The Book Nook

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Review: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Hi, guys! I hope everyone’s been doing okay with everything that’s been going on! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a review, and that is mainly due to the fact that I haven’t been reading a ton of good books lately, but I figured we could all use a distraction, and luckily I just finished this stunning one! If you haven’t checked it out yet, this is about Alessandra, a woman who will stop at nothing to gain all the power she could ever want- including assassinating the infamous Shadow King. But to get close enough to kill him, she must gain his trust- and that means a game of seduction must take place. Unfortunately for Alessandra, she’s not the only one with plans to kill the king. And while she tries to protect him so that she can do the job herself, she also realizes that there’s more to the Shadow King than meets the eye, which puts her in danger of losing the one thing she can’t afford- her heart. So this was labeled as a fantasy novel, but I honestly believe it’s better suited for the paranormal romance genre. I wish there had been more intrigue and corruption surrounding the court, but all in all this felt like a royal version of Gossip Girl, which made for an extremely fun read. I loved the building romance between the Shadow King and Alessandra, and while you rooted for them to get together, you kind of also wanted her to succeed in her plans. By the end, I was also in love with the Shadow King, but also really admired Alessandra’s bad assness and her willingness to do whatever it took so she would never be overlooked again. If you’re stuck in a book rut and need something quick and fun, I definitely recommend this! Levenseller is also the author of the Daughter of the Pirate King series and Warrior of the Wild. Stay safe, and happy reading!

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New Author: The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs

What. A way. To start. My year! You guys, if this isn’t on your list put it there ASAP. Sloane has just started a new school- her 19th school in six years, as a matter of fact. She’s spent the last few years trying to blend in and forget who she was, especially since Sloane is also her 19th name. But when the past comes back to haunt her- in both good ways and bad- in the place where she finally feels like she can be her real identity, not the fake one she’s come up with, she has to decide if she wants to keep running or finally face what she saw all those years ago that sent her into Witness Protection. This captivated me from the very first sentence and didn’t let me go until the last page. I will say that I guessed about half of the twists, but the other half certainly made me question a lot of things in the end. Everything about this was amazing, including the writing style, Sloane herself being a total bad ass, her romance with her best friend, Jason, and wondering if Sloane would ever get the life she deserved. I already know this is going to be a favorite of mine for the year, and I’m sure it’ll be the best book I read all month, but I couldn’t wait to share. I will 1000% read anything and everything by Cribbs when she puts out new books. Happy reading!

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Books of the Year: Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid; If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka; Winner Take All by Laurie Devore; Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Happy New Year, everyone! Though this wasn’t the best year for me book-wise, I thought I’d do a small recap of my favorite ones. I tried to only choose the stand-alones only so I wouldn’t have to choose between series. I’ll do a brief summary of each one, just in case you haven’t gotten to them yet! First up is Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak, which comes from my favorite author of all things heartbreak. This one is about Lu, who gets dumped by her boyfriend the summer before college, and tries to find herself again by looking into another couple who has decided to also part ways- but not until summer is over. If I’m Being Honest is a hard look at what it means when your words affect other people. And when Cameron tries to change herself in order to win a guy, she realizes that maybe being herself is the best honesty of all. Winner Take All is a similar look into who we become as people when everyone is watching, but when Nell and Jackson discover that maybe their rivalry is for a completely different reason, they both need to decide what’s a game and what’s real. My last favorite book of the year was Spin the Dawn, a fantasy Mulan retelling about a girl who disguises herself as a boy to get into trials to become the Royal Tailor for the palace. I had a few other favorites on my list including American Royals by Katharine McGee and House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig, but I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone with a huge post. If you want full reviews on any of these novels, just click the tag and it’ll bring you straight to my thoughts! I hope you guys had a better year in books than I did, and I can’t wait to see what new novels come out this year. Let me know some of your favorite books, and happy reading!

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New Author: Amelia Brunskill

Sorry about the delays in reviews, everyone! The holidays got away from me, and I hope everyone had a great one as well! This was a great way to end my year, I have to say. When Jess’s twin sister, Anna, tragically dies when trying to climb out her bedroom window, Jess doesn’t know what to believe. Was her sister really sneaking out to meet someone, and if so, who was it? As Jess tries to piece together what really happened that night, she unravels secrets that her sister was keeping, as well as the town, and she realizes that maybe she doesn’t want to know the truth after all. As always with mysteries, I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved this. It was mysterious and kept me guessing, and I definitely thought I knew who would be involved, but I was wrong, and I’m happy about that, since I usually guess the endings to everything. It was also somehow a very touching look at grief and how it affects us. The ending was absolutely heartbreaking, but hopeful, which is one of the best endings IMO. This came out in 2018, and Brunskill hasn’t written anything since, but I will definitely be picking up any future books of hers, if any. Happy reading!

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Review: Bellamy and the Brute by Alicia Michaels

Fairytale retelling were definitely on the rise the last couple months, but I’m a little late to this one. Bellamy and everyone else in town is well aware of the mysterious things happening in the mansion in town, including rumors surrounding what happened to the oldest boy, Tate. But Bellamy needs a job, and when she’s offered a babysitting position for Tate’s two younger siblings, she accepts. The only condition is that she not go up to the third floor- where Tate supposedly resides. When Bellamy starts to see things in the house, things no one else can see, she starts to wonder what’s really going on. As she begins to investigate, she discovers things about Tate and his family that were probably better off not found. So this was really enjoyable, and a cool take on Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, I skimmed through some of the details because I just wasn’t interested, BUT, I absolutely loved Bellamy and Tate’s romance, and was definitely rooting for them to get together. I also loved the ghost aspect of the book, even though at first I didn’t really understand the point. But when it all came together, I enjoyed it. I may not read the sequel, Bellamy and the Haunting, simply because I thought the first one ended on a good note and I don’t think I had any interest in continuing their story. Michaels is also the author of The Lost Kingdom of Fallada series, the Bionics series, The Revolution, and more. Happy reading!

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Review: The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

In the Kingdom, everything runs perfectly- an immerse theme park unlike any experience that’s ever come before. Virtual dragons, castles, and even extinct species roam around, brought back to life with bio-engineering. And of course, there are the Fantasists- princesses built to make everyone’s dreams come true. Anna loves living at the Kingdom and making little girls smile and bringing joy to everyone who comes her way. But when she meets Owen, a park employee, she starts to get feelings that she never should have experienced. And when Owen is found murdered, Anna is the prime suspect. But what really happened that night, and is an artificial being even capable of something like that? Or is the truth far more sinister than anyone at the Kingdom could have imagined? This book was incredible! As a huge Disney fan, I thought that the creepiness of the Kingdom was definitely something that people have probably thought about over the years. I loved that everything was fake and robotic, but the park was so big it kind of lost me after a while with the descriptions of all the lands. The ending was also a little abrupt, and it could’ve been a little shorter, but overall I loved Anna. I was definitely right along with her when I wanted to find out what was going on behind the curtains, and I enjoyed her interactions with Owen. My favorite part was that this took place in the past and the present, as well as in the courtroom during the trial of the murder, and interviews with other employees. This was a very well written story, with twists and turns and a whole lot of creepy mysteries built in. It kept me hanging on until the end, and it was worth the entire journey. I would definitely recommend putting this on your list! Rothenberg is also the author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me. Happy reading!

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New Author: The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

I stumbled upon this by accident and was pleasantly surprised! In an alternate universe where superheroes exist, Abby is completely over them- because her brother is one. As sister to one of the only heroes in her city, she doesn’t understand the fascination with them- until the city’s first villain, Iron Phantom, comes along. When he saves her from a mugging and asks for her help with a supposed threat, Abby doesn’t know what to do. But as she and Iron Phantom grow closer, she starts to wonder if maybe he’s not as evil as everyone says he is. As time runs out, Abby has to decide who to trust and if she wants to be a hero after all. I really enjoyed this, and honestly even though I thought to myself how can Abby not recognize who Iron Phantom was, his identity STILL kept me guessing until she found out. And I was still surprised! So that’s how you do a great reveal, guys. This was fun and interesting and not cheesy at all, and the YA community could benefit from more superhero books. I loved Abby and Iron Phantom’s chemistry, and her brother’s sense of duty for the city. I will definitely be checking out more of Banas’ novels. Happy reading!

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Book of the Month: American Royals by Katharine McGee

My favorite author has done it again! Set in an alternate universe where America is run by a monarchy, Beatrice is about to go from princess to the first queen of the country. But Beatrice just wants to live a normal life away from prying eyes and duties, and definitely doesn’t want to be forced into a marriage with someone she doesn’t love just so her country can have an heir. Her younger sister Samantha doesn’t have the same responsibilities, so she’s free to party and love whoever she wants. But what if what she really wants is for someone to notice her? Daphne just wants to be a princess, and she’ll do anything to make that happen, even after Jefferson, Samantha’s twin, dumps her. But how far is too far? Nina has been in love with Jefferson ever since she can remember. Growing up as Samantha’s best friend has earned her privileges that every girl in America would be envious of. But what happens when the prince actually likes her back? As always, McGee has created a dazzling world full of glamor and secrets in the most compelling way. I love how it goes back and forth between each girl, and I definitely have my favorites and the ones that I hate the most. The characters and the world are so well written, and I was sucked in every step of the way through every secret revealed and every backstabbing move. This is a book that you don’t want to miss, especially if you’re fascinated with the royal family and maybe even a little bit of Gossip Girl. McGee is also the author of the Thousandth Floor series. Happy reading!

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New Author: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

There aren’t too many retellings of the Grimm Brothers’ story The Twelve Dancing Princesses, so I knew I had to dive into this one. In a sheltered town by the sea, twelve princesses became eight when four of them lost their lives in mysterious ways. Annaleigh suspects that something more sinister than accidents is going on, especially since she’s been plagued with disturbing visions of her dead sisters. When she and the rest of her remaining sisters find a doorway that leads to magical balls, the girls finally feel like they’ve found some happiness in their lives. But when the dancing turns into longer nights and mysterious strangers, Annaleigh starts to wonder what’s really going on underneath the glamour. As she sets out to uncover the secrets of her house and the seaside town, what she finds might make her the next victim of her tragic family history. No matter how many times I say I don’t like fantasy, it’s always the retellings that get to me! This was one of the best books I’ve read, and for a debut novel, it was absolutely fantastic. There was magic and romance and ghosts and mystery, and even though I figured out part of what was going on, it still kept me hooked until the end. I will 100% be keeping an eye out for all of her future books. Happy reading!

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New Author: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

I don’t normally read fantasies, but with this being marketed as a Mulan retelling plus Project Runway, how could I resist? Maia wants to be the best tailor in her country, but since she’s a girl, she has no choice but to simply marry into a good family. But when the royal court holds a competition for a new Royal Tailor, Maia decides to take her father’s place and pose as a boy to chase her dreams. But what she finds is much more than sewing- it’s a trial of deceit and challenges far more complicated than she imagined. And when she meets the court’s magician, Edan, he knows more than he lets on. But when the final trial is issued, to sew three gowns made from the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Maia goes on an impossible journey, and discovers herself and the magic within her. I can’t say enough good things about this book! It completely blew me away, and the magical fantasy that Lim has created is beautiful in every sense of the word. To me, it was much more than Mulan, and even had a little bit of other fairytales mixed in, like Aladdin, Rumplestiltskin, the Emperor’s New Clothes, and a few other ones. It ended on a cliffhanger, so I’m kind of going out of my mind, but in the meantime I can just appreciate what a world this is. Maia was independent and fierce and you will root for her the whole time. I also really liked her very swoon-worthy romance with Edan, though what I liked most about that is that it wasn’t at the forefront, and focused much more on Maia and her future and her goals for herself. The culture and land that was brought into this book is one of my favorites, and I cannot wait to read the next one. The sequel, Unravel the Dusk, comes out next summer. Happy reading!

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Series Roundup: Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4) by Kerri Maniscalco

*Spoiler alerts for the Stalking Jack the Ripper series*

One of my favorite series has come to an end, and it was absolute perfection. I’m so sad that it’s over, but what an incredible journey this has been. Audrey has come to be one of my favorite heroines in YA, and I will definitely be giving this series a re-read. If you haven’t caught up to this finale yet, stop reading! If you have and you’ve finished this book, come talk to me about feelings and Audrey and Thomas! After the tragic events on the ship coming to America, Audrey Rose and Thomas finally feel like their past is behind them. But when yet another killer pops up in Chicago during the World’s Fair, they are motivated to help one last time. Faced with ghosts from their pasts and haunted by an elusive murderer, they can’t help but wonder if this time the game is more deadly than they ever imagined. I can’t say enough good things about this series. As a true-crime fan, this was the best historical fiction gift I could’ve ever been given. This particular murderer is based on the infamous H.H. Holmes, and she has written it so perfectly that you’ll feel like you were right there witnessing it. I loved all the tie-ins to the first book, as well as the fun characters from the second and third that made minor appearances. And as always, Thomas continues to be the most perfect male on the planet, and if I believed in book boyfriends, he most certainly would be mine. As always the writing in this was haunting and fun and completely gorey at times, and it was creepy and suspenseful and everything I needed a finale to be. I was definitely expecting some unpleasantness and a very unhappy ending, but I’m glad to say I was wrong. If you haven’t been reading about Audrey’s adventures, you should get it on it right now, because it is hands down one of the best series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. You’ll love Audrey’s sass and how ahead of her time she is, and I can promise this will become one of your favorites, too. This is Maniscalco’s only series, but she’s writing a new one to come out next year. Happy reading!

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Book of the Month: Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer

Rob was on top of the social food chain at school until his father was found embezzling money from the town. Maegan was the perfect student, until one mistake cost her everything. When the two are paired together on a class project, they don’t expect to become friends, let alone anything more. But as they slowly let each other into their lives, they discover they might have more in common than they ever thought. I don’t like Kemmerer’s fantasy novels, but my god can this woman write a contemporary. She always asks the hard questions, and answers them in a beautiful and heartbreaking way. This is grief and romance done right, and I loved every step of Meagan and Rob’s journey, and the way that they handled their respective secrets. But I mostly liked that their relationship was more than just romance- it was friendship and understanding and acceptance, and that’s a rare thing to find in romance YA nowadays. I will definitely be reading more of her contemporaries, and I can’t wait. Kemmerer is also the author of A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Letters to the Lost, More Than We Can Tell, and the Elemental series. Happy reading!

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Review: Now Is Everything by Amy Giles

*Trigger warning of abuse and self-harm*

After an accident that changes Hadley’s world, she stops speaking. She won’t tell the doctors or the investigators what happened, and she’s determined to keep it that way, no matter the cost. Her life before was far from the perfection that it seemed, and she will do anything to protect her sister- especially from their father. When she meets Charlie, she realizes that hiding away in fear isn’t really a life. But Hadley’s actions have consequences, and those consequences lead Hadley to do things she never dreamed of. I really truly cannot say anything else, but I hope that’s enough of a summary to get you hooked. This was one of the most compelling and sickening novels I’ve ever read in my life, and it terrified me to my core. But it also gave me hope, and it ended on a surprisingly well note despite all of that, and I think it’s a very powerful book to read if you can. This is a book that stays with you forever. Giles is also the author of That Night. Happy reading!

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Review: One Small Thing by Erin Watt

After Beth’s sister died, her parents became seriously overprotective- they won’t let her leave the house, they monitor her every move, and won’t let her apply to colleges outside a ten mile radius. But one night she sneaks out and meets Chase, and her whole life changes. Except Chase is the one guy she can’t want. He just got out of juvie and is determined to start his life over- until he meets Beth, the one girl who’s off limits. Neither of them wanted a forbidden romance, but they both have to make the decision to let go of their past that binds them or follow their hearts. I really enjoyed this, and though it was obvious where this was headed, I felt like it was an interesting take on how people affect our lives. I’m always a sucker for romances told in alternating perspectives, and I thought Beth and Chase were really adorable. I was definitely rooting for them, and this had its heartbreaking moments. It was quick read, and if you like forbidden romances, this is for you! Watt is also the author of the Paper Princess series and When It’s Real. Happy reading!

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Review: Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella- but what they don’t know is the story of her evil stepsisters. Isabelle hates Ella for getting her way, especially when her deception was discovered and the prince shames her for life. Isabelle can’t go into town anymore for fear of people throwing things at her and belittling her for what she did to Ella, and for what she did to herself. She’s tried to undo the damage, but no one thinks she’s redeemable. Until a chance meeting gives her the opportunity to change her destiny and get back the pieces of her heart that she’s lost over the years from becoming the ugly stepsister. Isabelle must go on a journey of self discovery and heartache if she wants any chance of saving herself. But what if she’s already doomed? I absolutely freaking loved this retelling! It was one of the more clever ones that’s been written, especially because of its unique take on the story. I’m not usually a fan of fantasy, and I was sort of hoping for an unhappy ending, but it was written so brilliantly that I got over it. I loved that it went back and forth between the past and present, as well as between Isabelle’s perspective and the man who was trying to save her. This was an extremely interesting read, and it makes you think a lot about destiny and fate. Even if you’re not a Cinderella fan, it’s still a great novel. Donnelly is also the author of the Waterfire Saga, the Tea Rose series, A Northern Light, These Shallow Graves, and more. Happy reading!

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Book of the Month: Winner Take All by Laurie Devore

Everything to Nell is a competition- school, sports, even her friends. Especially when it comes to Jackson, the privileged playboy everyone loves. No matter what Nell does, Jackson is always ahead of her, and she has no greater need than to squash him. But when their rivalry turns into something more, Nell isn’t so sure that everything in life is worth making a game out of. I can’t say any more because I don’t want to ruin this, but READ. THIS. BOOK. This is her second novel, and each time I’ve been crushed and brought back to life. No one writes flawed characters that burrow into your soul quite like she does, and makes you simultaneously hate and root for these awful but redeemable people. I genuinely cannot say enough good things about this book. It had twists and regrets and mind games, but was also extremely sweet and a little bit of coming of age. I know my review should be longer for it being a book of the month, but honestly, everything I write will just end up being a bunch of fangirling for this book. So put it on your list, devour it, and put her on your auto-reads authors.  Devore is also the author of How to Break a Boy. Happy reading!

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Review: Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson

When Brooke’s brother murders his best friend, her family turns inside out. They can’t seem to connect to each other despite what they’ve been through, and they’re outcasts in their town. But one day changes everything when Brooke runs into Heath- the brother of the young man Brooke’s brother murdered. They know they shouldn’t be talking, but they both need someone who understands what they’ve been through. And as secret meetings turn into something more between them, they discover secrets about what really happened that night and must decide what’s more important- their past or each other. This turned out to be so much better than I originally thought. It was extremely powerful, and took me completely by surprise. I smiled and laughed and cried and it made me feel all the things that I haven’t felt for a book in a very long time. The way that this book dealt with the different sides of grief from the same story had such an impact, and I think this should be on everyone’s list. Johnson is also the author of If I Fix You, The First to Know, and the upcoming Every Other Weekend. Happy reading!