Book Review: Frozen Beauty by Lexa Hillyer

Release Date: March 17th, 2020
Read: March 21st - 23rd, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Source: HarperCollins

Description from GoodReads:

Everyone in Devil’s Lake knows the three golden Malloy sisters—but one of them is keeping a secret that will turn their little world inside out….

No one knows exactly what happened to Kit in the woods that night—all they have are a constellation of facts: icy blue lips and fingers cold to the touch, a lacy bra, an abandoned pick-up truck with keys still in the ignition. Still, Tessa, even in her fog of grief, is certain that her sister’s killer wasn’t Boyd, the boy next door whom they’ve all loved in their own way. There are too many details that don’t add up, too many secrets still tucked away.

But no matter how fiercely she searches for answers, at the core of that complicated night is a truth that’s heartbreakingly simple.

Told in lush, haunting prose, Frozen Beauty is a story of the intoxicating power of first love, the deep bonds of sisterhood, and a shocking death that will forever change the living.

Book Review: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass

Release Date: May 5, 2020
Read: February 28-29th, 2020
Publisher: HarperCollin's Children's Books
Series: The Betrothed, #1
Format: ARC, 400 pages
Source: McNally Robinson

Description from GoodReads:

When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine. 

Book Review: All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Release Date: February 4th, 2020
Read: January 29th -February 11th, 2020
Publisher: Imprint
Series: All the Stars and Teeth, #1
Format: ARC, 384 pages
Source: McNally Robinson

Description from GoodReads:

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

Book Review: Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan

Release Date: November 5, 2019
Read: November 21st-24th, 2019
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books
Series: Girls of Paper and Fire, #2
Format: ARC, 403 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Description from GoodReads:

In this mesmerizing sequel to the New York Times bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped their oppressive lives in the Hidden Palace, but soon learn that freedom comes with a terrible cost.

Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel Demon King wasn't the end of the plan---it's just the beginning. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei's head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren apart from within.

Meanwhile, an evil plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?

Book Review: The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand

Release Date: November 5, 2019
Read: October 11-18th, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 464 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for honest review

Description from GoodReads:

Today Melly had us writing letters to our babies…

Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for. They’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—except maybe the one thing she wants. Like, to know who she is. Where she came from. Questions her adoptive parents can’t answer, no matter how much they love her.

But eighteen years ago, someone wrote Cass a series of letters. And they may just hold the answers Cass has been searching for.

Alternating between Cass’s search for answers and letters from the pregnant teen who gave her up for adoption, this voice-driven narrative is the perfect read for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.

Monthly TBR: December 2019

   I'm officially 8 books away from my GoodReads goal. I'm hoping by picking stuff that I'm SUPER excited for, that I'll actually get them read this month. It doesn't help that I can't start reading until my exam week is over (Friday), but I'm certainly excited to read these.

   In the end, I'll probably still cheat and read a graphic novel or two. But for now, I'm still really excited to read these!

December TBR Pile

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (Hardback) (Reread)

Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff (ARC)

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto (ARC)

Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé (Paperback)

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson (Hardcover)

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace (ARC)

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (ARC)

   And that's my TBR for the month! I have some of my anticipated 2020 releases on the list, as well as some Canadian titles fro this year since I'm playing catch up for MYRCA.

   What are you reading this month?

Book Review: Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks

Release Date: February 12, 2019
Read: May 8-17th, 2019
Publiser: Roaring Brook Press
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 340 pages
Source: Won in a giveaway

Description from GoodReads:

   Miriam's family should be rich. After all, her grandfather was the co-creator of smash-hit comics series The TomorrowMen. But he sold his rights to the series to his co-creator in the 1960s for practically nothing, and now that's what Miriam has: practically nothing. And practically nothing to look forward to either-how can she afford college when her family can barely keep a roof above their heads? As if she didn't have enough to worry about, Miriam's life gets much more complicated when a cute boy shows up in town . . . and turns out to be the grandson of the man who defrauded Miriam's grandfather, and heir to the TomorrowMen fortune.

Book Review: Finale by Stephanie Garber

Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Read: May 24th-26, 2019
Publisher: Flatrion Books
Series: Caraval, #3
Format: ARC, 496 pages
Source: McNally Robinson Booksellers

Description from GoodReads:

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

Book Review: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Read: March 31st - April 11th, 2019
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Series: Something Dark and Holy, #1
Format: ARC, 385 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for honest review

Description from GoodReads:

   A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

   A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

   A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 

   Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

   In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light.

Book Review: Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Release Date: April 30th, 2019
Read: April 29th-30th, 2019
Publisher: Putnam
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 320 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for honest review

Description from GoodReads:

   Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:  

   * She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog.

   * Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. But Lou's never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.

   * Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who's always been up for anything, suddenly isn't when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick.

   * And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland--ever--unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.

Review: The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu

Release Date: April 9th, 2019
Read: March 28th-31st, 2019
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Series: The Eldest Curses, #1
Format: ARC, 368 pages
Source: McNally Robinson

Description from GoodReads:

Magnus Bane, a centuries old High Warlock, has taken possession of one of the great relics of the supernatural world, a powerful spell book of dark magic known as The Book of the White and there are many who want to claim it for themselves.

After the Mortal War where the part-human and part-angel Shadowhunters teamed with the part human-demon Downworlders to fight against the incursion of an army of demons, Magnus and his new lover, the mortal Alec Lightwood celebrate their survival and victory by escaping the supernatural battlefield of New York City by touring the world, but the world won’t leave them alone.

Book Review: Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

Release Date: February 26th, 2019
Read: February 8-10th, 2019
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 336 pages
Source: McNally Robinson

Description from GoodReads:

How do you kill a god?

As her father's chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

Book Review: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Release Date: October 2nd, 2018
Read: October 1st-5th, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Series: Montague Siblings, #2
Format: ARC, 450 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for honest review.

Description from GoodReads:

   A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

   But then a window of opportunity opens—a doctor she idolizes is marrying an old friend of hers in Germany. Felicity believes if she could meet this man he could change her future, but she has no money of her own to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid.

   In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that leads them from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

DNF Review: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Release Date: February 21st, 2017
Read: August 12th-20th, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 422 pages
Source: Borrowed

Description from GoodReads:

   Freya was never meant be queen. Twenty third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and would much rather research in her laboratory than participate in the intrigues of court. However, when an extravagant banquet turns deadly and the king and those closest to him are poisoned, Freya suddenly finds herself on the throne.

   Freya may have escaped the massacre, but she is far from safe. The nobles don’t respect her, her councillors want to control her, and with the mystery of who killed the king still unsolved, Freya knows that a single mistake could cost her the kingdom – and her life.

   Freya is determined to survive, and that means uncovering the murderers herself. Until then, she can’t trust anyone. Not her advisors. Not the king’s dashing and enigmatic illegitimate son. Not even her own father, who always wanted the best for her, but also wanted more power for himself.

   As Freya’s enemies close in and her loyalties are tested, she must decide if she is ready to rule and, if so, how far she is willing to go to keep the crown. 

Book Review: What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Release Date: October 9th, 2018
Read: July 21st - 22nd, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Standalone
Format: Signed ARC, 448 pages
Source: BEA 2018



Description from GoodReads:


   Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

   Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

   But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

  Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

   Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

   But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

   What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

   What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?


   But what if it is?

Book Review: The Traitor's Ruin by Erin Beaty

Release Day: July 10th, 2018
Read: July 18th, 2018
Publisher: Imprint
Series: The Traitor's Cycle, #2
Format: ARC, 384 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Description from GoodReads:

   After proving her worth in book one as a deft spy and strategic matchmaker, Sage Fowler is now comfortably positioned in high society as the royal tutor. When she’s called upon to teach his majesty’s soldiers how to read and write, she jumps at the chance to serve her kingdom of Demora—and to be reunited with her fiancé, Captain Alex Quinn. 

   During a skirmish, Sage and Alex are separated. She watches him die before he can deliver important military intel—or so she thinks. She escapes from the enemy and makes an unlikely alliance with a mysterious soldier from a third nation. As Sage tries to rally their support against a common foe, the important political alliance is plagued by secrets and betrayal. 

   Can Sage complete Alex’s mission and save her kingdom once more? 

Book Review: Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: October 2nd, 2018
Read: June 30th - July 10th, 2018
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Series: Shadow of the Fox, #1
Format: ARC, 400 pages
Source: BEA 2018

Description from GoodReads:

   Once Every Thousand Years...

   Every millennium, one age ends and another age dawns...and whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers holds the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. The time is near...and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto. The holder of the first piece is a humble, unknown peasant girl with a dangerous secret.  

   Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune shapeshifting powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has...and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll.

   A wish will be granted and a new age will dawn. 

Book Review: The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo

Release Date: September 18th, 2018
Read: June 14th - 24th, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Standalone
Format: ARC, 320 pages
Source: McNally Robinson Booksellers

Description from GoodReads:

   Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, is a strange place. For the past century, every girl has been born with a special talent, like the ability to Fix any object, Heal any wound, or Find what is missing.

   Best friends Rome, Lux, and Mercy all have similar talents, but to them, their abilities often feel like a curse. Rome may be able to Fix anything she touches, but that won’t help her mom pay rent or make it any easier to confide in Lux and Mercy about what’s going on at home. And Rome isn’t the only one. Lux has been hiding bigger, more dangerous secrets.

   As Rome struggles to keep her friendships close, she discovers the truth about life in Cottonwood Hollow—that friends are stronger than curses, that trust is worth the risk, and sometimes, what you’ve been looking for has been under your feet the whole time.

Book Review: Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Release Date: February 13th, 2018
Read: July 17th, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Series: The Honors, #1
Format: ARC, 467 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Description from GoodReads:

   Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

   Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

   Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

Book Review: Emergency Contact by Mary H.K Choi

Release Date: March 24th, 2018
Read: April 6-7th, 2018
Publisher: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers
Series: Standalone
Format: Signed Hardcover, 400 pages
Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

   For Penny Lee, high school was a nonevent. She got decent grades, had a few friends, and even a boyfriend by senior year but basically she was invisible. Having just graduated from high school, she’s heading off to college in Austin, Texas, and she’s ready for it.

   Sam has had a rougher time over the last few years. He grew up in a trailer park and had to bail when he caught his addict mom taking out credit cards in his name to buy more crap from the Home Shopping Network. He gets a job at a café whose owner is kind enough to let him crash on a mattress in a spare room upstairs. He wants to go to film school and become a great director but at the moment he has $17 in his checking account and his laptop is dying.

   When Penny and Sam cross paths it’s not exactly a Hollywood meet cute: they’re both too socially awkward for that. But they exchange numbers and stay in touch—almost entirely by text message, a form that allows them to get to know each other while being witty and snarky and intimate without the uncomfortable weirdness of, you know, actually having to see each other in person.