2017 Yearly Wrap-Up

Happy New Year to my lovely fellow book bloggers and readers. I want to wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming new year, I hope you are all able to accomplish your bookish and personal goals this upcoming year.

2017 was a great year for me, but I've decided that 2018 will be even better.

What I've Accomplished This Year
A lot has happened for me and my blog in 2017. I started reaching out to publishers a lot more, and received so many wonderful books in exchange for my review. Before this year, I didn't even expect publishers to email me back, and now I'm on four publisher's mailing lists for monthly newsletters. I am so thankful for everyone thats decided to work with me and help make my blog be even better than before.
There were a few ARC copies I was looking to trade, so I decided to try #booksfortrade on Twitter. To my surprise, the first person that traded with me was Sabrina from Beyond the Book Reviews. Sabrina just happened to live in my town, and go to the same exact high school I did (with only a 3 year difference). She introduced me to all the other book bloggers that also live in my town, they are all such wonderful people, and they welcomed me into their group immediately. I've made so many bookish friends in real life.
One of the things we did as a group, was have dinner with Kelley Armstrong when she came to out town. It was so wonderful to sit down, have dinner, and talk to one of my favourite authors of all time. If you ever have the chance to meet her, you definitely should. She is one of the kindest and most down to earth people I've ever met. She had so many wonderful ideas, and even shared some tips and trick for some of the future writers in the group.
But my biggest accomplishment this year, would have to be reading 95 books. I used to read a lot when I was in high school, but as soon as I went to university the number of books the only books I read were textbooks. I am currently half way into my fourth year of university, and I never imagined reading so many books in one year, and still getting really good grades. I honestly cant tell you enough how challenging it is to balance my hobby and school, but with every year I keep getting better at both.

Reading Challenges

Goodreads Reading Challenge 

My goal in this challenge was to read 80 books in total.

I completed the challenge with 95 books read in 2017, with a total of 32946 pages.

Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 

This was the third year that I've started this challenge, and every single year I increase my goal.

This year the goal was to read 25 books from Netgalley or Edelweiss.

I completed the challenge with 35 Netgalley books read (sadly no Edelweiss).  

The Audiobook Challenge 

This was my first year doing this challenge and I absolutely loved it.

The goal was to listen to 20 audiobooks this year.

I completed the challenge with 25 audiobooks listened to.

Favourite Book of 2017

Honorable Mentions

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2018 is a wonderful year for you guys, and I'm wishing you all the best. Thank you so much for visiting and being a part of my blog.

December Wrap-Up

Hello everyone. This year I've decided to update you guys with a monthly wrap-up, where I let you know everything that has been happening on Angelic Book Reviews this past month.

What Happened This Month
December went by extremely fast. Actually this whole year did for me. Feels like just yesterday I was complaining about how horrible 2016 was. Anyways, December was a super busy month for me. I spent the first half of the month cramming all of my studying to prepare for finals, which started mid-December. Three of my exams went really well, the fourth one went horribly wrong. At least it didn't make a huge difference in my GPA, so I'm not too worried about it. The last part of the month I spent working every day since our store picked up for Christmas. The holidays were very lovely, I got to spend it with lots of family and a few friends I haven't seen in a really long time.

Books Reviewed This Month

Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais | Rating 3/5 stars

Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill | Rating 3/5 stars

Infinity by Jus Accardo | Rating 3/5 stars

Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong | Rating 4/5 stars

Forest of Ruin by Kelley Armstrong | Rating 4/5 stars

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black | Rating 5/5 stars

Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely | Rating 4/5 stars

Reading Challenge Progress
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 95/80 books read
Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge: 35/25 books read
Audiobook Challenge: 24/10 audiobooks

Did you have a good December? How were your holidays?

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten.

From Raincoast

Thank you so much Raincoast!! I literally cried when I saw these, I've been dying to get my hands on both books. Thank you!!

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #2) by Tricia Levenseller 
Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

From Netgalley

Busted by Gina Ciocca
Marisa wasn’t planning to be a snoop for hire—until she accidentally caught her best friend’s boyfriend making out with another girl. Now her reputation for sniffing out cheaters has spread all over school, and Marisa finds herself the reluctant queen of busting two-timing boys.

But when ex-frenemy Kendall asks her to spy on her boyfriend, TJ, Marisa quickly discovers the girl TJ might be falling for is Marisa herself. And worse yet? The feelings are quickly becoming mutual. Now, she’s stuck spying on a “mystery girl” and the spoken-for guy who just might be the love of her life…

What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Series: The Folk of the Air #1
Publication Date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

The characters. The ending. Oh my goodness I need more! 

In Faerie, it is up to the husband to take care of the children of his wife, even if the wife runs away with someone else. Madoc kills both of Jude's parents in order to get his daughter Vivi back, but he also takes Jude and her twin sister Tarynn, the bastard children of his wife. Jude grows up in Faerie, and even though she should hate the world and the man who stole her, she doesn't. Jude wants nothing more than to fit in, and be respected, even though no one respects mortals in Faerie. She has no power, she can die of old age, and she isn't as beautiful as the other fae. When Prince Cardan starts picking on Jude and Tarynn, Jude cant control herself any longer, she decides to fight back, even though it just might get her killed.

This book had a very slow beginning. It was a bit confusing at first, and there wasn't much action till about a third into the book. But once you pass the first third of the book, it really picks up, and I couldn't put the book down after that.

Jude is such an amazing main character. You can easily tell that she's the underdog in the story, but she never gives up, she fights for her rights and those of other humans. She works hard at being better and actually ends up being able to use her skills for a better cause. Her character development was truly amazing. You can see that she battles the good and evil inside her, she's determined to get what she wants, and she will do whatever it takes to get her there.

I wasn't a huge fan of the other characters. Jude's sister Tarynn just seemed really weak and boring to me, sure she makes her own decisions, but she choses the easy way out rather than fighting for what she believes in. Jude's other sister Vivi was alright, even though she is fae and will live forever, she does not accept the world that her father brought her into and would do anything to go back to the human world. Cardan and his group of friends were really interesting, they were all very different and it was nice to see their character development as well, and what was the reason behind them acting the way they did.

The plot of the story was fantastic, although the beginning could be improved a bit. There was enough mystery and suspense to keep the reader engaged in the book. And there was the perfect balance between "I knew that was going to happen" and "No way, I didn't see that coming." It was really well written. The world that Mrs. Black created was breathtaking. 

The ending was really creative and well written. While it doesn't leave you with a cliffhanger, it is the type of ending that will make you want to pick up the next book right away.

Overall, this book was amazing. It was definitely worth getting past the slow beginning. The plot, characters and the writing were all fantastic. I cant wait to read the next book in this series. 

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Waiting on Wednesday: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Series: The Witchlands #0.5
Publication Date: January 23rd 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of Windwitch, an illustrated prequel novella set in the Witchlands setting up the forthcoming hotly anticipated Bloodwitch.

Set a year before Truthwitch, Sightwitch follows Ryber Fortiza, the last Sightwitch Sister as she treks deep underground to rescue her missing best friend. While there, she encounters a young Nubrevnan named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he wound up inside the mountain. As the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, and as they brave one close call after another, a tentative friendship forms between them—one that might one day grow into something more.

Sightwitch is told through Ryber’s journal entries and her sketches, as well as through supplementary materials (such as other journals, pieces of songs, clippings from history books, flashbacks, etc.). Though meant as a companion novella, this story serves as a set up to Bloodwitch as well as an expansion of the world. 

Review: Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely

Series: Unknown #1
Publication Date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopia 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: James Patterson presents a bold new heroine--a cross between Katniss Everdeen and Annie Oakley: Serendipity Jones, the fastest sharpshooter in tomorrow's West. 

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....
In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Gunslinger Girl was a powerful book set in a dystopian western society. It was so creative and unique, I loved every minute of it.

Pity can't wait for the day she can escape the commune. After her mother's death, Pity has lived a life of being told what to do by her father. When her father returns to town and tells Pity of his plan to sell her off to some stranger because she's "fertile," Pity decides that her escape is either now or never. Pity is taken to Cessation where she is offered a life of fame in the Theatre as Serendipity Jones, the fastest gunslinger in the west, but freedom comes at a price.

This book was not at all what I originally expected, but I fell in love with it nevertheless. Pity is an amazing main character and I just cant get enough of her. She is so strong and smart but she's also very human. She is not always brave and occasionally does the wrong thing, but her character development throughout the book was absolutely exquisite. She becomes stronger and a better woman. I cant wait to read more of her story and what she does next.

The supporting characters in this book were also very unique and engaging. I absolutely loved Max and Selene. Max is definitely the mysterious, artistic, bad boy type with a good heart that you cant help to fall in love with. And Selene is such a strong ruler, but also very loveable at times. The rest of the characters were really interesting as well, although it took me a bit of time to figure out who was who as I got the names confused in the beginning.

The plot of this story was what surprised me the most. I was expecting the typical western, like something out of Back to the Future III, but instead you get a complex dystopian world, that is something you haven't heard about before. The world that Miss Ely created was breathtaking and I absolutely loved it. We got to know the politics and how the country is run, as well as the backstory of what happened to create this dystopian world. I really hope to explore the world a lot more in the future books.

Overall, I loved this book so much, and I can't wait to read more from this series and from this author. I highly recommend this book to all YA Fantasy and Dystopia lovers, this is a book you won't want to miss.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten. This will be for the past 3 weeks since I haven't had much time to schedule, due to exams.

From Netgalley

Assassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3) by Brenda Drake
The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers.

And it’s not your normal bump-in-the-night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. Not to mention there’s an evil wizard trying to use his magical abilities to take her down. Because she has the keys to end his devious plan. That is, once she figures out what to do with them. 

With the handsome, cocky, and maybe-perfect-for-her Bastien by her side, Gia travels through the beautiful wizard havens and Mystik covens to gather the answers she seeks. The journey is harrowing, and it pits Gia against someone she loves. But there’s only one way to destroy her enemies—if she can uncover it before they catch up to her.

Because sometimes facing our demons is the only way out.  

Zombie Abbey by Lauren Bratz-Logsted
1920, England

And the three teenage Clarke sisters thought what they’d wear to dinner was their biggest problem…

Lady Kate, the entitled eldest.
Lady Grace, lost in the middle and wishing she were braver.
Lady Lizzy, so endlessly sunny, it’s easy to underestimate her.

Then there’s Will Harvey, the proud, to-die-for—and possibly die with!—stable boy; Daniel Murray, the resourceful second footman with a secret; Raymond Allen, the unfortunate-looking young duke; and Fanny Rogers, the unsinkable kitchen maid.

Upstairs! Downstairs! Toss in some farmers and villagers!

None of them ever expected to work together for any reason.

But none of them had ever seen anything like this.

Sightwitch (The Witchlands #0.5 by Susan Dennard (Preview)
Set a year before Truthwitch, Sightwitch follows Ryber Fortiza, the last Sightwitch Sister as she treks deep underground to rescue her missing best friend. While there, she encounters a young Nubrevnan named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he wound up inside the mountain. As the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, and as they brave one close call after another, a tentative friendship forms between them—one that might one day grow into something more.

Sightwitch is told through Ryber’s journal entries and her sketches, as well as through supplementary materials (such as other journals, pieces of songs, clippings from history books, flashbacks, etc.). Though meant as a companion novella, this story serves as a set up to Bloodwitch as well as an expansion of the world. 


From Thomas Allen & Sons

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield
June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one—and a secret one. She is trapped like a butterfly in a net.

But then June meets Blister, a boy in the woods. In him she recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away from her home and be free. Because every creature in this world deserves their freedom... But at what price? 






From Author

Maxon (Angelbound Offspring #1) by Christina Bauer
Prince Maxon may be twenty-two years old now, but he’s still haunted by his boyhood abduction and torture in Hell. To deal with his past, Maxon limits his present-day activities to killing demons and seducing women. No long-term relationships. No combat too dangerous. No problem, right? 

Wrong.

Maxon’s life has stalled out. The old thrills aren't there anymore, either on the battlefield or in the bedroom. While staking out his next fight, Maxon meets what seems like just another girl after a good time. What he gets is a close encounter with Lianna, a lady warrior with ties to the mysterious elemental rulers called the monarkki. It’s love at first fight. Trouble is, Lianna’s running from a dark history of her own, and her elemental enemies are closing in. When Lianna gets taken, Maxon realizes that after years of wrong choices and dead ends, the right woman is worth risking it all.

Wolves and Roses (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum) by Christina Bauer
Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.

“Should” being the key word.

Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that? 

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that--if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye.

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who—or what—she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

Waiting on Wednesday: Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: April 17th 2018
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Genre: YA, Romance, Historical Fiction 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Two young people must hide their true feelings for each other while figuring out who means them harm in this cheeky Regency romance from the author of Love, Lies and Spies and Duels & Deception. 

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. 

Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother's intended. 

But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of "accidents," it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm. And as their affection for each other grows—despite their efforts to remain just friends—so does the danger. . .

In Suitors and Sabotage, author Cindy Anstey delivers another witty young adult historical fiction novel that is the perfect mix of sweetly romantic and action-packed.

Review: Forest of Ruin by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Age of Legends #3
Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: In a world at war, who can you trust?

The empire rests on the edge of a knife, and sisters Ashyn and Moria are the handle and the blade. Desperate to outmaneuver the evil Alvar Kitsune, whose hold on the people grows stronger every day, Emperor Tatsu begs Moria to put aside past grievances and ally with Gavril—at least long enough to make an attempt on Alvar’s life. Meanwhile, reunited with her long-lost grandfather, Ashyn discovers that she is the key to a ritual that could reawaken an ancient dragon and turn the tide of the coming battle in their favor.

But with lies and betrayal lurking around every corner, Ashyn and Moria will have to decide once and for all where their allegiances are. And it may not be where their hearts would lead them…

In this breathtaking final book in her epic trilogy the Age of Legends, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong blends fantasy, action, and romance to give readers the unforgettable ending they’ve been waiting for. 

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

A fantastic ending to a beautiful trilogy.

Separated, sisters Ashyn and Moira must follow their own missions to ensure the war goes in their favour. Found by her grandfather and his people, Ashyn is asked to awaken dragons in order to ensure that King Tatsu can win the war against the Kitsune. Moira is forced to travel with Gavril back to Alvar Kitsune and become a secret spy, and if given the opportunity, kill the Kitsune and prevent the war all together. Will the sisters be able to stop the war at their hands?

I have always loved Moira and Ashyn, they’re both so different yet amazing in their own way. In this book we get to see them separated and see how they are able to deal without one another. It was so wonderful to see Ashyn work on her own and take charge of her own destiny, and finally realize that even though they are twins, Moira isn’t the better half, and shes just as good in her own way.

My favourite part of this book was definitely the romance. I was so happy that Moira was still with Tyrus and there was no awkward love triangle. It was very well written and I’m so happy with the ending.

There were some amazing twists and turns along the way, and while I could see some coming from a mile away, the others definitey took me by surprise.

This book would have been a 5 star book, except I feel like the ending wasn’t grand enough. I was expecting this series to go out with a bang. While I did enjoy the ending, I was expecting more. You’ll know what I mean once you read the book.

Overall, I definitely recommend this series to all Fantasy lovers. I cant wait to read more from Kelley.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Review: Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Age of Legends #2
Publication Date: April 7th 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD 

Synopsis: SISTERS MORIA AND ASHYN ARE THE KEEPER AND SEEKER OF EDGEWOOD.

OR AT LEAST, THEY WERE.

Their village is gone. Their friends have betrayed them. And now, they are all but prisoners in court, forced to watch and wait while the Emperor decides whether to help the children of Edgewood, who remain hostages of the treacherous Alvar Kitsune.

But when the emperor finally sends the girls on a mission to rescue the children - accompanied by Prince Tyrus and a small band of men - the journey proves more perilous than any of them could have imagined. With lies and unrest mounting in the empire, Moria and Ashyn will have to draw on every bit of influence and power they possess to unite their people and avert an all-out war.

In this second book in her epic and captivating Age of Legends trilogy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong blends romance, danger, and magic to send readers on a heart-racing journey through an unforgettable world.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

I read the first book so long ago. I was really worried that it was going to be hard to jump back into this series, but man was I wrong. Empire of Night was an absolute thrill ride, and I'm so glad that I decided to finish this series.

I forgot how much I loved Moira and Ashyn. They're both so unique and different but they both have qualities about them that makes me love them. Moira was probably my favourite of the two, she's as adventurous and stubborn as always, and never ceases to get herself into trouble. Ashyn is the calmer, and more logical of the two, I adore how she knows exactly what to do and say in any situation. Seeing their story progress and their character development further was really great to read about. Both sisters were tricked in their romance aspect in the first book, and seeing how they deal with that in different ways was wonderful, it really made them come to life and be imperfectly human.

The storyline in this book was much better, there was no confusing beginnings or boring parts. The action basically stars at the beginning and continues at a regular pace throughout the whole book. It's not a crazy amount of action (ie. if you're an action fan, this ones probably not for you), but its enough action to keep you engaged in the story.

Fair warning, this book does have a cliff-hanger ending (sort of). I'm dying to pick up the last book and find out what happens to both of the sisters and where their story lets off.

I highly recommend this series to all fantasy fans. It's an amazing read that will have you falling in love with the characters and the world that Kelley created.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Waiting on Wednesday: Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: February 6th 2018
Publisher: Imprint 
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: In this gritty, contemporary romance, an injured star athlete escapes to a small southern town after an abusive relationship leaves her reeling.

Before, Peyton was a star soccer player with the perfect boyfriend, Reed. Now, she has a torn knee ligament, a scholarship on the line, and a shattered sense of self. No one believes Reed pushed her, causing her injury, and Peyton just wants to leave the trauma behind. Living with her uncle and twin cousins in their small, football-obsessed town seems like a great escape plan. 

There, Peyton meets Owen—high school classmate and local MMA fighter. Though Owen is charming and gentle, Peyton is determined to repress her growing attraction. But when her old and new life collide, Peyton must reclaim the truth of her past in order to save her future. 

With southern charm, underground martial arts, and red-hot chemistry, Kami Garcia’s second contemporary romance will steal your breath away.