RIDE WITH ME By Lucy Keating

June 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

RIDE WITH ME By Lucy KeatingRide With Me by Lucy Keating
Published by Clarion Books on 6/28/22
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 318
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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As a driver for her local ride share app, Charlie Owens loves what the open road gives her: freedom, extra cash for an epic road trip, and a path to getting out of her sleepy town of Chester Falls, Massachusetts. She’s seen her fair share of mysterious passengers and explosive break-ups in the backseat of her car, but Charlie lives a no-strings-attached lifestyle and never gets involved.

But when a routine post-party pick-up ends with Charlie crashing into Andre, her school’s notorious party boy, she’s forced to make a deal to drive him anywhere he needs to go, anytime, until his car can be repaired. Suddenly Charlie and Andre are stuck together, and they couldn’t be more different. But Andre’s charm wins over Charlie’s passengers, and she soon finds herself at risk of breaking her most sacred rule: don’t fall in love.

Short and Sweet Review

Charlie is a driver for a ride share company, she loves her job because of the freedom it gives her and the extra cash isn’t so bad either. But after a pick up ends in Charlie hitting someones car she has to think fast, which is when she offers the owner of the other car, Andre rides anywhere and anytime.

This book was not what I was expecting from the synopsis. I was expecting more car rides and learning about the passengers, but what I got was some car rides with Andre and Charlie’s other customers and a big focus on Charlie trying to impress an architect, and her obsession with leaving her small town of Chester Falls. So Charlie and Andre are very different I would describe Charlie as uptight and by the book, she’s been a ride share driver and one of the top rated but we learn she’s not very personable. Andre is a party boy and laid back, he on the other hand has the ability to relate and connect with Charlies passengers and even gives advice. Charlie and Andre buttheads a lot so I didn’t really feel the romance between the two especially towards the end where Charlie jumps to conclusions and wouldn’t even hear Andre out. The other subplot was Charlie trying to impress Ava and get an internship so Charlie try to find projects she can rework to show Ava for her portfolio. Charlie has great ideas its just that she doesn’t listen to what her clientele would want. Charlie is also obsessed with leaving Chester Falls because she doesn’t think there’s anything for her there, she even criticizes her parents for being there and basically not doing anything with there lives. When she blew up on her parents and Andre I just knew I didn’t like her. Honestly Charlie wouldn’t really listen to people and would come up with her own conclusions and that was her biggest downfall as a character.

Overall this book was okay, it was a fast read, it wasn’t what I was hopping for but it was enjoyable.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE SONG THAT MOVES THE SUN By Anna Bright

June 23, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

THE SONG THAT MOVES THE SUN By Anna BrightThe Song That Moves the Sun by Anna Bright
Published by HarperTeen on 6/28/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 462
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Best friends Rora and Claudia have never felt more like their lives are spiraling out of control. And when they meet Major and Amir—two boys from one of the secret cities of the spheres, ruled by the magic of the astrological signs—they discover they’re not alone. There is a disruption in the harmony between the spheres, and its chaos is spreading.

To find the source of the disharmony, Rora and Claudia will embark on a whirlwind journey of secrets, romance, and powerful truths—about themselves, each other, and two long-ago explorers named Dante and Beatrice, who were among the first to chart this course toward the stars.

Short and Sweet Review

Claudia and Rora are best friends but lately something has been off in their lives. The girls meet Major and Amir at a concert and learn that the boys are from one of the secret cities of the spheres, which are ruled by the magic of the astrological signs. The group learns that there is a disruption in harmony on the spheres which is causing chaos to spread. The group teams up to find the disharmony by traveling the spheres and on this journey they all learn a little more about themselves.

This was an interesting but fun journey of a book. Our main characters are Claudia, Rora, Amir, and Major. We got the POVs from Claudia and Rora, and we also get one from the past that shows Dante, Marco Polo, and Beatrices adventures. Claudia and Rora are from Earth while Amir and Major are from other planets. When the girls learn that fixing the disharmony can possibly help fix what’s been wrong with them, they join the boys in a quest to fix what’s gone wrong. I liked the characters, Rora and Claudia are best friends but are also as close as sisters they care about each other and want the best. Rora has had a rough few months and she knows that music helps her for a short amount of time and it turns out she’s an amplifier. There is a romance between Claudia and Amir, and Rora and Major. The romance was sweet but it was obviously rushed. I enjoyed the journey through the spheres and seeing the other planets and learning that they had different songs, and seeing the effects that each planet had on other planets. I thought the boys were great travel companions for the girls. I loved seeing the girls take charge while they were in the spheres even though they weren’t from there they didn’t take a backseat. Claudia was probably the brains and was determined to figure out what was going wrong, while Rora was unsure of things but she eventually became more courageous. Claudia and Rora learn a lot about themselves during this journey and I liked seeing the character development.

Overall this was a fun book, the adventure and plot was great and I loved the inclusion of astrology and traveling the planets with these characters.

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RISE OF THE VICIOUS PRINCESS By C.J. Redwine

June 11, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

RISE OF THE VICIOUS PRINCESS By C.J. RedwineRise of the Vicious Princess by C.J. Redwine
Published by Balzer + Bray on 6/14/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Princess Charis Willowthorn is the dutiful sword of Calera. Raised to be ruthless and cunning, her only goal is to hold her war-torn kingdom together long enough to find a path toward peace with their ancient foe Montevallo, even if the cost is her own heart.

When violence erupts in the castle itself, nearly killing the queen, Charis must assume her mother’s duties and manage both the war and her kingdom. But as an unseen enemy begins sinking Calera’s ships, Charis realizes a threat much greater than Montevallo is coming for her people. So she forms a plan.

By day, she is Calera’s formidable princess intent on forging an alliance with Montevallo. By night, she disguises herself as a smuggler and roams the sea with a trusted group of loyalists, hunting for their new enemies. And through it all, she accidentally falls in love with the wrong boy.

But her enemies are much closer than Charis realizes, and her heart isn’t the only thing she has left to lose.

Sweet and Short Review

Charis is the Princess of Calera, she was raised to be ruthless by her mother so that people will know she isn’t one to try to walk all over. Charis will do anything for her kingdom even if it means giving up her own happiness. That’s just what she decides to do in order to end the war between Calera and Montevallo. But when Charis realizes that Montevallo is the only enemy Calera has to worry about she decides to put her life in danger by becoming a smuggler by night to try to find out who is sinking Calera’s ships.

This was a really good book, it took a while to be captivated by it but once I was I couldn’t put it down. Calera has been at war with Montevallo for some time and when Montevallo attacks Calera, Charis knows something has to be done. After the attack Charis gets a new personal guard, Tal. There is chemistry between the two but they both know that a relationship would never be allowed. Tal does a great job at taking care of Charis and giving her advice. After listening to Tal give his input on a situation Charis knows that the only way to have peace between Calera and Montevallo is to offer herself and get married to one of Montevallo’s princes. Even after this there are still attacks and this is when we learn that Montevallo isn’t the only one attacking Calera. When Charis sees that Calera’s ships are sinking she decides to disguise herself as a smuggler and find out who is attacking them from the sea.

Going into this book I wasn’t so sure that I would be able to connect Charis because she’s a strong female character and her mother has raised her not to take any nonsense from anyone and she’s very quick to let people know her place. I’m glad that Redwine added scenes with Charis and her father because when she’s with her father she lets her walls come down and you can see that she is a softy. I liked seeing Charis, Tal, Holland, and Nailani together, it made me happy to see that Charis had a good support system she didn’t have to be the calculating princess around them and she was able to run ideas with them. The plot is well written and the pacing is good. I will say after reading the synopsis that I thought the whole smuggling thing would happen sooner but that didn’t take place until a little past the halfway point. The ending was a twist I wasn’t expecting and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next because there was a lot of action packed into those last few chapters and I can’t wait to see how Charis will deal with everything. This was an action packed book that will have you on the edge of your seat and will leave you wanting more!

Filed Under: Reviews

FEATHER AND FLAME By Livia Blackburne

June 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

FEATHER AND FLAME By Livia BlackburneFeather and Flame by Livia Blackburne
Series: The Queen's Council #2
Published by Disney-Hyperion on 6/14/22
Genres: Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 307
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

She brought honor on the battlefield. Now comes a new kind of war... The war is over. Now a renowned hero, Mulan spends her days in her home village, training a militia of female warriors. The peace is a welcome one, and she knows it must be protected. When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan's relatively peaceful life is upended once more. The aging emperor decrees that Mulan will be his heir to the throne. Such unimagined power and responsibility terrifies her, but who can say no to the Emperor? As Mulan ascends into the halls of power, it becomes clear that not everyone is on her side. Her ministers undermine her, and the Huns sense a weakness in the throne. When hints of treachery appear even amongst those she considers friends, Mulan has no idea whom she can trust. But the Queen's Council helps Mulan uncover her true destiny. With renewed strength and the wisdom of those that came before her, Mulan will own her power, save her country, and prove once again that, crown or helmet, she was always meant to lead. This fierce reimagining of the girl who became a warrior blends fairy-tale lore and real history with a Disney twist.

Short and Sweet Review

Feather and Flame shows Mulan’s life after fighting the war, now she’s back home and training a militia of female warriors. Shang comes bringing news that the Emperor wants to see Mulan. While in the Imperial City the Emperor announces that he wants Mulan to be his successor and become the Empress. When Mulan takes the throne it becomes evident that not everyone is happy to see her there, now Mulan has to navigate this new life in power and figure out who she can trust.

I love how this series shows us the possible futures of our Disney characters. I can definitely see Mulan having her own militia who are as fierce as she is. We follow Mulan from her village to the throne and see her try to figure out if she can handle this new position she’s been put in. We also see the Huns and they’re ready to spot out any weaknesses. Mulan also has to deal with advisors who aren’t quite trustworthy and have their own agenda. The book really starts picking up when Mulan figures out that someone in the palace is not to be trusted. My favorite thing about this book was seeing Mulan go from doubting herself to fully believing she has the ability to be a great empress and be the leader China needs, she also had a great support system behind her. I do think the ending was a bit rushed but nonetheless this was a great book! If you like Disney Princesses and want a glimpse into what their futures could be like after what we’ve seen in the movies than this series of retellings is for you!


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TWIN CROWNS By Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

May 17, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

TWIN CROWNS By Catherine Doyle and Katherine WebberTwin Crowns by Catherine Doyle, Katherine Webber
Series: Twin Crowns #1
Published by Balzer + Bray on 5/17/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 474
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to return to the place of her parents’ murder and usurp the only survivor, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Or she would, if only a certain palace guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic didn’t have a habit of causing trouble…

Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility. Marriage into a brutal kingdom awaits, and she will not let a small matter like waking up in the middle of the desert in the company of an extremely impertinent (and handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her royal duty. But life outside the palace walls is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never knew she was missing.

Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better. But as coronation day looms closer and they each strive to claim their birthright, the sinister Kingsbreath, Willem Rathborne, becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?

Short and Sweet Review

When Rose and Wren were just born their parents were murdered and since then the sisters have been split up and live very different lives. Wren has lived with her grandmother and other witches training to one day take her sisters place on the throne and protect witches. Rose on the other hand was raised in the palace and she’s ready to take on her responsibilities even if they means marrying a prince from a brutal kingdom. The time comes for Wren to switch places with Rose and finally take the throne while Rose wakes up in the middle of a desert with her kidnapper taking her to the community of witches.

This book was hard to put down from the beginning, we get right into the action. Wren and Rose are twins but they are two completely different people. Rose has been taught to fear witches because Willem Rathborne the Kingsbreath has told her a witch killed her parents. Wren has grown up with witches and she knows the truth, that Willem Rathborne killed her parents and to get his grip off of the kingdom Wren needs to impersonate her sister and kill Rathborne.

When Wren starts her life in the palace she quickly tries to get adjusted to Roses life and trying to fool those closest to Rose. Wren meets Ansel the Prince Rose is engaged to and she also meets his guard Tor. Tor keeps a close eye on Wren because he can tell she’s up to something. Wren also has to be conspicuous with her magic use and make sure it doesn’t cause any trouble. Rose is also coming to terms with the fact that everything she’s learned throughout her life has been a lie.

I loved the plot of this book and seeing how each twin had to adjust to their new circumstances. I loved reading about the scenery from the desert to the cliffs. Both twins were great characters and having the alternating chapters between Wren and Rose added to the fast pace of the book. The story was amazing and I loved the element of witches and seeing the spells. Twin Crowns had two amazing heroines and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

Filed Under: Reviews

SOME MISTAKES WERE MADE By Kristin Dwyer

May 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

SOME MISTAKES WERE MADE By Kristin DwyerSome Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer
Published by HarperTeen on 5/10/22
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood. But when a rash decision throws Ellis’s life—and her relationship with Easton—into chaos, she’s forced to move halfway across the country, far from everything she’s ever known.

Now Ellis hasn’t spoken to Easton in a year, and maybe it’s better that way; maybe eventually the Easton-shaped hole in her heart will heal.

But when Easton’s mom invites her home for a visit, Ellis finds herself tangled up in the web of heartache, betrayal, and anger she left behind . . . and with the boy she never stopped loving.

Short and Sweet Review

Ellis has had a hard life her parents have always been in and out of her life, and this is where the Albery family comes in. The Albery’s become Ellis’s second family and take her in and give her a place to stay. This became the arrangement when Ellis was younger and she forms a strong friendship with Easton Albery, they’re basically inseparable. But one night changes everything and Ellis is forced to move to California with her aunt and it puts an end to her and Easton’s friendship. After a year of not talking, Ellis is invited to Easton’s moms birthday party. Now Ellis has to deal with the issues she thought she left behind.

The book alternates from past and present and we know that something happened between Ellis and Easton we’re just not sure what. Ellis didn’t have the best life, her mother was in and out of her life just leaving and coming back when she wanted and her father was in and out of prison. Ellis meets the Albery family after getting in trouble with Easton one day. The Albery’s become like a safe haven for Ellis somewhere she can go. But that was before now Ellis doesn’t want to be around Easton or his mom Sandry. When Ellis comes back to town for the party a lot of feelings reemerge especially resentment. The interactions between Ellis and Easton are not what they used to be, Easton kind of tries to make things better but Ellis throws a lot of jabs, and then tries to apologize but it was just a cycle. Ellis also has a problem with other people being close to Easton like his girlfriend Sara, but the thing is Ellis never came out and said she wanted to be with Easton she just hints at it. Over the course of the book Ellis has to deal with things she thought she could just avoid. I did like learning about what happened and seeing Ellis face her issues. I did like the Albery’s they gave Ellis a place she can run to and they also put things into perspective for her. Overall this was a good book, with a lot of heartbreaks and reconciliation.

Filed Under: Reviews

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALLEGED GOOD GIRL By Joya Goffney

April 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALLEGED GOOD GIRL By Joya GoffneyConfessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney
Published by HarperTeen on 5/3/22
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Monique is a preacher’s daughter who detests the impossible rules of her religion. Everyone expects her to wait until marriage, so she has no one to turn to when she discovers that she physically can’t have sex.

After two years of trying and failing, her boyfriend breaks up with her. To win him back, Monique teams up with straight-laced church girl Sasha—who is surprisingly knowledgeable about Monique’s condition—as well as Reggie, the misunderstood bad boy who always makes a ruckus at church, and together they embark upon a top-secret search for the cure.

While on their quest, Monique discovers the value of a true friend and the wonders of a love that accepts her for who she is. Despite everyone’s opinions about her virtue, she learns to live for herself, inspiring us all to reclaim our bodies and unapologetically love ourselves.

Short and Sweet Review

Monique is a pastor’s daughter, but she isn’t into the rules of her religion. Monique is required to wait for marriage before sex but Monique and her boyfriend Dom have been trying but Monique physically can’t have sex. Dom feels like he’s been waiting for too long and breaks up with Monique. Monique teams up with Sasha the church girl who knows a lot about Moniques condition, and Reggie the resident bad boy, these three embark on an adventure to cure Monique.

Monique is our main character and she lives in a very religious household. Her boyfriend Dom goes to the church and her father treats him like a son, her dad thinks they’re a perfect match. On their two year anniversary Monique and Dom attempt to have sex for the 29th time but Monique isn’t able to and Dom breaks up with her because he’s tired of waiting. Monique is determined to figure out what’s wrong with her and get Dom back. Which is when we bring in Sasha. Sasha is a member of the church and she seems to be a rule follower and not Monique’s favorite person. Reggie on the other hand is someone Monique’s dad is trying to help out people think he’s a bad boy. I liked Sasha I think Monique judged her unfairly, she was a good friend to Monique throughout this whole ordeal. Reggie was hard to like in the beginning to me mainly because he treated everything like a joke, but he does have a way to get Monique out of her shell and be more comfortable.

The more we see Monique grow without Dom in her life we see how awful he really is. Monique spent all her time with him so much so that she didn’t really have friends and he was very controlling and jealous. Something was not right with that boy. Reggie was an okay match for Monique he was more understanding of her condition and how her religion has shaped her.

This was a good book once we really got into it. I liked seeing Monique try to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it even though it wasn’t for the right reasons at first. We also see Moniques parents who weren’t my favorite people, they were very overbearing and we see a side plot where that pushed her older sister away. Monique grew a lot through the book and I love how she learned to love herself and live her own life and not the life people expect of her.

I’ve read a lot of Young Adult books where our main character is trying to lose her virginity, but not one where religion and a condition were a factor. This book was well written and teaches a lot of important lessons. Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl was heartfelt and inspiring and I loved it.

Filed Under: Reviews

QUEEN OF THE TILES By Hanna Alkaf

April 8, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

QUEEN OF THE TILES By Hanna AlkafQueen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on 4/19/22
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 301
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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CATALYST
13 points
noun: a substance that speeds up a reaction without itself changing

When Najwa Bakri walks into her first Scrabble competition since her best friend’s death, it’s with the intention to heal and move on with her life. Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to choose the very same competition where said best friend, Trina Low, died. It might be even though Najwa’s trying to change, she’s not ready to give up Trina just yet.

But the same can’t be said for all the other competitors. With Trina, the Scrabble Queen herself, gone, the throne is empty, and her friends are eager to be the next reigning champion. All’s fair in love and Scrabble, but all bets are off when Trina’s formerly inactive Instagram starts posting again, with cryptic messages suggesting that maybe Trina’s death wasn’t as straightforward as everyone thought. And maybe someone at the competition had something to do with it.

As secrets are revealed and the true colors of her friends are shown, it’s up to Najwa to find out who’s behind these mysterious posts—not just to save Trina’s memory, but to save herself.

Short and Sweet Review

Trina was great at scrabble, she was Queen of the Tiles, until she dies during a competition. Now Najwa is back to the world of scrabble competitions, she’s been staying away since her best friends death. Everyone at the competition is trying to become the new king or queen, but things start to get strange when Trina’s instagram page starts to post mysterious messages that may indicate that Trina was murdered. Najwa wants to find out who could be behind Trina’s death and its not easy when the other competitors either loved or hated Trina.

This book takes place at a scrabble competition over the course of three days. Najwa is back and so are the memories of Trina. There’s a lot of competitors that Najwa is familiar with especially Mark, Trina’s ex. After seeing all of the mysterious posts on instagram Najwa and Mark team up to try to figure out who is behind everything. They even think back to the last competition where Trina died and interview everyone there.

There were moments I liked in the book especially seeing Najwa compete, there’s a lot I didn’t know about scrabble the book almost makes me want to go out and buy it. I also learned a lot of new words. I love mysteries and this was a good one I didn’t know who the culprit could be, but my problem was Najwa’s detective skills she was quick to hop on a lead and then go accusing people and that’s one thing I can’t stand, accusations without proof. Najwa was a relatable character she struggles with anxiety but she gets through it. Najwa is smart and in the end she did a good job of figuring out what was going on.

This was a good book it kind of fell short in the aspects of detective work, but I did like the whole scrabble competition and seeing Najwa work through most of the things she’s been avoiding since Trina died.

Filed Under: Reviews

A FORGERY OF ROSES By Jessica S. Olson

March 28, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

A FORGERY OF ROSES By Jessica S. OlsonA Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson
Published by Inkyard Press on 3/29/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Mystery & Detective, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 397
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control: she’s a portrait artist whose paintings alter people’s bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son.

Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls--one disturbingly obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor’s older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

Short and Sweet Review

Myra has a gift, she is a prodigy and her paintings can alter people’s bodies. Recently prodigies have gone missing and Myra knows she can’t risk anyone finding out who she is, after all she has to take care of her younger sister Lucy. Unfortunately for Myra the governor’s wife discovers her secret and threatens to expose Myra unless she paints a portrait of her son. The portrait needs to resurrect the governor’s dead son and Myra only has four days to do it. Upon arriving at the Governors manor Myra knows that something isn’t right about Will’s death and knows that there’s a killer out there.

A Forgery of Roses was a book that I did not want to put down. I loved the premise and the world. Myra is able to paint special portraits which can alter people’s bodies. Myra has to keep this ability hidden because prodigies aren’t safe. When Myra begins her work at the manor she knows that something isn’t right and that’s when she enlists August’s help, the governors oldest son. Together the two uncover secrets and meet some shady characters. I think August had a lot of character development, Myra also had some. Myra’s main goal was to complete this portrait so that she could get the money to better take care of Lucy, who has an illness that has not been diagnosed. Lucy was also a good character she was smart and helped with trying to find out what happened to Will even if it was from a distance. I really liked seeing Myra work her magic through her paintings, the magic system her was intriguing. There were a few twist at the end which I was not expecting but it was great. Overall I was satisfied and would recommend this book. The magic system, the world, the characters, and the mystery, just pop and will keep you reading and wanting more!

Filed Under: Reviews

BEING MARY BENNET By J.C. Peterson

March 15, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

BEING MARY BENNET By J.C. PetersonBeing Mary Bennet by J.C. Peterson
Published by HarperTeen on 3/15/22
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 381
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

For Marnie Barnes, realizing she’s a Mary Bennet is devastating. But she’s determined to reinvent herself, so she enlists the help of her bubbly roommate and opens up to the world.

And between new friends, a very cute boy, and a rescue pup named Sir Pat, Marnie finds herself on a path to becoming a new person entirely. But she’s no Lizzy, or even Mary—instead, she’s someone even better: just plain Marnie.

Short and Sweet Review

Marnie has always been fine with who she is until someone tells her she’s more like Mary Bennet than Lizzie. This makes Marnie want to change who she is so maybe the people around her will realize how great she is.

Marnie feels like the black sheep of her family and feels like she doesn’t live up to her sisters accomplishments so she decides to try to win the Hunt Prize. She comes up with the idea to have kids read books to shelter dogs and that’s where she meets Whit one of the volunteers at the shelter and someone who helps her with her project. The problem here is that Whit is one of Marnie’s love interest in the book but she’s obsessed with Hayes (a friend of the family). Honestly Whit was a great guy and for some reason Marnie can’t see Hayes for the sleezeball he is.

Throughout the book we see Marnie become closer with her roommate Adhira, which I loved because they both needed a good friend in their life. We also see Marnie become closer with her family it was almost like she was alienating herself from them and not the other way around, I loved the relationship between her and Lindy. My favorite thing about this book was one of the shelter dogs, Sir Pat he was just so sweet and loving.

Marnie our main character went through a lot of character development in this book and thank goodness for that because who she was in the beginning made me see why she didn’t have that many friends. Marnie liked correcting people and she didn’t say the right things. But as the book goes on she becomes more self aware and more likable as a main character.

This was a good heartfelt read, I liked that Marnie eventually realized that she didn’t need to change everything about her but embrace the things that made her quirky. I also liked how she realized that some people shouldn’t have a place in your story. The plot was great and the friendship and family relationships were beautiful and just made me smile in the end, and so did the dogs, pick this book up!

Filed Under: Reviews