Review: Slayer by Kiersten White

Series: Slayer #1
Publication Date: January 8th, 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads 

Synopsis: Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…

But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Athena (Nina) and Artemis are twin sisters that grew up in the Watcher Academy after their father was killed while protecting Buffy. Right before all magic was destroyed on Earth, Nina risked her life to protect her twin sister and activated her Slayer powers, becoming the last Slayer on Earth. Nina is a healer and is viewed as the weaker of the twins since her mother pushed her to be a medic rather than train to fight to protect future slayers. Now that Nina is a Slayer, her odds have turned. With incredible new strength and senses, her friends and family now have to see Nina in a different way, where she becomes their leader and takes on vampires and demons to protect the academy and the rest of the world safe from evil forces.

I'm a huge fan of Kiersten White, so even though I've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I knew I had to get my hands on this book. I sincerely enjoyed the story, the world and the plot, but unfortunately there were some characters and the relationships they had with Nina that I didn't quite enjoy.

Nina goes through an incredible self discovery and gains confidence throughout this book. She goes from the shy and weak girl who believes that she's the least favourite twin, to a strong woman that follows her instincts and isn't afraid to do what is right. I loved Nina as the main character, and I absolutely loved her character building. As for the rest of Nina's family, I'm not exactly happy with them. Artemis is very selfish and choses to take her anger out on Nina multiple times throughout the story. There were moments where the twins were fighting and Nina realizes that she's also to blame for the things she did wrong and choses to apologize, all while Artemis continues to be grumpy and blame Nina for everything that happens, while continuously doubting her even though her newfound senses have proven to be right. I would have been okay with this if the sisters left off on a good note and learned how to work together by the end of the book, but sadly I was a bit disappointed. Nina's mother is a whole different story, but I wont be expanding on why I dislike her story due to spoilers. The rest of Nina's friend group I actually quite enjoyed. They were diverse and different and I found all of them quite entertaining.

The plot was very well written. There was action at the beginning of the book and it continued throughout the story to keep the reader well entertained and wanting to read more. While it was a tad predictable, there were moments where I was pleasantly surprised and not expecting them at all. The book was engaging and story was entertaining, the only thing I would add is a little bit more surprises.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and will definitely keep reading in the series. I'm excited to see what happens next to Nina.

Review: Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

Series: Empress of All Seasons #1
Publication Date: November 6th 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: In a palace of illusions, nothing is what it seems.

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. 

Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast.

Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA fantasy.

My Rating

3/5 stars

My Review

Empress of All Seasons is a beautiful tale of Japanese heritage. I was extremely excited for this story and while I loved most of it, it definitely had a few setbacks.

Mari is an Animal Wife, a yokai that transforms into a horrible monster and can trick men easily. Animal Wives are known for their beauty, but all Mari has heard her entire life is that she is plain. Knowing her fate, Mari chose to train to become an empress, but in order to do so she must first pass a competition where fierce female warriors are sent into four rooms where they have to battle against the elements of Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring to prove that they are the equal match for the prince and deserve the honour of being Empress. The problem is that the emperor despises all yokai and demands all yokai in the palace to be enslaved by collars that cause immense pain and drain their powers. Mari must hide her true nature while winning the trust of the prince, and becoming the empress of all seasons. 

I'm not going to lie, I was a bit dissapointed in the direction this story went. In the first 3/4 of the book, I fell in love with Mari and the world that the author created. The story is very unique and quite interesting. Not only do you get a strong female character but also a very creative fantasy world. The writing, and the characters were perfect. At first I thought I was going to hate the competition part of the story, as I believed that it would be another tale where women have to fight against other women, but one of the rules were that the contestants couldn't harm one another, and we actually get to see Mari make friends and work with other contestants to get ahead. I was so incredibly impressed by this story I thought this was going to be a 5 star read for sure.

In the last quarter of the book, the story took a huge turn. It went from being a beautiful tale to a cliche story that made you roll your eyes because you knew exactly what was going to happen next. The ending felt incredibly rushed. There were parts of the story where we skipped a day or two in the timeline because the characters were "setting up." It felt like an essay you would write during an exam where you write an amazing first half and then once the teacher yells that time is almost up you write whatever comes to mind and don't really plan anything anymore. The last quarter was an absolute mess, that didn't fit the style of the beauty of the beginning. It really turned the book off for me.

I will definitely continue to read this series because I do love Mari and the world that the author created, but I sure hope that the author takes her time and slows things down to go back to the beautiful story as was in the first part of the novel.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Series: Untitled #1
Publication Date: July 31st, 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genera: YA, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything. 

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Grace and Fury is an epic story of family, feminism and survival. Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down. I highly recommend this one.

Serina and Nomi couldn't be more different. Serina is the dutiful sister, told from an early age that she was a beauty and would be raised to one day become a Grace so she has a chance of being one of the many Graces the King and his heir have. Serina will stop at nothing to become the best Grace, in order to give herself a better life, and provide more income for her family. Nomi believes this is all a trap, raised to be her sister's handmaiden, Nomi does everything to make Serina's job easier, the only problem is that she doesn't want Serina to become a Grace and would rather live at home with her twin brother and continue with every day life. But when Serina goes to the palace and the heir chooses Nomi to be one of his Graces, their roles switch, and before the two can figure out how to their new roles, Serina is caught taking the blame for a crime Nomi commits, a crime that sends her to an all woman prison located on a remote island. Now Nomi must navigate throughout the palace, and entertain the prince without doing anything to sabotage her position, while Serina must find a way to stay alive in prison in hopes of returning to her sister once again.

When I first started this book, I was a bit worried I would prefer one main character over the other. After getting about 4-5 chapters into the story, I fell in love with not only the story line, but both of the characters as well. Nomi and Serina are both very different to begin with, but throughout the story they see each other's point of view and why their sister acts the way she does. Their character development is astonishing, its probably the best character development I've read about in a couple years. Serina goes from being the soft and reserved girl to a strong woman thats not afraid to speak her mind and do what feels right to her heart, and Nomi went from being rebellious and not really caring about consequences, to finally learning how to slow down, think over her plans and do things for other people rather than just for herself. I loved both characters equally and can't wait to see what they will do next.

I thought the pacing and the plot of the story were very well written as well. The story picks up only a few chapters in, and the twists are so good that they keep the reader interested. So I'm giving you a warning now, once you get a few chapters in, you won't want to put the book down, so read at your own risk.

Besides the characters, the thing I loved most about this book was the world building. The two settings of the characters are so vastly different. You have the palace where everything is so lavish and intricate. Then you have the volcano island where the prison is located, and you get a natural setting with wilderness. While the two settings were so different, the author did an amazing job and making the image so vivd that I could picture it clearly in my head.

Overall, this book was incredible. I loved the message that it sends, as well as the characters and the world. I highly recommend this to all fans of fantasy, feminism and strong female characters. I can't wait to read more from this series, and I can't wait to read more from this author. 

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Sanctuary by Caryn Lix

Series: Sanctuary #1
Publication Date: July 24, 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genera: YA, Science Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Kenzie holds one truth above all: the company is everything.

As a citizen of Omnistellar Concepts, the most powerful corporation in the solar system, Kenzie has trained her entire life for one goal: to become an elite guard on Sanctuary, Omnistellar’s space prison for superpowered teens too dangerous for Earth. As a junior guard, she’s excited to prove herself to her company—and that means sacrificing anything that won’t propel her forward.

But then a routine drill goes sideways and Kenzie is taken hostage by rioting prisoners.

At first, she’s confident her commanding officer—who also happens to be her mother—will stop at nothing to secure her freedom. Yet it soon becomes clear that her mother is more concerned with sticking to Omnistellar protocol than she is with getting Kenzie out safely.

As Kenzie forms her own plan to escape, she doesn’t realize there’s a more sinister threat looming, something ancient and evil that has clawed its way into Sanctuary from the vacuum of space. And Kenzie might have to team up with her captors to survive—all while beginning to suspect there’s a darker side to the Omnistellar she knows.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Sanctuary was everything I expected and more. It is the perfect space adventure with a splash horror.

Fifty years ago, alien probes arrived on Earth. At first nothing happened, but the next generation started receiving superpowers. Those that used their newfound powers for illegal activities ended up in Sanctuary, an extra secure prison out in space. When a distress signal is sent to Sanctuary, guards go to explore, but before they can figure out what is going on, prisoners from level 5 form an escape, and use Kenzie, a junior guard as a hostage. But when things don't go according to plan, and aliens start taking over the ship, Kenzie must join forces with the prisoners as they fight for survival.

I don't know what it is about space novels, but I've been really enjoying them recently. Although I do have to put Sanctuary as my top choice as of right now. The book truly captivated me, and I honestly could not put the book down. It's been a long time since I've stayed up way past my bedtime because of a book, but Sanctuary was definitely the one.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this novel. Kenzie was a fantastic main character. She's strong and very intelligent right from the beginning, but she does have her flaws, especially as she's dealing with her parents divorce, and being the youngest guard on the station. As her story progresses, Kenzie truly grows into an amazing person, her development throughout the story is absolutely fantastic. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about Kenzie.
As for the other characters in the story, I was really impressed with how many diverse characters this book had and how many different personalities there were. Some characters I loved right from the beginning, and others ended up growing on me throughout the story. Its very rare when I actually enjoy all the characters in a novel, but I truly don't have a character in Sanctuary that I didn't end up enjoying at the end.

The world-building is one of the main reasons why I gave this book 5 stars. You would think that since the story takes place in a small space station that the settings would get boring, but you are wrong. Not only is Sanctuary very well explained, but we also get tons of backstories from both Kenzie and the other prisoners about how life is back on Earth, and what has happened to the world since the alien probes landed. I felt like I knew everything that was going on in the world, and how different countries on our planet have reacted to these events.

The pace of the story was also fantastic. There was lots of action to keep the reader entertained, but there was also a lot of dialogue and character development where there was the perfect balance between action and getting to know the characters. 

Overall, I highly recommend Sanctuary to all YA fans, especially if you love action and horror stories, with a hint of romance and strong female characters. I cannot wait to find out what happens next, and will definitely be picking up more books from this author.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Review: Campfire by Shawn Sarles

Publication Date: July 17, 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Genera: YA, Horror, Mystery
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Be careful what stories you tell around the campfire... they just might come true. Fans of Scream and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will devour this chilling horror debut.

While camping in a remote location, Maddie Davenport gathers around the fire with her friends and family to tell scary stories. Caleb, the handsome young guide, shares the local legend of the ferocious Mountain Men who hunt unsuspecting campers and leave their mark by carving grisly antlers into their victims' foreheads.

The next day, the story comes true.

Now Maddie and her family are lost in the deep woods--with no way out--being stalked by their worst nightmares. Because there were other, more horrifying stories told that night--and Maddie's about to find out just how they end... 

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Campfire is the perfect summer read, especially if you're in the mood for scary stories.

The summer before Maddie's older brother goes away to college, Maddie and her group of tight relatives and friends embarks on a camping trip into the woods. The best part of the trip is that not only Maddie's best friend is coming, but their guide up the mountain is very handsome. When the group decides to tell harmless scary stories around a campfire, they never expected any of them to start coming true. But when a murder occurs at the campsite, the group knows they need to get out. But who is the murderer? Is it the mountain men from one of the stories, or could it be one of them?

This book was definitely a great read if you love the outdoors, are going out into the woods soon, or if you just love scary stories. Campfire is a fairly quick read, especially since there is tons of action and the story itself has scary stories in it as well, so there is definitely a lot going on in this book that keeps the reader interested.

Maddie is a fantastic main character. She is strong, compassionate and very brave, but the best part is that even she has her flaws, which I actually enjoyed because the choices she makes in the book definitely fit her age and make her feel like a real person rather than the "perfect character."

The setting and world-building of this story were fantastic as well. As someone who loves to be outdoors and go hiking a lot, the author managed to capture the feeling extremely well, and it actually made me want to go hiking as I was reading the book. The imagery of the flora and fauna in the story was perfect.

Overall, while I really liked the story and couldn't find anything I didn't really like about it, it just didn't give me that feeling of "wow this book was amazing," which is why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I will definitely be picking up future novels from this author, and handing this book out to all my friends, especially those that have cabins and go camping a lot.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: My Plain Jane

Series: My Lady Janies #2
Publication Date: June 26th, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genera: YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Is it a Retelling? Is it fantasy? Is it a comedy? My Plain Jane is all of those combined. It is the perfect combination of an old story, mixed with humour and a bit of paranormal activity to make it into a wonderful story, perfect for all readers.

Jane Eyre can see ghosts, in fact her best friend is a ghost. When Jane runs into Mr. Alexander Blackwood, a member of the Society for the Relocation of Wayward Spirits, Blackwood can tell that Jane can see ghosts, and will do whatever it takes to recruit Jane. Jane wants nothing more than leave her school, but her love for ghosts and her friendship with them prevents her from joining the society, so when an opportunity presents itself for Jane to be a governess at Thornfield Hall, Jane jumps at the opportunity and leaves. But the ghostly world is stirring, and members of the society have been disappearing, Jane Eyre might just be the only hope for the relocation of spirits.

Just like the first book, I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. The comedic writing, the retelling of a classic story, and making it even more entertaining by adding the supernatural. There was honestly nothing I didn't like about the story.

By far, my favourite character was Miss Charlotte Bronte, a young aspiring writer who jumps at the opportunity for adventure. I loved reading from her point of view just because she was so smart and caring, and her character development was absolutely fantastic throughout the novel. I loved watching her grow and develop feelings for Mr. Blackwood, as well as continue working on her novel and reach her achievements. 

Jane was also a fantastic character, although I didn't enjoy her point of view as much as I did Charlotte's. Jane is a very kind and reserved woman, and while I loved reading about how she steps out of her comfort zone and grows into a strong woman, there were also some parts of her story that were a lot slower than the stories of other characters. Her character development was really good at the end, but it took her a long time to get there.

I absolutely loved the setting and the plot of the story. I'm a huge fan of victorian era London, plus all the descriptions the authors provided created a beautiful scene that I absolutely adored. The plot and pace of the story were perfect as well. The story had just enough action to keep the reader interested, but not too much action as to provide enough character development. Everything built up very nicely for the ending, and the few chapters after the climax of the story explained all my questions regarding what happens to the beloved characters.

Even though this is the second book in a series, you do not have to read My Lady Jane before you read this book, they are two separate books. You also don't have to read Jane Eyre before reading this story, as the authors explain everything to you very clearly. 

Overall, I adore this series and this book was just as good as the first one in the series. I loved everything about it. I cannot wait to continue this series in the future.

Happy Reading,

Aneta 

Review: You May Now Kill the Bride by R. L. Stine

Series: Return to Fear Street #1
Publication Date: July 24th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genera: YA, Horror, Thriller
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: NEW Fear Street stories with a retro look, perfect for fans of Stranger Things!

Two sisters, divided by time. Each with a terrible resentment she can barely contain.

Two Fear family weddings, decades apart... Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself.

In this all-new Fear Street story, family ties bind sisters together—till DEATH do they part.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

There is nothing better to read during a thunderstorm than a R. L. Stine novel, filled with horror, drama, and a family tragedy. I absolutely adored You May Now Kill the Bride, and cannot wait to read more from this series.

The worst thing a sister can do to another, is steal her boyfriend. Set in 1923, Rebecca steal's her little sisters boyfriend Peter, Ruth-Ann can't help but engage her time in the dark arts and begin practicing magic. Ruth-Ann swore that her sister will never get married to Peter, but on their wedding day a tragedy strikes that brings a new curse on the Fear family and the place the wedding takes place. Fast forward to current time, Marissa Fear is getting married in the exact same place the tragic wedding of 1923 took place. Harmony Fear, Marissa's younger sister wants nothing more than to play a few pranks using her magic to ease the tension of the wedding, but doing a little magic in a cursed place can have repercussions, and when Marissa goes missing on her wedding day, Harmony must find her and stop the curse from taking another life.

I honestly think this book was really well written. The part set in 1923 had a great use of old language and the setting felt absolutely perfect. R. L. Stine really made me feel like I was back in the 1920's with the clothes, cars and the choice of slang and behaviour from the characters. I also think it was a great addition to the story, rather than just having someone explain what happened in the past to one of the main characters, we actually got to read through it ourselves.

The present story was also good. I enjoyed this Fear family a little bit more, mostly because we got to see a lot more from the parents, and Harmony actually got along very well with her brother so it wasn't just her against her family like Ruth-Ann was. All of the characters in this book were very different but enjoyable at the same time. Although I will admit that the second part of the book did drag on a little too long for my taste.

Overall, I loved the characters, I loved the change in the timeline and I love the horror and thriller side to the novel. You May Now Kill the Bride is a fairly quick read, but it definitely has enough action to capture your attention. I definitely recommend this novel to all R. L. Stine fans and/or fans of mystery/thriller novels.

Happy Reading,

Aneta 

Review: Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genera: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.

Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.

With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Kiss of the Royal did not turn out at all like I expected it too. I ended up loving the book and everything about it at the end. I am so glad I picked this one up.

After the death of her last partner, Princess Ivy needs a new one. Her Kiss is the only one that is strong enough to win the war against the Evil Queen once and for all. But the only way is to pair up with Prince Zach, a prince who would rather fight on his own, than be Kissed by Ivy in order to increase his powers and make him strong enough to win the war.

When I first started this book, I wasn't at all into it. I almost gave up reading around 10% in because I wasn't a huge fan of the whole "kiss" gives power idea, and I also thought that Ivy wasn't a well rounded character, but I decided to read a little bit more and I am so glad I did, because by the end I absolutely loved the book. 

At first, I thought that Ivy was a little bit over confident and arrogant. She didn't seem like a character I would like at all, but after a few chapters you find out why she acts the way she acts, and we go deeper into her character and I actually started liking her. Throughout the story, she has a huge character development, and she truly turns into an amazing character that I just couldn't get enough of. She was finally being herself and while she was still the strong and confident woman, she wasn't as cocky and arrogant anymore. Ivy is just a great character overall.

I had a little bit of an issue with the story at first as well. The royals don't believe in love, their sole purpose is to fight in the war, the girls using kisses to give strength to the boys so they can go out and kill the monsters. And when they reach an older age or can't find another parter, their only purpose is to produce more heirs to keep the bloodline going. Clearly, I'm not a huge fan of that type of story, but eventually Ivy and Zach go off on an adventure and Ivy ends up learning a lot from Zach and does change her view point. So even though the story seems bad and sexist at first, it really takes on a new direction once Ivy and Zach go on their quest. So if you're like me and this is the reason why you stopped reading, then I'd recommend you keep reading a little bit more until you hit the part I'm talking about, because the book does get tremendously better.

I think Lindsey Duga did an amazing job with the plot and the world building of the story. The world that she created was very creative and entertaining, but it also felt very realistic. There were many different settings that the characters got to explore and I absolutely loved exploring them as well, the descriptions were perfect. The pace of the story was also great, there was enough action to keep the story interesting, but not too much where it got boring. This story had the perfect balance of everything, so overall the writing was amazing.

I definitely recommend this book to all the YA and Fantasy fans. If you don't like the beginning, please keep reading because this book does get a lot better. I definitely can't wait to see what Lindsey Duga comes up with next.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara

Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: A clever, romantic novel based on the true story of a girl who disguised herself as a boy to sail with the infamous pirates Anne Bonny and Calico Jack—and fell in love with Anne Bonny.

There’s no place for a girl in Mary’s world. Not in the home of her mum, desperately drunk and poor. Not in the household of her wealthy granny, where no girl can be named an heir. And certainly not in the arms of Nat, her childhood love who never knew her for who she was. As a sailor aboard a Caribbean merchant ship, Mary’s livelihood—and her safety—depends on her ability to disguise her gender.

At least, that’s what she thinks is true. But then pirates attack the ship, and in the midst of the gang of cutthroats, Mary spots something she never could have imagined: a girl pirate.

The sight of a girl standing unafraid upon the deck, gun and sword in hand, changes everything. In a split-second decision, Mary turns her gun on her own captain, earning herself the chance to join the account and become a pirate alongside Calico Jack and Anne Bonny.

For the first time, Mary has a shot at freedom. But imagining living as her true self is easier, it seems, than actually doing it. And when Mary finds herself falling for the captain’s mistress, she risks everything—her childhood love, her place among the crew, and even her life.

Breathlessly romantic and brilliantly subversive, The Unbinding of Mary Reade is sure to sweep readers off their feet and make their hearts soar. 

My Rating

3/5 stars

My Review

The Unbinding of Mary Reade is the perfect YA novel for all history fans.

After Mary's brother dies, her mother tries to pass her off as her deceased brother in order to get some money from Mary's grandmother. But when a maid in her grandmother's manor discovers her secret, Mary decides that she would rather prefer a life at sea. When a pirate ship attacks, Mary spots a woman among the other pirates, Anne doesn't have to hide the fact that she's a woman, unlike Mary. Intrigued, Mary decides to shoot her captain and join the life or piracy.

This novel is definitely focused on the history accuracy of the true story of Mary Reade with a little fictional twist, as well as the budding romance in Mary's life. The only thing thats missing is adventure. If you're like me and you need some good action, then this might not be the book for you.

Mary is a great main character. She is a very complex main character and its absolutely wonderful to watch her grow into herself and go throughout her life with her. I really loved the fact that she is based on a real character, it made her that much more interesting to read about.

Overall, I loved the storyline, I loved the history aspect and I loved Mary's character. The only thing I wish was different was increasing the amount of action just to keep the speed of the story going.

Review: Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein

Publication Date: June 19th, 2018
Publisher: HMH
Genera: YA, Contemporary
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: For seventeen-year-old Maya, the equation for happiness is simple: a dream internship at MIT + two new science nerd friends + a perfect boyfriend = one amazing summer. Then Whit dumps her out of the blue. 

Maya is miserable until she discovers that her scientist mother, before she died, was conducting research on manipulating pheromones to enhance human attraction. If Maya can finish her mother’s work, maybe she can get Whit back. But when her experiment creates chaos in her love life, she realizes that maybe love and loss can’t be understood using the scientific method. Can she learn to trust the unmeasurables of love and attraction instead?

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Chemistry Lessons is the perfect contemporary novel for all my fellow scientists out there, whether you're still in high school thinking about a career in science, or you are already in the field.

Maya has been putting off going through her recently deceased mother's research notes since they were passed down to her based on her mother's will, but after Whit dumps Maya for another girl, her aunt mentions a secret research project her mother started before passing. Maya picks up her mother's reach on human pheromones and how they can help attract two people together. But the best science experiments have many trials, and as the experiment begins Maya has to get in tune with her emotions and find out what she really wants from this experiment.

I am actually very impressed with the way this book turned out. I read a few reviews before starting this book, and not all of them were favourable, but I'm glad I didn't pay too much attention to them because I ended up absolutely loving the book. I think this book really played close to my scientist side and had many aspects that I could relate to, which is one of the main reasons why I liked it so much.

I really enjoyed Maya as the main character. She is young, but already a science prodigy. While is very smart and kind, there are definitely times where is a bit naive and lets her emotions cloud her judgement, but for her age and situation I wouldn't blame her for it, its exactly how a person her age would respond to her situation. Maya goes through quite a bit of character development, both in her personal life and in her scientific research about how to properly conduct an experiment and ethics.

The storyline was really well written. The beginning was a bit slow, but the book is short enough that you can finish it in a day and get to the good parts very quickly. I thought the book had a fantastic middle and end. And while the book was slightly predictable, there were moments that definitely took me by surprise.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book to all my science friends who also love to read. Maya is a great main character, and Chemistry Lessons a super cute novel perfect for the summer.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger

Series: Follow Me Back #2
Publication Date: June 5th 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: YA, Mystery, Thriller
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Love. Obsession. Jealousy. Murder.

No one knows what happened to pop icon Eric Thorn. His Twitter account? Frozen. His cell phone? Cracked and bloody, buried in the snow. 

Agoraphobic fangirl Tessa Hart knows the truth, but she's finally left her #EricThornObsessed days behind. She has no intention of ever touching her Twitter app again. But Snapchat... That's safer, right?

After months of living under the radar, Tessa emerges from hiding, forced to face the deadly consequences of her past. But in the interrogation room, answers only lead to more questions in the pulse-pounding conclusion to the Follow Me Back duology.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Tell Me No Lies is a fast paced read with twists and turns in every chapter. I could not put this book down.

Everyone thinks that Eric Thorn is dead, and that Tessa was the one who killed him. In reality, Tessa and Eric escaped the clutches of Blair, Tessa's creepy stalker, as well as all the other crazy Eric Thorn fans by running away to Mexico. Everything is working out great for them, until Eric's celebrity friend comes back to life after faking his own death, and is now asking Eric for help. The only problem with returning to the spotlight is that everyone is after Eric and Tessa, and the people who were once close to them can no longer be trusted.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, and this one definitely didn't disappoint. Just like the first book, I read this one in a day because I could not put the book down. It is a fairly short read, but theres so much action in every chapter that you just cant put it down.

I really liked both Tessa and Eric. Tessa had such a huge character development in the first book, I never thought that she could top it in the second book, but she definitely did. Tessa continues to impress me, especially as she's working through her problems and comes to terms with her own issues. Their romance is absolutely wonderful, I shipped them from beginning to end.

Overall, I loved the pace of the book, the characters and all the plot twists that I didn't see coming. This book was definitely a lot more unpredictable than the first, and the character development was phenomenal. I will be looking forward to reading more book from this author in the future.

Happy Reading,
Aneta