Review: Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #3
Publication Date: September 18th, 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Genera: YA, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis: Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea.

It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

The Stalking Jack the Ripper series has been amazing thus far, but Escaping from Houdini was definitely the weakest book.

Audrey Rose and Thomas are travelling to New York via the RMS Etruria, a luxurious passenger boat with lots of activities planned to keep the passengers happy. The Moonlight Carnival is on the ship to perform for the guests, but when a passenger is murdered during the first show, everyone puts blame onto the Carnival. It is up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to solve the mystery of who is truly behind the murders and clear the carnival's name, but the closer they get to New York, the less time they have to solve the case.

One of the main things I have loved about this series was that there was no love triangle, it was just Audrey Rose and Thomas on their adventures. Unfortunately in this book, Audrey Rose begins to have feelings for someone other than Thomas and the readers must suffer through another love triangle. I honestly found this to be unnecessary and I know I'm not the only one who groaned when Audrey Rose was falling for someone else, especially this late in the series.

While I didn't enjoy the character development whatsoever, I did like the other aspects of the book like the setting (even though its on a boat there is still lots going on) and the pace of the story. The mystery aspect was also very well written, as I was constantly guessing who the murderer could be.

Overall, I will be definitely continuing with this series, with strong hopes that there are no more love triangles in the future of these books.

Huge thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

Series: Dimple and Rishi #2
Publication Date: May 14th, 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genera: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads 

Synopsis: Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

There's Something About Sweetie was such an incredible book! I absolutely adored it and I couldn't get enough. This rarely happens, but I loved this book so much more than the first (When Dimple Met Rishi).

Sweetie Nair is a track star and a killer singer. Sweetie is surrounded by amazing friends at school who love her just as much as she does. Unfortunately she is constantly reminded at home that she is fat, and in order to be a better track star and have more friends and even a potential boyfriend, she needs to lose weight. Her mother, who is a tiny woman, makes sweetie run laps before dinner and constantly reminds her how much better she would be if she lost a little weight. So when Ashish Patel's mother asks Sweetie's mom if she could set up their children, Sweetie is absolutely thrilled someone like Ashish wants to date her, but her mother thinks that shes not good enough for Ashish, not until she loses the weight.
Ashish is heartbroken after finding out that Celia, the first girl Ashish has ever loved, has not only dumped him, but shes also moved on and found someone else. Ashish is so sad that he can't even focus during his basketball games, and is bringing those around him down as well. When Ashish decides to make a deal with his parents that if they try to set him up like they did his brother Rishi, and he truly doesn't like the girl they pick, they can't judge Ashish's dating choices any longer. But to his surprise, Sweetie Nair is the girl of his dreams and exactly what he needs in his life... but first he has to get over Celia.

This book was amazing, just when I think Sandhya Menon can't write a better book... she proves me wrong and writes this masterpiece. I really liked Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi, but I was so happy to get to know him a little better and see his story develop in this book. But what absolutely made me fall in love with this book was Sweetie, I love love love her point of view and the amazing person she is. Her character development was truly fantastic, and I can so relate to her character and the changes shes made. Her story and the lesson in this book is perfect for adolescent girls that may have issues with body image.

The story kept me entertained throughout the whole book, and I can definitely say that I wasn't bored once. Sandhya uses lots of action and drama between the characters, and even throws in a few jokes here and there to make the story even better. I have no improvements to add about the author's writing. Its brilliant.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you loved the first one, or need a strong and confident female character to read about. I guarantee you will love this book.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Tour & Giveaway: The Allegiance Series

Captive Rebel

The Allegiance Book 1

by Erin McDermott

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis: In a world where Greek Gods rule over the Allegiance, Marylyn O’Conner struggles to survive. 

Marylyn is a rebel, forced to do the rebellion’s bidding until an unforgiving family debt is paid. A pawn in the war against the Allegiance, she is obligated to become a rebel spy, or her family will suffer. 

When word spreads that an Allegiant Prince, Ariston, has escaped rebel captivity vowing to hunt down rebel spies, Marylyn realizes her only hope is to escape Allegiant territory. 

While on the run, Ariston captures Marylyn, preventing her from any chance of returning home. Desperate, she knows she needs to escape her alluring captor or risk the safety of her family. 

But Marylyn can’t keep herself from falling for the mysterious prince as she finds that he can empathize with her troublesome past - a past no ally has understood before.

Immortal Rebel

The Allegiance Book 2

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis: He is scarred by betrayal, she lives by deceiving others...

Betrayed, rebel Michael O’Conner blames himself for the Allegiance laying waste to the rebel town Pyke. After Pyke’s destruction, a curse of immortality was placed on him by the three Furies. Ashamed, he vowed to live a disconnected life, undisturbed by anything occurring outside his seclusion.

Phoibe is an Allegiant bounty hunter, circumstances forcing her to collect bounties or lose her only home. When she is tasked with capturing a girl named Marylyn O’Conner, for a promising reward, Phoibe agrees. To aid in her mission, she creates an alliance with the isolated immortal, Michael O’Conner.

After learning his sister has been taken captive by an Allegiant Prince, Michael O’Conner realizes he can no longer hide from the world. He agrees to join Phoibe and save his sister, completely unaware of her ulterior motives.

Phoibe knows she needs to keep everything a secret from the handsome immortal, or risk losing her only home. Phoibe only hopes she can handle the heartache that will come with betraying a man who has already experienced so much betrayal in his past.

Forgotten Rebel

The Allegiance Book 3

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis: She will do anything to save him, even risk her only chance to return home...

Fanny is an exiled princess of the Allegiance, a faction favored by the Greek Gods. She was exiled for loving a rebel, but now he has gone missing. She will do anything to find him - even place her trust in the mysterious yet enticing stranger, Adonis.

He promises Fanny he knows where the rebel, Charles, has been taken, but refuses to explain how he knows. Seeing that he is her only hope, she follows him on a journey to the Allegiant capital, hoping Charles is still alive.

The only catch? Adonis does not know Fanny is exiled. She needs to feign Allegiant royalty if she wants his help. Desperate, that is exactly what she does.

Erin McDermott was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated college with a bachelors degree in History. If she's not in her room writing, you may find somewhere on the Jersey Shore with her family. She has been writing stories since 3rd grade. It was not until after experiencing the fast-paced life New York City had to offer that she decided to finally take the plunge and finish her first book, CAPTIVE REBEL (The Allegiance, Book 1).

During her years in college she expressed a deep interest in Greek Mythology, which she incorporates into The Allegiance Series. She is incredibly grateful to her family for supporting her throughout the trials and tribulations of the independent publishing process.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

Interview

"When did you first begin writing?" 

• I began writing in 3rd grade while watching my brother's Little League games. I would just sit in a corner and write. The books I wrote were inspired by "Little House on the Prairie," by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would sit and write about my life in the houses I lived in, just as she wrote about her life in her diaries. 

"When did you decide to first publish a book?" 

• I always loved writing, but the idea of publishing a book seemed like an impossible dream. I never thought I'd finish a book, never mind actually publish something. It wasn't until I was working a job that I really didn't enjoy that I decided to set to my dreams and complete a book. Then my first book was born, Captive Rebel. 

What advice would you give to those who are trying to write a book? 

• I once read somewhere that writing is like building a sand castle. The first draft is you filling a sandbox with, well, sand! It's messy, it's unstructured, but it's something to work with. Knowing the first draft is going to be sloppy is the only way to finish the book. Once you finish a book your goal seems more realistic and the edits will come on easy. The edits are you building the sand castle in that scenario, by the way. 

What inspired you to write Captive Rebel? 

• Actually, I had a dream. It was a vivid dream and I needed to get it down on paper. In one night I wrote 10,000 words. Then, I didn't look at that story again. Not until after my job in New York City when I finally decided to begin pursuing my dreams.

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

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Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: October 16th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genera: YA, Contemporary
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down. 

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

A Very Large Expanse of Sea is a breathtaking story about the post-9/11 life of a Muslim Hijabi teen.

Shirin wants nothing more than to be invisible and just get through high school as fast as possible. After the 9/11 attacks, Shirin has had a hard time opening up to her classmates. There is nothing that makes her feel more uncomfortable than the piercing stares and rude questions from her classmates, but what finally did the trick is when two boys attacked her after school and tried to strangle her with her hijab. Now Shirin tries to fade into the background and has put up massive walls around herself, because its better to keep everyone out than to go through that pain again. But when her biology lab partner is determined to learn more about her and actually takes a interest, Shirin can't help but open up a little, and once those walls come down, it is much harder to build them back up.

This story is so precious, I admire the author so much for writing this book because you can definitely tell it hit home for her, and you can see just how much of her soul she poured into this novel. Everything about this story seems so real, from the emotion, to the character development, and even the ending.

Shirin is a wonderful main character. In the beginning of the novel you can tell how hurt she was from her past experiences, but she still had so much strength and determination to be the person that she wanted to be. I loved her from the beginning because she didn't try to be the typical high school girl that dressed and acted like everyone else to try and be friends with everyone, Shirin decided to take her own path and didn't lose out on who she really was. As the story progresses, Shirin goes through tons of character changes, both emotional and physical. As she gets closer to Ocean, she opens up more and more, and even though her brain is telling her not to keep opening up to him, her heart is telling her that its time to let someone in and actually feel love once more. Any girl that has been hurt in the past can definitely relate to Shirin's feelings and how hard it is for her to open up to Ocean. At the same time, Shirin joins the breakdancing team with her brother and her brother's friends to take her mind away from the constant pain of high school and actually do what she loves. Throughout the story, we also get to watch her grow as a dancer, as she masters more moves and becomes more confident with dancing, and her physical appearance.

The pace of the story is absolutely perfect. The book is short enough to read in one or two sittings depending on how much time you have, but trust me when I say that you will not want to put the book down after starting it. I've been going through a bit of a reading slump, and was pleasantly surprised that I couldn't put this book down and ended up finishing it in a day, its just one of those books that's captivating and brings you joy when reading it, so it leaves you wanting more.

I just wanted to talk about the ending quickly. While I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, I will say that its not your typical happily ever after ending, but this made me like the ending even more. The ending is incredibly realistic, as was the rest of the story, and it fits so perfectly that the character got a happy ending, but not a happily ever after ending, because those are so rare in life and I think books just use them way too much.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. I loved the characters, the pace and the setting. Tahereh did such an amazing job with the writing, you can really feel the emotion and hard work she put into this novel. I will definitely be forcing my friends to read this novel. I finished it in one go because I could not put it down.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Review: Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Series: Rule #1
Publication Date: September 11th, 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genera: YA, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos.

Or rather, three unexpected options.

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone.

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom.

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done.

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule.

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Rule is an absolute wonder! I fell in love with this book right from the beginning. Its perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Three Dark Crowns.

Three girls that have never met, and have nothing in common are brought before the King. The rest of the kingdom doesn't know this yet, but the King is slowly dying and since his son was murdered, he must call on his bastard daughters and train them so that one of them could be his successor. Zofi, Ren and Akeylah are complete opposites, not only in their looks but also in their background and personalities. But when all three girls start receiving threats, and are told to leave the kingdom unless they want their darkest secrets revealed, the sisters decide to stick together and track down the person that wants to get rid of them for good.

This book had such amazing and diverse characters. I absolutely loved them all. The sisters were all is different, yet I truly loved all of them equally. Zofi is definitely the badass warrior, that has a hidden softer side. Akeylah is a shy and kind girl, but throughout the novel she definitely opens up and explores her more passionate side. Ren is a great leader, she's cunning and is able to make amazing connections with people. All three sisters have their strengths and weaknesses, but it honestly made them even more likeable. I absolutely loved the part of the story when all three of them started working together.

The world that Ellen created is absolutely fantastic. The world is really creative and there are so many details that Ellen put into the story about the setting and each part of the kingdom, I am truly amazed at how well this world came together. Having said that, I was slightly confused about the layout of the land, so I think if a map of the world was included in the beginning of the novel then it would have just made the experience even better.

The plot was also very well written. There is action right from the beginning as the sisters are taken in to the palace, and it continues throughout the whole novel. The climax was also very well written and very engaging. The only comment I would make is that this story was slightly predictable, you could tell right away that the three sisters will most likely end up working together, and the person they suspect to be blackmailing them isn't who they think it is, and a bunch of other little things like that. There was only one part of the story that really took me by surprised, and that was right at the end so I wont be telling you guys what it was.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and all the characters in it. I think that if there were some minor changes in this book, it could have been absolutely perfect. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out, because I can't wait to read what happens next. Ellen Goodlett is definitely going on my automatic read authors list.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

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

Publication Date: September 25th, 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genera: YA, Historical Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

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 

Waiting on Wednesday: Pride by Ibi Zoboi

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

Publication Date: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genrea: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. 

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

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: 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: 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