Welcome to b for bookslut, where one quote about YA changed how I saw the books: "YA is not meant to teach lessons but rather to show teens that they're not alone." I fangirl mostly over YA and romance novels. And write book reviews about them. Feel free to come into my ask or message and fangirl with me! queue: fire breathing bitch queue with love, Avery est. 14th October 2016
Read an Except of Megan Frampton’s Latest Release, Lady Be Reckless
I’m back! And in case you skimmed over my review for Megan Frampton’s latest release and second instalment in the Duke’s Daughters series, check it out here!
I know what you’re all here for so I’m just going to skip the pleasantries and get over with! Less talk, more chop-chop!
The Duke’s five daughters have beauty, breeding, and impeccable reputations.
Or at least, they did.
Now that two have chosen to follow their hearts, can the others be far behind…?
Lady Olivia refuses to repeat her siblings’ scandalous mistakes. Instead, she will marry the lord rejected by her sister and help with his good works. When he resists, Olivia forms another plan: win his lordship’s admiration by helping his illegitimate best friend find a bride. How difficult can it be to transform the rakish Edward Wolcott into a gentleman? To ignore his virile good looks? To not kiss him in a moment of impulsive madness? Apparently, very difficult indeed.
Edward Wolcott promised his ailing father he would marry well. It’s a challenging task, but Lady Olivia will not be deterred. The sparkling firebrand intends to smooth his way through London’s ballrooms and parlors, while all Edward’s thoughts suddenly revolve around bedrooms…and Lady Olivia herself. Only a scoundrel would seduce the duke’s most dutiful daughter. And only a truly reckless lady would risk everything to be in his arms…
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“. . . Bennett.”
His eyes widened at her use of his first name, and he blinked a few times. Overcome by his emotions, perhaps? She smiled reassuringly. “We feel the same way about so many things.” She put her hand on his sleeve. His gaze went to where her hand lay, and she wished she was daring enough to run the fingers of her other hand through his hair. She wasn’t, not yet. Perhaps later, after everything was settled.
“And since we are of much the same mind, I know that it only makes sense for us to get married. So we can finally be together.” She exhaled. “There. I’ve finally said it.” And she tilted her face up so he could kiss her.
And edged forward, since it seemed that he wasn’t going to. Perhaps he was unsure if a kiss would be welcome? She should let him know it would be perfectly welcome.
“You may kiss me, if you like. Since we are now betrothed.”
He still did not kiss her, and she felt a pang of regret. Instead, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back so that even if she wished to initiate a kiss, she couldn’t. He was too tall, and now his mouth was too far away from hers.
A slow uncomfortable feeling began to unravel inside her, and she felt her breath hitch.
“I am aware of the great honor you do me, Lady Olivia,” he said, his eyes still closed. Then he opened them, and she wanted to leap back at what she saw in his gaze. Was it possible he did not love her? “But I do not regard you in that way, and I think it best if we forget this conversation ever happened.”
Olivia froze for a moment as she absorbed the words. And then felt her face blaze as fiercely as any fire she’d ever encountered. “You do not regard me in that way?” she repeated, hearing the words fall out of her mouth even though she didn’t think she could speak. “You’re saying you are not in love with me?”
She snatched her hand off his sleeve and dropped it behind her back, her fingers wiggling in the air as though trying to find purchase. Because it felt as though she were falling off a very high cliff. “Not in love with me?” she said again, wishing he would step forward and take her in his arms and say it was all a mistake, he was testing her, but knowing it wouldn’t.
“Oh,” she said in a soft voice, looking anywhere but at him. “I’ve just thrown myself at you, and now it seems you don’t feel the same way.” Something caught her eye and she walked forward, past him, to snatch it up from the small table. It was a dome encasing a small yellow flower, one of those ornamental things everybody had as part of their everyday clutter.
This isn’t you, a voice said in her head. This isn’t who you are, or who you want to be.
But she couldn’t keep herself from curling her fingers around it, feeling the cool glass on her palm. Knowing she could throw it if she wanted to. Which she very much did. This, at least, she could do. She could control her actions now, even if she couldn’t control his. She’d just thrown herself at him? She could throw other things too.
She raised the dome over her head, all of her pent-up emotion channeling itself through her upraised arm, flinging it toward the opposite wall, not close enough to possibly hit him, but startling nonetheless.
The object shattered into pieces, the noise of the impact the only sound in the room. It wasn’t loud enough to cause anyone to notice, not with the band continuing to play in the ballroom as though hearts weren’t currently being broken.
“Olivia, you should consider,” he began, but she shook her head before he could get more words out.
“Get out.” She spoke in a low tone, because if she raised her voice she would scream, and she couldn’t cause that kind of scene, not as one of the duke’s daughters, who already had a penchant for causing trouble. Not to mention it would be horribly embarrassing. Yes, Lady Olivia was proposing to me, and I was rejecting her, and then she threw a decorative object at my head. If he said anything about it at all, which she knew as a gentleman he would not.
“Get out,” she repeated in a stronger voice this time.
Something in her expression must have told him not to press the issue, because he shook his head and walked past her and back out into the ballroom, closing the door behind him.
Leaving her alone with her thoughts and her humiliation.
She took a deep breath and withdrew her handkerchief from her pocket, preparing herself for an epic cry.
“Pardon me,” a deep voice said from the depths of the sofa opposite, “but I think it is probably best that I make my departure as well.”
Olivia’s mouth opened in shock as a man—a tall, perfectly dressed, and remarkably handsome man—emerged from behind the sofa, his hair disheveled. He offered her a sly grin and she felt all of her ire direct itself onto this stranger who’d had the effrontery to listen to her make a fool of herself.
“And who are you?” she replied haughtily, taking refuge in her bred-to-the-bone aristocratic manner.
He spread his arms and made a low bow. “I am Mr. Edward Wolcott, at your service,” he replied in an amused tone.
“Oh!” she said in recognition. “The bast—” She began, then put her hand to her open mouth.
His smile halted and the look in his eyes got fierce. “Yes, my lady. The bastard.”
Blog Tour Review: Lady Be Reckless by Megan Frampton
I have given Lady Be Reckless by Megan Frampton a ☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 2 of the Duke’s Daughters series. It is Historical Romance. Avon Romance publishes it. It was published February 27, 2018.
The blurb reads:
The Duke’s five daughters have beauty, breeding, and impeccable reputations.
Or at least, they did.
Now that two have chosen to follow their hearts, can the others be far behind…?
Lady Olivia refuses to repeat her siblings’ scandalous mistakes. Instead, she will marry the lord rejected by her sister and help with his good works. When he resists, Olivia forms another plan: win his lordship’s admiration by helping his illegitimate best friend find a bride. How difficult can it be to transform the rakish Edward Wolcott into a gentleman? To ignore his virile good looks? To not kiss him in a moment of impulsive madness? Apparently, very difficult indeed.
Edward Wolcott promised his ailing father he would marry well. It’s a challenging task, but Lady Olivia will not be deterred. The sparkling firebrand intends to smooth his way through London’s ballrooms and parlors, while all Edward’s thoughts suddenly revolve around bedrooms…and Lady Olivia herself. Only a scoundrel would seduce the duke’s most dutiful daughter. And only a truly reckless lady would risk everything to be in his arms…
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Hi, kings and queens! Wow, it has been quiet, hasn’t it? I’m back with another blog tour! I promise, I’m not gone; I’m just very, very, very slow. And I started a new job so things have been a little backed up (hahahaha, when has it not been?). But you’re not here to hear me talk about my boring old self. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
Check out an excerpt for Lady Be Reckless here.
Lady Be Reckless? Lady Bore Me to Death is a better title. It’s a recycled plot of “high society miss helps rich but title-less dude get a title” that I’ve seen much better done in other books with far more multi-faceted heroines. I rushed through this as quickly as I could because there was nothing that really jumped out at me and made me want to stay a while longer. Even the sex was boring af. I skipped every single bit of it.
While I appreciated that Lady Be Reckless is a slow burn, everything seemed to really rush by like first she meets Edward and he becomes her next “project”. A few pages later, she seems to be catching feelings for her. I don’t know how this book could have been as long as it was because nothing seemed to happen.
Furthermore, Lady Be Reckless? More like Lady Be-Really-Stupid-And-Impulsive-And-Make-Assumptions-About-Everyone. While I think the intention was to make her seem endearing, Lady Olivia was a pain in my behind. I found it very hard to like her. She reads almost like your classic white feminist social justice warrior who thinks everyone needs saving. Spoiler alert: not everyone needs saving.
But, I liked everyone else.
Lady Olivia’s sisters, Ida and Pearl seem to be the perfect subjects for great romances and so is Mr Beechcroft, Edward’s father.
And of course, Edward Wolcott himself. I really loved that his perspective always featured him talking about his hurt and his feelings at his position in life and his father. I love when heroes hold their father in high esteem and have a great relationship with them because far too many romance heroes have strained relationships with their parents.
Overall, I didn’t hate Lady Be Reckless. It was witty at times and Megan Frampton can be pretty poetical and lyrical at times. But, it’s a common trope that wasn’t executed very well. There was a lot more that could be expanded upon. The relationship could have been given time to develop. Sometimes, I did feel that Olivia liked the idea of Edward more than she liked him.
Thank you to Pure Textuality PR and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Emily R. King’s The Rogue Queen Returns With a Fiery Blaze of Dark Forces, Broken Hearts and New Revelations – An ARC Review
I have given The Rogue Queen by Emily R. King a ☆☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 3 of The Hundredth Queen series. It belongs to the Young Adult Fantasy genre with some Romance. Skyscape publishes it. It was published February 13, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Despite the odds, Kalinda has survived it all: Marriage to a tyrant. Tournaments to the death. The forbidden power to rule fire. The icy touch of a demon.
That same demon now disguises itself as Rajah Tarek, Kalinda’s late husband and a man who has never stopped haunting her. Upon taking control of the palace and the army, the demon brands Kalinda and her companions as traitors to the empire. They flee across the sea, seeking haven in the Southern Isles.
In Lestari, Kalinda’s powers are not condemned, as they are in her land. Now free to use them to protect those she loves, Kalinda soon realizes that the demon has tainted her with a cold poison, rendering her fire uncontrollable. But the lack of control may be just what she needs to send the demon back to the darkest depths of the Void.
To take back the empire, Kalinda will ally with those she distrusts—and risk losing those most loyal to her—to defeat the demon and bring peace to a divided nation.
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Hi, kings and queens! Phew, after three blog tours, I’m pooped and that’s why this review is a little later than normal. Oh, who am I kidding? My schedule is more like guidelines anyway (if you get this reference, I love you). As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
If you’re not caught up on my reviews with The Hundredth Queen series, here are my reviews for:
Book 1: The Hundredth Queen
Book 2: The Fire Queen
Now that we’re all caught up, I just want to say that it’s been an incredibly long love-hate relationship between me and this series. Briefly, there is a lot of cultural appropriation and misappropriation that I’ve grown uncomfortable with over the course of the three books and which I have very vocally and viciously called out. But, I still come back to it over and over again because, just judging by my increasingly generous ratings, The Hundredth Queen series is kinda awesome. And I’ve learnt to just put aside whatever negative feelings I have for this series and just appreciate it for what it is: an epic tale of how one woman can change the world. Of course, there’s magic and stuff but Kalinda is an amazing spirit and reminds me of Aelin, sans whining.
And, for the first time, I don’t have a negative word to say. Like absolutely nothing. I’d give it five stars but we started on a bad foot and the appropriation still bothers me. More under the cut!
The plot picks up immediately where we left off in The Fire Queen: Kalinda fleeing her home with Ashwin and Deven. And the love triangle between Kalinda, Ashwin and Deven continues and lordy, you guys know how much I detest love triangles. We also get loads of amazing battles, revelations and alliances. But, I won’t say anymore. I don’t want to spoil anything so I really can’t discuss plot because we’re at the point where everything is important and everything is a spoiler. And while I did find it moved a little slowly at times, it was well-paced.
Kalinda, has grown so much, in my opinion. From a scared temple ward, to sister warrior, kindred, queen and fire bhuta, I’ve grown to really love her. I wasn’t a big fan of her at the beginning but she’s grown confident and sure of herself. And her unfailing love and loyalty to her friends and Deven is inspiring, something we definitely see often in fantasy heroines. But, we rarely see one who sticks with the same lover for the entire series. While Kalinda isn’t the first heroine that comes to mind when someone asks me for my faves (because my judgement is clouded by the appropriation), she’s definitely made the list now.
Deven, as well has come a long way since the first book. I always thought he was incredibly whiny, always very judgemental of Kalinda’s decisions and always looking to tie her down to him and their dream of having a quiet life in the countryside. But, he is the real star of The Rogue Queen and the author really stepped up her game when it came to his character arc. In The Rogue Queen, he learns to let Kalinda make the decisions and trust her when she does. He doesn’t hold her back, he lets her fly free and return to him. It’s definitely a change in him and I was super happy for that. He also accepted that his place is with the army, protecting Kalinda and ugh, my heart. He doesn’t top my list of book boyfriends but he’s not bad.
The Rogue Queen is once again told from both Kalinda and Deven’s perspectives, allowing their party to be split up and have their own adventures but ultimately meeting up for the final showdown. But at this point, I keep feeling like The Hundredth Queen series, or at least, The Rogue Queen is just a bunch of filler episodes. It’s like these events are important but they’re all just fluff building up to the main event and we don’t know what that is. This was also my concern with The Fire Queen: it’s not a full story but rather episodic and it kind of bothers me because it takes you along for a ride and then leaves you hanging, unsatisfied.
I absolutely loved The Rogue Queen and it has taken me three books to be able to accept the series as it is. I’d say you definitely have to read it but you will have to get through the first book which to me, is full of cultural appropriation and misrepresentation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
The Trouble with True Love by Laura Lee Guhrke Blog Tour Review: What Happens When Your Heart is On the Line
I have given The Trouble With Love by Laura Lee Guhrke a ☆☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 2 in the Dear Lady Truelove series. It is Historical Romance. Avon Books publishes it. It was published January 30, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Dear Lady Truelove, I am a girl of noble family, but I am painfully shy, especially in my encounters with those of the opposite sex . . .
For Clara Deverill, standing in for the real Lady Truelove means dispensing advice on problems she herself has never managed to overcome. There’s nothing for it but to retreat to a tearoom and hope inspiration strikes between scones. It doesn’t—until Clara overhears a rake waxing eloquent on the art of “honorable” jilting. The cad may look like an Adonis, but he’s about to find himself on the wrong side of Lady Truelove.
Rex Galbraith is an heir with no plans to produce a spare. He flirts with the minimum number of eligible young ladies to humor his matchmaking aunt, but Clara is the first to ever catch his roving eye. When he realizes that Clara—as Lady Truelove—has used his advice as newspaper fodder, he’s infuriated. But when he’s forced into a secret alliance with her, he realizes he’s got a much bigger problem—because Clara is upending everything Rex thought he knew about women—and about himself. . .
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Another blog tour! You’re thinking, damn Avery, I thought this was a YA blog? Well, you’re just going to have to accept that other than YA, my other book love is Romances, particularly of the Historical kind. And I have another one for you today as well as an excerpt. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
Prior to The Trouble with True Love, I had never read a Laura Lee Guhrke book before but when I saw this particular book on one of the “romances to look out for” lists, I couldn’t resist the chance to share it with you guys. And I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I’m always very sceptical of historical romances these days because they always follow such a straight-laced plotline that it has become incredibly predictable and very un-fun (which is my biggest problem with The Trouble with True Love). And boring and predictable is often saved by a beautiful way with words. I can’t wait to read more from Laura Lee. But first, read more from me, under the cut!
The Trouble with True Love can be read as a standalone (and until I checked the press kit, I didn’t realise it was the second instalment).
The Trouble with True Love does nothing new or interesting in terms of plot. It follows the typical romance “what works is successful so we don’t change it up” formula, I suppose. One thing that I’ve seen here which I feel might have been a little different is that the newspaper aspect of Clara’s life went so unexplored in terms of plot. It often seemed as more of a plot device than who she is, which I guess is acceptable, since it was usually her elder sister, Irene (who’s story is Book 1 of the series) who ran the paper. But I detested that the newspaper only served to move her story forward instead of being part of her identity.
Another thing I want to discuss a little here is the whole sex bits. No spoilers, definitely but it has frustrated me so much that sex in historical romances has become so formulaic. First, the dude will pleasure his lady love, and it’s always with his hands. And then, depending on the author/book, will engage in coitus. God, what is it with me and the euphemisms today? With The Trouble with True Love, the sex was so utterly boring that I skipped all of it because ugh, nothing new, ugh flip page, ugh, awakening and shit, ugh.
The blurb is deceptive. When I picked up The Trouble with True Love, I assumed I was going to be in for a snark fest because as past books go, one with a lady who writes an advice column usually has a very snarky heroine. But Clara, no, she’s as shy as I am, which is very. But underneath all that shyness, Clara has a wicked streak, a fiery backbone and wit unimaginable. And it was nice to see that she could hold her own and wasn’t weak-willed. She was always quick to let Rex know how much she disliked him and she had ambitions, even though they were of the child-bearing and rearing sort. But, my only gripe is her innocence, which in her defence, made her rather wicked.
Rex Galbraith, on the other hand, is not my favourite hero. In fact, he doesn’t even make the list. No one has come close to the perfection that is Christopher Phelan (of Lisa Kleypas’ Hathaways series), so I’m being judgy when I read him. Rex is overbearing at most, constantly breathing down Clara’s neck and insinuating himself into her life but, he does has a soft side. He is excellent at giving advice, he loves his mother enough to defy his father and put his income at risk and he knows when to respect boundaries. We also spend a good amount of time in his head and he can be pretty thoughtful and reflective. But in terms of romance heroes, I like mine with a little more restraint.
Finally, we can talk about what really saved The Trouble with True Love for me: Laura Lee Guhrke’s flawless writing. I loved every second of her prose and how she paints emotions, both Rex and Clara’s. The writing was also incredibly funny, especially Clara’s moments of snark, but also incredibly poetic. I haven’t highlighted and saved so many lines in a long while. Here are some of my favourites:
“He was looking at her as if she was the only thing in the world that existed, as if nothing that had come before or would ever come after was more important than she was. A rake’s version of the siren song.” – page 61
“Champagne is a rather unorthodox peace offering, isn’t it?
He grinned. “They didn’t have olive branches on the refreshments menu.” – page 131
“And that’s the trouble with true love. It has to be done the proper way.”
I’ve discovered a new historical romance writer that I should keep my eye on. While I love my Lisa Kleypas and Eloisa James, I always love new blood because these two write in such formulaic ways that it’s gotten a little boring. While I didn’t necessarily love both Rex and Clara, their story was light and pleasant and a refreshing read.
Thank you to Pure Textuality PR and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Read an Except of Laura Lee Guhrke’s Latest Release, The Trouble with True Love
Being part of a blog tour is pretty stressful, to be honest. Because I always feel there’s so much riding on me for that day and I start to overthink things. But anyway, I’m super excited to bring you this super short excerpt of The Trouble with True Love. The second instalment in the Dear Lady Truelove series, The Trouble with True Love is witty, surprising and charming. You can read my review here!
Dear Lady Truelove, I am a girl of noble family, but I am painfully shy, especially in my encounters with those of the opposite sex . . .
For Clara Deverill, standing in for the real Lady Truelove means dispensing advice on problems she herself has never managed to overcome. There’s nothing for it but to retreat to a tearoom and hope inspiration strikes between scones. It doesn’t—until Clara overhears a rake waxing eloquent on the art of “honorable” jilting. The cad may look like an Adonis, but he’s about to find himself on the wrong side of Lady Truelove.
Rex Galbraith is an heir with no plans to produce a spare. He flirts with the minimum number of eligible young ladies to humor his matchmaking aunt, but Clara is the first to ever catch his roving eye. When he realizes that Clara—as Lady Truelove—has used his advice as newspaper fodder, he’s infuriated. But when he’s forced into a secret alliance with her, he realizes he’s got a much bigger problem—because Clara is upending everything Rex thought he knew about women—and about himself. . .
Buy The Trouble with True Love: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Avon Romance
Excerpt under the cut!
“Well, well,” he murmured, “with every look and every word, the little lamb with the big brown eyes proves she’s not as defenseless as she first appears.” Clara felt a spark of frustration at his description. She might be plain and possess a shy, quiet disposition, but she was not some helpless, dependent creature.
“Is that what I am?” she asked as they turned in a circle, moving in the steps of the dance. “A little lamb?” She opened her eyes deliberately wide. “And I’m lost in the woods, I suppose, and you’ll come save me?”
“Save you? I doubt it.” His gaze lowered, paus- ing at her lips. “Ravish you would be a sight more likely.”
Clara’s heart gave a panicked thud, slamming into her ribs with such force that it broke her concentration. She trod on his foot, lost her balance, and would have stumbled, but he caught her, letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her back. “Careful,” he murmured. “Dance with me much longer and you’ll be in danger.”
“You warn me, Lord Galbraith, but I cannot help wondering why.”
“You’re in my arms.” He pulled her a fraction closer. “Make no mistake, my lamb. You are in very great danger.”
Princesses, Castles, Evil Villains Oh My! in Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn - ARC Review
I have given Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn a ☆☆ rating. It is Book 1 of The Rosewood Chronicles. It is Young Adult Fantasy. Penguin publishes it. It was released November 2, 2017.
The blurb reads:
When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.
Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty - a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she'll soon discover that reality doesn't always have the happily ever after you'd expect...
A thrilling world of parties, politics and bad ass princesses, this is the first book in the brand new series THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES.
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Months ago, I requested an e-galley from Netgalley for Undercover Princess and was a little upset that I didn’t get a copy. So, when I got a chance to review an ARC through the Kuala Lumpur Book Appreciation Club (KLBAC) on Facebook, I jumped immediately (it’s always a race to get YA arcs cause everyone wants them). And I feel really bad that I have to rate this so low. But, my reasons are below. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
Take Barbie movies, throw in some Naughtiest Girl in School, a little bit of Gossip Girl, some Harry Potter, a sprinkle of Disney’s Descendants, some good old-fashioned Disney princesses and that’s what you get with Undercover Princess. Now, here’s what you’re thinking. But Avery, the title literally says princess and look at that synopsis, how could you have been fooled? Well, folks, I was. You can always write a princess story but still be smart, unique and to use the most clichéd word on earth, interesting.
Undercover Princess was entertaining, don’t get me wrong. It really felt like I was watching Barbie Princess Charm School, but without the magic. But, like these cartoons aimed at a younger demographic, Undercover Princess was rife with clichés, hanging plots, poor world-building, uninspired villains, lazy writing and absolute cringe.
The one that thing Undercover Princess really had going for itself: the general, overarching plot. It honestly wasn’t that bad and had tons of potential to be built into something that’s really cool. It isn’t the most original plot (it reads like Monte Carlo, the Selena Gomez-starring Disney movie but with villains) but there are only so many ways you can spin a tale (pun intended, y’know cause fairytale and all). Yet, it was bogged down with clichés. Two girls who are complete polar opposites end up being roommates and one of them is the princess? #scandalous But, as it goes on, it really morphs and it takes an unexpected turn, one that I did not see coming.
Continuing on my semi-rant, Lottie is Charlotte Pumpkin, and obsessed with princesses and fairytales. She is absolutely infuriating in her naivety and innocence that she reads almost like one of the caricatures of the Japanese lolita culture. Seriously, that’s how I picture her with all pink and curls and baby doll dresses. Cringe-y. And I get that she’s 14 but come on girl, you can’t be that sensitive and crying almost all the time. But, bear with me, Lottie does go on a bit of character arc and actually becomes kinda kickass, not badass, but she does toughen up and that was nice to read.
Ellie, on the other hand, is your typical “rebel girl”. Black hair, black clothes, short cropped hair, loves angry music and dark films. Like, can you get any more stereotyped? It’s so hard to read past all these cringe. She is also good at breaking and entering (seriously, as a princess, wtf?) and gives off a strong Avril Lavigne circa Girlfriend vibe. Like, trying really hard to be badass and punk rock. But I liked her. She had spirit and she had an independence and fire that Lottie lacked.
There are a slew of other side characters that make their appearance in Undercover Princess from Ellie’s bodyguard (they’re called Partizans), Jamie who sort of has a romantic connection with Lottie, to Lottie’s best friend, Ollie and of course, the villains whom I shall not name as well as the friends that Lottie makes. But they’re all cookie cutter characters, cut from a press out book of “high school stereotypes and friends”. Absolutely bland with no defining characteristics of their own.
And, if you’re wondering about Rosewood Hall where everything takes place, wonder again. Because the worldbuilding is poor. The entire time, I kept thinking that it’s set in England (impossible cause Lottie travels and she’s from Cornwall) but apparently, it’s not. Also, where is Maradova? Is it like Genovia? The latter had a lot more worldbuilding, tbh. Rosewood Hall has a lot of descriptions but half the time, it comes across as Hogwarts crossed with Beauty and the Beast castle and it’s too magical to be real (probably what the author intended) with conveniently placed two way mirrors for eavesdropping and ooh, tunnels and secret passageways! Also, no one gets punished in this school. WHAT ARE THE POINT OF HEAD OF HOUSES AND PREFECTS???? Everyone is also exceedingly and unnaturally polite.
Finally, if you’re familiar with my reviews, I like to round everything off by talking about the writing style. And it’s comically childish in Undercover Princess, signalling to me that it’s definitely for and aimed towards a younger audience. Both Lottie and Ellie have only one defining feature. Lottie is constantly blushing. Like all the fucking time. The internet is filled with ways to write embarrassment other than “turning pink in the cheek”. In fact, my Pinterest feed shows me the same thing with every refresh. But no, all Lottie does is blush to the point I think she must have a stomach condition that affects her cheeks so. And don’t get me started on Ellie cause all that defines her cockiness is a side smile. Like, side smiling all the time like is there something wrong with the muscles in your face? You have to get it checked out, girl.
Finally, I’d like to point out that Ellie and Lottie’s friendship reads as more than friends to me. Like, I’m super close with my girlfriends but the lesbian-esque feels between them is so strong I wanted this book to be LGBT but no, they’re strictly….dickly.
As we draw to a conclusion, Undercover Princess is definitely not the book for you if you’re into more mature YA, and not even the sexy kind of mature. It is more aimed towards younger readers looking for an upgrade to the usual 12-14 year old stuff. It’s got a strong plot base that I think could really be moulded into something suitable for older readers. But it’s just loaded with clichés and underdeveloped plots, poor world building and a lazy writing style. Two stars for effort and plot.
Thank you to Times Read for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the finished copy.
Read an Except of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Latest Release and Series Starter, Moonlight Sins
Phew, it’s my first time being a part of a blog tour and I’m going into this blind! But it’s been really fun and I’m super excited to bring you a charming and delightful excerpt of Moonlight Sins. The start to the de Vincent series, Moonlight Sins is gothic with paranormal elements, a steamy romance and oodles of mystery! You can read my review of Moonlight Sins here.
Set in the heart of New Orleans MOONLIGHT SINS, the first book in the all-new de Vincent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, invites readers to enter the world the de Vincent family.
Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she had her heart and confidence shattered by her manipulative ex-husband. For the first time in her life, she’s making major changes– new job, new town and a new opportunity to forget the past. But starting over in the Louisiana bayou isn’t exactly what she thought it would be…
Lucien de Vincent – the wildest, most unpredictable brother - is having a bad week. His father has been found dead in the most suspicious circumstances. His older brother is bribing the police to avoid a scandal. And the more he spends time with, Julia the new nurse taking care of his troubled sister, the more he can’t imagine being without her. Lucien may be the unrepentant bachelor of the family but there’s something about Julia that makes him want to lay himself bare. But family secrets are starting to emerge. And the past could not only bring down a dynasty but destroy Julia in the process.
Julia knows better than to get wrapped up in Lucian. He’s from a world she can’t relate to. Plus, he’s her employer. But his wicked touch and sensual promises are too much to deny. What starts with a kiss ends with so much more.
But I’ll stop talking now, you’re not here to hear me talk. Duhh. Excerpt under the cut!
“I want to know about you,” he spoke before she could, and then shifted closer, his knee pressed into her thigh once more. “I have questions. I’m made of them.”
She gave a little laugh as she shook her head. “There’s nothing more to know about me than what you already know.”
“There’s literally everything to know about you,” he insisted. “Where did you go to school? What really made you take a job like this one where you leave everything behind?”
“I went to Shippensburg University. You’ve probably never heard of it.” Like she’d ever answer that last question. Finishing off her tea, she smiled faintly. “It’s really late and I do need to get to sleep. Thank you for the tea. I think it will work.”
“But I haven’t asked you the most important question.”
Slipping off the stool, she let her hair fall forward, past her breasts. “And what is that?”
“How can you be here and be the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen?”
Julia’s head swung to his so fast she thought her it would fall right off her shoulders.
Everything about the tone of his voice and the slightly wide eyes of his said he was being genuine, but he couldn’t be serious.
Her gaze sharpened. Was he drinking something harder than chamomile? Because there was no way in the world that he truly believed that she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
The question burned to the tip of her tongue. If he thought she was so beautiful then why did he walk away from her that night in her apartment? She swallowed the question so she didn’t have to swallow her pride.
At the end of the day, she knew who Lucian was.
He was the kind of guy who couldn’t go a weekend without getting laid. They existed. She’d met a few while in college and when she did her stint at the hospital. They weren’t exactly particular when it came to who’d they be with. Pretty much came down to whoever was available at the time.
Which meant she wasn’t going to be impressed with stray compliments that were tossed out as often as the trash was.
Lucian leaned and then spoke in a low voice, “There is another reason why I didn’t tell you who I was.”
The change of subject rattled her and she whispered back. “Why?”
He tilted his head so his mouth was directly above her ear. “Because I knew the moment you’d figured out who I was, you wouldn’t have let me come back to your apartment.”
Exhaling roughly, Julia knew she needed to pull away and stop this conversation. That was the professional and mature thing to do, but she didn’t move. She was frozen on her stool, her heart thumping in her chest.
He wasn’t done yet. “I knew that if you realized who I was, you would’ve never let me get my hand between those pretty thighs of yours and I would’ve never known how soft and slick you felt against my fingers.”
A bolt of red-hot lust blasted through her veins as heat poured into her very core. Those words created a storm inside her. A tremble rocked her body.
“So, yeah, that’s another reason why I didn’t say who I was.” His lips brushed the lobe of her ear, sending an illicit shiver across her skin.
Pulse pounding, she drew back. She felt unsteady as Lucian straightened on his chair, and she felt so close—too close to do something irrevocably reckless. Like hopping off her stool and into his lap.
“You’re not supposed to bring that up,” she reminded him. “You promised.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I didn’t promise that.”
She opened her mouth.
“I didn’t,” he insisted, and when she dragged the conversation back through her thoughts, she realized he was right. He hadn’t.
Her eyes narrowed. “Even so, it would be the appropriate thing for you to do.”
“And I think you already know how I feel about doing the appropriate thing.”
She shook her head. It was way past time to end this conversation. “Thank you for the tea, Lucian, but—” A gasp cut her off.
Lucian rose and was in front of her so quickly that she was startled. “Say it again.”
Confusion swamped her. “Say what?”
“My name.”
They were close, and he towered over her by a good foot. Julia reached out, gripping the edge of the island. “Why?”
“Because I asked?” he offered, his lips curving up at the corners. “And because I like the way it sounds coming from your lips.”
Her heart did a weird little jump. She had no idea how to respond to that request. None whatsoever.
But then he moved. He reached into the small place between them, catching the piece of her hair that had fallen across her cheek. Before she could move away, the back of his hand dragged across her cheek as he tucked the hair behind her ear. Her stupid, stupid body immediately responded once more.
Blog Tour Review: Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I have given Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout a ☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 1 of the de Vincent series. It is Adult Contemporary Romance. Avon Books publishes it. It was published January 30, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Set in the heart of New Orleans MOONLIGHT SINS, the first book in the all-new de Vincent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, invites readers to enter the world the de Vincent family.
Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she had her heart and confidence shattered by her manipulative ex-husband. For the first time in her life, she’s making major changes– new job, new town and a new opportunity to forget the past. But starting over in the Louisiana bayou isn’t exactly what she thought it would be…
Lucien de Vincent – the wildest, most unpredictable brother - is having a bad week. His father has been found dead in the most suspicious circumstances. His older brother is bribing the police to avoid a scandal. And the more he spends time with, Julia the new nurse taking care of his troubled sister, the more he can’t imagine being without her. Lucien may be the unrepentant bachelor of the family but there’s something about Julia that makes him want to lay himself bare. But family secrets are starting to emerge. And the past could not only bring down a dynasty but destroy Julia in the process.
Julia knows better than to get wrapped up in Lucian. He’s from a world she can’t relate to. Plus, he’s her employer. But his wicked touch and sensual promises are too much to deny. What starts with a kiss ends with so much more.
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Two posts in one day? I have hit a new record. But, truly, it’s because I overloaded once again and ended up doing two blog tours in a day. Not the best idea but when I realised my mistake, it was too late to move things around. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
I’ve yet to read any Jennifer L Armentrout books but I’ve heard good things about her writing so when I saw that Moonlight Sins was one of the anticipated romance reads of January, I couldn’t resist the chance to snag a spot on the Pure Textuality blog tour! Read an excerpt here!
But, I was mildly disappointed.
Moonlight Sins gives you a sort of gothic vibe, one that involves creepy old ancestral homes and of course, everyone’s favourite, ghosts. So, if you’re a scaredy cat like me, please don’t read this at home, alone and at night because your imagination will run wild and play tricks on you. But more than having a gothic vibe I was not prepared for, Moonlight Sins lacked a lot of fire and I really struggled with my rating and review. Find out why under the cut!
Firstly, it took forever for the plot to build to a remotely exciting place. It was slow and I could not see where the book wanted to go. Sure, you have Lucian and Julia’s romance but is that the entirety of the novel? Especially after mystery elements have been introduced? It just wasn’t quick enough for the kind of story being told. Plus, I absolutely detest when romances start off with a fuck fest when the characters have barely had any chance to develop any chemistry and the dirty talk was blah, leaving me thinking that it was just a poor choice for a plot device.
But, Moonlight Sins’ shining glory is Julia. She’s everything you need in a heroine. She’s headstrong, she takes no shit, she’s independent and she is no spineless lady. She stands up to the alpha male all the while caring for his sister as her nurse, not as a lady hired to be a caregiver.
Lucian, on the other hand, I could not begin to like at all. Firstly, he lies to Julia (even though he claims that semantically, he didn’t), he sleeps with her and when she shows up at her job, continues being lecherous towards her, even though she has expressed how his actions made her feel. He’s domineering in an uncomfortable way and insinuates himself into her life, being overly possessive (is this still a thing people like????) and all Neanderthal-esque. Armentrout is known for her domineering heroes but this one just felt excessive and out of touch with our current reality. I, for one, could feel absolute zero chemistry between the both of them and any steamy bits, I just glossed over.
On the other hand, I did absolutely love Lucian’s brother, Gabe, and I’m so excited that the next instalment is his story! He’s a lot more charming and sweet than his brother.
Steamy score: 3. I love the self-pleasure scene from Julia and it’s just really important that female sexuality is recognised and celebrated.
Another thing I felt was sorely lacking was the setting itself. Although it was set in New Orleans, more often than not, I forget they were even there. Okay, the de Vincent family home is set like wayyyyyy off the grid, cut off from society by gates and long winding roads. But, if you’re going to set a book somewhere, I’d best a get a feel for the local environment instead of using the voodoo-hoodoo vibe of New Orleans to help center the gothic-ness.
It was difficult to rate Moonlight Sins. I wanted to give it a good review but it’s too mediocre in a world of stunning and amazing contemporary romances. In fact, Moonlight Sins made a better suspense/mystery than it did an actual romance because the author is good at building up the mystery elements. But coupled with a hero that I just could not like and he refused to grow on me, made Moonlight Sins somewhat of a chore. Julia Hughes, the heroine, is the only shining light in the gloom. Oh, and Lucian’s brother Gabe.
Thank you to Pure Textuality, the author and the publisher for the blog tour and providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Blog Tour Review: Midsummer Delights by Eloisa James
I have given Midsummer Delights by Eloisa James a ☆☆☆☆ rating. It is a short story collection. It is Adult Historical Romance. Avon Romance publishes it. It was published February 6, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Who Writes Cinderella Stories Better than Eloisa James?
No Eloisa James fan should miss these enchanting short stories!
A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace!
After Miss Cecilia Bellingworth has endured two Seasons, she decides that she would rather ruin her reputation than endure further speculation about whether her children will be “silly,” like her brother, Billy. She puts on a gorgeous gown and decides to flirt outrageously with the first handsome servant she sees! Luckily, a gorgeous musician at the Duke of Ormond’s ball seems the perfect candidate to create a scandal… Don’t miss this charming version of Cinderella, previously published in the Essex Sisters Companion Guide.
At Midnight
Elias Hempleworth-Gray has only one thing only of value—his title, Earl of Leyton. Determined to leave England and the scandal of his gambler father behind, Elias hopes to turn around his fortunes and come back to claim the lady he loves, Miss Penelope White. But Penny has other plans for the man she has loved all her life...plans that include a masquerade, a stolen kiss and a lost shoe.
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I’m a massive fan of Eloisa James; meaning that I devour her books like they’re water and I’m stranded in a desert. That was probably a terrible analogy but ever since I picked up one of EJ’s books, there was no going back. She’s a queen in my books (pun intended). So when the opportunity came to be a part of the blog tour for her new collection of short stories, Midsummer Delights, I didn’t hesitate. A big thank you to PR Textuality, the publisher and the author for providing me with a review copy. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
You know what I hated the most about reading Midsummer Delights? I needed so much more of these couples and their stories. I need a full length novel for each and every one of them. There are three stories in the collection and they’re titled in a sort of Cinderella-esque progession:
A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace!
At Midnight
Ever After
I’ll do a quick mini review of each story below the cut:
A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace
The longest story in the collection, A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace was previously published in The Official Essex Sisters Companion Guide but seeing as I have never read this, this story was new to me. It’s told from the POV of Cecilia who is tired of being a wallflower and sick of performing for the seasons. So, she decides to take matters into her own hands and while she intended on dallying with a dashing musician (come on, dear readers, admit it, we’ve all got a thing for musicians), turns out he was her childhood playmate, Theo. Who annoyed the shit out of her. While it’s not my favourite story of the lot (I found both lead characters to be a little too extra), it was very endearing and I loved Cecilia’s spirit and headstrong-ness. I also really loved that they bonded over music (and all the references to learning the “guitar” were swoon-worthy) but as short stories go, they leapt and jumped head first into the romance. In terms of Cinderella, this was the farthest from the general idea of what Cindy is.
At Midnight
Possibly my favourite of the three, At Midnight is told from Elias Hempleworth-Gray’s POV. He’s everything a dashing hero should be: charming, handsome and with a heart of gold. But, he’s dirt poor. (You can already sense the Cinderella here) Yet, he’s madly in love with his very rich neighbour and childhood friend, Penelope White. But, his best friend Reggie is going to propose to her. Of course, dear readers, that will not happen. With some very clever manipulations and a very clever and daring heroine intervening, Elias gets his HEA. P.S., it involves a missing shoe and a masquerade ball.
Ever After
Violet Leighton has gone through 4 seasons and turned down every one of her offers. No one can stand up to her one true love, Rothwell Talcott but in four years, the dude has only sent her two letters. Possibly the least romantic thing ever. But now, he’s back and he wants Violet. But of course, he has to work for it. Not the most entertaining story but it was fun and charming, reading Rothwell try to get back into Violet’s good graces and the latter trying not to cave. Ever After was previously published in The Ugly Duchess.
Cute, endearing and charming, the Midsummer Delights short story collection is every EJ collector’s item. Is it the best I’ve ever read from the queen? No. I’m not one for overly sweet and cute stories and while I did smile, it didn’t really move me much. I’m cold hearted that way. But was it a beautiful piece of work? Duh, it was.
Thank you to PR Textuality and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review and hosting this blog tour. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Bookworm Falls in Love with Brooding Neighbour in Chris Cannon’s The Dating Debate – An ARC Review
I have given The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon a ☆☆ rating. It is Book 1 of Dating Dilemmas series. It is Young Adult Contemporary Romance. Entangled Teen publishes it. It will be published February 5, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Nina Barnes thinks Valentine’s Day should be optional. That way single people like her wouldn’t be subjected to kissy Cupids all over the place. That is, until her mom moves them next door to the brooding hottie of Greenbrier High, West Smith. He’s funny, looks amazing in a black leather jacket, and he’s fluent in Harry Potter, but she’s not sure he’s boyfriend material.
West isn’t sure what to make of Nina. She’s cute and loves to read as much as he does, but she seems to need to debate everything and she has a pathological insistence on telling the truth. And West doesn’t exactly know how to handle that, since his entire life is a carefully constructed secret. Dating the girl next door could be a ton of fun, but only if Nina never finds out the truth about his home life. It’s one secret that could bring them together or rip them apart.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book is not for anyone who has to get in the last word, but it is for all book nerds, especially those who live next door to so called unapproachable gorgeous guys. There’s no debating the chemistry.
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Hi, kings and queens! Is February treating you right? I am on a roll and very proud of myself at the progress that I’ve been making with churning out reviews as often as I can. Let’s hope this momentum continues! As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
The fact that Nina loves Harry Potter should have been a giant warning sign, blaring in my face. While we bookworms might love good old Harry, it doesn’t consume our lives and we have more than one bookish interest, more often than not we have too many to count, but not just the singular one. But I was blinded by the fact that a bookworm was getting her own story, featuring a hot and brooding guy (because let’s face it, we love our fictional bad boys!). However, more than the bookworm and Harry Potter angle being utter clickbait, The Dating Debate deals with a rather annoying and obnoxious main character and one of the worst writings of mental illnesses I have ever witnessed.
The only reason I did not DNF it and even gave it two stars was because there was the cutest dog possible and every dog deserves a star, or two, because Gidget saved the book.
On to the plot, what started out as Nina, hater of Valentine’s Day, practically forcing and pressuring West to go to the dance (all because she is not a liar and refuses to lie which, is a pretty dick move) dissolves into the most boring play-by-play recap of their lives from brushing their teeth to tucking themselves into bed at the end of the day. It’s like reading a teenager’s diary but with less of the drama. It’s boring. So, okay, you say Avery, it’s Entangled, you shouldn’t be expecting much. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to Julie Cross’ Breaking the Ice which was a phenomenal read.
Not to mention, the conflicts had zero fire and lacked any real feeling of fight. But, it was a typical teenage fight which, props to the author for keeping it real.
And, for the bookworm thing, it felt like an actual plot device instead of being part of Nina’s personality. It didn’t come across as Nina being a real bookworm at all even if she did all the normal bookish things like going to the library and hitting up the bookstore and being very invested in saving her local library. Like, no, sis. We don’t need you to pander to us readers.
Speaking of characters, Nina is being presented as a girl who loves debate when in truth, she just likes confrontation and practically shoving her opinions onto other people and expecting them to accept her words as truth. In fact, she actually strategises and feels very fulfilled whenever someone starts an argument, which just goes to show she likes “winning” and being right.
You know how they say that when you hate something about someone, it’s because you see the same traits in yourself. Well, I spent a very, very long time getting rid of this very behaviour that Nina has and to see her glorifying in it just bothers me so much. She’s not in the least bit likeable and I’m not surprised if West moves on after. And don’t even get me started on the “hippy chick” thing because not a single thing about Nina is hippy???
And West is your cookie cutter bad boy neighbour next door. Want a great neighbour story? Check out The Duff, the movie that is, because I’ve never read the book and have no idea if it’s the same. He feels like a caricature of what you’d expect a brooding, sexy hero to be like and in truth, he isn’t brooding and sexy, he’s just a loner by choice (or maybe not so much by choice, depending on how you look at it). He’s also incredibly flavourless; in writing this review, I cannot recall a single standout detail about him other than his leather jacket.
The only good thing to come out of this blandness in both Nina and West is that it’s very obvious they are products of their environments which I thought was a clever bit of writing.
I always save the best for last and oh boy, this is a doozy. Mental illness is always an incredibly sensitive and difficult subject to write about and so far, most books have took much care in how it is portrayed. But not this one. West’s mother is a hoarder and in an attempt to not upset her, West’s father is an enabler. Now, West doesn’t like that his mother is a hoarder (my mother is also unable to throw things away and I can see where he’s coming from), but the way both him and Nina speak about his mother’s illness is utterly despicable. They act as if a mental illness does not require any medical assistance and can magically disappear if the patient tries really hard. It turned my stomach every time.
As we draw to a conclusion about The Dating Debate, there is a lot more I can say about plots that were started and unfinished and Nina’s behaviour or the ridiculous minor girl-hate-and-shaming but then this review would drag on longer than I would like. To recap, I can deal with cheesy romances but this was not it. Nina is an obnoxious and selfish teen wrapped up in the guise of a bookworm and West is what happens when you forget to salt your pasta water: bland.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Jaime Questell’s By A Charm and A Curse: A Charming Story Burdened By A Curse of Own – An ARC Review
I have given By A Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell a ☆☆☆ rating. It is Young Adult Fantasy with a heavy Romance plot. Entangled Teen publishes it. It will be published February 6, 2018.
The blurb reads:
Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic isn’t like other traveling circuses. It’s bound by a charm, held together by a centuries-old curse, that protects its members from ever growing older or getting hurt. Emmaline King is drawn to the circus like a moth to a flame…and unwittingly recruited into its folds by a mysterious teen boy whose kiss is as cold as ice.
Forced to travel through Texas as the new Girl in the Box, Emmaline is completely trapped. Breaking the curse seems like her only chance at freedom, but with no curse, there’s no charm, either—dooming everyone who calls the Carnival Fantastic home. Including the boy she’s afraid she’s falling for.
Everything—including his life—could end with just one kiss.
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I’m not really back on schedule because damn, my February is packed! I’m part of 2 blog tours for the same day because I got too excited and didn’t check my calendar right. That’s me; the overachieving klutz. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
Let’s jump right into it. By A Charm and A Curse is the kind of book that hooks you in right with the synopsis. Plus, have you seen the cover? It’s so beautiful that it brings tears to my eyes (click on my banner to enlarge). But, this is why they say appearances are deceiving. On the surface, By A Charm and A Curse is perfect. It’s got carnivals (think The Night Circus and Caraval), mysterious curses and possibly malicious charms that work with a freaking kiss. It’s perfect.
But, I was mildly disappointed.
It didn’t live up to any of my expectations, not only in length but also in plot. It commits the crime of the century: insta-love!
Right from the first page, it was love at first sight for both Benjamin and Emma. The entire plot revolves around the two falling madly in love enough to break the curse of the carnival. Every decision, every turn of the plot, was because of and for their love which made it super cringey to read. And, that sucks because the mythology around the curse and the charm is so much fun and exciting! I really relished the parts when they talked about the curse and it’s history. I would have appreciated a lot more of build-up rather than them falling desperately in love and head over heels for each other. Because, there was little to no chemistry.
Of course, given that it’s Entangled, what more would I have expected? Other than the fact that it’s wham-bam-fall-in-love-ma’am, the plot was super interesting and makes the book worth reading.
When you have a book this short, it becomes a massive struggle between bringing out a character’s personality and moving the plot forward. While the latter was done beautifully, the former suffered.
Emma was bland; her best friend is Jules, her mother is a scientist and she’s in love with Benjamin. She had absolutely no personality except for how much she cares about her lover which doesn’t say much about who she is as a person.
Benjamin, on the other hand, is doe eyed and naïve. He’s willing to throw away his hopes and dreams for The Girl in the Box and even sacrifice his relationship with his mother.
But, where there are bland main characters, there are always beautiful and colourful side characters to liven up the dance floor! From Gin and Whiskey (sisters with amazing balance skills) to Marcel (boyfriend and knife thrower), they really bring the carnival to life. Although, Duncan (mind reader) seemed to be introduced as a sort of token gay character who’s not only a POC but obsessed with being all fab. His LGBT identity lasted only a page so, that’s fine.
But, my favourite character in By A Charm and A Curse is Sidney, boy who tricks Emma into the box and ex-lover of Benjamin’s mother. He went from asshole to tragic and had such a lovely character reveal as the story progressed. It explained so much about who he is and what his motivations were.
And as we draw to a conclusion on By A Charm and A Curse, there’s not much more that can be said about the book. The plot was good but saddled by the burden of insta-love and the main characters were bland but the side ones really brought the carnival aspect to life. I do think that the author made a good effort to try and spark some chemistry between the two leads but there was no reason for their love other than that they ended up spending a lot of time together. And that made By A Charm and A Curse a cringe-y read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Hey, Non! Thanks for livening up my inbox. I needed it.
My absolute favourite romantic novel (and I’m assuming you’re referring to adult romantic fiction) is Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas. Nothing has come close to topping how wonderfully charming Beatrix is and how manly Christopher is. I have read it so many times that the pages are worn with my love for the characters. Now you make me wanna read it again!
Amnesia and the Search for Identity in Rebekah Crane’s The Upside of Falling Down - An ARC Review
I have given The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane a ☆☆☆ rating. It belongs to the Young Adult Contemporary Romance genre. Skyscape publishes it. It was published January 30, 2018.
The blurb reads:
For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her mission.
They tell her she’s the lone survivor of a plane crash. They tell her she’s lucky to be alive. But she doesn’t feel lucky. She feels…lost.
With the relentless Irish press bearing down on her, and a father she may not even recognize on his way from America to take her home, Clementine assumes a new identity and enlists a blue-eyed Irish stranger, Kieran O’Connell, to help her escape her forgotten life…and start a new one.
Hiding out in the sleepy town of Waterville, Ireland, Clementine discovers there’s an upside to a life that’s fallen apart. But as her lies grow, so does her affection for Kieran, and the truth about her identity becomes harder and harder to reveal, forcing Clementine to decide: Can she leave her past behind for a new love she’ll never forget?
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Phew, so this one was due quite a while back but I’m not known for my punctuality and sticking to a schedule, no matter how many pretty bullet journal pages I draw up. I’ll cut to the chase here. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
I’ve always been more of a fantasy/sci-fi kind of girl and the contemporaries I read are of the extremely cheesy and romance-driven kind. So, The Upside of Falling Down is a new-ish sort of venture for me and it’s safe to say, I’ll probably not read more of this type of YA book.
Don’t get me wrong, The Upside of Falling Down isn’t bad. In fact, I think it had enough of a plot twist and emotion to keep the story going. On the other hand, it takes a legitimate sickness/condition and turns it into a fucking plot device and romantic plot. Like ugh wtf. The Upside of Falling Down wasn’t even about Clementine’s amnesia; it was about her fucking love life. Can we stop with the romantic sickness trope?
I do think that the best part about the plot was how easily it flowed. Too often, we get books that jump from one event to another with little to no explanation but this one was like a dream. The twists were also great and I did enjoy reading about someone trying to regain their memory as well as the themes surrounding identity. We always come across writing prompts like “what if you wake up without any memories”. I also really liked how everything tied neatly at the end; there was no what if.
But, as I always say, the most important part about contemporaries is the characters. And boy, did I fucking hate the leads. I also didn’t like anyone except for Clive and Siobhan.
Clementine/Jane was the worst character I’ve ever met. Girl lost her memories, not her fucking morals. She was so indecisive, finicky and screamed of damsel in distress. She’s constantly lying about her (I get she’s got no memories and one lie was fine, but she lied twice!) and she has absolutely no boundaries. She is the least relatable character that I’ve ever come across. It’s easy to see why Siobhan hated the fuck out of her; I would have run her over with a herd of Irish sheep.
Kieran is no better. He’s an asshole for lying to her and using her for his own nefarious reasons. He basically played her; both her and her feelings, if you get what I mean. I did not believe in their love for each other at all. He was barely around for a good chunk of Clementine/Jane’s recovery period and nothing about his tragic back story made me feel any lick of sympathy for him.
The Upside of Falling Down’s knight in shining armour is Clive and Siobhan. They were the most honest and real characters and really added flavour to a boring af main couple. They were colourful and vibrant and as charming as the Irish countryside they were in; even if Siobhan was constantly snippy. Their relationship was so much more believable than that of Jane and Kieran’s.
And as we draw to a conclusion on The Upside of Falling Down, of course, we have to talk about the writing. I have absolutely no complaints about it. It was easy to read and full of quotable and profound lines, typical of the genre.
Characters are the most fundamental part of any story, book etc. I think everyone can agree on that. No matter how good a story you have, without a great character, it will amount to nothing. And that’s what happened here. The characters were the worst and with every turn of the page, I hated Clementine/Jane more. But, The Upside of Falling Down deserves to be rated on more than just its characters. It was a compelling story with a neat ending, had wonderful side characters that I couldn’t wait to read more of and was clearly very well-written in an era of books that need more editing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Whenever a character in a fic goes ‘make me’ I get so excited cause I’m always like my dude ur about to get slammed against a wall and kissed so hard until ur fucking wrecked. Like I’m talking hair pulling, lip biting, legs shaking type of wrecked.
K. C. Tansley’s The Girl Who Saved Ghosts Takes You on A Whirlwind Gothic Mix of Time-Travel, Family Ghosts, Curses, Ancestral Homes and Heirlooms - An ARC Review
I have given The Girl Who Saved Ghosts by K. C. Tansley a ☆☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 2 of The Unbelievables series. It belongs to the Young Adult Paranormal genre with some Horror, Mystery and Fantasy. Beckett Publishing Group publishes it. It was published October 17, 2017.
The blurb reads:
She tried to ignore them. Now she might risk everything to save them.
After a summer spent in a haunted castle—a summer in which she traveled through time to solve a murder mystery—Kat is looking forward to a totally normal senior year at McTernan Academy. Then the ghost of a little girl appears and begs Kat for help, and more unquiet apparitions follow. All of them are terrified by the Dark One, and it soon becomes clear that that this evil force wants Kat dead.
Searching for help, Kat leaves school for the ancestral home she’s only just discovered. Her friend Evan, whose family is joined to her own by an arcane history, accompanies her. With the assistance of her eccentric great aunts and a loyal family ghost, Kat soon learns that she and Evan can only fix the present by traveling into the past.
As Kat and Evan make their way through nineteenth-century Vienna, the Dark One stalks them, and Kat must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save a ghost.
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I owe an apology to the publisher and K. C. Tansley for not having this review up in a timely manner. I have no excuse. I was in a busy time in my life and struggled to have my priorities straight. As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
The Girl Who Saved Ghosts (and its predecessor, The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts. And thank you to the BPG for providing me with a copy of the latter which I will review at a later date) is truly and extremely underrated. I wish desperately that I had physical copies and I wish I had enough sway with my local bookstores so I can actually see this series fly off the shelves! Why do all the top bloggers not talk about this series? It’s well-written, it’s witty and it’s got such a diverse cast of characters. Let it be known that it is also the 2017 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards Winner for YA Mystery/Horror. So, you know it’s really good. But, if you’re not convinced read on.
In The Girl who Saved Ghosts, we once again follow Kat and Evan’s journey into the past to retrieve another family heirloom. But, their travels and their existence is now further threatened by a dark ghostly presence known as the Dark One. That’s, of course, the most basic plot but The Girl Who Saved Ghosts is so rich in story that I can’t say anything without giving away the tiniest hint of what happens. That, honestly, is just how perfect the book is and how crucial (and clever) every detail is to the story as a whole. I will say that where in the first installment, we saw Kat learning to help ghosts and step out of her protective circle, in this one, she’s actively helping ghosts because her abilities are tied back to the present day as well as the safety and well-being of her family and closest friends. Trust me when I saw that although it all sounds very vague, I promise, it’s better than the first installment.
The plot and all its little details do veer a little into the cliché for me and sort of reminds me of Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor but only a little. Because, there’s some learning about how to time travel and protect herself and all that.
I love Kat. She’s, of course, my favourite character. She’s a little buttoned up, she’s curvy and she wears glasses and is probably one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever come across, save for the fact that she communicates with ghosts. I like that in The Girl Who Saved Ghosts, we see her actively accept and embrace her abilities with a confidence. She’s very take charge and it’s just refreshing to read.
And, where there’s Kat, there’s Evan. Did I mention that he’s Chinese? Like, Asian represent, ya’ll. I love that he’s still a snarky little bitch but also very sexy and very protective of Kat and also a little dorky. I love that he’s always ready to jump into the deep end with Kat, to help her and their families, of course. I also love how he begrudgingly helps Kat but also secretly enjoys it, or is that just my imagination?
While there is a full and massive cast of characters, this review would stretch forever if I mentioned each and every one of them.
I would, however, like to give special attention to Kat and Evan because WHEN WILL THEY SMUSH FACE S I NEEDED IT LIKE YESTERDAY. There’s so much tension, they work so well together and their ancestors are lovers. Why can’t they just smush already? And then I remember that Kat is barely legal and Evan is. So, we just have to wait sighs.
I wanna touch a little about the writing and a little bit about the negatives of The Girl Who Saved Ghosts. I think it’s extremely clever that the story is told in such a way that Kat and Evan are able to inhabit the bodies of their ancestors (although there’s a little slip up in this one hehe) and let them take over for some third-person action and to drive the plot. But also have Kat and Evan be present for first-person point of view so they can discuss the modern world.
But, this means that a great chunk of the time is spent in the shoes of the people they inhabit and while Tansley makes excellent distinction in their character and you’re able to tell them apart, I often feel like I know about the people they inhabit that Kat and Evan.
Also, I’m a little tired of the treasure hunting. It’s a little juvenile and simple, no matter how you change up the other factors.
I NEEDED THE THIRD BOOK LIKE YESTERDAY!!!!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
Spartacus Reimagined as a Thracian Swordsmaiden in C. V. Wyk’s Blood and Sand – An ARC Review
I have given Blood and Sand by C. V. Wyk a ☆☆☆☆ rating. It is Book 1 of an untitled series. It belongs to the Young Adult Historical Fiction genre with some Fantasy. It is also a Retelling. Tor Teen publishes it. It will be published January 16, 2018.
The blurb reads:
The action-packed tale of a 17-year-old warrior princess and a handsome gladiator who dared take on the Roman Republic―and gave rise to the legend of Spartacus...
For teens who love strong female protagonists in their fantasy and historical fiction, Blood and Sand is a stirring, yet poignant tale of two slaves who dared take on an empire by talented debut author C. V. Wyk.
Roma Victrix. The Republic of Rome is on a relentless march to create an empire―an empire built on the backs of the conquered, brought back to Rome as slaves.
Attia was once destined to rule as the queen and swordmaiden of Thrace, the greatest warrior kingdom the world had seen since Sparta. Now she is a slave, given to Xanthus, the Champion of Rome, as a sign of his master’s favor. Enslaved as a child, Xanthus is the preeminent gladiator of his generation.
Against all odds, Attia and Xanthus form a tentative bond. A bond that will spark a rebellion. A rebellion that threatens to bring the Roman Republic to its end―and gives rise to the legend of Spartacus...
The story continues in Fire and Ash, coming in 2019 from Tor Teen.
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Happy book birthday to Blood and Sand by C. V. Wyk! I don’t usually publish my reviews on release day but I’ve had a rough couple of days, plus, I started a new internship and was unable to schedule the review accordingly. Nevertheless, here it is! As always, my reviews may contain spoilers. I say may because what’s a spoiler to you may not be a spoiler for me.
Despite what I’ve seen reviews says about Blood and Sand being a story written by someone who has watched the 300 movies and played too many war games, I liked it. Was I completely blown away? No. But did it excite me at every turn? Hell yeah, it did! It deserves four stars from me because it was very well-written with every scene flowing seamlessly into the next. I really loved that we know that Mount Vesuvius was going to erupt and every moment was just leading up to that.
Fair warning that I’m not familiar with the stories and legends of Spartacus and I went into Blood and Sand completely blind. So, I’ve reading this with very fresh eyes and have no complaints at all about the plot. Of course, I have not been called a bitch for absolutely no reason and as always, I have my complaints (coughwheresmytriggerwarningcoughs).
But first, let me tell you why I loved Blood and Sand.
It started off on such a high! I think everyone and their grandparents know that Spartacus was a slave. Blood and Sand wastes no plot time by jumping straight into the slave auction and the momentum builds with every turn of the page. It doesn’t stop. It just rises and rises and rises. I also really loved that Blood and Sand does not make it a story of the Chosen one. While to us readers, Spartacus is a chosen one and they lead the rebellion and all that jazz, Blood and Sand is the story of Attia, the Thracian slave girl. There are no prophecies and no legends to accompany her story.
And god, I’m so done with the Chosen one tropes that this was such a lovely breath of fresh air!
I was a little bit bothered by how quickly Attia and Xanthus fell in love. Don’t get me wrong, there was still some build-up and it was pretty logical but it happened all too fast. And soon, the story focused quite a bit on their romance, however fleeting it was.
“What would the Maedi warrior know about smiling?” he said against her lips as he pulled her closer.
“Not enough,” she murmured.
Wyk’s writing is also incredibly beautiful and poetic. I haven’t had so much pleasure in highlighting all the quotable material in my kindle in such a long time. And even though quoting from an ARC is ill-advised, I’m going to do it anyway because I loved it all.
“Xanthus had known strong women in his life, but not like her. Even if she hadn’t been one of the legendary Maedi, there was a brightness inside her, a core of fire that burned steadily beneath her scarred bronze skin.”
Character-wise, Attia is my favourite. She was such a badass and a take-no-shit kind of girl that I couldn’t help but root for her along the way. I loved that she’s not a character with a girly or feminine side, something that so many leading ladies fall into once they find the man of their dreams. War and revenge thrum in her veins and she’d rather hear the clang of swords that pretty music. Not one bit of that changes; not even when she meets Xanthus and falls madly in love with him. What also made Attia so great was she created her family when she didn’t have one, drawing people around her in and I find that so relatable cause that’s me. I’ll be like “oh my sweet summer child come here”.
Although, she’s a little bit of a special snowflake.
“She could see the anger etched into his soul as permanently as the scars on his skin.”
Xanthus, on the other hand, felt like he was a little all over the place. I loved that he didn’t want to kill but was so good at it solely because he needed to survive. But I couldn’t get more out of his personality. He loves Attia, he’s protective of the people he deems his family, but I couldn’t get more. That doesn’t mean I hate him though. He’s a perfect YA hero, romantic and brooding but also very respectful of Attia. Also, he’s very, very sexy.
“He didn’t even have a helmet, and the tips of his dark hair seemed to turn gold in the sun.”
And now, to the negatives:
I have to address the elephant in the room. WHERE ARE MY TRIGGER WARNINGS??? Blood and Sand was full of trigger material and I think we’ve gotten to a point where YA literature should always come with a warning whether on the book, on the website, anywhere for fuck’s sake! The official press release would be perfect.
Some trigger warnings for Blood and Sand are: rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, self-harm
Yeah, I get that it’s a book set in those heinous times but???? I would love to not have to read uncomfortable scenes, please and thank you.
One thing that really got me about Blood and Sand was the sex, or rather, the lack of it. And even the lack of a fade to black! I find that the sex in YA fantasy novels is exactly like their genre, a fantasy. Exactly like the Rowan/Aelin love scene in Empire of Storms. Jeez. It’s always so magical and pretty and full of fancy language or like Blood and Sand, straight up imaginary. Where’s the clumsy? Where’s the fumbling? (And this is coming from a virgin lol whatdoiknow?)
Like come on, I think we can do something a little more realistic.
Blood and Sand is an amazing read, especially if you’re a fan of Roman history and retellings featuring a strong heroine. It was perfectly wrapped up in anticipation for the second instalment which we have to wait an entire year for without the typical annoying cliffhanger. Attia and Xanthus are well-written and you can’t help but want to root for them. Plus, you’ll want to read it because C. V. Wyk has a way with words that just draws you in to Attia’s world and makes you want to never leave.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This review edition may differ from the final edition.
