Rebel Rose (Queen’s Council #1), Emma Theriault ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fairytales, French Revolution, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Political Intrigue, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 10th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: Happily ever after is only the beginning as Belle takes on the responsibility of becoming queen and learns to balance duty, love, and sacrifice, all while navigating dark political intrigue—and a touch of magic.

It’s 1789 and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has finally broken the Enchantress’s curse, restoring the Beast to his human form and bringing life back to their castle in the province of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it’s only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.

Not so very long ago, Belle dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. But now she finds herself living in a palace, torn between her past as a commoner, and her future as royalty. While Belle grapples with her newfound position, there are those who do anything to keep her from power.

When she stumbles upon a magic mirror that holds a dire warning, Belle wants nothing more than to ignore the mysterious voice calling her to accept a crown she never desired. But violent factions of the revolution may already be lurking within her own castle, and doing nothing would endanger everything she hold dear. With the fate of her country, her love, and her life at stake, Belle must decide if she’s ready to embrace her own strength—and the magic that ties her to so many female rulers before her—to become the queen she is meant to be.

Rebel Rose is the first in the Queen’s Council series, an empowering fairytale reimagining of the Disney Princesses—and the real history behind their stories—like you’ve never seen before.

It’s probably not a big surprise to you why Rebel Rose would appeal to me. First, there’s that gorgeous cover, and then of course, the continuation of Belle and the Beast’s (here known as Lio), story. Except for a couple of hiccups, I quite enjoyed it.

Surprisingly, the biggest issue I had was with Belle. For the first half she was almost unrecognizable as the character I’m more familiar with. Instead of the self-assured, intelligent Belle, this one was timid and full of self-doubt. She was also annoyingly unsure of what she should be doing in her new role. She obsesses too much over the title of Queen, and lets that get in the way of truly helping her people. Thankfully, in the latter half of the book, she begins to realize the power she holds if she’ll only accept it.

Lio, is very relatable, suffering from severe PTSD after being the Beast for ten long years. Adding to his torment is trying to ensure that the small kingdom of Aveyon isn’t dragged into the violent, political upheaval that France is devolving into. Unfortunately he’s sent off on a diplomatic mission early in the book which I understand is necessary to the plot, yet I found myself missing him and his interactions with Belle. They definitely bring out the best parts of each other.

The villain’s identity is known from nearly the beginning, yet his motivations are somewhat murky even at the end. As for the secondary characters, old favorites such as Mrs Potts, Chip, Cogsworth, Lumière and LeFou make a welcome return, as well as the mysterious Enchantress, who cast the original curse. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Mrs. Potts, whose sage advice was instrumental in encouraging Belle to embrace her role as Queen.

Overall, Rebel Rose is a wonderful start to the Queen’s Council series. It takes the beloved fairytale, skillfully adds in the backdrop of the beginning of the French Revolution, and introduces a few new characters who mingle perfectly and assist Belle and Lio on their destined path. There aren’t many details on forthcoming books in the series, but I’m looking forward to seeing where this leads.

The Ravens (The Ravens #1), By Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 3rd, 2020

400 Pages

Synopsis: Kappa Rho Nu isn’t your average sorority. Their parties are notorious. Their fundraisers are known for being Westerly College’s most elaborate affairs. But beneath the veil of Greek life and prestige, the sisters of Kappa Rho Nu share a secret: they’re a coven of witches. For Vivi Devereaux, being one of Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens means getting a chance to redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a bonafide Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven, pledge this year means living up to her mother’s impossible expectations of becoming Kappa Rho Nu’s next president. Scarlett knows she’d be the perfect candidate—that is if she didn’t have one human-sized skeleton in her closet…When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little for initiation, they find themselves sinking into the sinister world of blood oaths and betrayals.

A modern day story about a witchy sorority written by two well-known YA authors? Count me in! And, while there were a few issues I had, I still enjoyed The Ravens. The story is told from the perspective of freshman Vivi, and senior Scarlett, and honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference between each author’s writing. I loved Vivi immediately, but it took me awhile to connect with Scarlett who comes across as your stereotypical snotty sorority girl for a good portion of the book. However, I have to give the prize for best evolution of a character to her. While Vivi is instantly likable and relatable, Scarlett kind of sneaks up on you and becomes the true driving force behind the story. I could have done without the tired tropes of insta-love and love triangles, but thankfully there were so many other interesting elements, they never really took over. While I pretty much guessed who the villain was going to be, there were a few twists before the big reveal that managed to surprise me. The ending ties everything up neatly, but according to the publisher The Ravens is the beginning to a new series. If that’s the case, I’ll definitely be picking up the next book. Overall, despite a few minor glitches, I highly recommend this to fans of Sabrina, The Craft, and American Horror Story: Coven. You’ll noticed I compared this to movies, and that’s because I could visually see this playing out in my head. 

Teen Killers Club, By Lily Sparks ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 10th, 2020

272 Pages

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Signal Deere has raised eyebrows for years as an unhappy Goth misfit from the trailer park. When she’s convicted of her best friend Rose’s brutal murder, she’s designated a Class A—the most dangerous and manipulative criminal profile. To avoid prison Signal signs up for a secret program for 18-and-under Class As and is whisked off to a sleep-away camp where she and seven bunkmates will train as assassins. Yet, even in the Teen Killers Club, Signal doesn’t fit in. She’s squeamish around blood. She’s kind and empathetic. And her optimistic attitude is threatening to turn a group of ragtag maniacs into a team of close-knit friends. Maybe that’s because Signal’s not really a killer. She was framed for Rose’s murder and and only joined the program to escape, track down Rose’s real killer, and clear her name. But Signal never planned on the sinister technologies that keep the campers confined. She never planned on the mysterious man in the woods determined to pick them off one by one. And she certainly never planned on falling in love. Signal’s strategy is coming apart at the seams as the true killer prepares to strike again in The Teen Killers Club.

I requested Teen Killers Club, because the idea of murderous teens being trained to become lethal assassins really appealed to me. For such a dark premise, there was a surprising amount of humor included albeit on the macabre side. Equally surprising was the likability of all the characters, well, except for Dave and Kate, the two adults running the camp. I spent most of the book wanting to smack the heck out of them. There’s something to be said when there’s a love triangle which is usually a pet peeve of mine, yet here I didn’t mind it because I just liked everyone so gosh darn much. I wish some of their backstories were fleshed out a little more, but as there’s obviously going to be a sequel, I’m not going to whine too much. There are quite a few huge twists not only concerning Signal’s own history regarding the brutal murder of her friend Rose, but also connections between her case and the camp. Some questions are answered by the end of the book, but others are not, which leaves me anxious for more revelations. Teen Killers Club has left me hungry for more which is a good thing. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a quick, exciting read filled with memorable characters.

Kingdom of the Wicked, By Kerri Maniscalco ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and JIMMY Patterson for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 27th, 2020

448 Pages

Synopsis: Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe—witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to discover who did this and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, the outlier among the seven demon brethren, always choosing duty over pleasure. He’s been tasked by his master with investigating a series of women’s murders on the island. When Emilia’s and Wrath’s fates collide, it’s clear this disturbing mystery will take a bewitching turn…

I absolutely loved Kerri Maniscalco’s debut Hunting Jack the Ripper series, so to say that I’ve been looking forward to Kingdom of the Wicked is somewhat of an understatement. And, after devouring it in less than two days, I’m thrilled to say that it’s a stellar beginning to this new series and a witchy delight for the month of October. This has everything I look for in this genre: exquisite world building, captivating characters, smoldering romance, sharp and witty dialogue, exciting mystery and suspense, loads of action, and a unique storyline. The only issue I had was there needed to be more details as to what time period this is set in. I’m thinking 1860s, but it wasn’t really made clear. Oh! There’s also a humongous cliffhanger, so be prepared. I’m even more determined than I usually am not to give away any spoilers, so let me just say this. If you’re already a fan of Maniscalco, Kingdom of the Wicked will make you even more so. If you haven’t read her previous series (WHY?), but you enjoy historical fantasies you can’t miss this!

 

The Mirror: Broken Wish (The Mirror #1), by Julie C. Dao ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: 1865 Hanau Germany 

Sixteen-year-old Elva has a secret. She has visions and strange powers that  she will do anything to hide. She knows the warnings about what happens to witches in their small village of Hanau. She’s heard the terrible things people say about the Witch of the North Woods, and the malicious hunts that follow. But when Elva accidentally witnesses a devastating vision of the future, she decides she has to do everything she can to prevent it. Tapping into her powers for the first time, Elva discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, and the lines between hero and villain start to blur, she must find a way to right past wrongs before it’s too late.

Broken Wish is the first book in the upcoming The Mirror series which in itself is an exciting premise. Four books following a multigenerational family by some of the most popular YA authors today: Julie C. Dao, Dhonielle Clayton, J.C. Cervantes, and L.L. McKinney. I started this last night around 8:00 p.m. and finished it three hours later. It’s a highly entertaining fairytale retelling of Snow White with a little of The Red Shoes thrown in, and it perfectly captures Germany in the latter half of the 19th century. Dao is a wonderful storyteller who is known for her richly detailed world building and complex characters, and that’s very much on display here. But included in this beautifully written fantasy is the thoughtful exploration of the difficulty of being unique in a world where differences are often met with ignorance and cruelty. It’s a tale of friendship, loyalty, and the ramifications of broken promises, that all lead up to a shocking ending. I cannot recommend Broken Wishes highly enough. It’s an exciting and original YA fantasy whose storyline will enthrall you and characters will capture your heart. The series continues with Dhonielle Clayton’s Shattered Midnight (July 2021), which jumps to 1920s New Orleans, and sounds from the title to perhaps be a retelling of Cinderella. I’m going to be impatiently counting down the months.

 

Five Total Strangers, By Natalie Preston ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: When Mira flies home to spend Christmas with her mother in Pittsburgh, a record-breaking blizzard results in a cancelled layover. Desperate to get to her grief-ridden mother in the wake of a family death, Mira hitches a ride with a group of friendly college kids who were on her initial flight.

As the drive progresses and the weather conditions become more treacherous, Mira realizes that the other four passengers that she’s stuck in the car with don’t actually know each other.

Soon they’re not just dealing with heavy snowfall and ice-slick roads, but that somebody will stop at nothing to ensure their trip ends in a deadly disaster.

Natalie Richards is a popular YA suspense/thriller author, but I have to admit I’ve been somewhat disappointed by most of her previous books. When I saw the cover and premise of Five Total Strangers, I decided to try her one more time and I’m glad I did, because this really sucked me in. Granted, the idea that an eighteen-year-old would willingly get into a car with a group of strangers, seems at first glance ridiculous, but given Mira’s desperation to reach her mother, it becomes more understandable. Every character is hiding something, but one of them is a dangerous predator. While I had my suspicions as to the who, almost from the beginning, Richards casts just enough doubt into the mix that I wasn’t completely sure of my deduction until right before the big reveal. The main weakness of the story is the number of coincidences the reader is expected to accept, but the suspense and mystery are so tension-filled, I wound up willingly letting go of my scepticism. There’s also a gaping plot hole regarding a superfluous character which was quite annoying, but overall this was a nail-biting read which kept me guessing right up to the end.

The House at the Bottom of a Lake, By Josh Malerman ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Magical Realism, Mystery, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: December 1st, 2020

208 Pages

Synopsis: Both seventeen. Both afraid. But both saying yes.

It sounded like the perfect first date: canoeing across a chain of lakes, sandwiches and beers in the cooler. But teenagers Amelia and James discover something below the water’s surface that changes their lives forever.

It’s got two stories.

It’s got a garden.

And the front door is open.

It’s a house at the bottom of a lake.

For the teens there is only one rule: no questions. And yet, how could a place so spectacular come with no price tag? While the duo play house beneath the waves, one reality remains:

Just because a house seems empty, doesn’t mean nobody’s home.

I enjoyed Malerman’s Bird Box, so even though I’ve had mixed success with novellas, I requested A House at the Bottom of a Lake on NetGalley as soon it was offered. The main issue is that contrary to what the cover and synopsis imply, it’s not horror. Maybe magical realism with a touch of eeriness, but definitely not horror. I overcame my disappointment and actually did enjoy this little tale, but I don’t think it was one of Malerman’s best works. Amelia and James are likable enough and I did find myself connecting with them, although I was puzzled over their sudden expertise in scuba diving. There are a few plot holes like this and the fact that not one person questions where these two seventeen-year-olds are disappearing to for hours every day. The ambiguous ending was also much too rushed, but it did leave me pondering the book for several hours after I finished. Overall, A House at the Bottom of a Lake is an intriguing read full of symbolism and the exploration of first love. While I was left wanting more in the end, Malerman’s deft writing still pulled me in and I finished this in less than two hours. If you’re a fan of his and haven’t read it, I’d recommend you check it out.

The Glass Queen (The Forest of Good and Evil #2), By Gena Showalter ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fairytale Retellings, Humor, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 29th, 2020

552 Pages

Synopsis: Dare to enter the Forest of Good and Evil, where strength is weakness and weakness is strength. Don’t miss book two of New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s magical, romantic and fascinating fairy-tale series, in which the fairy tales we know and love are prophecies of the future…

Pitied.

Sickly.

Unfit to rule.

Princess Ashleigh Charmaine is known as the Glass Princess, fragile enough to shatter with the whisper of the wind. Born with a weak heart, she dreams of being treated like anyone else. Unlike her headstrong sisters, she received no magical ability at birth and lives every day expecting to die. Until an oracle announces that Ashleigh is fated to play the part of Cinderella, wed a handsome royal and save the Kingdom of Sevon from the evil king and queen who once ruled the land.

As war rages, Ashleigh begins to doubt her role in the fairy tale prophecy. Animals despise her, she can’t carry a merry tune, and she has zero social graces. Worse, the king she’s supposed to enchant is the newly crowned sovereign of the winged warriors known as the Avian…and he despises her too.

When Ashleigh develops a terrifying magical ability to commune with dragons and create fire from air—a power she cannot control—she must work with King Saxon to save their kingdoms and their lives. By the stroke of midnight she must warm his icy heart…or forever break her own. Will Ashleigh ever become the queen she’s prophesied to be…or will she lose everything she’s come to love?

After finishing The Evil Queen, the first book in prolific author Gena Showalter’s new series The Forest of Good and Evil, I was quite excited to be approved for The Glass Queen. While the previous book was a retelling of Snow White, this sequel explores the fairytale of Cinderella. Both books have wonderful world building and absolutely fascinating and diverse characters. There’s no insta-love here and I enjoyed seeing the way Ashleigh’s and Saxon’s relationship slowly developed, although the dialogue between them was a little cheesy at times. As much as I love long stories, I do think these books would benefit from being shortened a little. This sequel at over 500 pages has a few slow moments. Overall though, The Glass Queen is another ingeniously written fractured fairytale by Showalter that’s filled with complex characters, mystery, suspense, sharp-edged humor, passionate romance and most importantly, baby dragons! I would recommend this series to adults and YAs sixteen and older though, due to some slightly steamy sexual scenes. They’re not anywhere near as graphic as the ones she writes in her adult series like Lords of the Underworld, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending them to a young teen. I’m really looking forward to seeing what fairytale gets skewered next!

 

 

Down Comes the Night, By Allison Saft ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Gothic Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Political Intrigue, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 2nd, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: A gorgeously gothic, deeply romantic YA debut fantasy about two enemies trapped inside a crumbling mansion with no escape from the monsters within.

Honor your oath, destroy your country.

Wren Southerland is the most talented healer in the Queen’s Guard, but her reckless actions have repeatedly put her on thin ice with her superiors. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate to cure his servant from a mysterious disease, she seizes the chance to prove herself.

When she arrives at Colwick Hall, Wren realizes that nothing is what it seems. Particularly when she discovers her patient is actually Hal Cavendish, the sworn enemy of her kingdom.

As the snowy mountains make it impossible to leave the estate, Wren and Hal grow closer as they discover a sinister plot that could destroy everything they hold dear. But choosing love could doom both their kingdoms.

Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched, gothic, romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night.

Down Comes the Night is a lovely gothic tale that reminded me of Daphne du Maurier and Guillermo del Toro. I have to admit it took me a little while to warm up to Wren, but once the setting moved to the castle and she connected with Hal, I found her much more relatable. The world building is very well done and I especially found the political strife interesting. Add in an intriguing murder mystery with a lovely romance and I was pretty much hooked by the end of the first chapter. Allison Saft’s writing style is also beautifully descriptive which further pulled me into the story. As far as I can tell, Down Comes the Night is a standalone, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel as I was left wanting more. Overall I unhesitatingly recommend this to anyone looking for dark gothic fantasy that’s filled with political intrigue, self-discovery, mystery, and romance.

 

A Golden Fury, By Samantha Cohoe ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary  Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the Stone’s promise of riches is within their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and loose her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

Gorgeous cover + the Philosopher’s Stone + rogue alchemists = a MUST READ for me! As soon as my eyes spied A Golden Fury on NetGalley, I requested it and was so excited to be approved. After reading it over the last three days I’m happy to say that for the most part it lived up to its promise. It starts out a bit slow, but it doesn’t take long for the pace to pick up. I loved the settings, the storyline, the world building, but was left with mixed feelings toward the characters, particularly Thea. I thought she was a very strong female protagonist except when it came to her one blind spot, (which in order to avoid spoilers I’m not going to name). Let me just say that I don’t think it fit with the rest of her actions. I’m also a bit torn over the last few chapters, which took a decidedly dark turn. I love action-packed climaxes and deviating away from the typical happily-ever-after, but this was a little melodramatic and I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it. Overall though, I enjoyed A Golden Fury even with its imperfections and I unhesitatingly recommend it to fans of historical fantasy that has darker themes. It’s a solid debut by Cohoe and I’m looking forward to seeing what she dreams up next.