Tag: book review

The Crossover: Review

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About the Book:

Title: The Crossover 

Author: Sarah Ward 

Publisher: Independently published

Release Date: August 20, 2024

Pages: 345

Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

All bets are off when a headstrong college equestrian and carefree basketball player are forced together as workout partners. 213114496

Stella Williams has a full scholarship to Mountain Ridge University as a member of the equestrian team, and she’s not about to let anything—or anyone—prevent her from winning the conference championship. She’s sworn off relationships, determined to be the most accomplished student in her class by the time she graduates. Nothing is going to stop her in her tracks. That is, until she meets Owen Moore.

Owen is a transfer student on the basketball team and prides himself on being happy-go-lucky and the life of the party. Oh, and he’s never been interested in a serious relationship. When Owen gets paired up with Stella in their exercise science class, sparks fly immediately, and Owen begins to reconsider his outlook on dating. But despite their obvious chemistry, Stella isn’t interested, and Owen reluctantly agrees to be just friends.

As they spend more time in the gym together and the fire between them grows, remaining just friends becomes a nearly impossible task. With Owen’s spot on the basketball team and Stella’s future in the equestrian industry on the line, will they make the game-winning shot or fizzle out as the final buzzer sounds?

The Crossover is a New Adult sports romance with low spice, high feelings, and sizzling chemistry, perfect for fans of The Cheat Sheet and Icebreaker.

Review:

4

*I received an e-arc from the author for review. Thank you for the opportunity! All thoughts are my own*

I really enjoyed this super cute, sports romance! The main characters are adorable together! This was my first dive into the sports romance genre, and it did not disappoint. 

This is a closed-door romance between two college students, Stella and Owen. Stella is on a full scholarship to Mountain Ridge University as the member of the equestrian team. She is determined to win the conference championship and has no time for a relationship. Owen is a transfer student on the basketball team and needs to secure his spot. He considers himself the life of the party and not ready for a serious relationship. When Owen and Stella get paired up in their exercise science class, there’s definite chemistry. Owen begins to reconsider his outlook on dating, but Stella isn’t interested. They agree to just be friends. 

As they spend more time in the gym together, remaining “just friends” becomes more and more difficult. With both of their futures on the line, will they be able to make it work?

I definitely recommend to fans of romance and sports romance! Please give this one a try! 

About the Author:

Sarah Ward has been writing and telling stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Georgia with her husband and dog. Her hobbies include daydreaming about dragons, watching baseball, and drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate. A former teacher and library assistant, Sarah writes stories for both children and adults. Her published books include The Crossover, a college sports romance, and her debut middle grade novel, Victory Gallop.thumbnail_102590D8-B3EA-4D8F-BABC-1E97E56B2CA3

The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone, #2): Review

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About the Book:

Title: The Mirror of Beasts

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Hatchette Children’s Group

Release Date: July 30, 2024

Pages: 576

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Mythology

Synopsis:

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.57982343

Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a star-crossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

Review:

5

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher, Hatchette Children’s Group. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

I thought this was a fantastic conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology! After that cliffhanger from book one, I just had to find out what happened next and couldn’t wait to dive into this one. It did not disappoint.

There was a lot of angst, and I loved it! Give me all the angst! The friendships and found family are also further developed, and I really enjoyed that so much. There is action and adventure throughout, and you will want to keep turning the pages until the last.

I highly recommend to everyone that enjoyed the first book!

About the Author:

Alexandra Bracken is the #1 New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Darkest Minds series and Passenger. Born and raised in Arizona, she moved east to study English and History at The College of William & Mary in Virginia. After working in the publishing industry, she now writes full time. You can visit her online at http://www.alexandrabracken.com.6tl456v11bnl5e43geipdc4bdk._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_

Dungeons and Drama (Dungeons and Drama, #1): Review

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About the Book:

Title: Dungeons and Drama

Author: Kristy Boyce

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: January 9, 2024

Pages: 304

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance 

Synopsis:

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!160047094

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought…

Review:

4

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley for review. Thank you to Delacorte for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own*

Kristy Boyce has become one of my auto-buy authors. This was so cute and such a fun read. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I loved learning more about DND! 

Riley has dreams about becoming a director on Broadway. That’s why she needs to bring back the school’s spring musical. When she gets caught driving her mom’s car without permission, she dreads her punishment. She must work at her dad’s game shop during her after-school hours. Her parents are divorced, and she and her dad aren’t really close.

Riley kind of panics, because she can’t spend her time working at the shop when she needs to save the musical. She convinces Nathan, a nerdy employee at the shop, to cover her shifts. She agrees to make the gamer-girl he has a crush on jealous in exchange. 

Riley didn’t realize she’d have to join Nathan’s Dungeons and Dragons game that’s held at the shop. She actually begins to find the role-playing fun.  She also starts to realize that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require a lot of her acting skills. She begins to understand her father more, the more time she spends at the shop.

I really enjoyed this one and I definitely recommend! I loved seeing Riley’s growth and character development. If you enjoy contemporary romance pick this one up! 

About the Author:

Kristy Boyce lives in Columbus, OH and teaches psychology as a senior lecturer at The Ohio State University.19976731._UX200_CR0,28,200,200_

When she’s not spending time with her husband and son, she’s usually writing, reading, putting together fairy gardens, or watching happy reality TV (The Great British Bake-Off and So You Think You Can Dance are perennial favorites).

Kristy is the social media coordinator for Central and Southern Ohio SCB.

Heir, Apparently (The Prince and the Apocalypse, #2): Review

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About the Book:

Title: Heir, Apparently

Author: Kara McDowell

Publisher: Wednesday Books 

Release Date: July 9, 2024

Pages: 336

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

An American teen learns she may have accidentally married the King of England, only to end up stranded on a tropical island with him in this highly-anticipated sequel to The Prince & The Apocalypse.

Freshman year is stressful enough without accidentally being married to the King of England. Of course, Wren Wheeler can’t tell her Northwestern classmates about that; after surviving a narrowly-averted apocalypse over the summer, everyone’s had enough excitement for one lifetime. Wren knows she needs to move on from Theo, but she can’t forget the look in his eyes when he left her on that island in Greece—and also, he took her dog.

When an ill-fated attempt to rescue Comet the Apocalypse Dog turns into a chemistry-fueled reunion with Theo that’s caught by the paparazzi, Wren finds herself under the royal spotlight. Suddenly, she’s a problem for “the firm” to solve, and in order to be protected from the rabid press, she’ll have to fly back to London with Theo. Along for the ride are Naomi and Brooke, as well as Theo’s siblings, including Henry, the brother he’s spent his life being compared to. But because the universe can’t let these two maybe-newlyweds have one conversation in peace, their plane goes down over the Atlantic, crashing on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere.

Stranded with no sign of rescue, the group will have to band together against poisonous animals, catastrophic injuries, a brotherly rivalry, and an ill-timed volcano if they’re going to make it out alive. And, scariest of all, Wren and Theo will have to face their feelings for one another and decide what they want their futures to look like—and if that future will be heartbreak, or happily ever after.

Review:

 

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley for a review. Thank you to Wednesday Books for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own*

After reading The Prince & The Apocalypse, I needed to get my hands on this one. I had to know what happened to Wren and Theo after that ending! Kara McDowell definitely came through for me.

After the events of the first book, Wren goes on a rescue mission to get her dog Comet back. Of course, Wren and Theo get caught by the paparazzi. She suddenly becomes a problem for the firm to solve and must fly to London with Theo.  As Theo and Wren can’t seem to catch a break, their plane crashes into the Atlantic and they’re stranded on an island. This time friends and family are involved, and it adds a whole lot more to the story in my opinion.

I loved the angst and the will they or won’t they be together! I highly recommend to those that enjoyed The Prince & The Apocalypse. 

About the Author:

Kara McDowell is the author of the the upcoming The Prince & The Apocalypse (Wednesday Books), One Way or Another, This Might Get Awkward, and Just for Clicks. She lives with her husband and a trio of rowdy boys in Mesa, Arizona, where she divides her time between writing, baking, and wishing for rain.

 

 

Love, Naturally (Rock Bottom Love, #1): Review

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About the Book:

Title: Love, Naturally 

Author: Sophie Sullivan

Publisher: Griffin

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Pages: 320

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Presley Ayers is not the woman you bring on a camping trip. An accomplished concierge at an exclusive hotel in Great Falls, MI, she knows more about the top ten places for champagne and caviar than she does about the best hiking boots to go stomping around near Lake Michigan. But when she surprises her boyfriend of eight months with a vacation to the Get Lost Lodge and he dumps her instead, Presley decides to rough it solo and take the trip herself.127281652

When Beckett Keller helps the gorgeous woman off the rickety boat and onto Lodge territory, it’s clear she’s made a mistake. She doesn’t like hiking, fishing, or nature in general, so why did she go on this trip?―but he’s got other things on his mind. A crumbling lodge, and his own plans and dreams that are forever deferred―so he doesn’t have time for Ms. Fish-Out-of-Water. But neither Beckett or Presley can help that inexplicable draw they feel towards each other. He’s all rough stubble and plaid shirts, while she’s all high heels and brand-name athleisurewear.

But you know what they say about opposites.

A charming opposites-attract romance, Love, Naturally is for anyone who ever stepped outside their comfort zone and found that all the best things can happen when you take a chance.

Review:

4

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley from the publisher for review. Thank you for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own*

I really enjoy Sophie Sullivan’s books, and this was a new one to add to the list! If you like opposites attract, found family and forced proximity tropes, I think you’ll enjoy this one as well. 

Presley Ayers works for a hotel as an accomplished concierge. She’s used to helping others plan their trips and knows where to get the best of the best. Planning camping trips is not her usual forte, as she doesn’t like the outdoors, but she decides to surprise her boyfriend of eight months with a trip to Get Lost Lodge. He decides to dump her instead. Presley chooses to take the plunge and takes the trip by herself.

On the boat ride to the lodge, she meets Beckett Keller. He works at the lodge with his sister, niece and brother. The lodge is taking up a lot of his time and it needs a lot of work. Beck has also had to put his own dreams on hold to help his family. When he meets Presley, he thinks she made a mistake. She doesn’t like fishing, hiking or anything about the outdoors. Still, he and Presley feel an instant pull towards each other that they can’t explain. 

Beck helps Presley to realize that trying new things and going out of your comfort zone once in a while can actually be fun. 

As they spend time together, things heat up more between them. Will Presley have a happily ever after this time? 

I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance! 

About the Author:

SOPHIE SULLIVAN is a Canadian author as well as a cookie-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. Ten Rules For Faking It is her romcom debut novel, but she’s had plenty of practice writing happily ever after as her alter ego, Jody Holford. 20344328._UX200_CR0,69,200,200_

Book of Fire (The Book of Fire #1):Review

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About the Book:

Title: Book of Fire 

Author: Michelle Kenney 

Publisher: Harper Collins HQ 

Release Date: August 27, 2017

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Distopian

Synopsis:

Life outside the domes is not possible. At least that’s what Insiders are told. Twins Eli and Talia shouldn’t exist. They’re Outsiders.36003853._SY475_

Their home is a secret. Their lives are a secret. Arafel is a secret.

An unexpected forest raid forces Talia into a desperate mission to rescue her family while protecting the sacred book of Arafel from those who would use it as a weapon. As Talia and her life long friend Max enter the dome, she makes some unexpected discoveries, and allies, in the form of rugged Insider August, that will change the course of her life forever.

She’ll stop at nothing to save her family but will she sacrifice her heart in the process?

The Fire Sermon meets Gladiator in this brilliant YA debut.

 

 

 

Review:

5

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Book of Fire was the book I didn’t know I needed! A fast paced, enthralling ya dystopian that I highly recommend.

This story takes place after there’s been a nuclear war. Talia lives with her family in a village of treehouses as an Outsider. There are also Insiders, those who live inside the Lifedome, which was designed to protect people from the after effects of the bombs. The Insiders have been told that life outside of the dome is not possible, and Outsiders shouldn’t exist. The Outsiders home and lives are supposed to be a secret. An unexpected forest raid forces Talia on a precarious mission to save her family from the Insiders, while also protecting the book of Arafel from those who could potentially use it as a weapon. As Talia and her best friend Max enter the dome, she makes some completely unexpected discoveries, as well as some allies, including the mysterious Insider August, that will change her life forever.

I absolutely loved all the surprises in this book when it came to mythology, history and science! The world that Kenney created is so intriguing. There’s an unforgettable cast of characters, and a few stole a piece of my heart. Unus, here’s looking at you!

A great start to a series that I am excited to continue! If you like a fierce heroine, action, adventure, and some romance, I think you will enjoy this one.

About the Author:

I’m a firm believer in magic, and that ancient doorways to other worlds can still be found if we look hard enough. I’m also a hopeless scribbleaholic and, when left to my own devices, likes nothing better than to dream up new fantasy worlds in the back of a dog-eared notebook. Doctors say they’re unlikely to find a cure any time soon.download (14)

In between scribbling, I love reading, running, attempting to play bluegrass and beach treasure-hunting with my small people (dreamers-in-training).

Somehow, I have an LLB (hons) degree, an APD in Public Relations and I’m an Accredited Practitioner with the CIPR. But I’m definitely happiest curled up against a rainy window, with my nose in a book!

I’m represented by Northbank Talent Management, and love chatting all things book-related at https://www.facebook.com/BookofFireMK Twitter: @mkenneypr and Instagram: @mich_kenneyauthor

Book of Fire is the first in a YAFantasy Trilogy published by HarperCollins HQ. City of Dust, Book 2, was published October 2018 (digital) and December 2018 (paperback), and Storm of Ash, the final instalment was published in December 2019 (Digital) and February 2020 (Paperback)