Tag: book blog

REVIEW: No Judgements – Meg Cabot (ARC)

Leave a comment

43386668Title: No Judgements
Author: Meg Cabot
Rating: ★★★★

ARC received through #booksfortrade on Twitter.

Meg Cabot is a staple of my reading experience growing up. The Mediator series continues to be one of my favorite sets of books ever, and so I was really excited to see she was writing a new series of contemporary romances! No Judgements was the perfect mixture of charming, romantic, and light-heartedness for a summer beach read.

The thing that reeled me in the most about No Judgements was how relatable I found both the story and Bree! We share the same nickname so that was a unique aspect that I haven’t read before and definitely added to my liking. And as someone born in Florida–and who spends a good deal of vacation time down there these days–I also really loved the Key West setting!

The romance between Bree and Drew was really well written. The obvious chemistry and slow-build tension was fun to read, and the way their relationship was built was very believable. Bree and Drew are both animal lovers and it was great to see them work together to help the pets left behind by their owners during the hurricane.

No Judgements was a heart-warming, romantic story perfect for a summer read! I had a lot of fun reading this and I look forward to more stories from Meg Cabot in this series.

REVIEW: Eight Will Fall – Sarah Harian (ARC)

2 Comments

35827843._SY475_Title: Eight Will Fall
Author: Sarah Harian
Rating: ★★★★

ARC received through #booksfortrade on Twitter.

Eight Will Fall was a totally fun adventure. The premise follows eight criminals sent into an underground labyrinth with a mission to defeat a magical ancient god that has been destroying their kingdom. Sarah Harian compared it The Descent meets The Goonies and that is such a clever and accurate description of this book!

The worldbuilding was so good. It was pretty simple and easy to follow without being underdeveloped. The majority of the focus was on the plot, which was really appreciated. The magic system that was developed was also really unique and added another layer of intrigue to the story. The descriptions of the caves and underground tunnels were written in a way that I could vividly picture myself underground. The author also did an amazing job setting the creepy, gorey vibe of the story. Some parts are definitely going to be giving readers goosebumps!

The execution of this book was perfect for what the author was trying to achieve. I don’t think I’ve read another book like it where a sense of dread seems to linger over the reader. Eight Will Fall is definitely one of a kind and I hope this makes it on to a lot of TBR lists!

 

REVIEW: How to Hack a Heartbreak – Kristin Rockaway

Leave a comment

41887423Title: How to Hack a Heartbreak
Author: Kristin Rockaway
Rating: ★★★½

“And the way things were going, I’d likely be single and debt-ridden for the rest of my life.”

There’s nothing more enjoyable than reading a fun rom-com in the summer! How to Hack a Heartbreak is the perfect book for those everyone out there (including myself) that is sick and tired of the trials of modern dating in a digital world.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it. Similar to myself, our protagonist, Melanie, is completely fed-up with dating apps. After her latest fiasco, she decides to secretly develop her own app to weed out the men taking advantage of online dating. She not only has to balance the unexpected popularity of her new app, but as the only female employee at her tech job, she also has to deal with incompetent jerks that continually belittle her knowledge. 

Everything about Mel and her story was so relatable! It’s hard to not find enjoyment in her growth as a character, and it’s impossible not to root for her in her journey to find love in a world full of swiping left or right. How to Hack a Heartbreak sheds light on the trials and tribulations of modern dating in a funny, light-hearted way that made this the perfect book for summer.

REVIEW: American Royals – Katherine McGee (ARC)

1 Comment

43744300Title: American Royals (American Royals #1)
Author: Katherine McGee
Rating: ★★★★

ARC provided by the publisher. 

There is something so deliciously fun about any Katherine McGee novel. Her books always hook me with their pages drama, complex characters, and angsty romances. American Royals is perfect for fans of The Thousandth Floor series, or for anyone that loves to read an entertaining book full of lies, secrets, and drama.

One of my favorite things about American Royals was the amazing cast of characters. Katherine McGee always does a fantastic job creating such interesting and complex characters, who grow over the course of the story. The book is told through the POVs of four characters; three of which are main characters, and one that is the antagonist.

Beatrice – the crowned princess, and next in line for the throne. She puts up an indifferent exterior, but I really enjoyed reading about her struggles to do what’s been expected of her all her life, compared to what she really desires.

Samantha – the young sister of Beatrice, and twin brother of Jefferson. She’s spent her whole life as “the spare” and being overshadowed by her older sister, and so she’s cultivated for herself the image of being a wild child. I liked her character well enough, but I didn’t think her POV really brought anything to the story, honestly.

Nina – Samantha’s best friend. Her mother worked for the king and so she spent her life growing up with Samantha and Jefferson at the Washington Palace. She was easily my favorite character and I rooted for her so hard throughout the story!

Daphne – Jefferson’s ex-girlfriend and the antagonist of the book, she’s spent her life grooming herself for a crown and a marriage to the prince. I want to slap her face so hard.

The way in which Katherine McGeen reimagine American history was extremely creative and well-crafted. You can tell she put a lot of thought into the world she’s created, not just by the big picture aspects, but by the small nuances of the story as well. It was so easy to believe in the world she created, and I loved the subtle little jabs towards our current political system!

As with most of her books, this one ends with a culmination of all the secrets and angst, and leaves us with a cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! American Royals is a marvelously entertaining book full of drama, scandalous secrets, and a healthy dose of angsty romance. I will be anxiously awaiting to read what happens next.