Blog Tour Review: Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter

Title: Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter
Author: Beth McMullen
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Aladdin
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Stuart Gibbs meets The Lost Property Office in this action-packed mystery about a young girl searching for her father from the author of Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls—the first in a new series!

Having a world-traversing archaeologist dad means twelve-year-old Lola Benko is used to moving around not putting down roots anywhere. But every day and every hunt for something hidden is an adventure, and no matter what, she and her dad are an unbeatable team.

Then her father disappears. The official story is that he was caught in a flash flood, but Lola’s research shows the day in question was perfectly pleasant. And it will take more than empty reassurances from suspect strangers for Lola to give up on her dad. She has a feeling his disappearance has to do with a mythical stone he was studying—a stone so powerful, it could control the world. But in the wrong hands, it could end it, too…

With the help of some new friends at her school, it’s up to Lola to go on the most important search of her life. 

Review:

Lola Benko has always traveled the world with her archaeologist father, but one day he sends her to stay with her great-aunt in San Francisco, rather than go with him on a dangerous trip. Soon after that, she gets the news that he has disappeared and is presumed dead. Lola is certain that her father is still alive, so she takes over the investigation that he was doing. Along with her new friends from school, she looks for the mythical stone that her father was searching for when he went missing.

This was a fun adventure story. Lola took a lot of risks. In order to start her investigation of her father’s disappearance, she needed money, so she decided to steal expensive pieces of art to sell for millions of dollars. This was a risky thing to do, and it didn’t work out for her. Even though Lola did some bad things with good intentions, she was very smart. She entered a STEM competition with her friends. She also invented many devices. She was a smart girl who took a lot of risks.

I found the twists predictable and not surprising. I’ve read many similar adventure books, so that may be why I could figure it out. This story also has the stereotypical absent parents. Lola’s great-aunt wasn’t very hands-on because she had agoraphobia, so she never left the house. However, she didn’t seem as concerned about Lola’s whereabouts by the end of the story. I would have liked her great-aunt to be more consistent throughout the story. I enjoyed the adventure that Lola went on, though the twists weren’t surprising.

This is a fun middle grade story!

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

What to read next:

Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls by Beth McMullen

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

Have you read Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter? What did you think of it?

The Friday 56 – Bringing Down the Duke

This is a weekly meme hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The Rules are:

  • Grab a book, any book.
  • Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
  • Find any sentence, (or few, just don’t spoil it) that grabs you.
  • Post it. And share your link.
  • It’s that simple.

I chose Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore.

Here is my line from page 56 in my copy:

“Seven years had passed since she had stood in another grand library and another aristocrat had torn her limb from limb.”

Did you make a post for the Friday 56?

Review: Intercepted

Title: Intercepted
Author: Alexa Martin
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 11, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Marlee thought she scored the man of her dreams only to be scorched by a bad breakup. But there’s a new player on the horizon, and he’s in a league of his own…

Marlee Harper is the perfect girlfriend. She’s definitely had enough practice by dating her NFL-star boyfriend for the last ten years. But when she discovers he has been tackling other women on the sly, she vows to never date an athlete again. There’s just one problem: Gavin Pope, the new hotshot quarterback and a fling from the past, has Marlee in his sights.

Gavin fights to show Marlee he’s nothing like her ex. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to let her escape her past. The team’s wives, who never led the welcome wagon, are not happy with Marlee’s return. They have only one thing on their minds: taking her down. But when the gossip makes Marlee public enemy number one, she worries about more than just her reputation.

Between their own fumbles and the wicked wives, it will take a Hail Mary for Marlee and Gavin’s relationship to survive the season.

Review:

Marlee is dating one of the football stars of the Denver Mustangs. They’ve been together for ten years, but they aren’t married. The other wives of the football players reluctantly accept her into their club, even though she isn’t technically married to a player. One day, the team gets a new quarterback. Gavin Pope had a one night stand with Marlee years ago and she hasn’t been able to forget it. When she discovers her boyfriend has been cheating, it’s easy for Marlee to leave him and let Gavin come to her rescue. It’s not so easy for her to deal with the gossip that follows her since she left one football player for another. She has to put the gossip aside to focus on her new relationship.

This was such a fun story. I’m not athletic and I don’t play any sports but I really enjoyed this story. There was a reality show years ago called Hockey Wives, that followed the wives of Hockey players during their clubs and charity work. The football wives in this story reminded me of those women. It’s fun to see how they have their own groups that go alongside their husbands’ jobs. However, there was also a lot of gossip and rumors that started in this group of women.

I became so attached to these characters. I loved Marlee and I felt so sympathetic towards her when she had her heartbroken. I was rooting for her and Gavin the whole time. I loved the ending of the story! I’m excited to see this series continue, and to see what happens with the characters in the next book.

What to read next:

Fumbled (Playbook #2) by Alexa Martin

Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert

Other books in the series:

  • Fumbled
  • Blitzed
  • Snapped

Have you read Intercepted? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – August 27

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Vengeful (Villains #2) by V.E. Schwab.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The sequel to VICIOUS, V.E. Schwab’s first adult novel.

Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there’s Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn’t know about his most recent act of vengeance.

Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Blog Tour Review: When I Was You

Title: When I Was You
Author: Amber Garza
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: MIRA
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

You meets Fatal Attraction in this up-all-night psychological thriller about a lonely empty-nester’s growing obsession with a young mother who shares her name.

It all begins on an ordinary fall morning, when Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s pediatrician to confirm her upcoming “well-baby” appointment. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago, and Kelly has never felt so alone. The receptionist quickly apologizes: there’s another mother in town named Kelly Medina, and she must have gotten their numbers switched.

But Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name. Lives in her same town. Has a son she can still hold, and her whole life ahead of her. She can’t help looking for her: at the grocery store, at the gym, on social media. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her.

Their unlikely friendship brings Kelly a renewed sense of purpose, taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. But that friendship quickly turns to obsession, and when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.

Review:

Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s former pediatrician one day to remind her of her baby’s appointment. However, her son is now nineteen, so she doesn’t have that appointment. It is meant for another mom who is also named Kelly Medina. It becomes even stranger when Kelly goes to her gym, and finds out that this other Kelly Medina was also at the same gym that morning. Kelly decides she must meet this other woman whose life mirrors her own. Their relationship quickly becomes an obsession, when Kelly starts to wonder why this new Kelly has arrived in her town.

This story had a bunch of typical thriller tropes. Kelly has a past with some mental health struggles. Kelly could be unreliable because she lied to her friends and husband. There were some mysterious things that happened in her past that also contributed to her unreliability. Since the people close to Kelly suspected something was wrong with her new relationship with the other Kelly, I was suspicious as well.

There was a surprising twist in part two of the story. I didn’t see it coming. Some of the reveals that happened close to the end of the story weren’t very surprising because they had been hinted at so much throughout the first part of the story. There was a good twist that was shocking, and I liked the end of the story.

This was a good, fast paced thriller.

Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Someone’s Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

About the author:

Amber Garza has had a passion for the written word since she was a child making books out of notebook paper and staples. Her hobbies include reading and singing. Coffee and wine are her drinks of choice (not necessarily in that order). She writes while blaring music, and talks about her characters like they’re real people. She lives with her husband and two kids in Folsom, California, which is—no joke—home to another Amber Garza.

Have you read When I Was You? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – August 26

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Before the Crown by Flora Harding. The expected publication date is September 15, 2020.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Before the crown there was a love story…

Windsor Castle, 1943

As war rages across the world, Princess Elizabeth comes face to face with the dashing naval officer she first met in London nine years before.

One of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy, Philip represents everything she has always been taught to avoid. Instability. Audacity. Adventure.

But when the king learns of their relationship, the suitability of the foreign prince is questioned by all at court.

He is the risk she has never been allowed to take. The risk not even the shadow of the crown will stop her from taking…

Step through the palace gates and discover a captivating historical novel of royal secrets and forbidden love exploring the tempestuous courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the wake of WWII.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Fangs

Title: Fangs
Author: Sarah Andersen
Genre: Graphic Novel, Humour
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A new gothic romance story from the creator of the enormously popular Sarah’s Scribbles comics.

Vamp is three hundred years old but in all that time, she has never met her match. This all changes one night in a bar when she meets a charming werewolf. FANGS chronicles the humor, sweetness, and awkwardness of meeting someone perfectly suited to you but also vastly different.

Review:

Elsie, a vampire, meets Jimmy, a werewolf, at a bar one night. They instantly hit it off, sharing their unconventional lifestyles. Jimmy helps her stay away from the sun while Elsie looks after him in his wolf form. They have a hilarious relationship, filled with jokes about blood and dogs.

This is such a clever graphic novel. There were so many jokes about vampires and werewolves. Jimmy overheard Elsie saying that she likes dogs, which makes him start talking to her. Elsie would joke about the ex boyfriends she killed. It was often dark humour but it was very funny.

Some of the jokes were in the illustrations. Jimmy was tempted to chase squirrels when they went out for walks. Elsie couldn’t see her reflection in the mirror while getting dressed. These were the realistic parts of day to day life that a vampire or werewolf would deal with if they were real.

I loved this clever and funny graphic novel!

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Snug by Catana Chetwynd

Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen

Have you read Fangs? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Questions I Would Ask My Favourite Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is a Questions I Would Ask My Favourite Authors. Here’s my list:

1. Where do you get your ideas?

2. Are you a pantser or a plotter?

3. How do you plot your novels?

4. Who is your favourite author?

5. What is the best piece of writing advice you were given?

6. What is the worst piece of writing advice you were given?

7. Did you always know you would be a writer?

8. What does a day in your life look like?

9. What’s the strangest think you’ve done while researching a novel?

10. What advice do you have for writers?

What’s your Top Ten Tuesday list?

Happy Pub Day – August 25

Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!

Here and Now by Santa Montefiore

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

When I Was You by Amber Garza

The Wrong Mr. Darcy by Evelyn Lozada with Holly Lörincz

You Lucky Dog by Julia London

The Nemesis by S.J. Kincaid

How to Catch a Sinful Marquess by Amy Rose Bennett

What books are you most excited for this week?

Blog Tour Review: Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1)

Title: Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1)
Author: Janella Angeles
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Review:

Kallia is the star showgirl at a secret nightclub, but no one knows what she looks like hidden behind her mask. When she escapes to the city Glorian, she enters a competition for magicians. She is the only female magician in the competition. Kallia catches the eye of Demarco, a retired magician with a dark past who is judging the competition. Things spin out of control when contestants go missing and everyone gets closed down in the city.

The magic in this world was different from typical fantasy novels. The magicians were born with their talent, which was a performative magic with illusions and transformations. Some had more skill than others, but the magic would wear out the magician after the performance. This kind of magic seemed more real, because it reminded me of watching magicians or illusionists perform on a stage or on TV, rather than the fantastic magic in other fantasy novels.

This story was exciting and unpredictable. The competition was largely a mystery to the magicians, with their props given to them right as they had to perform. They couldn’t prepare for the act ahead of time, so the performances were a surprise for the judges and the reader. There were some hints about the characters’ mysterious pasts given throughout the story. I still had some questions at the end of the story, so I’m looking forward to learning the rest in the next book.

This is a great, magical story!

Thank you Wednesday Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Caraval (Caraval #1) Stephanie Garber

Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1) by Amanda

About the author:

JANELLA ANGELES is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age—which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, she’s lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she’s most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. Where Dreams Descend is her first book.

Have you read Where Dreams Descend? What did you think of it?