Review — Dreaming Darkly by Caitlin Kittredge

A skull made of smoke hovering over a manison Dreaming Darkly
By: Caitlin Kittredge
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Rating:


Gothic horror holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Examples of the genre can be found everywhere, from popular TV shows to classic literature and, of course, young adult fiction. Caitlin Kittredge’s Dreaming Darkly is a great example of young adult gothic horror. All of the staples of the genre are present—an old house that’s both huge and spooky, family secrets, odd happenings that could be either natural or supernatural occurrences, and old mysteries that haunt the present.

Review — Moonstruck Volume 1: Magic to Brew

Front cover of graphic novel Moonstruck Volume 1: Magic to Brew Moonstruck Vol. 1: Magic to Brew
By: Grace Ellis, Shae Beagle
Illustrator: Caitlin Quirk, Clayton Cowles
Release Date: February 14, 2018
Publisher: Image Comics
Series: Moonstruck (Volume 1)
Rating:


Graphic novel series Moonstruck is a young adult series that combines fantasy and mystery with an LGBTQ+ cast. Written by Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle and illustrated by Caitlin Quirk and Clayton Cowles, this is a series that has graced many “best of” and “you need to read this” lists on professional and fan sites for several years.

Review – The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss
By: Amy Noelle Parks
Website: https://amynoelleparks.com/
Release Date: January 5th, 2021
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Rating:


When I saw this book cover on NetGalley I found it cute and simple, a clean cover that drew my eye. A cute story about the chaos around teenage romance made me feel like it was a good idea to jump into a less serious story.

Caleb and Evie have been friends for years, best friends, but everyone around them feels that they have to be more than friends. Evie has never really been interested in dating, instead focusing on her love of math (I can’t relate) and her struggles with anxiety (100% can relate).

When a new guy shows up suddenly Caleb is in a panic, realizing that maybe is finally interested in dating but not dating him. The truth comes out – Caleb is in love. Here comes the love triangle.

Review- Midnight Sun (Twilight #5)

Midnight Sun (Twilight #5)
By: Stephanie Meyer
Website: https://stepheniemeyer.com/
Release Date: August 3rd, 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Twilight
Rating:


Yes, I really went back to Forks.

If you’re seeing this you’re probably having simultaneous flashbacks to the Twilight craze in the circa 2008. The books, the (literally) screaming fangirls, the movies, Robert Pattinson, glittering vampires and CGI werewolves. Sound familiar?

Perhaps you’re asking why a thirty-something bookworm would go back to a series that was so entrenched in teenage angst and unrealistic expectations of relationships and life in general. It’s a fair question and I asked myself the same thing a few times before purchasing the kindle version and again a few times before I actually read the book itself.

Just like my true crime obsession and my general need to know and understanding things that maybe I should leave alone I decided to go back into the Twilight saga books, this time through Edward’s POV, to see what it was like.

Review – The Way Back

The Way Back
By: Gavriel Savit
Website: https://www.gavrielsavit.com/
Release Date: November 17th, 2020
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Received From: NetGalley
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


As I’m sure most of us can agree, as a reader we love any and all stories. For me my first love was classic fairy tales and folklore so when I saw The Way Back on NetGalley advertised as a historical fantasy brushing the realms of folklore I had to beg for the copy. I was thrilled to receive it and enjoyed every single page.

The Way Back follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they both chase after the Angel of Death for their own reasons. For Eastern European Jews there is the belief that demons have a land of their own: a Far Country peopled with the souls of the transient dead, governed by demonic dukes, barons, and earls. 

In their adventures we see Yehuda and Bluma struggle towards their goals and face the realities of the realm they find themselves in. I loved the fantastical elements of the story and loved the rich descriptions and interwoven details throughout the book.

Review: And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga #1)

And I Darken
By: Kiersten White
Website: http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/
Release Date: June 28th, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Series: The Conqueror's Saga
Rating:


I’m not going to lie to everyone – sometimes I do judge books by their cover. When I saw this cover in particular I was drawn in by the dagger and flower petals. I’m also a sucker for simple titles.

In the time of the Ottoman Empire we follow the story of Lada and Radu, princess and prince of Wallachia as they are taken from their home and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman Courts (as part of a deal between the empires). To everyone’s surprise these two outsiders become close friends with Mehmed, the son of the Ottoman sultan.

#UltimateBlogTour – Knightmare Arcanist (Frith Chronicles #1) by Shami Stovall

Knightmare Arcanist
By: Shami Stovall
Release Date: June 18, 2019
Publisher: Capital Station Books
Series: Frith Chronicles #1
Award: B.R.A.G. Medallion for Fantasy; New Apple Literary Award for Fantasy; Coffee Pot Book Club's Pick for 2020 Reading
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Knightmare Arcanist by Shami Stovall is the first book in the young adult book series the Frith Chronicles. Shami is the author of two series, including the Frith Chronicles and The Sorcerers of Verdun.

Review- The Everlasting Rose (The Belles #2)

The Everlasting Rose (The Belles #2)
By: Dhonielle Clayton
Website: https://www.dhonielleclayton.com/
Release Date: March 5th, 2019
Publisher: Freeform
Series: The Belles
Rating:


When we return to the world of Orléans we find that our main character Camellia is still in the fight for saving the world and stopping one rogue tyrant of a princess while also trying to right the wrongs done to so many people, including generations of Belles.

Review- The Belles (The Belles #1)

The Belles (The Belles #1)
By: Dhonielle Clayton
Website: https://www.dhonielleclayton.com/
Release Date: February 16th, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Series: The Belles
Award: Locus Award Nominee for Young Adult Book (2019), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2018), Lodestar Award Nominee (2019)
Rating:


I was curious about this series as the premise was intriguing. In the world of Orléans the Belles are powerful and beautiful. In a world where people are born gray the Belles can infuse people’s appearances with beauty and color. A tweak of the nose here, a bit more color in the cheeks, whatever you need the Belles can get the job done.