Tag: Young Adult Books

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 The Monarchs by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige!

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Thank you Netgalley so much for this wonderful Arc!!

I loved the first book in this series, The Ravens. I love love love the idea of a Witch coven sorority so much. And, when I got the opportunity to read The Monarchs, you can imagine how thrilled I was! (YAYY!!)

This sequel will not let the readers down. At least not in my opinion! I felt the story had an interesting start, but a little before halfway through this quick read I was completely drawn in. There is even more focus on the occult parts of witchcraft and some really exciting new developments that had me at the edge of my seat!

This book is more than just thrilling and exciting. I love how the sisterhood grows stronger and even becomes more inclusive by letting others in and making new friendships on campus.

It’s sweet, it’s thrilling and exciting, it had me at the edge of my seat and it gave me some nice feel good vibes! I highly recommend reading this sequel and if you haven’t read The Ravens yet, now is a great time to jump in!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long!

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Thank you Netgalley for this stunning Arc!

Stunning.  That’s the perfect word to describe this book.  I did not know what to expect but this story swept me off my feet. 

Sena is a 17 year old young woman trying to make it through life on a planet that cannot find a way to respect anyone with Scavver blood.  Sena lost her mothers 5 years ago when they took part in a famous sled race on this world.  Sena feels alone and, even though she doesn’t know it,  she needs help.

Sena goes through an amazing transition from loner to a team leader throughout this story.  I think the most emotional element was her connection to a fighting wolf that kind of adopted her as a partner.   The author did an amazing job describing the relationship between a human and an animal.  It was very real and reminded me of how attached to my pets I am on a psychological level and going through forming that attachment and the overwhelming love I feel for them.

This was an incredible read that was fast-paced and full of action.   I highly recommend this!!

Look for this in 2022 on January 11th!!

🌟Arc Review 🌟 Heart of a Witch by Rebecca L. Garcia

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Thank you Netgalley for this Arc!

I love a good revenge story that shows how the MC is formed into a villainous character.   In that aspect, I feel like this book is perfect for readers looking for this type of story.   Also, the fact that it’s a family that practices witchcraft running from the Witch hunters with a little romance mixed in makes it a really fun read. 

However, there were some quirks to the writing style that bothered me a bit.  Just certain descriptions that seemed off and I also felt like the dialogue was a little choppy which created a distance between myself and the story.

I definitely think this is worth a read and recommend it for anyone who loves a good villain origin story!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 The Violent Season by Sara Walters

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Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this thrilling arc!

The Violent Season by Sara Walters is a quick read, fast-paced and has an absolutely shocking twist at the end! I enjoyed every second of this thrill ride even if I was constantly trying to connect the dots attempting to see the whole picture.

Wyatt is a 17 yo girl that really became more and more of a confusing Main Character to me. She would have these very natural young adult moments and somehow it would turn around into her seeming completely strange. She spends most of her time with a boy named Cash and their relationship is confusing and just straight up unhealthy. She finds herself involved with Porter, a popular boy that Cash hates, and this really elevates many problems.

The town itself is strange as well. Wolf Ridge is small and secluded. However, there are many random unexplainable deaths in the month of November. Wyatt refers to this as a sickness, somewhat personifies the town as a place that creates violence during this month. Her mother was also murdered a year ago in November making Wyatt quite obsessive with her ideas.

There is so much I loved about this book! It kept me on my toes and I really could not ever figure out what was really going on. It’s a wild ride and I definitely recommend it.

A few trigger warnings for mental health, sexual assault, violence and grief.

Look for this out on Oct. 5th!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 Awakened by Ciara Duggan!

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Thank you Netgalley for this Arc, Awakened by Ciara Duggan!

This story revolves around 17 yo Hannah. She is a smart and kind girl just starting her first year at college, Bellcliff University, and really just trying to move on with a normal life after her parents death.

Hannah begins research for her Anthropology class and quickly finds herself in a mysterious part of the old school library that focuses on magic and mysticism. This is where she finds a very old book and somehow casts a spell. This is really the start to the book. She learns that magic is real and, at the same time, meets a very handsome young man, Callan. Now she becomes fully absorbed into her own history and a life that not only revolves around magic, but the very serious battle between good and evil.

I really enjoyed this story. It’s a quick, fast-paced read that was easy to get into. My only issues were really that the writing style and the dialog between characters sometimes seemed awkward and because of that I felt slightly pushed away from the story. It made me feel less of a connection.

I do recommend this as a quick and fun read that focuses on the fight between good and evil magic, along with different supernatural beings.

Look for this out on Sept 7th!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

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This was an incredible read that had me in it’s clutches from the very beginning to the last page!

I loved following Frances from shopgirl to murderess and then to a school of witchcraft.  Six months prior Frances lost her brother.  He was murdered but the whole scenario remains mysterious and plagues Frances daily. 

I loved The group of friends surrounding Frances, not to mention a plot that made me keep turning pages throughout the whole story.  The setting is 1911 in NYC and to watch all of this unfold at that time was simply remarkable.  

I cannot recommend this book enough! It really does have something for everyone and will keep you on your toes! Do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on this one!

ARC Review, Spells Trouble by P.C and Kristin Cast

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Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this arc!

I loved this book! Centering on twins that are turning 16 in a small town. Hunter and Mercy may look alike but that is where their similarities mostly end. Hunter is an aspiring writer and quite introverted while her sister, Mercy, is the life of the party and always outspoken. Both, however, do have one thing in common: they are witches!

Turning 16 is always important for any teenager, but for a witch it can be defining. Mercy, Hunter and their mother, Abigail, have generations of witchy history to uphold and the twins 16th birthday is part of that. However, things are not what they seem and the ancient trees that hold the five gates to different worlds closed while also serving as points of power for this magical family may be falling apart already when the Goode family gathers on this cataclysmic night.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I loved the feelings of love and magic that simply radiated from these characters. Also, the connection of sisterhood and friendship mixed in with spells, tarot decks, ley lines and an action-packed story made me keep reading till the end! And I cannot wait for book 2!

ARC Review, Dustborn by Erin Bowman

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I loved the idea of this story, the sandy and hot atmosphere reminded me of Dune and Mad Max. There were, however, a few things I did not love but I will get to that shortly.
Delta is a badass female MC and she has a good reason to be. Not only does she live a hard life at Dead River, but she also is one of two people with a secret map to The Verdant branded on her back. One night she takes her sister to receive help with her pregnancy and although Delta loses her sister to childbirth that night, she takes the baby and returns to her people, her family… only to find out that raiders trashed their settlement and took her family to Bedrock which is where a man known as the General rules like an overlord.
The story honestly just gets better and better. What I had difficulty with was not being able to really feel that the characters were being genuine and realistic when they communicated with one another. The way they spoke felt forced to me personally.
I do think this was a fun and fast paced read, definitely original with some mystical touches to it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc. All opinions are my own.

Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley, ARC Review

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Too much love can be dangerous, but too little love can be a curse.

I’d like to start by saying this book has a great map! If you know how I feel about maps then you know how important this is imo.

Tamsin is a witch and will cast spells for the citizens of her village for a very particular price: love. More specifically, the love that person feels for another. She does this because of a curse that took her ability to love, and Tamsin needs and desires to simply FEEL again.

Wren is the opposite of Tamsin in so many ways. She is vibrant and full of feelings and possibly a little naive. She is also a Source which means she is full of magic that can supplement a witch’s own power.

When a plague comes, a sickness that can steal a soul and make the whole world volatile and vicious, everything starts changing for Tamsin and Wren. They begin to work together and start on a journey to the Witchlands to help stop this black magic.

This story is exciting, twisty and turny, and even full of not just magic but references to classic fairytales that make this book even more fun. I adored the light romance and the interesting conversations between Wren and Tamsin that included some funny comments. Overall, an enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend!

A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban, ARC Review

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In the Monarchy of Nedé the men, also more widely known as brutes, are gentled. This is something the reader will learn much more about throughout the book.
Reina, or Rei, is a 17 yo girl living in a finca (a kind of farm or ranch) with her mother and sister and the little gentles that her mother raises with love. However, when Rei is selected as a candidate for the succession to be the next matriarch (a role her grandmother currently fills) all of her plans are put on hold. Her whole life she has been training to be an Alexia, which is a female warrior known for their prowess on a horse while facing down enemies.
Rei is kind, open minded and a little badass, which only makes it harder for her to fit in with the other candidates for the succession. The Nedé have a lot of restrictions and rules about society, particularly concerning a woman’s destiny. Another restricted area of this place is the gentles themselves, which Rei has a soft spot for.
This story immediately captivated me and I though the writing style was well done and very enjoyable to read. My only complaint is that the ending didn’t quite live up to what it could have been .