A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen My rating: 1 of 5 stars The Gist Oh, where to begin with A Fate Inked in Blood? It had such promise—Viking lore, a strong female lead, and a plot dripping with destiny and magic. Sounds epic, right? Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired. The Details First, let’s talk about the characters. Our heroine, Freya, is supposedly a fierce, independent woman destined for greatness. Yet, somehow, she spends most of the novel embroiled in romantic drama that feels straight out of a soap opera. It’s hard to root for someone who is constantly torn between brooding love interests instead…
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The Keeper of Night
The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Keeper of Night in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker is a dark fantasy novel that weaves together elements of Japanese folklore and supernatural intrigue to create a unique and haunting story. While the book offers a rich and immersive world with a compelling protagonist, it struggles with pacing and character development, resulting in a mixed reading experience. The Details The story follows Ren Scarborough, a half-British…
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The Empress of Time
The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Empress of Time in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker is a riveting mythology, and historical fiction. Set in a lush and intricately crafted world. It is the second installment in the the The Keeper of Night series. The Details Baker’s writing is capitvating, drawing readers into a mesmerizing realm. At the heart of the novel is a relatable and dynamic protagonist. One of the novel’s strengths…
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The Princess of Selgovae and the High King
The Princess of Selgovae and the High King by Bryce Gibby My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Princess of Selgovae and the High King in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Princess of Selgovae and the High King by Bryce Gibby is a spellbinding tale of royalty, power, and forbidden love set against the backdrop of a richly imagined medieval world. Gibby effortlessly transports readers into a realm filled with court intrigue. The Details At the heart of the novel is Princess Eira, the headstrong and courageous daughter…
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The Cold is in Her Bones
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Cold Is in Her Bones in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Cold Is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale is a solid addition to the young adult fantasy genre. The novel, while engaging, falls into the familiar territory of fairy tale retellings and coming-of-age stories. With a foundation rooted in classic themes of curses, folklore, and self-discovery, the narrative builds a world that is both enchanting and ominous. The Details The characters are well-crafted, and the author successfully explores themes of isolation and the consequences of…
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Crown of Coral and Pearl
Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gist About a year ago I browsed through my local library and came across Crown of Coral and Pearl. I read the little blurb about the story and was convinced that I would enjoy this story a lot. I borrowed it, took it home, got really caught up in writing my graduate thesis and ended up having to return it without reading one page. When I tried to borrow it again the waitlist was super long. Fast forward to last month. I got an invitation to join the Harlequin Fall Reads Blog Tour. My first…
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Mayan Blood
Mayan Blood by Theresa DaLayne I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review. The file I have received for my Kindle is unfortunately difficult to read. After page breaks the sentences from the previous page and current page are mixed up, chopped up and in disarray. I have to skip paragraphs and points in the story get lost. Also, spaces between words are missing or placed randomly within words. Sadly, this takes away from the reading experience and makes it impossible to focus on the story, which requires the reader’s full attention.
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Lore
Lore by Alexandra Bracken My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing me with an excerpt from the ARC of Lore in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I have been meaning to read one of Alexandra Bracken’s books ever since I found out how creepy The Darkest Minds is supposed to be. My little Wednesday Addams-like heart calms at any creepy, mysterious and/or murderous story. It relaxes me. I know, I’m weird. I even bought the hardcover edition of Passenger, fully intending on reading that asap. But alas, it’s been on my bookshelf since 2016, looking very pretty…
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Annabeth Neverending
Annabeth Neverending by Leyla Kader Dahm My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you NetGalley and Create Space for providing me with an ARC of Annabeth Neverending in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I still have quite a few books sitting on my “to-read” NetGalley shelf, so I thought now is just as good a time to finally check them out and review them as any other. In the past, I would have a few weeks off during which I had enough time to get super excited about new books and then schoolwork would catch up with me again, putting my reading and…
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The Song of Achilles
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller My rating: 1 of 5 stars I read this book in early February of this year and I have been dreading writing a review ever since for two reasons. For one, according to the reviews and ratings of it mine is a very unpopular opinion. Secondly, I’m not sure I can keep my sarcasm in check, but I will try my best and as a result turn this into a very boring and dull review…maybe. The Song of Achilles has been on my to-read list for a very long time and I finally took the opportunity to read it now that I have…
