Tag: Book Review

Categories
🎄 Blogmas 🎅🏼 Reviews

The Game 💫 Spoiler Free Review 🎄 Blogmas Day 16

Title: The Game
Author: Linsey Miller
Genre: YA Mystery
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Pages: 240
Publishers: Underlined
Rating:

4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A game turns deadly with a killer who picks his victims one by one, letter by letter.

Every year the senior class at Lincoln High plays assassin. Lia Prince has been planning her strategy for years and she’s psyched that not only does she finally get to play, she’s on a team with Devon Diaz. But this year, the game isn’t any fun–it’s real. Abby Ascher, Ben Barnard, and Cassidy Clarke have all turned up . . . dead. Can Lia stop the ABC killer before he reaches D?

The Game was a super short & easy to read book! It was gripping and kept me hooked the entire time. I loved the mystery & I wasn’t able to guess it at all until the reveal! Even though it was short, it packed a punch and was very mysterious & at times thrilling. There were a couple spots where you had no idea if they were going to make it out alive. There was even one part that gave me the creeps & I’m really glad I didn’t have to walk alone anywhere because I would have been looking over my shoulder & hearing shit the whole time.

Surprisingly one of my favourite parts was the actual game. They play this game called Assassin & they get put in teams & given a target and they have to shoot their target with a water gun. I found this really intriguing and I was super interested in the game even before the murder mystery part started happening. I would totally read a book just based off this game!

I also really enjoyed the characters. Even though this book is only 200 pages the characters were very fleshed out. We learnt a lot about a lot of characters & really got to know the 4 major characters. I did feel that the romance kinda wasn’t necessary. However, it also kinda played a part in the plot, I guess, so I kinda get it. I just didn’t really care for those parts. I’m here for the murdery stuff, not the romancy stuff.

The only downside it really had was the ending. While the reveal was unexpected it just happened so quickly. I guess it’s just because it’s a short story but I just wanted more from the big ending. It was probably the least thrilling/gripping of the whole book.

Overall I did really enjoy The Game but I think the ending could have been a bit better. I’m very keen to see if this author comes out with another book in the mystery/thriller category as before now she had only released fantasy books. While I love her fantasy, lately I am gravitating towards mystery/thriller/horror a bit more, so I would love to see more of those from Linsey Miller.

Let’s Chat!

Have you read The Game? What did you rate it?

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
🎄 Blogmas 🎅🏼 Reviews

Legendborn 💫 Spoiler Free Review 🎄 Blogmas Day 6

Title: Legendborn
Author: Tracy Deonn
Series: Legendborn #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: September 15th, 2020
Pages: 512
Publishers: Simon & Schuster
Rating:

3.5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Let’s start with the parts I enjoyed and that was mainly the world. It was very unique & interesting and I had fun learning about the world & magic system.

However, I simply couldn’t connect with the actual story or characters. Which is the main reason I rated Legendborn 3.5 stars. There wasn’t anything extremely wrong with the book in my opinion but if I can’t connect then I struggle to care what happens. I would have probably DNFd this one if the audiobook hadn’t been available on Scribd because I was just struggling. I took so long reading it because I just wasn’t excited about picking it up.

I did have a couple actual issues with the book as well.
Firstly, the characters felt a bit 2 dimensional. I think if they had been a bit more fleshed out & realistic it would have been easier to connect to it.
The romance was also bleh. I don’t love romance at the best of times but a super predictable love triangle? No thank you.
Then there was the racism. While I love a good discussion on racism in books this one for some reason just felt so forced. I felt like the main character mentioned all the damn time that she was black like the author just wanted to double and triple check that you knew she was POC.

Overall, this one just wasn’t for me. I had a few issues and a few things I enjoyed but unfortunately the good wasn’t enough to out-way the bad.

Let’s Chat!

Have you read Legendborn? What did you rate it?

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Reviews

Clown in a Cornfield 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Title: Clown in a Cornfield
Author: Adam Cesare
Genre: YA Horror
Publication Date: August 25th, 2020
Pages: 352
Publishers: HarperTeen
Rating:

4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.

Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half. On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.

Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.

Let’s talk about my main issue with this book & why it didn’t get a higher rating!
So my issue was the reveal/motive. Quite frankly it just didn’t make any sense. It was completely unrealistic and it kinda just felt like a half assed excuse because they couldn’t think of anything better. Besides the actual reveal of who was behind it the ending itself was fine though.

Now, for what I did enjoy! This book was very gripping. I didn’t want to stop reading because I was keen to know what was going to happen next. The action scenes were also written very well. There was no confusion & they were very thrilling to read!

I enjoyed the slower start which let you get to know the characters before jumping in into the actual horror/slasher part. Getting to know the characters meant that I actually cared what was happening to them & were rooting for certain characters. That the one thing I dislike about some slasher style movies. They jump straight in and you don’t know who the characters are, so it’s hard to really care what’s happening to them.

This book was also very atmospheric. I loved the way the author described the town & surroundings. It made it very easy to picture what was happening. Which definitely added to the overall appeal of the book.

So, overall I had a good time reading it and it was very gripping. However, I just didn’t think the motive made too much sense in the end. I do recommend picking up Clown in a Cornfield, but just know that the reveal isn’t the strongest point in the book.

You can pre-order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover

HarperCollins Australia
Hardcover
eBook

Amazon Australia
Hardcover
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

The Inheritance Games 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #28

Title: The Inheritance Games
Series Name: The Inheritance Games
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: YA Mystery
Publication Date: September 1st, 2020
Pages: 384
Publishers: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why–or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch–and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.

Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he’s determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather’s last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

This one was a very pleasant surprise as there has been very little talk about it & I had no idea what to expect.

The Inheritance Games was a very mysterious & unpredictable story. It was gripping & I found myself not wanting to stop listening. It was very addictive actually, even if I could only listen to 3 minutes of it in between other thinks I found myself putting it on when I usually wouldn’t. So that tells me that I was enjoying it!

All the characters were very realistic and nearly all had a backstory and depth put into them. I like that you also saw the characters developing & showing more of themselves throughout as Avery got to know them. I also like how different the 4 boys are. The author could have gave them all the same qualities but every one was unique & interesting in their own way.

I also loved how atmospheric the book was. I loved learning about the house & surrounds as it really built a picture & set the scene. The authors writing when it came to explaining things definitely helped in engrossing you in the story and being invested in the characters.

Overall I really enjoyed The Inheritance Game and more than I thought I would as I simply didn’t know what to expect as I have heard basically no one talking about this. This is book 1 in a duology, so I’m loving that as duologys are hard to find. I’m very keen to see what will happen next!

You can pre-order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover
Paperback

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover
Paperback

Amazon Australia
Hardcover
Paperback
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

The Tea Dragon Tapestry 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #25

Title: The Tea Dragon Tapestry
Series Name: Tea Dragon
Author: Katie O’Neill
Genre: MG Fantasy
Publication Date: June 1st, 2021
Pages: 128
Publishers: Oni Press
Rating:

5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Join Greta and Minette once more for the heartwarming conclusion of the award-winning Tea Dragon series!

Over a year since being entrusted with Ginseng’s care, Greta still can’t chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon. As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief. Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.

Told with the same care and charm as the previous installments of the Tea Dragon series, The Tea Dragon Tapestry welcomes old friends and new into a heartfelt story of purpose, love, and growth.

The Tea Dragon Society: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spoiler Free Review
The Tea Dragon Festival: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spoiler Free Review
The Te Dragon Tapestry: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tea Dragon series is just so cute! It is an overall wholesome & enjoyable read that always leaves me feeling better after reading them!

I loved that we learned more about Minette & their back story in this book. That was something that I wanted more of in book 1 so that was a nice surprise. We also got to see most of the characters from The Tea Dragon Society & The Tea Dragon Festival come back in The Tea Dragon Tapestry which was awesome. They are also amazing & such well developed characters so it was nice to see them all again.

I also love that all of the books have an amazing story to tell and all have a message to teach the reader. The Tea Dragon Tapestry features a beautiful message involving grief and the importance of small gestures.

Overall I love these books & I will definitely be rereading them! I wish there was more but The Tea Dragon Tapestry was the conclusion. It is amazingly wrapped up but I would be totally happy to read another 10 books based on these adorable tiny dragons! I highly recommend checking out this series if you need something wholesome and feel good to read!

Huge thank you to Oni Press & NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

You can pre-order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

The Tea Dragon Festival 📚 Spoiler Free Review 💫 Blogtober #20

Title: The Tea Dragon Festival
Series Name:Tea Dragon #1
Author: Katie O’Neill
Genre: MG Fantasy
Publication Date: Sept 17th, 2019
Pages: 136
Publishers: Oni Press
Rating:

5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep, but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

The Tea Dragon Society: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spoiler Free Review
The Tea Dragon Festival: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Tea Dragon Tapestry: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spoiler Free Review to come

These books are just AMAZING!

Just because something comes easily to you, does not mean it has no value.

Firstly the diversity is amazing! This one is set well before the events in The Tea Dragon Society and does not focus on the same characters or location. So we have new diversity being featured including someone who is deaf. I love that the the book features sign language in this one! The author didn’t have to include the actual sign langugae & translation but she did it so smoothly that it just works naturally and that amazing.

I love the messages that are portrayed in this graphic novel series. It doesn’t come across as a motivational kind of book but that is really how it feels sometimes. The author always includes some message that makes you think and that can relate to the real world.

I enjoyed learning about a new species in this one as well as we meet a full size dragon. The world is always being expanded and it feels very well developed and explained even though the books are under 150 pages each.

Of course I have to mention the artwork as it’s gorgeous and so colourful! I’d love to get some of those chapter headings as stickers or something as they are just beautiful!

Overall I really enjoyed The Tea Dragon Festival! The books are gorgeous, feature amazing diversity, always have a really good message & they are just cute and wholesome reads. I highly recommend giving this series a go as I simply can’t fault anything about it!

Let’s Chat

Have you read The Tea Dragon Festival? Did you love it as much as me?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover

Amazon Australia
Hardcover
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

Salt to the Sea 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #16

Title: Salt to the Sea
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Feb 2nd, 2016
Pages: 391
Publishers: Philomel Books
Rating:

5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

While the Titanic and Lusitania are both well-documented disasters, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the little-known January 30, 1945 sinking in the Baltic Sea by a Soviet submarine of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner that was supposed to ferry wartime personnel and refugees to safety from the advancing Red Army. The ship was overcrowded with more than 10,500 passengers — the intended capacity was approximately 1,800 — and more than 9,000 people, including 5,000 children, lost their lives.

Sepetys (writer of ‘Between Shades of Gray’) crafts four fictionalized but historically accurate voices to convey the real-life tragedy. Joana, a Lithuanian with nursing experience; Florian, a Prussian soldier fleeing the Nazis with stolen treasure; and Emilia, a Polish girl close to the end of her pregnancy, converge on their escape journeys as Russian troops advance; each will eventually meet Albert, a Nazi peon with delusions of grandeur, assigned to the Gustloff decks.

This book is absolutely amazing! This is actually my reread of this one as I did listen to the audiobook a couple years ago and loved it then too. However, I didn’t end up reviewing it last time so I decided to do it this time!
Firstly I highly recommend the audiobook! It is amazingly done & has full cast narration. It’s definitely worth the listen.

This is a very emotional and hard hitting book. I spent the last couple chapters with tears in my eyes & actually had to put the book down twice to pull myself together. It is written in a way that you have an instant connection with these characters (well most of them) and you just want them to get to freedom. Of course this is based off WWII and a lot of people did die, so it’s something you know is likely coming in the book but it doesn’t make it easier to read when it does.

I love and care for Florian, Emilia & Joana so much and genuinely hate Alfred as a person and a character. These characters feel so fleshed out and you learn their stories & their history. It makes it hard to not think of them as real people.

This book also drags you in and won’t let go. I didn’t want to put it down as I just wanted to find out what happens next. It’s also very unpredictable. Just when you think everything is going alright the shit hits the fan again and you are left in shock because of it.

I also love that the author kept the book as historically accurate as she could. Not only did she do that but she also explained it all and told you what really happened and what was fiction. I love that this also focuses on a lesser known event that was extremely deadly. I wish more YA books focused on specific lesser known events so as to educate readers.

Overall I highly recommend this book. Of course it is a WWII story and it’s extreme and hard hitting. There is of course the obvious trigger warnings for a war book such as violence, death, children suffering, etc. but also, please be aware that there is references & discussion of rape in this one. However I think it is an important read and one that needs to be discussed & promoted more.

Let’s Chat

Have you read Salt to the Sea? What is a similar book that I should also read?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.
There is an alternate cover for the Paperbacks & a second Hardcover available which I’ll pop below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Paperback
Hardcover
Hardcover (brown cover)

Angus & Robertson
Paperback
Paperback (Brown Cover)
Hardcover
Hardcover (Brown Cover)

Amazon Australia
eBook
Hardcover
Paperback (Brown Cover)

  • Alternate Hardback & Paperback cover
  • Paperback Cover

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

A Song Below Water 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #16

Title: A Song Below Water
Series Name: A Song Below Water
Author: Bethany C. Morrow
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Publication Date: June 2nd, 2020
Pages: 288
Publishers: Tor Teen
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.

I was highly anticipating this book before I picked it up! A siren story with POC MCs & Black Lives Matter themes?! Sounded like the perfect mix of contemporary issues & fantasy elements. What could go wrong? Well, turns out a fair bit. I easily have more negative points than positive and while I did have a good time actually reading it and it dealt with some good topics the overall execution just wasn’t there.

So as I said I did enjoy the discussion on the Black Lives Matter topics. I enjoyed that the author blended the hate towards the black community in with the hate towards the siren community. I’ve also seen some own voice reviews that claim the book has good representation, so that’s a positive as well even if it’s not something I can directly comment on.

However, that and the general enjoyability of the audiobook experience is really the only reason why this book got the rating that it did. It isn’t necessarily bad but it could have been done SOO much better.

Firstly for the negative side of things, there is basically no world building or background given at all. You are just thrown in and are just meant to understand what is going on when really you have no idea. There were also a general lack of explanation for a lot of aspects and also a fair few references to things, events, etc. that just weren’t explained. As if you are magically meant to know the back story and understand the references.

The main thing that bugged me with A Song Below Water is that it was advertised as a Siren Story but kinda wasn’t. Yes it started out that way but after a certain point Tav (the siren) basically doesn’t matter anymore and it’s all about Effie. The story turns into Effie trying to find herself and figure out what she is. What about Tav? And the siren hate? And her accidentally exposing her voice? And basically everything siren related?
Also slight spoiler but when Effie’s species is revealed it’s one we basically hadn’t heard of and have no idea what it is but everyones just like yeah cool she is a ….. And that’s it. We are just supposed to be like ‘yeah, makes total sense’ and move on. Prime example of lack of explanation.

I did start reading this book physically but found myself pushing to get through it due to simply not feeling any connection towards Effie or Tav. I like Tav but there was not real connection there and the characters had no depth. They felt very flat and one dimensional which makes it hard to connect to them as they have basically no personality. So, I ended up swapping to the audiobook which definitely made it easier to read.

Overall I am not particularly impressed with A Song Below Water. This book had so much potential but it just didn’t quite hit the mark. I’m not sure if I will end up picking up book 2. I’m kinda curious but also not really that curious, so I don’t know. If the audiobook pops up on Scribd I may end up giving it a go but I don’t think I will go out of my way to buy it.

Let’s Chat

Have you read A Song Below Water? What were your thoughts?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.
There is an alternate cover for the Paperbacks which I will leave down below!

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover
Paperback

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover

Amazon Australia
Hardcover
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

All the Stars and Teeth 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #7

Title: All the Stars and Teeth
Series Name: All the Stars and Teeth
Author: Adalyn Grace
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Feb 4th, 2020
Pages: 368
Publishers: Imprint
Rating:

4.5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

Dark blue background with spine bones up either side of cover. There is a Boat on waves in the bottom left, Mermaid tail on the bottom right, skull surrounded by octopus tentacles in top left & two hands holding a crown in top right. In middle left & right is an identical decorative sword.

All the Stars and Teeth was amazing! This whole story and world is extremely unique and refreshing. Majority of the plot was unpredictable and it kept me on my toes. I also loved the pacing as it was mostly fast paced that made the books quick and engaging to read but there were also those few slower sections thrown in to really concentrate on world and characters.

While I don’t usually enjoy romance and while I didn’t particularly care one way or anything for the romance in this book I also didn’t hate it. It did feel natural and developed well rather than falling prey to bad tropes.

I really enjoyed the characters and most of them were very fleshed out and felt realistic. I also loved that most of the major characters were badasses and I was rooting for all of them.

The characters and the magic system is really what invested me in this book. I also really enjoyed learning about the backstory and building up the world. Everything was very well described & atmospheric.

Overall I really enjoyed All the Stars and Teeth and I am keen to get my hands on All the Tides of Fate which is set to release February 2nd 2021. I’m also very keen to see what worlds/magic systems that Adalyn Grace creates next after the All the Stars and Teeth duology is over. This one was so unique that I’m hyped to see what will be next!

Let’s Chat

Have you read All The Stars and Teeth? What were your thoughts? Are you keen for All the Tides of Fate?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.
There is an alternate cover for the Paperbacks which I will leave down below!

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Harrdcover
Paperback

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover
Paperback

Amazon Australia
eBook
Hardcover
Paperback

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!

Categories
Blogtober 2020 Reviews

The Bone Thief 💫 Spoiler Free Review 📚 Blogtober #3

Title: The Bone Thief
Author: Breeana Shields
Series: The Bone Charmer
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: May 26th, 2020
Pages: 375
Publishers: Page Street Kids
Rating:

5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A deft exploration of the weight of grief and cost of revenge, Breeana Shields’s Bone Charmer duology reaches its spine-tingling conclusion in this high-octane fantasy-thriller.

Saskia returns to Ivory Hall to train in bone magic, determined to stop Latham from gaining the power of all three Sights—past, present, and future. But danger lurks within the fortress’s marrow. Trials are underway for the apprentices, and the tasks feel specifically engineered to torment Saskia, which is exactly what Latham wants.

As she grows increasingly more suspicious, her thirst for revenge becomes all-consuming. Together with the friends she can trust and the boy she loved in another lifetime, Saskia traces clues from Latham’s past to determine what he’ll do next. Their search leads them across Kastelia and brings them to a workshop housing a vast collection of horrors, including the bones Latham stole from Gran, and the knowledge that the future isn’t all that’s in jeopardy—but the past as well.

The Bone Thief Book Cover

I absolutely loved The Bone Charmer and you can find my spoiler free review for it HERE!

I think the thing I love the most about this series is the characters and the world. The magic system is extremely unique and I love learning about it and the world in general. The world building is amazing in this series and I find it very atmospheric especially when the MC is back in her home town. I enjoyed that we got to discover more of world in this book and explore new places.

As I said before I loved the characters but especially the main character. This book really shows the main characters struggles and her growing throughout the story because of what she goes through. I also really enjoyed how well her confusion was written when it comes to her dealing with the plot of book 1 (no spoilers here). I would have been disappointed if she just went straight back to life as usual as if nothing happened. So I’m glad that was done well. I do also enjoy the side characters and they are all very well fleshed out and realistic. Also I love the focus on friendship and really enjoyed the friend group in this book! There was a bit of romance but it was done well too given the circumstances. So, I’m not mad.

I also found this book extremely gripping. I read it in just a couple sittings and couldn’t put it down. It was very action packed and hooked me from the very beginning. There was also a good combination of fast paced action and slower paced world building & character development. Which made for an enjoyable experience.

Overall I really enjoyed The Bone Thief and book 1, The Bone Charmer, and I highly recommend checking them out! While I would love to read more following these characters or set in this world I also like that it’s a duology as that isn’t too common in YA Fantasy. I am also very keen to read Breeana Shields next book The Splendor which is set to release Fall 2021!

You can purchase a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate links for Book Depository, Booktopia or Angus & Robertson.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover

Amazon Australia
Hardcover
eBook

Let’s Chat!

Have you read Breeana Shields first series, Poison’s Kiss?? Should I read it? What are your thoughts?

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Dusk Angel Store:
Buy Candles, Book Sleeves, Sprayed Edged Books & more on our website!
www.duskangelstore.com
Dusk Angel Store Instagram
Dusk Angel Store Facebook
Dusk Angel Store Twitter
Dusk Angel Store Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!