Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck
I picked this up because it was romance and had witches in it.
S/N I will give anything that has witches in it a try.
I absolutely love it! I loved all the characters, although the FMC Emerson frustrated me at times, but it's a personality thing. The storyline was good. I immediately requested the second book from the library. I love this series!
My rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
So, I picked up this because I needed to see what the hype was about...I needed to see if the book lived up to the hype. Two chapters in and I was a fan...
Is it the best book of 2023? For me, no...but it will probably make my top 10 of the year.
But I truly loved the world-building. I'm just a sucker for schools in fantasy/magic/sci-fi settings.
I liked the characters and the storyline. I'm not 100% sure I would call this a romance for two reasons: one, it took a long time for the romance to get started, and two, no HEA.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was like brain candy. The ending...HOLY SHIT!
My rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
Even with the success of From Blood and Ash I never read Jennifer Armentrout, but the publisher sent me an ARC and I was not disappointed.
Great world-building, intriguing characters, steamy sex scenes, and fun banter...Sign me up for this new series! It's romance, fantasy, and suspense...a kick-ass trio.
This is the beginning of a series that will draw you in and keep you in a chokehold to the very end. I was shocked when I figured out the timeframe of the book. Oh Jennifer, you are clever!
Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
I'm updating my Goodreads and Storygraph reviews. It's for a REVIEW DUMP!
If you see a book you want to try, get it at your local independent bookstore or visit Bookshop.org.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
After many recommendations, I gave this a try. It was fantastic! I can't 100% tell what worked for me, but all of the things worked for me. It was a quick read and it was just delicious. Now I'm digging into the rest of the series.
View all my reviews
Goodbye Earl by Leesa Cross-SmithHappy New Year!
This is my first review of 2022!
First this cover is beautiful! I can only imagine what the cover will like in other countries. I believe that the covers in other countries are prettier than the covers in the US. That's just my opinion. Let me give you a synopsis of the story.
Synopsis:
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, untrained, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the Crown Prince, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the emperor’s son.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. When treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, however, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
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| Release Date: January 11, 2022 |
Rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
This a great crossover book. Great for fans of YA and adult fantasy. Great debut! Pick up your copy today at your local independent bookstore or at Bookshop.org.
This blog post is a part of The Daughter of the Moon Goddess Tour, presented by Turn the Page tours. I was chose to do a mood board for this tour. Without spoiling the book, I wanted to convey feelings and images that I experienced while reading this book.
Content warnings include: violence, blood, gore, alcohol consumption, death, separation, attempted assault (brief), kidnapping, bullying.
#turnthepagetours #daughterofthemoongodesstour #daughterofthemoongodess #daughterofthemoongodessbooktour #suelynntan
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| Release Date: April 13, 2021 |
Hi, my name is Kim and I am a hopeful romantic. Even at the age of 44, single, and being told by all the data in the world that my chances of finding love are slimmer and slimmer, I still 100% believe in love.
I love rom-com movies and romance books. The stories in Love in Color are rich, poignant, and downright beautiful.
In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.
Each story is the essence of a re-telling from various cultures around the world, with love being the central theme. Bolu does an amazing job with expressing what love is...she paints pictures with it, you hear songs with it, you want to wrap up in it. It is simply beautiful.
Rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
Author Bolu Babalola
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| Release Date: April 6, 2021 |
Synopsis:
16-year-old Alex Rufus is trying his best. He tries to be the best employee he can be at the local ice cream shop; the best boyfriend he can be to his amazing girlfriend, Talia; the best protector he can be over his 12-year-old brother, Isaiah. But it is very hard for him to be present when every time he touches an object or person, Alex sees into its future.
When he touches a scoop, he has a vision of him using it to scoop ice cream. When he touches his car, he sees it years from now, totaled and underwater. When he touches Talia, he sees them at the precipice of breaking up, and that terrifies him. Alex feels these visions are a curse, distracting him, making him anxious and unable to live an ordinary life. And when Alex touches a photo that gives him a vision of his brother’s imminent death, everything changes.
With Alex now in a race against time, death, and circumstances, he and Isaiah must grapple with their past, their future, and what it means to be a young Black man in America in the present.
I loved this book. Brittney Morris is also the author of Slay (which I loved!), it too tackled issues of family dynamics and race. Ms. Morris again looks at family relationships and racial issues in America. Without any spoilers, I loved how the relationship between Alex and Isaiah developed. Each is coping with grief the best way they know how and it's beautiful to see them work through it and discover just how much they have in common. I love their love of music. It's an excellent tool to bond over and to make a connection.
Music and books are a great pairing. For my playlist inspired by the book, I created it as if I were scoring the book; like a movie. I also choose to use only Black male artists because I wanted to celebrate the Black Boy Joy that is Alex and Isaiah. I left one song off the playlist because it is only available to stream but it is very important to this story. Janelle Monae and Wondaland Records' "Hell You Talmbout" is powerful. Use this link and listen to it after track 10: https://soundcloud.com/wondalandarts/hell-you-talmbout
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| Author Brittney Morris |
Lately, I have not read much for pleasure because I am on the judging panel for 2 different book panels. However, I recently finished The Gilded Ones and it was FANTASTIC! (Thank you Hear Our Voices Blog Tour and Delacorte Press for gifting me a copy of the book.
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| Release Date: February 9, 2021 |
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| Author Namina Forna |
The Gilded Ones is West African-inspired, feminist YA fantasy. The author, Namina Forna, was inspired by the deeply patriarchal societies in her native country of Sierra Leone and here in the US, where she attended college. Basically the same pig, just a different dress (my words, not the author). The book looks at the patriarchy and it is used to determine the narrative for women including our place and our worth. It also examines how it thrives and survives, including how women and non-binary people survive under the patriarchy.
I loved all the powerful, uplifting, supportive women in this book. The young women in this book are in a precarious situation, yet they support each other to the end. Each character is powerful in their own way. In a world where the men basically determine your worth, these young women uplift each other and find a way to determine their own worth.
The action was fast-paced, the characters were well developed and I like how Ms. Forna did not play to traditional gender roles. The diversity in the book was well represented.
Rating: 💖💖💖💖.5/5
Today is my Tour Stop for Hear Our Voices Blog Tours. I was tasked with Dream Cast and a Playlist.
For the Dream Cast, I chose Ajiona Alexus because she looks like my image of Deka and I believe she could pull off the spirit of Deka. I was torn between Ashton Sanders and John Boyega for Keita. Both could pull off that nobleman next door attitude. White Hands is Regina King all day, especially after seeing her as Sister Night. Britta was the hardest to cast but after seeing Derry Girls and Bridgerton, I settled on Nicola Coughlan. She plays Penelope on the Bridgertons.
For the Playlist, usually, I approach like I'm setting a musical score for the book but for this playlist I wanted to create a mood. So much of this story is about the non-male characters finding their voices and determining their worth. So I went with empowering songs that uplift and put you in a kick-ass type of mood. You can listen to this when you've had a crappy day, when you're getting ready to hang out with your girls (as soon as it's safe again), or when you and your crew have to topple the patriarchy before drinks.
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great-walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one is quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself
Trigger Warnings: Death and Depression
Sarah Everett has written a beautiful YA that looks at grief, dying, and love as it pertains to the past, present, and future of a tight-knit "family". And yes, the quotations marks are purposeful.
Summary of the book:
Book Fam, your girl is not a punk, but this book...this book right here had me all up in my feelings. Grief is such a complex emotion. We grieve over the loss of many things, not just a loved one who has passed on. We grieve missed opportunities, past mistakes, and heartbreak.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. They were complex and it showed how each person responds to grief. I love the relationship of Jessi with the Cohens. We have a saying in my family, "Blood does not make a family." Some of my siblings are adopted and I have a slew of play cousins. You find your family wherever your heart is welcomed unconditionally. Ms. Everett's use of alternating the timelines between the past and the present was very effective. You could feel the tension building and man it was a roller coaster ride.
Simply put, this book is beautiful...hard on the emotions, but beautiful. Grab your Kleenex and settle into this fabulous read.
Rating: 💖💖💖💖/5
Some Other Now by Sarah Everett goes on sale February 23, 2021. Buy your copy at your local Independent Bookstore or at Bookshop.org.
A YA version of "The Crown"!
American Royals is a fun, elegant, alternative history in which the United States has a monarchy instead of our current ruling system. We follow the royal members of the House of Washington; primarily Princess Betrice, Princess Samantha, and Prince Jefferson. Each of the royal siblings deal with being royal in various ways and It is a roller coaster ride, full of scandalous gossip and royal secrets. I enjoyed this immensely and can't wait to see what's next.
Perfect for fans of the Prince & Me and the Princess Diaries.
💓I'm all in my feelings about this book!💓
It is love letter to romantic comedies and falling in love, no matter how it happens.
I loved all the characters, especially Drew and Annie. As an Ohioan, I loved that it was set in Columbus.
It was fun, it was charming, it was great! So, so, great!
A fresh, interesting, and entertaining novel.
I really liked Ayesha. Watching her wrestle with duty to her family and her wanting to pursue her art is a familiar tale; but Jalaluddin breathes new life into this trope with the details from the Muslim religion and various cultures. It was eye opening. The author does a great job tackling topics such as arranged marriages and Islamaphobia, and She made it very interesting. I loved having non-white characters as the main love interests. The other characters were Great and the plot was interesting.
Great debut!
I was a big fan of "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane". I became a bigger fan once I met Katherine Howe at a book signing. I was thrilled to see that she write a follow-up. I was not disappointed.
"The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs" was delightful. This book was full of subtle, yet powerful magic that you feel in the past, present, and future. I felt like we picked up right where we left off with Connie, Sam, and Grace. I loved the introduction of Zazi. The ended was perfect and I hope it means there is more to come!
Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck I picked this up because it was romance and had witches in it. S/N I will give anything that has wi...
