ARC Review: The Break Up tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

A rising-star musician has a second chance at love with an old flame she remembers all too well in this swoony romance from the acclaimed authors of The Roughest Draft .

Riley Wynn went from a promising singer-songwriter to a superstar overnight, thanks to her breakup song concept album and its unforgettable lead single. When Riley’s ex-husband claims the hit song is about him, she does something she hasn’t in ten years and calls Max Harcourt, her college boyfriend and the real inspiration for the song of the summer.

Max hasn’t spoken to Riley since their relationship ended. He’s content with managing the retirement home his family owns, but it’s not the life he dreamed of filled with music. When Riley asks him to go public as her songwriting muse, he agrees on one he’ll join her in her band on tour.

As they perform across the country, Max and Riley start to realize that while they hit some wrong notes in the past, their future could hold incredible things. And their rekindled relationship will either last forever or go down in flames.

Title: The Breakup Tour

Author: Eimly Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: January 9, 2023

Review:

I want to thank Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

When your true love is the world's most famous rockstar, how do you go on knowing you had your chance and blew it? When Riley and Max reconnect ten years after their break up, will sparks fly? Or will the second chance love be destroyed by fame created from heartbreak?

I love second chance love. This is the hook for me. I need to watch it grow and unfurl and give me hope for how it will end.. But this book, oh my, it had me guessing if that would even be a thing! I am not huge on unhappy endings so I will say this book really kept me on my toes to see how things would end up.

Riley, she's a force to be reckoned with. But she is also insecure about ever finding true love and having it last. Thus, her break up songs that make her a superstar. She's fierce and independent but at the same time has so much vulnerability to her. There were so many times I wanted to tell her, "snap out of it!" Why do you feel you are so undeserving of love? It was super frustrating to watch her just accept it! But I could see that was party of her character development to get to where she needed to be. And then there is Max. My goodness, I really loved his character. His loyalty was ridiculous. To the point of him being a little self-sabotaging. He was a great compliment to Riley, though. Of course this book could not exist without the fabulous side characters of Frank, Jess, Carrie, and Linda! They truly gave focus to the two main characters and helped them find themselves and each other.

The romance, ugh, so hot. Were there sexy scenes, yes. Would I call this one smut, no. While you had an idea of the things happening, they were not at all particularly graphic. But I kind of liked that for the sweetness it brought to the relationship of the characters.

This story was characters driven but also plot driven. I loved going on tour with the characters. Learning what it was like in the green rooms, on the tour buses, and backstage. It was an interesting look into what it was like to follow a rock star. It gave me a bit of a Daisy Jones and the Six vibe. But what sets it apart from that book is it's about a single singer rather than a rock group.

The pacing was perfect. I loved being on the road with Riley and Max. Going from city to city, watching the shows take place and seeing what happens between the main characters. It helped to set the tone and also showcase the characters as they grow.

If there is one thing I had some trouble with in this book it was how the authors chose to use music as the explanation for everything in the book. As someone with a musical background, it was easy for me to understand it and lick with it. But I feel like people who don't have any musical background might have some trouble connecting with it. But as a musician, I easily connected with how the characters used music as their muse.

Overall, I really loved this story. It definitely had me on my toes to see where the relationship would go. And it also caused me a bit of stress and panic with the hope it would all work out in the end. Did it? I guess you'll have to read to find out!

Authors:

Emily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she is author of The Roughest Draft, as well as several love stories for teens.

Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.

Austin Siegemund-Broka cowrites YA contemporary with Emily Wibberley. His debut with Wibberley, ALWAYS NEVER YOURS, publishes from Puffin/Speak in 2018.

A former journalist in the entertainment industry, where he covered the courts and, yes, met a couple celebrities, he graduated from Harvard in 2014 with a degree in English and a focus on Shakespeare. When he's not writing (or reading) YA, he enjoys combing every corner of contemporary music and watching Buffy with Emily.

 

ARC Review: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

 

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but a summons in the wake of his uncle’s death brings him and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but coming home reminds Cam why he was so quick to leave in the first place.

Jules, however, has other ideas, and the more she learns about Cam’s estranged family—and the twisted secrets they keep—the more determined she is for her husband to claim everything Ruby once intended for him to have.

But Ruby’s plans were always more complicated than they appeared. As Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

Title: The Heiress

Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Expected Publication Date: January 9, 2024

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What if the most important person in your life is not who they say they are? What if your sole existence is to ensure others don't get what they deserve? What if your wife is not who you think she is? Cam McTavish, the adopted son of the infamous Ruby McTavish has all these questions, and more, as he makes his way back to a his childhood home, the place he never wanted to return to. His family is toxic and he's never felt as though he truly belonged. But when his wife, Jules, convinces him to finally go home, secrets about his adoptive mother and his entire life come to a head.

I have really enjoyed reading Hawkins adults novels. I love a good mystery, one that I can't necessarily figure out, even if I have ideas in the back of my mind of how it will all turn out in the end.

Cam and Jules have been married 10 years. Cam is closed off about his family. He moved from North Carolina to California to escape them. But as the sole heir of his family's fortune, Jules cannot understand why he would not want to claim what is rightfully his. I really liked the characters development in this book. We not only get Cam and Jules' points of view, but we also get Ruby's point of view through letters she wrote prior to her death which describe her life. It was interesting to watch calm Cam develop and show his true self, standing up to his toxic family. And I love how Jules speaks directly to the reader, almost as if she's writing her autobiography and hoping to get the reader to truly understand where she was coming from when she did the things she did.

It's hard to write a review of a mystery without creating spoilers. I will say the background of the story, a young girl is kidnapped and returned to her family after 8 months, is interesting. The author gives background into the Appalachians and how people go missing all the time, never to be found again, or never to even be known they were gone in the first place. It's the perfect background for the mystery that is Ruby McTavish and her life. We not only get the story that revolves around her kidnapping and who she is (or could be) but we also get the story of her life, which is filled with death that follows her.

Hawkins' writing is easy to read and fast in pace. Her story is brilliantly addictive to the point I could not put it down. I enjoyed the plot twists she threw in, though I did figure out a few of them prior to their reveal. But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book as I wanted to keep reading to see if I was right! I loved how the author continually pulled away the layers of this estranged family to show who they truly are. The greed, they dysfunctional relationships, and the secrets all lend to a tense plot.

I will say this is my most favorite of all the mysteries Hawkins' has written thus far. The way she forms the plot is unique and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know exactly how things would turn out in the end. And, despite the secrets, and murder, and lies, I was still rooting for them to win! And she seemlessly integrates the past and the present without making it confusing.

If you enjoyed Megan Mirand's The Last to Vanish and Taylor Jenkin Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you will enjoy this twisting and turning mystery that incorporates elements of both!

Author:

Rachel Hawkins was born in Virginia and raised in Alabama. This means she uses words like "y'all" and "fixin'" a lot, and considers anything under 60 degrees to be borderline Arctic. Before deciding to write books about kissing and fire (and sometimes kissing while on fire), Rachel taught high school English for 3 years, and is still capable of teaching you The Canterbury Tales if you're into that kind of thing.

She is married to a geologist, which means that they have incredibly strange dinner conversations ("So today at work, I wrote a chapter where killer fog, like, ATE PEOPLE." "Huh. Well, I was chased by an angry reindeer while trying to map parts of Norway." "Um...okay.")

Rachel also has a little boy whose main hobbies are playing video games, running around in circles, and plotting his Future Intergalactic Take-Over.

When not writing books, Rachel enjoys reading, travelling, and knitting (very terribly.)

Here are her books. She would really appreciate it if you read them. :)

ARC Review: Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe

Julie Abe's OUR CURSED LOVE is a magical 50 FIRST DATES meets LOVE AND GELATO set in Tokyo, Japan―about destiny, the impact of the choices we make, and the magic of true love.

Six days to remember.
Love or lose him forever.

Remy Kobata has always wished she was destined to be with her best friend, Cam Yasuda. All the way from being neighbors from birth to mixing up magical prank potions together to their “just friends” homecoming date during their senior year in high school, nothing’s a secret between Remy and Cam―except for how much she is in love with him.

Remy is trying to work up the courage to confess her feelings during their winter break trip to Japan, when she gets selected for a mystical tea leaves reading and it reveals that they’re not meant to be together. After they stumble upon a secret magical apothecary in the back alleys of Tokyo, Remy and Cam are offered an ancient soulmate elixir, created before all love potions were banned by the magical government. They each have their reasons for wanting to take it, but what could go wrong with finding your soulmate a little earlier?

Except, after they drink up, their senior year trip flips into the worst vacation Cam has forgotten who Remy is. If she can't help Cam remember her by midnight New Year’s Eve, they’ll both be cursed to forget each other. To unravel their past and rewrite the future, Remy and Cam must travel through Tokyo to rediscover Cam’s memories and make new ones―and maybe even fall in love all over again.

Title: Our Cursed Love

Author: Julie Abe
Publisher: Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press

Expected Publication Date: December 12, 2023

Review:

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What is you had one final chance to let the love of your life know you loved them more than just a best friends? What would you do? But what if you're told you do not have a soul mate? How would you try to change that. Remy is taking the trip of her life to Japan with Cam her best friend since she was born. But when she's given her ultimate life fortune, and then a chance to possibly change it, she takes the chance only to lose the one she loves the most. Can she win him back before the clock strikes it's final tole on New Year's Day?

This book was fun. It has elements of love and magic and fortunes. It has hope and tears. And a classic type love story almost Cinderella style. 

The book takes place in Japan, so elements of that culture are thrown throughout. Which I really loved. But I also felt like there was more to the magic than the author followed in the book. I really wished the author would have shown more of the magical culture throughout. I think it would have made it easier to understand.

Remy and Cam are sweet together. The idea of having a best friend who can finish your thoughts, who knows exactly what you need, is sweet. Everyone should have those connections. 

I will say I didn't realize this book was connected to another book. And perhaps having read that one first would have been appropriate (thought is seems you don't really have to). But I did feel I was missing something throughout, so perhaps that was it.

The one thing that bothered me most in the book is how Remy's chapters truly outnumbered Cam's. I kept thinking why write a dual point of view book if we get more from one character than the other?

Overall this one was cute. If you're looking for a YA romance without much depth that has a happily ever after, give it a try.

Author:

Julie Abe is the author of the EVA EVERGREEN, SEMI-MAGICAL WITCH middle grade fantasy series; the middle grade fantasy ALLIANA, GIRL OF DRAGONS; and the young adult novel THE CHARMED LIST. She has lived in Silicon Valley, spent many humid summers in Japan, and currently basks in the sunshine of Southern California with never enough books or tea, where she creates stories about magical adventures.

 

ARC Review: The Second Chance Year by Melissa Weisner

In this unforgettable story full of charm, wit—and just a bit of magic—a woman down on her luck is given a second chance at fixing her life and trying one year all over again. Perfect for readers of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle. 

Sadie Thatcher’s life has fallen apart in spectacular fashion. In one fell swoop, she managed to lose her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend—all thanks to her big mouth. So when a fortune teller offers her one wish, Sadie jumps at the chance to redo her awful year. Deep down, she doesn’t believe magic will fix her life, but taking a leap of faith, Sadie makes her wish, opens her eyes, and . . . nothing has changed . And then, in perhaps her dumbest move yet, she kisses her brother’s best friend, Jacob.

When Sadie wakes up the next morning, she’s in her former apartment with her former boyfriend, and her former boss is expecting her at work. Checking the date, she realizes it's January 1 . . . of last year .  As Sadie navigates her second-chance year, she begins to see the red flags she missed in her relationship and in her career. Plus, she keeps running into Jacob, and she can’t stop thinking about their kiss . . . the one he has no idea ever happened. Suddenly, Sadie begins to wonder if her only mistake was wishing for a second chance.

Title: The Second Chance Year
Author: Melissa Weisner
Publisher: Forever
Expected Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Review:

I want to thank NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give an honest review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

What if you had a chance to do it all over again? Sadie has had the worst year of her life, but a chance encounter with a fortune teller gives her a chance to set things straight. But what if setting things straight didn't turn out how you thought it would and changed things for the worse?

I love the idea of a second chance. Of trying to redo things and make them right. But I also know that things happen for a reason. So right away, Sadie's choice for a redo had me feeling like things could only go wrong for her. And that's exactly what happened. She set herself on a path that wasn't made for her and in the process changed herself into someone she never wanted to be. 

I enjoyed watching Sadie try to blaze a new path and correct the things she thought were wrong her first time around. But the best part was watching as things devolved for her and she started to learn the real lesson: life dishes out what you can take and puts you on a path so you can find your true self.

Overall, I liked the characters in the book enough but I didn't feel drawn to any of them. Their development was ok for me but I didn't necessarily feel the connections the author was trying to make.

And while the pacing was fairly fast, I didn't feel as invested in the plot as I would have liked. 

I did love Sadie's break into something new in the form of the cafe rather than the high stakes of the restaurant business. It was nice to see she was able to figure out a path for herself she really felt comfortable with. 

The romance was cute but again I just didn't feel a true connection between her and Ethan,. 

The story does touch on the topic of sexual harassment. I think the author did a good job showing how women often feel they cannot speak up for fear they will never be able to get ahead. And the author showed how Sadie tried to mold herself to be something she wasn't and then finally realized she needed to break out of that shell.

The writing is on the lighter side and it's not as much of a romance as I thought it would have been. Overall, I thought the theme was fun but the execution left something to be desired.

Author:

Melissa Wiesner’s mother didn’t allow her to watch much TV as a child and instead, made her play with paint, colorful pipe cleaners, random bits of fabric, and other crafty things. This set Melissa up for a lifetime of creative pursuits, and it was only a matter of time before things took a bookish turn.

A night owl, Melissa began writing novels when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. She is the author of emotional women’s fiction and romantic comedies. Along with her charming husband and two adorable children, Melissa splits her time between the big city of Pittsburgh, PA and rural West Virginia.

Sign up for Melissa's newsletter! https://www.melissawiesner.com/contact

Website: melissawiesner.com
Twitter: @Melissa_Wiesner
Facebook: MelissaWiesnerAuthor

 

ARC Review: Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven, Abigail Johnson draws a searing and lyrical portrait of grief, forgiveness, and the kind of love that blooms in the aftermath.

Eight years ago, Ethan and Rebecca met, two trouble-making kids sharing secrets and first kisses in a treehouse, until Ethan’s mom returned to take him away. Each and every visit, his only goodbye was a flower on Rebecca’s windowsill.

Three years ago, Ethan left for the last time to take care of his mother, who’s struggled with addiction his whole life.

Two years ago, Rebecca was in a car accident that killed her father. She’s been learning to navigate life as a wheelchair user ever since.

Now, they discover if their hardships have torn them apart…or will bring them closer than ever.

Title: Every Time You Go Away

Author: Abigail Johnson

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Expected Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Review:

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Inkyard press for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For years, Ethan's life has been tearing him and Rebecca apart. Growing up together in short spurts has never been ideal, but it's been all they had. Can they whether the breaks in their friendship? Can they deal with their own tragedies that happen in between? Can they open up to each other and truly become the one each of them can lean on?

I loved the idea of this book. Two friends who share short spurts of being together only to be torn apart by poor circumstances. There was so much potential for character growth and development. So much room for fleshing them out and making them relatable.

Ethan has spent his life as a captive of his mother's drug abuse. His need to keep his mom safe has always been his top priority. But it has him putting aside his own needs. He's always dropped everything to make sure she's safe never thinking of the impact that may have on those around him who just want him to be happy. I wanted to really like Ethan but his penchant for just up and running really got on my nerves. He had zero thought for anyone else, especially Rebecca. Part of me connected with him because of my own past and understand of drug and alcohol abuse. And I really wanted to that be the case for the entire book. But I just could not bring myself to feel any empathy for him.

Rebecca's circumstances were much more understandable. Tragedy struck her in the form of a car accident that left her paralyzed, And she has tremendous guilt over it. I was happy to see the inclusion of disability in this book. I thought it was well done, showing me exactly how difficult the life of a wheelchair bound person can be when. Showing me exactly how much thought needs to go into living the daily life we all take for granted. At the same time, Rebecca has a bit of a found family in her boss, while she struggles with trying to connect with her mother after the tragedy they have both endured. I enjoyed her character much more than Ethan's.

For the most part, the book had a good theme but the pacing was just off for me. I felt like it was running in circles with the same things happening  over and over again. The definition of insanity! It just turned me off and really took away from what could have been an enjoyable. book. 

Did I enjoy it, for the most part I did. But. I really felt the conflict was overdone without creating a true empathy for the characters.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Author:

Abigail Johnson was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snowstorms for year-round summers and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire cross-country road trip in a purple spiral-bound notebook that she still has, and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, writing and directing a high-school production of Cinderella, and riding roller coasters every chance she gets. She is the author of several young adult novels including If I Fix You and Every Other Weekend.

 

ARC Review: Reckless (Chestnut Springs #4) by Elsie Silver

 

Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider, notorious ladies' man, scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package.

And he's looking at me like I might be his next meal.

I'm almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak.

The man is hard to trust-and even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard I try to freeze him out, he melts my icy exterior and pulls apart all my defences.

Then I spend the singular hottest night of my life with him.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing.

A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.

Title: Reckless (Chestnut Springs #4)

Author: Elsie Silver
Publisher: Bloom Books

Original Publication Date: June 9, 2023

Expected Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Review:

I want to thank NetGalley and Bloom Books for supplying me with an egalley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Theo Silva is young, and definitely not what Winter Hamilton needs or wants in her life. But when the two get thrown together because of their mutual family connections, the attraction is undeniable and sparks fly. But over a year later, Winter has a secret that will change Theo's life and when it's revealed, he does everything in his power to show her he's what she needs in her life.

I have truly enjoyed all the books in the Chestnut Spring series. I just love the characters Silver creates. Their personalities are fun. And the conflicts within their relationships are very real. So given the chance to read this next book in the series, I jumped on it.

Now, can you read this book without reading the others? Yes, it can definitely be a stand alone. But, in truth, I feel like it's important to read the others and learn about all the side characters. Plus, you get a glimpse of Winter in the other books that really helps you understand her in this one. And the others books are just so much fun and funny and sexy!

Her pacing is great. I flew through this book. She injects funny and sexy and emotion that keeps you wanting to turn the pages. Her writing flows well and I was never bored. As a matter of fact, I finished this within 24 hours, even with work and other life events. I honestly never thought I'd enjoy small town, horse riding, country themes but Silver has truly shown me how much fun it can be.

Theo, he's younger than her other male characters. I kind of like that about him. But despite this, he still comes off as mature. He has his flaws, for sure, which I was happy to see because, really, who wants perfect since it doesn't truly exist. But he is kind and caring and definitely wants to show Winter she's worth being worshiped and loved. Plus he's so witty and charming. He makes me laugh, and makes Winter laugh, which I love. Winter is a character we've seen before. Her name has always followed her personality: Cold. But when it comes down to it, there's a lot of heat beneath that ice. She's spent her life holding people back because she never thought she was good enough and never wanted to cause ripples. But once she separates herself from her abusive marriage and her family, she finds herself opening up and becoming so much more personable than I would have ever thought possible. I loved her growth in this book. She was like a flower that learned to open and face the sun, becoming warm and welcoming the more she let people in.

Silver really knows how to write sexy without it coming across as total smut. She weaves in the scenes to help sow the connection between Theo and Winter. And it especially shows Winter's growth because she has always been about sex not being for her. Theo shows her she can be worshiped and pleasured. And she really does come alive under his ministrations. 

I think my favorite part of Silver's books is how they focus on the family unite. For Theo, the Eaton's are a found family. While he still does have his mom, he's been mentored by one of the Eaton brothers for a few years. And this is where he has found a home. I love the gatherings Silver creates. I love how there is banter and love all around the family table. And I adore how they welcome people into their home and treat them like they belong. I saw this in Jasper's book and now it's continued to Theo's book. 

For me, Silver truly knows how to write a love story. I'm looking forward to reading more from her (and maybe even venturing into her other series to learn a little about Violet Eaton!). 

Author:

Canadian author who loves a good book boyfriend and the sassy heroines who bring them to their knees. Connoisseur of charged looks and lingering touches. Big fan of witty banter. Horse girl through and through. Fully convinced that it's always wine o'clock somewhere.

ARC Review: To Kill a Shadow (Mistlands #1) by Katherine Quinn

 

Jude Maddox knows nothing of love or even light. He knows only his grim duty as the Hand of Death, to lead the Knights of the Eternal Star into a land filled with nightmares and certain demise. It’s only when he sees her ―a young woman with wild, amber eyes who’s as fierce, defiant, and swift as the shadow beasts themselves―that he feels the warmth of life in his blood…

The other Knights may fear their lethal commander, with his hard, merciless demeanor. Outcast Kiara Frey sees only a leader, a man who knows how to survive. Someone like her . But wanting him is as treacherous as the shadows themselves…and just as seductive.

With a kingdom on the verge of collapse, the Knights must now venture into the darkest heart of the land and uncover the secrets of the misted shadows, where evil will prey upon their minds and feast on their flesh.

It will betray their senses.
It will surpass their nightmares.
Most of them will die.

But they have no other choice. Because the only way to fight the darkness… is to become it.

Title: To Kill a Shadow (Mistlands #1)

Author: Katherine Quinn

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Expected Publication Date: 11/28/23

Review:

I would like to thank Entangled Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Hand of Death? Knights? Shadows? Monsters? Sign me up!

I was drawn to this book because of the cover. Can we just talk about how beautifully gorgeous it is? Did I initially want to judge this book by it's cover? I sure did. But then I read the blurb and it sounded like it would be totally interesting. I was ready for a broody knight who would be worn down by a girl whose power he could not even imagine. 

Quinn is a new author to me so I'll start by talking about the writing. My only way to describe it is mediocre. It wasn't horrible, but it was honed. I noticed a lot of repetitive words, even in sentences strung together immediately. It frustrated me a bit. But I pushed on because I wanted to read the story and see where it went.

I'd say the pacing for this book is medium to slow. I wanted to action to really pop and move me through the book, but it just didn't do that. I actually found myself putting the book down. I even read a few other books in between as that sometimes helps me refocus. But it didn't speed the pace for me at all. The plot seemed to be all over the place. I could see there was some big secret that would be revealed at some point right away when the MFC has a moment in a cave, but then  this theme was dropped for a long time before the author circled back to it. If you're going to introduce a theme and want it to be a great reveal at the end, you really need to be consistent with incorporating that into the book throughout.  

World building, I cannot for the life of me tell you anything about this world other than there's a kingdom, they are fighting to get the light back into their world, and there's a realm where there are monsters. The world is dark and it seems it was meant to be a bit terrifying. At the beginning of each chapter there is a quote related to the lore or a missive meant to give us background. I know these quotes are there to help the world building but there was so much mystery to them, I really didn't see it happening. Plus, I feel like this particular writing technique has been used recently in other fantasy stories (particularly by this publisher) with much better results.

Let's talk about those characters. I didn't really connect with any of them. Especially the FMC, Kiara, and MMC, Jude, who were narrating the book. I usually enjoy dual POV, though I feel like third person works much better for fantasy. But if done right, you can certainly see the characters grow and develop and watch their arc. I didn't get that here. I did enjoy a few of the side characters. I would have liked to see more background earlier on. Things are kept so mysterious until the end it was really hard to have any empathy for the characters.. The MMC's partial background we get shows him as a tragic figure marred by what he has experienced. I feel like what is in his past would make him less likely to trust people or have him putting walls up. I do see it a bit but not enough to truly be part of his arc. I was happy the author attempted to build a strong FMC. One who also has tragedy in her past but chose to become strong and resilient despite her past. The insta-attraction/love really bothered me. The pair were essentially the enemies to lovers trope, but they never truly went through the enemy phase.. Once they were in each others presence consistently very close to the beginning of the book, it was obvious they were attracted to each other and would be together. But the tension and the building of the relationship just was not there.

The ending is not a cliff hanger, per se, but is does build onto at least a sequel if not more books for this series. I'm not sure if I will pick up the next book or not but I might be willing to give it a try if I knew there was some growth in the author's writing within the pages.

Overall the story was good but not great. I just felt way too much was lacking in how the world was built, the importance of the lore we learn at the beginning of the chapters, and what it all meant. 

Author:

Katherine Quinn is a fantasy romance author and poet. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in psychology. She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband and three children.

Her love for writing began after she read her first fantasy series, Song of the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. After that, she wanted nothing more than to be a dagger-wielding heroine. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to give a child a dagger, so she settled on writing about daring adventures instead.

Coffee is her true love, and she believes anything can be fixed with Starbucks and dark humor.

Jane Austen Classics With Beautiful New Covers!

Check out these gorgeous graphic designs for these Austen classics. They are so very pretty!

Which one(s) do you need to have on your shelf?

• On Sale: February 13, 2024
• Ages: 12 and up
• Media Materials: EPK 

 

Overview
Emma (9780593622476): Beautiful, clever, rich—and single—Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protégée, Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen’s most flawless work.

Pride & Prejudice (9780593622452): Mr. and Mrs. Bennet live with their five daughters. Jane, the eldest daughter, falls in love with Charles Bingley, a rich bachelor who moves into a house nearby with his two sisters and friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy is attracted to the second daughter, Elizabeth, but she finds him arrogant and self-centered. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, she refuses. But perhaps there is more to Darcy than meets the eye.

Sense & Sensibility (9780593622469): Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby, she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behavior leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love-- and its threatened loss--the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

Author Bio
Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775, at Steventon near Basingstoke, the seventh child of the rector of the parish. She lived with her family at Steventon until they moved to Bath when her father retired in 1801. After his death in 1805, she moved around with her mother; in 1809, they settled in Chawton, near Alton, Hampshire. Here she remained, except for a few visits to London, until May 1817, when she moved to Winchester to be near her doctor. There she died on July 18, 1817.

Illustrator Bio
Anna Bond is an artist, designer and entrepreneur best known for being the co-founder and chief creative officer of Rifle Paper Co., an international stationery, accessories, and home brand based in Winter Park, Florida, and SoHo, New York. Founded in 2009 with her husband Nathan, the couple organically grew the brand from an apartment-based business to an multi-million dollar brand carried in thousands of stores around the world. Beyond Rifle Paper Co., Anna is enjoys illustration, interior design, and, most of all, trying to keep up with her four young children.