretty much anything—mages, sorcerers, witches, the occasional demon. But show me anything family-related and I’d rather run for the hills. It doesn’t even have to be my family.

So I have no idea why I thought spending the holidays with Aaron’s mom and pop was a good idea.

Meeting his famous parents is already terrifying enough, but I’ve got a bigger problem. Students of his family’s renowned mage academy are being attacked on the grounds—and somehow no one has seen a single assailant? Unexplained tracks litter the nearby woods, rumors of forbidden alchemy are circulating the campus…and Ezra has been acting strangely since we arrived.

Something deadly is brewing in the shadow of Sinclair Academy, and the longer we take to uncover it, the more dangerous it becomes. But no matter the risk, we’ll protect the students.

And Aaron’s parents too, I suppose. If we have to.

—

THE GUILD CODEX

Spellbound Series:
Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)
Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)
Demon Magic and a Martini (#4)
The Alchemist and an Amaretto (#5)
Druid Vices and a Vodka (#6)

Demonized Series:
Taming Demons for Beginners (#1)
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (#2)

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In The Mood For Pen Pal Romance or Enemies-to-Lovers? — Dear Aaron and From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata {Mini Book Reviews}

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Santos series by Mariana Zapata review

And the romance binge continues!

Though I’m usually a fantasy kind of girl, for the past few weeks I’ve been binging romance books like crazy. And in the midst of this romance binge, I discovered a new-to-me author called Mariana Zapata. An author who’s apparently known for her slow-burn romances. HELLO, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? It only got better when I discovered one of her books featured a pen pal romance and another an enemies-to-lovers trope. I can’t help it, I am drawn to those tropes like crazy so obviously I immediately purchased them, listened to both of them on audiobook and had some thoughts, so please check out my mini reviews below!

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3 Romance Books For Your Summer Reading List – The Unhoneymooners, The Flatshare & The Bride Test {Mini Book Reviews}

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3 romance books for your 2019 summer reading list

Hi everybody! Last month I was in a romance novel mood, so I binged on a few recent romance releases and what do you know, I liked them all and had enough feelings to write reviews again for the first time in forever. All of these felt very summery to me, like the perfect read whether you’re lying on the beach and enjoying the sun or keeping it cool and chilling at home in the AC!

Here we go, I present to you 3 mini book reviews:

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Blog Tour: If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann {ARC Review & Give-Away}

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IfItMakesYouHappyTourBanner-2

Hi everyone, and welcome to my stop for the If It Makes You Happy Blog Tour!

As a huge fan of Claire Kann’s Let’s Talk About Love, I was beyond thrilled to have been chosen as a host for the Xpresso Reads Blog Tour for her new book If It Makes You Happy, and to receive an advance copy to read and review. So please check out my (spoiler-free) review below and if I managed to convince you, then please enter the international give-away to win a print copy of the book for yourself!

Note: Check out the other stops on this blog tour here.

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Blog Tour: Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen {ARC Review & Give-Away}

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FakeItTillYouBreakItTourBanner

Hi everyone, and welcome to my stop for the Fake It Till You Break It Blog Tour!

As a huge supporter of the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, I fell in love with Fake It Till You Break iIt as soon as I heard about it. I needed to get my hands on it ASAP and luckily for me I was chosen as a host for the Xpresso Reads Blog Tour and received an advance copy to read and review.

So please check out my (spoiler-free) review below and if I managed to convince you, then please enter the international give-away to win a print copy of the book for yourself!

Note: Check out the other stops on this blog tour here.

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