Month: November 2020

Review: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Review:

Feyre is now one of the High Fae, living with her love, Tamlin. She lives happily with him in the Spring Court, while her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, has been forgotten. Feyre is exploring her new Fae gifts, while staying safe under the watchful eye of Tamlin and his people, until Rhysand decides to claim his end of the bargain at the worst possible time. Then, Feyre begins to realize that her new world wasn’t what she expected.

This is a great sequel. There were so many twists, that kept me excited to read this long story. The final chapters were so intense and unpredictable. There was some beautiful symmetry between the beginning and end. I knew a couple of spoilers for the book, but for the most part, it was a surprise.

The only thing that I think should be changed with this book is it’s classification as young adult. There were some steamy romance scenes that I think were too mature for a teen reader. This book should be classified as New Adult, which is between Young Adult and Adult. However, this book is usually placed in the YA category where New Adult isn’t available. This series is for an older YA or adult reader.

I loved this sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses! I’m excited to read the next one!

What to read next:

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Other books in the series:

Have you read A Court of Mist and Fury? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – November 30

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading A Princess by Christmas by Julia London.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – November 29

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… A Court of Mist and Fury

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

What book are you in bed with today?

Six for Sunday – Characters from Children’s Books I Love

This meme is hosted by Steph at A little but a lot. The weekly prompts for 2019 can be found here.

This week’s prompt is Characters from Children’s Books I Love. Here’s my list:

1. Junie B. Jones

2. Little Critter

3. Brother and Sister

4. Mary Anne Spier

5. Princess Magnolia

6. Amelia Bedelia

(All book covers from Goodreads)

Did you make a Six for Sunday list?

Review: In a Holidaze

Title: In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

Review:

Maelyn Jones always spends Christmas with her family and their close family friends at a friend’s cabin in Utah. She’s had a crush on Andrew, the son of her parents’ friend, for years. On the night before they leave the cabin after Christmas, she gets drunk and makes out with Andrew’s younger brother Theo. Then they get the devastating news that the cabin is being sold, so they won’t be able to continue their Christmas traditions. Maelyn makes a wish to the universe to show her what would make her happy. The next thing she knows, their car is hit by another car, and she wakes up on the plane ride to the cabin, six days ago. Maelyn lives through the Christmas holiday over and over while she tries to figure out how to save their Christmas traditions and how to find happiness in her life.

This is one of my favourite books of the year! It had some heartbreaking moments, but it was mostly an adorable romance. The first half of the book was quite innocent, but the steamy parts picked up in the second half. Maelyn was stuck in a love triangle with two brothers, which was awkward at times, but I was rooting for her and Andrew to be together! They were such a cute couple.

I really liked the time travel aspects of the story. Though Maelyn was repeating the holiday, she was able to change some things each time, so it wasn’t the exact same holiday. She also had to figure out how to convince the others of what was happening to her. It got to the point where everything was going so well for her that I hoped she wouldn’t have to restart all over again. The way she had to keep repeating the days kept the tension high and made it impossible to put down!

This is the perfect holiday romance!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Have you read In a Holidaze? What did you think of it?

Top 5 Saturday – Cover Buys

This is a weekly meme hosted Devouring Books. This week’s prompt is Cover Buys. Here’s my list:

1. Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

2. Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

3. Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

4. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

5. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

(All book covers from Goodreads)

If you’d like to do this list too, consider yourself tagged!

Did you make a Top 5 Saturday list?

Review: The Cousins

Title: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

Review:

Twenty-four years ago, Mildred Story disinherited each of her four children. She ended contact with them by sending a note that said, “I know what you did.” Now, her three grandchildren have received a letter inviting them to visit her island and work at her resort for the summer. Jonah, Milly, and Aubrey are unsure about going to meet this woman who cut her children out of her life, but their parents insist that they go. Soon after they arrive, they discover that there is a dark family secret that tore the Story family apart. The cousins won’t stop digging through their family’s past until they find out what really happened.

This story was built on secrets. Every character, even the minor characters, had secrets. Some of them were secret events in their pasts, while others were secret identities. These secrets didn’t necessarily put the characters in immediate danger, but they created suspense since all of the characters were hiding something.

This was a complicated story. There were three generations that were involved in the mystery of the story. It was a little confusing to keep track of everyone’s secrets by the end. One thing that made it even more complicated was that Mildred’s children had similar names starting with A: Adam, Allison, Anders, and Archer. I kept getting the three brothers mixed up, which slowed down my reading when I had to figure out which was which. This story would have been much easier to read if the names weren’t so similar.

This was a suspenseful mystery!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Have you read The Cousins? What did you think of it?

First Lines Friday – November 27

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“The snow has fallen heavily, relentlessly, for two days now, and shows no sign of letting up.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

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And the book is… The End of Her by Shari Lapena.

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Goodreads synopsis:

The new domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Someone We Know

In upstate New York, Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin babies. The girls are a handful, but Stephanie doesn’t mind being a stay-at-home mom, taking care of them while Patrick does the nine to five to pay the bills.

When a woman from Patrick’s past drops in on them unexpectedly, raising questions about his late first wife, Stephanie supports her husband wholeheartedly. She knows the car accident all those many years ago was just that–an accident. But Erica is persistent, and now she’s threatening to go to the police.

Patrick is afraid his job–and his reputation–will be at risk if he doesn’t put an end to Erica’s questioning immediately. And when the police start digging, Stephanie’s trust in her husband begins to falter and Patrick is primed to lose everything he loves. As their marriage crumbles, Stephanie feels herself coming unglued, and soon she isn’t sure what–or who–to believe. Now the most important thing is to protect her girls, but at what cost?

Check out my review of The End of Her here.

Have you read The End of Her? What did you think of it?

Review: Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #1)

Title: Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #1)
Author: Katy Farina, Ann M. Martin
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Graphix
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 26, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A fresh and fun graphic novel series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, featuring Kristy’s little stepsister!
Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn’t supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she’s determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny!

Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is sure the meeting is for witches. Are they going to cast a spell on Karen? Or will she be brave enough to send them away — once and for all?

Review:

Karen Brewer’s father lives next door to Mrs. Porter. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight, she grows an herb garden in her yard, and she rides a broom at night. Karen thinks that Mrs. Porter is a witch called Morbidda Destiny. When she finds out that Morbidda Destiny is planning a gathering at her house, she is sure that it is a witch meeting. Karen has to be brave and stop the witches from meeting to save her neighborhood.

I loved the Baby-Sitters Little Sisters stories when I was a kid. Karen Brewer is an imaginative girl who often misunderstands things and gets into trouble. This story was so nostalgic for me.

The illustrations were so cute and represented Karen perfectly. The only thing that I think could have been improved is introducing all of the characters. Karen has a large blended family, which can be confusing if you haven’t read the other books. It would have been helpful to describe their relationships for readers who are unfamiliar with the characters, but it was still a great adaptation.

This is a fun story! I highly recommend it!

What to read next:

Karen’s Roller Skates (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #2) by Katy Farina and Ann M. Martin

Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #1) by Ann M. Martin

Other books in the series:

  • Karen’s Roller Skates
  • Karen’s Worst Day

Have you read Karen’s Witch? What did you think of it?