Author: jilljemmett

Title: King’s Cage (Red Queen #3)
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl’s spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother’s web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.

As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare’s heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.

When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

Review:

This is a great book!

It has been a couple of years since I read Red Queen and Glass Sword, so it took a while to get back into the story. But once I did, it flew by.

The beginning of the story was a little slow. Mare’s captivity was repetitive, since she couldn’t do much inside her cell other than plot her escape. Maven was annoying, but I also felt sorry for him. I learned more about what he suffered at his mother’s hands in this story, which explains why he behaves the way he does.

The narrative switches between different characters. Since Mare is trapped by Maven, Cameron gives the perspective of the Scarlet Guard. This way, we can see what is happening in Maven’s court as well as how the Scarlet Guard is preparing to attack.

There were also some twists, and some characters made surprising decisions, like switching sides of the battle. Now I just have to read the finale, War Storm!

Title: Golden Hour
Author: Chantel Guertin
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: ECW Press
Source: Publisher
Release Date: May 22, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The fourth and final book in the beloved Pippa Greene series

It’s senior year, and the college countdown is on. But instead of getting accepted to Tisch’s photography program, Pippa’s been waitlisted. Without a backup plan, and with the pressure from everyone around her to live up to her father’s legacy, Pippa sets out to prove herself worthy of the program by doing the opposite of everything she did to try to get in. But when she runs into her ex, and first love, Dylan McCutter, Pippa has to finally decide if she should follow her head or her heart.

Written with the same humor and heart that made Chantel Guertin’s first three Pippa Greene novels instant favorites, Golden Hour offers a fresh and charming perspective on friendships, family, and first love.

Review:

I can’t believe this is the last book in the Pippa Greene series! I think this was the best one yet!

In this book, Pippa’s life is turned upside down, even more than in past novels. She doesn’t get into the only college program she applied to, so she doesn’t know what to do next. She ends up doing things that are completely out of her comfort zone.

The love triangle of Pippa, Dylan, and Ben also came to a conclusion. I was happy with the way it ended, but I was a little surprised at where they all ended up.

This was a satisfying ending to the series, but I really wish the story would continue! This is a short and sweet YA series that you should definitely check out!

Title: The Brightsiders
Author: Jen Wilde
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: May 22, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A teen rockstar has to navigate family, love, coming out, and life in the spotlight after being labeled the latest celebrity trainwreck in Jen Wilde’s quirky and utterly relatable novel.

As a rock star drummer in the hit band The Brightsiders, Emmy King’s life should be perfect. But there’s nothing the paparazzi love more than watching a celebrity crash and burn. When a night of partying lands Emmy in hospital and her girlfriend in jail, she’s branded the latest tabloid train wreck.

Luckily, Emmy has her friends and bandmates, including the super-swoonworthy Alfie, to help her pick up the pieces of her life. She knows hooking up with a band member is exactly the kind of trouble she should be avoiding, and yet Emmy and Alfie Just. Keep. Kissing.

Will the inevitable fallout turn her into a clickbait scandal (again)? Or will she find the strength to stand on her own?

Review:

This book is amazing!

There is great representation of a variety of genders and orientations in this book. Some characters are bi, others are gay or non/binary. I believe this is the first book I’ve read with a non-binary character who prefers the pronoun “they.” At first, it was a little confusing when I read “they” referring to a single person. I thought I had missed another person entering the scene. But I got used it pretty quickly, and I loved the diversity.

Another important aspect of this book is the paparazzi culture. We see one side of the story in the photos, but we don’t know what is actually happening in the celebrities’ lives. Emmy looked like she was falling apart, but that was influenced by the tabloids’ opinions. Not everything is what it seems in the magazines.

I love the characters. I wish I could join their group of friends. They had so much fun, and it made me so jealous! And I totally loved Emmy and Alfie! They were definitely my favourite characters!

If you haven’t read Queens of Geek, you should read it before The Brightsiders. It isn’t a sequel, but the characters from Queens of Geek made a couple of appearances in this book, and it would spoil the ending of that book because you would see where they ended up.

I just loved this book and I’m going to recommend it to everyone!

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