THIS WICKED FATE By Kalynn Bayron

July 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THIS WICKED FATE By Kalynn BayronThis Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
Series: This Poison Heart #2
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 6/21/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, LGBT, Mythology, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 313
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she'll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart. To locate the missing piece, she must turn to the blood relatives she's never known, learn about their secret powers, and take her place in their ancient lineage.
But Briseis is not the only one who wants the Heart, and her enemies will stop at nothing to fulfill their own ruthless plans. The fates tell of a truly dangerous journey, one that could end in more heartache, more death. Strengthened by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can Briseis harness her power to save the people she loves most?

Short and Sweet Review

This Wicked Fate picks up right where This Poison Heart ended. Circe is alive but Briseis mom is dead, but she does have a chance to get her back if she can get all of the pieces of the Absyrtus heart together. With the relatives she’s just met Briseis will go on a journey to places that people thought were just stories to get her mom back.

This was such a good conclusion! Breseis gets to meet Circe her maternal aunt and Persephone a family member who like Marie has immortality because of the Absyrtus heart. There’s a lot of teamwork between the characters and even some of the secondary characters offering their support was heartwarming. I love that this feels like a scavenger hunt and at some points some of the tasks may have felt impossible for the characters but they never gave up. My favorite thing about this book was the mythology that was mixed in, I learned a lot about mythological characters that aren’t mentioned or are very popular. There was a lot of sacrifices that were made and forgiveness given. I loved that Marie and Persephone were willing to give up certain things they were both very selfless. Breseis also learned that its okay to have both, that it was okay to love her moms but also let in the relatives from her birth moms side, the connection Breseis makes with Circe was beautiful.

Overall this book was epic and I loved every minute of it! If you get a chance put everything down and read this duology it’s worth it!


Filed Under: Reviews

THIS POISON HEART By Kalynn Bayron

July 18, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THIS POISON HEART By Kalynn BayronThis Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
Series: This Poison Heart #1
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 6/29/21
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy & Magic, LGBT, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Briseis has a gift: with a single touch she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms.

When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents hope that surrounded by plants and flowers, she will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they never expected―it comes with a mysterious set of instructions, a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world, and generations of secrets. There is more to Bri’s sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it.

Short and Sweet Review

Breseis has a gift, she can make seeds bloom into plants and plants call to her like Moana calls to the ocean. Breseis birth mom is dead and her sister Circe dies to and in Circes will she leaves Breseis an estate in rural New York. When Breseis and her parents arrive they find the place surrounded with plants and a closed apothecary. Bri was left a set of instructions and she’s determined to uncover the secrets that this estate is holding and at the same time learn more about herself and where her powers came from.

This was an amazing book. It was interesting to see Bri learn more about herself and the fact that she was immune to poisonous plants. When Bri first comes to the estate most things regarding her birth mother and her family are a mystery and I love that through the course of the book Bri learns more about her family and some mythology. Rhinebeck is a small town and there’s some strange things going on like people just showing up on the property trying to get things from the apothecary. Bri made some friends Karter and Marie and it was interesting because both of them knew more than they were willing to share. There was a lot that went on in the end but in a good way and it gave me chills, because just thinking about the lengths some people will go to to get what they want is creepy! I loved the ending and I’m so excited to pick up the second book and see how this story concludes. I would definitely recommend this book, it kept me hooked from beginning to end and that ending left me wanting more!

Filed Under: Reviews

EVERY SINGLE LIE By Rachel Vincent

February 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

EVERY SINGLE LIE By Rachel VincentEvery Single Lie by Rachel Vincent
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 1/12/21
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 324
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Nobody in sixteen-year-old Beckett's life seems to be telling the whole story. Her boyfriend Jake keeps hiding texts, which could mean he's cheating on her. Her father lied about losing his job and so much more before his shocking death. And everyone in school seems to be whispering about her and her family behind her back.

But none of that compares to the day Beckett finds the body of a newborn baby in a gym bag--Jake's gym bag--on the floor of her high school locker room. As word leaks out, rumors that Beckett's the mother take off like wildfire in a town all too ready to believe the worst of her.

Beckett soon finds herself facing threats and accusations both heartbreaking and dangerous. Nobody believes her side of the story, and as the police investigation unfolds, she discovers that everyone has a secret to hide and the truth could alter everything she thought she knew.

Short and Sweet Review

Let’s just get into this. Beckett skips school but ends up remembering she has a test to take so she does end up in school and while in the girls locker room she finds a baby in a duffle bag, unfortunately the baby is dead. Anyway everyone in town starts to think that Beckett was the mother of the baby and start calling her a baby killer. It gets even worse when media and an online presence of supporters for the baby start making their anger known.

The premise of this book is what drew me in. I was interested to follow the mystery and see how everything would unfold. Beckett was an okay character but she was not detective material. I think that’s what frustrated me most about the Beckett was she would get a lead and then confront a potential suspect with a clue she blew out of proportion and then take back what she said because she would get evidence that would clear them, she did this more than once. The romance was okay, Beckett thought Jake was cheating on her and broke up with him but they try to work things out. Beckett also has a lot of family problems, her dad recently died and her mom works late hours and is barely home so its mainly Beckett and her brother and her sister.

Overall this was an okay book I think things could’ve been better, starting with Beckett she wasn’t a character I really related to. I felt bad about all of the threats she was receiving and that no one would believe her side of the story. I also felt like the pacing was a little slow and that might have been because of how bad Beckett’s detective skills were. There were things that could have been better but in the end Every Single Lie fell flat.

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HAVENFALL By Sara Holland

April 15, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

HAVENFALL By Sara HollandHavenfall by Sara Holland
Series: Havenfall #1
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 3/3/20
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds--each with their own magic--together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie's brother. It's where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it's where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens--a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She'll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she's letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie--no one can be trusted, and no one is safe . . .

Short and Sweet Review

Havenfall is where Maddie spends her summers, it’s more than just an inn its a place where ancient worlds are connected with their own magic. Havenfall is an escape from reality, Maddie loves seeing her uncle Marcus and the Fiorden soldier Brekken. This summer Havenfall isn’t a sanctuary for Maddie its more of a mess. First a dead body is found on the grounds and then her uncle is injured and Brekken goes missing. Maddie ends up taking the role of innkeeper while her uncle heals. While being the innkeeper Maddie learns that there are dark secrets she didn’t know about the inn and now a new staffer, Taya seems to know more than she’s letting on.

This book was not what I was expecting. I thought that we’d learn more about the worlds and maybe Maddie would travel to them but she just stayed at the inn and the surrounding areas. I thought there’d be more detail about the other worlds but there wasn’t. Maddie was an okay character some of the decisions she made bothered me, she was stubborn and sometimes very clueless. There was also some romance between Maddie and Brekken and Maddie and Taya. I was not impressed. Maddie literally just met Taya, and Brekken was barely around so I don’t know why he was such a big deal when he was in 3 or 4 chapters at most. The romance aspect could have been omitted entirely.

I did like the mystery aspect and I wanted to find out who could’ve been doing all the shady stuff at the inn. I also liked how Maddie found out other things that had been going on at the inn.

This wasn’t the best book but it wasn’t the worst either. I would read a sequel just to see how things are going to develop.

Filed Under: Reviews

A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY By Brigid Kemmerer

February 20, 2019 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY By Brigid KemmererA Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Series: A Curse So Dark and Lonely #1
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 1/29/19
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 496
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.


Short and Sweet

Prince Rhen has been cursed to relive his 18th year over and over, all he needs to do to break the curse is have a girl fall in love with him. Unfortunately that’s easier said than done because Rhen turns into a monster at the end of each autumn destroying anything and everybody in his path. Rhen knows that this is his last chance to find love or he’ll never break the curse. Harper has her own share of problems her mother is dying, her father is nowhere to be found, and her brother is trying to keep everything together. When Harper tries to help someone on the streets she’s suddenly not in DC anymore but in Emberfall.

Characters

Harper: Like I mentioned before Harper has a hard life back at home, her mother is dying of cancer, and her father left them in a lot of debt that her brother Jake now has to work for a crime lord to pay off. Harper also has cerebral palsy and she functions pretty well (I also had to google more about this and learned that there are different types.) Anyway Harper doesn’t let this get in the way of anything she wants which I like, so it bothered me that her brother thought she couldn’t do certain things just because of it because I learned that Harper is strong willed and capable of a lot.

Rhen: Rhen our prince, our beast, our cursed soul. Rhen also has a difficult life not only is he cursed but every season he relives his 18th year, he turns into a beast, a beast that killed his family and his people. It’s not easy for Rhen to see how much damage he has caused and he feels like he’d be better off dead so he can’t hurt anyone anymore.

Grey: Rhen’s guard commander, and the only person who has survived Rhen’s attacks. Grey is loyal and I like that about him he does his job and he does it well.

Lilith: The enchantress who cursed Rhen. Honestly, Lilith is a very evil person and likes to inflict pain on Rhen and watch him suffer and fail for her own amusement.

Romance

Harper and Rhen: This relationship did not start off well at all. Harper didn’t trust Rhen because he’s been getting Grey to bring back girls for him (that sounds awful) anyway so she’s trapped in Emberfall when she should be back at home with her family. Harper didn’t really like being around him which made it hard for Rhen because she was obviously his last chance to break the curse. When they did have their moments it was cute and made my little heart happy like when they danced together.

Harper and Grey: I didn’t really want to mention these two together because um she obviously needs to be with Rhen, but there were some sparks between these two. Harper trusted Grey long before she started to trust Rhen.

My Thoughts

~ So this was a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast and I suppose it was darker than usually but I liked it.

~ Harper had hard decisions to make, she could either stay in Emberfall and help things get better, or go back home to her family.

~ Harper is also very caring she helped a lot of the people in Emberfall. One of my favorites was Freya, who soon becomes Harpers lady-in-waiting.

~ Once Rhen begins to travel past his castle grounds he learns how much his people have actually been suffering and it effects him. He also realizes that another kingdom is trying to close in on his which makes him strategize about how to stop them and a war if possible.

~ There is a lot of representation in this book Harper with her Cerebral Palsy, Jake and his boyfriend Noah, and Noah is also black. I liked the amount of representation in this book it was nice and kind of unexpected.

~ One thing I didn’t like was how Harper assumed Rhen didn’t care for his people because he hasn’t gone to see them, but its only because he’s been hiding in the castle to protect them from the monster.

~ The ending made me sad like where is Grey and will he come back?

Overall

I loved this book and I’m so glad I read it. It was different from other Beauty and the Beast retellings I’ve read. I thought this would be a standalone but I guess I was wrong and I look forward to seeing how things go. Overall it was a really good book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys retellings.

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Filed Under: Reviews