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Review: Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Dance of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Series: Masque of the Red Death
Rating: ★★★★

I’ve been waiting a while for Dance of the Red Death, so when I was given an early copy, I was ecstatic to start reading. The dark tones of Masque of the Red Death were different that the other books I had read before and I found I really enjoyed it. Dance of the Red Death has those same dark tones, but sprinkled in with a little bit of hope.

Dance of the Red Death picks up right at the end of Masque of the Red Death. They are on the airship, trying to escape the city as it falls into chaos. April has been infected with the contagion, Araby’s got a horrible shoulder wound, and the tension between the conflicting parties is thick enough to feel choking. Araby has agreed to be with Elliot in order to give him a better appearance, but things are getting confusing between them. On top of that, Araby isn’t sure what her feelings toward Will are and she doesn’t know what to do about their relationship.

Araby is a strong character. She doesn’t let things stand in her way and finds creative ways to get around obstacles. She’s not self-sacrificing in the superficial way a lot of heroines in today’s Young Adult books are. She thinks her choices through and figures out which option is best for her and everyone involved. She knows how to be a part of a team and that sometimes strength is in numbers.

Elliot and Will are two very differing boys. Will takes a bit of a quiet, more backseat role for part of this book, and I think that works well for his and Araby’s relationship. He knows and understands that Araby doesn’t quite trust him anymore after what he did, and he knows that beyond apologizing, the only thing the can do is prove to her through actions that he is there for her. Elliot is the leader, he wants to take control of the city and fix it. At times, it was hard to know if he really cared for Araby or if he only liked the contentedness she brought with her. I enjoyed how this love triangle played out. This is how they should be done; each boy with his own merits, but not openly competing like children.

The actual story was fantastic as well. The contagion is spreading, but so is the new disease called the Red Death. Araby and company know they must do something to try and heal the city, and they know that means getting rid of Prince Prospero and cleaning the city’s water. Prospero won’t go down without a fight, and without any idea of if the water filtration system is even real, Araby and company are fighting against the odds.

Dance of the Red Death is a stunning conclusion to Griffin’s reworking of Edgar Allen Poe’s Masque of the Red Death that left me feeling happy and hopeful. It is a bit of a darker toned book, but don’t let that stop you from reading the series. It’s imaginative and fantastic and well worth a read.

If you think Dance of the Red Death is your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to Edelweiss and Greenwillow Books for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Can’t Wait For Monday – The White Princess

I’ve got a to read list a mile long, but I’m constantly adding to it. Every time I come across an amazing series, I’m left waiting for the next book to be released. This Monday, I’m going to talk about the upcoming book in Philippa Gregory’s The Cousin’s War series, The White Princess.

I’ve always been a fan of history and when I stumbled across Gregory’s novel The Queen’s Fool, I knew I had found an author I’d always read. I went through the entire Tudor Court series and was elated when I heard about her Cousin’s War series. I started reading The Lady of the Rivers first, then went back and read The White Queen and The Red Queen as quickly as I could. When The Kingmaker’s Daughter was released last year, I bought it immediately and devoured it. Next up is The White Princess, the story of Princess Elizabeth of York.

From Amazon:

When Henry Tudor picks up the crown of England from the mud of Bosworth field, he knows he must marry the princess of the enemy house—Elizabeth of York—to unify a country divided by war for nearly two decades.

But his bride is still in love with his slain enemy, Richard III—and her mother and half of England dream of a missing heir, sent into the unknown by the White Queen. While the new monarchy can win power, it cannot win hearts in an England that plots for the triumphant return of the House of York.

Henry’s greatest fear is that somewhere a prince is waiting to invade and reclaim the throne. When a young man who would be king leads his army and invades England, Elizabeth has to choose between the new husband she is coming to love and the boy who claims to be her beloved lost brother: the rose of York come home at last.

I really can’t say how excited I am for this book. Elizabeth and Henry’s marriage is what brought about the end of the Cousin’s War by bringing the York and Lancaster sides together again. After years and years of battles and turmoil, there might finally be peace. Of course, that peace will be disrupted by the missing York prince, Elizabeth’s brother, and the best claimant to the throne. When I try to imagine Elizabeth’s struggle between staying true to the side she was raised to believe was right and the husband she is starting to love, I don’t know what I would do. Obviously we know how things went down in history, but reading Gregory’s interpretation of it will give me even more to think about.

Gregory never disappoints me when it comes to building the fantastic world of the English royals and I have no doubts about The White Princess. It comes out July 23rd and you can bet I’ll be downloading it to my kindle as soon as it becomes available at midnight.

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Review: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Title: Shadow of Night
Author: Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★

A Discovery of Witches felt like something I hadn’t read before. Sure, the witch and vampire idea is out there and has been for a while, but something felt different about that book. The same thing happened with Shadow of Night.

In Shadow of Night, Diana and Matthew timewalk back in time with the hope of finding Ashmole 782 complete. They want to find the secrets of their creation and their future. On top of that, they want to find a witch to help Diana as she finds her witch powers. They travel back to 1590 and are thrown right into the world of Elizabeth’s England.

Matthew falls back into his life as a spy and gets back together with his group of friends, known as the School of Night. Diana has to find a way to adjust to the time in nearly every way, on top of trying to find a witch with the power to teach her about her own powers. She’s living in the world that, as a historian, she could only dream of seeing.

Matthew and Diana are married before they timewalk, but they still have problems they need to work out. There are still secrets between them, and while some are insignificant, some are important. They have to work on their relationship and find ways to accept the good and the bad, as well as air those hidden secrets.

I think the cast of characters for this novel is one of my favorites in recent memories. Every single person was unique and I fell in love with several of them. The homes Matthew and Diana occupy while in Elizabethan England are rarely empty and each person that took up space in those homes was fantastic. They all added something special to the novel and I could easily read books about each and every one of them.

There’s a lot that doesn’t happen in this novel, but that doesn’t bother me. Even though not everything felt as though it held importance to the overall plot or characters, I didn’t mind reading about everything that went on. Nothing felt like filler, even though some pages were not as important as others. There are often times when things aren’t happening, but that’s okay. Harkness makes every word feel purposeful.

Shadow of Night was a fantastic novel that I made sure to really read. I slowed myself down in order to enjoy each word. This was a wonderful sequel and I am looking forward to what comes next and how Diana and Matthew’s trip to the past has changed their future.

If Shadow of Night sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Book Talk: Reasons Why

Everyone has their reasons for liking or disliking reading. Some people enjoy sitting down and losing themselves in the pages of a book while others find the idea of sitting and reading crazy. It doesn’t matter if you like to read or not…you have reasons for it.

I know a lot of people use reading as a way to escape from the real world. I’m no different. I use reading as a way to leave the world behind and find someplace else to live for a bit. There is a little difference between myself and a lot of the other readers out there.

I use reading as a way to live the lives I’ll never be able to see.

I was born with a genetic disease, Cystic Fibrosis, that makes it hard to breathe. My lungs are scarred and damaged. On a really good day, I have 75% of the lung capacity I should have. I spend at least one month out of the year in the hospital, but it’s looking like that will be increasing. I’m going to try as hard as I possibly can to live as long as I can, but I have no illusions about living into my 80s and beyond.

Reading allows me to live lives I won’t otherwise get to experience. I get to be anyone when I read. I can go anywhere. The one life I was given has been filled with challenges, but the hundreds of lives I have experienced  make up for that.

That is why I read. That is why I treasure every book I open. That is why I will never stop reading. I have never-ending gratitude for the authors who have written the books I have lived. Because those authors put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), I get to live any life I want to. When I finally get to meet some of my favorite authors, there is no amount of thanking them that can get my gratitude across.

I can’t stop reading. If I stop, I will lose those little pieces that make up who I am and who I will be. Going forward in life, I know my health will keep declining. There’s no way around that. But that doesn’t frighten me. As long as I have my books, I can keep going.

That’s why I read. Why do you read?

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Review: Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

Title: Letters from Sky
Author: Jessica Brockmole
Rating: ★★★★★

Letters as a way of communicating are going away. People no longer wait by their mailbox with the hopes a letter will come for them. We email now, or use Facebook or Twitter. Near instant communication. We also share so much of our lives today that things that used to be private have now become basic public information. I think this is why the letter format of Letters from Skye appealed to me so much.

The entire novel is made up of letters. Every single page is filled with correspondence; letters between David and Elspeth, letters between Elspeth’s daughter Margaret and Paul…every detail of the story is given between the lines of those letters. There is only so much a letter can convey. It’s a tiny glimpse into the life of the letter’s author. The entire story isn’t told; there are details that aren’t there, days that are left blank. But what is in those letters is a love story spanning countries, oceans, continents, and decades.

Elspeth is a poet who has never ventured beyond the island she calls home. She finds inspiration in the land she grew up on, and the poems she writes leads an American to write her first fan letter. From there, a friendship builds. David and Elspeth begin a relationship of honesty and truth. They begin to depend upon each other and their friendship continues to grow until love finds its way in. Just when they think they might be able to start something amazing, David becomes involved in World War I and their letters become even more important.

The other set of letters, between Margaret and Paul, takes place during World War II. Paul is a fighter pilot for the Royal Air Force and Margaret has fallen for him. Elspeth warns her daughter of what a war can do to a relationship, but Margaret holds onto her love with Paul. After a bomb sends letters flying around the home Margaret and Elspeth share, Margret begins to question her mother and her secrets. They are the secret Elspeth has kept locked away for 20 years, even from Margaret. When Elspeth disappears, taking the letters with her, Margaret sets off on a journey to discover her mother’s story and how that is tied to Margaret’s unknown father.

David and Elspeth’s love story is powerful and real. The challenges they face, shown through these letters, are moving and brought tears to my eyes. Getting to see this love span the decades through letters is more powerful than reading a narrative would have been. Sure, there are some details that aren’t shared, but what you do read is even better. You read two people falling in love and finding a way to maintain that relationship through a war.

I imagine that reading Letters from Skye is much like hearing the story about how your grandparents fell in love. You many hear one story from you grandpa, and one from your grandma, but once you read those letters they exchanged before getting married, you finally understand it. I don’t know how to describe the feeling this book gave me, but it moved me to tears.

Letters from Skye is Brockmole’s first novel. I am hoping beyond expression that it isn’t her last. Her way of weaving a story so beautiful has made me a devoted fan from the very first page. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of historical fiction, this is a must read book.

To purchase your copy of Letter from Skye, click on one of the links below:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: If I Should Die by Amy Plum

Title: If I Should Die
Author: Amy Plum
Series: Revenants series
Rating: ★★★★★

I have loved this series from the beginning. There was something so perfectly romantic about it that had me falling in love hard from the very first pages.

It’s not the most beautifully written novel, nor is the world the most inventive. But there is something about Kate and Vincent that doesn’t need the pretty words in order to weave a romantic and amazing tale. Plum made me fall in love just by writing a fantastic love story.

Vincent has just been lost; his body burned, but his soul still on Earth. Kate fears all is lost, that once again, she has lost someone she loves more than anyone else in the world. Her parents’ death brought her Vincent, but she can’t see what will come for her now.

I don’t want to give too many spoilers because this is a book you don’t want to have spoiled. You want to read every page and want to know what is coming next. Experiencing the highs and lows of this novel was just an added bonus to the wonderful journey I went on.

The other revenants play a major role in this novel. There are twists that I didn’t see coming that made my gut twist and my heart clench up. I didn’t want to stop reading. I needed to know what was coming next and how the story would end.

If I Should Die is one of my favorite endings to a series. I’m sad to see it ending, but while I wish I could keep reading about Kate and Vincent, it ended the story perfectly. Loose ends were tied up, my heart is happy, and I’m still in love.

The Revenants series is a must read for anyone who wants to be swept up in a timeless romance set in one of the most romantic cities in the world. Be prepared to fall in love from the beginning and only have that love grow as the series concludes.

If If I Should Die sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Crush by Nicole Williams

Title: Crush
Author: Nicole Williams
Series: Crash series
Rating: ★★

Crush is definitely a more adult book than the previous two and my review reflects that. For that reason, I have not included my review on the front page. Please click below to read my review.

Continue reading →

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Review: Clash by Nicole Williams

Title: Clash
Author: Nicole Williams
Series: Crash series
Rating: ★★★

I enjoyed Crash more than I thought I would, so I decided to give the rest of the series a try. Crash had its flaws, but it was still enjoyable and I had hopes that things would improve as the series went on.

Clash was about as enjoyable as Crash, and it still had its flaws, but it wasn’t bad. Lucy and Jude were still a little too volatile for my tastes, but they didn’t cross any of my boundaries when it comes to relationships.

Lucy and Jude are in college and testing out the long distance relationship. They spend as much time together as they can, but doubts are always there. Jude is the big man on campus and while Lucy says she trusts him, there are moments when it’s clear she doesn’t. Even if she says it’s only the people around him she doesn’t trust, she still doubts him and what he says.

Jude just wants to make Lucy happy and play football. He’s been given a second chance at a life he never thought he’d have and he’s trying to make the most of it.

The drama of the novel is the one part I found myself enjoying less. As often as I tried to remind myself that the characters where still teens, just figuring life out, I still found myself bogged down with their drama at times. I understand that some of it is necessary in order to move the story forward, but some of it felt like it was thrown in there just for something to fill the pages. Instead of having the characters talk and work issues out, drama ensues for a little while before they have that talk.

I read this book while on vacation and I think this is what the series is for. It makes for a nice summer read, while you are lounging on the deck of a cruise ship and sipping a tasty drink. It’s not really a light read, but it’s definitely not a deep one. If you’re looking for a book to just sit back and read, this would be a good choice.

If Clash sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Title: Dirty Little Secret
Author: Jennifer Echols
Rating: ★★★★★

Yet another amazing Jennifer Echols book.

I know when I pick up a book by Echols; I’m going to love it. I know I’m going to get the heart swoons, the stomach fluttering, and the little smile on my face. I also know I’m going to get a great story to go along with it. Dirty Little Secret is no different.

Bailey and her sister Julie used to go out and play the music scene together. Then Julie got a record deal and Bailey was left behind. Not only were her dreams pushed to the back burner, her family wanted to keep her a secret. That is the part of the situation that hurt Bailey most. Not that her sister found success, but that Bailey had to be sacrificed for her to get it.

Sam has a band and will do anything to make it big. That is his one focus. When Bailey entered his life, he didn’t expect his focus to change. He didn’t think making it big would cost him something he hadn’t had in a while.

The romance between these two is delicious. There’s attraction and there’s annoyance. There’s lust and there’s more annoyance. The push and pull never seems childish, but more like actual adults having misunderstandings and miscommunications and being forced to work through them if they want to be together.

Ace and Charlotte could be their own story. There is so much I want to know about those two. They may be secondary characters, but they gave the novel something special.

Dirty Little Secret is yet another fantastic Echols novel with country flair. If you’re looking for a romance that will leave you smiling and get music stuck in your head, this is the book for you.

If Dirty Little Secret sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to Jennifer Echols for sending me an advanced copy of the novel.

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Review: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

Title: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend
Author: Louise Rozett
Series: Confessions series
Rating: ★★★★★

I don’t talk about this often, because I don’t feel it is important enough to mention in reviews. However, Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend deals with this topic a lot. Depression.

I fight a daily battle with depression. I’m better now than I was two years ago, but it’s still a daily fight. Some days are good and some are bad. On those bad days, it’s hard to be able to express myself well. I have thoughts, but I can’t get them to come out the way I need them to.

Why did I feel like it was important to talk about this in my review of Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend? Because Rose is dealing with her own depression in this novel, and Rozett did such a perfect job of writing it, that it almost felt like I was reading a story about me.

Yes, Rozett wrote another great story about Rose dealing with high school, friends who seemingly have their lives together, a mother that doesn’t understand her, and a brother that doesn’t try and talk to her. On top of all that, Jamie keeps giving her mixed signals and it’s no surprise Rose isn’t quite sure if her head is screwed on straight. All of that isn’t why I loved this book so much, though.

Rose is not depressed in the “I hate life” way. She’s depressed in the “Why don’t I like anything” way. The difference between the two is one is easily identified as depression, while the other can be tricky. I’ve worked through both, and for me, not being able to understand why I don’t like anything is worse than hating everything. At least hate is an emotion.

Rozett managed to do something I haven’t found in other books. She made everything feel real. Rose’s inability to put into words how she feels or what she needs and wants is basically how I spent two years of my life. I have never read an author write depression so perfectly. This book gave me feelings; they weren’t great feelings, but they definitely weren’t bad feelings. Instead I felt all the struggle and difficulty come back full force, allowing me to connect with Rose in a much powerful way.

I am sure this book isn’t for everyone. It has its flaws, but it handles such a tricky subject perfectly. Rozett doesn’t try and make Rose feel worse than she needs to, or happier than she needs to. She makes her confused and frustrated, but she also gives her moments of breakthrough. For that reason alone, for how well Rozett wrote the depression struggle, this is a must read book for me.

If Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Thank you to HarlequinTeen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.