I’ve been really proud of myself this month for the amount of books I read and for staying on top of my TBR. I also managed to cross a few books off my list for the Beat the Backlist challenge. February was a pretty great month for reading for me and I’m hoping this trend continues into the next month!   

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Book Reviews

BENEATH THE HAUNTING SEA: The writing was really beautiful and the story was intriguing, but there were a few things that left me less than impressed. The romance, for the most part, had me feeling meh. I also felt like the last part of the story was rushed and left quite a few questions and problems unanswered for a standalone.  ★★★

 

BLOOD OF A THOUSAND STARS: Like with the first book, Empress of a Thousand Skies, I was impressed with the setting and world-building. Unfortunately, also as with the first book, I didn’t find myself connecting with any of the characters again,so I couldn’t get into the story and I became unmotivated to read. The action and plot did pick up towards the very end, but for the most part I had to force myself to finish the book. ARC provided by the publisher through a giveaway.  ★★★

BLOOD AND SAND: I’m pretty much trash for historical fiction set in Ancient Rome + Gladiators, but after reading the Mistress of Rome series it’s been difficult to find a book I enjoy in this setting (especially young adult) because I’m always comparing them. That being said, I loved this book. For a young adult novel in this genre, it’s really well-done and I’m so impressed by it. The story is very, very loosely based on the legend of Spartacus and I enjoyed it so much that I was flying through the chapters. I loved the characters, the writing, the romance, the story – everything! The ending was cruel and unnecessary, however, and if the author doesn’t fix what she did with that cliffhanger in the next book I will revolt.  ★★★★

BEYOND SCANDAL AND DESIRE: While this was an enjoyable enough book to read, there was really nothing about it that stood out for me. I did give it an extra half star because the background story surrounding Mick’s birth was tragic and heartbreaking.  ★★★½

 

 

TO KILL A KINGDOM: I needed zero convincing to read this story once I saw that it was about lethal sirens, arrogant princes, and pirates. It’s like a loose retelling of The Little Mermaid, but way more awesome and vicious. I breezed right through this book because it was just so entertaining! Alexandra Christo’s writing, setting, terrific pacing, and great characters all blended together seamlessly to create a stunning story. I loved the interactions and witty banter between Lira and Elian, and the slow build of their hate-to-love romance. To Kill a Kingdom is a spectacular debut book by Alexandra Christo and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future! ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.  ★★★★½  [review]

THE TRAITOR’S GAME: First of all, that cover is gorgeous and even prettier in person. Unfortunately other than that, the story was pretty similar to many other books in the Young Adult Science-Fiction/Fantasy genre. It was full of the same cliches and tropes, down to the somewhat predictable ending and insta-love romance. While it wasn’t the most unique or intriguing, the book did manage to keep my attention and I never grew bored or impatient while reading, which is a huge plus. Overall, it was a pleasant reading experience. This was my first Jennifer A. Nielsen book and I look forward to continuing the rest of the series. ARC provided by the publisher through a giveaway.  ★★★  [review]

BROKEN BEAUTIFUL HEARTS: Every since I read The Lovely Reckless, I’ve been itching to read another one of her books. I was just as impressed by this one was I was with her previous work. I think my favorite part of the book were the characters: Peyton was very relatable as a student-athlete, Owen was a fantastic male lead, and I adored the twins. Seriously, I want a book starring Christian and Cameron, please.  ★★★★

IMMORTAL REIGN: I’ve never been shy over the fact that the Falling Kingdom series is my guilty pleasure. They’re not the greatest fantasy books, but I have a lot of fun reading them, even if I am only mostly here for the Magnus and Cleo chapters. Immortal Reign was a satisfying ending to the series, and I’ll admit that I gave it an extra star for all the Magneo goodness I was blessed with, including the cover. I don’t think I’ll ever be over the fact that my trash ship from the first book not only eventually became canon, but got their HEA. #blessed  ★★★★

SKY IN THE DEEP: I said it before and I’ll say it again: this book is amazing and everyone needs to add it to their TBR. This is exactly everything I want in a story. I read the entire thing in one sitting because it was that amazing and I couldn’t put it down; this is is the kind of book that reminds me of why I love reading. The dynamic relationships the author creates is one of the best features of the book; they were capable of evoking emotions in a meaningful and achingly real way. I’m not convinced that this is a debut book because everything was executed perfectly to created a breathtaking, emotional story full of grit and heart. ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.  ★★★★★  [review]

THE SHIP BEYOND TIME:This was a great conclusion to the duology! I really love the time-travelling aspects and the mythologica/fantasy worlds that Heidi Heilig has brought to life in these books. I love pirate books and nautical settings so it was right up my alley. I greatly enjoyed reading The Girl from Everywhere and I think this was the perfect sequel.  ★★★

 

RENEGADES: Marissa Meyer has once again created an amazing world full of amazing characters. The book focuses on the ongoing struggle between the Renegades (the “good” superheroes) and the Anarchists (the “bad” superheroes). I think the most impressive aspect of the book was the author’s ability to create two different sides with very different agendas, and yet I was able to find things about both sides that I agreed with. And I loved Nova! She’s one of the two alternating points of views and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.  ★★★★

THE QUEEN’S RISING: I think the Young Adult Science-Fiction/Fantasy genre has become diluted with so many books that follow the same setting/plot/characterization structure that it’s hard to go into any new ones without a sense of apprehension. This book totally bypassed my expectations. The atmosphere Rebecca Ross creates is refreshing for the genre and made reading the story so much more enjoyable because it didn’t feel like something I’ve already read. This seems to be the year for wonderful, fresh debuts and this was no exception!  ★★★★  [review]

THE DUFF: I only picked this up because the movie was on TV the other day and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it (and Robbie Amell). Deciding to read it before bed, however, was a gigantic mistake because I couldn’t put it down and ended up finishing the whole thing in one reading. I figured there would be a few differences between the book and movie (as with all adaptations) but the book was like a completely different story and so much better. I’m honestly mad that I haven’t read this before.  ★★★★★  [review]

INK, IRON, AND GLASS: The things I did like about this book were the setting, the idea of scriptology and worldbooks, and the plot. However, I had an issue with the writing which caused me not to enjoy the book as much as I would have hoped. The characters were all really interesting and I would like to know what happens next, especially since there was a minor cliffhanger, but I’m on the fence as to whether I’ll want read the sequel or not.  ★★½

OTHER

#ARCstravaganza: Furyborn | Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Romance Novels | WWW Wednesday #3 | #ARCstravaganza: Blood of a Thousand Stars | #ARCstravaganza: The Traitor’s Game | 2018 Beat the Backlist Challenge