Hi all! If you’re reading this, I’m so excited that you’re here! Thank you so much for following me and sharing in my blogging journey. I started my blog awhile ago, but I haven’t been as active until recently. I almost thought of throwing in the towel at one point, but I’m so glad that I didn’t give up! I love books and the book community, and I’m so grateful to some of the amazing people I’ve met along the way.

To celebrate and as a thank you, I’m doing an international giveaway, as long as Book Depository ships to you. I’m giving away to one winner, either a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card or Book Depository Gift Card depending on where the winner lives. This giveaway is not affiliated with either Barnes and Noble or Book Depository.

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I was tagged by Tiffany, Bookish Fantasy . Thank you for the tag! 

Why did you start blogging? & Why have you kept blogging?

I started blogging because I met a lot of bookish friends and authors on Twitter. I was participating in a lot of Twitter chats, etc. I then became involved in bookstagram over on Instagram, and started taking lots of book photos.

Many of my friends on social media had blogs and were posting their reviews on there, and I thought it sounded like fun! I didn’t use my blog much for the first year or so, but I’ve recently been inspired to use it more. I think I feel less intimidated to use it now than when I first started.

Blogging has become an outlet for me at this time of quarantine and social distancing. I continue blogging because of my love for books and all things bookish.

What is your favorite type of blog post to write?

I love writing book reviews. I’m trying now to write my reviews right after I finish reading a book, or soon thereafter. I feel like I’m helping to promote books that I love in my own small way.

What are your top three favorite blog posts you wrote?

• Splinters of Scarlet Review 
• Last Girls Review
• Sister of Sword and Song Review

What are some of your favorite things to do to relax?

I like sitting down to read with a hot cup of tea, a cozy blanket, and a lit candle. I also enjoy watching a movie or a tv show. Spending time with my family and my pets also help me to relax and let go.

What are three of your favorite things?

• Tea
• Books
• Cats

What are your proudest blogging moments?

Reaching 50 followers was a proud moment for me. I know that it may not seem like a lot to most people, but it was a lot to me. I am getting closer to 100 followers now, and I am so excited to hit that milestone!

What are your hobbies outside of blogging?

I enjoy nature walks, reading, and collecting bookish merch.

Describe your personality in three words

• compassionate
• loyal
• hard working

What are your top three pet peeves?

• When people don’t use their manners, such as saying please and thank you. Common courtesy goes a long way.
• Double dipping (gross)
• Dishonesty

What’s something your followers don’t know about you?

I have 11 pet chickens!

I Tag:

emelie’s books

the journeying bibliophile

Frayed Books

One Book More

The Clever Reader

About the Book:

Title: Sisters of Sword and Song

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: June 23, 2020

Pages: 432

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.

After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder.
Though Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.

Review:

* I received an arc from the author and the publisher, Harper Teen in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this beautiful book! This is the third book I’ve read by Rebecca Ross, and she definitely has a fan for life in me. Her writing is so alluring and captivating, and I was drawn into the story from the very beginning.

This standalone YA Fantasy takes place in an alternate Ancient Greek world. The setting is so lush and vivid. I loved the unique mythology. There were 9 “divines” that left behind earthly relics for humankind to find that contained magical properties, and some of them were never recovered. The divine that the two main characters, Halcyon and Evadne were descended from was fallen. Evadne was always fascinated with magic though, and hoped that she would have it somehow. Halcyon is a great fighter, and could beat the boys, and outrun everyone, and so joined the Queen’s army when she was very young. The two sisters were very close, and Evadne missed Halcyon terribly when she left. They are about to finally be reunited after eight long years, when Halcyon arrives earlier than expected, and Evadne surmises that things have gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is being hunted by her commander and the charge is murder. Halcyon’s life winds up being spared at her trial, but the punishment is very heavy. Evadne volunteers to take part of her sentence, and get to the bottom of what happened with her sister. And so begins an epic adventure, and things aren’t all as they seem.

I truly enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters and how strong their bond was, even though they had been apart for eight years. They were truly devoted to each other and would do anything to protect the other.  I also loved that they came from a big loving family that all lived together in the olive grove in Isaura.  You could just feel the love between them all.

When Evadne goes to serve her portion of Halcyon’s sentence, she is sent to a city. The city is full of warriors, mages, scribes, and even prisoners. I love how we see Evadne grow and change and come into her own, as she’s separated from her sister and her family. There’s a male character that she meets in the city that I completely adore. He’s so caring and kind, and a romance blossoms that completely made me swoon.

If you enjoy stories about kick butt warriors, mages and scribes, strong females, family relationships, pain that is complex, slow burn romance, and more importantly sisterhood, hope, and forgiveness, then this book is for you. Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR. You won’t regret it!

About the Author:

Rebecca Ross grew up in Georgia, where she continues to reside with her husband, lively dog and endless piles of books. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from UGA. In the past she has worked at a Colorado dude ranch, as a school librarian, and as a live-time captionist for a college.

Rebecca writes fantasy for young adult readers. Her debut novel, THE QUEEN’S RISING, was released on February 6, 2018 from HarperTeen.

THE QUEEN’S RISING is set to be translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Turkish, Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Hebrew and will be available in the UK.

About the Book:

Title: The Queen’s Resistance

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Pages: 480

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

The highly anticipated sequel to The Queen’s Rising!

Finally, Brienna is a mistress of knowledge and is settling into her role as the daughter of Davin MacQuinn, a disgraced lord who returned to Maevana to reclaim his house. Though she’d just survived a revolution, one that will finally return a queen to the throne, she faces another difficult challenge. She must prove herself trustworthy to the MacQuinns. But as Queen Isolde Kavanagh’s closest confidant, she’ll have to balance serving her father’s house as well as her country. And then there’s Cartier, a whollyseparate but desirable factor in her new life.

Aodhan Morgane, formerly known as Cartier Évariste, is adjusting to the stark contrast between his pre-rebellion life in Valenia as a master of knowledge and his current one as the lord of a fallen house. During his castle’s restoration, he discovers a ten-year-old boy named Tomas, whose past and parentage are a complete mystery. So when Cartier’s former pupil Brienna is as taken with Tomas as he is, he lets his mind wander—what if he doesn’t have to raise him or his house alone?

As the Lannon trial rapidly approaches, Brienna and Cartier must put their feelings aside to concentrate on forging alliances, executing justice, and ensuring that no one interferes with the queen’s coronation. But resistance is rumbling among the old regime’s supporters, who are desperate to find a weakness in the rebels’ forces. And nothing makes a person more vulnerable than deep-seated love.

Review:

*This review contains spoilers for book one, The Queen’s Rising* 

I absolutely fell in love with the amazing world building that Rebecca Ross created in The Queen’s Rising. I adored the first book so much, and quickly dove into this book after finishing, as I was anxious to find out what happened to Brienna and company. The Queen’s Resistance starts off right where The Queen’s Rising ended. Several days have passed since the battle (I love how Rebecca gave us a recap of what happened in the first book, it was much appreciated). This book is also told from two points of view.  It is told from both Brienna’s and Cartier’s perspectives. I love how we see more of Brienna growing into herself. She’s such a strong and independent character. Cartier we get to see how he’s dealing with once being a master of knowledge in Valenia, to becoming a lord of a fallen house in Maevana.

Brienna and her friends may have won the revolution, but Isolde Kavanagh has yet to have her coronation. They need to discover who in the kingdom support the Kavanagh queen reclaiming the throne, and who are against it. We are able to learn much more about the three houses the Kavanagh’s, the Morgane’s, and the MacQuinn’s, and what has been happening while the three disgraced lords have been away. I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters that had survived from the Morgane house and those that had survived from the MacQuinn house. The found family theme is still prevalent in this book, and there were many moments where I teared up.

I loved the slow burn romance between Brienna and Cartier. It’s not the sole focus of the story, but it definitely played an important part. They kind of have to put their feelings for each other aside and worry more about forging alliances, assuring the queen gets on the throne, and executing justice.

There definitely was not a moment wasted in this book. Everything was well thought out and executed. There was tons of action and adventure, and plenty of interesting revelations. There are little things that we learn that along the way, that make complete sense later on. Absolutely brilliant writing!

I think that this book concluded the series so well. I was sad to say goodbye to Brienna and Cartier and the rest of the cast of characters, but I was deeply satisfied with the end. I am excited to read more from Rebecca Ross. You can bet I’ll be reading whatever she is writing!

About the Author:

Rebecca Ross grew up in Georgia, where she continues to reside with her husband, lively dog and endless piles of books. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from UGA. In the past she has worked at a Colorado dude ranch, as a school librarian, and as a live-time captionist for a college.

Rebecca writes fantasy for young adult readers. Her debut novel, THE QUEEN’S RISING,  released February 6, 2018 from HarperTeen.

THE QUEEN’S RISING is set to be translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Turkish, Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Hebrew and will be available in the UK.

About the Book:

Title: Aurora Rising

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Publisher: Knopf Books For Young Readers

Release Date: May 7, 2019

Pages: 473

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Sci-Fi

Synopsis:

From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasmA sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic. 

Review:

This was the first book I read by either Amie Kaufman and/or Jay Kristoff! Gasp! The good news is, it certainly did not disappoint. I don’t read a ton of sci-fi books, but I truly enjoyed this one. The story hooked me from the beginning. The amazing world building, and all the action kept me wanting to not put the book down. I forced myself too though, as I was doing a buddy read and didn’t want to cheat. 😉

The story follows seven characters, which was a little confusing at first because of the multiple POVS, but I quickly got into the groove. It’s honestly hard for me to pick a favorite, as I came to love and care for each character. Tyler is a star student at Aurora Academy in the year 2380, and is ready to be assigned his first mission and have the squad of this dreams. His own heroism lands him with the dregs that no one else would have chosen, and that is how Squad 312 is born. Their first mission goes south fast, but maybe they are actually just right for each other, and maybe there’s a bigger battle they must face together?

If you like stories about space, cool space ships, action, mystery, drama, heists, parties, creepy planets, and unforgettable characters, then this story is for you! The next book, Aurora Burning is coming out May 5, 2020. I’m so excited to find out what happens next!

About the Authors:

Amie Kaufman is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her multi-award winning work is slated for publication in over 30 countries, and is in development for film and TV. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law and conflict resolution. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, their rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library.

You can sign up for her newsletter to see what she’s working on, hear when she releases a new book, and be automatically entered for giveaways: www.eepurl.com/6Ya8j

Jay Kristoff is the #1 international, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES, THE ILLUMINAE FILES and THE LOTUS WAR. He is the winner of six Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, has over half a million books in print and is published in over thirty five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is 6’7 and has approximately 12,000 days to live.

He does not believe in happy endings.

About the Book:

Title: Splinters of Scarlet

Author: Emily Bain Murphy

Publisher: HMH Books For Young Readers

Release Date: July 21, 2020

Pages: 352

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Synopsis:

Frozen meets Downton Abbey in this atmospheric YA historical fantasy set in nineteenth-century Denmark.

For Marit Olsen, magic is all about strategy: it flows freely through her blood, but every use leaves behind a deadly, ice-like build-up within her veins called the Firn. Marit knows how dangerous it is to let too much Firn build up—after all, it killed her sister—and she has vowed never to use her thread magic. But when Eve, a fellow orphan whom Marit views like a little sister, is adopted by the wealthy Helene Vestergaard, Marit will do anything to stay by Eve’s side. She decides to risk the Firn and uses magic to secure a job as a seamstress in the Vestergaard household.
But Marit has a second, hidden agenda: her father died while working in the Vestergaards’ jewel mines—and it might not have been an accident. The closer Marit gets to the truth about the Vestergaard family, the more she realizes she and everyone she’s come to love are in danger. When she finds herself in the middle of a treacherous deception that goes all the way up to the king of Denmark, magic may be the only thing that can save her—if it doesn’t kill her first.

Review:

* I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I don’t even know where to start. I feel like my words have left me. This book was absolutely AMAZING! Emily Bain Murphy captivated me from the very first page. I love the setting which is 19th Century Denmark. The way that Emily described everything, it felt so tangible. The imagery is so lush and vivid. The main character of the story is Marit Olsen, and I head over heels fell in love with her. I could definitely see myself being her BFF, she’s such a kindred spirit.

Marit was born with magic. Magic flows through her blood, but if she uses it, there’s a deadly ice build-up in her veins, called the Firn. She has vowed not to use it, as it killed her sister. Marit’s father also died in the Vestergaard family’s jewel mines and she is left an orphan. In the orphanage, she meets Eve who becomes like a sister to her. I loved the relationship between Marit and Eve. Their bond is so strong, and so pure. Marit is fiercely devoted to Eve. When Eve is adopted by the very wealthy Helen Vestergaard, Marit pulls out all the stops to stay by Eve’s side. Marit also secretly wants to go with Eve to find out what happened in the mine accident that killed her father. Helene brings Marit home with her and Eve as a servant. Helene begins to tutor Eve in ballet, as Eve had shown promise at the orphanage. I loved meeting all of the characters that live in the Vestergaard home and getting to know their distinct personalities. They very much reminded me of the blurb that compares this story to Downton Abbey meets Frozen. Marit begins to develop relationships with the people that she is living and working with. A romance also evolves between a couple of the characters. As the story goes on though,  Marit starts getting closer to truth of what happened in the mines, and everyone she loves is in danger. Marit soon discovers that magic may be the only thing that can save her.

If you love stories about sisterhood, magic, mystery, ballet, beautiful gowns, jewels, historical settings, and romance, then this story is for you. Please do yourself a favor and add this beautiful book to your TBR. It is available at retailers for preorder now and you can also request it from your local library.

About the Author:

Emily Bain Murphy was born in Indiana and raised in Hong Kong and Japan. She graduated from Tufts University and has also called Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California home.
Murphy is the author of The Disappearances, which was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize. Murphy currently lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and two children. For more information, visit www.emilybainmurphy.com or find Emily on Instagram at @emilybainmurphy.

About the Book:

Title: The Queen’s Rising

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Pages: 464

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

Review:

Oh my gosh! This book! I loved this story so much. Rebecca’s writing is so gorgeous, I felt like I was watching a movie unfold in my mind. Her writing is just so vivid and lush. It was hard to put this one down, as it was that good.

Brienna is such an amazing main character. She grows up in the kingdom of Valenia, but knows that her father is from the neighboring kingdom of Maevana. Her grandfather has kept the identity of her father a secret from her.  I love how we get to see her grow, from the time she started at Magnolia House at 10 years old, to her present 17 years of age. I was quite fascinated with Magnolia House, sort of an elite boarding school.  Brienna is accepted at the school only after her grandfather has a private discussion with the headmaster. Usually the people who are accepted excel in one of the five passions-art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge. Brienna struggles her first few years at the school to find a passion that fits. She belatedly chooses knowledge, taught by Master Cartier, as her study. There is an amazing sisterhood between the girls at Magnolia. Brienna is fiercely loyal and she cares about her friends and thinks about them before herself. There is a bit of romance in the story as well, but I don’t want to say more, as I don’t want to spoil anything. Unfortunately after all of Brienna’s years of preparations at Magnolia House, she is not chosen by a patron at the solstice which was her worst fear.

Months later a disgraced lord offers her patronage. She decides to accept his patronage and is whisked away. Things soon take an unexpected turn. Brienna must decide where her loyalties lie as a war may be on the horizon between the two neighboring lands of Valenia and Maevana. The ending was perfect, and left me wondering what would happen to my favorite characters and what their reactions would be to all of the revelations.

The Queen’s Rising is an amazing story about friendship, family, amazing world building, a beautiful setting, magic, political intrigue, twists and turns, and a slow burn romance. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend that you pick it up ASAP. It’s an amazing debut and I feel that it’s highly underrated. Please give it the love that it deserves.

About the Author:

Rebecca Ross grew up in Georgia, where she continues to reside with her husband, lively dog and endless piles of books. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from UGA. In the past she has worked at a Colorado dude ranch, as a school librarian, and as a live-time captionist for a college.

Rebecca writes fantasy for young adult readers. Her debut novel, THE QUEEN’S RISING, will be out February 6, 2018 from HarperTeen.

THE QUEEN’S RISING is set to be translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Turkish, Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Hebrew and will be available in the UK.

About the Book:

Title: The Betrothed

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Pages: 400

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis:

When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.

Review:

I am a big fan of the Selection series, so I was super excited to be able to read The Betrothed early thanks to a bookseller friend! This book was full of passionate female characters, cute boys, beautiful dresses, and court mystique. Cass is very good at what she does. She definitely makes you swoon! I loved the fun setting of the story and her lavish descriptions.

I felt like the main character Hollis was slightly annoying at first, but as the story went on, she started growing on me. She became much more confident and independent. I really enjoyed the relationships between the female characters in this story the most. I am glad that they were portrayed as strong. I wasn’t completely swayed by the love interests in this book, however. I wanted to be completely enraptured by the romance, but I just wasn’t. I felt like I didn’t get to know the male leads as well as I would have liked. There were other elements of the story that were really enjoyable as well, like the revelations and twists. Some moments had me on the edge of my seat and I had to keep reading!

I think Cass fans will definitely enjoy this one! I am excited after that ending to see what happens next in the series.

About the Author:

Kiera Cass is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series and The Siren. She is a wife and mom and too many other things to list. If she could make a crown out of anything, it would be the unending tears of her readers. You can learn more about Kiera and her books at http://www.kieracass.com .

About the Book:

Title: Last Girls

Author: Demetra Brodsky

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Pages: 368

Genre: YA Contemporary, YA Thriller

Synopsis:

No one knows how the world will end.

On a secret compound in the Washington wilderness, Honey Juniper and her sisters are training to hunt, homestead, and protect their own.

Prepare for every situation.

But when danger strikes from within, putting her sisters at risk, training becomes real life, and only one thing is certain:

Review:

*I received an e-Arc from the author on Netgalley for an honest review*

And just like that, Demetra has done it again! Just like her debut, Dive Smack, I was completely sucked into this story. It was fan-flipping-tastic!  This is a story about doomsday preppers, secret compounds, and survival for TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It). Doomsday preppers are constantly prepping for the end, and carry an EDC (Every Day Carry). It’s so crazy that this book happens to be coming out during a worldwide pandemic, and it made the story that much more real to me. Are you a psychic, Demetra? 😉 Demetra weaves in just the right amount of mystery and suspense, and I found myself trying to figure things out as I went along, and couldn’t stop reading.

At the heart of the story though, is the relationship between the Juniper sisters. Honey, Birdie, and Blue are all unique characters, and very well fleshed out. I love the inseparable bond between them, and they are my favorite part of the story. Honey is the oldest and loves to paint, Birdie is the middle and loves to draw comics, and Blue is the youngest and embroiders in the color blue. They stick together, no matter what. I’m so excited for you to meet them! If this book wasn’t on your radar already, I hope that you pick it up when it releases on May 5, 2020. I’ve already preordered my finished copy and can’t wait for it to arrive. And while you’re at it, add Dive Smack to your TBR too!

About the Author:

—

About the Book:

Title: There’s Something About Sweetie

Author: Sandhya Menon

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Pages: 378

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?

Review:

Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! Sandhya is the queen of swoon! I was so excited to go back into this universe after meeting Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi. This book was everything I needed and more. I adored Sweetie and Ashish and the whole cast of characters. They all stole my heart. This book conveyed such an important and empowering message about body positivity, and you will be cheering for Sweetie from the beginning like I was. She’s an athlete, a fantastic student, has some amazing friends, a complex relationship with her mother, and I loved her Sassy Sweetie Project! I loved Ashish as well. He was funny, and accepted Sweetie as is, and was the perfect love interest for her. Fans will be excited to know that Dimple and Rishi do make a cameo, so it was like a big reunion. I’m glad I was finally able to read this, and I am now caught up on Sandhya’s backlist books. Can’t wait to read 10 Things I Hate About Pinky, coming July 21, 2020.

About the Author:

Sandhya Menon is the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, Of Curses and Kisses, and many other novels that also feature lots of kissing, girl power, and swoony boys. Her books have been included in several cool places, including the Today show, Teen Vogue, NPR, BuzzFeed, and Seventeen. A full-time dog servant and part-time writer, she makes her home in the foggy mountains of Colorado. Visit her online at SandhyaMenon.com, on Twitter @smenonbooks or on Instagram @sandhyamenonbooks.